The elusive Perfect Shave: cornered but not captured

I've been doing this straight thing for a number of years now & have gotten pretty good at it. However one final mystery continues to haunt and baffle me. You know that elusive Perfect Shave? The one which is BBS in every single direction? I can get that reliably, but only under a very specific set of circumstances, which are as follows:

-- It has been 2 or 3 days since I last shaved

-- The razor is either freshly honed, or has only one shave worth of mileage on it. Actually, the latter is better than the former; a freshly honed edge is grabby and a little harsh.

-- I do a full 3-pass shave. 1 pass is useless, 2 passes acceptable, 3 passes divine.

I have no idea why this is so. would it maybe help if I were to swing a dead chicken over my head by the light of the full moon while singing the praises of the shaving gods?

PS: I have the unfortunate combination of sensitive skin and a barbed wire beard. This might have something to do with it.

Swinging a dead, or even live, chicken over your head will work, but only if you do it while you are shaving.

Hello, Johnny J:

I have come to conclude, after some years of straight razor shaving, that the so-called perfect shave depends on the shaver's interpretation. For me, with the hairs on my neck dashing in a confused growth pattern, no amount of creative stretching has helped get a silky smooth shave. Not even with the double edge razor. I, therefore, do the best I can and call my attempt "the best I can get" — and that's good enough for me.

Stay well.

Regards,

Obie

You see, in the old days that is precisely why folks went to a barber for a shave. He was trained how to give a BBS shave to every customer and you walked out of the shop looking and feeling great.

If you have the right kind of beard and skin and geography it can be easy or if you have the wrong kind it can be hard or near impossible to give yourself a total BBS shave. So we do the best we can and try different things to improve the result. Most eventually accept the shave they get and are satisfied with it and some continue to fret over some standard either impossible to attain or not worth the effort.

For many of us getting the perfect shave can be a combination of the right amount of beard growth and the right razor and the right prep and maybe the right phase of the moon and some luck. Some will tell you a total BBS shave is attainable by everyone it's just a matter of having your gear in tip top shape and having your skills honed.

I don't have the answer and I do not a get a total BBS shave but for the right circumstances.

Yep I agree a perfect shave to me is one the is close and at least BBS in one maybe two directions BUT the real definition for my perfect shave is one that was so comfortable that I am hoping my beard grows faster so I can do it all again :)

I'm with Obie and Glen here. My beard is proof that there are an infinite amount of angles in a circle, and on top of that I have 3"x1/4" scar on my neck from surgery. I try to get my cheeks/jawline and most of my neck as clean as possible and get most of the random stray hairs.

I don't go for perfection because i'm going to have to do it all again in 24 hours anyways!

The perfect shave is when the whiskers just flat give up and stop growing out. I'm working on it.

It has been a long time since I have been on this great forum. I have been shaving with the straight for 2 1/2 years now, only very rarely going back to the double edge when I'm trashy lazy that day or in a tearing hurry. I threw away my electric shaver a long time ago. I'm so glad to see this question asked and then answered by our trusted and experienced Gurus. I too have been chasing the elusive BBS shave that is seemingly the "norm" when reading most of the posts. As stated above, once in a long while when all the signs are right, incantations have been properly recited (I never can remember what they ARE!), and the planets are in proper alignment, I get a pretty damn good shave. However, as mentioned above, I almost always have a really troublesome spot just to either side of my Adam's Apple, that just refuses to give up. The right side is especially bad. I have finally decided to quit worrying about it and just get the best I can do with a reasonable amount of time and effort and go with it, knowing full well that I will get another opportunity to try it again. My beard is light enough that I can go one day without shaving after a straight shave. This does not seem to hold true with my double edge shaves. As mentioned, a two to three day old beard is easier to get a good shave with than a daily one, in my experience. Again, thanks for the question and the great responses.

"BBS" gets tossed around here a good bit, and I have to say that I was greatly
relieved to hear...especially from the old-timers...that the "Perfect Shave" is
not only elusive, but the standard itself is entirely personal.

I was especially relieved to hear that even the "pros" don't always "get there".

"BBS" is a goal, certainly, but I agree that smooth and comfortable is entirely
satisfactory.

Thanks for the re-set on the expectations!

Paul

Whew! It's nice to know that even the long time straight shavers have difficulties. I'm pleased with my shaves, but anything beats a disposable "razor".

Jim