The Shaving Cadre
Welcome to The Shaving Cadre, a forum dedicated to gentlemanly discourse about wet shaving and other topics of common interests. Membership is always free so register today and join in the fun
An Unexpected Journey: A Newbie's Walk In Wet Shaving
- Thread starter Blade-meister
- Start date
Yikes! No way. Here in the northeast, our mammoth fur keeps us warm until about May.
@Blade-meister I laughed at your last entry and realized that none of this is really that much of a laughing matter. But it makes me happy to see you in such great spirits! I know there is a good amount of apprehension and anxiety going on...but humor and laughter are medicine unto themselves...and I KNOW you will have a very quick recovery because of it!
I can send you some Barber Shears and Clippers if need be... Good Reads
Laughter certainly is good medicine! I have a monthly gathering of flintknappers to my house every month and one thing we do a lot of is laugh. Some guys come in after having a terrible week of work and leave feeling refreshed and energized. One of our brothers suffered from PTSD from his SOF work and our little group was able to really make a difference in his life and he in ours. We lost him to cancer last year, but he lives on each month as we laugh and recall things he said or did.
Yup, some anxiety which is natural. Doing sobering things like updating your will and funeral arrangements is not exactly fun but I do believe the right thing to do to take care of my loved ones. A week out, I'm actually starting to feel like I'm psyched up to tackle something big, like I'm prep'd for a mission that I just have to do and get home from.
KY Dave would take my man card if I even thought about waxing the mammoth hair
I bet you have a whole arsenal of clippers! I just sharpened the blades to my clippers a few months ago so I think they could do the job, although I just gave myself a hair cut this weekend and they did seem a little dull. Some day I'll have to break down and buy a real set of hair clippers. The big box store Whal clippers I have just don't have the longevity. I do get about 10 years out of a set of clippers though, so that's not bad. When these go, I'll save the blades and forge something out of them. No doubt they are high carbon steel.
Here's the finished swage block stand that a showed pictures of after just building it. I wanted to age it a bit so it matched all the other old tools in my blacksmith shop.
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Saturday was a 1 pass shave day. I had a lot to get done including giving myself a good hair cut to last long enough for me to recover from my surgery enough to stand and want to cut it. I was able to get a CCS with just one pass and looked presentable but I was not smooth.
Sunday was time for a proper 3 pass shave.
Today's Shave: Shave #145
Razor: Parker Variant - Graphite handle / Chinese knock-off of Feather Kamisori Style (Top Lip Only)
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: Eric's Lignum Vitae Hand Turned Brush Handle, 22 mm Boss Knot
Soap: WSP Black Vanille
Bowl: Red Salsa Bowl (plastic)
Pre Shave: Wash with soap in the shower . Rub raw soap on face from the puck.
Total Razor on Face Time: 9 minutes
Post Shave: Cold water rinse, Witch Hazel (Walmart Brand) face only, Cold rinse. WSP Black Vanille AS Balm to the face only. Mammoth Painting.
It really felt great to shave this morning after having some growth due to the 1 pass shave on Saturday. A great lather was worked up and I continue my 3.5 razor setting for all 3 passes. Beautiful shave and got BBS with little effort and some clean-up. The cold water shaving is definitely here to stay. KY Dave suggested it early on in my journey and I've had great success with it ever since. I've tried it with warm and hot water but it just doesn't seem to get me as close nor feel as good in the post shave. Now it just seems normal to shave with cold water and I can't imagine everything being warm or hot in the shaving department.
On the personal side........check out my pictures above this of my finished swage block stand. The vision I had in my head for the look of it exactly matches the results you see. That rarely happens when you make things, or at least for me. I usually come close, but I was going for the look of something you might see in a living history museum. Though my star topped screws give away that this thing isn't old, I don't care, it still has the look I wanted.
Tomorrow will mean there's only 7 days until my surgery. I'm quite ready for another adventure. I likely won't be posting anything for a few days after my surgery, but will try to let everyone know I'm still alive and mammoth painting.
Sunday was time for a proper 3 pass shave.
Today's Shave: Shave #145
Razor: Parker Variant - Graphite handle / Chinese knock-off of Feather Kamisori Style (Top Lip Only)
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: Eric's Lignum Vitae Hand Turned Brush Handle, 22 mm Boss Knot
Soap: WSP Black Vanille
Bowl: Red Salsa Bowl (plastic)
Pre Shave: Wash with soap in the shower . Rub raw soap on face from the puck.
Total Razor on Face Time: 9 minutes
Post Shave: Cold water rinse, Witch Hazel (Walmart Brand) face only, Cold rinse. WSP Black Vanille AS Balm to the face only. Mammoth Painting.
It really felt great to shave this morning after having some growth due to the 1 pass shave on Saturday. A great lather was worked up and I continue my 3.5 razor setting for all 3 passes. Beautiful shave and got BBS with little effort and some clean-up. The cold water shaving is definitely here to stay. KY Dave suggested it early on in my journey and I've had great success with it ever since. I've tried it with warm and hot water but it just doesn't seem to get me as close nor feel as good in the post shave. Now it just seems normal to shave with cold water and I can't imagine everything being warm or hot in the shaving department.
On the personal side........check out my pictures above this of my finished swage block stand. The vision I had in my head for the look of it exactly matches the results you see. That rarely happens when you make things, or at least for me. I usually come close, but I was going for the look of something you might see in a living history museum. Though my star topped screws give away that this thing isn't old, I don't care, it still has the look I wanted.
Tomorrow will mean there's only 7 days until my surgery. I'm quite ready for another adventure. I likely won't be posting anything for a few days after my surgery, but will try to let everyone know I'm still alive and mammoth painting.
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
I'd love to take credit but I looked back as I didn't remember and @HandleBarberDave recommended the cold water shave. 
I'd love to take credit but I looked back as I didn't remember and @HandleBarberDave recommended the cold water shave.
I got the Dave part right at least
Thanks for Sherlocking the old post. I couldn't remember about when it was. Thanks Chris! It's fun to look back at the pictures of it before and then after.
Yesterday's shave was so nice I decided to just hit the copy button today. I figure this is the last week for a while that I'll be able to enjoy shaving so it will be all about enjoyment.
Today's Shave: Shave #146
Razor: Parker Variant - Graphite handle / Chinese knock-off of Feather Kamisori Style (Top Lip Only)
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: Eric's Lignum Vitae Hand Turned Brush Handle, 22 mm Boss Knot
Soap: WSP Black Vanille
Bowl: Red Salsa Bowl (plastic)
Pre Shave: Wash with soap in the shower . Rub raw soap on face from the puck.
Total Razor on Face Time: 7 minutes
Post Shave: Cold water rinse, Witch Hazel (Walmart Brand) face only, Cold rinse. WSP Black Vanille AS Balm to the face only. Mammoth Painting.
I must admit, I had a little trouble getting a lather and had to go back for more product. After double dipping I got a great lather. I really had to take a deep breath and get in that zone for a relaxed shave. I find I want to deviate from my straight 3 pass shave and do clean-up as I go along, but this morning I fought that urge and was rewarded with a great feeling BBS shave. I'm finding when I take time to relax that everything works better. I swear my hair follicles relax as well
On the personal side.......a stressful week at work for sure as I prepare to leave for a good long while. Nobody will be doing my job while I'm out, but my boss will be handling emergencies that can't wait. It will be a challenge to clean things up without leaving anything hanging for a return phone call or a letter that will generate a call or anything like that. No doubt the week will go fast.
Today's Shave: Shave #146
Razor: Parker Variant - Graphite handle / Chinese knock-off of Feather Kamisori Style (Top Lip Only)
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: Eric's Lignum Vitae Hand Turned Brush Handle, 22 mm Boss Knot
Soap: WSP Black Vanille
Bowl: Red Salsa Bowl (plastic)
Pre Shave: Wash with soap in the shower . Rub raw soap on face from the puck.
Total Razor on Face Time: 7 minutes
Post Shave: Cold water rinse, Witch Hazel (Walmart Brand) face only, Cold rinse. WSP Black Vanille AS Balm to the face only. Mammoth Painting.
I must admit, I had a little trouble getting a lather and had to go back for more product. After double dipping I got a great lather. I really had to take a deep breath and get in that zone for a relaxed shave. I find I want to deviate from my straight 3 pass shave and do clean-up as I go along, but this morning I fought that urge and was rewarded with a great feeling BBS shave. I'm finding when I take time to relax that everything works better. I swear my hair follicles relax as well
On the personal side.......a stressful week at work for sure as I prepare to leave for a good long while. Nobody will be doing my job while I'm out, but my boss will be handling emergencies that can't wait. It will be a challenge to clean things up without leaving anything hanging for a return phone call or a letter that will generate a call or anything like that. No doubt the week will go fast.
Another great shave! Those last days before leaving a while are always the busiest!
They sure are!
Awww come on. Posting on pain pills will be fun!
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Could lead to a mammoth painting video and our regrets
No sense of adventure
The plan is for me to be on nothing stronger than Tylenol so it would be a pretty boring video. There are two things you can't get in NY.......pain meds and antibiotics.
Another nice shave, as far as the WSP soap, or any for that matter, bloom soap with a tablespoon of water, start off with a drier brush, load like you stole it, and add drips of water as needed to get your latherpalooza on bowl or face will work on both
I had my hip done in Amhurst. They didn't have any issues giving me pain meds. I'm normally too stupid to take them, but they do help at night trying to go to sleep. You do lay on your hip after all, and they will have just done a lot in there. Moderation and as really needed for sure, but don't not use them at all just for the sake of being bull headed. You know me well enough I'm just like you are (sans the mammoth hair and one finger
), bull headed and high pain tolerance, but trust me, you'll want a couple here and there the first few days to a week. Don't kill yourself, just suck it up and use a few. I need a striker this summer you know. 