What's your BBS?

[NurseDave]

We all know the common shave grades and we can translate most of Dave’s ultra-performance shave grades. My question is, when do you apply such a grade to your shave?

I feel I’m pretty hard on myself. After my last pass, I add a slash of water just to make things nice and slick. And then after running my hand over my face looking for obvious clean-up needs, I add pressure and skin stretching to really search out any little area that feels like 400 grit sandpaper to get rid of. That’s my routine most days I have a BBS

On days I don’t feel like pushing it, I’ll just softly run my hand over a slick face looking for the sandpaper feel, but won’t add pressure or stretch. I’ll still call this a BBS.

Then those days I don’t feel like clean-up, I’ll check with a slick face, but if I find some roughness I just leave it and call it a DFS. Then when all is said and done and I’m at work, I’ll notice everything is smooth and it feels like a BBS. But, per the cotton ball test I believe this would quality as a BBS. I think that’s rule 3.12.c (Chad can verify) under the Post-Shave Analysis section. After all, your face must be dry to do the cotton ball test in the first place.

What say you all? When do you score your shaves?

 

[Dagwoodz]

So generally, I don't grade my shave until an hour or so post shave. That's typically when I'm writing my journal post about it and can give a good assessment of how I did that morning. I will usually use circular motions with a little pressure to check for stubble I missed. If I'm not feeling anything an hour afterwards, I can generally give the BBS. It'll get a DS if I can take my microfiber cloth and not feel any resistance, and the (G) if the alum/aftershave feedback was extremely minimal to non-existent, and there is little to no redness. Automatic downgrade to DFS+ if blood is drawn outside of two areas...either corner of the mouth. Sometimes I can be a little liberal with my assessments, admittedly, but I try and stick to the above grading system.

 

[CVargo]

Well I used to always grade while applying my witch hazel. But after you started saying that you realized you were BBS after a dry down. I started paying more attention to that. I have never done a cottonball test.

 

[BarberDave]

Well you all understand.... well mostly..... my rating system. I am a card carry Dolphin chasing maniac. In my opinion if you're not going for BBS, then what is the point of wasting my time. I know that is extreme, but hey I used to jump our of completely good airplanes at 30,000 ft, LOL

I am not knocking the DFS, CCS or sub par shaves for anyone, as each shave is your own, but if it is not at least BBS my mood is shot for the day.

I use my rating system more for how my technique is from day to day, and how consistent I am with lather, edge, stroke and finish. so yes I am obsessed, LOL

Like Josh, I rate after about an hour or so to let the skin plumb back up, but I also rate it immediately after for kicks as well.

just my two cents

 

[Smattayu]

I usually check right after the cold water rinse, then again when my face is dry. I'm pretty hard on myself as well, and(having mapped my facial hair ages ago) check against the grain all over. If a hint of stubble is found, it is DFS or lower. If there is not a hint of stubble at all, it is BBS or higher. The ultimate for me is the HCBBSG(Heel-clicking grail-level BBS) in which the lather, scent, every stroke of the razor, and post shave come together beautifully in a symphony of whisker assassinating nirvana.

 

[Blade4vor]

I guess I'm just an underachiever. BBS from the jawline up maybe, but if I shave that close on my neck it leads to red bumps and ingrown hairs. I can get there without irritation during the shave, but the whiskers are coarse and grow almost parallel to the skin on my neck. They just start growing into my skin in about 4-6 hours. No post-shave treatment has been found to fix this issue for me.

 

[Majorrich]

I like to rate mine shortly after the shave, but visual inspection first to clean-up. Usually it depends on how well I cover my known trouble spots and the overall shave. My scale has been creeping up though so I challenge myself to improve. What used to be a BBS has been downgraded to a DFS and I really have to nail it hard to get to Grail. I can usually hit really smooth on the cheeks and most of my chin and neck, but the jawline and hollows of my neck get the most weight on scoring.

 

[SteveChuckFrank]

So generally, I don't grade my shave until an hour or so post shave.

I also wait a little bit after the shave to judge. Once everything has settled down,

In my opinion if you're not going for BBS, then what is the point of wasting my time.
just my two cents

This is also how I approach shaving. I've only gotten there a few times, but to me BBS is the ultimate goal I strive for. I want a clean shave, not very light stubble....but like Mick says, you can't always get what you want....

 

[Quijote]

I like to shoot for BBS, but I am still learning the straight, and don't chase it during the week when I am wielding one of those.

I usually feel my face after my last pass to see if I can feel any stragglers that need more attention, but the actual designation doesn't take place for about 30-60 minutes later.

 

[DocHoliday0831]

I usually grade the shave after all aftershaves have had a chance to dry down. Then SWMBO feels my face at some point in passing and either comments or not depending and grail shaves have only happened when she said "Wow that's smooth". All shaves can be downgraded at any point if areas of problems are noticed afterwards.

 

[NurseDave]

Then SWMBO feels my face at some point in passing and either comments or not depending and grail shaves have only happened when she said "Wow that's smooth".

Well that's a heck of a lot more important than any grade we can give!

 

[BrickHud]

I use a percentage rating system. 97%, 99%, etc. I make the judgment after I get dressed, which is 10 minutes or so after I shave. And I keep a journal.

You know that thing where guys use a cotton ball to see if any fibers catch? Are we sure fibers don't catch on an actual baby's butt?

 

[GearNoir]

I shoot for BBS every shave except for my Saturday, open blade only day (because I’m still learning SRs/shavettes), and consequently it’s the only day I don’t do DE cleanup as well.

I check a couple times - after the ATG pass and final warm water rinse, then after the “lather soak” pass and first cold water rise, before I apply the alum or AS.

I’ve found the the longer I’ve been traditional shaving (only 3 years) the more my stubble has begun to bug me.