Thread: simply unable to shave daily?

Ok, I've got an update here... Above I wrote that I too had been having a hard time shaving daily, whether I needed it or not. Most times 'not', but regardless, I love shaving and wanted to do it every day.

I've discovered that on those 'second' day shaves, the pressure was even more important than the first day's shave.

I have been able to shave everyday for the last 3 days, with more success than ever before. I made an extra effort to be CERTAIN that my pressure was really light, and that the razor I used was sharp as the devil. I mean so sharp that it would split an atom given the chance.

I was able to do 2 to 3 passes every day, and I plan on shaving for the 4th night in a row tonite. This is a first in at least 8 months that I shaved 3 let alone 4 days in a row. !!!!



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I used my replaceable blade(uses half of a DE blade)this a.m..Some of it was feeling sorry for it just lying there,but most of it was just pure laziness.Wow!Those DE blades are sharp!!!I almost got BBS in ONE pass.Touched up a few spots and had BBS.Well,afterwards I immediately contacted Lynn Abrams for some hone work on my W&B str8t.I thought it was sharp last night!LOL.I may have to reconsider the role of my replaceable blade razor in my everyday shaves.

I did every other day for the first five months into this. I think a lot of factors fed into me going to that routine. One was certainly time, since it took me a lot longer to do a shave. Another was I only had one straight and I was horrible at stropping so I determined I was wearing out of shave ready status very quickly. Now I am onto daily shaving because I like to be clean shaven, but I definitely don't go for BBS, it is good, but not perfect. On the weekends I will usually take a day or two off and then get a BBS while I have time.

Not to rant, but I am amazed at the elaborate nature of some people's shave prep. Regardless of how good it is, I am not retired. I have a career and two kids. I cannot imagine a hot towel on top of lather for a few minutes and then re-doing that twice before actually shaving each morning. That sounds ridiculous other than perhaps once a week or something. My prep is shower, really wet face, mix lather, really wet face again, and then lather and shave. I do two WTG passes, and some XTG on the upper lip and very little clean up. This keeps the process quick and slick with generally no irritation or cuts.

Originally Posted by UWPete

I did every other day for the first five months into this. I think a lot of factors fed into me going to that routine. One was certainly time, since it took me a lot longer to do a shave. Another was I only had one straight and I was horrible at stropping so I determined I was wearing out of shave ready status very quickly. Now I am onto daily shaving because I like to be clean shaven, but I definitely don't go for BBS, it is good, but not perfect. On the weekends I will usually take a day or two off and then get a BBS while I have time.

Not to rant, but I am amazed at the elaborate nature of some people's shave prep. Regardless of how good it is, I am not retired. I have a career and two kids. I cannot imagine a hot towel on top of lather for a few minutes and then re-doing that twice before actually shaving each morning. That sounds ridiculous other than perhaps once a week or something. My prep is shower, really wet face, mix lather, really wet face again, and then lather and shave. I do two WTG passes, and some XTG on the upper lip and very little clean up. This keeps the process quick and slick with generally no irritation or cuts.

Truth be told I doubt the everyone on this forum does the maximum luxury shave every day. I have two shave routines. One for speed and one for luxury.

SPEED
With or without shower I wet face liberally with hot soap and water apply lather with or without badger brush of any kind and shave with a DE Merkur Futur WTG/XTG as I go. Sometimes I do have time for a quick second pass XTG. Total time 5-10mins.

LUXURY
On weekends primarily, but sometimes a few weekdays too. Fill lather bowl with hot water, place silvertip in water and place bowl on my candle heater. Take a steamy hot shower. Apply thin lather of Barbasol to soften the whiskers. Prepare my DOVO extra hollow 5/8" stainless with some light stropping, about 50 passes. Empty bowl, shake the silvertip and dip in some Muhle sandalwood. Add a few drops of glycerin to the bowl and work up some uber-lather . Place back on candle heater. Rinse off the Barbasol, apply some slippery glycerin or pre-shave oil. Apply the lather, heat blade under hot water and go for two or three passes. Apply Muhle sandalwood post-shave balm and impress the lady with the results. Total Time 20-30 mins.

I shave at night so I can take as long as I want. It usually takes an hour with a Shower and Shave. Best hour of my day too!

I'm not able to shave every day either without ingrown hairs. If your beard simply can't handle it, I advise not to force it. You'll just end up making it worse.