Topic: Shaving (Read 4214 times)

Thad · « **Reply #20 on:** March 29, 2012, 08:38:37 PM »

We'd just come from a wedding. (Brad and Jasa's.) Apparently I was the only one who brought a change of clothes.

...I think weddings are the only occasions I've ever seen Jon wear pants. Dude used to wear shorts and flip-flops in the damn snow. And it's not like he's from somewhere colder than Flagstaff and Flagstaff ain't nothin'; he's from friggin' San Diego.

...Sharkey once asked me if I own any T-shirts that aren't cartoons from the 1980's. I actually do.

Mongrel · « **Reply #21 on:** March 29, 2012, 08:41:05 PM »

Well, there goes the idea of you hanging out with a comical group of nerdly-types who get gussied-up before they even go to local bars.

Thad · « **Reply #22 on:** March 29, 2012, 08:46:11 PM »

Also, I gave that bar as my home address on the Brontomap.

I have a glass of water in front of me in the photo, which means I had probably already finished my Winter Wobbler. I only had one glass at Four Peaks that night, though in my defense that sucker's like 9% and I had already been drinking for 8 hours by then.

Heh-heh...Now They Won't De-Porter.

Shinra · « **Reply #23 on:** May 04, 2012, 08:45:52 AM »

Quote from: Teddy Bearmont on March 28, 2012, 06:37:11 PM

HEY

You guys shave, right? Have you signed up for the Dollar Shave Club? WHY NOT?

It's surprisingly great, actually! I went with the twin, myself, because I don't see how MORE BLADES = better shave, but if you like ridiculous numbers of blades, they have them in 4-bladed and 6-bladed varieties, with all manner of various strips and whatnots.

The prices are great, even the highest-end option is only $9(including shipping) for 4 cartridges a month; better than paying $25 for 4 goddamn cartridges, and the quality and materials are just as good as brand-name razors. I wanted to wait until I actually got my razor to mention them here, because I didn't want to recommend something without using it, but they're solid!

Plus, if you sign up, and use that link up there, I get a free month.

Ok, so I'm late to this party, but here goes:

Get one of these razors, one of these soap sets, and one of these sample packs. If you can get used to shaving with a double edged safety razor, the upfront cost of the materials seems steep but they will pay for themselves when you consider that four safety razor blades a month costs about two dollars. You'll also get the best shave you've ever had.

Shaving is a god damn pleasure for me. I have a beard made of unobtanium and i'm prone to razor burn with multi-blade razors, but i get a smooth, fast shave every time and never have irritation. These things are goddamn amazing.

Thad · « **Reply #24 on:** August 30, 2012, 02:20:00 PM »

Low on cartridges and in the market for a new razor; trying to determine which way to go. Both Shinra's and Ted's suggestions have their appeal.

Interestingly, I'm seeing articles crop up on the subject too; Sean Bonner had one on BoingBoing the other day called Switching to a Straight Razor and I just caught one on the WSJ called In Search of a Perfect Shave (which appears to rely on a certain amount of bullshit from Schick and Gillette trying to flog their latest razors, but has some good advice in there too -- man, you're supposed to throw these things out every WEEK? No WONDER my chin is so irritated).

Basically: I've got sensitive skin, especially under my chin (where the grain of my hair goes in fucking swirls). I don't like shaving at all, but the last time I grew a beard I found that that irritated my skin even worse.

I've been using some 5-bladed nonsense from one of the Big Two for awhile now, because you can get a buttload of razors from Costco for not very much money. I use the 5-blade part on my cheeks and the 1-blade part on the back under my chin. And apparently do not swap the blade nearly as often as I should.

I use some kinda aloe vera shave gel that was also cheap at Costco.

My recollection is that when I was using the 3-blade kind, it made for an easier shave on my cheeks but more irritation under my chin.

Used an electric razor for a little bit back in college (when I was shaving at all) but didn't care much for it; it's big and bulky and gets too much hair in it and irritates my skin at least as much as an actual blade and, incidentally, doesn't shave very close. (I'm less worried about a close shave than (1) not irritating my skin and (2) looking presentable, with the importance of those two points potentially shifting if I've got a job interview or something.)

So I'm kinda going back and forth on this. Dollar Shave Club might be worth dipping a toe in since it's not like I'm out much money if I change my mind. But I can see giving Shinra's kit a shot too; I hear safety razors are basically called that out of a sick sense of irony and Lord knows I've nicked my fingers with box cutters enough times to be wary of running one across my face, but if it makes for a good shave with minimal irritation then I think it's probably worth the risk to life and limb.

Mongrel · « **Reply #25 on:** August 30, 2012, 02:40:16 PM »

As mentioned elsewhere, I'd be more or less okay with my existing cartridge shaver if the damn blades lasted for more than a shave-and-a-half. I love to hear any suggestion for something that used a decent enough grade of steel that it wasn't blunted by a single use. Otherwise, I might go back to trying safety razors again myself.

EDIT: One thing that seems to go unmentioned a lot is that you can buy one-sides safety razors. Seems like people having accidents with safety razors are probably buying the double-sided version.

Shinra · « **Reply #26 on:** August 30, 2012, 03:21:07 PM »

FWIW I have never cut myself with my safety razor, beyond the occasional nick from hitting a pimple or whatever. What's key is not pressing with the razor or trying to pivot the head since it's fixed in place. The razor I has has teeth on the head that keep me from touching the blade with my finger unless I'm holding it in a really fucking weird way. My wife uses it to shave her legs and has also never cut herself.

The biggest plus to a safety razor is that the blades are so cheap you can switch them twice a week and only be out a few dollars a month. They're hard to find in the US but they're incredibly cheap if you order them off amazon. I have a prime sub so I can get free shipping but even without you can just order the ones you like in bulk.

James Edward Smith · « **Reply #27 on:** August 30, 2012, 03:30:21 PM »

I have to shave my whole head when I shave and I have to do it about 2-3 times a week to look respectable. So, Gillette shit-bag 1000% profit margin cartridges - that seem to me to be DESIGNED to clog up with hair that won't wash out after you drag them over any area of reasonably thick hair - are not really a great option for me.

As a result, I switched over to using a double edged safety razor a long time ago. I get a pack of 100 wilkinson sword brand blades for something like 30-40 bucks of which I am still only about halfway through after shaving with them for a long time.

The thing with a safety razor is you have to know what you're doing, actually know your face's hair growth pattern, and you have to be careful. You shouldn't be pressing against your skin even with a cartridge razor, you should always just be holdign the razor against your face as lightly as possible while keeping contact and then just sliding it over gently, letting the blade cut the hair or not at its discretion. However with a cartridge razor, because of its multiple blades you can sort of get away with pushing if you don't have sensitive skin because the blades and the rubber thing at the front flatten out your skin a little for you. It's still not a great idea though. Most people who get zits or skin irritation from shaving are pressing too hard with their razor on areas of their face that are sensitive or bumpy, and/or are not preparing their skin properly.

Preparing your skin to shave

Whether you use a DE razor or a cartridge one, wash your face with hot water before you start and make sure it's still wet when you start shaving. Fill up your sink with the hottest water you can get out of your tap and then soak a face cloth in it and wash your face with it while your shaving brush soaks in the water, readying to make some nice warm latter with your shaving soap and mug. Don't use those stupid cold shaving gels. They sort of work, but they use fancy chemicals to achieve what hot water and shaving soap achieve BETTER with just temperature. It feels way nicer too.

Due to the rescent fashion of shaving properly with shaving soap, hot water and old thymey DE razors or straight razors, there's a lot of fancy pants shaving soaps and waxes availiable on the market. In my opinion they are overpriced unnecessary crap. My dad's always used these since he was a kid

and they've never steered me wrong. Despite what they are labled as in that picture, I'm sure they are only $1.50 at Walmart. That's where I've always gotten them.

After you're done shaving, wash your face off thoroughly with cold water. This'll close your pores that the hot water opened at the start and make sure they don't get shit jammed in them during the rest of your morning. You can splash on some aftershave if you like that and seal up any knicks with a steptic pencil, but personally I prefer just using some moisturizer than aftershave, it's better for your skin.

Technique

If you're going to use a DE razor over a cartridge one, you've got to go gently and err on the side of not cutting yourself over shaving hair perfectly off on the first attempt. Realistically if you want a close shave with them, it'll take at least 2 latherings and shaving passes. Usually I do one pass with the grain of the hair and then a second pass across or in places where my skin is tougher, against the grain to get a nice close shave. Although on my head where my skin is all pretty smooth and hardy, I sometimes manage to get everything on the first try and just going in almost any direction if I haven't left it too long. But, if I let my hair get too long, it'll take multiple passes to get it shaved without cutting myself.

Ted Belmont · « **Reply #28 on:** August 30, 2012, 04:32:21 PM »

I've also switched to a safety razor, myself! I got one of those variety packs that Shinra mentioned. I've been using the Feather blades, they seem pretty nice! Haven't tried any of the others yet.

I did cut the hell out of myself the first time out, because I had no idea what I was doing, but now I only nick myself occasionally when I'm trying to rush it. You have to take it slow and easy with a safety razor.

Büge · « **Reply #29 on:** August 30, 2012, 05:18:23 PM »

Hey Geo, have you ever tried this? http://www.headblade.com/

James Edward Smith · « **Reply #30 on:** August 30, 2012, 05:47:09 PM »

Yeah, it works pretty good but there's just one problem, the part that actually holds the cartridge isn't a generic attachment point. To this day, I don't know where to get blades for it and don't care. I've gotten used to doing it with just a regular handled razor.

Thad · « **Reply #31 on:** August 30, 2012, 08:44:11 PM »

Geo: Thanks for the in-depth analysis; I knew most of that stuff but not all of it and it's nice to have a good little instruction booklet.

Quote from: Teddy Bearmont on August 30, 2012, 04:32:21 PM

I've also switched to a safety razor, myself! I got one of those variety packs that Shinra mentioned.

Well dang, guess that makes it unanimous then. Maybe next paycheck.

James Edward Smith · « **Reply #32 on:** August 30, 2012, 08:59:25 PM »

Merkur DE razors are really high quality but expensive. Chinese Weishi brand ones are basically just rip offs of old Gillette designs manufactured a bit crummier, but generally decent for how cheap they are. Actual old Gillette ones are cool to get if you can find one on ebay for a reasonable price and it's not too gummed/fucked up though a cleaning can usually take care of the first part of that "or slash" there.

Jesse Thorn may have been born with a face for radio, but he gives a pretty good tutorial here a little after 3 minutes into this:

Put This On, Episode 4: Grooming

In my mind, 3 passes is a little excessive but my main advice is that even if you are just doing two, rinse off your lather brush in your hot water again before swooshing up more lather from your soap puck. The reason being that while you don't want your lather to be a drippy mess, but you REALLY don't want it too dry. Pores properly opened by heat is one part of shaving well, but lubrication on your skin is the other and the main thing actually accomplishing that is water. The soap just helps that water actually stay on your face by making up the sticky part of the lather equation.

Similarly when you're doing that pre shave face soak, don't just get your skin hot, make sure you got it wet too.

Thad · « **Reply #33 on:** August 30, 2012, 09:10:32 PM »

Ooh. Something that's just occurred to me: I've got a mole by the corner of my mouth. Will this be a problem?

(Once in a great while I manage to cut the skin off it -- actually, this happened a lot more often when I was using an electric razor than it has since I switched to blades. But I'm wondering if it's going to be a magnet for a safety razor.)

James Edward Smith · « **Reply #34 on:** August 30, 2012, 09:12:39 PM »

I have a big one on my cheek and honestly I cut it just as often with cartridges than I ever have with my DE. I haven't cut it in a long time since getting better at shaving. You just have to go lightly over and around it.

Shinra · « **Reply #35 on:** August 31, 2012, 01:01:36 AM »

I love my Merkur. Worth every penny, IMO.

Ted Belmont · « **Reply #36 on:** August 31, 2012, 05:32:58 AM »

Quote from: Thad on August 30, 2012, 09:10:32 PM

Ooh. Something that's just occurred to me: I've got a mole by the corner of my mouth. Will this be a problem?

(Once in a great while I manage to cut the skin off it -- actually, this happened a lot more often when I was using an electric razor than it has since I switched to blades. But I'm wondering if it's going to be a magnet for a safety razor.)

The good thing about DE/Safety razors is you can get a lot more precise with them than you can with mutli-blade razors. Still, tread lightly; they are razor sharp(obvs).

Thad · « **Reply #37 on:** February 16, 2013, 12:55:25 PM »

Via Neil Gaiman:

Quote

In the shower today I tried to think about the best advice I'd ever been given by another writer. There was something that someone said at my first Milford, about using style as a covering, but sooner or later you would have to walk naked down the street, that was useful...

And then I remembered. It was Harlan Ellison about a decade ago.

He said, "Hey. Gaiman. What's with the stubble? Every time I see you, you're stubbly. What is it? Some kind of English fashion statement?"

"Not really."

"Well? Don't they have razors in England for Chrissakes?"

"If you must know, I don't like shaving because I have a really tough beard and sensitive skin. So by the time I've finished shaving I've usually scraped my face a bit. So I do it as little as possible."

"Oh." He paused. "I've got that too. What you do is, you rub your stubble with hair conditioner. Leave it a couple of minutes, then wash it off. Then shave normally. Makes it really easy to shave. No scraping."

I tried it. It works like a charm. Best advice from a writer I've ever received.

I've been doing it for a couple weeks now and it seems to be helping.

Kayma · « **Reply #38 on:** February 16, 2013, 12:56:35 PM »

Huh. If I ever decide to shave again I'll try that.

Thad · « **Reply #39 on:** February 16, 2013, 12:59:00 PM »

My fiancee was surprised that this was news; apparently it's common knowledge among ladies for shaving their legs. But I'd never heard of it and neither had any of the dudes I mentioned it to.

News:

Author Topic: Shaving (Read 4214 times)