Wet shaving with a straight razor

Based on interest in the wet shaving thread, I figure there probably will be some interest specifically in shaving with a straight razor.

So here is the basic equipment required:



Razor - hollow ground straight razor (there are other styles, but this kind seems most common)



Brush - for applying the soap lather (most commonly made of synthetic, boar or badger hair, with several grades of badger available)



Soap - simple soap will do, but it's nice to have one that is round and fits inside a shaving mug (other options to soap are available)



Strop - to touch up the blade before and after each shave (the one in the picture is two sided, cloth to clean and warm up the blade, and leather to restore the edge)




Face towel - to prep your face and warm it up prior to shaving, I also use it to place and protect the equipment, especially the razor

 

Preparation for shaving

Step 1 - prepare the brush, by soaking it in hot tap water. This softens the bristles, and warms them up so that you will get a better lather


Step 2 - while the brush is soaking, I put a hot, wet face towel on my face. This opens up the pores, softens the facial hair (usually I repeat this once more just before lathering up)


Step 3 - warm-up and clean the razor blade on the cloth side of the strop - up and down counts for one stroke, I do at least 20 strokes (specific instructions will be in the next post)


Step 4 - strop the razor blade - 60 strokes minimum on the leather side of the strop (this touches up the blade, specifics in the following post)


Step 5 - shake off excess water from the brush, and lather up (quite a lame lather, I should get a better picture than that)



Step 6 - shave! (more info in the following posts)


Step 7 - rinse with cold water (close up the pores, reduce the amount of blood loss, hehehe, it is usually not that bad)

Step 8 - clean the razor with water, then gently wipe off on a towel, then strop 20x on cloth side, and 20x on the leather side

Step 9 - clean the brush with luke warm water, shake off excess, dry off gently with a towel, hang on a stand

 

Reserved 2

Shaving technique will be here

 

Reserved 3

Touching up the blade will be here

 

Reserved 4

Sharpening the razor will be here