Your single best shaving tip

**Obsessed** · 03-18-2012, 11:34 AM

If you shave in the morning, use a moisturizer before bed.

**Dooliano1969** · 03-18-2012, 11:36 AM

Don't start off with feather blade if you don't want to get discouraged from wet shaving.

**mdove47** · 03-18-2012, 11:42 AM

Relax, relax, relax. Take your time.

**Grillslinger** · 03-18-2012, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by cavasta

I have a very angular jawline (not much fat around around there!), and I always used to have problems getting a decent finish around there.

Poor you! :)

**Amzimbo** · 03-18-2012, 12:09 PM

Experiment with blades until you find the one(s) that work for you. Before that I kinda thought a ribbon of steel cut into sections was just a ribbon of steel cut into sections. Who knew they varied so much?

**kingping** · 03-18-2012, 12:11 PM

For folks who haven't yet discovered "Traditional Shaving" I'd say at the very least switch your lather from canned goo to real soaps and your shaves will improve greatly.
For folks already enlightened I'd say keep it fun and relaxing--whatever that means.
And thanks for everything!

**cavasta** · 03-18-2012, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by kirill

The idea is that soaking the handle at all, or too close to it, can damage it, causing your brush to start losing hairs, etc. This is especially a concern with porous handles, like wood, but can (according to those who give the advice) damage any brush.

So soaking only halfway up gives the benefit of wet and softened bristles with no risk of harming the handle or the ring holding the bristles in place.

Aah, I see. Save the badger.

Thanks for the explanation.

**rickboone1** · 03-18-2012, 12:28 PM

Stay away from the forums otherwise you'll be buying all kinds of crap you didn't know you needed. I ain't talkin' bout just shaving stuff either.

**dfigz** · 03-18-2012, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by HoosierTrooper

Cold water shaving.

+1 and ... a Good Prep

**ODJ** · 03-18-2012, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by cavasta

I've learnt lots of useful tips from these forums. However, there's one tip that really transformed my shaves, and it's this:

rub your finger tips with alum - this allows you to get a better purchase on your skin when stretching it during the shave.

I have a very angular jawline (not much fat around around there!), and I always used to have problems getting a decent finish around there. Since using alum on my fingers I now acheive a really good, close finish every time. I can't remember which forum or thread I read it on but I'd like to thank the poster for such a simple but effective tip.

All this got me thinking: what's the single best tip you've come across?

+1. this has proved to be the best thing I've tried since I started using a DE. NEVER get any weepers and get a much closer shave. I really think it has to do with the fact that the cold water constricts the capillary bed and also reduces swelling. If you use hot water you dilate those vessels and get more blood to the surface. I will agree though that warm water softens the beard, but it's a trade-off, and for me it's a trade off for the better. I started DE shaving last December, and once I switched to cold water shaving I never went back.

**ODJ** · 03-18-2012, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by rickboone1

Stay away from the forums otherwise you'll be buying all kinds of crap you didn't know you needed. I ain't talkin' bout just shaving stuff either.

this wold be the second best tip next to cold water shaving. When I started out I went overboard buying all different creams and soaps and ended up with a bunch of razors, blades and brushes. Once I realized that there were 2, maybe 3 creams/soaps I REALLY liked I sold all th ethers on BST, got rid of the brushes I didn't like, and try and stay off the forum as much as possible! Now I just stick with the ONE blade brand I like (Astra), two brushes (Simpsons Duke 3, Semogue 1305), 2 DE's (EJ DE89, '57 SS) and a couple soaps and creams (QCS, Mama Bears, C.O. Bigelow).

**turtle** · 03-18-2012, 12:49 PM

My best tip to someone? Surprised no one has given it yet...

STRETCH (your facial skin).

Grab at your sideburns and pull up. Puff air into your cheeks. Pull back from your chin and move your mouth the other direction. Place your hand below your lather flat on your neck and throat and pull down, keeping your off hand below where you are shaving.

Stretch... Stretch,... Stretch....

That's what you have your other hand for... US IT....

**jbradley** · 03-18-2012, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by rickboone1

Stay away from the forums otherwise you'll be buying all kinds of crap you didn't know you needed. I ain't talkin' bout just shaving stuff either.

x1000
Really, how many razors, brushes, soaps, creams, soaps, lotions, etc do you NEED???

**Mendel** · 03-18-2012, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by jbradley

x1000
Really, how many razors, brushes, soaps, creams, soaps, lotions, etc do you NEED???

Just wondering...do you have just a few razors, soaps, brushes, blade types in your rotation?

**vern** · 03-18-2012, 01:24 PM

Cold water, face lather, and don't start shaving till the lather is 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick.

**jbradley** · 03-18-2012, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by Mendel

Just wondering...do you have just a few razors, soaps, brushes, blade types in your rotation?

I honestly have one brush. I used one Flare tip for years, with Wilkies as blades. Used Van Der Hagen soap, or whatever the local marts have on the shelf. And very expensive aftershave. I shaved every day. Since I came here, I have 12-15 razors, all OC, except for a Tech SWMBO uses and an Injector like I learned to shave with. A couple of blade samplers, but I have my favorites. Now I have 4 mugs, 5 or 6 soaps, some vintage Old Spice and newer Bay Rums. I ENJOY shaving more, but I still shave every day. Once a day. I have learned the most important part is, as I said earlier, PREP. All the other trappings are not needed, but who was every satisfied with meeting a need?

Oh, I have several brush handles, that I am waiting on knots to redo!

**Mandina** · 03-18-2012, 03:09 PM

Alum block works great--another very helpful tip from B&B--for keeping a secure grip on a handle such as an EJ DE89 or 89l.

**bkfist** · 03-18-2012, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by Topgumby

Wash your face, lather up, then let the lather sit on your beard for two minutes before you start shaving.

Actually, hair can take 3 to 5 minutes to become fully hydrated. I suggest a decent shower where you wet your beard area with just a tiny dab of soapy water right at the beginning, do your normal shower, wash face when you normally do, then shave after the shower.

The dab of soap allows the water to penetrate the facial oils, and almost any shower is going to take a good 5 minutes, during which time the hair has plenty of time to become 100% saturated/softened.

**sprite** · 03-18-2012, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by KeithTheSnake

Wear pants when shaving with a straight razor.

LOL Never forget that one!

**cavasta** · 03-19-2012, 02:42 AM

Originally Posted by turtle

My best tip to someone? Surprised no one has given it yet...

STRETCH (your facial skin).

Grab at your sideburns and pull up. Puff air into your cheeks. Pull back from your chin and move your mouth the other direction. Place your hand below your lather flat on your neck and throat and pull down, keeping your off hand below where you are shaving.

Stretch... Stretch,... Stretch....

That's what you have your other hand for... US IT....

That's where the tip to rub your finger tips with alum really comes into its own.