Thread: What is that sound

When I hear the buttering toast scrape I know I have whiskers left. I become smooth when there is no sound or feel of that knife on toast. At certain point on my face, I continue to hear the sound but there is no more reduction of hair. Of course these places are parts where ATG is difficult. Could that sound be the stumps of hair plucking the razor without being cut? Some times I get that wiping feel if the blade is sharp, but normally I still hear the sound. The videos all seem to have that same sound, but the fellas seem that they are done and smooth even though I still hear the sound. I am aware of irritation, DFS, and BBS. I also continually increase the angle of the blade as buff over an area with several passes. It seems that the shallow angle does not catch the hair, while the larger angle scrapes over it without doing much cutting. Experiences welcome as I know I have a lot yet to learn from all the wonderful gentlemen here. Oh, I am just splitting hairs as I am a perfectionist and love this art!

do you rinse your razor in water or wipe it off? i wipe mine on a wet sponge and i think you would be suprised how many teeny tiny whiskers are left in the lather on those passes where you think you're not taking anything off

I rinse it off, and thank you for the insight. I do see a bit of the whiskers in the lather so I know there is still some reduction going on. I still get DFS in those areas, but can feel the pesky stumps when moving my fingers across the grain. I figure after a WTG, XTG, and some diagonal ATG/XTG there shouldn't be much left. I am pretty sure my blade is sharp as I use brand new DE blades in my shavette, and have used a real straight honed and stropped by a wonderful member here (so I eliminate the noob mistake of improperly honing and stropping). Thanks and keep the suggestions/advice coming.

Don't worry, it comes with practice, and the neck is a hard area.

I'm only going by your post count but i'm thinking you're quite new as i am? try this. Stop doing 3 passes. When i started i did 3 passes everday up until about 2 weeks ago and it was mostly good but too harsh on my skin. I'm down to one pass WTG with a half pass around the chin XTG, and I've learnt more about the direction of my stubble and how to get the best angles and stretches in in 2 weeks than i have in 3 months. I actually get a better, closer and more consistent shave like this than i did going 3 passes. close, directional smooth and only very minorly stubbly against the grain.

See what the best you can get out of one pass is, then move to the others

Edit: also, feel what your razor is telling you. Thats sounds a bit esoteric and spraffy but you start to feel it after enough shaves. dont clamp on the blade, light pressure on the finger tips, light pressure on the face, the razor wants to cut your hair, let it, when you try to control it too much thats when it bites.

I'm a big fan of guillotining along, above and below the jawline

That sound of spreading butter on toast is your little hair follicles screaming
as their little homes with your straight razor you are reaming.
They're cussing you out as you proceed to shave every day.
They're yelling to you: "No, don't do it, please find another way!".

Originally Posted by ace

That sound of spreading butter on toast is your little hair follicles screaming
as their little homes with your straight razor you are reaming.
They're cussing you out as you proceed to shave every day.
They're yelling to you: "No, don't do it, please find another way!".

and this as well

Originally Posted by tekbow

Don't worry, it comes with practice, and the neck is a hard area.

I'm only going by your post count but i'm thinking you're quite new as i am? try this. Stop doing 3 passes. When i started i did 3 passes everday up until about 2 weeks ago and it was mostly good but too harsh on my skin. I'm down to one pass WTG with a half pass around the chin XTG, and I've learnt more about the direction of my stubble and how to get the best angles and stretches in in 2 weeks than i have in 3 months. I actually get a better, closer and more consistent shave like this than i did going 3 passes. close, directional smooth and only very minorly stubbly against the grain.

See what the best you can get out of one pass is, then move to the others

Edit: also, feel what your razor is telling you. Thats sounds a bit esoteric and spraffy but you start to feel it after enough shaves. dont clamp on the blade, light pressure on the finger tips, light pressure on the face, the razor wants to cut your hair, let it, when you try to control it too much thats when it bites.

I'm a big fan of guillotining along, above and below the jawline

I have not figured out the guillotine yet, I just don't comprehend the pictures in the Wiki. Must look for a video! I rarely go with a 1-2 pass shave, my skin doesn't mind more passes and if I feel irritation, it reminds me to soften up! I normally hold the razor so that if it gets stuck in my beard or skin it stays loose enough not to bite me. Keep up the advice, I continue to learn.

Originally Posted by ace

That sound of spreading butter on toast is your little hair follicles screaming
as their little homes with your straight razor you are reaming.
They're cussing you out as you proceed to shave every day.
They're yelling to you: "No, don't do it, please find another way!".

What? Do not shave everyday
But I look forward to it I have found that skipping a day can help with a smoother shave having longer growth. For clarification of your intent, are you saying that the follicles are justified in their protest? Or, should they tremble and fall victim to whisker wacker? Should I succumb to their protest or tell them as I tell my children, "Stop whining!" (in an Arnold voice)
Thanks I appreciate it

well i think it's guillotining? what i mean is the razor is held at 45 degrees to the direction of the stroke with the to forward, great for detal work XTG just under the chin, all along the jawline, and topside of the chin too.

When my mate comes round i'll get him to bring his camera so i can take a video, am probably overdue for a "how i slash my face up good" vid

Originally Posted by coachschaller

I have not figured out the guillotine yet, I just don't comprehend the pictures in the Wiki. Must look for a video!

Perhaps a good way to make sense of it is to look at a guillotine:



If you look at the angle that the blade would contact the... err... round area, you can see that there would be more of a 'slicing' motion vs. the 'lopping' motion you would have if the blade contacted striaght on.

The guillotine technique is exactly the same - contacting the hair with the blade at an angle to impart the same 'slicing' cut.

Originally Posted by coachschaller

I have not figured out the guillotine yet, I just don't comprehend the pictures in the Wiki. Must look for a video! I rarely go with a 1-2 pass shave, my skin doesn't mind more passes and if I feel irritation, it reminds me to soften up! I normally hold the razor so that if it gets stuck in my beard or skin it stays loose enough not to bite me. Keep up the advice, I continue to learn

Trust me on this one, My 1 1/2 pass shave is probably getting better results than your 3 pass. Thats not a challenege to you or anything like that lol, i just mean mastery of a small thing is more important than going with what you think the big boys are all doing. I wonder how many long termers on here do a 3 pass shave everyday, or maybe the question should be i wonder how much better there 1 - 2 pass shave is than my 3 passer

This hobby is little steps which add up to grander whole