Thread: softening hairs

Hello,
My name is Michel and I live in the Netherlands. I'm shaving with a straight for almost a year now but still have problems with softening my beard hairs. It seems to take more than half an hour with a wet towel before I can shave without any problems of the straight ripping my hairs out.
Are there any other methods of softening the hairs (some sort of cream perhaps?).

Thanks for you effort,
Michel
(delighted with this site btw...)

Apply hair conditioner to the beard when you enter the shower and rinse before you leave.

Michel,

Welcome to the forum.

I wonder if it could be your razor instead of
your pre-shave prep?


What type of soap or cream do you currently use?




Terry

2 suggestions:

1 while in the shower put your conditioner that you use for your hair, on your face and let it sit for a min / rinse and get out


2 your razor must be dull. time to get it honed, send it out to get it done or if you have the equipment, touch it up.

~J

i'd bet its your razor that needs sharpening

Thank you both for your suggestions. I'll sure try the conditioner tomorrow!!!

About the sharpness of my razors (Thiers Issard an Dovo): I sharpen them myselve on a small cotticule. And indeed I can't manage to sharpen them the way they were when I bought them, but still sharp enough I think... (as far as I can compare... which I cant because thats a long way back).
Anyway, I should indeed try to find someone in Holland who can sharpen them for me once more (and hopefully tell me how to do it on a cotticule (I cant find real info about this kind of sharpening on srp.com)) Thank you both for reminding me!

Remains the fact that using wet towels for 5 min. makes a hell of a shave and 30 min. of wet towels a more or less 'good' shave. But as said I'll try the conditioner of my wife and find out tomorrow if that will help.

Thanks to you both.
michel
(btw I use L'Occitane shaving soap which is absolutely the best soap I've used ever! On the part of durability, the part of 'foaming' (sorry, but don't know the correct english word) and the part of nurturing of the skin).

Michel, I'm POSITIVE that your blade is the culprit. Some of these small coticules just don't cut it (pun intended). Either get the Norton or Japanese waterstones in 4000 and 8000 grits and follow the instructions from the help files. I believe this should make a world of difference.

Michel,

You'll read on these boards that most razors don't come ready to shave with. So your razor was pretty dull when you got it, and you're not quite able to get it back to the original sharpness. It sounds like it's really, really dull. I agree with FiReSTaRT that you need to get a better hone, or possibly send your razor to someone for sharpening.

Your hair shouldn't take that long to get soft. Try this experiment: Run your hand over your beard while it's dry right before you start shaving. Feel how spikey and prickley it is? Especially run your hand up your neck under your chin. Ouch.

Now try taking a shower, or put some hot towels on your face for five minutes. Now run your hand over your beard. It should feel softer and less spikey. That's what your shooting for.

I use conditioner on my beard, letting it sit while I strop, and splash hot water on my face for about two minutes. That does the trick for me.

Let us know how things go.

Josh

I don't think its reasonable to have to go to such extreme lengths to soften your beard. I hate to say it but if your razor is ripping your hairs out the problem is with the razor. Its just not sharp enough.

If you went to a barber for a shave you'd get a 2 minute hot towel and then he'd start shaving so I would check those blades.

On average, mens hair takes about three minutes to reach it's fully saturated point. Women's leg hair only takes around two, since it's thinner.

I would also suggest the blade is the trouble as I don't know of any blade that will come shaving sharp from the factory.

OK, you guys made the point clear! Have to sharpen razors first.
So I ordered a Norton 4000/8000 3 at classicshaving, and also the DVD of Lynn. Hope they'll arrive soon and will help me out.

Thank you all for your convincing trouble shooting and advices.
Michel