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Shave Like Your Great Grandpa: The Ultimate Straight Razor Shaving Guide

Benefits of Straight Razor Shaving

Better shaves. I thought my shaves couldn’t get any better after I upgraded from my Mach5 to an old school safety razor. I was wrong. The first time I shaved with a straight razor, my face looked as smooth as a baby’s behind. My wife noticed the difference without me even telling her what I had done and declared that it was the smoothest she’d ever seen. So make the switch to a straight razor. Your face will thank you for it.

Reduced costs. The upfront costs to get started with straight razor shaving are a bit on the expensive side. But after you buy all the gear, you’re set for life. You’ll never have to buy razor cartridges or double edge blades ever again. Just give your straight razor a nice stropping and you’re good to go. The only cost you’ll have from here on out is an occasional tube of shaving cream.

Environmentally friendly. Today’s modern shaving racket creates needless waste. When you’re done with a cartridge, you have to throw it out. When you buy new cartridges, you’re left with a ton of packaging material. Shaving with a safety razor reduces this waste, but straight razors take it one step further. The only waste you’ll create is biodegradable shaving scum. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, greenies.

Meditative. Straight razor shaving has meditative benefits. It’s a craft that requires you to slow down and really focus on what you’re doing. After a few times of shaving with a straight razor, you just might start to notice yourself entering an incredibly manly zen-like state.

You’ll feel like more of a bad ass. You’ll be shaving with a tool that can double as a lethal weapon. Putting razor sharp steel next to your throat every morning reminds you that you’re alive.

The Tools

The Razor. Your most important tool is your razor. Don’t get skimpy with your razor and buy the cheapest one. You don’t want the cheapest; you want the best. Poor razors end up being more trouble than they’re worth. They will irritate your skin and cause nicks and cuts that will annoy you as long as you use it. A good quality razor, on the other hand, is a joy to use. If well maintained, a good razor will last for years. Your great-grandsons might even use it.

You can purchase straight razors either new or used. You can find used straight razors on ebay and antique stores. Used razors will likely have imperfections in the blade that will require professional honing. A professional blade restoration will set you back about 30 bones, but it will save you from cutting the crap out of your face.

If you’d like a new razor, check out classicshaving.com or straightrazordesigns.com. You can purchase pre-sharpened blades that are ready to use the first time you shave for about $130.

When shopping for razors, consider the following factors:

1. Check the steel’s quality. A razor with good temper sharpens better than poorer quality steels. One way to check if you have a well tempered blade is to catch the point of the blade under your thumbnail and let it slip off quickly. If the blade gives a good clear ring, it’s likely well tempered. If it doesn’t, the blade was likely tempered unevenly.
2. Most modern straight razors are ground with a hollow. Hollowing places a concave on each side of the blade that makes the razor lighter, sharper, and easier to handle. You can purchase blades with varying degrees of hollowing. While full concaves will give you the sharpest edge, it’s not recommend for beginners. When such an edge comes in contact with a stiff beard, unless you hold the blade very flat on the face, it is quite likely to bend and spring, resulting in a cut.
3. Also consider the blade’s width when selecting a straight razor. Don’t select one that’s too wide. Look for a 5/8 size. It’s easy to control and follows your face’s contours more closely than other blades.
4. Finally, consider what type of blade point you want. Blades come in either rounded or sharp points. Sharp points have a tendency to nick and cut, so go with a rounded point.

Suggested Razors

Dovo Straight Razor with Black Handle 5/8″
Le Grelot Red Stamina 5/8″

Dovo All Steel Straight Razor 5/8″
Dovo Red Wood Straight Razor 5/8″

The Hone. When you look at a razor’s edge under a microscope, you’ll see that it’s composed of several points that resemble saw teeth. When a razor becomes dull, these teeth are irregular and point in different directions. Honing a blade restores these teeth to their original condition.

The $10 whetstone you use to sharpen your pocketknife won’t work as a hone for your razor blade. They’re just too coarse for shaving blades. We need a quality hone with finer grit to get that sharp clean edge that will make shaving comfortable. A wood working whetsone with a 4,000/8,000 grit combination will work, and you can easily find them at most hardware stores or online.

Another hone option is a ceramic or “barber hone.” These are little trickier to find. Most are vintage, and you’ll have to scour eBay or antique stores to find one. Because they’re less coarse than traditional whetstones, ceramic hones require more strokes to sharpen your razor.

Suggested Hones

Norton 4,000/8,0000 Grit Combo Whetstone

If you want to find a ceramic barber hone, look on eBay.

The Strop. A blade taken directly from a hone is left rough and unfit to put on the face. Stropping your blade smooths the rough edges off your blade and sets those teeth in perfect alignment. This gives your straight razor that keen edge that makes shaving a breeze.

The most common strop is the hanging strop. Hanging strops consist of two parts: one canvas strip and one leather strip. Again, don’t get chintzy with your strop. Cheaper models use coarse canvas and leather. Unless you want to ruin your razor, you should never put it to such a sub-par strop.

Suggested Strops

Fromm Leather Strop
Edwin Jager Strop
Heirloom Razor Strop Co. (Company is owned by a guy named Tony that makes strops as a side business. His strops come highly recommended. Right now, he’s not selling strops, but should start again later this month. Check back!)
Straight Razor Designs Strops

Brush. A brush helps hydrate the shaving cream in order to form a thick and rich shaving lather. Using a brush to lather up helps get the shaving cream up under each whisker which results in better, smoother shaves. Plus, it just feels nice on your face to lather up with a brush.

Brushes are made of either boar or badger hair. Boar hair brushes costs less, but they hold less moisture and consequently create a poor lather. Badger hair brushes cost more, but they produce a better lather. You can pick up a nice badger brush at any Crabtree and Evelyn. If you don’t have a Crabtree in your area, try Amazon.

Suggested Brushes
Omega Creamy Curved Handle Pure Badger Shaving Brush
Porter’s Badger Shaving Brush
Omega Brownie Junior Badger Shaving Brush with Stand

Shaving Cream or Soap. You commit shaving sacrilege when you use a straight razor with the mass-produced chemical goop that gets passed off as shaving cream. Invest in some quality shaving creams and soaps. They may cost more than the crap you buy in a can, but natural shaving creams and soaps nourish your face and make you feel absolutely manly. Plus, I’ve found creams and soaps last longer than shaving gels, so you end up saving money in the long run.

Suggested Creams and Soaps
Proraso Eucalyptus & Menthol Shaving Cream
Kiss My Face Fragrance Free Moisture Shave
Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream Jar
Body Shop For Men Shave Cream

How to Hone a Straight Razor

Honing a razor intimidates many men. However, honing isn’t that hard once you know how to do it properly. This quick guide will show you how.

1. Wipe the stone clean

2. If you’re using a whetstone, you’ll need to add a lubricant to the stone’s surface. Water, oil, or even a bit of shaving lather can work. The lubricant serves two purposes. First, it prevents the blade from heating up as you scrape it across the stone. If the blade gets too hot, you can actually cause some warping in the metal which will ruin the blade. Second, lubricant clears off any steel and stone particles that are created during honing. You need a clear surface to get the job done right.

If you’re using a ceramic stone, you don’t have to add lubrication.

3. Lay the stone on a flat surface with the coarser side up.

4. Place the razor perfectly flat on the hone so the spine and edge touch the stone. If the edge only touches, you’ll end up with a short bevel and a dull edge.

5. Hold the razor by the shank and start sharpening. Because the blade is longer than the stone’s width, you’ll need to sweep the blade sideways as you work, so you sharpen the entire edge evenly. Draw the blade from heel to point, forward against the edge, and with moderate pressure. When honing, the blade’s edge LEADS the stroke. This means the blade’s edge should point in the direction you stroke.

6. Without lifting the blade from the stone, turn the edge up, so that the razor rests on the back of the blade.

7. Draw the blade from heel to point, towards you. Again, apply moderate pressure.

Diagram of proper honing

8. Continue honing until the blade is sufficiently sharp. A quick way to determine whether a blade is sharp enough is to draw the edge (from heel to point) very lightly, across a moistened thumbnail. If the blade digs into your thumbnail, with a smooth, steady grip, your blade is sufficiently sharp and is ready for stropping. A blunt razor will pass over the nail smoothly. An over-honed razor will stick into your nail and produce a harsh, disagreeable feeling.

The time required to hone your razor depends on your razor’s condition. If it’s in good shape, 8 to 10 strokes in each direction should do the trick. If you have several nicks in the razor, you’ll need to put in more time. If your razor is in really bad shape, send it to a professional cutler to have it properly ground.

Many men avoid straight razor shaving because they think they’ll have to hone the blade every time they shave. In reality, if you keep your blade dry and properly stropped, you won’t have to hone it that often. Most good blades can go 6 to 8 weeks between honings. You’ll know you need to hone it because stropping won’t sharpen it anymore.

How to Strop a Straight Razor

To get the most comfortable and effective shave, strop your straight razor every time you shave.

1. Hang your strop from your bathroom drawer using the hook on one end of the strop.

2. If you’re stropping right after honing, just use the strop’s leather side. Between shaves, start off with the canvas side before using the leather.

3. Holding the handle at the strop’s bottom in your left hand, pull the strop tight. If the strop is loose and you take your blade over it, you could end up with a rounded, dull edge, which means you’ll have to hone it more frequently.

4. Hold the razor by its shank in your right hand and place it flat on the strop on the end farthest from you. Unlike honing, the razor’s edge will TRAIL, and not lead the strokes. So, when you’re stroking the razor AWAY from you, the blade’s edge should face TOWARDS you. When you’re stroking the razor TOWARDS you, the blade’s edge should face AWAY from you.

5. Draw the blade towards you (again with edge pointing away from you), always keeping the heel of the razor in advance of the point of the razor.

6. When you reach the strop’s end, rotate the razor on its back until the un-stropped side comes in contact with the strop. The razor’s edge should face TOWARDS you now.

7. Draw the blade away from you, keeping the heel in advance of the point.

15-20 strokes in each direction on the strop should get your blade nice and sharp. If you’re first starting out with straight razor shaving, take slow and even strokes. Develop speed gradually. Once you get the hang of it, stropping a razor shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds.

How to Hold a Straight Razor

For first time straight razor shavers, a big question looming on their minds is: “How in the heck do I hold this thing?” Ask five different straight razor aficionados how to hold a straight razor and you’re likely to get five different answers. Advanced straight razor shavers change up grips depending on whether they’re shaving with, across, or against the grain or if they’re shaving a certain part of their face. For the beginner, we suggest this basic grip:

Rest the first three fingers on the back of the blade. Rest your pinkie on the blade’s tang. Place your thumb on the side of the blade near the middle. This grip gives you nice control of the razor. You may have to adjust it when you shave different parts of your face, like your upper lip or your jaw. For more examples of how you can hold a razor, check out the Straight Razor Palace Wiki.

Everyone has their personal preference when it comes to the technique they use with a straight razor. Below we provide a suggested way to shave. As you gain experience wielding a straight razor, you’ll find yourself changing things up to suit your preference. If a particular way to shave with a straight razor works for you, then do it.

Beard Prep

For a comfortable, close shave, a little preparation before putting blade to face goes a long way. Soft whiskers cut more easily than dry whiskers. That’s why barbers wrap a hot towel around your face when you get a straight razor shave. The heat and water combination softens your beard and makes it ready for shaving. You can replicate the barbershop experience by soaking a towel in hot water, wringing it out, and placing it on your face for a few minutes.

If you don’t have the time for such luxury, just shave after you get out of a hot shower. If you want a really soft beard, rub some hair conditioner into your beard before you start showering and rinse it out when you’re done.

Lather up

Place a nickel-sized dollop of shaving cream into your mug. If you’re using shaving soap, put the soap cake at the bottom of the mug. Soak your brush in hot water. Flick excess water off the brush. With the brush, mix the cream/soap thoroughly, using a combined stirring and churning motion until a thick lather appears. The more you rub the brush on the cream, the thicker the lather.

Apply the lather to your face with your brush in swirling motions. Ensure that lather gets up under every single whisker. When you’ve covered your face completely, take a few strokes to even everything out.

The Shave Stroke

Begin with slow, even strokes and shave in the direction of your beard growth. Shaving against the grain can cause ingrown hairs and razor bumps. Hold the blade at a 30-degree angle. Anything more and you risk cutting yourself; anything less and you won’t cut the whiskers. Also, apply very little pressure when you shave. Let the razor do the work! Pressing down on the razor will only cause cuts.

Shave the Right Side of Your Face

Start off by shaving the right side of your face. Reach over your head with your left hand and draw the skin upward with your fingers, thus making a smooth shaving surface. Shave downward until you clear about half the right cheek. Slide the left hand down further until the fingers rest in the middle of the cheek. Pull the skin upward. Continue shaving downward until you shave the entire right side of the face.

Shave the Right Side Under Your Jaw

After shaving the right cheek, move on to the right jaw. Tilt your head back and to the left, exposing the skin under your right jaw. With the fingers of your left hand, draw the skin tight under the jaw. Shave downward if the beard grows in that direction.

Shave the Left Side of Your Face

Many right handed shavers switch hands to shave the left side of their face. Personally, I don’t trust the dexterity and touch in my left hand to make the switch. So I continue using my right hand to shave.

Place the fingers of your left hand in front of and just above the ear. Pull upward on the skin so as to draw the skin taut. With the razor in your right hand, toe pointing upward, reach across the face, and shave downward. Walk your left fingers down as you get to the lower part of the cheek and chin. Keep pulling the skin taut.

Shave the Left Side Under the Jaw

Tilt your head back and to the right, exposing the skin under your left jaw. Pull the skin downward with your left hand and shave with the grain.

Shave the Upper Lip

Draw the upper lip down as much as possible to tighten skin. Shave downwards.

Shaving the Chin

Draw your lower lip up as much as possible. This will pull the skin tight, making it easier to shave the whiskers underneath your lip and on your chin.

Shaving Under the Chin

Throw your head back and elevate the chin. With your left fingers , draw skin downward. Take extra care as you shave. The skin under the neck is much more sensitive and prone to cutting.

Important Note: Always wear a sweet vest when shaving with a straight razor. This greatly improves the quality of your shaves.

Should I do multiple passes?

If you want that smooth as a baby’s behind look, you’ll have to do multiple passes with the razor going across and against the grain. For the beginner, I recommend just going over your face again with a downward stroke. Shaving across and against the grain increases the chances of cutting yourself.

After you gain some experience with your straight razor, you can try adding an across the grain and against the grain pass. An across the grain pass is when you shave in the direction perpendicular to that which the beard grows. So if your whiskers grow downward on your cheek, you’ll shave across your cheek from right to left or left to right. Shaving against the grain involves shaving against the direction your beard grows. It’s basically the reverse of shaving downward.

If you decide to do multiple passes, the sequence goes thusly:

1. Shave with the grain.
2. Shave across the grain.
3. Shave against the grain.

Before each pass, wash your face off and re-lather.

Post Shave

Rinse your face off with cool water. Splash a manly smelling aftershave on your face. Witch hazel and bay rum are nice. Aftershave helps reduce skin irritation and leaves your skin looking healthy. Follow by applying a small quantity of talcum powder to your face.

Dealing with Nicks and Cuts

Cuts and nicks happen for several reasons, such as:

• Using a dull razor
• Holding the razor improperly
• Shaving with a razor that’s too hollow
• Shaving in too great a hurry
• Shaving against the grain

When you first start out with a straight razor, you’re guaranteed to cut yourself. Don’t let this discourage you. Cuts happen to even the best barbers. Just keep at it. You’ll get the hang of it.

You can stop most minor cuts and nicks by simply pressing the cut together while adding pressure. If that doesn’t work, take a syptic pencil to the cut. If you cut your jugular, well, you’re sort of screwed. So don’t do that.

Getting Started

Some might understandably balk at plunking down $150 dollars for all the tools needed for getting started with straight razor shaving. After all, what if you don’t end up enjoying this method of shaving? (I’m pretty sure you will, but hey, you never know.) Luckily, there is a way to very cheaply dip your toes into the straight razor waters. Pick up a disposable straight razor from a beauty supply store or elsewhere. They only cost a few bucks, and there’s no need for honing and stropping. Just throw it away when the blade dulls. At that point, you’ll know if you want to go in whole hog or not.

Further Reading

As I mentioned at the beginning, this post is just a beginners guide to straight razor shaving. Hopefully, we provided you with enough info to help you get started with this glorious man ritual. But don’t end your straight razor education here. People have written gobs and gobs about straight razor shaving. Below I include a list of must read sites on straight razor shaving. These sites will fill you in on more details:

Straight Razor Place. This site has it all. An active, supportive community, an awesome Wiki, product reviews, and an epic straight razor shaving how to video. Bookmark this site.

Badger and Blade

Classic Shaving Not only do they sell straight razor gear, they also have how to articles on the subject.

Sources:

Shaving Made Easy; What the man who shaves ought to know, 1905

The Practice and Science of Standard Barbering, 1951

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Shave Like Your Great Grandpa: The Ultimate Straight Razor Shaving Guide

Benefits of Straight Razor Shaving

Better shaves. I thought my shaves couldn’t get any better after I upgraded from my Mach5 to an old school safety razor. I was wrong. The first time I shaved with a straight razor, my face looked as smooth as a baby’s behind. My wife noticed the difference without me even telling her what I had done and declared that it was the smoothest she’d ever seen. So make the switch to a straight razor. Your face will thank you for it.

Reduced costs. The upfront costs to get started with straight razor shaving are a bit on the expensive side. But after you buy all the gear, you’re set for life. You’ll never have to buy razor cartridges or double edge blades ever again. Just give your straight razor a nice stropping and you’re good to go. The only cost you’ll have from here on out is an occasional tube of shaving cream.

Environmentally friendly. Today’s modern shaving racket creates needless waste. When you’re done with a cartridge, you have to throw it out. When you buy new cartridges, you’re left with a ton of packaging material. Shaving with a safety razor reduces this waste, but straight razors take it one step further. The only waste you’ll create is biodegradable shaving scum. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, greenies.

Meditative. Straight razor shaving has meditative benefits. It’s a craft that requires you to slow down and really focus on what you’re doing. After a few times of shaving with a straight razor, you just might start to notice yourself entering an incredibly manly zen-like state.

You’ll feel like more of a bad ass. You’ll be shaving with a tool that can double as a lethal weapon. Putting razor sharp steel next to your throat every morning reminds you that you’re alive.

The Tools

The Razor. Your most important tool is your razor. Don’t get skimpy with your razor and buy the cheapest one. You don’t want the cheapest; you want the best. Poor razors end up being more trouble than they’re worth. They will irritate your skin and cause nicks and cuts that will annoy you as long as you use it. A good quality razor, on the other hand, is a joy to use. If well maintained, a good razor will last for years. Your great-grandsons might even use it.

You can purchase straight razors either new or used. You can find used straight razors on ebay and antique stores. Used razors will likely have imperfections in the blade that will require professional honing. A professional blade restoration will set you back about 30 bones, but it will save you from cutting the crap out of your face.

If you’d like a new razor, check out classicshaving.com or straightrazordesigns.com. You can purchase pre-sharpened blades that are ready to use the first time you shave for about $130.

When shopping for razors, consider the following factors:

1. Check the steel’s quality. A razor with good temper sharpens better than poorer quality steels. One way to check if you have a well tempered blade is to catch the point of the blade under your thumbnail and let it slip off quickly. If the blade gives a good clear ring, it’s likely well tempered. If it doesn’t, the blade was likely tempered unevenly.
2. Most modern straight razors are ground with a hollow. Hollowing places a concave on each side of the blade that makes the razor lighter, sharper, and easier to handle. You can purchase blades with varying degrees of hollowing. While full concaves will give you the sharpest edge, it’s not recommend for beginners. When such an edge comes in contact with a stiff beard, unless you hold the blade very flat on the face, it is quite likely to bend and spring, resulting in a cut.
3. Also consider the blade’s width when selecting a straight razor. Don’t select one that’s too wide. Look for a 5/8 size. It’s easy to control and follows your face’s contours more closely than other blades.
4. Finally, consider what type of blade point you want. Blades come in either rounded or sharp points. Sharp points have a tendency to nick and cut, so go with a rounded point.

Suggested Razors

Dovo Straight Razor with Black Handle 5/8″
Le Grelot Red Stamina 5/8″

Dovo All Steel Straight Razor 5/8″
Dovo Red Wood Straight Razor 5/8″

The Hone. When you look at a razor’s edge under a microscope, you’ll see that it’s composed of several points that resemble saw teeth. When a razor becomes dull, these teeth are irregular and point in different directions. Honing a blade restores these teeth to their original condition.

The $10 whetstone you use to sharpen your pocketknife won’t work as a hone for your razor blade. They’re just too coarse for shaving blades. We need a quality hone with finer grit to get that sharp clean edge that will make shaving comfortable. A wood working whetsone with a 4,000/8,000 grit combination will work, and you can easily find them at most hardware stores or online.

Another hone option is a ceramic or “barber hone.” These are little trickier to find. Most are vintage, and you’ll have to scour eBay or antique stores to find one. Because they’re less coarse than traditional whetstones, ceramic hones require more strokes to sharpen your razor.

Suggested Hones

Norton 4,000/8,0000 Grit Combo Whetstone

If you want to find a ceramic barber hone, look on eBay.

The Strop. A blade taken directly from a hone is left rough and unfit to put on the face. Stropping your blade smooths the rough edges off your blade and sets those teeth in perfect alignment. This gives your straight razor that keen edge that makes shaving a breeze.

The most common strop is the hanging strop. Hanging strops consist of two parts: one canvas strip and one leather strip. Again, don’t get chintzy with your strop. Cheaper models use coarse canvas and leather. Unless you want to ruin your razor, you should never put it to such a sub-par strop.

Suggested Strops

Fromm Leather Strop
Edwin Jager Strop
Heirloom Razor Strop Co. (Company is owned by a guy named Tony that makes strops as a side business. His strops come highly recommended. Right now, he’s not selling strops, but should start again later this month. Check back!)
Straight Razor Designs Strops

Brush. A brush helps hydrate the shaving cream in order to form a thick and rich shaving lather. Using a brush to lather up helps get the shaving cream up under each whisker which results in better, smoother shaves. Plus, it just feels nice on your face to lather up with a brush.

Brushes are made of either boar or badger hair. Boar hair brushes costs less, but they hold less moisture and consequently create a poor lather. Badger hair brushes cost more, but they produce a better lather. You can pick up a nice badger brush at any Crabtree and Evelyn. If you don’t have a Crabtree in your area, try Amazon.

Suggested Brushes
Omega Creamy Curved Handle Pure Badger Shaving Brush
Porter’s Badger Shaving Brush
Omega Brownie Junior Badger Shaving Brush with Stand

Shaving Cream or Soap. You commit shaving sacrilege when you use a straight razor with the mass-produced chemical goop that gets passed off as shaving cream. Invest in some quality shaving creams and soaps. They may cost more than the crap you buy in a can, but natural shaving creams and soaps nourish your face and make you feel absolutely manly. Plus, I’ve found creams and soaps last longer than shaving gels, so you end up saving money in the long run.

Suggested Creams and Soaps
Proraso Eucalyptus & Menthol Shaving Cream
Kiss My Face Fragrance Free Moisture Shave
Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream Jar
Body Shop For Men Shave Cream

How to Hone a Straight Razor

Honing a razor intimidates many men. However, honing isn’t that hard once you know how to do it properly. This quick guide will show you how.

1. Wipe the stone clean

2. If you’re using a whetstone, you’ll need to add a lubricant to the stone’s surface. Water, oil, or even a bit of shaving lather can work. The lubricant serves two purposes. First, it prevents the blade from heating up as you scrape it across the stone. If the blade gets too hot, you can actually cause some warping in the metal which will ruin the blade. Second, lubricant clears off any steel and stone particles that are created during honing. You need a clear surface to get the job done right.

If you’re using a ceramic stone, you don’t have to add lubrication.

3. Lay the stone on a flat surface with the coarser side up.

4. Place the razor perfectly flat on the hone so the spine and edge touch the stone. If the edge only touches, you’ll end up with a short bevel and a dull edge.

5. Hold the razor by the shank and start sharpening. Because the blade is longer than the stone’s width, you’ll need to sweep the blade sideways as you work, so you sharpen the entire edge evenly. Draw the blade from heel to point, forward against the edge, and with moderate pressure. When honing, the blade’s edge LEADS the stroke. This means the blade’s edge should point in the direction you stroke.

6. Without lifting the blade from the stone, turn the edge up, so that the razor rests on the back of the blade.

7. Draw the blade from heel to point, towards you. Again, apply moderate pressure.

Diagram of proper honing

8. Continue honing until the blade is sufficiently sharp. A quick way to determine whether a blade is sharp enough is to draw the edge (from heel to point) very lightly, across a moistened thumbnail. If the blade digs into your thumbnail, with a smooth, steady grip, your blade is sufficiently sharp and is ready for stropping. A blunt razor will pass over the nail smoothly. An over-honed razor will stick into your nail and produce a harsh, disagreeable feeling.

The time required to hone your razor depends on your razor’s condition. If it’s in good shape, 8 to 10 strokes in each direction should do the trick. If you have several nicks in the razor, you’ll need to put in more time. If your razor is in really bad shape, send it to a professional cutler to have it properly ground.

Many men avoid straight razor shaving because they think they’ll have to hone the blade every time they shave. In reality, if you keep your blade dry and properly stropped, you won’t have to hone it that often. Most good blades can go 6 to 8 weeks between honings. You’ll know you need to hone it because stropping won’t sharpen it anymore.

How to Strop a Straight Razor

To get the most comfortable and effective shave, strop your straight razor every time you shave.

1. Hang your strop from your bathroom drawer using the hook on one end of the strop.

2. If you’re stropping right after honing, just use the strop’s leather side. Between shaves, start off with the canvas side before using the leather.

3. Holding the handle at the strop’s bottom in your left hand, pull the strop tight. If the strop is loose and you take your blade over it, you could end up with a rounded, dull edge, which means you’ll have to hone it more frequently.

4. Hold the razor by its shank in your right hand and place it flat on the strop on the end farthest from you. Unlike honing, the razor’s edge will TRAIL, and not lead the strokes. So, when you’re stroking the razor AWAY from you, the blade’s edge should face TOWARDS you. When you’re stroking the razor TOWARDS you, the blade’s edge should face AWAY from you.

5. Draw the blade towards you (again with edge pointing away from you), always keeping the heel of the razor in advance of the point of the razor.

6. When you reach the strop’s end, rotate the razor on its back until the un-stropped side comes in contact with the strop. The razor’s edge should face TOWARDS you now.

7. Draw the blade away from you, keeping the heel in advance of the point.

15-20 strokes in each direction on the strop should get your blade nice and sharp. If you’re first starting out with straight razor shaving, take slow and even strokes. Develop speed gradually. Once you get the hang of it, stropping a razor shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds.

How to Hold a Straight Razor

For first time straight razor shavers, a big question looming on their minds is: “How in the heck do I hold this thing?” Ask five different straight razor aficionados how to hold a straight razor and you’re likely to get five different answers. Advanced straight razor shavers change up grips depending on whether they’re shaving with, across, or against the grain or if they’re shaving a certain part of their face. For the beginner, we suggest this basic grip:

Rest the first three fingers on the back of the blade. Rest your pinkie on the blade’s tang. Place your thumb on the side of the blade near the middle. This grip gives you nice control of the razor. You may have to adjust it when you shave different parts of your face, like your upper lip or your jaw. For more examples of how you can hold a razor, check out the Straight Razor Palace Wiki.

Everyone has their personal preference when it comes to the technique they use with a straight razor. Below we provide a suggested way to shave. As you gain experience wielding a straight razor, you’ll find yourself changing things up to suit your preference. If a particular way to shave with a straight razor works for you, then do it.

Beard Prep

For a comfortable, close shave, a little preparation before putting blade to face goes a long way. Soft whiskers cut more easily than dry whiskers. That’s why barbers wrap a hot towel around your face when you get a straight razor shave. The heat and water combination softens your beard and makes it ready for shaving. You can replicate the barbershop experience by soaking a towel in hot water, wringing it out, and placing it on your face for a few minutes.

If you don’t have the time for such luxury, just shave after you get out of a hot shower. If you want a really soft beard, rub some hair conditioner into your beard before you start showering and rinse it out when you’re done.

Lather up

Place a nickel-sized dollop of shaving cream into your mug. If you’re using shaving soap, put the soap cake at the bottom of the mug. Soak your brush in hot water. Flick excess water off the brush. With the brush, mix the cream/soap thoroughly, using a combined stirring and churning motion until a thick lather appears. The more you rub the brush on the cream, the thicker the lather.

Apply the lather to your face with your brush in swirling motions. Ensure that lather gets up under every single whisker. When you’ve covered your face completely, take a few strokes to even everything out.

The Shave Stroke

Begin with slow, even strokes and shave in the direction of your beard growth. Shaving against the grain can cause ingrown hairs and razor bumps. Hold the blade at a 30-degree angle. Anything more and you risk cutting yourself; anything less and you won’t cut the whiskers. Also, apply very little pressure when you shave. Let the razor do the work! Pressing down on the razor will only cause cuts.

Shave the Right Side of Your Face

Start off by shaving the right side of your face. Reach over your head with your left hand and draw the skin upward with your fingers, thus making a smooth shaving surface. Shave downward until you clear about half the right cheek. Slide the left hand down further until the fingers rest in the middle of the cheek. Pull the skin upward. Continue shaving downward until you shave the entire right side of the face.

Shave the Right Side Under Your Jaw

After shaving the right cheek, move on to the right jaw. Tilt your head back and to the left, exposing the skin under your right jaw. With the fingers of your left hand, draw the skin tight under the jaw. Shave downward if the beard grows in that direction.

Shave the Left Side of Your Face

Many right handed shavers switch hands to shave the left side of their face. Personally, I don’t trust the dexterity and touch in my left hand to make the switch. So I continue using my right hand to shave.

Place the fingers of your left hand in front of and just above the ear. Pull upward on the skin so as to draw the skin taut. With the razor in your right hand, toe pointing upward, reach across the face, and shave downward. Walk your left fingers down as you get to the lower part of the cheek and chin. Keep pulling the skin taut.

Shave the Left Side Under the Jaw

Tilt your head back and to the right, exposing the skin under your left jaw. Pull the skin downward with your left hand and shave with the grain.

Shave the Upper Lip

Draw the upper lip down as much as possible to tighten skin. Shave downwards.

Shaving the Chin

Draw your lower lip up as much as possible. This will pull the skin tight, making it easier to shave the whiskers underneath your lip and on your chin.

Shaving Under the Chin

Throw your head back and elevate the chin. With your left fingers , draw skin downward. Take extra care as you shave. The skin under the neck is much more sensitive and prone to cutting.

Important Note: Always wear a sweet vest when shaving with a straight razor. This greatly improves the quality of your shaves.

Should I do multiple passes?

If you want that smooth as a baby’s behind look, you’ll have to do multiple passes with the razor going across and against the grain. For the beginner, I recommend just going over your face again with a downward stroke. Shaving across and against the grain increases the chances of cutting yourself.

After you gain some experience with your straight razor, you can try adding an across the grain and against the grain pass. An across the grain pass is when you shave in the direction perpendicular to that which the beard grows. So if your whiskers grow downward on your cheek, you’ll shave across your cheek from right to left or left to right. Shaving against the grain involves shaving against the direction your beard grows. It’s basically the reverse of shaving downward.

If you decide to do multiple passes, the sequence goes thusly:

1. Shave with the grain.
2. Shave across the grain.
3. Shave against the grain.

Before each pass, wash your face off and re-lather.

Post Shave

Rinse your face off with cool water. Splash a manly smelling aftershave on your face. Witch hazel and bay rum are nice. Aftershave helps reduce skin irritation and leaves your skin looking healthy. Follow by applying a small quantity of talcum powder to your face.

Dealing with Nicks and Cuts

Cuts and nicks happen for several reasons, such as:

• Using a dull razor
• Holding the razor improperly
• Shaving with a razor that’s too hollow
• Shaving in too great a hurry
• Shaving against the grain

When you first start out with a straight razor, you’re guaranteed to cut yourself. Don’t let this discourage you. Cuts happen to even the best barbers. Just keep at it. You’ll get the hang of it.

You can stop most minor cuts and nicks by simply pressing the cut together while adding pressure. If that doesn’t work, take a syptic pencil to the cut. If you cut your jugular, well, you’re sort of screwed. So don’t do that.

Getting Started

Some might understandably balk at plunking down $150 dollars for all the tools needed for getting started with straight razor shaving. After all, what if you don’t end up enjoying this method of shaving? (I’m pretty sure you will, but hey, you never know.) Luckily, there is a way to very cheaply dip your toes into the straight razor waters. Pick up a disposable straight razor from a beauty supply store or elsewhere. They only cost a few bucks, and there’s no need for honing and stropping. Just throw it away when the blade dulls. At that point, you’ll know if you want to go in whole hog or not.

Further Reading

As I mentioned at the beginning, this post is just a beginners guide to straight razor shaving. Hopefully, we provided you with enough info to help you get started with this glorious man ritual. But don’t end your straight razor education here. People have written gobs and gobs about straight razor shaving. Below I include a list of must read sites on straight razor shaving. These sites will fill you in on more details:

Straight Razor Place. This site has it all. An active, supportive community, an awesome Wiki, product reviews, and an epic straight razor shaving how to video. Bookmark this site.

Badger and Blade

Classic Shaving Not only do they sell straight razor gear, they also have how to articles on the subject.

Sources:

Shaving Made Easy; What the man who shaves ought to know, 1905

The Practice and Science of Standard Barbering, 1951

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The Dangers Of Chemical Based Shaving Products

Every time that you get lathered up to shave, there are a lot of waste and toxic substances that come into play. Thankfully, there are ways in which you can easily go green here. In fact, this market is growing rapidly.

While the FDA has largely ignored the health concerns that shaving creams can cause, you should know that there have been studies done that have found that shaving cream can cause a larger number of tumors to grow in human breast tissue. This means that the endocrine system is being damaged by this carcinogen.

Shaving Cream

There are a lot of eco-unfriendly chemicals in shaving cream that are used to give you a soft, supple shave. When you use these chemicals, they are released into the environment. For instance, BHA has a negative impact upon the aquatic ecosystem. This chemical can actually be found in 55% of all streams that have been examined, which is high enough to cause a big disruption in many aquatic animals’ life cycle. For this reason, you really should make sure to carefully read the product’s labeling. You should also know that aerosol cans are recyclable and thus preferable.

Waxing

Waxes contain many of the same chemicals that are found within shaving creams. However, waxes generate more waste due to the applicators and strips that are used in the waxing process itself. Some of these products also contain carcinogenic chemicals that can easily be absorbed into your body.

Choosing Organic Products

The term organic has not yet been clearly defined by the USDA. However, it has been said that organic products are required to contain at least 95% of its ingredients that are organic. However, right now there is no clear cut standard. Nevertheless, it is still a good idea to try to purchase organic shaving products as it will help the environment in some way and regardless of how small a difference it may make, it is still a very important difference.

Shaving Considerations For Black Skin

Most African-American men have had to deal with razor bumps at some point or another. This is because your body’s hairs are mostly curly and wiry. For this reason your shaved hair follicles will have a tendency of curving backwards and re-entering your skin as they grow. Of course, this will cause your skin to become irritated and uncomfortable. You may even feel like you no longer want to shave at all but this is not really an option for a lot of men.

Here are some simple tips that African-American men should use whenever they are shaving:

1. Make sure that you always use a sharp razor blade. Disposable razors should be disposed of after five uses. Electric razors need to have their blades replaced after being used for just a couple of months.

2. It is a good idea to only shave every other day if at all possible. This will give your skin time to heal and hair time to grow straight through your skin’s surface without shoving little hairs back into your skin.

3. Take time to ex foliate your skin with a gentle scrub in order to remove the top layer of dead skin cells so that your hair can grow more easily. Exfoliating will also soften your skin and clear your pores.

4. Use a single blade razor because the closer you shave with a two or three blade razor, the worse the razor bumps will be.

5. You need to always shave in the direction that your hair is growing so as to reduce the amount of irritation that your skin will suffer from. This will also decrease the likelihood of hair growing back into your skin.

6. Never pull your skin taut when shaving because this can cause ingrown hairs to form.

7. Before you shave, massage warm water into your skin and apply a good shaving cream in order to prepare your skin. The shaving cream should actually be allowed to sit on your face for a few minutes in order to make sure that your skin is fully coated.

8. After you shave you should use an after-shave that contains hydrating ingredients such as Aloe Vera, witch hazel and tea tree extract. This will help to cut down on redness and discomfort. Make sure to avoid alcohol as it will dry your skin out and make it look ashy.

9. Never pluck ingrown hairs as another hair will simply grow causing you the same problems.

10.Take your time whenever you are shaving. This will greatly reduce nicks, cuts and abrasions.

Organic Shaving Products Explained

Whenever it comes to shaving today, there are many different types of products available for you to choose from. These include:

1. Shaving cream: This consists of a mixture of soap and fatty acids that work together to form a rich lather and soften the hair that you are about to shave.

2. Shaving foam: This is a liquid preparation that consists of numerous small bubbles that are used to soften the hair that you are about to shave.

3. Shaving balm: This is usually used after you are done shaving. The best type to use is Aloe Vera as it will give your skin the moisture it needs once you are done shaving.

4. Shaving soap: This comes in bar form and lathers into a cream that you apply to your face.

5. Shaving oil or gel: This will help to keep your pores from clogging whenever you are shaving.

Today many people are seeking out these products in an organic form. This means that they want these products to be as close to natural as humanly possible, which usually means that they are plant based and use nothing but natural ingredients. It is believed that such products are much healthier for you. The reason that they want these products to be organic is that traditional, chemical based products contain toxins that are harmful. These toxins can produce allergic reactions, especially in people who have sensitive skin.

There are numerous reasons why people choose to use organic shaving products. One of the main reasons is because the cosmetic industry has a tendency of using synthetic compounds, that are based on petroleum (ie benzene) in their products. Such products are more than capable of causing harmful side effects, such as allergies and skin irritations.

There are also ethical reasons why people choose to use organic shaving cream. For instance, vegans and vegetarians do their best to use skincare products that are not tested upon animals.

Shaving Tips And Black Skin Care

African American Shaving Tips

Prevent and Cure Razor Bumps and Ingrown Hairs

MOST MEN HAVE SUFFERED from ingrown hairs or razor bumps at one point or another, and a large percentage of men must deal with the condition on a regular basis. This is especially true for African-American men. Because black men have body hairs that are predominantly curly and wiry, shaved hair follicles tend to curve back and re-enter the skin as they grow, causing irritation and razor bumps. Ingrown hairs can also occur when hair doesn’t fully emerge from the skin’s surface and instead sits coiled underneath, leading to bumps and possible infection.


This recurring condition causes major discomfort in the beard and neck area and can affect black men for years and years at a time. The best course of action seems to be to give up shaving altogether-by not shaving the hair, it obviously doesn’t have a chance to grow back improperly and cause razor bumps. But in a society that prizes clean-shaven appearances, this is not an option for most black men. Instead, follow these simple men’s grooming tips to keep African-American skin smooth and refreshed, and correctly treat ingrown hairs.

• Always use a sharp razor blade and discard old blades after 4-5 uses. You might think this is excessive, but dull blades force black men to go over the same area of skin again and again, increasing the chances of irritation and improperly cutting hair. This goes for electric razors, too: replace the blades after every few months of use.

• Reduce your number of shaves by shaving every other day. Giving the skin time to heal will allow hairs to grow straight through the skin’s surface, without forcing too-short hairs back into the skin. Frequent shaving too close to the skin will trap hairs inside the follicles.

• Exfoliate! Exfoliating with a gentle scrub like MenScience’s Microfine Face Scrub removes the top layer of dead cells and allows hairs to grow out more easily. It also helps soften skin, clears pores and evens out patchy skin tones.

• Many African-American men benefit from using a single-blade razor, or a DE razor. MenScience Medical Director Dr. Joely Kaufman explains, “I highly dissuade patients who suffer from razor bumps from using triple or quadruple blade razor systems. The closer the shave, the worse the razor bumps will be.”

• Always shave in the direction of hair growth. While shaving upward seems to give a closer shave, shaving in the hair’s direction reduces irritation and the likelihood of hairs growing back into the skin. Don’t pull skin taut when shaving since this can also cause ingrown hairs to form.

• Soften hairs before shaving by massaging warm water into the beard area and then applying a professional-grade, highly-lubricating shave cream, like MenScience’s Advanced Shave Formula. Allow it to sit on the face for a minute or two to completely coat hairs before shaving.

• Follow a shave with an after-shave solution that contains hydrating ingredients like aloe, witch hazel and tea tree extract like MenScience’s Post-Shave Repair to cut down on redness and discomfort. Stay away from products that contain alcohol since this can dry skin out and provoke an ashy appearance in black skin.

• Resist the urge to simply pluck ingrown hairs out. A new hair will just grow again, and you’ll be facing the same exact problem.

• Most importantly, take your time when shaving. Everyone’s been guilty of the 30-second shave on Monday morning, but shaving slowly and with care can dramatically reduce nicks, cuts and abrasions that can aggravate razor bumps.

• If you find that you are suffering from severe cases of inflammation or razor bumps, talk to your doctor or dermatologist. You may be a candidate for electrolysis (a low-level current is used to destroy follicles) or skin depilatories (chemical creams that soften and minimize growth).

Rebecca Hausen is a published author, freelance copywriter and the President of ReVcom Group, a public relations and marketing firm that creates and executes integrated marketing, advertising, and communications strategies for medium sized businesses in the Southeast.

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How To Shave Your Head – Top Tips

Head Shaving – How To Get The Best Results

Head shaving has become very popular! For many it is a fashion statement. Then again, in cases of male pattern baldness, some men choose to shave their heads completely rather than have the typical horseshoe pattern of head hair.

Whatever the reason behind the move to a shaven or closely shaven head, the following information will help make the transition easier and minimize the discomfort.

Head Shaving Tips:

When head shaving using an electrical hair trimmer, use olive oil rather than machine oil for lubrication. Then if the oil comes in contact with the skin, olive oil will be much better for the scalp, especially if there are nicks during head shaving.

Disposable razors are not very suitable for head shaving. They wear out too quickly.

For great head shaving results, Invest in a good hand razor from a reputable company such as Wilkinson Sword or Gillette and make sure you always shave with a sharp blade.

When starting with a full head of hair, trim it off first using an electric razor before using a hand razor. Start with the sides or the back and clip close to the scalp.

To reduce the risk of cuts and razor burn when head shaving it is essential for the hair and the scalp to be thoroughly moist so that the hair follicles and skin are soft before shaving.

Head shaving in the shower at the end of a showering session can make it easier. By then the hair and scalp have been wet for many minutes. Less shaving cream is also required. Apply the shaving cream to small areas at a time so that it doesn’t melt away too quickly.

For head shaving outside the shower, splash the hair and scalp with water over a sink or wrap a hot wet towel around the head for a couple of minutes. Then apply a thick layer of shaving cream, about a half an inch thick, to the entire head. Leave for five minutes before starting to shave.

When head shaving, avoid repeat strokes over the same area to minimize the risk of nicks and razor burn.

If the hair growth is at the stubble stage, long strokes covering several inches may be possible.

If the hair is longer, or if it has just been trimmed with electric clippers, make very small strokes no more than about half an inch.

Start head shaving where the hair is thickest so the blade is at it’s best for the tougher areas. Finish off at the lighter areas.

When you start head shaving, wet the razor with hot water and make a stroke about an inch long wherever you decide to start. Subsequent strokes can then be made from this starting point at the best angle for cutting close to the scalp and at the base of the hair.

Some prefer to use a mirror initially until they gain experience with head shaving. After some time however, many find it more awkward with one than without one. Shaving by touch comes with experience.

After head shaving, run the fingers over the scalp so that missed areas are easily identified. Then carefully go over the area again. Be careful not to do this more than once or twice to avoid nicks or razor burn.

Rinse the head and dry off.

To really speed up the healing process after head shaving for nicks, apply vitamin E oil to the scalp.

Pure aloe vera gel is very good for soothing distressed skin from head shaving. It will also add a high shine to the scalp.

Be sure to allow sufficient time for head shaving. Rushing may result in numerous nicks and cuts especially when shaving this part of the body.

Be prepared initially for a new, strange sensation when head shaving. The scalp will be very sensitive and a rush of cool air such as a breeze outside can be quite an experience!

Checkout this page on Mike’s hair removal web site for great resources for head shaving: http://www.about-hair-removal.com/head-shaving-resources.htm

For ingrown hair and body hair removal click here: http://www.1bodycare.com

Another resource, a free laser hair removal research library: http://www.about-hair-removal.com/Laser-Library

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