Thread: Beginners Tips: June 2013

Once again it is time to think about another article to write as I read many of the posts that come onto SRP each month..

I try and write an article each month but now and then life gets hectic and one gets missed

This month let's discuss Simplicity.

We don't see quite as much posting about simple shaving on here, mostly I believe because most people that practice it come here gain the info they need and move on to other things.. The forum is filled with many of us that are more Hobbyists and therefore write endlessly about the minutia that we love so much..

Let's take a moment and discuss just what is needed for shaving, now keep in mind this is just my opinion but it was exactly what I used for over 20 years to get DFS results..

(2) Straight Razors
A Leather Strop
A Brush
Shaving Soap or Cream
A Stone/Hone that is capable of touching-up the edges


This is really all one needs for shaving.

What happens is that many of us start taking more steps toward refinement of all the aspects of this hobby and this is when things get complicated..

How many of you experienced people take a step back and do a KISS shave now and then, I do just to keep myself grounded in reality, my last was Father's Day..

I used my "Barber's Hone Razor" yes I actually keep a razor that has only been kept sharp using a BH since 2007.. I stropped it using my original Illinois #831 that I bought back in 1981, yes it has some nicks along the edge but it is still a perfectly serviceable strop..
Thinking of Pops, I used an old coffee mug with Williams shave soap double stacked in the bottom, whipped up a lather using a $5 Eveready Brush from Walmart, with some time and technique I got a nice creamy lather...
A quick multi-directional pass and a clear water touchup was all it took for a DFS followed by Original Mennen's Skin Bracer, this took me back to a time of watching Pops shave in the morning and it also keeps me in touch with the fact that there are many people here that just want a close comfortable shave..

So those of you that are here at SRP who are just wanting to know what it takes to get a great shave using a Straight Razor, keep in mind that there is a simple easy path also...

As always to the Senior Members take some time and share your experience about KISS shaves on this thread

Great post Glen, I do find myself having quite a few razors and hones but my shaving method is really simple, i only face lather, shave,and splash with cold water and done, with the occasional witch hazel splash, works wonderful great shaves, definately something to be said about making good lather and having a truly shave ready razor.

As I can't reply to the monthly beginner's tips, I need to open a new thread...

Glen, Your'e more then right. I'm absolutely with You.

It's like new divers who don't see a single fish as they are too busy with all the fancy equipment they bought.

I would even go a step further and start without a hone. A hone is wonderful and I got really familiar with my razors when I started to hone them, but for the start - like the first weeks or months - I'd rather have no hone.

Having a hone at hand, leads to using it. So, if You dull Your blade by bad stropping, You will not try to correct that with CrOx and better stropping, but put it on the stone. It's quite easy to fix a slightly dull blade with a stone, so You do it. Hence the stone is likely to become a cure for bad technique.

When I started around 20 years ago, I had no idea of stones - we had no youtube and no internet and no one around who knew anything about using straights. If I had a dull blade, I knew I could give it to my hairdresser and I would (probably) get it back in a sharp condition - No idea if he would do it or just give it away. I just knew I could give it to him, but I never had to.

I shaved for around five years with two razors, a two sided strop (leather, CrOx), a brush (from my grandfather), the one or other soap and an alum-block.
No Pre-shave, no special creams or oils, no re-honing.

Yes, it is more comfortable and nicer with all the little gimmicks, and thanks to the stones, my edges are better than they used to be at that time, but for getting the basics right and the fun out of it, none of those are needed.

It's easy to get caught up int the merchandise.. Glitz and glory aside, there are so many variations in designs, each shaving just a little different, that it's hard to NOT explore all of them.

That said, one can still keep it simple. And limiting choices encourages you to get intimate with each item you've chosen. Lather the same soap every day, using the same brush, and for sure you'll learn how to whip up any form of lather you wish. Same for using one or two razors exclusively. You'll learn it's favored angle, where that scary square tip is at all times and how best to attach that trouble spot or three...

I compare it to photography. It's not the camera or lens- its the photographer. Stieglitz once borrowed a waiter's Kodak brownie to take a requested photo and this photo is now in a museum. However, better equipment can often get you where you need to go more quickly or easily. I like the idea of sticking to basic equipment while you learn. Then, after some proficiency you can start to build. But, I know, most guys will ignore that and go for the fancy stuff while in their starry eyed learning period.

I merged the responses with the OP..
If you look at the bottom of the Front Page article there is always a link to the Original Thread, there (here) you can respond to the thread

Many Thanks for the respones

Originally Posted by MikekiM

It's easy to get caught up int the merchandise.. Glitz and glory aside, there are so many variations in designs, each shaving just a little different, that it's hard to NOT explore all of them.

Originally Posted by 1holegrouper

I compare it to photography. It's not the camera or lens- its the photographer. Stieglitz once borrowed a waiter's Kodak brownie to take a requested photo and this photo is now in a museum. However, better equipment can often get you where you need to go more quickly or easily....

It's all about focus and concentration. As an experienced skier I can get more out of my skiing with better skis but better skis don't make me a better skier. Same with camera, diving or straights. Today a lack of skills often can be compensated by technique. If You don't forget to switch the camera on, it's almost impossible to not get reasonable pictures. The crucial part is, technique is not making You a better photograher, it's making You a worse photographer, because You need to know less about the materia and still get better results. We tend to externalize responsibility where ever we can and technology is a great means to do so.

I'm quite sure that within a five year's time no one (at least here in Germany) will be able to park his/her car in a small parking-space unless it is equipped with "beep beep beeeeeep", camera or other assistance.

I remember when Audi issued the first TT (the round one) it was done very much like a race car. It was really "greedy" for such a small one. Then several people died, because it behaved like a race car. So everybody said, it's a bad car, a dangerous car. (You know, You want a race car, that is as much of a race car as You can get, but it still should be somewhat cosy and definitely not dangerous). If You take a curve with a knoll too fast and with "power", weight is moved from the moved from the back to the font axle for a fraction of a second, the back looses grip and You have a beautiful flying object.
So Audi called them back and installed ESP as well as an ugly spoiler. Now the TT was lame and ugly but no one died anymore and everybody was happy. No reason for the idiots to learn how to master such a weapon. Technology fixed it.

I'm a software-man. So technology is all around me. But I still like to do the things I do right.

I'm new to straight shaving and I'm delighted that I've been able to find this forum full of experienced gents such as yourselves!

About 2 months ago I bought a straight razor very cheaply on amazon and now I'm hooked.. (Since then I've bought 3 more razors on eBay of considerable higher quality!)

I have everything I need to maintain a razor now, but they're all pretty cheap stuff just to get me started.

I ordered 3 hones for like £30 on eBay from a guy and they're slate. If you look for hones on eBay you will see this product it's all over it.

My query would be is it worth buying an expensive well known branded hone right now / am I wasting my time with this welsh slate stuff?

The only knowledge I have on hones is from YouTube. The product I've purchased hasn't even arrived yet so I've not tested it yet (and I'm slightly afraid too!)

Matt

Matt the 3 stone slate set is well documented here

http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...huringian.html

Setting the bevel would be a effort in futility IMHO with that set, but anything else is well within the capabilities of those stones as you can read in that thread

I think the interesting thing to consider here is why you are wetshaving to begin with.

There are some who are interested only in a better shave and want to keep the experience to a bare minimum. There are others whether in the beginning or somewhere along the way that really appreciate what the experience brings to their life and want to be able to get the most that that experience can offer.

There are many days when I follow the same routine of washing with an olive oil soap, putting the brush in the scuttle to keep the suds warm for multiple passes, lathering up with the cream or soap dejour, stropping my razor and enjoying the shave followed by a nice splash of the aftershave dejour. You certainly can get by with one soap or cream and one type of aftershave or no aftershave or alum or.......

There are other days when I will use a hot towel or two before the shave and after followed by a cold towel and that to me, is an experience unto itself. Some people may never take the time for this pleasure which is absolutely OK.

I would totally agree that blade maintenance can be very simple, but once someone makes the determination to go beyond maintenance or really starts to get into the hobby, the sky is the limit.

There are so many wonderful products out there from pre-shaves to soaps/creams to after shaves/colognes that you can choose as little or as much as you want or your pocket book allows. Same goes for honing beyond maintenance.

Shaving can be as minimal experience as you want or as pleasurable as you can make it. It all boils down to how much time you make for your decision and what your personal preferences are on all fronts.

There really is no wrong or right. There is only the welcome that we can give to every new wetshaver and our assistance at helping to make using a straight razor or DE something that you will enjoy for a life time and hopefully we can continue to be here to preserve the art and grow it if possible regardless of how little or how much someone wants to participate. In the end, it really is all about you and that is a bootiful ting.

Good thread Glen!