Thread: Wiping the blade or rinsing it

Hello everyone,

Quick question: is there a "right way" to wipe the lather off the blade while shaving. Is it possible to dull the blade if you aren't careful and is it ok to wipe it off a regular towel or is it better to use a special type of cloth.

As I've read the forum,it may be better to wipe than rinse in order to avoid water that wouldn't dry well or hitting the sink and the undesirable consequences it'll lead to. Is there a fundamental reason why rinsing would be better than wiping?

Thanks for help! After a month of reading the forum, my first straight shave will be tomorrow. Wish me luck!

I usually wipe the lather off with the towel I am wearing around my waist after the shower, I use a slow strop stroke(spine leading) do the flip and repeat on the other side, be careful, you can ruin a towel if your not careful! I do this to prevent ding my edge on the faucet as well as preventing rust and spots, don't forget, there is a thigh under that towel.

Good Luck!

Thanks! well, at this point, i care more about the blade than the towel since I have 0 honing skill, but I an get a new towel Can you dull the blade by wiping incorrectly as you would with bad stropping?

I saw in a video once (Chimensch's 30th Anniversary Shaving Video - Badger & Blade) a guy using a sponge. Cheaper than a towel, and very safe for the razor. I've been using one since.

Originally Posted by wdwrx

I saw in a video once (Chimensch's 30th Anniversary Shaving Video - Badger & Blade) a guy using a sponge. Cheaper than a towel, and very safe for the razor. I've been using one since.

+1 on the sponge, been using it after watching Chimensch video, no more hitting the faucet!!!!!!!

Facepalm moment! Why didn't I think of it.... Thank you so much...

... my only worry is that SWMBO will use it to actually clean something...



oh wait... she don't clean!

(jk'ing)

Originally Posted by Danseph

Thanks! well, at this point, i care more about the blade than the towel since I have 0 honing skill, but I an get a new towel Can you dull the blade by wiping incorrectly as you would with bad stropping?

Yes any time you improperly use the blade, excess wear occurs, but either stropping or a barbers hone and stropping should take care of it. Chimensch's video is excellent, I wish everyone would watch it. I would still rather use a cloth or towel, simply because these items will go through the washing machine.

The towel suggestion is good and this is typically what I do when I am out camping or without a deep sink, but I have a technique I prefer when shaving at home.

I fill the sink up with water to the brim. Then after each stroke I put the blade (not the scales), into the center of the sink and slosh around to get the lather off. If your sink is deep enough and you dip the razor into the water right in the center, it should leave enough room on all sides as to not hit the edge on any part of the sink or faucet. This uses less water than running the faucet constantly and gets the blade clean without covering my towel in lather/stubble. I have found that using this technique (as opposed to running the faucet constantly) also ensures that no water splashes in between the scales where it might be missed when drying the razor off, causing problems later.

If your are the environmental type, this technique might appeal to you as well because you use less water both for the rise and by the ability to hang your towel up somewhat clean and use for more than one day, foregoing washing towels every single day.

Hey! Good luck with your first shave tomorrow! And tell us how it worked out!

Have you read the article Lynn Abrams wrote about the first straight razor shave? You'll find it here.

I tried using a thick sponge but I was still worried about dinging my blade against the sink so I gave that up. Instead I wipe my blade on a microfiber towel I found at my local "big box" store. They're sold for detailing cars -- 40 towels for $14.99. That microfiber soaks up a lot of lather.

Whatever method of removing lather from your blade you eventually choose, please remember two things: first, do not wipe the blade in such a manner that causes the edge to slice into the towel. That will dull the blade. Second, if you are pinching the towel around the blade as the edge slices into the towel, the blade will then slice directly into your pinching fingers!

Don't do either of the above and you'll be in good shape!

Namaste,
Morty -_-