Reducing Shave time

While I enjoy the long, relaxing routine of a straight shave, there are some mornings I just don't have the time and I need to decide if I want a one-pass straight shave or a multi-pass DE. I prefer the former. So I was thinking that if I could reduce the "overhead" of my routine, then I could probably fit in a two-pass straight shave. "Overhead" for me means:


- Wipe off the oil/vaseline
- Pre-shave strop
- Create lather in my bowl
< Lather my face and shave with N passes > Not the overhead!
- Styptic / Alum bar my face
- Clean up my bowl and brush
- Post-shave strop
- Vaseline my blade
- Aftershave


So one thing I'm trying is to see if I truly need to vaseline/oil my blade if I use it every couple days. I'm also going to try stropping only before or after. Here is what I'm going to try on these faster days:

- Create lather in my bowl
< Lather my face and shave with N passes > Not the overhead!
- Styptic / Alum bar my face
- Clean up my bowl and brush
- Post-shave strop (could defer to later if necessary)
- Aftershave



I might try face lathering on these days as well. That's my next step of reducing time.

So do you guys have different routines for your "spa days" (if applicable) versus your daily routine days?

I do have a fast routine, that is just a shave, no fluff, it takes 10 minutes from filling the sink to splashing on A/S


Fill sink splash hot water on the soap dump the brush in the water at the same time..
Start loading the brush,
Lather a wet face
Strop the razor while the lather sets up
Shave
Relather touch up pass
Cold Water Rinse
Splash
Clean up dry off and outta there

I went through a "speed shaving" phase which really helped my technique although my face may have paid a price for it. With a face like mine, that's not much of a problem.

All I ever do is splash water, lather, shave, cold water splash, balm and go.

Average time: 8 minutes, start to finish.
Record time: 2 minutes and 40 seconds.

I've eliminated all the stuff that didn't seem to make any difference and now just go minimal.

Confucius say: haste make waste.

When I'm in a hurry I just use a DE.

I also would like to cut down shaving time on working days. Unfortunately, a 1 pass straight shave is almost like no shave at all - in every respect. And turning to a DE is not very appealing.

The funny thing is that I do not want to deliberately lengthen the time on days when I do have time... I just want to have a fix routine that I always do. I'm working on that...

What I do is face lathering and doing no other prep whatsoever, just let the quite runny lather sit on my face while I strop pre-shave and this way I hit two birds - time-wise. I use MWF soap and a mixed hair brush /boar and badger/, which I've found a nice combo. I still use a bowl, firstly to soak the brush and also for adding water to the lather.

So lathering, stropping, re-lathering, one pass, lather, strop, another pass, rinse, alum, clean up, cold rinse, stopping. 20 min. min. That's very tight for me, but I do not wish to hurry any more than that.

It's really no hurry at all, just eliminating the stuff that seems to help but, in the end, has no real effect. I've tried straight shaving every which way from Sunday, from hot towels to pre-shave oils. If you want to do all that, then go for it. If you want to shave well and quickly in five minutes, a one pass ATG does the job. I think the time it seems to take keeps people away from straight shaving. It shouldn't. There are quicker ways to do things and still enjoy the whole process.

It still takes me a very long time to shave from start to finish showering till the end of the shave clean up it takes me about an hour, but you know what in the end I love it it gives me some me time and it's relaxing. I also shave at night so it cuts down on you know having to run off to work! As well I have only been straight shaving for about 4 months now I think I'm on my 60the shave. For me the time is worth it!

to me its not about making a fast shave.. i started shaving like this to learn to enjoy shaving. i have to shave everyday for work and it was becoming a hassle so i figured a SRS would make it become more relaxing. well now that i have started not only has it become relaxing but it has become quite addicting.. i don't think i ever plan on finding ways to make it faster.. will just work on planning my days to give me enough time to shave...

My current "fast with a straight" works around cold water shaving (JimmyHAD's system) and using a Feather SS or one if the clones.

Between the minimal pre and post razor work (unpack it for pre, dunk it in alcohol for post) and the fact that you can get a DFS in one pass and a BBS in 2 or 2 and touch up and my shave time can now fit in a normal every day "get up and go to work" cycle.
Finish is warm/hot rinse and iced towel followed by the sauce of the day.

Weekends and slow start days and its probably something that Glen Restored/Honed for me and I try to stretch this out a bit...SWMBO now knows: "razor in hand = no talking to the man"

I think you already got plenty of answers here. So I'll anwer a different part.

There's no need to keep your razor oiled or vaselined if you're using it every few days. I have razors that sit for weeks (sometimes months)between shaves, and are no worse for wear. All my razors were polished prior to honing, which does leave them with a very thin invisible coating of protectant behind. The only razors that I've seen rust or corrosion start on or get worse, was razors that never got polished. Anyhow, I guess that might save you a few minutes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Katan2212

to me its not about making a fast shave.. i started shaving like this to learn to enjoy shaving. i have to shave everyday for work and it was becoming a hassle so i figured a SRS would make it become more relaxing. well now that i have started not only has it become relaxing but it has become quite addicting.. i don't think i ever plan on finding ways to make it faster.. will just work on planning my days to give me enough time to shave...

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Thanks.

Again I want to be clear. I do enjoy the lengthy, relaxing shaves. But real life interrupts and some days I just can't afford it. I am just looking for ways to continue using the straight on those kinds of days. I'm not trying to make all my shaving days = express :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Confucius say: haste make waste.

When I'm in a hurry I just use a DE.

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Same here..

I envy those who can get away with a quick one pass straight shave and look presentable, doubly so for those who can do it ATG :) I require the whole shebang for a smooth good looking shave, which I'm guessing is around the 15-20 min mark. Otherwise I'll reach for a DE, especially during weekdays.

I shave at night. That way I'm not facing the morning rush!

As regular joe said you got some good advice already. Just a few more things.

Face lathering will help speed things up.

Also you can get into the habit of stropping before bed. Ie strop your razor at night shave in the morning, dry razor put away razor. That night strop the razor you used in the morning and the one for the next day.

Or you can really examine your stropping and see if you can do less laps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BanjoTom

I shave at night. That way I'm not facing the morning rush!

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I wish I could get away with that!

I was impressed with that post that popped up the other day regarding the 12 year old girl who shaved someone with a straight in her mom's shop, and I learned something from it: One pass only, ATG. Why do we need to do three passes ? Isn't that to keep a DE razor from clogging up? How can you clog up a straight? How does a straight know if there's .2mm or 10mm of hair up there in the air above the blade? It doesn't, so why waste time with WTG, and across, when they don't really do anything?

Thus, one pass, ATG, only. Interestingly, it solved a problem I've been having under my chin where the hair lies really flat against the skin and nothing I do will pop it up to be cut. If it's longer, and hasn't been trimmed off laterally WTG, it's easier to cut. . . . no, put it this way: if it's shorter, after a WTG, it DOESN'T get cut, no matter what. One pass, ATG, at a pretty steep angle picked those hairs up off the skin and cut them, which before, following the "rules", never worked.

On pass, ATG, also cut a lot of time off the job, and it takes me about 10 minutes, start to finish.

Hey I thought part of this whole thing was a Zen experience, where one takes his time and enjoys the trip.

Definitely is Zen like and those are my favorite shaves. But alas, I cannot go into my Zen meditation every single time sadly. Damn real life gets in the way from time to time in spite of all attempts to resist! :)

I zen it, but with the brush and soap, not the razor. :-) Luv making them suds!

Thank you for this reply to the OP. This describes my experience EXACTLY!!!!!

John


QUOTE=Katan2212;1112649]to me its not about making a fast shave.. i started shaving like this to learn to enjoy shaving. i have to shave everyday for work and it was becoming a hassle so i figured a SRS would make it become more relaxing. well now that i have started not only has it become relaxing but it has become quite addicting.. i don't think i ever plan on finding ways to make it faster.. will just work on planning my days to give me enough time to shave...[/QUOTE]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mdarnton

I was impressed with that post that popped up the other day regarding the 12 year old girl who shaved someone with a straight in her mom's shop, and I learned something from it: One pass only, ATG. Why do we need to do three passes ? Isn't that to keep a DE razor from clogging up? How can you clog up a straight? How does a straight know if there's .2mm or 10mm of hair up there in the air above the blade? It doesn't, so why waste time with WTG, and across, when they don't really do anything?

Thus, one pass, ATG, only. Interestingly, it solved a problem I've been having under my chin where the hair lies really flat against the skin and nothing I do will pop it up to be cut. If it's longer, and hasn't been trimmed off laterally WTG, it's easier to cut. . . . no, put it this way: if it's shorter, after a WTG, it DOESN'T get cut, no matter what. One pass, ATG, at a pretty steep angle picked those hairs up off the skin and cut them, which before, following the "rules", never worked.

On pass, ATG, also cut a lot of time off the job, and it takes me about 10 minutes, start to finish.

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Sounds like a good solution - IF you can get away with one ATG pass. Not everyone can, including me. My beard will laugh at a sharp blade if I try ATG first, and the results aren't pretty. No thanks, I'll stick with the multipass system. But like I said in my previous post, hat's off to you if you can.

I am with Ryan on this one. One pass ATG would not end pleasantly for me. My face would be on fire and I would be multi blade scruffy.

Besides if I need to I can do a three pass shave in 8 mins

I've recently had a few days I needed a faster shave, but instead of the DE I did it with the straight. Hot water with the brush, then lather. One pass and a second touch up for the neck area. Cold water and Witch Hazel follow.

Some mornings I'm in a hurry, so I keep it basic and still enjoy it. Load brush (no pre-soaking anything), wet face, face lather (add water to brush a few times for lather explosion), one pass multi-directional shave with some touch up on my chin, wipe face with a towel, throw on some aftershave. That's it. I don't time myself, but I'm done pretty quick.

My routine takes about 25 minutes. I just set my alarm clock quite early and when I wake, I decide either to get up and shave or stay in bed for another 25 minutes. I'll never cut on shaving :p

I think speed comes with practice. I'm almost 2 months in with using straight razor. Shaves the first couple of weeks were half hour or more events. Now I can shower shave dress and be out the door in 30 minutes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Confucius say: haste make waste.

When I'm in a hurry I just use a DE.

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Spoken by an experienced shaver. Speed and SR shaving really don't blend well for most men. If you are in a rush, then use a DE. That is what I do.

Attachment 122751

Haste may make waste, but shaving well and expeditiously doesn't. As one gains experience, learns the value of longer strokes, masters the ATG pass and finds the prep methods that really work, it's surprising not only how quickly one can pull off a straight shave, but how enjoyable it can be to achieve a fine result quickly. People who want to take an hour to shave can go right ahead and do it. Newbies need to know, however, that such periods of time are not required for a quality SR shave except when they are just starting out. I still say that the prospect of a one hour shave keeps people from trying SR shaving and is a primary cause of so many Newbies giving up on it. When I feel like it, I can take an hour to shave too, but it's nice to know I don't have to if I don't want to.

Well said Ace...

I honestly don't like being told to use a DE, I was running late this morning and was thinking of this thread as I shaved and really timed it from turning on the tap, to slapping on the A/S, 8 minutes to a perfectly acceptable DFS for office work ...

A very fast SR shave is possible.

Here is one of the most amazing demonstrations of sub-5 minute SR shaving.

This guy is out of my league.

Straight razor shaving record - YouTube

I hasten, if I may, to add that this kind of speed shaving is certainly stimulating and a lot of fun. Perhaps it is not for the less-experienced, but banging out a shave in under 3 minutes is a blast, and it does keep your attention. I've had shaves when I spent about as much time cleaning the blade as I did shaving. They were good shaves and almost exhilarating. To each his own. Newbies beware!

There was a thread about this sort of thing a year ago and my opinion stands. Go slower to get faster at shaving. Learn good technique. If not you will learn how use things like styptic, and superglue etc. I have a perm scar from SWMBO walking in on me shaving. Speed kills, chicks dig scars!
Attachment 122755

This was after superglue

I don't see time being a real issue. If straight shaving is something you enjoy doing just get up 5 or 10 minutes earlier.

Of course one could (I guess) spend an hour really taking your time but I don't see why one would take more than 15 minutes normally even taking your time (which I would suggest).

I must not be the usual case because I also enjoy DE shaving. I definitely didn't enjoy shaving before I started wet shaving however.

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Originally Posted by gcbryan

I don't see time being a real issue. If straight shaving is something you enjoy doing just get up 5 or 10 minutes earlier.

Of course one could (I guess) spend an hour really taking your time but I don't see why one would take more than 15 minutes normally even taking your time (which I would suggest).

I must not be the usual case because I also enjoy DE shaving. I definitely didn't enjoy shaving before I started wet shaving however.

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You are not alone. Most people here found shaving to be a PIA. It is a well earned meditative respite for me when I shave. SWMBO now understands it is a my time sort of thing. She likes to come inspect the scents of the soap and will usually watch as I shave. Inspection following with the usual approval of "baby butt". She remembers watching her grandfather shaving this way in Slovakia and I personally think it brings back fond memories for her.