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I was curious what some of you folks do to reduce the overall amount of time it takes you to shave? Aside from having excellent technique, what can be done to streamline the peripheral stuff like prep, stropping, lathering, post clean-up, etc.
I like the process, but I'd like it to take a bit less time.
Practice makes perfect!
It's all based on technique and overall time committed to the skill. As with any other trade, you can try to go faster right off the bat, but you sacrifice the quality. If it takes awhile, try shaving the night before. That's what I did for awhile until I could guarantee myself a specific time in the morning.
Personally, I run the shower as soon as I wake up, let the bathroom get a bit warm while I pour my coffee and enjoy said-coffee while I perform the first of the 3 S's (also soak my brush during this time). As the bathroom is warming/steaming up, my pores are gently opening. When I'm done with my coffee, I create my lather and rub my face down with some hot water, then proceed to shave. Instead of cleanup, I usually apply a layer of lather to my face, then proceed to rinse my brush and clean my bowl/razor. Once I get in the shower, I rinse the lather and am left with a nice, clean face. I apply post-shave cream/lotion after the dry-off period, and have found that this routine is pretty nice for me. I rotate between a DE and Straight, too.
Did I mention I don't pay for water? I'm sure once I do, it'll change a bit.
if you face lather it will cut some time out, I have also started washing my face in the sink instead of taking a shower.
If I know I am going to be pressed for time I will do my stropping the night before. Also I soak my brush while I am in the shower then you can start your lather right away. After shave stropping I only do 10 on the webbing and 10 on leather, with no ill affects so far. Clean-up and etc. are what they are and have to be done, I cant really think of any shortcuts there. If I am to pressed for time I will do just WTG and it is still better than a cartridge razor. Hope this helps. After your technique improves you can still do this and have more time to enjoy the shave.
Yeah, I don't pay for water either at the moment, but then again, I don't have much hot water to work with (apartment, 40gal water heater). I seldom shave in the morning anyway. I usually shave after a shower before bed.
I am currently a DE shaver, but have two shave-ready straights in a drawer and another that I'm restoring. I set a goal of 50 DE shaves before I take a straight to my face (am currently on shave #21). I feel this is allowing me to work out kinks with my basic prep, improve my understanding of how the hair on my face grows and work on ambidextrous shaving.
I think that as your technique improves, the time it takes to shave with a straight razor dramatically improves. I really enjoy the routine of stropping, the brush and soap and even the hot towels when I have extra time, so it really boils down to coming up with a routine that fits into the amount of time I have. The process itself is what makes the art of wetshaving something I look forward to every day. To me, the key is finding the routine and products that you enjoy the best in the amount of time you set aside.
Have fun
As mentioned, Stropping ahead of time, and face lathering will save you some time, until your technique improves.
My schedule allows me to "sleep in" so I'm rarely pressed for time. Like Lynn, I enjoy the whole process, it's my time. On the rare occasion, I need to speed things along, I'll opt for a DE shave.
+1 on stropping the night before. I have recently moved to using a paddle so I can relax in the family room and strop my razors away from the bathroom. I too find the process of stropping relaxing and stropping at night without the time pressure of getting to work is quite enjoyable. The bonus is that it saves time in the morning.
I have found that, as I go along, my overall time is decreasing with practice. It now takes me the same amount of time for a three pass shave that it used to for a two-passer. I enjoy the little rituals, but cutting my shave from 45 to 30 minutes isn't a bad thing, either. That includes the shower time, too. I also find that face-lathering makes things a bit quicker.
When I dont shave my goatee off, it saves a ton time.
Get to know your face as said above, and that'll speed your shave up a bundle and a thing I do for face lathering is; get an absorbent brush - I use an omega proffessional 98 I think - and super hot water, run it under the tap to fill it up with water, get stuck into your puck for 20 circles and whack it on your face, its messy, but keep the brush on your face until the soap sucks up all the water and turns it into lather, there's a knack to it but its not hard, I get thick lather in 60 seconds.
kind regards
Alex
I went from shaving before work (in the multi-blade days) to shaving at night, so if I want, I can take all the time I need. I enjoy it, since there is a component to shaving with a straight where you strive for better lather, a better shave, or try a new technique, etc, not to mention the different razors (OK, got a few off of Ebay). It's just plain fun, and feels great, even when I make a mistake like last night and give myself a nice 1" cut on the cheek...well, doesn't feel as nice after all when that happens, but chalk it up to experience ;-) Even so, with just getting used to the whole process, I find it is no longer taking 30-40 minutes to shave, now more like under 30.
Good points Lynn. When I took up straight razor shaving and realized it took more time than shaving with a disposable, I get up 30 minutes earlier (I still do, at 4AM) just so I can shave with the straight razor and enjoy the experience. Now I have an enjoyable routine and I don't mind getting up that early knowing a nice SR shave is waiting for me and I can take my time and enjoy. Oh yes, I do go to bed earlier and that is fine with me also. Another added benefit, I get the best parking spaces in the garage at work!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynn
Even with my limited experience of less than a full year, I have found that technique improvement, which can only come with time, speeds up the shave the most. Also, it seems that some of my most painful shaves have been when I spend aeons going over the same spot searching for BBS. There isn't a magical formula, and sometimes I learn more from a shave where I don't get a second pass in at all. I say hey, you know, that feels pretty good, I think I'll call it a day. Gradually, a single pass shave now is much smoother than a two or three pass attempt several months ago. Strange how that works.
Conor