TKO in DIY round #1: How do you hold the towel on your face during your prep?

ButtGump said:

5. The devil is not always in the details

Some people will tell you there’s no such thing as a stupid question. Those people have obviously never seen the Internet.

Not only is it your shave, but it's your common sense, so use it. There's a difference between being curious about other people's habits and mimicking their every detail. If you haven't cut your fingers multiple times while handling a razor blade, then you probably don't need to ask whether you should be picking it up with your fingers or using tweezers. If you manage to get water on your face without setting the house on fire, then you probably don't need to ask whether you should use your hands or a washrag to get the water on your face. One of my favorite questions is, "How do you hold the towel on your face during your prep?" If your towel keeps falling on the floor every shave then this might be a legitimate question (and you should probably read up on "gravity" ), but otherwise don't worry about it. Remember, you're not shaving to parrot everyone else, you're shaving to get the job done with enjoyment. Don't sweat every tiny detail of your shave.

Click to expand...

This always annoys me. It takes both hands to hold the hot towel in place. It also takes two hands to whip up hot lather. So, either my face goes cold, or the lather does. Okay, I can hear you saying "Get a scuttle". But where's the fun in that? And anyway, it doesn't really answer the original question. Surely someone's solved this problem before. But I can't find anyting. So I got to thinking.

I have a sewing machine, but no skill at using it. Here's the plan.

I molded the towel to my face, using safety pins to hold it in place. No, not onto my face. I found it worked better to fold it under my chin before folding the sides. The fold you see at the chin happened when shaping the bottom of the towel against my neck. With all those folds in place, and the towel neatly contoured to my face, it was time to figure out how to hold it in place. Yes, to my face this time. Some stretch band would be perfect, so I hacked up my hanes to get some. Okay, to tell the truth, there was some in the drawers. (pun intended) It obviously needs to be tied at the top near the sideburns, with the tape going over the ears. It also needs to be tied near the bottom with the tape at an upward angle to hold the sides neatly against the neck. One last touch--which I skipped because it's way more than I can handle with a thick towel--is to add a pleat to mold the towel around the adam's apple.

Here's how I fared in round #1.



After breaking two needles, and having the machine toss a chunk of the second one at my lip, and not having another needle of the right size, I realized this wasn't going to work. At least not without a trip to the garment district for a lot more needles.

Someone with more of a clue would cut the towel instead of folding it. This was just a quick prototype. But at this point, I'm kind of at a loss about how to tie the bottom. The little bit of thinking leads me to think my first approach is a fail.

A better approach to hacking up thick towels is to just use stretch band and a couple of alligator clips. Make a loop of stretch band and then sew two short strips at the back. The idea is to fold the towel over the front of the loop, put the loop over your head, then attach the clips to a spot that pulls the bottom part of the towel snug against your neck.

At least it's a lot safer than dodging metal fragments.

Someone please tell me this is a huge waste of time on my part and I can just ______.

I ask my grandma if I want something stiched.

The towel thing is such a PITA that it's not enjoyable and I don't do it. Period. I simply shave after a shower.

Yeah...I just hold the towel with my two hands like in Mantic's video. I get great moisture on the whiskers and its not that bad to hold the towel for 2 minutes.

I think the whole stitch thing is a bit much for me...but hey, go for it!

SiBurning said:

This always annoys me. It takes both hands to hold the hot towel in place. It also takes two hands to whip up hot lather. So, either my face goes cold, or the lather does. Okay, I can hear you saying "Get a scuttle". But where's the fun in that? And anyway, it doesn't really answer the original question. Surely someone's solved this problem before. But I can't find anyting. So I got to thinking.

I have a sewing machine, but no skill at using it. Here's the plan.

I molded the towel to my face, using safety pins to hold it in place. No, not onto my face. I found it worked better to fold it under my chin before folding the sides. The fold you see at the chin happened when shaping the bottom of the towel against my neck. With all those folds in place, and the towel neatly contoured to my face, it was time to figure out how to hold it in place. Yes, to my face this time. Some stretch band would be perfect, so I hacked up my hanes to get some. Okay, to tell the truth, there was some in the drawers. (pun intended) It obviously needs to be tied at the top near the sideburns, with the tape going over the ears. It also needs to be tied near the bottom with the tape at an upward angle to hold the sides neatly against the neck. One last touch--which I skipped because it's way more than I can handle with a thick towel--is to add a pleat to mold the towel around the adam's apple.

Here's how I fared in round #1.

After breaking two needles, and having the machine toss a chunk of the second one at my lip, and not having another needle of the right size, I realized this wasn't going to work. At least not without a trip to the garment district for a lot more needles.

Someone with more of a clue would cut the towel instead of folding it. This was just a quick prototype. But at this point, I'm kind of at a loss about how to tie the bottom. The little bit of thinking leads me to think my first approach is a fail.

A better approach to hacking up thick towels is to just use stretch band and a couple of alligator clips. Make a loop of stretch band and then sew two short strips at the back. The idea is to fold the towel over the front of the loop, put the loop over your head, then attach the clips to a spot that pulls the bottom part of the towel snug against your neck.

At least it's a lot safer than dodging metal fragments.

Someone please tell me this is a huge waste of time on my part and I can just ______.

Click to expand...

Repeat after me. Obsessive compulsive.

i saw a 1930s item for sale on ebay, new in the package, towel that straps around your face. it seems so obvious i can't believe it doesn't exist, even with the less than global population of DE shavers.

i find a gym towel, if completely wetted, can be folded up on top of the head and sort of tucked in. but i've been thinking about the towel gizmo for some time, so you can bowl lather while soaking your face.

We need something like this, like a terrycloth surgical mask....

I use a normal size towel that way I can just wrap the excess around the top of my head.

erudolph said:

We need something like this, like a terrycloth surgical mask....

Click to expand...

I like how this guy is doing Kyle's Prep.

I use this towel.
I got it from Linens N things..I know it's available in that type of store.
It may look and seem DORKY..
BUT IT WORKS!
A towel with a button to secure it sold and designed to place on wet hair.
I've been using this for many months now.

Similar to what and why you want to do by sewing something.
Here's pics
Looks like a bandito or something...How many people see you like this, anyway?????


Back of my head...took quite a few shots till I got a good one...hahahaha


The name of this thing


Tom

I've got it all figured out......

It's simple.......

In the figure below, three triangles can be inscribed in the rectangle ABCD of arbitrary aspect ratio 1:r such that the three right triangles have equal areas by dividing AB and BC in the golden ratio. making it easier to make the perfect shave towel.....

Then
K_(DeltaADE) = 1/2·r(1+phi)·1=1/2rphi^2
(28)
K_(DeltaBEF) = 1/2·rphi·phi=1/2rphi^2
(29)
K_(DeltaCDF) = 1/2(1+phi)·r=1/2rphi^2,

Exact trigonometric formulas for phi include
phi = 2cos(pi/5)
(9)
= 1/2sec((2pi)/5)
(10)
= 1/2csc(pi/(10)).
(11)

The golden ratio is given by the infinite series
phi=(13)/8+sum_(n=0)^infty((-1)^(n+1)(2n+1)!)/((n+2)!n!4^(2n+3))
(12)

(B. Roselle). Another fascinating connection with the Fibonacci numbers is given by the infinite series
phi=1+sum_(n=1)^infty((-1)^(n+1))/(F_nF_(n+1)).
(13)

A representation in terms of a nested radical is
phi=sqrt(1+sqrt(1+sqrt(1+sqrt(1+...))))
(14)

(Livio 2002, p. 83). This is equivalent to the recurrence equation
a_n^2=a_(n-1)+1
(15)

with a_1=1, giving lim_(n->infty)a_n=phi.

phi is the "most" irrational number because it has a continued fraction representation
phi = [1,1,1,...]
(16)
= 1+1/(1+1/(1+1/(1+...)))

Nice. I'll definitely look for those. Could also use it for the profuse hair on top of my head.

Or you could maybe try the towel with the button thing.......

I still haven/t figured out how to attach the towel to my face while warming up my brush so the handle doesn't get too hot, and mixing up a batch of lather.

xbostonirishx said:

I've got it all figured out......

It's simple.......

In the figure below, three triangles can be inscribed in the rectangle ABCD of arbitrary aspect ratio 1:r such that the three right triangles have equal areas by dividing AB and BC in the golden ratio. making it easier to make the perfect shave towel.....

Then
K_(DeltaADE) = 1/2·r(1+phi)·1=1/2rphi^2
(28)
K_(DeltaBEF) = 1/2·rphi·phi=1/2rphi^2
(29)
K_(DeltaCDF) = 1/2(1+phi)·r=1/2rphi^2,

Exact trigonometric formulas for phi include
phi = 2cos(pi/5)
(9)
= 1/2sec((2pi)/5)
(10)
= 1/2csc(pi/(10)).
(11)

The golden ratio is given by the infinite series
phi=(13)/8+sum_(n=0)^infty((-1)^(n+1)(2n+1)!)/((n+2)!n!4^(2n+3))
(12)

(B. Roselle). Another fascinating connection with the Fibonacci numbers is given by the infinite series
phi=1+sum_(n=1)^infty((-1)^(n+1))/(F_nF_(n+1)).
(13)

A representation in terms of a nested radical is
phi=sqrt(1+sqrt(1+sqrt(1+sqrt(1+...))))
(14)

(Livio 2002, p. 83). This is equivalent to the recurrence equation
a_n^2=a_(n-1)+1
(15)

with a_1=1, giving lim_(n->infty)a_n=phi.

phi is the "most" irrational number because it has a continued fraction representation
phi = [1,1,1,...]
(16)
= 1+1/(1+1/(1+1/(1+...)))

Click to expand...

Uhm... Can't I just order one from The Acme Company?

Buttons sound promising. Was thinking of trying some velcro. I have some, but it's the glue on kind.

Fortunately, I work right near (what's left of) the garment district, so there's 40 stores within 3 blocks to look for stuff. At least 4 of them sell nothing but fasteners or buttons. I'll tell them I'm making costumes for a movie.

Why don't folk's buy those face steamers?

Gentlemen, this is without question one of the funniest things I've read in a long long time. Thank you all. Please keep posting. Please.

xbostonirishx said:

I've got it all figured out......

It's simple.......

In the figure below, three triangles can be inscribed in the rectangle ABCD of arbitrary aspect ratio 1:r such that the three right triangles have equal areas by dividing AB and BC in the golden ratio. making it easier to make the perfect shave towel.....

Then
K_(DeltaADE) = 1/2·r(1+phi)·1=1/2rphi^2
(28)
K_(DeltaBEF) = 1/2·rphi·phi=1/2rphi^2
(29)
K_(DeltaCDF) = 1/2(1+phi)·r=1/2rphi^2,

Exact trigonometric formulas for phi include
phi = 2cos(pi/5)
(9)
= 1/2sec((2pi)/5)
(10)
= 1/2csc(pi/(10)).
(11)

The golden ratio is given by the infinite series
phi=(13)/8+sum_(n=0)^infty((-1)^(n+1)(2n+1)!)/((n+2)!n!4^(2n+3))
(12)

(B. Roselle). Another fascinating connection with the Fibonacci numbers is given by the infinite series
phi=1+sum_(n=1)^infty((-1)^(n+1))/(F_nF_(n+1)).
(13)

A representation in terms of a nested radical is
phi=sqrt(1+sqrt(1+sqrt(1+sqrt(1+...))))
(14)

(Livio 2002, p. 83). This is equivalent to the recurrence equation
a_n^2=a_(n-1)+1
(15)

with a_1=1, giving lim_(n->infty)a_n=phi.

phi is the "most" irrational number because it has a continued fraction representation
phi = [1,1,1,...]
(16)
= 1+1/(1+1/(1+1/(1+...)))

Click to expand...

You deserve a prize for this. Seriously.

Finally sewed on the velcro. It works. Not great, but it works.


Now I can strop or work up a lather while getting the hot towel treatment.

TOB9595 said:

I use this towel.

Tom

Click to expand...

I'm suing you for triggering my PTSD with that pic, man.

I gave up on the hot towel as too much hassle. I get the same results just by letting the lather sit on my face for two minutes with no hot towel. Of course, YMMV.