Brotherhood of the Open Comb

[bluesbishop]

Question:
How did you shave around the pipe?

Oh...thats easy!! I have a circle beard ( commonly miscalled a goatee....Heck I call it a goatee!)....so just keep the pipe in the center and shave away!! LOL!!

[Spillproof]

So if I just grow a full beard, I can just smoke a pipe and skip shaving altogether? Sweet! Thanks for the tip.

[bluesbishop]

*You must have meant the Merkur 1904. It could be your blade as the 1904 is one of the most mildest OCs that you will ever try, so you may want to try different blades. i assume you applied no pressure. You could go with the grain for all your passes to eliminate irritation. Good luck.

Yes, 1904 is what I meant. Maybe the fact that I don't know what it is has something to do with the fact that I don't know how to use it?! Pardon my ignorance, I'm learnin'

What blade are you using brother? Astra SP's are a good starting point.....beside the video remeber a few things:

1) Good Prep:

I prefer to shave right out of a warm shower. and use a good face wash with a luffa sponge....something like the L'Occitane's Shea ButterUltra Rich Face Scrub is a good place to start.

After a Good cleaning, some people prefer a hot towel treatment

I also use a pre-shave oil, but many here skip that step.

2) Build your lather

We can go into the virtues of bowl lathering or face lathering...but for exfoliating and really working in the lather, it is hard to beat a face lather. Practice in your palm or arm, but pretty simple....after brush soaks, invert, give a gentle shake. Add a almost size amount of cream and rub in small circles on face...if too dry, dip tips of brush in water.

After my face is lathered I let it sit on for a minute or so....I load up my blade at this time...sometimes even go heat up a cup a coffee...

3) Begin your shave

First pass WTG....this may not be from North to south on all areas of yoyr face.....feeling your faces growth patterns is very important....I use more of a modified "Gillette slide" style first pass.....starting from bottom of ear and going sown on a angle towards my chin......

Second pass: for me...I say ATG....not XTG

Third pass: For you another WTG or a v style pass.....then touch up as needed.

Remember.....NO PRESSURE!!!! Let the razor and blade do the work.....

Angle......put the cap against your face....lower handle down toward floor and move razor till you can hear cutting of stubble.....you shouldn't see rake marks!

4) Post shave: follow up with your post shave routine....lately Im over board.....cold water rinse, Alum Witch hazel as AS Balm


I hope this helps!!

[bluesbishop]

So if I just grow a full beard, I can just smoke a pipe and skip shaving altogether? Sweet! Thanks for the tip.

And if you have red hair, you could get that whole leprechaun vibe going on............wait......skip that.....leprechauns are almost as creepy as clowns......

[bluesbishop]

Yes, 1904 is what I meant. Maybe the fact that I don't know what it is has something to do with the fact that I don't know how to use it?! Pardon my ignorance, I'm learnin'

Here is another excellent video by a B&B member and shows face lathering and proper angle

[Spillproof]

Well thank you again for all the tips and advice, very much appreciated. I'll check the vid now and will try to heed your scholarly advice.

Oh and I was using Astra SP's ;-)

[celestino]

*Which other blades do you have. The Astras may not work with you unless you have had good luck with them previously. Try one of your better blades that you are comfortable with. Good luck.

Well thank you again for all the tips and advice, very much appreciated. I'll check the vid now and will try to heed your scholarly advice.

Oh and I was using Astra SP's ;-)

[April Dawn]

silly silly here is what you men need for your goatees hahaha

[syngent]

omg that guy is going to be a millionair, i would buy one of those purely for the ridiculousnous of the whole thing !

[April Dawn]

since we go off topic I would like to share my pipe collection. These were my grandfathers and still smell like him..I never cleaned them just for that purpose.

[April Dawn]

I think it is pretty cool ! Great way to make it all even

omg that guy is going to be a millionair, i would buy one of those purely for the ridiculousnous of the whole thing !

[Azarius]

since we go off topic I would like to share my pipe collection. These were my grandfathers and still smell like him..I never cleaned them just for that purpose.

I knew you had a few of your grand fathers pipes, but I had no idea that you had that many. I am so glad that you got them and not another family member. I love the smell of a well used old pipe, and being your grandfathers that has to make them even more special. Too bad you do not know what where some of the types of tobacco that he smoked, but I am sure that the one tobacco store I go to the owner could identify a few of the blends with his nose, he is that good. Next trip up, bring a pipe and we will go for a ride.

[April Dawn]

I do know that he had all of his tobacco specially blended in Illinois somewhere. He had it shipped to him when he moved to Florida..I am hoping that someone can smell one and figure out the blend I think I smell cherry in the blend..I will always miss him. Smelling his pipes makes me feel at home even when I am having a bad day..that and his bottles of Aramis that I kept. My mother was going to throw the pipes and the bottles out! I only have 6 of his pipes and another multi stand and one of those pipe cleaning tools. My Grandmother threw many more away :( That would be really special if you would be willing to bring me or even direct me to a tobacco store!

I knew you had a few of your grand fathers pipes, but I had no idea that you had that many. I am so glad that you got them and not another family member. I love the smell of a well used old pipe, and being your grandfathers that has to make them even more special. Too bad you do not know what where some of the types of tobacco that he smoked, but I am sure that the one tobacco store I go to the owner could identify a few of the blends with his nose, he is that good. Next trip up, bring a pipe and we will go for a ride.

[Spillproof]

That is an amazing and impressive clutch of pipes from you grandfather. Awesome~! He knew his pipes.

[April Dawn]

He was an amazing man and I only wish I had them all :) I know nothing about them only that they made me happy and he always had one in his mouth or hand it seemed :) I do know that two are Meerschaum and the hand carved one we got in the middle east. he had if I recall 10 or them at one time. The wood is beautiful in the others.

That is an amazing and impressive clutch of pipes from you grandfather. Awesome~! He knew his pipes.

[alex2363]

Well, horses for courses, I guess. But to me, the FaTip is head and shoulders better than a LC NEW and smoother than an Old Type. It's essentially an Old Type but not as rough because the combs are rounded and smoothed. So I guess I find it surprising that the FaTip would finish third in this group. I guess that's why they say YMMV.

I agree i love the Fatip/Joris above all other OC's

Used the Merkur 1914 for a neck shave this am (I am currently bearded but that's going to change very soon).
This mornings shave was murderous. I have used this razor three times now, and each successive shave was worse than the first (I funny concede that this is entirely my fault). I cannot seem to avoid razor burn on my neck; this problem predates DE/OC shaving (goes all the way back), and was the reason for my switch. I am sure that I will learn and adapt, but man, this was really really bad. Don't think I'll be shaving for a few days.

All of the world's balm could not cool my tormented neck, and it looks like someone took a rasp to chicken skin.

I thought I was supposed to feel manly? Lmao

Well, you had a manly burn it seems

I'm a headshaver, but I remember years ago feeling this was somewhat awkward. That said, you'll get the hang of it...if I had to take a stab at it, I bet you are "swinging" the razor up the neck, rather than locking the wrist and maintaining the straight position. Maybe?

Check out this video by geofatboy it may help. Chain is optional! Good Luck.

Great vid from GEO

Wow, thanks! That guy is FAST!

My dad didn't teach me. Ain't that sad? lol.

My Dad came back from war (Vietnam) and he just would lay his Slim on bathroom and i would just play with it. Thats how I learn.

[bluesbishop]

since we go off topic I would like to share my pipe collection. These were my grandfathers and still smell like him..I never cleaned them just for that purpose.

Awesome collection!!!!!! I'm impressed!!!

[April Dawn]

I can not really take credit as they were my grandfathers, but they are very beautiful to me :) oops even if I see one of the stems is facing the wrong direction LOL But he had great taste in them at least I think he did :) He would have been proud that I kept them and showed them off.

Awesome collection!!!!!! I'm impressed!!!

[bluesbishop]

*Which other blades do you have. The Astras may not work with you unless you have had good luck with them previously. Try one of your better blades that you are comfortable with. Good luck.

+1...I think Astra's are a good starting point, but they are far from my favorite blades.....not even in the same ballpark as the Gillette Black, or Super Iridiums. I ALWAYS try a new razor with a premium blade first...and then try various other blades once I've tried my best blades in it...

[bluesbishop]

silly silly here is what you men need for your goatees hahaha

omg that guy is going to be a millionair, i would buy one of those purely for the ridiculousnous of the whole thing !

That is the craziest thing I've ever seen....