Ask Aaron Q&A: Stropping a straight or open razor
“Hello Arron, I have just purchased a straight razor and I have been very CAREFUL in using it. When I strop the blade, how long will it be before it gets sharp? I have stropped 40 times. I kept the blade flat and delicate when using it but I do not seem to get the shave I want. I did get A TINY bit of razor burn but no nicks,” asks Maxx Buczynski, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Buczynski,
Straight Razor shaving is the ultimate in wet shaving and highly regarded. It also takes the most time to master out of all the options out there. Since you just started I say give it some time. Most of the experts agree that it takes weeks, as in eight to ten weeks, for someone to learn to start shaving well with a straight razor. I think that with practice you will begin to see your technique improve and the shaves that you want start appearing.
If at that time things still are not going to plan, here are a couple of things that I would evaluate. It might be that in your learning process the edge has been accidentally dulled despite your best efforts. That’s okay, it happens to every learning straight shaver. Send it to be honed by a reputable person, this will do wonders for your blade. Also make sure you have a good quality strop, this can make also a big difference in the edge you are putting on your blade.
Kudos to you for taking the plunge into straight razor shaving! I highly recommend you join a wet shaving forum and begin to ask questions and participate there. You will learn great amounts of information from the gentlemen there and by experimenting with your own shaves. I wish you all the best!
Smooth Shaving!
Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: Is it okay to mix and match different shaving products?
“Dear Aaron, Is it okay to mix and match different shaving products?” asks Glenn Bullough, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Bullough, Thank you for your question! This is a good question, and it is perfectly fine to mix different brands and kinds of shaving products. If you wanted to use all the same brand that is a great option as well. I know many men (including yours truly!) that both use a single product range for one shave and for the next shave will use a conglomeration of different products.
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: How long or how many shaves will I get with a double edge razor blade?
“How long or how many shaves will I get with a double edge razor blade?” asks John Francisco, from the US.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Fancisco, Well, this is may not be the answer you were looking for, but we’ll give it a shot! The general consensus is that you should be able to get three to five days per blade (or cartridge head for that matter). However, this depends greatly upon your home environment and how much humidity is in the air, how coarse or fine your hair is, the type of coating on the blade, and many more other factors. There are also many products out on the market that claim to extend blade life, most do NOT live up to the hype, but a few do actually work. All this to say I really can’t tell you exactly how long your double edge blade will last but 3-5 days is the average for most people. Smooth shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: Should you ever have a days rest from shaving to give the skin time to recover?
“Should you ever have a days rest from shaving to give the skin time to recover, from being over shaved?” asks David Parker, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Parker, Thank you for your question! In short, yes! If your skin is burned and irritated from an overly aggressive or bad shave experience I certainly recommend giving it time to rest, regenerate and heal. I don’t think it’s necessary to rest the skin if you are not experiencing problems, but certainly do give it some time to rest if you are experiencing discomfort.
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: Any tips you could give about shaving the neck and lower neck area?
“Aaron, Any tips you could give be about shaving the neck and lower neck area? Even after plenty of wetting and preparation, I still get cut. I use Proraso pre and Proraso shaving cream. I use feather blades,a Merkur 38C Barberpole and a Simpsons Chubby shaving brush,” asks David Robin, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Robin, The next toughest area for men to shave after the mustache area is the lower neck and Adam’s Apple area. Since you have good products and a good preparation routine (because good prep is KEY!) try a couple of the following things. Pay special attention to your blade angle, try locking you wrist and moving you arm from the elbow or shoulder. If you aren’t sure of the direction of hair growth, let the hair down in this area grow out for a couple of days. (Over the weekend is great if you don’t work weekends.) Hair growth patterns can change drastically in a short area and going against the grain at the wrong time can cause cuts and skipping. Also try stretching the skin to shift the skin into a flatter surface area.
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 a razor/blade/cream combo that is geared for leg shaving?
“While I realize all of the virtues of wet shaving my wife has know taken an interest and began experimenting with my kit. Can you recommend a razor/blade combo and cream that she can use that may be more geared for leg shaving?” asks Everett Petronick, from the USA.
AARON SAYS
“Mr Petronick, You are a very lucky man having your wife come on board with you! Many of the products are the same but she might enjoy a floral or rose scented shaving cream to use. A product I do think would be an advantage to your wife would be a long handled safety razor such as the “barberpole” Merkur 38c and 23c razors, the Parker 52 and 96 models, and the vintage Lady Gillette which can be found in second hand shops, and online auction sites sometimes in “New Old Stock or NOS” condition. May you and your wife enjoy,
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: My shaving brush has stopped producing a great lather - Any suggestions?
“Dear Aaron, Please help me. I have two fine badger shaving brushes (one is from Shavemac). They were excellent. A few months ago no lather at all. The only different thing I started doing was to clean them with very hot water. One time I used a kind of borax powder to clean them. What might have happened? I have tried all the best shaving with them. After a very poor lather, the second time the lather simply vanishes away. Is there a way of correcting this sitruation?” asks J Alcantara, from Brazil.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Alcantara
I am sorry to hear you are having trouble with your brushes! My philosophy in brush care is to treat your badger brush the same as you would treat your own hair. Assuming you’ve not moved into an area with hard water, changed products, or technique my guess is that the borax treatment and extremely hot water has damaged the hair. However I think you can do some things to rescue your brushes. Wash them with shampoo, just as you would your own hair. Next use some good quality strengthening hair conditioner. Be sure to work the conditioner into the hairs of the brush well and leave the brush to set for a few minutes before rinsing it out. You might have to repeat this process a few times, but hopefully this will help to restore your brushes back to their normal performance!
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: Do you have any tips on how to get as close a shave as possible?
“Do you have any tips on how to get as close a shave as possible?” asks Simon Buckland.
AARON SAYS:
“Use quality products that give a smooth, slick shave. If you have not already done so switch to using a safety razor. A safety razor allows you to control the angle of the blade giving you as close a shave as you want. Shave in three passes; first going with the direction of hair growth, the next going across, and the last going against the direction of hair growth. This will give you the closest shave for an incredibly smooth feeling.”
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: What is the ideal shaving routine?
“Can you describe the ideal shaving routine, detailing what products to use and how to use them?” asks James Merchant.
AARON SAYS:
“The ideals shave can be boiled down to three simple steps: Prepare. Shave. Protect. To Prepare: take a shower, then wash with a mild face wash or scrub; preferably one for men or for your skin type. To Shave: lather up using a good quality shaving cream such as the Bluebeard’s Revenge, or another fine shaving cream preferably with a brush. A good quality razor with good sharp blade, whether a safety razor or cartridge razor, is ideal to shave with. Shave first in the direction of hair growth, then across, then against. To Protect: rinse all the remaining cream off the face, then rinse with cold water, closing the pores. Then apply a good quality post-shave balm, skin food, or toner to refresh and hydrate the skin.”
Do you have any burning questions you would like ask our wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger? CLICK HERE TO ASK AARON YOUR QUESTION
Ask the Shaving Expert: Aaron Wolfenbarger
Do you have any burning questions you would like ask our wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger?
Called a modern Renaissance Man by many, Aaron has many interests including music, science, theology, his family, camping, backpacking, style, grooming, and of course wet-shaving. His love of wet shaving began as a teenager when he was gifted a brush, mug, and soap set for his birthday. He can be found on many online wet-shaving and men’s forums and on Twitter as @KiltedShaver.
Aaron is here to answer your questions, which might include:
How do you get rid of shaving rash?
What are the pros and cons of blade shaving?
What should I look for in choosing a razor?
Which is the best shaving direction - with the hair growth or against it?
What are razor bumps?
How many times can I use one blade?
How to not cut yourself while shaving
How to stop bleeding from shaving nicks
Will shaving daily make my hair grow thicker?
Please note that we can’t guarantee that all questions will be answered. Questions that are answered will be published on this blog in the ‘Ask Aaaron Q & A’ section, so please bookmark this page.
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