Thread: Rinse or wipe?

Somewhere around my third shave with a straight razor, I bumped the razor against the faucet while rinsing. Since then, I have been wiping on a microfiber towel, seems to work very well.

I was watching the Chimensch video and SWMBO passed by and asked what the sponge was doing at the bottom of the sink. I explained, and she asked if that wouldn't still expose the razor to the danger of bumping on the faucet on the way to the sponge.

The next day, I found this in the shave den. It seems to work very well, but may be a bit of overkill...

Originally Posted by BobH

Wipe mine on a damp sponge. I rinse it under the tap only when finished shaving abd before drying it with some TP.

Bob.

what BobH said.

I use tissue to wipe the lather off after several strikes and rinse under the faucet and wipe again after each pass. I have seen rubber cups set in a bowl that are used much like the sponge wiping method. If you watch the barber videos of Alain the Paris barber he uses a fancy version.

I checked out novel Ulysses today from the library. Buck Mulligan wipes his razor off in a borrowed handkerchief.

I rinse with the tip pointed down to keep the pivot dry. And wipe when on pass two and three. When the gunk doesn’t want to come off under the running hot water. Then dry with tp before outing it away. The sponge idea does look like it would work very well with the shallow sinks in most bathrooms.

I have a small sink with no side boards or counter, just the small sink. Tried sponge and a special rubber dish but sink is too small for me to safely use these. I ended up with damp folded shave towel draped over right hand side of sink. It is an simple/easy move from faucet rinse to draped towel for a few wipes. Rinsing only the blade being careful to avoid pin. I've been doing this for a couple years now and it is working good for me. There's a white shave towel on the towel rack in the mirror.

I usually just rins. But I do have a thought about starting to wipe.
I did wipe when I shaved of the November beard.

I started out rinsing, but after chipping a blade in the sink I have moved to wiping on a sponge. I have to say that I prefer it. When I am done with the shave I do rinse the razor under hot running water. I figure if the blade is warm it will help the drying process.

I wipe it off with my brush and use it again. I used to rinse my razor but as a face latherer all the lather I have is on the brush. I do a one pass shave. But areas where the direction of the grain changes get two passes. These get another coat of lather before being shaved in a different direction. So I don't want to lose lather. And that is what happened when I used to rinse.

I rinse for now. Eventually I'll probably chip a blade on the sink and go straight to wiping. But for now, I rinse

Originally Posted by Kees

I wipe it off with my brush and use it again. I used to rinse my razor but as a face latherer all the lather I have is on the brush. I do a one pass shave. But areas where the direction of the grain changes get two passes. These get another coat of lather before being shaved in a different direction. So I don't want to lose lather. And that is what happened when I used to rinse.

Wait. You reuse the lather with the stubble in it? Wipe the stubble and old lather back in your brush and then back on your face? Surely I am misunderstanding here. Sorry but I had to ask.