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Cut-Throat Razor Shaving


Billy.
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I shave using a safety razor, Badger haired brush and quality shaving cream. I swaped from a mach 3 too this setup and i can safely say it the best thing I have done for my sensative skin. The blades are for nothing compaired too mach 3 rubbish. I buy all my stuff from shaving shack. They have some great starter kits for around £40

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Thanks all for your advice

 

Beardo. You made me laugh out loud on a train when I saw that picture of you. I will take you up on that offer, it sounds like a good place. Just don't go to Soho afterwards...!

 

Ja3llis: I use a Mach 3 and I've always liked them, but recently it's been giving me a bit of a shaving rash... I never get them and for the first time on Friday night, I cut my neck with a brand new blade...

 

I'll look at all the websites that have been posted once I'm off this train.

 

Thanks all :blush:

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You will have a job teaching yourself the knack without injury....You will also have a job beating a shave with a modern razor like a mach 3 as well.

 

The art to cut throat shaving is as much in the preparation. When I am abroad I have a cut throat shave every day, especially in Turkey, where as far I am concerned that is the best thing to come out of that country aside doner kebabs.....

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I use a badger brush from >>here<<, soap from >>here<< and a BIC razor or the Gilette Blue2 disposable.

 

Incidentally the brush has lasted me 8 years and is still strong and the soap lasts exactly 1 year (it's the annual xmas present for me).

 

The tip is to shave under steam and use a proper brush and soap. To shave under steam I shave in the shower.

 

I have tried all manner of things to get the best shave. The Mach3 is a good razor but the cost is f-in daft for what is a disposable razor. You can have a new BIC razor for every day of the week as opposed to using 1 Mach3 razor over the course of the whole week.

 

I have tried and have an old fashioned safety razor with razor blades but it's impossible to get the bit under your nose without taking chunks out of your face.

 

Here endeth the lesson.

 

EDIT:

 

Nick, that photo. Rather than thinking "Adolf" I was thinking more Robson Jerome. Maybe it's just me.

Edited by Mungler
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I have tried all manner of things to get the best shave. The Mach3 is a good razor but the cost is f-in daft for what is a disposable razor. You can have a new BIC razor for every day of the week as opposed to using 1 Mach3 razor over the course of the whole week.

 

I get around the cost of the Mach3 by only shaving once a week, whether I need to or not.

 

ZB

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I get around the cost of the Mach3 by only shaving once a week, whether I need to or not.

 

ZB

 

Twice a week here (to tidy up the beard), and clippers every fortnight or so.

 

LS

 

Oh, and back on topic - the Trumpers experience is excellent. I had a shave and facial and I can honestly say that my face had never been so smooth and shiny.

 

My then girlfriend thought I was irresistable (and promptly gave me stubble rash...! :blush: )

 

:blush:

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Twice a week here (to tidy up the beard), and clippers every fortnight or so.

 

LS

 

Oh, and back on topic - the Trumpers experience is excellent. I had a shave and facial and I can honestly say that my face had never been so smooth and shiny.

 

My then girlfriend thought I was irresistable (and promptly gave me stubble rash...! :hmm: )

 

:blush:

 

I second the Geo Trumper experience - it is simply fantastic and they do a good hair cut as well.

 

LS that, my friend, is the price you pay for a Brazillian Mrs !!! :blush:

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I use a cut throat every other day to shave, and find it an absolute pleasure. I use a nice german Dovo straight razor, if you intend to rehone yourself carbon steel takes a little sharper edge and is easier to hone. However alot of people these days seem to use the stainless ones which are great if you dont want to have to dry your razor every time. Straight Razors

next up you'll want / need a badger brush, definately get badger over boar / synthetic. I use an edwin jager extra large super badger. which is a great brush, but when i travel i take a more manageble sized brush. Silvertips are superbly luxurious but i actually prefer the higher grade badger as the hairs seem a bit stiffer to work the soap into the whiskers.

With strops, pretty much the choice is upto you. I'd reccomend a double sided one so that you can put a more abrasive paste on one side and a smooth strop paste on the other. I have one of those paddle strops which is handy if you intend to travel with it.

Finally it comes to the soaps, decide if you want to use a hard soap , or a liquid soap / cream. I prefer to use a cream as I usually lather in a warmed bowl. Obviously you cant really go wrong with any of the shaving soaps from one of the three T's (trufitt and hill, taylors, geo F Trumper) but my everyday soap is just a tube of prorasso. It's fantastic, cheap and you can usually find it in most towns / cities.

 

 

as for tips. Warm lather is one of the nicest things. I usually fill my sink with hot water, and submerse my brush and bowl in the water, for a few minutes, so that the bowl retains the heat. When you first do it, find out which way all the whiskers grow on your face. Most people have different patterns of hair growth, particularly on the neck. And for the first week or so don't shave against the grain. I usually just do a single pass with the grain, as it's quick, easy and does a good job. However if you want a superbly smooth shave. 1'st pass with the grain, second across, and finally against the grain using very short strokes is virtually impossible to beat.

 

any other questions, just ask. Shaving with a badger and blade is the only way to shave.

 

p.s. Just realised i forgot to mention a few more points about blades. 5/8ths is the size I use, and is pretty much the most common. I don't like overly wide razors like a 7/8ths or 8/8ths. If you're starting i'd reccomend around the 5/8ths. Make sure you get a full hollow ground blade too, as they are much nicer than the flat grinds. and for the end of the blade, i use a round as it is more forgiving than a square corner. however if you want to be particularly precise around a beard or moustache you may prefer a square point. You can be precise with a round but it takes a bit more skill and practice.

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I saw on one of those 'grooming' TV shows (which always sounds like something else) that you can get an uber close shave doing this.

 

Shave as normal, then rinse dry your face.

Foam again, but his time shave in the opposite direction.

 

You get a really close shave and it does seem to last a while.

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You can't rush a shave.

 

Ignore fancy razors - cutthroats are lethal in the wrong hands, anything with more than one cutting edge is marketing rubbish - use a medium-sized sharing brush and lather for two minutes and you will lift your beard and soften it enough to cut.

 

Trumper's in Jermyn St (haven't been tot he one in Curzon St) is good, as is Truefitt & Hill in St James's. I believe they also conduct shaving lessons. Trouble is, a "proper" shave is 40 minutes, including face massage and friction (manly head massage, no sniggering at the back) so it's a sizable chunk of the morning spent living in the manner of Beau Brummell.

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You can't rush a shave.

 

Ignore fancy razors - cutthroats are lethal in the wrong hands, anything with more than one cutting edge is marketing rubbish - use a medium-sized sharing brush and lather for two minutes and you will lift your beard and soften it enough to cut.

 

Trumper's in Jermyn St (haven't been tot he one in Curzon St) is good, as is Truefitt & Hill in St James's. I believe they also conduct shaving lessons. Trouble is, a "proper" shave is 40 minutes, including face massage and friction (manly head massage, no sniggering at the back) so it's a sizable chunk of the morning spent living in the manner of Beau Brummell.

 

I use a Truefitt pre-shave oil (and their Clubman cologne as well). Before I had a beard, I found the oil to be the biggest advance in shaving comfort I've experienced. Over and above the gel I used to buy from Taylor's in Jermyn Street (which smelt great, but never lasted very long).

 

LS

Edited by lord_seagrave
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