Thread: Hello SRP World !!

Hello All,

I got the badger Brush, Geo F. Trumper Violet, Dovo 6/8 SR and Illinois Strop Leather & Weave linen.

Stropped 35 times, and got started.

For some reason by the time I was done with shaving the side burns carefully, all over got dried up. Yes, I did take a hot shower before I got started.

What am I missing ? As experts recommended just did my sides and took my regular razor to finish chin and neck.

Thanks

Originally Posted by Calvin

Hello All,

I got the badger Brush, Geo F. Trumper Violet, Dovo 6/8 SR and Illinois Strop Leather & Weave linen.

Stropped 35 times, and got started.

For some reason by the time I was done with shaving the side burns carefully, all over got dried up. Yes, I did take a hot shower before I got started.

What am I missing ? As experts recommended just did my sides and took my regular razor to finish chin and neck.

Thanks

It is a little bit hard to tell from here.
Dry lather has two common sources.

• Beginner is slow and cautious.
• Beginner still has to learn to lather.

Slow and cautious is good. Just pick up
the brush and work the lather on your face
as often as it needs....

Lathering takes practice but getting a
lather that lets you shave is less work.

With soap splash some cool water on your
face AND on the surface of the soap. Rinse
your brush in warm (not hot) water. Splash
more cool water on your face.

After 30 seconds the surface of the shaving soap
puck will soften and it is then easy to pick up
some soap. Swirl the brush five to 25 times
to pick up some soap.

Move the brush loaded with soap to your lathering
location of choice. Face, hand, mug.... and
start working the lather. Add dribbles of warm water
work the lather, add dribbles of water and work
the lather some more. It takes a while
but shortly the lather will "happen" and
then life is good.

I find that a good lather holds more water than
I expect at first.

A lathering bowl or mug is a good thing. Hunt
one that is twice to three times wider than the
brush and shallow enough that you are not banging
the handle of the brush on the sides too much.
Nothing fancy to start.... a round plastic storage container
about 2 cups in size for a buck will do or even
a plastic container for butter will do and it
can even be squareish.

A buck fifty spent on a puck of Williams or other
inexpensive shave soap just to practice
"lathering" is time and money well spent. If you
have an Expensive Badger brush grab a less than ten
buck VDH boar brush and go for it.

As a beginner it is not unusual for me to have 1/3 to 1/2 done and the rest dried up.

I also am still working on the best amount of water to use. Too little and the lather is thick and does not seem to shave well. Too wet and well, might as well just use water...

I just grab the brush and give another going over with it to get fresh lather...

Been going between Tubac soap, and Proraso cream.


Oh; Hello and Welcome to the group!!

Welcome to SRP. My brief advice - add water to your brush and re-whip up the lather on your face. Enjoy the shaves.

Thanks for the information.

I am surprised that you are asking to splash cool water on the face. Shouldn't we be using warm water before we start the shave. I thought Cold water is for after the shave to close the pores.

Originally Posted by Calvin

Thanks for the information.

I am surprised that you are asking to splash cool water on the face. Shouldn't we be using warm water before we start the shave. I thought Cold water is for after the shave to close the pores.

Cool not cold, room temp first bit from the tap, no need to run
lots of water down the drain....

You can use hot, warm, cool, cold what ever you like
and what works for you.
For me cool water begins the whisker softening process
just fine and does not over soak my skin.

About the time I get ready to apply lather to my face
the tap has warmed and I do warm up my lather a little.
The switch from cool to warm is very enjoyable for me.