Thread: What is Your Shaving Routine?

1. Strop
2. Lather
3. Shave WTG
4. Lather
5. Shave ATG
6. Lather
7. Shave XTG
8. Lather
9. Shave one more time ATG
10. Put my tools away
11. Take care of my face post-shave
12. Impress the old widow women and divorcees

Normal bead, slightly sensitive skin

Pick the days gear....

Soak brush and bloom soap, warm scuttle/bowl
Strop razor
build lather
Hot towel on face
Lather
Shave WTG
lather jawline
Shave jawline ATG
Astringent usually witch hazel
After shave/smell good

Clean and put up the gear
Razors sit out partially open for the rest of the day to be sure they are totally dry

Medium beard, slightly sensitive skin

Night before I set out the brush, soap, and razor to be used. Strop razor 43 linen, 60 leather.

in the wee hours of the morning I fill the scuttle with hot water and soak the brush du jour.
brush teeth (not shave related but good to do)
run hot water into towel until very hot.
dump out scuttle water and add fresh hot stuff without filling the bowl portion.
scoop out cream or lather up brush from puck for 30 to 45 seconds
set brush in back in scuttle
hot towel on the face for a minute or two until the towel starts to become warm instead of hot.
swirl brush a few times in scuttle and then face lather adding hot water from the tap as necessary.
shave with the grain usually only rinsing the blade 3 times, no wiping.
towel off face and re lather adding hot water to brush if needed.
Shave across/against the grain. I do the across grain first and then change the angle of attack slightly for a few strokes against in spots that need it.
towel off face and apply either Thayers, Lucky Tiger, Myrsol, balm or alum if any weepers.
Clean up scuttle, brush, razor.
Shower and dress.
apply aftershave.

Its still early so I may have missed a step but this seems about right.

1-2 days of growth my normal 5/8 - 6/8 razor ( When it has been awhile I go to my PRC Gryphon 8/8 monster I love demolishing a thick beard with it)
strop it up place it on cabinet in my room.
Shower
Grab razor from room (I dont like letting steam get on my razor)
hot water on brush and a bit on my hard soap to soften it up
lather face
epic shave
aftershave
Clean equipment
after shave strop usually just 20 or so on leather

I've been pretty minimal lately:

1. splash face with water as hot as I can stand;
2. briefly cover soap puck with hot water, draining it afterwards, or run hot water over stick for a few moments;
3. dunk Vie-Long horse-badger brush in warm water for around 30 seconds;
4. shake off most standing water from brush and load it with soap;
5. face lather;
6. shave;
7. repeat steps 5 and 6 as needed;
8. rinse off face with cold water, followed by a blotting off with a bar towel;
9. apply witch hazel astringent solution to face;
10. shake off brush, dry it on towel, and clean up sink area;
11. strop razor, leaving it out to air dry before storing it away.

Process takes less than 30 minutes, and I am on a 72-hour shaving cycle these days, so it's not really all that intrusive into my daily affairs otherwise.