Starting out? Listen Up-This Means You!

**htownmmm** · 03-16-2008, 08:23 PM

I have noticed recently that many of our newest wetshavers are having problems with their routine after reading the forums,watching the Mantic videos, and obtaining the equipment. What follows is some general guidelines that should help make the transition much smoother(pun intended!).

a. Preparation is the key. Focus here and the majority of your shaves will improve.

b. Find out which direction your hair grows in- then the terms WTG,XTG, and ATG will actually mean something to you.

c. Variety is not your friend(at this time.) Find out what works and stick with it-which leads to...

d. Use 1 razor, 1 blade(type), 1 brush, 1 cream/soap for 1 month. This allows you to focus on your technique and will help us, your forum mates, to provide pinpoint advice if you are having/developing problems. Switching too many variables when starting out will only retard the learning process.

e. Do not concern yourself with BBS shaves in the beginning-they will come. Your goal should be comfortable,presentable shaves; this leads us to....

f. When starting out, 1-2 passes WTG are sufficient. You should not be adding XTG or ATG when your face has not even become accustomed to what you are doing yet. Once your face has adjusted, then add 1 different type pass to your routine-and only 1. Then if problems occur, you will know from whence they came.

g. Be patient- you have been shaving badly for a long time and we know you want results and right now. However, it takes time to unlearn bad habits-so give yourself the time. Eventually the things you have read will make sense and you will obtain the BBS shaves.

h. Finally, don't take things so seriously and beat yourself up because your shaves are worse. They will improve as your technique does and as your understanding of how your face responds to the new routine being applied. And finally....

i. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!(of course you knew that phrase would be in here-wait until you really understand what it means!) Now that we have you as part of the collective , we expect you to pass on the knowledge you have gained-positive and negative. It will help those who come after.

Hope this helps.

Marty

**robertw** · 03-16-2008, 08:27 PM

+1 to "G". That's the hardest one to make work in practice. . .

**cr8n** · 03-16-2008, 08:29 PM

Nice advice. Great summary.

**TstebinsB** · 03-16-2008, 08:31 PM

Preach, brother, preach!

**andrewinman** · 03-16-2008, 08:33 PM

+1 on patience...it's key! Oh and fight the urge to run back to the cartridge...

**htownmmm** · 03-17-2008, 04:21 AM

ba dump bump.

**R-James** · 03-17-2008, 04:27 AM

Patience is a good one, and yes don't go out and start a whole load of ADs when you don't know the basic elements of an awesome shave

**BroJohn** · 03-17-2008, 06:25 AM

Marty --

That is about the best summary I've seen.

For all you new guys, this is your check list.

-- John Gehman

**random** · 03-17-2008, 07:09 AM

Thank you, Marty!

I am new at this "sport" and this summary is very useful for someone trying to "dig" through all the information available on the forum.

**scoopster** · 03-17-2008, 07:14 AM

Marty, Nice post. I vote sticky!

**R-James** · 03-17-2008, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by scoopster

Marty, Nice post. I vote sticky!

+1 to a sticky

**Hoos** · 03-17-2008, 07:34 AM

Great post and great advice.

I'd throw in there: "DON'T APPLY ANY PRESSURE". It's a bad habit we all pick up from the M3/disposable razor lifestyle.

Only disagreement is about sticking with one blade. I think that's one area where, if the blade is slicing you up or causing too much irritation, it's OK to try a different brand. If I had stuck with Dorcos, I'd look like Frankenstein's monster.

**toolazy** · 03-17-2008, 07:47 AM

Great advice... where were was this post a month ago!?!

For me, the light bulb came on with the whole 'study the gain of your beard' mantra. My beard does some crazy stuff below the adam's apple which is where I was shredding myself to pieces with each shave. Changing the way I shaved my neck based on beard growth pulled me back from the edge (I had begun to eye that Fusion pretty hard again).

**Shave Cat** · 03-17-2008, 08:09 AM

+1 on the prep. I mentioned in a past post how I had skipped prep except for the old "wash your face and leave it wet" routine one day when I was in a hurry. Shaving with the grain wasn't too bad, but in any other direction, the blade pulled and tugged, basically cutting nothing. I shaved the next day, using the same razor and blade, this time prepping my beard as I normally would have done. I received a good shave. Things were back to normal. Maybe some folks with a light or soft beard can get away without prepping their beard. I can't. Heck, I prepped even back when I was shaving with a cartridge.

I think it was Mr. Gillette who said something about a mediocre blade combined with good prep could give an acceptable shave, while a good blade in the best razor without prep would most likely give a poor shave.

-Clarke

"Cartridge shaving...so easy, a caveman can do it."

"DE shaving...a skill to be learned."

**fitzer** · 03-17-2008, 08:52 AM

All newbies, including myself, should be made to read this before joining the site. I am still getting frustrated 3 months into DEs.

**Mr. Gillette** · 03-17-2008, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by fitzer

All newbies, including myself, should be made to read this before joining the site. I am still getting frustrated 3 months into DEs.

Don't give up...

Any time I feel cocky about this, or something else I've practiced, I pick up a guitar and try to play a couple of chords.

As a music teacher about 10 years ago, I had a rather angry/annoyed parent come into see me. They had bought their son a drumset, a quite expensive drumset. He was about 10-11 years old, and all he could play was "tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-Crash-Boom! Tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-Crash-Boom".

They were more than upset-- they were actually very PISSED. They had bought this drumset with all the money they had and here was this kid just pecking away at the basics. And this was all my fault! They explained that they wanted him to sound like things they heard on MTV, and on the radio, and that I was falling down on the job as a teacher.

I asked them how many 10 year olds they could name that they saw or heard playing drums on MTV. Surprisingly, they knew none. I was able to point out that many of the 20 -30 year old drummers they heard, had probably started out at age 10, but that their parents heard "tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-Crash-Boom" for 6 months to a year, until some basics were underfoot and in the hands. This didn't make them happy. They determined on their own, that the kid just had no talent. They sold his drums, and I have no idea what this now-20 year old did with the rest of his life.

I don't know the moral of that story, but I know that we need to have realistic expectations, decent equipment, decent instruction, patience and practice to accomplish anything in this life.

Hang in there...just improve ONE thing each day, no matter how small-- just ONE thing.

**thirdeye** · 03-17-2008, 10:22 AM

+ 1 on the sticky...Nice Job Marty

**dpm** · 03-17-2008, 12:35 PM

Great list! I'd also like to add: Your first shave will probably go really well (since you've done your research on here)... don't get cocky and f up your second one!

**Barbarosa** · 03-17-2008, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by htownmmm

I have noticed recently that many of our newest wetshavers are having problems with their routine after reading the forums,watching the Mantic videos, and obtaining the equipment. What follows is some general guidelines that should help make the transition much smoother(pun intended!).

a. Preparation is the key. Focus here and the majority of your shaves will improve.

b. Find out which direction your hair grows in- then the terms WTG,XTG, and ATG will actually mean something to you.

c. Variety is not your friend(at this time.) Find out what works and stick with it-which leads to...

d. Use 1 razor, 1 blade(type), 1 brush, 1 cream/soap for 1 month. This allows you to focus on your technique and will help us, your forum mates, to provide pinpoint advice if you are having/developing problems. Switching too many variables when starting out will only retard the learning process.

e. Do not concern yourself with BBS shaves in the beginning-they will come. Your goal should be comfortable,presentable shaves; this leads us to....

f. When starting out, 1-2 passes WTG are sufficient. You should not be adding XTG or ATG when your face has not even become accustomed to what you are doing yet. Once your face has adjusted, then add 1 different type pass to your routine-and only 1. Then if problems occur, you will know from whence they came.

g. Be patient- you have been shaving badly for a long time and we know you want results and right now. However, it takes time to unlearn bad habits-so give yourself the time. Eventually the things you have read will make sense and you will obtain the BBS shaves.

h. Finally, don't take things so seriously and beat yourself up because your shaves are worse. They will improve as your technique does and as your understanding of how your face responds to the new routine being applied. And finally....

i. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!(of course you knew that phrase would be in here-wait until you really understand what it means!) Now that we have you as part of the collective , we expect you to pass on the knowledge you have gained-positive and negative. It will help those who come after.

Hope this helps.

Marty

Great Advice!