Thread: In a Hurry, What to do??

OK, I have to shave every day (required by work) and some days I just dont have time for a straight razor shave. What do all of you do if you dont have time for a straight shave? What equipment do you use?

I just do two quick passes with my $5 Gillette Tech DE, with Derby blades. Fortunately straights shave so well that I can shave the night before and still look decent for the work day.

I never compromise. I once did a 10 min. straight shave from start to finish in a rush. No nicks and no burn. No desire to try it again either.

X

I use Vulfix cream, a Gillette Slim Adjustable, and a Derby blade when I'm in a rush and don't have time for a proper shave.

For me, the thing that seems to take the most time is lather and caring for the blade. I manage to shave in 15 minutes in spite of that. How long does it take you to shave with a disposable? Are you using canned shaving cream? If you are, you can use it with a str8, it'll save you a a minute or so. If it's good enough for the disposable, it's good enough for the str8. Don't make it too much of a ritual when you don't have time for it.

Since I keep my razors in the bathroom, I coat them with vaseline before I put them away. If I stored my razors somewhere dry (Like my dresser in my bedroom), it would save me a couple of minutes.

Another thing that saves me time; as soon as I get out of the shower, I smear moisturizer all over my face (Lubriderm, unscented, good stuff and cheap). When my razor's ready (i.e. stropped) and I have the brush lathered up, I just rinse my face with hot water and apply the shaving soap.

There's no reason why you couldn't shave in under 15 minutes. Is 15 minutes too long?

Am I the only one thinking this???

Get up earlier.



No but seriousley, if I think I might not have time the next morning, I do it before I go to bed. The str8 shave is that close that after 8 hours it looks like I used to immediately after a mach 3 shave.

Si

Prep and going for BBS take a large chunk of the time. Shorten your prep a bit (only apply the towel once, for example), and just do one pass and some minimal touch-up. You won't win any awards but you'll still be better shaven than most straight guys at the office, and you can get your shave done in under 10 minutes. If you overlap some of the other morning duties with the prep phase this is effectively less.

If I'm *really* pressed for time and only have a minute total, then I'll splash water on my face and do one quick pass with the feather. This works with a sufficiently sharp straight as well (at least half hollow - you're really gonna need the stiffness) but it's hell on the blade. At least with a feather you can just jack in another one later.

Several options:

1) get up earlier.
2) only a single WTG pass.
3) shave before going to bed.

I always do (3)

I was a little flippant earlier - sorry if that offended anyone - but I have been thinking about this today.

Night before - strop the blade before going to bed and let it lie somewhere nice and cool and dry overnight to stop the edge deteriorating too much.

If you are having a hot shower in the morning, there is your hot water prep. Put some pre-shave oil on your face before starting to dry off to give it time to sink in. Put the brush in to warm before the shower, and your brush is already nice and warm. By the time you are dried off, you will be able to lather up, go run to wherever you left you razor because you know you wll forget it, and give it a few more passes on the strop - but no need for a full set. Have a single WTG pass that takes as much time as your old disposable shave did. OK its only one pass, but that will still be better then everyone elses.

I reckon that the prep is pasasable, and you are not taking any more time shaving then you used to with the electric/disposable/chuck norris roudhouse to the chin that you used to use?

Just my (second) thoughts.

Si

Originally Posted by Sunsi

Get up earlier.

Originally Posted by Sunsi

Night before - strop the blade before going to bed and let it lie somewhere nice and cool and dry overnight to stop the edge deteriorating too much.

These were the first things that occurred to me.

I guess I'm already a little obsessive about straight razor shaving, though. I've been doing it for less than a month and I'm already thinking about the best ways to have a straight available when I travel (I hate checking bags).