Thread: Christmas shave

I have been straight razor shaver for almost a year. I started to wonder what kind of special rituals people might have about shaving at christmas. Do you have special shaving soap or SR that you use on your christmas shave. I have already my own rituals about wet shaving but I am interested to hear from you too.

What comes to my christmas shave ritual I am going to mix old finnish folklore and straight razor shaving. First I go to christmas sauna and smack myself with punch of birch branches (called vihta or vasta in finnish). Sauna and vihta smoothes nicely stubble and skin so this works as pre-shave. Then I use my favorite C.V. Heljestrand SR and Col. Conk's amber shaving shoap. I do all three passes and then use cold towel after shave and aftershave balsam.

Althought I have noticed that I start all important celebration to me with wet shaving.

As you know, the big day up here is the 24th, not the 25th.
I always bring out my very finest equipment on the morning of the 24th for a grand shaving experience.
Normally I shave at night, but that is one day where I will always shave in the AM.
On Christmas day I never worry about shaving.
That is a day too full of activity, both indoors and outdoors, to worry about stubble

Originally Posted by Jaatinen1982

I have been straight razor shaver for almost a year. I started to wonder what kind of special rituals people might have about shaving at christmas. Do you have special shaving soap or SR that you use on your christmas shave. I have already my own rituals about wet shaving but I am interested to hear from you too.

What comes to my christmas shave ritual I am going to mix old finnish folklore and straight razor shaving. First I go to christmas sauna and smack myself with punch of birch branches (called vihta or vasta in finnish). Sauna and vihta smoothes nicely stubble and skin so this works as pre-shave. Then I use my favorite C.V. Heljestrand SR and Col. Conk's amber shaving shoap. I do all three passes and then use cold towel after shave and aftershave balsam.



Althought I have noticed that I start all important celebration to me with wet shaving.

No christmas sauna ever without vihta. Sort of a tradition. Already have ours made.

Well, being a Grinch nothing special really. Just what ever blade comes up in rotation plus whatever soap and brush I feel like using that day.

Bob

I tend to to have special shaves on special occasions. I have no such designated razor or products I'm committed to for any given day; but I do have a stash of 'special occasion' razors that I use for a special shave.

This Christmas I think I will be using a 200 year old greaves stub tail, mama bears northwoods camp with AOS ocean kelp über lather and a homemade rosemary mint bay rum. Gonna strop her up on my certifyd Red imp 700. I will likely shave before the gifts, and finish off the shave by making a fire and drinking some eggnog.

Though I am torn at this point, I may pull out my W&B celebrated, as it hasn't bad it's fair share of face time this year.

Merry christmas!

I would love to try a traditional Finnish sauna. In fact, I have a day-dream of visiting Finland and renting a summer cottage.

My holiday shave will be a relaxed shave sometime late morning. I know I have some shaving stuff under the tree so I am looking forward to trying something new.

Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

I would love to try a traditional Finnish sauna. In fact, I have a day-dream of visiting Finland and renting a summer cottage.

It's not bad idea at all to rent a summer cottage at Finland Finnish sauna is best pre-shave I know and I'm glad I own wood heated sauna. But you got to remember that if you ever get to finnish sauna, it's not same thing if you don't have finnish buddies with you

I'm warming sauna early in morning and going to use for few hours, cool off once in awhile. It makes stuble really soft and easy to cut. I have had my BBS's usually after sauna. I'm not getting any shaving products for gift because I have already too much. Well that is my wife's opinion

I have an 8 year old tradition of pulling the old Ern Mistletoe razor from the drawer, stropping it up and going at a Christmas day shave before trundling off to the in-laws house. The old girl was toe-heavy honed, but always shaves great!



After last years jolly old shave, I decided a face-lift was in order for this once-a-year razor! I reshaped the blade to a nice smile and set a nice bevel thru 1k with 2 layers of tape!



I have always wanted some "Christmas tree" celluloid scales, too pricy!
So I used some liners from a rotted-away Novelty Cutlery razor and some strips from Hobby Lobby for decorating flip-flops! Some bartop epoxy!
Stay with me, now!



Silly thing, but much more festive, to me anyway! I need to get it taped back up and run it thru the hones for Christmas day when I will face-lather some nice MDC with my newest brush, "Amedaus" and clean-up good for a fine day with family!
That's the plan!

No sauna for me, perhaps a hot bath and some tunes. Bit of preshave and break out the MWF for its first go. (I don't quite understand why I'm as excited as I am by this.)

Either which way it's going to be a leisurely one.

I might pull out an expensive special soap and nice a top brush and razor, but no elaborate rituals for me and all my products and razors are in regular rotation anyway. I suppose the difference is that the wife doesn't bug me if I take a little longer on Christmas Day lol