lather oils lotions necessary?

S

Ssscrudddy

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6
Hi, 1st post. I've got it into my head that I want a straight razor, just 'cuz.

I'm 46, I've tried 3 different electric razors over the years & wont bother trying another 1, my neck doesn't like them. I only use cartridge razors up until now (currently Wilkinson Sword quattro), usually shaving every other day, sometimes every day, rarely leave it 3 days. I don't have any issues shaving (apart from 1 random time about 10 years ago when my neck decided it didn't want to be shaved at all & I had to leave it a month, no idea why). I don't see shaving as a chore, I'm not looking for a new 'relaxing' experience or trying for a closer shave or anything else, I'm perfectly happy with my shaving.

Plus I'm a bit of a cheapskate. No problem with paying decent money for decent quality stuff, but I can easily make 1 of these cartridges last 3 or 4 months (& not because I dont have whiskers). I bought 8 of them in Dec 14, I still have 4 unused ones left plus the 1 that is on the handle that easily has another 2 months use left in it.

But I've got it into my head that I want to try old skool shaving, & it probably aint gonna go away until I've tried it (I'm not talking about going to a barber shop here)

Now I know what I'm like, & I don't like faff. I realise there will be a steep learning curve, & plenty of faff maintaining it that I'm willing (have to) do & learn, & at some point get into honing as well (more faff). But I'm quite sure there will be things I just wont bother with.

Hot towels, never gonna happen. I really dont want to be buying all sorts of different before & after stuff. I dont want a brush & a bowl etc. That to me is all faff that I dont want.

Up until now I have a shave (with a cartridge) when I'm having a shower. I like a 30 min shower (then the hot water runs out) & shaving is the last thing I do. So that should soften the whiskers. I dont use any particular soap, whatever is there, sometimes it's shower gel, sometimes bubble bath, right now it's Palmolive shower milk which seems to be particularly nice & I'll look out for it again. Ie 1 'soap' does all, including lathering my face before a shave.

So that brings me to my question. I saw a video of a guy shaving with an 'axe' (lol)
I may have this wrong, but I gather this guy builds his own & uses them, so presumably knows how to use 1, but watching that you can see the shaving rash developing (ignoring the cuts), even though he used a whole bunch of lather. Now I can see why you would have all these balms & oils etc if that sort of thing is going to happen. But that is 1 horrendously painful looking shave, definitely in need of some after TLC. This I dont want.

So after perfecting how to shave, is that video how it usually is, therefore needing all these balms & soaps & oils because it's much harsher on your face? Or would it be a case of once I've got it down to a fine art I can expect the same behaviour as I currently have from my skin, with no need for aftershave or anything special including lathering up with a brush & special soap?

Q2 I've seen it mentioned don't get a Gold Dollar, but they're ok if they've been finished properly. A chap called Billy was selling them finished properly but he doesnt have any listed. Are these peeps any good which seem to do the same thing (part way down the page)?
http://thestraightrazorspecialist.com/razors-strops/

I'm out of work atm & so funds are limited, so £20 is do-able, but £100 to try something I dont even know if I'm going to get along with is out of the question.
 
Regarding question 1, if you shave with an axe you are likely to get irritation. Using a straight razor would require much less negative pressure which should (given a decent shaving edge) cause little to no irritation.

With respect to various elixirs pre/post/during. They all may seem like faff, but with all due respect, this is an interpretation by yourself having not tried any? My suggestion would be to try a straight razor shave with just Gillette canned shave cream. Then have a shave with a pre shave oil and brushed lather. You should be able to come to your own conclusions. However, I believe you will find the latter better, to an extent that I personally would not enjoy a straight razor shave with just canned shave cream. I have tried it and I ended up with many more cuts and more scraped skin.

Question 2- I enjoy my gold dollar but it took a few hours work to get it into a shave ready condition. Billy has been known to provide a very keen edge to gold dollars so worth taking a punt.

To be totally honest with you for £20 I don't think you will obtain a shave worth dropping the electric or cartridges.

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Ssscrudddy said:
Hi, 1st post. I've got it into my head that I want a straight razor, just 'cuz.

I don't have any issues shaving. I don't see shaving as a chore, I'm not looking for a new 'relaxing' experience or trying for a closer shave or anything else, I'm perfectly happy with my shaving.

Plus I'm a bit of a cheapskate. No problem with paying decent money for decent quality stuff, but I can easily make 1 of these cartridges last 3 or 4 months.

Now I know what I'm like, & I don't like faff.

Hot towels, never gonna happen. I really dont want to be buying all sorts of different before & after stuff. I dont want a brush & a bowl etc. That to me is all faff that I dont want.

. I like a 30 min shower (then the hot water runs out) & shaving is the last thing I do. So that should soften the whiskers. I dont use any particular soap, whatever is there, sometimes it's shower gel, sometimes bubble bath, right now it's Palmolive shower milk which seems to be particularly nice & I'll look out for it again.
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Pretty entertaining post,

So you shave 3-4 times a week, often after a long shower. No problems with anything being used now. Just a small straight razor minky on your back is all.

I can't help you with the razors but maybe I can offer up something else. One thing is possibly not needing a brush/soap to get good shave with. I believe there's a few foam type products that get nice reviews. Might not be quite slick enough for a straight but DE users like em. Also, I have heard of experienced people just rubbing some cream into their face with a bit of water to mix. Supposed to work just fine. You should definitely buy a special cream suited for shaving with slip and cushion in mind. Bath soaps aren't looking for that and this is important stuff affecting the shave.

Hot towels is the least of 'prep' involved for most people, myself included. Even after a shower, a few minutes holding that hot washcloth to my face helps. I spend the time thinking about petting bunnies, which I imagine is very common. Good prep ain't 'faff'....it's important to start with the best odds.

Oh, let me just mention that a half hour long shower is so foreign to me. Over 40 years worth of water managing, originally through necessity from drought, but got better over the years. Still, it changed my shower routine for life......heh.

Also I turn the water off while shaving and rinse when needed. Heh, even turn the water off brushing my teeth now. Second nature after this long.

Anyway, there's a few real hard core straight freaks hanging out here and man, can they talk!!! Never stop blabbing about those things.....pretty nuts if you ask me.

You know it's gonna take a while to figure everything out, especially having only been using a cartridge till now and only shaving half the week . That might make things a teeny bit longer to get through, but certainly an entertaining story for the members to hear about. In your case it could take almost a month to become expert. Yeah, takes quite a while. Since you are a sort of dummy right now, an extra week or so is needed. Never used a straight myself, but have seen those guys blabbing far too often.

There you go....... some of that was typed to help out,

Martin
 
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Hi, my recommendation would be to start with a Feather or Feather 'like' Straight Razor with ProGuard Blades. This will no only save you money by you not having to buy all the Str8 razor accessories but also save your Skin while youre learning to use a straight. Make sure you start with the ProGuard blades.


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Thanks for the replies, especially that link. I reckon I'll give it a go (the gold dollar, the feather is out of my price range until I get another job), & let you know how it goes.
 
Well so much for not doing faff! My GD & strop arrived this morning, wasnt really expecting it until next week. & then I ended up going into town & bought a brush & soap (blue bowl), both Wilkinson sword, & some Superdrug own brand 2-in-1 Aftershave balm & moisturiser, & a bottle of witch hazel. Oh & I ordered a towel from a group on Facebook, run by the same guy on the link in post #3.
Havent used it yet cuz I had already shaved this morning before it arrived. I'll try Sunday. If I dont post Sunday you'll know I screwed up!
20160429_111916.jpg
 
Ssscrudddy said:
Well so much for not doing faff! My GD & strop arrived this morning, wasnt really expecting it until next week. & then I ended up going into town & bought a brush & soap (blue bowl), both Wilkinson sword, & some Superdrug own brand 2-in-1 Aftershave balm & moisturiser, & a bottle of witch hazel. Oh & I ordered a towel from a group on Facebook, run by the same guy on the link in post #3.
Havent used it yet cuz I had already shaved this morning before it arrived. I'll try Sunday. If I dont post Sunday you'll know I screwed up!
20160429_111916.jpg
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You managed to buy my least favourite brush and soap. I'd recommend starting to break the brush in by bowl lathering a dozen times at least. If you find that you can't get a decent lather from the soap, go into town again and invest 50p in a stick of Palmolive shaving soap. Much better than the blue bowl of death. Grate half of into into a small bowl, press it down and load the brush from there.
Good luck with your first shave. Take it easy and slowly. Watch Lynn Abrams on YouTube first. The man knows his stuff...
 
Well I just had my 1st shave with it. Blood everywhere, didn't feel it. I now have 2 slices in my right cheek & neck, & 1 little Nick that took a while to stop bleeding. Whiskers all over the right hand side of my neck, I just couldn't get the angle.
The rest is ok & has given a nice shave.

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Ssscrudddy said:
Well I just had my 1st shave with it. Blood everywhere, didn't feel it. I now have 2 slices in my right cheek & neck, & 1 little Nick that took a while to stop bleeding. Whiskers all over the right hand side of my neck, I just couldn't get the angle.
The rest is ok & has given a nice shave.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Hee !..Auld Chinese Proverb..Catch the Monkey Slowly..:D

Billy
 
All I do for skin prep., is shower, or wash face, rinse well, and mix up a very nice batch, of smooth creamy , Prorasco shave cream from the tube, wet my face and lather up to shave.

I don't use any oils, skin prep lotions or any other stuff, it's all in your blades sharpness, and the lather you mix, plus a good shaving technique .
 
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