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November 20, 2006
On Straight Razor Shaving
Guys, unless you're into looking like Kevin Federline (tool) you probably shave every day, maybe every other day, or sometimes multiple times a day. Sucks, huh. You get out of the shower, you're late, you later up, still half asleep you drag some sharp metal across one of the more sensitive areas of your body, you splash on some stuff that's supposed to make your skin feel better but doesn't (or maybe you skip the whole aftershave thing, more on that later), then you head on with your day. There's nothing grand about it, you do it every day, you get an okay shave, certainly nothing worth writing home about, but it looks okay.
There's a better way!!!! It involves a straight razor (you know that old thing that looks like a knife that has to be sharpened every day), some decent lubricant, and good after shave.
Now, there's someone thinking to themselves, "I use the latest technology in shaving, how can one of the oldest shaving tools known to man be better, it got out-dated years ago." Not true. The demise of the straight razor came along with Germ Theory and war. Most guys didn't shave every day, they went to a barber, maybe once a week and got shaved. The barber used a straigt razor. Yea, it caused nicks and cuts and got blood on it. Back then they were usually never cleaned, just sharpened, and so the next guy got some of the first guy's blood on him. Miniscule amounts, yes, but still enough to cause some fuss. Next the military wanted their soldiers to look sharp, even in battle. Straight razor shaving cannot be done by yourself without a mirror....period. So, soldiers on the line didn't shave...very un-military.
Enter King Gillette. He came up with the safety razor. It had a shield extending just past the cutting edge of the blade. Pretty decent shave, much less chance of cuts, could be used without a mirror. Better yet he was a marketing genius. He GAVE the things away to the military, and to the public too. Well, not exactly. He gave away the razors, then charged 600% of his cost for the blades. Sound familiar? He then launched an expensive advertising campaign stating how dangerous straight razors were, and mom's, if you didn't want your sons to cut off their faces and die of influenza, don't let them shave with those things. It worked. Everyone got a safety razor, bought really expensive blades, and out went the straight razor. Pretty soon people forgot that the shave they were getting wasn't as good. Especially as technology improved and safety razor shaves got closer and faster. But still, safety razors have guards keeping the blade away from the skin, so they can never...NEVER be as close as a straight razor.
Now, are straight razors dangerous? Uh, it's a super-sharp blade next to your face and neck. YEA IT'S DANGEROUS. Follow this guide or some of the others on the internet and you'll be fine. I'm not saying you'll never cut yourself...you will, but they'll be scratches and you'll get a fantastic shave. Also, once you get over the initial investment of the razor (more later) you won't have to buy blades at premium price. You'll save money. It's an heirloom to be passed down, if you take care of your razor it can be used for about 400 years before being replaced....seriously. No more blades in the trash...save the planet. Your wife/girlfriend/both will think you're cool. You'll improve manual dexterity and hand eye coordination. Read on.
Lets start with buying your equiptment. There's lots of places to choose from. I bought my razor from an antique shop. It's c1920, in great condition, and gives an awsome shave. I like it because it has some character and I like that. If you fancy a new one you can get them from ebay, many online stores (try www.theartofshaving.com), or specialty knife shops. Let me say this though. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. So if you think you're getting a smoking deal on some $30 razor, don't come crying to me that you ripped your face off. Cheap razors rust easily, are made of poor-quality metal, don't hold the proper angles for sharpening, and if they do sharpen won't hold their edge. Watch out for razors made in Pakistan, they're especially bad. Expect to pay a couple hundred bucks for a new razor, about $50 for a used one. America, Germany, the Netherlands, and England make some of the best razors. For beginners I recommend a hollow-ground blade. The edges looking down the shaft of the razor will be curved instead of wedge shaped. The shave isn't as great but they're easier to sharpen and handle and are still a damn sight better than some half-plastic disposable. Do some research, ask around. Tony at Gearhead Barbershop and Tattoo is a good resource.
Okay, you got a blade, hope it's a good one. Next you'll need something to keep the thing sharp. Depending on if you get a new or used blade depends on what you need next. You'll need 'em both eventually, though. If the blade is new you just need a leather strop. Get one online or at a barber supply store. Just strop the thing before and after shaving and you're golden (more later). If it's used it'll need really sharpened, you don't know where the thing's been. For this you need an Arkansas Black Stone. Get them from Ebay or a knife store. They're pricey but good for all your knife-sharpening needs. Don't go for anything less to save money. You'll be sorry when you destroy your razor. This thing is almost as smooth as glass and a couple quick swipes takes off just enough metal from the blade to restore it to God-like sharpness. Samurai used the same type of stones to sharpen their swords, enough said.
Now, you need a couple simple things. One is a brush. Get a badger hair brush from a barber supply or online. A brush is a better method for lathering up than your fingers. For one it makes your product last longer. Second, it gets product on the under side of the whiskers, making a smoother shave. Get some good lube. I like either a good soap or some of the stuff from online. It's your preference in this field, really. Try www.theartofshaving.com or www.groominglounge.net for good stuff. Good after shave is a must. You need to moisturize. Because the blade is touching skin it takes away skin, so you lose moisture. Gotta put that back. I really like Master's Bay Rum. It's alcohol based so it burns a bit but it provides good moisture and my wife says the smell makes her want to "eat my face", which I take to be a good thing. You can try the Nivea for Men aftershave balm if you want something a little milder but almost as good. Next, sunscreen or get an aftershave with sunscreen in it if it's sunny. Carcinomas suck. Another thing that's optional is an alum block or styptic pencil. These will stop any little bleeders. Not bad to have in a first-aid kit anyways. It costs about $.90 and lasts about ten years so what's the hurt. Look in a barber supply store.
Okay, you got your razor, your strop, your stone, your lube, your moisturizer, and a wife that's looking at you like you've lost your mind. You told her this was going to save money, right. So, what do you do with it all. Here's what:
1. WASH YOUR FACE. I suggest shaving after you shower. The hot water will soften the beard and make it easier to cut, and the washing is given. If you skip this step the micro-particles of dirt on your face will dull your blade and result in an uncomfortable, bad shave. So wash up.
2. Lather up. A thin coat will do for now. Use your favorite product. Got some pre-shave oil? Not a bad idea either.
3. Strop. This doesn't remove any metal from the blade, it just lines up the metal on a microscopic level to make a very thin, razor sharp blade. To do this hold the strop in your non-dominant hand and pull it tight. Most strops have a cloth side and a leather side. Lay the blade on the strop with the blade facing you and the wide edge against the strop. The width of this edge creates the ideal angle for stropping, convenient huh. The aformentioned Pakistani junk have this angle all wrong. Now, run the blade away from you up the strop. Flip it over on the dull-edge WITHOUT picking it up and run it back. Do this a time or two. This gets the metal warmed up for the leather and removes any dust. The reason you don't want to pick the blade up is because very time you put it down you risk digging the blade into the strop which dulls it. Do the same on the leather side for about a minute. Stop, flip, strop, flip. While you're stropping the lather on your face is softening your beard further...nice huh? Make sure you're always going away from the blade, not digging the blade into the strop. That seems fairly obvious, right? For sharpening on a stone you do the exact same thing. You only need about five swipes on each side on the stone, and that only about once every six months to a year or so.
4. Lather up, again. By this time your lather has run dry, time to wet your brush and run it over your face again. Used your fingers? Wet your hands and massage your face a bit. You don't want your lather to dry up, ever. Dry lather acts like glue and causes the blade to skip across your face instead of gliding, skipping causes cuts. Cuts are bad.
5. Finally we get to shaving. Like in other things it's all about the angle of the dangle. There's no one good answer to what angle you need. It really depends on the razor and the face. I can tell you that if you lay the razor too flat you'll cut along the shaft of the whisker instead of across it and cause lots of pulling and discomfort. If it feels bad, change. Similarly a too steep of an angle causes lots of cuts. About 30 degrees is right most of the time. There will be a definate "AHA" moment when you get the angle right. This may take a few shaves. Around the mouth and chin require different angels than the cheek and neck. Be patient, you'll get it. Hold the razor with your pinky in the little curved thing, called a tang, and your other three fingers along the neck of the blade. You'll have to change your hands around every so often to get your angels right but this works most of the time. If you find a technique other than this works better, go for it. Pull the skin as tight as you can in the area you're working with your opposite hand. Try to get rid of crevaces and creases. Shave WITH the grain. Apply light, steady pressure and use smooth, long, controlled strokes. Short jerky strokes will cut you eventually. A tip: Start with your cheeks away from your side burns. Shave a bit, then go to your other razor for the rest. Each day do a little more. This will build confidence. I will say that it takes a while to get used to shaving like this. You will probably cut yourself the first several times until you get the angles right and a technique down. Don't give up. It's a labor of love and worth it once you get it. I've heard to practice your angels, lather and shave inflated balloons until you can do it without popping them. I haven't tried it but it can't hurt. Rinse your blade often. I actually prefer cool water to hot as the cool metal feels good and keeps my lather from drying out so quickly. It's your thing. If done right the blade will actually float over your skin, the cut whiskers will emulsify in the lather, and move away from your skin. This is another advantage over safety razors. They cut the whiskers and then grind them back into your face, causing razor burn and ingrown hairs. Again, there will be an "AHA" moment when you get this right. Pay attention to what you're doing, go slow. Learn. Your first few times will take a while, probably but as you get the hang of it you'll get faster and better. I say again, DON'T GIVE UP. If you want a really smooth face, or you want to shave only every other day, you can shave against the grain. Just start the whole process again, including stropping and lathering, and go against the grain. SMOOOOOOOOOOOOTH!!!
6. Wash. Get that soap and crud off your face. Leaving it there dries out your skin and causes irritation. A few splashes of cool water is all it takes. The coolness will feel good, too, and will close up any little bleeders. Speaking of which, if you're bleeding, now is the time to use the alum block or styptic pencil. Just apply a bit of pressure with it, 30 second will do the trick.
7. Moisturize. It's not girly, it's important. Get some stuff on your face. Tell the guys you use it cause your wife likes the smell if you have to, but do it. Sunscreen if its sunny. Nivea makes a nice aftershave lotion that's scent free that has SPF 15 in it. Get some of that if you want.
8. Strop. What again??? Yep, again. This just has to be a few quick swipes. Mostly its meant to get any soap and oil off the blade so it won't etch your razor. Again, important.
9. Clean up your mess. Especially in the beginning you'll get water everywhere, and unless you like ritual beatings by your wife (and really, who doesn't?) you need to clean up. Mostly you don't want to leave your razor sitting around, especially if you have kids. If they touch the blade they'll cut themselves badly. If they drop it they'll ruin it. If a blade drops, check it carefully for nicks. No nicks? Good. Sharpen it on a stone, stop it, and learn. Blade chipped or cracked? Well, go buy a new one and learn. DON'T USE A DAMAGED BLADE IF YOU VALUE YOUR FACE!!! Keep your razor away from where kids can get it. They'll see you shave, they'll try it for themselves, they'll scar up their faces. Don't say you weren't warned when I'm stitching up your kid's face.
Okay, that's it. Sounds like a pain in the ass? Yea, it can be, especially at first. I've been doing it for almost a year and just had a my first few "AHA" moments. It feels good when you figure it out. And, as an added bonus, if your buddies give you a hard time about always being clean shaven, tell 'em what you used to get that way, it'll shut 'em up good. Really, is there anything more manly than shaving with an instrument that could alternatly be used to slaughter a cow? Didn't think so.
Posted by at 09:45 AM
November 09, 2006
On De Ja Vu All Over Again
Political power in this country reminds me of a bird trying to fly through a closed window. It bashes its head, backs up, tries again, only to bash its head again. This is what America is doing.
In 1994 America took power away from the Democrats and gave it to the Republicans, citing corruption, lack of leadership, and ineptness as its reason for making change. Two days ago we did the same thing, citing the same reasons. In '94 we backed away from the Democratic window only to bash into the same window controlled by the Republicans. Yesterday we backed away from teh Republican window only to bash back into the Democratic window. If we think things are going to somehow improve, politically, now that the Dems are in power, we're deluding ourselves. Both parties are corrupt, both parties have too many lobbies to answer two, both parties need to be replaced. Until America figures this out and demands real change we're just like that bird.
Incidentally, most birds that bash themselves against windows long enough break their own skulls, necks, or exaust themselves so much that a cat eats them....just a thought.
Posted by at 10:00 AM | Comments (1)
On The Election Over
Well, another election has come and gone. Am I suprised by the results. Not a bit. I was a bit impressed by the very handy victory that the Governor achieved over his opponent, I would have thought it would have been a closer contest, especially in this very very blue state.
Another thing that impressed me about this election is how quiet it is now that it's done. There's no lawyers representing the GOP making charges of voting machines being tampered with, voter fraud, miscounted votes, or any of the other garbage that we witnessed in '02 and '04. Funny how when the GOP wins it must be some sort of right-wing conspiracy, when the DNC wins everything worked perfectly.
I've mentioned this before and it warrants mentioning again now that we've seen another election come to conclusion. This is for those who were running for office: PICK UP YOUR SIGNS. I was tired of seeing them last week, I don't want to continue seeing them into next year. Eventually the wind will pick them up, carry them away until they become someone elses problem to clean up. I think that for every sign that's left up after December 1st a $100 per square foot fine should be inforced to the candidate who leaves their signs up.