Thread: Wipe or Rinse?

Gentlemen,

For the past year or so while shaving, I have switched between wiping the lather on a strip of folded paper towel or rinsing it under the faucet and patting it dry before the next razor stroke.

It is not so much a question of indecision. As a rule, I decide on something and do it. In this case, however, I refused to let one method or the other go by doing both. I suppose I was attached to both, which would be somewhere in the neighborhood of a toddler being attached to his blankie.

This morning, however, I think I finally felt myself leaning toward the wiping than the rinsing. I think my shave maintains a smoother tempo by my wiping the blade on the paper towel rather than reaching under the faucet and then patting the blade dry.

Also, this eases the burden of keeping the pivot area and the handle from getting wet. The full rinse of the blade comes after applying lather for a new pass, which also warms the idle blade. This morning I realized how much more comfortable I felt with the wipe pattern.

So I have made my decision accordingly.

In the general world, this experiment would bring a shrug and a loud Pfffffft! In the world of gentleman shavers, this is important stuff. It is not as important as the Constitution, granted, but important nevertheless.

Do you have a preference, gentlemen? Or is there a method you would care to share? Thanks for taking the time.

Regards,

Obie

I wipe on a piece of toilet paper. Similiar to how barbers do.

No worry about dinging the razor and like you said, you dont mess with the tempo of your shave.

I've always stuck the blade under hot running water and I don't dry it between passes. I only rinse, dry and wipe when I'm done before the clean up stropping.

The wiping is good until you go a few days without a shave then you are wiping hair on your towel. If you go with toilet paper though it is all good. I do both rinse and wipe. Rinse for WTG and wipe the rest of the time.

I just rinse under the faucet and take the next stroke.

I rinse under the faucet and then wipe the water off the blade between strokes. Seems to work OK for me.

I found a better way for me. I just stick the blade in the basin of hot water. I do not swirl it around. I just stick it in about 2/3 of the way and most of the crud comes off, Then I wipe it on a folded slightly damp wash cloth keeping the point down so no water gets into the pivot. It keeps the wash cloth from getting so much lather on it that there is nowhere to wipe. Works for me!

Originally Posted by mackie

I found a better way for me. I just stick the blade in the basin of hot water. I do not swirl it around. I just stick it in about 2/3 of the way and most of the crud comes off, Then I wipe it on a folded slightly damp wash cloth keeping the point down so no water gets into the pivot. It keeps the wash cloth from getting so much lather on it that there is nowhere to wipe. Works for me!

Similar to me, I dip mine in the sink first then wipe on a flanel.

rinse and shave here

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

I wipe on a piece of toilet paper. Similiar to how barbers do.

No worry about dinging the razor and like you said, you dont mess with the tempo of your shave.

+1. Wipe on a strip that I put on the shower door towel handle which is right next to the sink. I used to rinse but now prefer to keep the blade as dry as possible.