Thread: Roberts Method of Wet Shaving

Hello

I read through the 2006 edition pdf file (from B&B, I think). What a torture! Don't want to offend anyone, but the document needs some serious editing. Also, the author does exaggerate to the point of losing credibility (imho) and seems to contradict himself... but I didn't have the nerves to re-read more carefully - maybe later...

It seems that it is trying to get you for a lifetime much as King G - come buy your "fresh" wet shaving supplies from us... And don't get me started on his ideas of velocity, hidricity, invention of new words / concepts. He calls dependence on lubricity for a good shave "SHAVING STUPID" Can you believe this???

However, I am fairly open-minded and can imagine that the author has some valid points, after spending a lifetime trying to improve shaving... So what do you guys think about the RMWS? I might be tempted to try his studio if I happen to be around Austin...I am very interested to hear your thoughts on RMWS

Cheers
Ivo

Yeah he does seem to pile it up a bit too much. A good example is the implication that it's a miracle that brushes are made in China. The reason is that badgers endanger their farming so they kill'em off and sell the hair to cover the costs of the pest control measures. In any case he sounds like a guy selling the miracle tonic that cures anything from boils to old age.

I was wondering if anyone had tried RMWS using a straight edge?
Personally, I have had good results using RMWS with a DE, both in terms of shave quality and overall skincare benefits. But I would be interested in trying it with a straight.
So, has anyone here tried this?
Regards,
Alex

I have recently tried this with my straights.

The "cube" is a great soap, super moisterizer and a very slick soap but the lather is very thin and doesn't work for me. When I add it with some normal shaving cream, it works brilliantly though.
The shaving paste just doesn't work for me. When added to the "cube" lather the mix is very thin, and as odd as this sounds, too slick.
My face was just very raw because there was not real protection from the blade. It sure cut the hair but it was toooo painful afterwards. And took more than one pass.

I used just the paste and water and my 7/8" WandB wedge wouldn't cut any hairs, just slid right over them.
Seems though that his method may not be so good for staight razors, and he does say that his method is only really good for DE razors.

Anyone had a good experience with the stuff? I am just using my cube for a mixer with creams, face and body soap and the paste is just sitting there. May give it another try in a few weeks.

I know that some people who have tried the method mix all three items: the cube, hydrolast paste and a traditional English cream.
If you combined all three this might help keep the lubricity offered by the paste but with more cushioning from the cream.
Regards,
Alex

Yes, I think that is my next step. I have heard good things bout that way too.

Originally Posted by A_S

I know that some people who have tried the method mix all three items: the cube, hydrolast paste and a traditional English cream.
If you combined all three this might help keep the lubricity offered by the paste but with more cushioning from the cream.
Regards,
Alex

By the way, at some point RMWS says that combining trad products with its own would not provide good results; then (later, I think) he says you can use the primer with a trad cream.

And he also claims the straight razor has the lowest appropriate frequency (his term for sharpness) for RMWS

What gets me though, is that he says lubricity is opposite to hidricity, and that hidricity is critical for a good shave, while lubricity introduces lots of volatility. This may be true, but then I do hear his mix is very slick (high lubricity)

Cheers
Ivo

In all honesty he came off as a pompous a**. (I am not saying that he is, just that it's indicated by his writing.) Too much redundancy and always trying to complicate things. On top of that he is treating a lot of stuff he can't really support with evidence as gospel. Had he tried to submit that piece of offal to a prof in any reputable university, he'd have been laughed right out of the course. I got bored to tears about 1/4 of the way through and deleted the article.

I had fun reading the stuff and imagining I was a shaving commando, having to lock and load, and watch out for jamming my breech. It made me want to gear up with my soap and brush and conquer evildoers.

However, it didn't change the way I shave. I like my shaves now the way they are.

The impression that I got from that piece of writing was that he was trying to sound intelligent, educated, methodical and creative, without much success. On a positive note if he got at least 1 person to stop using plastic or electric junk, then it was worth the torture.