Ask Aaron Q/A: Is a boar hair brush stiffer than a badger hair brush?
John Box, from the USA, asks:
“Is a boar hair brush stiffer than a badger hair brush?”
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Box,
Yes, you are correct a boar hair brush can be stiffer than a badger hair brush. The boar hair is quite typically larger in diameter than badger hair and this will most often lead to a stiffer brush. However very good quality boar brushes can often be almost if not as soft as a badger. Some other things that can effect stiffness if a brush is knot density (how tighty packed the hair is) and the loft or height of the hair from the top of the handle to the tips of the hair. Those can have significant influence on how the brush feels on your face as well as the type of hair. Whatever the choice, I hope you find a great brush!
Smooth shaving!
Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q/A: Shaving under the nose
Steven Kirk, from the UK, asks:
“I have recently converted to de shaving. Having purchased a Merkur Futur I have been delighted with the results. However I am struggling to shave around the nostrils. Please do you have any suggestions for technique, or a smaller razor for this purpose?”
AARON SAYS
“Mr Kirk,
Congratulations! You have purchased a great razor to use on your DE shaving adventure. It is a big razor, for which it has received some complaints, but I think the benefits definitely outweigh the disadvantages. Try pushing your nose out of the way as much as possible. Also, you might want to try shaving at a 90 degree angle to your lips (r to think of it another way, with the blade in line with your nose) and shave toward your ears. If you decide that it’s too much trouble and want to try a smaller razor for just that area, I recommend the Parker 97R, the Goodfella razor, or the Bluebeard’s Scimitar, or if you can find one a mustache razor. They all have slim profiles which would be good for shaving right under the nose.
Smooth shaving!
Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q/A: Preventing razor burn & razor bumps
Matt Herridge, from the UK, asks:
“Hi there, I’ve recently started shaving with a DE razor, I always get a very good close shave with no irritation, nicks or cuts even after shaving against the grain which I often have to do as I am in the British army, until the day after, that’s when I wake up with red bumps and very tender feeling skin especially under and on the front of my chin and my neck. My cheeks and top lip stay fine, any help would be greatly appreciated.”
AARON SAYS
“Mr Herridge,
It sounds as if you’re getting some razor burn and bumps. I would suggest paying very close attention to your razor angle, and making sure it’s not too shallow on your face. Also, try some stretching techniques to flatten and smooth those areas. This should greatly help! Also, use a nice soothing aftershave balm to help calm the areas, and a lotion or moisturizer before bed.
Smooth shaving!
Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q/A: The best creams & shaving methods for men with facial psoriasis
Simon Knight, from the UK, asks:
“Hi, What is the best shaving cream and method to use when shaving, whilst suffering from facial psoriasis?”
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Knight,
I would use a shaving cream that is very protective, and moisturizing. The creams I would suggest would be Bluebeard’s Revenge and Coates. They both have amazing protective qualities and have great moisturizing qualities as well. I would also suggest you use some good moisturizing after shave balm that is especially designed for those with sensitive skin. Proraso products and the Bluebeard’s Revenge would be good products to try for a balm.
Smooth Shaving!
Aaron”
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The Benefits of a Sunday Shave
We live in stressful times. Between the rising costs of everything from gas to groceries to health insurance and the unstable economy leading to more job loss than ever before, most people are suffering the ill effects of stress with very few healthy outlets for it. Yet, for men, there is a healthy, relaxing option to release the stress of the week. It is a ritual that many men have forgotten in the hectic pace of today’s world – the Sunday shave.
While a comparison could be made to the typical “spa day” for women in that they are both relaxing personal care activities, the atmosphere of the barber shop is a far cry from the spa. It is more a place of camaraderie between men, filled with scents of shaving lather and old leather.
There is something almost homey about the place as you walk in. When your barber greets you, it feels like being welcomed into an old friend’s home. As he ushers you towards your chair, you are already starting to feel stress melt away.
Once in the chair, the magic begins. After placing a towel around your neck to protect the collar of your shirt, your barber then presses a warm, steaming towel against your face to soften your whiskers for shaving. Yet, it also seems to soften the hard edges of your stress as well as you inhale the steam and feel its warmth spread along the lines of your jaw and cheekbones.
As the towel is removed, you can feel the cooler air brush along your skin just before you are once again encapsulated in warmth from the hot foam that the barber meticulously spreads over your cheeks and jaw. The scent of the shaving cream permeates the air with a smell that reminds you of your father and grandfather, an unidentifiable smell that just says “man.” After the application of the foam, the barber pulls out his straight razor, the super sharp edge gleaming in the light.
The barber draws the blade against your skin in smooth, swift strokes, each rasping away the hair with a whisper of sound. Yet, it is not only the hair that those blade strokes remove. With each hiss of the blade against your skin, the stress of your life seems to be removed as well. In such a relaxed atmosphere, it is easy to lose track of time. The barber seems to be shaving you for an eternity, yet in reality, he works swiftly and cleanly while paying attention to every nook and cranny of your face. He even removes the fuzz from your earlobe.
After the shave is complete, the barber runs a warm towel over your skin to remove any excess shaving cream, then applies aftershave to your freshly-shaven skin. The scent and sting against your raw skin energizes you and jerks you from the relaxing stupor that the act of shaving had placed you in, similar to diving into n chilly pool after lounging in a hot tub for hours. You walk out of the shop energized and without stress, ready to face the challenges of your life with a refreshed sense of self.
Ask Aaron Q/A: How to sharpen a straight razor for shaving
Philippa Lynch, from the UK, asks:
“Hi, Aaron, I bought a straight razor and a strop for my husband for Christmas - it is now clear that he needs more bits in order to sharpen the blade etc. Can you give me a list of essentials that I should have got then and could get now? Many thanks, Philippa”
AARON SAYS
“Mrs. Lynch,
A shaving guru I may be, but you have found my weakness. Straight razor sharpening is not something I am full of knowledge on, but I will assist you and give you as much as I know. You mentioned bits and I do not recommend any type of hand held mechanical tool bit for sharpening a straight razor. This is too dangerous and can cause damage to you or the blade or your equipment. You husband will need two, possible three stones, plus a paddle and strop. The stones should be sharpening stones anyhwere from 8 to 12k grit, even as high as 15. A natural coticule will work as well for the last step. The paddle should be covered in canvas and the canvas should have CrOx (Chromium Oxide) impregnated into the canvas.
If this seems like too much of an investment, I highly recommend seeking out a barber or someone known for the razor honing skills to do the work for you. A good razor shouldn’t need but honing perhaps once a quarter. I hope this helps on recommendations for what your husband needs! Feel free to get back in touch with us if you need any more help!
Smooth Shaving!
Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q/A: How to avoid white-heads & bumps
Jamie Hare, from the UK, asks:
“Hi Aaron, Thank you for this opportunity. Occasionally, I tend to get small white-heads/white bumps on the area below my nostrils/above my top lip. Do you know how to avoid this?”
AARON SAYS
“There are a number of things that could be causing the irritation and bumps you describe. I wouldn’t want to directly diagnose exactly what is going on, but let me offer some tips to help and alleviate the issue. Make sure that when you are finished shaving you clean this area well, rinsing with warm water first, then cold water. If you are shaving with a Safety Razor watch the angle of the blade, making sure it’s close to a 30 degree angle. If you are not shaving with a safety razor, I recommend switching over; the cartridge may be causing the irritation. In reducing the hair go with the direction of growth only, but if that is not close enough go across after that. See if these things help to alleviate the bumps and feel free to contact us again if you need more help!
Smooth Shaving!
Aaron ”
Do you have any burning questions you would like ask our wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger? CLICK HERE TO ASK AARON YOUR QUESTION
Ask Aaron Q/A: Can you recommend me a fragrance free shaving cream?
Charlotte Tipping, from the UK, asks:
“Hiya, My fiance has asked for a shaving brush and cream as a gift. He asked for a fragrance free cream, and I was just wondering if you could recommend one as there are so many to choose from!”
AARON SAYS
“Ms Tipping, kudos to you for wanting to give this gift to your fiance! I think you’ll both be very pleased with the difference! These following products will probably have a clean, soapy smell to them but will have no-added fragrance. For fragrance free products try The Bluebeard’s Revenge; Taylor of Old Bond Street Sensitive skin and Jermyn Street formulas; The Art of Shaving unscented cream. These are just a few of the creams manufactured for sensitive that I think you both will be very happy with!
Smooth Shaving!
Aaron ”
Do you have any burning questions you would like ask our wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger? CLICK HERE TO ASK AARON YOUR QUESTION
US man shaves beard after waiting 10 years for Osama bin Laden’s capture or death
An American high school teacher, who grew his beard for nearly ten years, has finally shaved it off following the death of Osama bin Laden.
Gary Weddle, 50, made a vow on 11 September 2001 to stay unshaven until Osama, the Al Qaeda leader, was captured or killed.
He grew the beard to remind his pupils of America’s most deadly terror attack.
Weddle, of East Wenatchee, Washington, was working in the garden on Sunday when a work colleague phoned to tell him that bin Laden, dubbed the “world’s most wanted terrorist”, had been killed by American soldiers in Pakistan.
On hearing the news, Weddle reached for his razor and scissors, with the momentous occasion witnessed by his delighted and relieved wife and close friends.
“I spent my first five minutes crying and then I couldn’t get it off fast enough,” Gary told The Daily Astorian newspaper.
The infamous al-Qaeda terrorist attack occurred on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington on September 11, 2001, killing around 3,000 people.
I wonder what razor he used?
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