Thread: During shave question

Bevo,

My grandfather wiped his razor on a folded sheet of thoroughly read newspaper, but he was shaving over a wash basin on a stand under the mirror on the back porch of the farm house. I'm a witness to wiping working. I rinse because I think it's easier and I have running water; Grandpa never did. There are horror stories of dinging blades on the faucet, but I think you can avoid those pitfalls if you pay as much attention to rinsing the blade as you do to the blade when you are shaving with it. One thing I do when shaking the excess water off the freshly rinsed blade is to turn the razor so the spine faces the faucet, then when/if there is a lapse in watching what one is doing, it's the spine that contacts the faucet, not to edge.

That DOVO Special tortise is one peach of a razor. You're going to like it.

good luck, good shaving,

I like to rinse it every couple strokes to re-heat the blade. I like a hot blade on my face.

I fold the same damp washcloth I soaked my face with pre shave and set it on the counter next to the sink. I wipe off the lather on it about every 3-4 strokes. I also keep the sink full of hot water during the shave and use it do rinse the blade in occasionally. The main purpose of the hot water is to use between shaving cream applications, to rewarm my face, which I do with another washcloth. That really helps keep the whiskers soft.

I rinse once after each section - upper lip and chin, right hand side, left hand side. Re lather with a more watery lather and it often drips off the blade as I'm shaving. I generally use larger blades though.

I've never wiped the blade - I must try it one day. And I've never hit anything with it. I have, however, cut the fingers of my other hand.

In about two weeks I should have my 4/8s back from Brad so will see how many times I have to rinse then.

Cheers

your razor will stay sharp longer when using cold water to clean blade. metal tends to soften when heated. Bob

I tend to strop it onto my free hand or onto a face flannel that I would have used as a hot towel.

Kind Regards to all, Andy.

Originally Posted by Bevo

I haven't even recieved my straight, but trying to get ducks in a row. I've read many posts and wikis but have a question. During the shave, how often do you have to rinse the blade? And knowing how fragile the edge is, how do you do it without damaging the cutting surface?

This may be a technique question that I will figure out after starting, but just wanted to ask. My Dovo Special tortoise is on the way from SRD. Hopefully honed by Lynn. Cheers

I rinse my str8 razor blade frequently, but that is a personal preference--not a hard and fast law. I turn on the water, place the blade in the stream of water and let it remove most of the lather. Then I wipe the blade on a barber's utility towel and resume shaving.

Just go slow and be careful when you are rinsing your blade. That should help you avoid any mishaps.

BTW...I've found that the greatest hazard to my razor isn't the bathroom faucet, but the swinging door/mirror of my bathroom cabinet. I have learned to place my razor on the bathroom counter top--away from the edge--before opening the door to get something out of the cabinet.

I rinse the blade about 2 times per pass. The blade fills with cream (in the hollow) and needs to be removed in order to prevent flicking, whisker infested cream, in an errant direction.

If that happens I am assigned bathroom cleaning duty for the rest of the week, which sucks.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I rinse the blade about 2 times per pass. The blade fills with cream (in the hollow) and needs to be removed in order to prevent flicking, whisker infested cream, in an errant direction.

If that happens I am assigned bathroom cleaning duty for the rest of the week, which sucks.

I get the same duties if I don't leave the bathroom in a pristine condition too!

I tend to rinse it when the blade fills with lather. Maybe every 4-5 passes.

I run it under a stream of water and have plenty of clearance on my faucet to keep the blade away from anything. I then gently wipe the blade dry on a hanging towel by the sink.

I guess it is just the way I've been doing it and it works for me.

Marc