Technique trumps all else.

Over the years, and the countless shaves, and through trial and error, I have come to a conclusion that I am sure other guys here have come to.

Technique trumps everything else when it comes to shaving.

What I mean is that the most important elements of your shave is knowledge, experience, and skill. Its not the sharpness or smoothness of the blade, but how you use it.

I’ve found that I can use almost any shaving products and get a very, very good shave that I am happy with. This means even inexpensive shaving foam (yes, even stuff from a can) I can even use an old, cheap brush with plastic hair. After I use an aftershave that costs less than $4.00 for bottle, and my shave is wonderful.

I own about 15 Double Edged razors, I have creams from Taylor Of Old Bond Street, Truefitt & Hill, Prorasso, and several others. I have 20 aftershaves ranging from soothing balms to stuff that feels like pure gasoline.

I have several fine badger haired brushes. I also have a couple of Pre-shave oils too.

But the most powerful tools in my shaving arsenal are things which are invisible and intangible. Its all in my head, and it has become almost pure muscle memory as well.

When I first got into serious, traditional, DE shaving I was shaving with the worst tools and I didn’t know what I was doing. Daily shaves were bloody messes to rival a scene from a Friday The 13th movie.

Nowadays, I can shave bloodlessly and safely, getting a smooth, nice shave in only about 15 minutes, and with materials that cost pennies.

Don’t get me wrong, I still believe in - and enjoy - optimizing things. So when I use the best instruments and supplies I get a truly wonderful shave. But I just want to make the point that you need not spend much money to solve your shaving problems.

I can use cheap soap or cheap foam, Aqua Velva, any one of 15 Double Edged razors loaded with a Derby blade, and a decent brush, and get an awesome shave quickly.

I just take a hot shower, making sure to get my face as warm as possible. I’ll wash with a good moisturizing soap like Oil Of Olay (I bought a huge case of it a while back, its not just for women) and after showering I take a few minutes to lather up, allowing a few minutes for the cream/soap/foam or whatever to stay on my face. Then, over the course of 3 or 4 passes, I bring to bear all that I know about shaving. Cold water splash follows, then whatever aftershave I feel like.

The one thing that I will say is this. Despite rotating various elements of the shave (like using cheap foam, cheap aftershave, inferior brush) I still have not ever gone back to cartridge blade systems. I have basically stuck with Merkurs and Gillettes - all double edged razors. So I guess I cannot say that I can get a great shave with a Fusion or Mach3, but its not a claim that I have any desire to pursue anyway. I change my blade once per week, meaning it will have seen anywhere from 3 to 6 shaves.

I think a great approach to shaving, especially in these harder economic times, is to have your favourite razors, your box of 1000 blades that will last you forever, a good brush, and then everything else can be inexpensive, drugstore purchased stuff that costs you 1 cent a day to keep in stock.

For years I sought to get a great shave. I enjoy it, and I will take my time in doing it when I am able. But I have found that the greatest joy has come in being able to get a great shave with little effort, little time, and little money. I have never wanted to spend an hour in the shaving process (maybe I would if I were going to meet the Queen or something). But I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to step into the shower each morning, and 20 minutes later the shave is over, my face is smooth, free of injury, smelling and feeling great. This is what its all about for me!

I am curious to know if other guys here have come to this same conclusion. Can you get a great shave with inferior products? And can you get it done quickly? I’m sure that many can, and all could if they tried. And this, I believe, is the ultimate test of shaving knowledge and acumen.

Great post, thank you for sharing.

I am not to a point where the shave is as quick as I would like, but I have gotten it down to three passes in about 15 minutes. My shaves have been fairly good no matter what product I use. My best shaves have been from products that are recognized as more forgiving to a newer DE user (TOBS cream, for instance). Over time, I believe that I will find your assertion holds true.

If I understand you correctly I think I generally agree with you, but I take some exception to equating cheap with inferior, which is what you seem to have done in your last paragraph. I would assume that a product is inferior because it can't deliver a good shave no matter how good your technique is, not by how much it costs.

DJSneak said:

Great post, thank you for sharing.

I am not to a point where the shave is as quick as I would like, but I have gotten it down to three passes in about 15 minutes. My shaves have been fairly good no matter what product I use. My best shaves have been from products that are recognized as more forgiving to a newer DE user (TOBS cream, for instance). Over time, I believe that I will find your assertion holds true.

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Sounds like you are close to this point. 3 passes/15 minutes, good shave no matter what products used - sounds like well developed technique

DougK said:

If I understand you correctly I think I generally agree with you, but I take some exception to equating cheap with inferior, which is what you seem to have done in your last paragraph. I would assume that a product is inferior because it can't deliver a good shave no matter how good your technique is, not by how much it costs.

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You are exactly right. I should make a clear distinction between cheap and inferior. Cheap is simply inexpensive. Inferior means not effective. But I guess I meant to say that I can use products that we have often regarded as being inferior, and still get a good shave.

Here, here!

However, I would say that I can work with inexpensive products rather than calling them inferior. Then again, I regard Williams as an inferior product but I can work with it (I just don't like the smell).

Although I can't say I'm at your level of experience with a DE, there are 2 more things that seem to keep revealing themselves. One is that the routine and concentration used with wet shaving results in much better care of my skin. I don't think I ever gave it much if any thought before. I was "just getting older". This is something that was a complete surprise and something that I will spend some more money to get products that promote better skin health. Not all very good, or exotic products work for me and there's some trial and error that seems unavoidable.

The other thing is the need to be honest in the evaluation of the products I use as things change over time. The hard part is giving up on products, or lowering my view of them when I find products that work as well or better. I do sense that there will be a leveling out of performance as my technique improves. There are products that I prefer based on nothing more than appeal rather than performance. But, the appeal dies down over time. It is nice to be able to use products that make a once mindless, annoying, activity to something I enjoy partly because of products but mostly because I know I am doing something well.

Good post.

Agree! But, being a DE shaving newcomer (4 months) my good/bad experiences have been 99% related to my lather. After a couple of cuts, I quickly adjusted my razor technique and that was not a problem afterwards. I still experienced irritation but after a visit to my daughter's home, which has a water softener system, my shaving life changed. Until that visit I had no idea what a quality lather does - thought I had it but was nowhere close! I didn't feel the razor at all and the only way I knew the razor was touching my face was to watch the lather disappear as I pulled the razor!! ) BIG ) !!! "Light touch" took on a whole new meaning, also. Floating would be a better description.

For me, everything else combined didn't matter as much a good lather has meant. Again, this has been my newcomer experience.

Great post reinforcing that it's all about technique!

winkydink said:

Great post reinforcing that it's all about technique!

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Thank you. And when I say "technique" I refer of course to skill with the razor itself, but also to prep, which involves its own techniques.

And despite my insistence that I can get great shaves with any products and equipment, I do still love my countless acquisitions from TOBS, T&H, Gillette, Knize Ten and many, many more.

I've said it more than once..... anyone can shave with any razor, any blade, any brush, any soap/cream. You might be happier with one rather than the other, but that's entirely personal preference. Technique trumps all.

Christoph said:

You are exactly right. I should make a clear distinction between cheap and inferior. Cheap is simply inexpensive. Inferior means not effective. But I guess I meant to say that I can use products that we have often regarded as being inferior, and still get a good shave.

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That's what I thought you meant, thanks for clarifying. We're definitely on the same page.

No, but after 3 months I am still capable of getting a bad shave with top notch products. The other day my technique faltered with a HD and Derby blade (of all things) and I wound up with a couple of divots. Learning from that technique lapse, the next shave with a SS and IP Red was great. I enjoy my Rooney brush, VB cream and Nivea ASB too much to go back to inferior products. I'd just as soon not shave.

Christoph, well spoken from a DE veteran. Before I reemerged as a Wet shaver, I used an electric for many years. I got really good shaves, I never thought about shaving, in fact I usually walked around the house or yard and did things while shaving. I didn't change back to WS because electric was slow or irritating or was giving me bad shaves. It just wasn't fun. It was a mindless act. I enjoy the whole WS,DEshaving process. I enjoy the time spent, the hot towels the making of the lather, the use of good ,old tools. I think that I can get a dfs with any of my razors or blades or soaps or creams, but it is the process that I enjoy.

Happy shaving!!! From an guy who has been at it for better than 45 yrs.

Christoph,

I totally agree with you.
Experience, skill and knowledge are the base for the perfect shave.

Thanks so much for your post.

Technique trumps all else... If I could only get my "Southeast Quarter" shaved without any irritation then my technique would be there.

I would have to agree with the OP. When I started out wet shaving I thought that there was a magic bullet that could give me a perfect shave every time. What I found out was that the magic bullet was good technique. Armed with good technique you can get a great shave regardless of what components you use. The choice of what you use comes down to preference and does not in itself make the shave great.

~Lee

mkevenson said:

Christoph, well spoken from a DE veteran. Before I reemerged as a Wet shaver, I used an electric for many years. I got really good shaves, I never thought about shaving, in fact I usually walked around the house or yard and did things while shaving. I didn't change back to WS because electric was slow or irritating or was giving me bad shaves. It just wasn't fun. It was a mindless act. I enjoy the whole WS,DEshaving process. I enjoy the time spent, the hot towels the making of the lather, the use of good ,old tools. I think that I can get a dfs with any of my razors or blades or soaps or creams, but it is the process that I enjoy.

Happy shaving!!! From an guy who has been at it for better than 45 yrs.

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Perhaps shaving is a bit like gardening. We can pay someone to do the work for us. Or we can rent machines and find quick ways to plant, mix up soil, weed, and all that Or we can experience the pure joy of going in our own garden, getting close to the soil, smelling the flowers and shrubs, and being one with nature. But I digress...

Christoph said:

Technique trumps everything else when it comes to shaving.

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Well said.