Frustrated Newbie Seeking Advice

Hello everyone! New member; first post. Hoping to get some feedback on what I'm doing wrong. The Subject line kinda' says it all.

I've watched a lot of YouTube videos and have been quite jazzed by how easy all these instructional videos make it seem. I converted to a DE safety razor about six years ago and love it! I love the badger brush, the fantastic shaving creams, the balms, etc. I've been curious about straight razors for quite some time, but have to admit, they're a bit frightening. For Christmas, my wife sprung about $150 on a Feather Artist Series DX razor for me with a set of Feather Pro blades. After watching all these videos and spending time practicing the motions with NO blade, I was ready to go.

My first pass was the right cheek, since I'm right handed. I stretched the skin by grabbing my sideburn with my left hand and applied my first stroke applying a very light touch. Not bad... Did a few more, leading to my jaw, and was doing well. Then I went up to the top of the cheek and exerienced my first cut, and it was a bad one. It's been 14 days, and it's almost healed. Okay... I remember my first shave with the DE razor, and I was pretty much a bloody mess at the end. Now I get a great shave. So I ignored the blood streaming down my face and continued. Bad idea.

I took a shower before the shave and applied a hot washcloth first, so my beard was soft. I know how important this is with DE shaving. My cream was Taylor of Old Bond Street. After two shaves so far that have left my face a bloody, raw mess, I'll explain the problems I'm facing.

Chin: When I apply the blade to my chin, it catches on the hair and bounces off, leaving a cut when it bounces back on my face. I barely can do downward strokes, and upward strokes are downright dangerous! Angled strokes are also a problem. How does anyone do this?

Mandible (jaw bone below the cheek): I have chiseled features, so it's a sharp angle here. I'm having trouble figuring out how the flow the blade down from the cheek, over this sharp angle, to below the mandible. Again, upward strokes and angled strokes create nasty bleeding.

Below the nose: Far too dangerous for me to try and get a close shave right below the nostril doing a downward stroke, since the blade would have to be applied straight on. So I have to do it with upward strokes. Upward strokes on the upper lip give me bleeding and razor rash. Again, the blade catches and bounces off.

Neck: This is a friendly area, since it's pretty flat, so downward strokes are pretty good, but I'm not able to get a baby-butt smooth finish without lots of passes from an upward angle, giving me horrible razor rash. Also, the Adam's apple is a challenge I need to figure out. Mine protrudes prominently.

Blindness: I'm blind in my left eye, so using my left hand, I can't see the blade when shaving part of my cheek. So I have to use my right hand for almost everything.

Maybe my mistakes are 1) trying to get a baby-butt shave on my first tries and 2) perhaps the Feather Professional is just too aggressive for me? To test this, I ordered the Feather Soft Guard blades as training wheels.

These two shaves have left my face with a whole ton of cuts and red rashes. So much so, my wife shockingly asked, "What the hell happened?!" I've also cancelled all social engagements and avoided going out in public until this heals. It's been five days since the second try, and I'm almost ready to try again. The Feather Soft Touch blades arrived today, but before giving it another go, I thought I'd find a forum to consult and see what advice other users have.

One thing I keep in mind. I've been to many barbers who have given me a truly amazing shave using a straight razor, so I know it can be done on my face. I'm just super frustrated because I honestly have no idea how to do it. All the YouTube videos I've watched haven't been helpful at ensuring I get that fantastic shave.

All constructive advice is very much appreciated!

Shavettes are not easy to learn. You have to be very careful and go really slowly taking a section of your face at a time and one stroke at a time. You can really do a number on your face with those things. They are less forgiving than a straight. Start with simple north south strokes on your face. Forget about your neck or anything else until you master the basics. Watch your pressure meaning use the least to keep the thing in your hand and no more.

Welcome!
Cannot read that much, but prep and LOW blade angle.

Welcome aboard.. This is easy for me to say but it will get better with time.. We have all been where you are and think its impossible to shave with a SR.. It does not take too many strokes just on your cheeks downward to feel the satisfaction of a nice clean SR stroke... Ive been doing this for a few years now to where its just shaving, just like you using your DE... Im going to leave any advice and suggestions to orhers here.. There are a number of guys on here that can and will guide you through any and alk questions.. Keep at it, dont give up, listen and ask questions..
Welcome, Scott

Welcome to SRP.
I have one of those razors/Shavettes and I find it to be a very nice shaver. Now I have to also say that I've been at this for a few years. Starting with a shavette is a hard way to go but it can be done. And you picked IMO one of the best shavette to buy. BUT, You would be so much better off with a real straight. As said, the shavette is not very forgiving. It will slice you up. Just be very careful. Don't worry about BBS or anything but straight down strokes. Easy does it and go slow. Keep the lather wet and slick and good luck. And think about a real straight.

One more thing... Keep the angle as low as possible. Meaning spine of razor close to your face. I find the thinkness at the blade is a little much so as low as possible is what works for me.

Red skin means too much pressure for me. It’s a very delicate touch. As though you are trying to wipe the lather off with out touching your skin. Blade angle is also super important. Too steep and you are scraping and looking to get cut. Your prep and stretching sounds ok.

In regards to being blind in one eye, a wall mounted mirror may be of help.

https://www.amazon.com/Jerdon-JP2027.../dp/B01GU47TKS

I would recommend sticking with just a cheek the first few shaves. Use the DE you are comfortable with for the rest. You look much more presentable with just 1 cut rather than 15. Avoid moustache and chin for now.

As mentioned before, shavettes can be unforgiving. Maybe try a different blade too? Have gotten some a couple bad single edge blades, not common but it can happen.

For the jaw line just pull your cheek up to bring the sling at the jaw above it, shave to the jaw, then pull at the neck and continue the stroke from the jaw line towards your hand as you pull the skin.

Having not shaved myself with a shavette before I’m not sure what would be the problem exactly but sounds like pressure and angle to me too. Lighten up and go with as low as an angle you can and still have the edge contact your face.

The chin hair for me does the same thing as yours on a with the grain pass, if I use an across the grain pass it works much better.

I have a mongoose that I use feathers in and they are by far the most likely of the blades I’ve tried in it to draw blood. The kai’s are much milder and I think they fit in the feather. If those are an option that would be the blade for my skin to learn a shavette with.

Shave angle is the usual culprit. The spine should be practically dragging on the skin. Keep the pressure light. Short strokes. Begin the motion with the razor above the face and swoop in as if you were making a touch and go landing. Scoop up some lather and fly off again. Make another stab at it. Scoop up some more lather. Shave the lather, not the whiskers, and the whiskers will come. Don't try to get a close shave. Try only to survive unscathed. Closeness will come, in time.

You are trying to shave with an extremely sharp edge. It is not often that you will encounter an actual straight razor as sharp as your shavette. Maybe never. It is a cruel teacher and your failed lessons are punished by making your face look like that of a professional wildcat sorter. Nevertheless, you can learn to shave with it. The worst part is probably over. And when you have mastered the Feather, a proper straight razor will be as tame as a puppy. So stick with it. Lower your shave angle. Touch and go strokes. Watch out for the ends of the blade. Those corners can be vicious if you are not used to them being there.

When I lived on my boat, I had no mirror at all for a couple of years. I shaved mostly with straights but also sometimes with a shavette or a DE or a wedge blade hoe handle or Schick injector or whatever. Being able to see your face is not an absolute necessity. You know where your face is, after all. And the razor is in your hand, so you know where that is. Bring them together and bobs yer uncle.

You can turn down the sharpness a bit by corking the blade. Simply slice into a wine cork with it, one slice, the full length of the blade. Well, that horse has bolted. After several shaves already, the blade should have lost much of its sharpness. Next time...

Figure out what part of the blade is cutting you. If it is the corners, that is easily remedied by dulling jsut the corners on a coarse hone or even a brick or fine sandpaper. Never use a slicing stroke with a shavette until you are quite competent in its use.

There are other brands and styles of blade that fit your shavette, that are not as sharp, if you wish to continue with a milder blade. You could also switch to a half DE type shavette, and load it with Derby or similar blades. I prefer the Feather DE blades, myself.

With a regular straight razor I generally suggest not using any sort of training wheels such as finishing up with a DE razor, but in this case, maybe you should just do the easy parts of your face for a week or two and then finish with your DE or cart or whatever. Gradually work more of your face into your shavette shave.

You could of course ditch the shavette and upgrade to a straight razor, but you are already part of the way to shavette success. May as well see it through, and become competent with it, before the almost inevitable upgrade.

The Feather DX is a very good system and has a lot of fans. Nothing wrong with the design. Be sure you are mounting the blade correctly, though I think it is pretty hard to do it wrong. Hang in there. You have paid your entry fee in blood. Stick around and get your moneys worth.

Great advise from the pros, I think the process has been well covered.
The feather is bad ass and as you have found out can be non forgiving. I'll take on any straight razor before using the DX.
As was suggested earlier, never try to get a close shave first pass, just take the soap off the face slowly using minimal pressure and angle. Often suggested for the first shave start with the cheeks (usually the easiest) and finish with your usual razor. Each shave add a little more territory.
Take it slow.

Just got one of the same feathers and blades myself for my birthday in September. They are lazer sharp but a little palm stropping will soften the edge. As has been said a couple times pressure is a big point. You only need contact not pressure. The blade will do all the work you literally just want to kiss the skin and float over it. Do basic strokes and finish with the de till you have the feel for it and add more as your skills grow. Good luck

The Feather Artist Club blades are quite sharp. Thus, proper technique is crucial. As has been mentioned by others you have to use a very light pressure when shaving. The blade should contact your skin, but not depress it significantly. Also, keeping the blade angle low will allow the blade to do the job for which it was designed, removing your beard without removing a lot of skin cells. The spine of the razor should barely clear your face.

Also remember that what causes cuts is lateral movement of the blade. You can hold the blade between your thumb and forefinger (with one or the other toughing the sharp edge) without cutting yourself, but as soon as there is lateral movement, blood will flow. Thus, focus on making straight strokes with the razor.

When starting out with a straight razor or shavette, I recommend that you start out shaving only your cheek. With your vision issue, you might even want to stick with one cheek. Shave that with the grain until you are comfortable holding the razor and moving it across your cheek. You can then finish your shave with the DE razor you have used for years.

Once you are comfortable with one cheek, practice with the other cheek until you are comfortable with that one. Even though your might not be able to see quite as well on that side, try to focus on the feel of the razor in your hand and the feel of the blade on your skin. Being able to see what you are doing is not as important as being able to sense what you are doing.

After you can shave both cheeks with confidence, then move on to the more difficult parts of your face: jawline, neck, chin, and stache. Shave with the grain until you are confident in your ability to shave these areas. Only then should you start the process all over learning to shave across the grain and against the grain.

I know you are concerned about needing to shave with your dominant hand only due to your vision. However, you may find that your opposite hand can still be used. When shaving WTG, I shave with the hand on that side of the face. However, when shaving ATG, I find it easier to reverse my grip on the razor and shave with the opposite hand. However, some folks shave with their dominant hand only. Do whatever feels best for you. Learning to use your opposite hand may feel awkward at first, but if you follow the same pattern you used for the initial learning process, you may find that it comes more easily than you think.

There's a lot of good advice here. The only thing I would add is on the importance of skin stretching. This will help for the Hard-to-reach areas like the jawline and the adam's apple. It's also important for getting a close shave, once you get past the basics.

But definitely take it slow, and know when to put down the shavette and go back to what works before you hurt yourself!

Wow... This has been fantastic. I can't thank you guys enough for all the great replies, friendly tips, and all-around confidence building. I'm sure I'm not the first to try this and think, what the hell am I doing with this thing?!

I read every reply very carefully, many multiple times, and then gave it another go a little while ago... WITH SUCCESS!!! Let me explain.

The Feather Professional blades are evil for first timers like me. I switched to the new Feather Professional Softguard blades I received yesterday, and, OMG, what a huge difference!

The biggest advice I carefully applied from all your replies was 1) only do one pass for now, 2) don't try for a baby-butt finish, 3) apply short strokes with the blade fairly flat, and 4) LIGHT pressure!

Anyone reading this who is new, like me, I *highly* recommend the Softguard to start. The blades have these little ribs of metal that reach over the blade, keeping it from sinking completely in the skin. They are very forgiving to angle differences and variations in pressure.

So, with frightened respect, I tried it again and had no cuts, nicks, or weepers--NONE! I was amazed! At first, I limited my shaving to only the cheeks, but that went so well that I ventured closer to my chin. That went so well, I did the chin, then the jaw, then below the jaw, then the entire neck and Adam's apple. I washed off the soap after this first pass and felt. What a fantastically uniform first pass. I could still feel bristles, but that's to be expected after the first pass. The bristles felt uniform over my whole face. I thought of doing the second pass with the SR, but decided not to press my luck and listen to you guys. After a week or two, I'll try the second pass. Some areas still feel a little awkward, so I need to nail down my technique and get so there are no areas that feel awkward.

As suggested, I finished my second pass with my DE razor. Funny... The DE razor gave me a few weepers, as usual, but the SR with the Feather Softguard blades did not! :D

I've read spotty reviews about these Softguard blades, so I was expecting they wouldn't work well for me. But they most definitely did! I'm actually excited to wait a few days so I can shave again. I'm curious to see how close they get when I finally put them to the test on an entire shave (first pass, second pass, and touchup).

One question to you guys: I tend to wait two or three days between shaves. The DE razor is a little rough on my face for everyday shaving. All shavers I've ever used in my ~38 years of shaving have been a bit harsh. I've tried probably three dozen different blades on my DE, and none of them are mild enough to allow me to shave daily. I have sensitive skin. Do you guys find SR shaving to be easier on the skin than DE or commercial razors?

Okay... To address a few people who provided some super comments:

dinnermint: Great advice about the mirror! I hadn't thought of that. When I DE shave, I don't use a mirror to see my face. Being blind on one side, I can shave by feel. I only use it to get my starting point. I start my shave at a specific point on my sideburn so both sideburns are the same length. So I need to see where the SR is starting to ensure the two sideburns are uniform in length. The mirror you suggested is a great idea! Hadn't thought of that--thank you!

jfk742: Your suggestion (which a few others also stated) of pulling the skin up to move the skin on the jaw to a better shaving location was a great suggestion. Did it with today's shave with great success! Also did this with the Adam's apple. I'm learning, skin pulling is far more important with SR shaving than with DE shaving.

Don't mean to leave others out... There were a lot of replies here. I just wanted to report my progress/success today and thank everyone. I was considering trying to figure out how to back out of SR shaving, knowing my loving wife was so kind to spend the money on this shaving system. I didn't want to go that route and break the news to her.

Funny... After I shaved, she came in and I excitedly reported all this success. She just smiled and said, "That's nice, dear," and walked away. Ha! I think getting excited over shaving is a guy thing! :)

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Originally Posted by FeatherMan

One question to you guys: I tend to wait two or three days between shaves. The DE razor is a little rough on my face for everyday shaving. All shavers I've ever used in my ~38 years of shaving have been a bit harsh. I've tried probably three dozen different blades on my DE, and none of them are mild enough to allow me to shave daily. I have sensitive skin. Do you guys find SR shaving to be easier on the skin than DE or commercial razors?

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Very good to hear that you are having success with the shavette.

I have been a daily shaver for 50 years with DEs, carts, electric and finally straight razors. It might be that your face is not that sensitive but that your shaving technique is a little off with a DE.

Find the right angle to use by placing the top cap of the DE flat on your face with the handle parallel to the floor. Then lower the handle till you just feel the blade on your face. That should be near enough the right angle to use and you have to maintain that around all the curves on your face. Just try and let the weight of the razor do the work for you when shaving as in very little to no weight on the blade. Give that a go and see if you have less or no irritation.

Bob

With a very sharp blade you don't want the blade "fairly" flat... you want it VERY flat against the face, nearly dragging the spine on the skin. FAIRLY flat, a normal shave angle, is with a gap between the face and the spine equal to one spine thickness, on a straight razor. Stand the spine further out away from the face than that, and you are scraping your face, not shaving it, and you will cut yourself a lot more, especially if the skin is not stretched very tightly.

Glad you got it working for you. Once your confidence is up and your muscle memory is kicking in, you should consider trying the Pro blades again. They are very good blades and will give you a great shave.

Glad to hear our words helped another newbie. It makes us all feel good so thank you for the good report.

I dug through my blade drawer and found the Pro Guard Blades by Feather. Took a close look and they do have an extra piece on them. I will give them a try sometime. As far as doing a finish with a DE, You could wait and shave the next day with the Shavette. This will allow you to shave daily and for your whiskers to be longer and that alone can help to give a more comfortable shave. I find that skipping a day makes for better shaves. Longer whiskers.

Most newbies that come here say they have sensitive skin. Its normally because of your abilities. Now it is possible you may, but... I too thought I had sensitive skin when I started with a straight. Nope. It was me.

The blade angle is very important. With a DE most will say to start around the 30-degree angle. The way Bob said to do it is best as not all razors are the same. With a straight, the one spine width is a good starting point. But you are not using a straight. With that Shavette, make it as flat to your skin as possible and still cut. Too low and it won't cut. Too high and it will cut more than whiskers. LOL.

I am glad to see you are making progress. I guess the Softgard blades are sort of like training wheels on a bike. If they help you get started and develop the skills you need....wonderful!

If you are getting skin irritation even using a DE razor, there are a few things that might help.
1. Be sure your face and beard are properly prepared for the shave. I like to shower before my shave using shampoo and conditioner on both my hair and my face to be sure the beard is clean and hydrated. That make it far easier to shave.
2. You might be different, but I find that if I wait too long between shaves, my beard is harder to shave and I can get more irritation.
3. Consider upgrading your lather. Nearly any soap and cream will work for those whose face is not sensitive. However, if you do have sensitive skin, using a superb soap that offers outstanding slickness, ample cushion to protect your skin from the blade, and wonderful post-shave moisturizing and conditioning can make a big difference.
4. People with sensitive skin often think that they can reduce irritation by using a mild razor and a mild blade. However, if you end up applying pressure during the shave because your razor is not efficient enough to do the job or the blade is not sharp enough for your beard, then you might be creating more irritation.

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Originally Posted by FeatherMan

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Funny... After I shaved, she came in and I excitedly reported all this success. She just smiled and said, "That's nice, dear," and walked away. Ha! I think getting excited over shaving is a guy thing! :)

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Yeah - this is very true. After a particularly good shave I’ve often asked my wife to feel my face so she can see how smooth it is. Usually she does and then remarks the same way every time - that’s nice honey - end of excitement!

Adam

You have gotten great advice. I'll just add "go slow" not only on each shave but with trying to add face areas and techniques. It will come together with time if you're patient.

BobH has hit the nail on the head with DE. Angle (and light pressure) are the keys.

couple of things already mentioned, first BBS shaves are for the guys who are just starting out, it seems to be a cool thing to say. CCS is what you want, going over the same area with a razor is no good, unless your really good. and with that razor you must be careful. second for a while get you different blades for the Dx, i think its called Pro-Guard, it is a feather blade with some built in protection, Trust Me On This!. third, is been said your using too steep an angle and pressing to hard. i use a Feather all the time while traveling you need to be almost flat on angle with it.

oh you can listen or dont, but any time you have yourself convinced you know it all , you dont, it takes 100 shaves to get proficient. the tugging shows this, your angle and pressure has dulled your blade.

now advice number 4, there are a few guys in your area, look them up and get soem face time, you will be miles ahead

Well-Done, Tc! :tu

Remember that even if you get a BBS shave, that feeling will only last a few hours unless your beard grows very slowly. For me a BBS shave lasts about two hours. Thus, as TC says, focus on getting a CCS. Perhaps if it is your wedding day you might need a BBS, but otherwise, probably not. As has been indicated by others, females do not get excited over a BBS face.

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Originally Posted by tcrideshd

...unless your really good. and with that razor you must be careful. second for a while get you different blades for the Dx, i think its called Pro-Guard, it is a feather blade with some built in protection, Trust Me On This!.

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YES! This has been a game changer for me; thanks for pointing this out. I know my posts are super long... I apologize about that. I'm a writer by trade, so my fingers and brain tend to be a bit more greased than they should be. But buried in one of my posts I mentioned that I switched to Feather Pro Softguard blades and, wow, what a difference! It's been a huge help!

Also, I totally listen to all of you guys. This is why I came here and have not given up trying to learn how to use an SR.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tcrideshd

now advice number 4, there are a few guys in your area, look them up and get soem face time, you will be miles ahead

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Excellent suggestion... How do I see who is in my area?

As an update, this weekend I felt comfortable enough to try doing a first and second pass with the SR, rather than do the second pass with the DE razor. It worked great! Fantastic shave! So happy!!! ;)

Regarding the BBS, I'm into it simply because I absolutely love how it feels! The best shaves I've even had were at my local barber, before I lost all my hair. LOL! An amazing BBS shave using an SR. When I get that for my self, with the bay rum balm, man... the smell is great, and I'll often sit at the computer while working and when I'm just reading, I'll feel my cheeks and chin. Maybe I'm weird that way, but I just love it!

I'm happy to say, with yesterday's SR shave, doing both passes, I was able to get that BBS shave even with the Feather Softguard blade. Following the advice here, it took 40 minutes (YOW!), but I did it. Slow and steady... no rush. I need to learn and entirely new style of shaving. Great shave! As I get better at it, that time will decrease. It'll just takes time.

We call it faceturbating. !!

Also remember to use an alum block after your shave. It will make your face feel extra smooth. I have been using a straight for a few years, but just recently got into using the block. Trust me on this one, you will like the way it feels.

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Originally Posted by MrZ

Also remember to use an alum block after your shave. It will make your face feel extra smooth. I have been using a straight for a few years, but just recently got into using the block. Trust me on this one, you will like the way it feels.

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Oh, I'm so glad you wrote this, because I forgot to ask. What's the proper method of using the block? I bought one and have been using it. I think I read you use cold water to wash it off after using it? Am I supposed to let my face dry, then put the balm on?

The first time I used it, I didn't wash it off and let my face dry, but it made my face feel real tight. Not comfortable. So the next time, I washed it off, but then the few nicks started to bleed again. I also read to make sure the block dries, and don't store it damp or it won't work any longer.

Curious to read how others use their block.

For alum I wet my face and rub on the alum. I let it sit a couple of minutes before washing it off with water and then dry my face. Apply AF or balm after that. I wipe the alum dry with toilet paper before storing it.

Bob

My experience with alum is that it certainly lets you know if your shave has been the tiniest bit rough - you will feel it right away. I use it now only after shave testing a newly honed razor to get a measure of the smoothness of the edge. I run cold water over the alum and then rub the block on my face, let it sit for a minute or so and wipe it off with a damp facecloth.

For everyday shaving, my preference is to use Thater witch hazel rather than my Osma alum stick. Much less sting and a much better post-shave face feel. For a real after shave indulgence, I sometimes follow up with organic shea butter.

I use both. Start with alum for evaluating the shave. If it burns I know I screwed up, be it the edge wasn't good or I made a mistake in the angle etc. After that I use some Thater and then AS or balm.

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Originally Posted by FeatherMan

YES! This has been a game changer for me; thanks for pointing this out. I know my posts are super long... I apologize about that. I'm a writer by trade, so my fingers and brain tend to be a bit more greased than they should be. But buried in one of my posts I mentioned that I switched to Feather Pro Softguard blades and, wow, what a difference! It's been a huge help!

Also, I totally listen to all of you guys. This is why I came here and have not given up trying to learn how to use an SR.



Excellent suggestion... How do I see who is in my area?

As an update, this weekend I felt comfortable enough to try doing a first and second pass with the SR, rather than do the second pass with the DE razor. It worked great! Fantastic shave! So happy!!! ;)

Regarding the BBS, I'm into it simply because I absolutely love how it feels! The best shaves I've even had were at my local barber, before I lost all my hair. LOL! An amazing BBS shave using an SR. When I get that for my self, with the bay rum balm, man... the smell is great, and I'll often sit at the computer while working and when I'm just reading, I'll feel my cheeks and chin. Maybe I'm weird that way, but I just love it!

I'm happy to say, with yesterday's SR shave, doing both passes, I was able to get that BBS shave even with the Feather Softguard blade. Following the advice here, it took 40 minutes (YOW!), but I did it. Slow and steady... no rush. I need to learn and entirely new style of shaving. Great shave! As I get better at it, that time will decrease. It'll just takes time.

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I am also new to straight razors and also started, and still occasionally use a Parker SRRW shavette. In my experience, putting a mild blade in the shavette, in my case a Lord Super Chrome, and using a pre-shave oil with a good soap or cream really makes the razor glide and speeds up the process of understanding the angle needed and the light touch required. Good luck in your adventure!

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Originally Posted by tcrideshd

there are a few guys in your area, look them up and get soem face time, you will be miles ahead

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Sometimes a Zoom meeting can help get the trick done, reducing the need for person to person contact and potential exposure. Zoom.com get a free account, invite one person or many.

I've just come back to shaving (was a beardo for a while) and I do remember needing that little extra slickness in my lather. A cheap, but effective way to up the slickness of any lather is to add a few drops of glycerin (can be bought at most stores), thereby, saving you some $$$ on premium soaps, croaps or creams... or is it saving you more money to buy other stuff, like strops, brushes, razors, hones, etc.

Cheers and welcome aboard!