Thread: Diary of a Newbie

Precursor - I have been wetshving for quite awhile now, although I have been using a Mach3 or Sensor type razor. I currently own and use a cheap brush and shave cream that I picked up a Walmart I think it's made by Wilkinson Sword? It worked great for the disposable razors, however after reading a few hundred posts here and watching 30 or so videos I have come to the conclusion that I failed to lather up properly. Now that I have rectified that error and received my first razor (Thanks DrFred!!!) I was ready to go.

Day 1 - Splurged and bought myself some new shaving soap, Herbal Cowboy at my local Loblaws here in Canada. Can't say I was too impressed. I stropped my razor, soaked my brush and had a hot shower. Shook off the excess water and rubbed it on the soap for a few seconds, transferred to a boal to work up a nice thick lather. Well I got some lather, but I wouldn't call it nice and thick. Applied the "lather" to my face, set down my brush and wtf? I think all of my lather had either dried up or pulled a Houdini! Decided to lather up a smaller portion of my face and set to work.
Grabbed my razor and ever so gently placed it against my face and made a few slow short passes on my sideburn area. So far so good! I slowly made my way down my face and before you knew it I had finished the right side of my cheek. Put some more "lather" on my left side, switched hands and started on my left side. Now I am a righty so this felt a little awkward, I also had a harder time seeing what I was doing... but I pressed on. Before you knew it I had finished the left side of my face. It was going so well I decided to try my neck. A few minutes latter I looked in the mirror and, I'll be damed I had done it! Now don't get me wrong it was not BBS, but very acceptable. So I decided to do as I always did with my Mach3 and re-"lather" and shave up. Started out on my lower neck, I had some trouble trying to decide how to hold the razor and couldn't get quite comfortable. The hair seemed to pull a bit here, I adjusted my angle and kept going. This is where I must have nicked myself because a very small trace of blood started to appear. Figured I had better quit while I was ahead so this is where my first shve ended. Threw some cold watter on my face and the bleeding stopped, it was a very small abrasion. Finished up with some Nivea aftershave and went for a beer!

Sorry, I coulda warned you about the Herban Cowboy soap. Or better yet, I coulda set you the rest of mine and gotten it out of my house. I was having the same problem, not much/thick lather to begin with and drying out very fast. If you keep adding water and working the brush, you can improve upon that somewhat. It doesn't get bigger or foamier, but it gets slimier and actually a bit stringy when pulling the razor away.

http://www.thegentlemensquarter.com/shaving.htm
Now Coleen's soap is some good soap. I'm digging the lime margarita scent. The herban cowboy leaves a lot to be desired in the smell department as well...

Originally Posted by BDJK

Finished up with some Nivea aftershave and went for a beer!

I'm going to go right ahead and assume you don't shower and shave when you first wake up in the morning.

Originally Posted by BDJK

Shook off the excess water and rubbed it on the soap for a few seconds, transferred to a boal to work up a nice thick lather. Well I got some lather, but I wouldn't call it nice and thick.

Personally I never have come to understand the reasoning or logic behind transferring bowls. I have never generated a lather any better by loading the brush then using a bowl to build a thick lather, than I have from just building the lather from the soap much the same that Lynn does in his DVD. YMMV.

Originally Posted by chancecatalyst

http://www.thegentlemensquarter.com/shaving.htm
Now Coleen's soap is some good soap. I'm digging the lime margarita scent. The herban cowboy leaves a lot to be desired in the smell department as well...

Plus a million for the recommendation of Colleen's soaps, they are superb and fine quality for very reasonable prices. My personal favourite is desert ironwood but I love them all and have at least 1 of each scent.

Chance mentioned that the soap you used was a poor performer, you will think you died and went to heaven when you experience the performance of Colleen's soap.


Nuff said.

Try adding a few drops of glycerin to your lather see if that helps.

I also would recommend Colleen's soaps. I LOVE the Cavendish Black. It lathers so well, and I've been adding a little Art of Shaving unscented cream for a Super-lather.

Originally Posted by Cobo

I'm going to go right ahead and assume you don't shower and shave when you first wake up in the morning.

Well, not in this case since there are quite a few posts out there recommending to shave in the evening so you're not rushed.

Everything is going great, so far. Wanted to thank DrFred and TM again!
I purchased a 4 sided paddle strop from Tony Miller along with a practice strop. I use the practice strop for day to day shaves and plan on using the strop side of the tony miller once i get the hang of stropping.
No major cuts to talk about I think I have given myself 1-2 little nicks, nothing major.
The one area I seem to be struggling with is on the 3rd pass (against the grain). It doesn't seem to matter what I do or how much lather I use or even if I strop again before the 3rd pass I can't seem to get a smooth shave. The blade seems to jump or bounce on my face. Any thoughts?