BBS consistancy, a poll

[mkevenson]

So, my understanding is that a BBS is one where your face feels completely smooth with no hint of whiskers after you shave. I was just wondering how ofter the members get this kind of result.

[smokelaw1]

I can only REALLY get a truly BBS shave if certain conditions are met. I need to have more than 24 hours growth since a BBS shave. Really, 48 hours is best if the previous shave was BBS.
Next, I need a full hot HOT shower, as well as hot towel or hot water soaks.
The razor needs to be super sharp. Easily passing HHT, and stropped at least once mid shave, if not between each pass (I strop on my forearm 10 trips if I am going for BBS). I have lather on my face while stropping, then hot water rinse it off, and relather.
WTG, XTG, ATG, with the relather between each, keeping the face hot and wet.
THen I need to touch up any areas that aren't REALLY BBS.

WIth all of this, I can get BBS. BUT---I am still a newbie, with a coarse beard.
I can not get it every day, as I don't have the time to let the beard grow enough, and I must be clean shaven for work. A simpler three pass or an easy 2 pass shave will get me close, much closer than a cartidge shave, about on par with a good DE shave, every day for work.

Damn, did I really just write all that? My answer was much shorter in my head!


Edit: I voted once a week, as I only really have the time to let the hair grow and spend 45 mintues on a shave once a week. If I only shaved every other day, I could do it every shave.

[ben.mid]

I go for bbs on my cheeks, but if i attempt it anywhere else i get ingrown hairs. One of the reasons i love the straight is because i don't have to go bbs. I can take them close & then stop!

[ChrisL]

I selected "rarely". There are a few patches on my face where the whiskers grow in such a way that if I were to anger those areas even with a straight, I get ingrown hairs. One patch is at the bottom border of whisker growth on my neck. It's been so touchy and troublesome all my life that I've thought about getting that small patch zapped out of my neck or something.

The initial fascination with using straights to shave exclusively as a beginner has since passed for me. It's still enjoyable and it's my sole method of shaving. On all other parts of my face I can get BBS without irritation. Again, I answered rarely because I don't fixate on needing BBS skin to continually caress and marvel after like I did at the beginning. Visibly smooth, visibly smoother than I can achieve with any other shaving method is good enough for me most often.

Chris L

[Chimensch]

I said every shave. After 28 years, I've finally figured out how to do it right.

[thebigspendur]

I didn't vote but I rarely get BBS on my neck. I have just a few razor where I'm able to get it. On the rest of my face its always BBS.

[tpoof]

I strive for BBS every shave. but, now that I am a newbie with the straight I'm not so fussy..
funny thing, with DE's must have BBS, with the old cartridges/fusions must have BBS.. even when I first started with the Str8 I finished with the DE to get BBS...
now months later my technique is better with the str8 and I no longer finish with the DE and only have BBS on some parts of my face...cheeks, neck. just the chin and upper lip remain with a DFS but not BBS..
However I've learned to accept it... for now.. see what more times brings...

[xman]

Why not make it every shave. One of the things I like is having the tools to be able to get so close.

X

[kljr]

I can only REALLY get a truly BBS shave if certain conditions are met. I need to have more than 24 hours growth since a BBS shave. Really, 48 hours is best if the previous shave was BBS.
Next, I need a full hot HOT shower, as well as hot towel or hot water soaks.
The razor needs to be super sharp. Easily passing HHT, and stropped at least once mid shave, if not between each pass (I strop on my forearm 10 trips if I am going for BBS). I have lather on my face while stropping, then hot water rinse it off, and relather.
WTG, XTG, ATG, with the relather between each, keeping the face hot and wet.
THen I need to touch up any areas that aren't REALLY BBS.

WIth all of this, I can get BBS. BUT---I am still a newbie, with a coarse beard.
I can not get it every day, as I don't have the time to let the beard grow enough, and I must be clean shaven for work. A simpler three pass or an easy 2 pass shave will get me close, much closer than a cartidge shave, about on par with a good DE shave, every day for work.

Damn, did I really just write all that? My answer was much shorter in my head!


Edit: I voted once a week, as I only really have the time to let the hair grow and spend 45 mintues on a shave once a week. If I only shaved every other day, I could do it every shave.

do you need to planets to be aligned as well?
i thought my face was fickle. i don't feel bad saying 2-3 shaves after reading that. i'm pretty decent at it, if i forget (alot) to go xtg, i'm screwed.

[kevint]

I said rarely because i don't usually try. There are several reasons. One is because a single pass(not all strokes in one direction though) with dedicated touch up is almost as good. To get a good cleaning stroke on my problemos my hand blocks my eye and i have just recently figured how to do it.

When I say rarely I mean never as some of those problem areas are not bristles they more like gristles which i cant cut smooth no matter what I have tried