Thread: Not sure if anyone else does this..

Okay I’ll take back my “Sorry” 😛

Originally Posted by Desolation

I normally shower before i shave (probably like most); however, in the shower i rub water against the grain of my stubble. typically i can feel a very significant change to the stiffness of my stubble after 10-15 seconds of doing this. right before i lather / apply soap i do the same thing in the from the sink.. doesn't take but 2-3 seconds with warm water to feel the stubble soften. I also start my lather in my scuttle (partly) and then face lather.

Just to be different I shower after...

For me there is a balancing act. Too much hot water (shower) softens my skin too much
and the razor then gives me a burn especially with a very sharp razor that is not "totally smooth"
like a new DE Feather blade. So I do not do the shower thing.

My strategy is to wash my face quickly with cold water then face lather enough to get the oils that
protect my whiskers from softening... I sometimes wipe that proto lather off my face and relather. While that quick
wash or proto lather works at hydrating my whiskers I work a nice lather in a bowl. A nice lather lets me see what I am
doing and it is stiff enough to not drool onto the floor.

First pass tells me if my razor, whiskers or lathering needs work. I am not averse to letting a thin lather
dry while I restrop the razor or even switch razors. Without shame I will switch to a DE from time to time.

Totally smooth for me -- not too sharp not too dull just right. I have caught myself jumping from one
grit to another too quickly and end up with a harsh edge. I have caught myself jumping to a finisher
too quickly and get a harsh edge that more time at 3K and 8K would have solved. My 1K hones sit
idle once I have an edge that shaves. The crazy fast Shapton 16K and 30K hones will sharpen a 1K
minefield into the sharpest face nicking saw imaginable. The slightest slicing motion will give a nick.
However serious attention to grit progression down to 8k or 10k with a light hand can get totally smooth.
If I get totally smooth I can go with sharper 16K or 30K but not with soggy skin.

Soggy skin... you know the wrinkles on your fingers after too much time in the pool or bath just not
that extreme.

So what works, works.

Wow. Very cool. Sounds like you spent a lot of time refining your routines. Some good ideas to play around with grit and other variables to improve your shave to smooth. I like the Idea of keeping a balance between sharp and comfortable. Thanks for sharing.

Human hair when dry has a tensile strength that is similar to that of copper wire. Would you want to use your razor to cut copper wire?

Surfactants such as the detergents (shampoo) and soaps can reduce the tensile strength of hair by 50% or more. Thus, I massage both shampoo and soap into my beard when showering before shaving. Then I follow up with a moisturizing hair conditioner that leaves my beard soft and my face slick.

If you do not shower, then at least thoroughly wash your face with soap before you start lathering. Apply lather and allow it time to soften your beard, just like barbers used to do when a shave and a haircut were two bits. Otherwise, you might as well be using your razor as a wire cutter.

Interesting.. do you leave the conditioner on and build the lather on that or do you whip/wash it off before lather?

Originally Posted by Desolation

Interesting.. do you leave the conditioner on and build the lather on that or do you whip/wash it off before lather?

The conditioner trick works for some ladies that shave their legs.
It is slippery and a DE or plastic tossable frame will slide on the skin.
It slows drying keeping all the happy hydration in the hair.
After soap water and a rinse, it can substitute for lathering.
It is handy in the shower.
The inexpensive stuff works.

Rinse well when done shaving... same as most products.

At least that is what I am told.
;-)

Originally Posted by Desolation

Interesting.. do you leave the conditioner on and build the lather on that or do you whip/wash it off before lather?

I normally rinse off most of the conditioner before leaving the shower, but I try to leave a thin layer on my face to kick-start the lathering process.

I usually shave the back of my neck while I am still in the shower using a cartridge razor. I do that right after applying conditioner. It is a wonderful lubricant for the blade.

Originally Posted by RayClem

Human hair when dry has a tensile strength that is similar to that of copper wire. Would you want to use your razor to cut copper wire?

Surfactants such as the detergents (shampoo) and soaps can reduce the tensile strength of hair by 50% or more. Thus, I massage both shampoo and soap into my beard when showering before shaving. Then I follow up with a moisturizing hair conditioner that leaves my beard soft and my face slick.

If you do not shower, then at least thoroughly wash your face with soap before you start lathering. Apply lather and allow it time to soften your beard, just like barbers used to do when a shave and a haircut were two bits. Otherwise, you might as well be using your razor as a wire cutter.

What does tensile strength have to do with shaving? You're not pulling the hairs out. It's the hardness of the hair that matters as the blade cuts through them.

As far as prep goes I start with a clean face. The shave soap provides all that is necessary for a great shave. My experience of course.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

What does tensile strength have to do with shaving? You're not pulling the hairs out. It's the hardness of the hair that matters as the blade cuts through them.

As far as prep goes I start with a clean face. The shave soap provides all that is necessary for a great shave. My experience of course.

Wouldn’t tensile stregth affect the wedge action through the hair making it less effort? I’ve also seen sem photos of hydrated and non hydrated hairs increasing in diameter which would decrease density.. allowing for more of the force of the blade to contact a greater surface area. I believe density likely has more affect compared to tensile strength..

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

What does tensile strength have to do with shaving? You're not pulling the hairs out. It's the hardness of the hair that matters as the blade cuts through them.

As far as prep goes I start with a clean face. The shave soap provides all that is necessary for a great shave. My experience of course.

A razor blade is one of the most basic of tools, a simple wedge. When you shave the apex of the wedge starts to penetrate the hair and then the wedge shape pushes the keratin molecules apart until the tensile strength of the keratin chains can no longer sustain the force applied by the wedge. At that point, the hair is severed. Thus, the tensile strength of the hair is very important. Keratin molecules have very little strength in compression, but have good tensile strength.

Remember that tensile strength also depends upon the diameter of the "wire". Fine hair has a smaller diameter and thus a lower tensile strength than coarse hair. Thus, the coarser your hair, the more critical facial preparation becomes.