Some teething troubles

[NotTheStig]

Re: RE: Some teething troubles

Over the weekend, I think I am going to have to lock myself in the bathroom and do a couple of "practice lathers". Will have to wait until the family are out though - can't imagine how much eye-rolling I would get from my wife if I told I was off to practice making lather.

I can see that would be a bit embarrassing. I would just tell mine I was having a wank

 

[SmallBeard]

Over the weekend, I think I am going to have to lock myself in the bathroom and do a couple of "practice lathers". Will have to wait until the family are out though - can't imagine how much eye-rolling I would get from my wife if I told I was off to practice making lather.

I can see that would be a bit embarrassing. I would just tell mine I was having a wank

I thought that was a euphemism for having a wank?:icon_razz:

 

[NotTheStig]

If so I've been reading some rather disturbing things on here without realising it

 

[SmallBeard]

If so I've been reading some rather disturbing things on here without realising it

Shit, maybe it's just me.

"Sorry luv, I was just having a practice lather".

Works a charm :angel:

 

[NotTheStig]

Then she says "I can see the shaving cream on the towels"

 

[SmallBeard]

Then she says "I can see the shaving cream on the towels"

"Don't ask, it's messy business. Why do you think I have to practice so much?"

 

[OrangeSport]

I found that at first I was too worried about making my other too wet, so didn't use enough water.

Make some lather up in a bowl and and more and more water. You'll see the lather grow then weaken, and you'll quickly learn the right mixture for your cream/soap.

 

[dodgy]

Hiya,

I think lather making's the least consistent part of wet shaving and has the most control issues. You got the brush and how wet it is, then there's how much water's added to the mix during the whipping up part, then there's the amount of product being used. Sometimes those things don't all measure up perfectly when coming together during the shave.

Anyone new to DE shaving wanting to see how their lather's performing only has to use that recently discarded cartridge. If using that thing's uncomfortable, you can bet it'll be lousy with a DE razor as well. Can't tell by the looks how the lather will perform.

Heh, even after a bunch of years using a brush I still somehow screw things up once in a great while.

Martin

 

[HairyMan]

Some progress.

Did a bit of experimenting over the weekend with various methods and mixes.

Basically, using more water up-front seems to give much better results i.e a big bowl of foam for about the same amount of cream. If I start off more gradually, the cream seems to get sucked up into the brush and never really builds. Still not quite there with the proportions, but a lot lot better.

Decided I quite like face lathering too - as others have said, a lot less faffing about.

I think will stick with the bowl for a while as it is a bit easier to judge how things are going.

Next job is replacing the Derbys. Not as terrible as some have said but they just don't seem to be getting through the little wirey hairs.

Thanks for all your help so far and thanks for the samples Tony.T - very kind

 

[Burgundy]

Next job is replacing the Derbys. Not as terrible as some have said but they just don't seem to be getting through the little wirey hairs.

That'd still be technique rather than the blades, I'd say, although there are far better blades out there. Unless you yourself find them inconceivably aweful, Derby blades have enough merit to continue with them until you're getting consistent and smooth results. At that time, definitely look to a sample selection to feel what you like and don't like about each blade. Whereas some people are very sensitive to the sharpness and smoothness of blades, others don't find the difference so discernible.

 

[chrisbell]

Next job is replacing the Derbys. Not as terrible as some have said but they just don't seem to be getting through the little wirey hairs.

That'd still be technique rather than the blades, I'd say, although there are far better blades out there. Unless you yourself find them inconceivably aweful, Derby blades have enough merit to continue with them until you're getting consistent and smooth results. At that time, definitely look to a sample selection to feel what you like and don't like about each blade. Whereas some people are very sensitive to the sharpness and smoothness of blades, others don't find the difference so discernible.

Hmm, I'd certainly advise him to stick with them for now, purely to hone his technique, but I fear your opinion of Derbys is more charitable than most. I keep reading opinions from those who say that the only reason Derbys get a bad press is that people use them as their first blade and therefore it's all down to technique, but I first used one after over a year of DE shaving and it was still bloody awful. Of course it's YMMV, but I wouldn't want the OP to think that it must be all his fault - he may be one of the many DE shavers who hate Derbys!

 

[HairyMan]

to be honest, I am kind of hoping that I do get on with the Derbys as they seem a lot cheaper than the alternatives.

Perhaps it is all down to poor technique - I am getting reasonable results on the cheeks, which seem an easy area. The wirey hairs I was talking about are between the lower-lip and chin. It feels like blade is just bouncing over the hairs. Thinking about it, it could be too steep an angle - I find it quite hard to set the angle here because of the lack of space for a "run-up" (don't want to shave my lips themselves).

Any tips for this area?

 

[chrisbell]

to be honest, I am kind of hoping that I do get on with the Derbys as they seem a lot cheaper than the alternatives.

Perhaps it is all down to poor technique - I am getting reasonable results on the cheeks, which seem an easy area. The wirey hairs I was talking about are between the lower-lip and chin. It feels like blade is just bouncing over the hairs. Thinking about it, it could be too steep an angle - I find it quite hard to set the angle here because of the lack of space for a "run-up" (don't want to shave my lips themselves).

Any tips for this area?

Which direction are you trying to shave in this area when the bouncing occurs? IME, juddering or bouncing can be down to one of three factors (sometimes more than one):

Poor prep - hairs not fully softened.
Too steep a blade angle (razor handle at too shallow an angle to the face - see http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/130110-Blade-Angle-some-help-for-newbies for pointers as to the ideal range of angles.
Lather too dry and therefore not providing enough lubrication

Alternatively, you may not have correctly mapped the grain in this area - mine, for example lies in two different directions just below the corners of my mouth; some hairs grow N-S, some outwards from the centre.

 

[Fellonblackdays]

I haven't had any problems with the Derbys I find now I've started to pick it up and get some speed going I can shave with not cuttage to the face. The Personna blue courteousy of MajorTom that I am using in my Black Tip also from him is gliding across my face much better.

 

[wickwar]

Ive been using Derbys for a couple of week with a few nicks (still learning) but yesterday tried an Astra & much better shave less nicks & generally a much better shave.

 

[Nishy]

Over the weekend, I think I am going to have to lock myself in the bathroom and do a couple of "practice lathers". Will have to wait until the family are out though - can't imagine how much eye-rolling I would get from my wife if I told I was off to practice making lather.

I can see that would be a bit embarrassing. I would just tell mine I was having a wank

Haha stig I wonder if it could be used as a pre shave or am I taking this too far!