Thread: Anticipation

All my gear should be here today, I am so tempted to do a couple of down the sideburn strokes!

Question, not a lot of info on how to do a proper clean-up. If you suds up the soap in the cup, do you just rinse it out and try and get all the water out when done?

I don't do any mug clean-up at all. I keep the brush in the mug while shaving, rinse the brush off and shake the residual water off into the tub, and just leave the lather, water, and soap in the mug. It dries overnight and can be re-used in the morning.

+1 to what Ace said. No sense rinsing out the soap cup and wasting soap (even if it is a very small amount).Though I beat the end of the brush against a towel to get it dried after rinsing. It's not totally dry at that point, but if I don't do that it won't dry between shaves, and I don't want to risk getting mold in the knot.

I use shaving creams, so I just rinse out my lather bowl and give my brush a thorough rinse then hang it to dry. I would say the most important part of cleanup, however, is making sure your razor is dry and clean before putting it away. I keep mine in the nice DOVO tin it came in, so it isn't banged around. I dry the blade off, and get any residue off, with a square or two of toilet paper. Just be careful...as we all know, that is a VERY sharp and relatively delicate edge. Don't screw up the edge or lose a fingerprint trying to clean/dry it off.

In addition to drying your razor thoroughly, a new thing I've been doing is coating the blade with a light layer of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to prevent oxidation or rust. I thought it would be a major PITA to do after each shave, but it literally takes 10 seconds and couldn't be easier!

Originally Posted by SpicyJem

In addition to drying your razor thoroughly, a new thing I've been doing is coating the blade with a light layer of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to prevent oxidation or rust. I thought it would be a major PITA to do after each shave, but it literally takes 10 seconds and couldn't be easier!

+1 on that, though I use Multipurpose/Machine/Sewing Machine/3-in-1 oil. Put it on with a Q-tip and it takes 10 seconds or less...wipes off easy and cleanly on a hand towel.

Thanks for the advice guys! I got my razor today, but am holding off while I watch "The world of straight razor shaving", good stuff!

Watching the DVD first, maybe even a couple of times, is a great idea. Don't start too quickly. Remember that the learning curve is long, and it's a bit steep at first. Don't move too fast at first or you'll slip.

Play the DVD for your wife and see if she can beat my wife's record. Every time I put it in, the DVD that is, she is asleep within 20 minutes.