Long time lurker, first time poster: awed by B&B community.

**coljnr9** · 08-17-2011, 12:50 AM

Howdy gents :)
Just doing the noobie check-in, wanted to introduce myself to the fine people here on B&B. I just made the jump to wetshaving a week or so ago, and decided tonight to make the registration/introduction jump here on B&B.

I got in to wetshaving when my ol' electric razor was due for a blade/foil change and I thought I'd try something different. I grabbed a gillette fusion power fiveblade electric lawn mower and a can of cream for "sensitive skin". I had a pretty decent shave; but, since I hadn't picked up a razor since I got a free on one my 18th birthday (2 years ago now), I thought I'd hunt down some tutorials on the interwebs. I found some videos of really chiseled guys doing 30 second shaves (uploaded by Gillette), and then ran across Mantic's videos and B&B.

I was fascinated by doing a proper shave, and so I went to a new "Treasure Hunt" store, and picked up a used Gillette SuperSpeed (couldn't find the serial number to date it), that was all crusty and was losing it's plating. I put it through some restoration paces though, and now it's battle-worn, but usable. Not bad for a $10 razor. Got some blades from the local Walgreens, I can't tell who manufactures them and unfortunately all the stores in the area only carry this one style, rebranded under their private lables (TopCare, Kroger, ETC), but they cost like $2 for a 10 pack, so I'm a happy camper.

I got the "Premium Shave Kit" that comes with a bowl, soap and brush (made from the "finest boar's hair") and failed miserably at creating a lather. I tried tutorials and videos, which improved my results, but I went to Bath and Body works and got a tube of CO Bigelow's Eucalyptus cream for $5 (oh my word! So amazing, I just want to lather up three times a day now, whether I'm shaving or not!). Then, on impulse I got a $25 "The Art of Shaving" Lavender tester kit which came with pre-shave oil, cream, A/S, and (joy of joy's) a badger hair brush - even if it is a tiney tiny little thing.

So now I'm shaving with lots of cooling lather (Eucalyptus won out over Lavender), and am battling some rawness. I'm 90% sure that its from shaving two times a day; because, by God, I'm addicted. I SO don't need to; I could do every other day and be BBS for 24 hours of that time. However, I did skip my last "night shave", left myself a proper 24 hours between shaves, and did ran through the Four-Pass Shave that is posted in the forums. It was wonderful and comfortable, and my skin is healing very quickly; I am just dying to get back behind the razor tomorrow morning.

Well that's my life story.

You guys don't even know how helpful you've been so far. Every step of the way has been guided by text from B&B. Thank you so much for this resource, and I so look forward to being both a contributor to, and continuing beneficiary of this forum. Cheers.

-Cole

**aceinyerface** · 08-17-2011, 02:10 AM

Welcome to the B&B!

This forum is the most positive one I have ever been on. Gentlemen, every one.

You might want to cut back to once a day. Your face would thank you.

I have a trick for you to try, since you have everything you need. Try a Superlather!

Take your shave soap and wet it down, soak your brush in a cereal bowl of hot water, take a shower and wash your whiskers with shampoo and conditioner.

Dump and shake all the water out of the brush and swirl it on the puck about 20 times. Put a pea sized dab of shave cream in the bowl and build a lather with both soap and cream, adding water about 5 drops at a time until you get some crazy lather! (if you had some glycerin, you could go with a Uberlather, which is ever slicker!) Some kind of synergy occurs when you use both. It is awesome!

**coljnr9** · 08-17-2011, 02:19 AM

I will certainly give that a try tomorrow; can't have enough lather :D.

And a sidenote question: I have a this little badger brush that came with the AoS kit, and I do really like it, but it has a very small knot size, it almost looks miniature. How much benefit would I see from getting a larger brush?

**aceinyerface** · 08-17-2011, 03:15 AM

The small one will get the job done. Some prefer small ones anyway. But when it comes down to it, it is all preference.

Brushes get to be quite expensive. It is all about how much you want to throw at it, you can go cheap, expensive, and everything in between.

**mdw15** · 08-17-2011, 03:25 AM

A smaller brush gives me more control over what I'm doing and where I'm doing it. Brushes are my weakness. (Technically, it's called SBAD.) But all but one are small to medium size. I like them dense and with backbone.

Some prefer large brushes of course.

**Eric V** · 08-17-2011, 05:53 AM

I'd suggest getting a quality boar brush. Semogues are my favorites. Lots of info here:http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Choos..._shaving_brush

You will learn razor technic quicker and easier if you stick to WTG and XTG passes. Concentrate on technic for the first month or two. An irritation free shave will come with better technic.

**zano2** · 08-17-2011, 06:04 AM

Welcome to B&B!

This IS a great place to learn just beware of all the temptation.

**demaro** · 08-17-2011, 06:06 AM

Welcome to the group Cole !!

**ackvil** · 08-17-2011, 06:22 AM

Welcome to B&B, Cole.

If you haven't already done so, take a look at this post. It provides an excellent road map to your shaving needs.

**Greyfox** · 08-17-2011, 06:27 AM

Welcome to B&B.

**Dennard** · 08-17-2011, 06:44 AM

Welcome, Cole!

**Dalejr** · 08-17-2011, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by zano2

Welcome to B&B!

This IS a great place to learn just beware of all the temptation.

I second that sentiment...

**mandoman** · 08-17-2011, 08:40 AM

Welcome to B&B

**coljnr9** · 08-17-2011, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by zano2

Welcome to B&B!

This IS a great place to learn just beware of all the temptation.

Haha, ya I made the mistake of looking at the Luxury themed SotD, and I'm trembling on the verge of cashing in my college accounts to get every damascus straight razor ever made.

Did the super lather this morning and it was marvelous! Lather so thick it was kind of tough to stir lol. I do have one question though: I'm doing a four pass shave method. I skip the ATG on my neck, chin, and under my jaw. But on my cheeks and moustache area where my skin is tougher I have been doing the ATG pass; even though I hear the razor going over stubble on that pass, when I go to wash up I can still feel a good bit of stubble, and it seems like nothing but some careful blade buffing (no pressure :D) can get rid of it. This doesn't really make sense to me. I feel like I have a good blade angle (maybe not?), and I do a good prep right out of the shower, and I'm using a new blade. Why would my razor not be cutting stubble on fairly flat facet of my face (cheeks) with an ATG pass?

**Optometrist** · 08-17-2011, 01:19 PM

Welcome to B&B, Cole!

**aceinyerface** · 08-17-2011, 07:20 PM

I wish I knew why the hair takes several passes to get clean cut smooth. Probably that the hair moves when it is touched by the blade. But it is like that for everybody, you aren't doing anything wrong. I don't know anyone getting BBS in one pass.

That Superlather is something, huh?

**Eric V** · 08-17-2011, 07:55 PM

Luxury themed SotD, and I'm trembling on the verge of cashing in my college accounts to get every damascus straight razor ever made.

I've had a similar experience. Somehow those blades have secret powers we can possess! Well, not really, but it feels like that! I have two damascus kitchen knives. Perhaps some day I'll have one damascus razor as well.

If you take three passes, WTG, XTG, XTG ... that will reduce the beard enough for an ATG pass. I'd recommend not using the ATG pass for another month or two (!) if you can wait that long. You may think your angle is good, but I think not. I think it takes about 30 - 60 shaves before we get close to a good shaving angle. We need this angle to become second nature, especially before using the ATG passes.

Why would my razor not be cutting stubble on fairly flat facet of my face (cheeks) with an ATG pass?

1. Your angle is off.
2. Your beard is not reduced enough by the previous passes.

Keep working on technic, which is prep, lather, and razor skills. No doubt you will feel your angle has improved greatly after 30, then after 60 shaves. The angle is very specific to the blade and your face, and very refined. You'll get there with patience and attention.

**fluffman86** · 08-17-2011, 07:58 PM

I find that often it's easier to get BBS *not* by going exactly ATG, but by taking an extra WTG or XTG pass up front, then hitting it somewhere between XTG and ATG, then ATG. YMMV. :)

Also, don't forget to pick up a blade sampler! I'm not a huge fan of the drug store blades (though they do OK in more agressive razors like an Open Comb or Slant). My personal favorites are Astra. You can get a decent cheap sampler from thesuperiorshave.com or a more full-featured sampler from westcoastshaving.com. I haven't shopped at Bull Goose, but they offer supplies and blade samplers as well.

**rm71** · 08-17-2011, 08:10 PM

Welcome mate.

**coljnr9** · 08-18-2011, 12:40 AM

Thanks so much for the advice folks :D. Man I'm always so excited to get to my next morning's shave. And I'll definitely have to pick up a sampler pack of blades. There is something about how salient a good shave is that makes practicing addicting.

To borrow a turn of phrase from a favorite of mine (Derrick Jensen): I want to live in a world where every day, my shave is better than the day before; where everyday its more comfortable than the day before.

Oh one question about my shave oil (which I haven't been using, really): Is it supposed to be thick/viscous? I thought it would have more the consistency of vegetable oil or somethng