Thread: Old dogs can learn new tricks

Just wanted to thank you guys... I've been wet shaving for years, mainly using a DE or as the case lately an M3.Thanks to FUD that'll soon change, as I'll have two freshly honed Straights. Anyway, I've been reading and absorbing the information around here and picked up a few hints on how to get a good later from mug soap, not the brand, and you know what? I got the best lather I've ever had this morning! Thanks guys, you're da bomb!

I am curious, could you please link to the post(s) regarding getting a good lather. I am working on that as well. thx - John

If you're going to start shaving with a straight razor soon may I suggest Lynn Abrams "How To" DVD. Believe me its worth every penny. I can't tell you how many times I've watched the "Lets Shave" section.

Originally Posted by willist

If you're going to start shaving with a straight razor soon may I suggest Lynn Abrams "How To" DVD. Believe me its worth every penny. I can't tell you how many times I've watched the "Lets Shave" section.

I've watched that section a few times, too....although finding that I still have to learn my own technique since my face has more sharp angles than Lynn's (or Dr Chris Moss' for that matter!)

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

Mike,

I've tried several different methods, and here's what I've arrived at. I'm using Colleen's soap and a best badger Vulfix brush.

Fill big latte mug with the hottest water I can get from the tap, drop brush into the water.
Strop razor.
Dump out water, which has heated brush and mug nicely.
Hold brush over sink, let excess water drain from brush. Sometimes I'll give it a tiny shake.
Take soap, which I keep in a little glass Pyrex container, and swirl brush around on it, maybe 20 or 30 times. This builds a foamy lather with big bubbles.
Pump brush up and down on soap as you swirl, which sucks the lather up into the core of the brush.
Begin lathering on face with circular motions. Continue for about two minutes, working the lather into your beard. The lather at this point looks creamy and is very thick and slick.
Set mug in sink full of hot water, and rest brush in mug to keep it warm.

I used to build the lather in the mug, but mostly now I'm lathering on my face.

I think I use more soap than other guys, but a 1 oz. cake of soap lasts me almost a month, and this way I get a very consistent lather.

The soap/water ratio is pretty important. If the lather drips or flies off the brush, it's too wet. If it dries on your face, it's too dry.

If you're building the lather in a mug, it should look creamy, not bubbley, and it should form little peaks in the bottom of the mug that can stand up on their own.

I highly recommend building the lather in a seperate mug from the one that holds your soap, at least at first. Otherwise you'll keep adding soap as you build the lather.

Good luck,
Josh

This is the post that really made things sink in for me. However, I didn't build the lather on my face, I built it in the mug. Also there are some video's on youtube that are invaluable resources as well. I downloaded most to my hard drive so I don't have to go searching for them, but here's the link to those.
Sorry I didn't respond sooner, I didn't get a notification that the topic had been replied to lol.
Tony

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=mantic59

Mantic's videos are great. Watch them all--he has quite a few on DE shaving, shave prep, multi-pass shaving...

These and some time over at Badger & Blade helped fill in some gaps for me. Here we tend to focus a bit more on straight-specific skills like stropping and honing. The B&B guys are DE shavers, so they don't have as much equipment to futz with. So they obsess over lathering...

Josh

Thanks all. I have ordered Lynn's video, and am looking forward to it. - John