RobinK
Lather Catcher
Posts: 505
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Post by RobinK on Oct 15, 2017 23:55:03 GMT -6
I want to disagree - just a little Robin. I agree that soap is argued to soften the hair in some way, yet there is some question regarding the permeability and absorption ability of a hair. Some claim it is to wash the oil coating off the hair that helps. Others, that the hair plumps up or swells, and then cuts better. There is nothing I have truly seen that suggests what really is going on. On the other hand, soaps with poor cushion and glide, and particularly those that breakdown and dry quickly, can make a shave a terrible experience. I feel those elements are indeed important. Have you tried using just hand soap or hair shampoo for a shave? I have at times, and the shaves are always unsatisfactory despite good prep and soaping of the stubble. If it was primarily the prep that softened the whiskers, then why is lather still critical for a proper second, third pass? Well, yes. Of course glide matters. As does lather that does not collapse. However, that was not the point I was trying to make. I took decent lather as a given. Once that is established, the ability of soaps to make a blade cut more easily is what separates good soaps from bad soaps. I spoke to a soap maker some time ago, having wondered why I got superior results from his products. He told me that his soap does indeed make the whiskers more brittle. Add to that a de-greasing pre-shave soap, and that may indeed be what sets his products apart. So, try using some gall soap to wash your face, the build lather on your face, and see if that makes a difference. If it does, find a less horrible replacement for the gall soap When it comes to the OCMM (or any other aggressive SE), there is something else I have noticed: If, when you start using them, you use them every day, it might be unbecoming to your skin. My explanation is that beginners tend to get the angle of the razor wrong (ie too steep) which causes that funny butter-on-toast sound, but also irritates your skin. Moreover, the OCMM's ability to deliver a very close shave motivates some people (yours truly included) to go for an even closer shave - which is the wrong approach. Last, at least for me, it takes some time for the skin to adapt to any type of new blade, whether it be DE, SE, or cut-throat. So: Map the beard first, and pick a suitable attack path first. Prepare the face as well as possible ( Avène Dermo K is a great product to be applied on the previous evening). Keep an eye on the blade angle at all times. Tighten the grip on the handle as if you were trying to hold a tiny bird - if you think you are not applying much pressure, you are probably still wrong. Short, confident strokes work better than sweeping across the face. And that is it. At least for me.
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RocketMan
Gem Star
RazorAddict
Welcome To The Sharp Side!
Posts: 4,167
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Post by RocketMan on Oct 16, 2017 8:40:38 GMT -6
I want to disagree - just a little Robin. I agree that soap is argued to soften the hair in some way, yet there is some question regarding the permeability and absorption ability of a hair. Some claim it is to wash the oil coating off the hair that helps. Others, that the hair plumps up or swells, and then cuts better. There is nothing I have truly seen that suggests what really is going on. On the other hand, soaps with poor cushion and glide, and particularly those that breakdown and dry quickly, can make a shave a terrible experience. I feel those elements are indeed important. Have you tried using just hand soap or hair shampoo for a shave? I have at times, and the shaves are always unsatisfactory despite good prep and soaping of the stubble. If it was primarily the prep that softened the whiskers, then why is lather still critical for a proper second, third pass? Well, yes. Of course glide matters. As does lather that does not collapse. However, that was not the point I was trying to make. I took decent lather as a given. Once that is established, the ability of soaps to make a blade cut more easily is what separates good soaps from bad soaps. I spoke to a soap maker some time ago, having wondered why I got superior results from his products. He told me that his soap does indeed make the whiskers more brittle. Add to that a de-greasing pre-shave soap, and that may indeed be what sets his products apart. So, try using some gall soap to wash your face, the build lather on your face, and see if that makes a difference. If it does, find a less horrible replacement for the gall soap When it comes to the OCMM (or any other aggressive SE), there is something else I have noticed: If, when you start using them, you use them every day, it might be unbecoming to your skin. My explanation is that beginners tend to get the angle of the razor wrong (ie too steep) which causes that funny butter-on-toast sound, but also irritates your skin. Moreover, the OCMM's ability to deliver a very close shave motivates some people (yours truly included) to go for an even closer shave - which is the wrong approach. Last, at least for me, it takes some time for the skin to adapt to any type of new blade, whether it be DE, SE, or cut-throat. So: Map the beard first, and pick a suitable attack path first. Prepare the face as well as possible ( Avène Dermo K is a great product to be applied on the previous evening). Keep an eye on the blade angle at all times. Tighten the grip on the handle as if you were trying to hold a tiny bird - if you think you are not applying much pressure, you are probably still wrong. Short, confident strokes work better than sweeping across the face. And that is it. At least for me. Well I have to agree with all of that Robin. Your last paragraph wrap-up does a great job nailing it down. I also must agree and support your comments regarding how easy it can be to damage your skin by dragging a sharp blade across it. This is an important point and I sure have been there! That baby bottom smooth, BBS idea, had me scraping off lots of skin cells at times. And perhaps some of the worst with re sharpened wedge blades that were probably too dull and ragged. The Micromatic as you say can also be a real problem with applying any more than slight pressure. (I like your holding a bird idea) I have darn near cooked myself a few times with hot preshave towels before too! Then there are harsh soaps, all sorts. It has been a few years now, but I have come out of the bathroom looking like a smoothly shaved, weaper covered tomato at times!
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RobinK
Lather Catcher
Posts: 505
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Post by RobinK on Oct 16, 2017 10:37:13 GMT -6
Well I have to agree with all of that Robin. Your last paragraph wrap-up does a great job nailing it down. I also must agree and support your comments regarding how easy it can be to damage your skin by dragging a sharp blade across it. This is an important point and I sure have been there! That baby bottom smooth, BBS idea, had me scraping off lots of skin cells at times. And perhaps some of the worst with re sharpened wedge blades that were probably too dull and ragged. The Micromatic as you say can also be a real problem with applying any more than slight pressure. (I like your holding a bird idea) I have darn near cooked myself a few times with hot preshave towels before too! Then there are harsh soaps, all sorts. It has been a few years now, but I have come out of the bathroom looking like a smoothly shaved, weaper covered tomato at times! At the risk of sounding like a shill for a company whose owners I know, this is really all I use these days. Not in the picture is the regular soap, also by the same manufacturer. Pricey, yes, but these products have solved all of my problems, and they sell entire lines of one scent (shower soap, shaving soap, aftershave balm or splash, deodorant). I like things that work, and these products work for me. However(!), they may not work for anyone else (although all of my friends and cow-orkers love them) . Skin types are different, and what works for one man may not work for the next. Which is why I have grown wary of rave reviews... Oh, and for the record, the Pushbutton delivers the same close shaves for me as an OCMM, but without the aggressiveness. Again, mileages may vary, but for me, this is the best SE ever built. I wish my Streamline worked as well, because the Pushbuttons are ugly as sin.
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Post by wchnu on Oct 17, 2017 16:27:44 GMT -6
Well I have to agree with all of that Robin. Your last paragraph wrap-up does a great job nailing it down. I also must agree and support your comments regarding how easy it can be to damage your skin by dragging a sharp blade across it. This is an important point and I sure have been there! That baby bottom smooth, BBS idea, had me scraping off lots of skin cells at times. And perhaps some of the worst with re sharpened wedge blades that were probably too dull and ragged. The Micromatic as you say can also be a real problem with applying any more than slight pressure. (I like your holding a bird idea) I have darn near cooked myself a few times with hot preshave towels before too! Then there are harsh soaps, all sorts. It has been a few years now, but I have come out of the bathroom looking like a smoothly shaved, weaper covered tomato at times! At the risk of sounding like a shill for a company whose owners I know, this is really all I use these days. Not in the picture is the regular soap, also by the same manufacturer. Pricey, yes, but these products have solved all of my problems, and they sell entire lines of one scent (shower soap, shaving soap, aftershave balm or splash, deodorant). I like things that work, and these products work for me. However(!), they may not work for anyone else (although all of my friends and cow-orkers love them) . Skin types are different, and what works for one man may not work for the next. Which is why I have grown wary of rave reviews... Oh, and for the record, the Pushbutton delivers the same close shaves for me as an OCMM, but without the aggressiveness. Again, mileages may vary, but for me, this is the best SE ever built. I wish my Streamline worked as well, because the Pushbuttons are ugly as sin. Ugly but effective. I am ok with that.
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Z-2
Shave Master
Posts: 136
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Post by Z-2 on Oct 17, 2017 23:03:48 GMT -6
Little update : Today I got awesome shave with MMOC. I included little pulling on my skin, like shaving with unmentionable razor, it help me to get closest shave
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Post by Petrvs on Oct 18, 2017 1:37:45 GMT -6
Oh, and for the record, the Pushbutton delivers the same close shaves for me as an OCMM, but without the aggressiveness. Again, mileages may vary, but for me, this is the best SE ever built. I wish my Streamline worked as well, because the Pushbuttons are ugly as sin. The Pushbutton one of the few Gems I haven't tried yet. I always thought it to be more in line with a Featherweight than with a MM, that is why I never bothered to find one (I own several FWs).....but given your comments, I definitely need to get my hands on one soon. Talking about the soaps, I actually own only one hard soap from MT, which I love (the Strong n' Scottish), and I've had another one in the past, but ended up giving it away because it didn't work well for me, probably due to some essential oil reacting bad with my skin chemistry (the Himalayan Heights). I never tried their shaving creams, what are the differences with the hard soaps, if any, in your opinion?
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Post by GarnerPW on Oct 18, 2017 4:27:33 GMT -6
Little update : Today I got awesome shave with MMOC. I included little pulling on my skin, like shaving with straight razor, it help me to get closest shave It's great when it all comes together. Радвам се, че най-накрая работи за вас. Използвах Google Translate за това.
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Post by wchnu on Oct 18, 2017 7:40:53 GMT -6
Little update : Today I got awesome shave with MMOC. I included little pulling on my skin, like shaving with straight razorUNMENTIONABLE, it help me to get closest shave Skin stretching is great at times. (I fixed that post for you)
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Post by wchnu on Oct 18, 2017 7:41:45 GMT -6
Little update : Today I got awesome shave with MMOC. I included little pulling on my skin, like shaving with straight razor, it help me to get closest shave It's great when it all comes together. Радвам се, че най-накрая работи за вас. Използвах Google Translate за това. You love it when a plan comes together? You need a cigar for that one you know.
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