Thread: Neat or Messy?

Gentlemen,

Are you a neat or messy shaver?

Is your lather controlled on your face so that it covers only the areas to be shaved? Are your brush handle and hand dry and not covered with lather? Do you then wipe off the excess lather with your free hand as you shave so that by the end of the pass no lather remains anywhere on your face?

Well, this is part of my daily ritual, something I have done for a long time. It sounds anal, I know, but what the hell, I like things neat and organized. As I shave a specific area, my free hand, after stretching the skin, removes the excess lather left behind by the blade, in and around the shaved area. By the end of the pass, all the lather has been removed from my Hollywood face.

On the other hand, does the lather on your face drip down your neck and onto your shirt? Do you have lather all over your ears? In your nostrils? Are your brush handle and hand covered in lather? I would call that messy. Not that there is anything wrong with being a messy shaver. What matters is a close and comfortable shave.

I don't know, with all problems in the world, one could say who care about neat or messy shaving. Good point. But I was taking a break from writing and thought I should put my time to good use.

Obie, you have found probably the only area in my life where I can truly claim neat. All is where it is intended to be, and I no longer rinse the blade under the tap (for straight razors) but use a paper towel in my stretching hand to wipe the collected lather off of the blade. I cannot abide a wet hand holding the razor nor do I get excess lather on my handle, or on my hand when lathering.

Oh man, When I shave it's a mess. I have lather flying all over the place, it hits my bathrobe, my shower certain, my mirror.

I think I do a good job cleaning up, but then the wife comes in and finds lather SOMEWHERE. I don't wipe the blade either, I like to rinse it, so that adds to lather all over the sink too.

I make a strong attempt to be neat and tidy, but often I find it is in vain. Lather will usually end up somewhere I don't want it, and I have to wash and dry my working area several times in one shave. I expect this to get better with practice, but we shall see...

Neat as possible to avoid cleaning up a mess after.

Bob

I would suppose that one man's 'Neat' is another man's 'Mess' and one man's 'Mess' is another mans 'OH MY GOD, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE'?!?!?

I try not to have lather on the handle of the brush or my hands and if I do, it's wiped off. However I've been known (especially of late/after retirement) to have my hair get into the lather and I leave it there.

Maybe I should wear a bandanna to keep the hair out of the way.

With that said, I am meticulous about rinsing, washing and towel drying my blade then air drying before putting them away.

Would not be fun, if it was not messy.

Neat, except sometimes when I get the brush going on my face I end up flinging lather blobs here and there.

Dear Obie,

What is "messy"?

Thank you.

Your German friend,
Robin

Originally Posted by BobH

Neat as possible to avoid cleaning up a mess after.

Bob

Me too, I'm a real neat shaver, I have the water running (Hot). I soap my face and neck for the WTG pass then re-soap for the ATG. Pass, If my razor is up to par (and it usually is ) all I need is the 2 passes. BBS Shave. Used a nice Landers, Flary and Clark razor this morning