Thread: Finally Found Prep for Straights

I posted this thread on another forum and felt some here might find the information useful.
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In many of my posts I indicate how difficult it is for me to get a close, comfortable shave. My beard is like wire. I have to use the sharpest DE blades I can find (Feather is one of my regular blades) so I won't get a lot of tugging (especially if I have more than a day's growth). This has led me to try the Cobra and Feather SS both of which give me very good shaves. I have also been shaving with straights for 6 months. These are my most frustrating shaves. Poor results with a lot of skin irritation. I tried freshly honed razors, I got a 12K Naniwa stone and learned how to hone. I also use a barber's hone and a pasted strop. The blades would not cut smoothly and left a lot of uncut beard. With straights this can mean your technique is poor and/or you'er are dulling the blade and/or you'er not refreshing the blade properly, i.e., your edge is lacking. As I had no problem with the Feather SS, I attributed my problem with straights to the fact that the disposable blades where just so much sharper than I could get the edge of a straight.

Now I have always prepared for my shaves with hot showers, MrGLO, Proraso pre-shave cream or other pre-shave products. My beard did not soften or change at all from the prep, but with a sharp disposable blade I got a very good shave.

But today I found something that actually did soften my beard. I was in a hury and did not shower first. I washed my face with a new hand soap I was trying. As I did, I could feel my 2 day growth soften. Wow, this is new I thought. I was going to use my Cobra, but changed to my 6/8 Hart. I proceeded to get a DFS as good as my disposable blade razors. I don't know what the new soap did to my beard, but it made all the difference.

What soap did I use? Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile. Yes, the one with the interesting writings on the label. I don't know what it did to get my beard to absorb water but it changed everything. No, I don't work for the company. I tried it as a hand soap and was satisfied with its performance. I just tried it on my face today because it was there. I know I am not alone in having a difficult beard and sincerely recommend anyone with this problem to give it a try. If it doesn't work as a pre-shave it is still a good soap. It is worth a try.

Perhaps you have a bit too much iron in your diet?

Glad the soap tames your beard!

If you get to frustrated with your Hart you can just send it to me.

For me, it's a combination of the warm water, the exposure to water, and the use of a good soap (all done in the shower) that make up my preshave prep. You have to get the oils off your beard before water can get to it, so if your soap cannot do that, your prep will suffer. I guess the stuff that guy posted about worked.

Just as a general note, you should probably give some credit where credit is due.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

For me, it's a combination of the warm water, the exposure to water, and the use of a good soap (all done in the shower) that make up my preshave prep. You have to get the oils off your beard before water can get to it, so if your soap cannot do that, your prep will suffer. I guess the stuff that guy posted about worked.

Just as a general note, you should probably give some credit where credit is due.

Not sure what you mean. I am the guy, as I said, I posted this on another forum and thought it might be appreciated here.

Originally Posted by matloffm

Not sure what you mean. I am the guy, as I said, I posted this on another forum and thought it might be appreciated here.

Oh, sorry, I misread that. Thought someone else had posted it on another forum.

I have a tough beard too. Showers help soften my tough beard, but I don't shower in the mornings before I shave. Using a glycerin soap bar to wash my face in the mornings has helped soften my beard lately. I follow it by lathering shave soap/cream on the face, stropping the SR, applying a hot towel on the face, then rinsing the face before starting my shave.

Dr Bonner is a great soap. If you use Peppermint , you can use it for all your hygiene needs, shower, shave, tooth paste, shampoo, hand wash. Great if your camping or on a trip.

Try your larger supermarkets, its cheaper than mail order.

When I started using a straight, I could not get as close a shave as with the cartridges I used to use. I thought I maybe needed better soaps, creams, prep, brush, and so on. I have come to learn it was good technique with the razor that was missing, because now I can get an excellent BBS shave with simply face lathering Williams Mug Shaving Soap on a dry face, wipe excess cream with a towel when done, and slap on some aftershave, and my face is happy all day. Oh, and I, too, have thick, heavy barbed wire stubble.

Long time DE user here.....a sharp straight will blow away a DE any day. I have a straight that I haven't been able to get sharp, and it leaves stubble just as you described. I also have 3 properly honed straights. They will blow away any DE that I have, and I have quite a few...slants, open combs, etc. Also, a really sharp straight won't require a crazy amount of prep. I have a wiry beard, that grows in crazy directions. My sharp straights will mow though it all with just a few different angles of attack. Good luck.

Good stuff.....

One clear component of the preshave is washing the face clean of whatever keeps water
from softening the whiskers.

Other good Castile soaps work. I can get Kirk's Original Coco Castile Bar Soap
locally and very much like how it cleans and lathers in the shower.

After washing my face in the shower I can lather with any of my shave soaps and creams
and get a stellar shave.

If I skip the pre wash steps in hot weather the differences in shave soaps are
very telling. Since the differences have a lot to do with local water I will only
note that good creams and the classic harder soaps that do not melt easy work
best for me.

Strong fragrances seem to upset the balance of many soaps so I use them in moderation.