The Zen of str8 shaving

Richard · May 2, 2007

My shaving routine takes about 35 minutes with stropping, 3 minutes to soak the beard, whipping up the lather etc. Although I am doing my whole face now with the dovo, I am still having to finish up with a disposable until I acquire the skill to go str8 all the way. When I get to that point I anticipate adding 5-10 minutes to the whole routine until I attain a master's proficiency. My wife doesn't understand why I would invest so much time but I think I have discovered something. Shaving w/o major bloodletting means that I have to go extra slow. This gives time for contemplation and I find that I approach the rest of the day in the same unhurried manner. Anybody else have similar testimonies?

Rich

If man could be crossed with a cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat. Mark Twain

Newfie · May 2, 2007

Hello Richard!!

I do feel the same in many ways. I too, haven't yet aquired the skills (or the noogies) to go "all the way" with a straight. I can go ATG the grain on the cheeks, but against the throat ........

NFW!!!! I finish off with a DE, usually the Fat Boy or the Futur, set on 2.

For me, it takes ~ 45 minutes for shower, prep, shave & clean-up. But it's 45 minutes I relish and look forward too!!!!

I just said to the Wife last night:

There's only one thing that pi$$es me off about this, and that is I now know I've missed 30 years of doing something I now find pleasureable!!!!

mparker762 · May 2, 2007

You should be getting faster, not slower. If you shoot for ultimate closeness every day you'll spend so much time shaving that there's a real risk of it becoming a time-sink, and a risk of doing so many passes or using so much pressure that your face becomes too tender to shave regularly. Both of these are good ways to encourage you to give up on straight shaving altogether, because neither of these situations are much fun. Shoot for a comfortable, effortless shave every day, and let the closeness and speed come when they may. It takes me about 15 minutes for prep+shave+cleanup, unless I've got somewhere to be then it's more like 8. When I first started it was more like 25/15, but as I got more practice and got better at honing then the times went down substantially, and the quality of my shaves went up.

I find that when my shaves start taking longer then it means the razor is getting dull and it's time for a quick touch-up. This happens long before I notice any of the usual symptoms of reduced sharpness such as pulling. So it's possible that you might want to get your razors a bit sharper and see if that improves your shave times. With a sufficiently sharp razor it's like you're just brushing the whiskers away, the shave itself really is quite quick, it's just the prep and cleanup that's slow.

Richard · May 2, 2007

If you shoot for ultimate closeness every day

That actually iswhat I'm shooting for.

I find that when my shaves start taking longer then it means the razor is getting dull and it's time for a quick touch-up.

Good observation. I've been shaving almost daily with my dovo, that Lynn Abrams honed, for 5 weeks. Got a sweet little hone from Redtrader and am anxious to try it. I had heard, though, that I shouldn't hone for 2-3 months so I was kind of looking for the 2 month time to hone it. Think I should go for it now? The razor isn't dragging but I am having to make more than one or two passes to get the desired closeness.

With a sufficiently sharp razor it's like you're just brushing the whiskers away, the shave itself really is quite quick,

This is what I'm really after.

Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any Mark Twain

mparker762 · May 2, 2007

Richard said:
That actually iswhat I'm shooting for.

YMMV, but I think this is a mistake to focus on results over process this early on. Straight razor shaving is fairly complicated and there are a lot of things that have to go right to get those BBS shaves. Concentrate on shaving efficiently as well as cleanly, concentrate on achieving the proper sharpness when honing, and endeavor to identify your mistakes, modify your technique, and evaluate those modifications. Perfection will come when you are worthy.

Attempting to achieve perfection before you are ready will simply slow down the learning process; you cannot successfully evaluate changes to your technique, honing, or prep if you are shaving for an hour every day - you are doing far too many things to your face that must be accounted for when evaluating what you are doing right or wrong.

Edit: clean shaves are important, that is true. But singleminded pursuit of this goal jeapardizes your long-term improvement for today's shave.

ouch · May 2, 2007

What is the sound of one hand shaving?

Steelforge · May 2, 2007

Quoting Morpheous: "Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself."

Straight razor shaving is much the same. :smile:

mparker762 · May 2, 2007

Well, I didn't title the thread

More prosaically, 35 minutes may be fine now because straight razors are new and exciting and all. But at 45 minutes that had better be one seriously thrilling shave or it's gonna get old fast. Heck, even at 35 minutes it's gonna get old in a few months. Either way, that's a lot of time to be scraping your face - at some point your face is gonna rebel, or you're gonna find some other hobby to burn your spare time and cash. If you want to stick with it you need to work on making straight razor shaves practical even if it's no longer the fun new hobby. And a half hour shave or more just isn't really practical over the long haul.

Richard · May 2, 2007

YMMV, but I think this is a mistake to focus on results over process this early on.

Very well said! Thanks for the good advice. I quit w/the str8 long before it's bbs. I'm willing to spend the extra time (but nothing remotely like an hour) for the smoothness but achieve that with the disposable. Slowly I am seeing more efficiency with the str8 and in time, when I am worthy, I will get the bbs w/less time and no disposable.

Straight razor shaving is fairly complicated

You said a mouthful there! I am learning to hold the razor at different angles with both hands, but it's coming! Thanks much for your input! :smile:

All good things arrive unto them that wait and dont die in the meantime. Mark Twain

mparker762 · May 2, 2007

I just reread your initial post and noticed the comment about having to go really slow to avoid major bloodletting, as well as the other comments about having to make multiple passes and still having to clean up with the DE. These are all strong signs that your razor isn't sharp enough anymore. I don't know if you want to tackle honing just yet (if you've only got the one razor you might want to hold off till you get a spare), but someway or another you need to get that razor sharp again, at this point it's holding you back.

Richard · May 2, 2007

your razor isn't sharp enough anymore.

You might be right. Part of my going slow is just that it's so darn easy to cut myself if I get in a hurry. As I said, Lynn honed this one for me 5 weeks ago and although I use it almost every day and have a tough old beard I was thinking I'd get more use before honing.

Anybody else want to weigh in on this?

Work and play are words used to describe the same thing under differing conditions. Mark Twain

FloppyShoes · May 2, 2007

Unless you have a steel wire beard a Lynn-honed dovo should not be dull enough to require honing for a few months. Stropping technique is a possible culprit.

As for the zen, I know what you mean. I choose to spend more of my zen time in showering and prep though. My actual shave takes about 8 minutes with a straight or 5 with a DE. To each their own I suppose.

You can apply enough concentration to almost any activity and get the same feeling. Monks have been applying themselves to merely sitting in one place for ages, but it's admittedly easier if what you're doing is more complex and useful.

mparker762 · May 2, 2007

FloppyShoes said:
Unless you have a steel wire beard a Lynn-honed dovo should not be dull enough to require honing for a few months. Stropping technique is a possible culprit.

There are a lot of experienced straight shavers out there that have to touch up their blades much more frequently; I would guess based on the many threads on this subject that *most* experienced straight shavers (> 1yr experience) have to touch their blades up much more frequently. They may all be incompetent at the strop, but I certainly wouldn't be so bold as to make such a claim without some decent evidence.

Richard · May 2, 2007

I would guess based on the many threads on this subject that *most* experienced straight shavers (> 1yr experience) have to touch their blades up much more frequently.

Now we're getting somewhere. I'd be interested to know how many are in this category and what there thoughts are. I started this thread to extol the virtues of str8 shaving but am learning something!

I watched Lynn's dvd carefully and think I am stropping correctly.

You ought never to take anything that dont belong to you - if you can not carry it off Mark Twain

Doc4 · May 3, 2007

For me, there's a real difference between shaving with a real straight, and the Feather AC. Right now, I can get a presentable shave with one pass with the Feather, and that's my normal routine before work. On weekends, I'm usually not as pressed for time, and can do a 2-pass with my straight.

I like to push myself a little bit to see if I can improve on the speed & quality of shave combination, but I try to avoid overpushing to the extent that I risk a bloodbath.

Every once in a while when travelling I have to resort to my Quattro again. It certainly is the fastest shave I can manage, and thoroughly adequate, but there's no zen-like fun.

Richard · May 3, 2007

Yeah, I use the disposable when I'm really pressed for time. Have never tried a Feather AC. I insist on a really close shave so I follow up the str8 w/a disposable.

Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any Mark Twain

Scorpio · May 3, 2007

From reading the original post, I agree with MP in the diagnosis of a possible dull blade. A blade honed by Lynn with proper stroping should last a good while. I have a blade honed by Joe Chandler that I use frequently. I bought it Nov 2006. It's May 2007. The blade has not seen a hone and it still cuts like the first day I used it.

As far as shaving time I just can not see myself in the bathroom for 35 to 45 minutes. I would have given up a long time ago if it took that long. I found that you don't have to go fast or slow but you develop a personal rythim, much like being "in the zone" for an athlete. At the moment I spend 15 minutes for a very decent shave but if I want a great BBS shave I spend an extra 5 minutes to touch up the hard to reach spots in my neck.

I can't comment on technique as I have not seen it and it would be arrogant of me to tell you what you could be doing wrong without seen it first hand. I can only speculate that your blade needs to be sharper and recommend that you continue to practice stroping but only at a slower rate. This way you can determine what the razor is doing while on the strop. I learned the hard way it is not how fast you can strop but the quality of the time the razor spends on the strop. Keep at it it is a skill that takes time and I can honestly say that I learn something new about my razors everyday. But what fun it is!!!!!
Hope this helps.

Raf

Richard · May 3, 2007

[I learned the hard way it is not how fast you can strop but the quality of the time the razor spends on the strop./QUOTE]

Thanks Raf, and everyone else who has posted. I don't go overly fast with the stropping; 15 on linen and 30 on leather. I watched Lynn strop on the dvd and it just doesn't look that complicated. I shave the same area both wtg and atg but most guys post the same procedure. The chin/mustache area are more challenging but that holds true for others as well.

I'm still relatively new at this so my 30 min or so at the sink may just be caution. It doesn't pull or skip and the more confidence I gain the steadier my hand gets and the smoother the glide.

I only have the one dovo so have not fall back if I goof it up honing it. I'm pondering all the good advice.

Always do right. This will gratify some people & astonish the rest Mark Twain

Richard · May 5, 2007

I have a blade honed by Joe Chandler that I use frequently. I bought it Nov 2006. It's May 2007. The blade has not seen a hone and it still cuts like the first day I used it.

Anybody know who Joe Chandler is and if he has a website?

You ought never to call you aged grandpa an foggy ol' fossil except when you want to be unusually funny

Steelforge · May 5, 2007

Joe's website is http://shop.writerferret.com/ , I think he posts here and on SRP as Joe Chandler if you want to send him a PM.

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