What are you trying to impove in your shave routine?

I am curious as to how people are doing with their shaving routine? Are you content with the skills and equipment that you currently posses, or are you tweaking/modifying/experimenting with different things? I am curious to hear how you are all doing, and thought this may bring to light a few good tips for myself and others.

Here is an example of what I mean:

Pre-shave Prep:

Feel that my prep is fairly decent and that while it can get better, isn't a detriment to my shave.
Recently switched from bowl lathering to face lathering. Feel it gives my face a nice massage and works in the lather.
During the weekend I use a hot towel over lather and then re-lather. I "think" it helps the shave a bit, and it feels nice.
Am currently using Cella (almond scent...yummy!) and Taylor of Old Bond St (Lavender cream). Was pleasantly surprised how nice of a lather Taylors made.
Doing 30 laps on the strop before the shave.


The Shave:

I do a 2 pass shave during the week with a few touch up passes. Usually do a three pass shave on Saturday.
Recently switched from a Dovo Shavette to a 6/8 Bengall that was honed by Glen. Unbelievable difference. The Bengall is not only sharper, but a much smoother shave.

Areas that I am working on in my shave.
1) The cutting surface of the Bengall is about 3" long...much longer than my shavette, so trying to utilize the entire blade.
2) Blade angle. Getting better at keeping a consistent angle for each pass, but needs work.
3) Neck area: While my cheeks and mouth region are all pretty much N to S as far as hair direction, 80 of my neck runs from W to E. Except one patch under my right ear that almost has a swirl.
4) Bleeders: If I nick myself, its trying to get the area under my right ear and jaw area, or a bump/scar on my right jaw line.....every single damn time.

Post Shave / Maintenance:

Alum block works as a styptic and gives good feedback if I was using to much pressure. Witch hazel after that for soothing (and it smells good).
20 or 30 laps on the strop and SR stored open to enable evaporation.
Feel my post shave routine is probably ok. Needs work in the maintenance department.

Areas I need to work on in maintenance.
1) I seem to be confirming a long held suspicion that I am I a bit ham fisted. I would say that I am only doing so-so with regards to stropping. I purchased a SRD paddle strop and that has helped, but don't feel confident yet.
2) Need to oil my SR on a regular basis.
3) Honing... see ham fisted above. I got to meet Glen and a few others at the 4th annual PNW meet up in Spokane. However, I had (and still do) a hard time with the different "tests" you can use to help determine where you are in your honing progression. I feel I took a huge leap forward at the meet, but still have a way to go. I have ordered some cheap LED loupes to help see the edge.



Anyway, despite all of this I feel that I still achieve a CCS and that it is worthwhile. Given time and patience, I see no reason I won't be working through these problems.

How are other people doing?

Speed. This is something I obviously want to push slowly. But I'm trying to increase my speed slightly to make my weekday shaves a little less time consuming. Over time it comes to you. But I'm trying to be mindful of time. And as for angle, I try to be mindful of my angle with each shave. The results are already there. Speed can always be improved...except on weekends when i prefer to take my time and enjoy it.

as as for honing, I would like a higher grit hone (over 12k) to get greater keenness from my edges.

I feel like my prep is good. I shower before a shave and will wash my face with my wifes nutrigena (i dont know how to spell it and I am not going to the bathroom just to look at it). I then use moraccan argan oil conditioner (again my wife's but I swear it works and it smells like mint chocolate chip ice cream... don't judge me). Then when I get out I quickly lather my face with some of my home made shave soap.

I feel like the area I could improve on is pressure and how best to hold the razor when doing certain passes. I will watch a video of some one shaving and think to my self "They are holding it in such a natural way why didn't I think of that". Of course when I try there way I feel as though I am drunk and have a horrible disfigurement.

Also, I know I could improve on my honing, both knowledge and abilities. Although I did finish honing my first smiling razor and I feel I have gotten excellent results.

Of course I feel like I always can improve on everything. And of course with out this site I would probably be lost.

Cosperryan, agree totally with the ways to hold the razor for different passes. Especially my neck area.

I also am trying to work on the speed of the overall routine; I can't seem to get under 30 min from face wash to drying the blade. Part of the problem is that I live in an old house in AL, and given that it's still a little warm here, I shower after my shave. That means that I really can't cut any corners on prep. So, really the biggest thing I'm working on is not obsessing over getting BBS on my whole shave (I also have tricky hair growth directions on my neck). If I could just make my WTG pass a little more effective and learn to be satisfied with an acceptable work day shave, I could easily get out of there in two passes.

I doubt there is a member here that isn't trying to improve something about their shave, be it a new razor, soap, strop, hone, improving technique, etc. That is what keeps me interested. Personally, i have been trying to map out my hair growth to get a closer shave, seems to be helping. Before that it was improving stropping, that made a huge difference.The time it takes to shave doesn't bother me, seems if i try to rush is when it all goes pear shaped, but a two pass shave from start to finish is under a half hour. My honing is a bit hit and miss, i blame the razor, can't be me can it?:shrug:
Bengalls are great razors BTW.

At this point I am trying different soaps in an attempt to find the one. I have no idea why, I tried that with razors too and have it down to my favorite 30. Hopefully soaps are not as elusive. I have been wondering about strops too but have to go one at a time.

Like Rez I am playing with soaps. The first puck of soap I bought was Mama Bear's and it is just running out. I got a sample set of Al's shave cream but I don't seem to find it worth my time to use a cream. It's a better lather and I enjoy it on weekends when I feel like taking my time and adding a treat. I have pretty much stuck to routines I have used since I started getting a nice straight shave without blood and scratches. My first cheapo set up went piece by piece and from learning here I replaced all that with things that actually work. I guess I have spent the better part of my first year concentrating on the blade. I have used a King 250/1000 and a Norton 4/8 to hone and I think I just about have all that figured out and ready to move up to a finisher. I have the linen form an old DD strop and a piece of horse hide I bought and cut to strop with. Ha ha I just lay them on a piece on 1X3 redwood I cut out of some old fascia board I replaced on the house. I will turn it into a hanger soon with a new piece of horse. I have about 19 Ducks in rotation and I strop them all at once. So my regular morning routine is . Turn on the hot water, take my brush and wet the soap, go get coffee. Hot water on wash cloth 2 times to the face and then lather up on the face. I usually do a WTG pass and proceed as time allows from there. If I spend 20 minutes I have made about 2 1/2 passes and it's smooth in most places. I dry the razor with a towel and put it in the "to hone" drawer. Wash face, brush, sink, then AS,lotion, cologne,wax and comb the mustache. Then I say Mirror mirror on the shelf, who's more handsome than myself ? No answer means I am good to go !
What do I need/want to change ? Maybe a strop just before shaving. I mentioned a finish hone and that may cut down on my time some. I have a few razors that just seem to be sharper and those I get the same results with fewer and longer strokes per pass. For me it's still all about the blade. Everything else is working fine so why change it ?

I'm trying to improve on not buying stuff I don't need! I've got 4 straights, half a dozen DEs and a lifetime supply of blades. All I should have to buy for the rest of my life is soap and aftershave, however the SRD modular paddle strop is calling my name.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wayne1963

I'm trying to improve on not buying stuff I don't need! I've got 4 straights, half a dozen DEs and a lifetime supply of blades. All I should have to buy for the rest of my life is soap and aftershave, however the SRD modular paddle strop is calling my name.

---

Resistance is futile.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 10Pups

If I spend 20 minutes I have made about 2 1/2 passes and it's smooth in most places. I dry the razor with a towel and put it in the "to hone" drawer.

---

you hone your razors after every shave?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wayne1963

however the SRD modular paddle strop is calling my name.

---

I admit I dont have a lot to compare to, but I really like mine.

Well, I guess I'm trying to work on a lot of things all at once. But, I think my overall theme is trying to refine a shaving routine that works for me. Trying to figure out what passes I need to make, which techniques to use, and how to get the best possible results in the allowed time. I guess you could say I'm working on macro shaving.

Of course, I'm a beginner so I'm also working on all the individual pieces of the shave; blade angle, pressure, stroke, stropping, etc. But, I seem to be mostly concerned with fitting all the pieces into an overall framework that is suitable for me.