Your Shaving Routine/ Set-Up.

[6of1]

Indeed - even when I travel east I stay with relatives and their water isn't as soft as the water I use. This throws off the balance of everything as I'm sure you'd agree, C?

Our water is heavy on the chloramines here, too. That's one of the reasons I switched to creams. I do drag out the soap on occasion, but not very often.

Another thing I've found to help was by accident. I had purchased some Neutrogena post shave balm, but found I couldn't stand the stink of it. I have taken to applying it the night before and find that it does help soften everything up for the morning's shave.

[gandhajala]

^ interesting tip, thanks for sharing. I guess it makes sense - anything that softens your face and beard ought to make shaving easier. I tend to apply a moisturiser at night, so that perhaps has a similar effect. I'll try an aftershave balm though, see how it goes.

I stopped by Geo F Trumper this afternoon on my way home and picked up a bowl of their eucris shaving soap. Unlike their other soaps, this one comes in a black bowl with silver lettering so is quite distinctive. Just removing the plastic wrapping, this seems to have quite a strong aroma, but very pleasant in a traditional barbershop kind of way. Really looking forward to giving it a try later - hopefully it lathers well. I'll report back.

[gandhajala]

OK, so I had a chance to try Geo F Trumper's eucris shaving soap which I picked up yesterday. I'm pleased to say my first impressions are excellent! Beginners' luck or otherwise, I loaded up my brush and 2 minutes later, had a bowl full of the most wonderfully thick lather I've had for weeks. Fantastic lubrication - 3 passes and I had a baby-bum smooth face, which felt especially soft afterwards too. At the end, I still had plenty of lather left so next time, I think I will load a little less.
Note wise, I pick up some cumin, some sandalwood and some sweetness - perhaps dark berries. Very sophisticated, put a smile on my face.

Surfing the 'net last night though, I came across this:



I had no idea C&S did shaving soaps - no.88 and Oxford and Cambridge.
The snag?
A whopping 95 pound (152 USD) price-tag!
Holy-moley. I was speechless.
Admittedly, the soap itself is 20 pounds, and the dish 75, but still. That's double the price of other 'luxury' shave soaps.
The problem is, Oxford and Cambridge is my holy-grail of lavender scents and I really, really want to try this.
Unsurprisingly though, I can't find too much information about it. If anyone has experience of C&S shave soaps, please do share!

[A. Homme]

Some say that Feather blades are only good for 2-3 shaves, max. I get 3, 4 at most.

That's been my experience as well. I have some Derbys on the way.

[baudilus]

I generally shave with clippers when it's not a special occasion - this give me a good coat of peach fuzz.

When I need a close shave, I have a ritual:

Shower, with the door closed. Get my facial hair nice and soft.
Dry off, taking care to leave my face wet.
Put pure hot water in the sink, letting my lather bowl ($1 plastic bowl from Target or something) float around and get warm. While this is happening, I'm splashing the hot water onto my face to keep it warm.
Put a bead of "Proraso" (Green tube) in the bowl, if I plan to go against the grain and get really close. I use Crabtree & Evelyn's "Nomad" when I don't need the cooling menthol.
Dip my brush in the hot water, then lather partially in the bowl.
Apply a pre-shave oil (can't remember the brand right now) to face / neck, then finish lathering my shave cream on my face.

The razor: Merkur Classic Long handle
The blade: Right now, Dorco (Red Pack).

After two to three passes, rinse with warm water, then splash with cool water (actual water, not the fragrance, of course).

Apply after shave treatment - I believe it's a Nivea product, but don't recall at the moment.

After two to three minutes, moisturize face, and apply scent.

Sounds like a lot, but it's really only 15-20 minutes after showering. 10 if I'm hurrying, but that is rare.

I also light a candle sometimes, and never have music or TV going - I can't hear the hairs' screaming with that stuff on.

[6of1]

The razor: Merkur Classic Long handle
The blade: Right now, Dorco (Red Pack).

Those are the Dorco 301 blades, right? Have you tried the 300s? Is there a difference between the two?

I picked up some Gillette Goal and Supermax Blue Diamond blades recently and find them both to be fine performers.

[rickmunro]

art of shaving steps 1-4 with a fusion pro glide.

[Emlynevermore]

One day, perhaps when some poor woman (heaven help her) bears me a child, I will feel ready to purchase a straight razor.

Until then, all I need are are a shower, Pantene Pro-V conditioner on wet stubble, a Trumper's Rose/Tabac puck, an Edwin Jagger best badger brush, a handled ceramic soup mug, a Merkur 38C barber pole DE, Israeli blades, and a face, usually mine.

When I am in a hurry, I cheat and use Edge Pro-Gel and make a single pass with the DE before finishing off with a Schick Quattro I keep around for such occasions.

[gandhajala]

Trumper's Rose puck

Nice! This one is firmly in my rotation. Great lather, nice rose scent. My favourite rose shaving soap.

[StylinLA]

Ahhh, some wet shavers here.

I prep my face with Trumpers Skin Food, about 10 minutes before I shower. Fill Moss scuttle with hot water and soak badger brush.

After shower, wash face with Zirh Clean. I use a double edge razor, Merkur 38c. Prefer Astra blades, but starting to use Feathers.

Use a variety of soap pucks or creams. Art of Shaving Lavender and Trumpers Rose usually. Domenico Caraceni makes the nicest, richest cream I've run into. It's very opulent and has the DC 1913 scent - big time!

Lather up in scuttle, apply to face. Massage into face. Then - and this will improve your shave no matter what combination of blades, gels, soaps - apply washcloth to face with hottest water i can stand for a couple of minutes to further soften beard. We have all seen the barber wrapping the customers face with the towel i old movies. It works.

Then, three passes with razor- first with the grain, then across, last is against. Rinse face and re-lather for each pass. Then there is some touch up on the neck areas of my beard that are most stubborn. While it is sacrilege to many wet shavers, I often use a Gillette Fusion Turbo for said touchup. Those five blades tend to smooth out the most stubborn areas of my neck.

Finish with cold water rinse followed by unscented Witch Hazel. Top if off with Trumpers Skin Food. Skin Food comes in various scents, but they are quite fleeting and won't conflict of scent of choice that day.

Result is baby butt smooth face. Feels great. More guys should learn to cherish and enjoy this manly art. It takes around 10-12 minutes, but it makes my day. My daily shave is something I relish and look forward to everyday. Paying attention and focusing on it makes what is drudgery for many into an enjoyable Zen like ritual.

To really go deep, once a week finish shave with Vitaman Mud Mask. I don't know how they work, or even what they do - but every time I do it, my ex GF would always notice it and comment on it. Art of Shaving also makes a fantastic mud mask, but it is quite pricey. The Vitaman is best I've found- as good or better than AOS. I hope they stay in business. They make some good male grooming products. Hard to find tho - only at BarneysNY as far as I know.

[Dry_Martini]

ummmmmmm wet shavers here too, great.
i have a simpsons chubby 3 pre-vulfix for sell NIB never used,if any member are interesed.

[Giustino]

Using a new way at the moment..

- Shower (sometimes scrub..)
- Leave face wet
- Little bit of Shiseido Shaving Cream..
- Normal Gilette shaving cream for sensitive skin
- Shave with hairgrowth direction
- Wash
- To finish, again a little Shiseido Shaving Cream..

No more razor burn.

[kbe]

-Shower/dry
-Re-wet face/neck with hot water splashes
-Hot water rinse/shake excess off brush. Then dab on brush dime-size amount Pacific All Natural Shaving Cream
-Work up lather on face, adding touches of hot water as needed
-Shave with Mercur 38C with Feather Blade or Schick Extreme/3 with light touch and in several directions each area
-Re-lather and repeat shave with attention to any felt stubble areas
-Splash off remaining Shaving Cream
-Towel blot dry
-Apply small amounts of Nivea Revitalizing Double Action Balm + Nivea Extreme Comfort Post Shave Balm + few drops of Aura Cacia Jojoba Natural Skin Care Oil all mixed together in both hands

Never razor burn or nick with this method. I strop both the Feather Blades and the Schick disposable on a smooth leather belt to provide dozens of comfortable and close shaves using either one before discarding. The Feather blades require stroping after each shave while the Schick Extreme/3 only need it every other shave.

[Verdict]

Right now this is what I use. It's simple but it works for me:

Razor: Gillette (late 40s) Super Speed or Merkur HD 34c
Soap: Mitchell's Wool Fat, Van Der Hagen Deluxe, or Williams
aftershave: Several different options, but most often it's Old Spice or Pinaud Clubman.

I remember your avatar from B&B!

Anyway:
Merkur HD + Wilkinson Sword/Feather
Omega Boar
Taylor's of Old Bond Street - St. James collection.
Gillette AS - nothing fancy.

However I have a Slim/Flair Tip on the way, and I'm going to buy a Simpsons brush soon.

[Indaco]

I usually do some combination of the following:

Preshave - Proraso preshave cream
Brush - Handmade finest badger
Soaps - Taylor's of Old Bond Street sandalwood or Mule aloe vera
Razors - Gillette Rocket or Gillette Ranger Tech(s)
Blades - Personna 74s, Personna Labs/Med Preps, Sharks
Postshave - Thayers witch hazel

[dilney]

Pre-shave: hot shower
Shave: Dr. Selby shaving soap (hard to find, made in Uruguay, excellent protection for the skin), silver tip badger brush (Semogue), Edwin Jagger de89, feather blades.
Post: one of several aftershaves they I've got.

[hednic]

Very simple routine:

Splash warm water on my face
Gillete Foamy Shave Cream
Gillete Pro Fusion Blade
Hot Shower
Aveeno Unscented Moisturizing Lotion

[mesaboogie]

I use various shaving creams/soaps and even Shave Secret (which works better than anything else). But lately I've been using:

Soap: The Art of Shaving Sandalwood shaving cream
Brush: Rooney badger hair
Razor: Feather RG Club series straight razor w/ Feather pro guard light blades
Aftershave: Thayer's witch hazel if I'm wearing cologne. If not, an assortment of Clubman's, bay rums, maybe even old spice.

Here's a pic of some of my old school grooming stuffs.

[mesaboogie]

Also I take a hot shower before hand to soften the facial hair.

[shakin_jake]

I see this is a bit of a dated thread (year out)...I was doing some searching for DR Harris Arlington and this is the last of the search features. Anywho, I always enjoy talking about shaving so here goes...

Last two shaves have been with a new to me straight razor, and that said, I realize this thread is about your shaving set up so it all fits. Last week I bought this Carl Schlieper 8/8 from a fellow member of B&B through the BSt forum-



The PO toild me he bought is as NOS and only shved with it a few times. I believe him. There was absolutely no wear on this razor. BTW, according to the logo, this Schlieper was made no earlier than 1970

Anyways, I looked the edge over well using a loupe and as good as it looked, I decided to dull the edge on a lip of a drinking glass then I got out my Cretan hone from greece and let it soak for 10 minutes, then started to raise a slurry on the hone using a DMT

by the time I took this photo, the hone strated to dry a bit but I was thorugh with the Cretan at this point. this hone works well in the 1 K grit range, or thereabouts. If I make a heavy slurry with it, it will cut very well. Light slurries as I made here and the hone cuts lightly. So after working the edge for a bit and having a look at it with the loupe, I got out my la petit blanc coticule bout

feeling lazy, I decided to raise slurry using the same DMT. Edge was moving along well and though I have been correcting the bevel w/these two hones, I decided to get a theird hone in on this bevel correction progression...my 50X150mm les latnuese coticule

and built slurry again with my DMT (diamond metal plate), a well worn 600 grit, probably more like 800 grit or better

I used 1/2 strokes on all three hones, laying the blade flat on the hone, moving the blade back and forth, for 20-, 30 reps, then I'll flip and do the other side, same # of laps, keeping it wet (the slurry) and looking at the edge occsionally using my loupe, just to make sure of where I was going

When I felt I had the bevel correction phaze finished, I checked using the arm hair shave test, rinsing the blade, wiping it with paper towel to dry then seeing how well it shaved arm hair up and down the edge, both sides, and it passed with flying colours, popping arm hairs easily

i like the action and the slurry on the les lat so I continued with a bit of dilucot http://www.coticule.be/dilucot-honing-method.html but I wanted to finihs up this progression on la verte

so the green hone it was to finish, and I finished up making a light slurry on it, doing a series of x strokes, diluting every 10th lap, doing maybe 8 dilutions...then it was time for some x strokes on straight water. I lost count, no more than 50?

I didn't bother checking HHT until after stropping and saw HHT4 all up and down the edge. this was early Tueday morning. Tuesday afternoon was the shave, and what a beaut it was. Liked it enough to shave with again Wednesday=:-)

More on the shave?...I face lather soap and have been using Tabac lately


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

[Teach13]

Nothing too classy for me, but it works. Smooth. Leaves skin soft and without cuts.

I take a nice, hot shower first. Step out, and start shaving. I use Aveeno Shave Gel to start (just bought it to try, and I'm really liking it). I also use the Mach3. I know people love the Fusion, but I actually find that the Mach3 shaves closer than the Fusion on me. A simple washcloth for cleanup. Right now, I'm using Old Spice splash aftershave. I like balms better, and am on the hunt for a good one, but I already owned the splash, so I'm just finishing the bottle.

[senore01]

shaving 001.jpg

- - - Updated - - -

shaving 002.jpg

[noirdrakkar]

i have a bottle of gilette gel and a couple of dollar-store razors (along with tons of other deodorants, hair gels/waxes, soaps, toothpaste tubes, etc) randomly spread all over my bathroom sink

[surileo]

I have had the best shaving experience with the procedure that i have been following for the past 2 years. Consdering that i have a very thick stuble i am able to shave both in the direction of the growth and against the growth.

Following are the steps that need to be followed.

1) Take a hot shower.
2) After you finish your bath apply the scrub uniformly all over the face and allow it settle for 3 mits
3) Start scrubbing for 3 more mits
4) Use a shaving cream that lathers or that doesnt lather or you can use a soap as well. Following is the list that i would personally recommend.
Shaving cream that lather- Truefitt and hill and 4VOO
Shaving soap - Tabac Soap stick
Creams that dont foam - Jack black beard lube, molton brown and zirh
Shaving oil - Clarins
Brush - Quality Badger brush
Alum block
Blade - Gillette mach 3 turbo

All the above mentioned products are world class and you can never go wrong.

5) If you are using a brush then you can create a thick lather by using any of the shaving creams mentioned.
Shave in the directon of the growth of the beard.
6) After having completed the first round of shave. Apply a small amount of pre shave oil in the region where you have thick stuble. No need to apply all over the place.Rub it properly so that the oil penentrates right into the roots.
7) Apply the shaving cream once more and you can shave against the growth of the beard. Shavng against the growth of the beard is the only way of getting a very close shave.
8) Finally clean your face with warm water or hot water to remove the excess oil followed by using alum block to close the pores.Finally wash with cold water to completely block the pores.

Cheers!!!!

[senore01]

Cleaned out a closet today and discovered that I actually have 4 straight razors, 5 safety razors, and a beautiful mach 3 turbo, chrome handled razor, made in England. I also have about 6 shave brushes, 2 silvertip badger. So happy. Now I will begin rotating all of them.

[banditman]

• Prep: Wash with Dr. Bronner's soap
• Razor: Hoffritz Slant or HD
• Blade: Astra SP or Derby
• Brush: Finest Badger
• Lather: Tabac, Arlington, Cella or VDH soap. Also Speick cream.
• Post Shave: Witch Hazel splash

[senore01]

Great shave today: Hot, steamy shower; Proraso cream and silvertip badger shave brush; 1950's Gillette safety razor= wonderfully close, comfortable shave. Should last me 2 days.