method shaving?

[finotti]

Dear all,

Watching some mantic59 videos I came across one on Method Shaving:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSv_0MpKJU4. It made
curious about it. Searching the forum I did find some old posts about
it, but I am bit surprised I haven't seen posts mentioning it since
I've joined recently. (Maybe I just did not look hard enough, though.)

So, I was wondering, are there members using? Or have tried? (Care
to share your thoughts?) Or are there members who borrowed elements
of it (products, "lather", preparation, cutting forms, philosophy,
etc.)?

There are some videos from the guy himself on youtube for the ones who
have not heard of it. (I am very new to DE shaving, and seeing him
using the razor with such quick and long strokes, several times over
the same spot, makes me cringe! For instance, see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLTlW...eature=related
at about 2:30 and forward! His prep must be good!)

Thanks to all,

[inspiringK]

Uh oh, brace yourself...

[finotti]

Uh oh, brace yourself...

Oh... I didn't know it was controversial. (But I should have guessed.) But people here seem to be very civilized. Much better than other forums I usually visit...

[ZJ68]

Once you have finished Cutting Form XVII, we advance to the skin graft sequence.

[MoJoe]

Congratulations, you just opened pandora's box of mixed emotions on Method Shaving. Most don't like the salesmanship of the primary advocate of Method Shaving. Some who have tried it swear by it.

As for my own opinions, it's not for me but I do see some merit in it. The products are supposed to be made with few ingredients which provide enough slickness with water to yield a closer shave. Since I received my Martin de Candre soap I've seen how good a soap with few ingredients can be and how close of a shave you can get (their soap has 5 ingredients and fragrance - 6 total). While I appreciate elements in the concept I'm not going to change much for now.

Now, let the great debate begin.

[mars]

I'm a method shaver. If you have specific questions, I'll be glad to answer them.

[simonp]

You may as well try it, and see if it works for you.
-maybe certain elements will appeal to you.

-Keep a needle and thread handy though, in case you need to stitch your nose back on !

[finotti]

I'm a method shaver. If you have specific questions, I'll be glad to answer them.

Thank you very much for the reply!

Did you adopt the whole routine? What do you see as the greatest benefit? (E.g., better shave or better skin/less irritation?) How big of a difference does it make to you? Do you find the most significant improvements come from the products and preparing or from the shaving (cutting forms)? Should I be afraid of those long strokes? :-) (Did it take you long to get used to them?)

Thanks also to all who replied... I hope this will not begin a flame war. (I apologize in advance if it does.)

Best to all,

[Den]

Most don't like the salesmanship of the primary advocate of Method Shaving.

I think this pretty well sums up why the vast majority on these boards don't practice this style.

It has it's place, but I prefer to stay clear from it.

[JimmyD]

Oh... I didn't know it was controversial. (But I should have guessed.) But people here seem to be very civilized. Much better than other forums I usually visit...

No worries. You aren't the first to start a thread exactly like this, and you won't be the last. Also, your questions are valid.

My two cents is: The perfect technique is ultimately the technique that you find working best for you, paired with the tools you have to work with (be it hardware implements (razors, burshes, etc.), 'software' (creams, balms, soaps, etc.), and personal experience (probably the most important).

That said, don't be afraid to try different techniques to better hone yours; and don't hesitate to ask the forums about that which you aren't familiar with.

Welcome to B&B!

[mars]

Thank you very much for the reply!

Did you adopt the whole routine? I'm not sure what you mean by the whole routine.... The only products that I use that are specifically made by Enchante for MS are the paste and the conditioner (after shave). I use a cloth instead of a brush (a basic agave washcloth -- "ayate") . I use a vegetable-based triple milled soap, and jojoba oil along with the paste to create the "mix" IBuilding a lather is very quick and efficient (although messy) and it is wonderfully conditioning and protective.


What do you see as the greatest benefit? (E.g., better shave or better skin/less irritation?) Honestly, I don't have that much experience with many traditional wetshaving products. I've used a few Trumpers creams, and KMF but I found these to be inferior products (for me). They didn't penetrate the skin as well or provide as much protection. In my experience the greatest benefit is the conditon of my skin, but again I haven't done a whole lot of experimenting. It works well for me, so I haven't ventured out too much.


How big of a difference does it make to you? Do you find the most significant improvements come from the products and preparing or from the shaving (cutting forms)? Should I be afraid of those long strokes? :-) (Did it take you long to get used to them?)

I find the products work very well-- they prepare the skin for the blade better than other products I've tried. I basically stick to the cutting forms, but I don't think it's necessary depending on your growth pattern. Don't be afraid of the long strokes-- I wouldn't shave like that with other products, but it works well here. Also, there is no need to be a speed demon like Charles does in those videos. Just slow, easy and smooth strokes. I used the forms from the very beginning, even when using traditional products (using short slow strokes), so the forms never took any getting used to.


Thanks also to all who replied... I hope this will not begin a flame war. (I apologize in advance if it does.)

Best to all,

I don't get into all of the jargon or "science" of MS. It's just shaving. But, I find the products work well for me. And I like that I can vary the components of the lather to my liking. It's not for everyone, and I don't try to get others to use the method. If you're interested in it, give the starter kit a try. Charles is extremely helpful and will even give you a one on one clinic if you are in the area (for free). If you like the way it works, great. If not, you haven't shelled out that much money to try it. I would just caution against dismissing it entirely because of Charles' personality or writing style. I hope this helps.

[oc_in_fw]

I agree with mars, give it a try. I have found my preferred method (not MS) and you have to find your own.

[finotti]

Thanks Mars for the very informative post!

I'd like to try it sometime for sure. Maybe I will wait for when I go to Austin. I went to graduate school there and really miss it. It's been a while I've been trying to go back and visit.

I can see how others might be unwilling to try it due to someone's salesmanship, though... I think it would affect my willingness too. (Since I want to try it, I will try not to look into it very carefully.) :-)

Thanks all for the replies! (Please feel free to add any other experiences on the subject, though.)

Best,