Steamy Bathrooms and Shaving Equipment Storage

Q: Geo, sorry to bug you on here but I have looked all over your blogs and watched the vids and can't find an answer to this one. Our bathroom is smaller and has no fan so it's pretty steamy in there during/right after a shower. Is this going to affect my straight razor or my DE blades? Should I not leave my strop hanging in there?

 A:  The best place to store your Straight Razors is in your sock drawer.... Away from the moisture that can easily accumulate in the bathroom (if you have no exhaust fan) and damage the finish on them. As far as the location of your Strops, I leave my strops in the bathroom (attached to a shelf) and have never had any problems with them.... You can apply some Strop Dressing to them to condition and protect them if you wish to keep them soft and pliable. As far as DE Blades, most are coated with teflon or some other protective finish that will keep them from rusting in the short term.

Is My Straight Razor Sharp Enough to Shave With?

Q: Geo, thanks for all the great videos. I recently bought a new Dovo 5/8 carbon blade straight razor and paid the extra to have it retailer honed. I was surprised to find it dull as it dragged across my face the first time I used it. It also failed the hair test when you drop a long hair over the blade to see if it will cut it. I read that super sharp blades can drag if too much pressure is applied or the wrong angle is used. But the fact it wouldn't snip a piece of hair dropped over the blade leads me to believe it's dull. Should I take it to get sharpened again or is there something about a new straight razor I don't know? Thank you. 

A: If it doesn't pass the HHT/Hanging Hair Test, it may not be sharp enough to easily remove whiskers from your face. I test my straight razors by shaving the hair from the inside of my forearm, not at the base of the hair where it meets the skin, but midway on the hair shaft. If it removes those hairs 1/2 way easily, then it should be shave ready for your face. 

Keep in mind that your beard/face prep must be spot-on as well because it's much easier to remove properly hydrated and lubricated whiskers than improperly prepared whiskers. 

I like owning a Feather replaceable blade Straight and Japanese style razor not only because they are excellent in design and shave provided, but also because of the fact that I use the Feather Professional Blade as a standard as which to judge the sharpness of my traditional style Straight razors. The Feather blades (right out of the blade dispenser) will remove the forearm hair at the midway point with no problem whatsoever. The ultimate test is always how it performs when you apply it to your face.

Edwin Jagger DE89811 Octagonal Chrome Safety Razor Edwin Jagger England Chrome Safety Razor Double Edge Octagonal DE89811 [ED/JAG/DE89811/OCT/CHROME/RAZOR] - $42.00 : Shave Nation - Shaving Supplies

Edwin Jagger DE89811 Octagonal Chrome Safety Razor Edwin Jagger England Chrome Safety Razor Double Edge Octagonal DE89811 [ED/JAG/DE89811/OCT/CHROME/RAZOR] - $42.00 : Shave Nation - Shaving Supplies

Q: Just wondering is there any difference between Derby, Shark, or Big Ben DE Safety Razor Blades?

A: Different safety razor blades will provide different shaving results for the individual using them. For that reason it's recommended that you try a blade sampler pack so that you can "Test Drive" various blades until you land on a blade that provides  a satisfactory shave for you.
Keep in mind that a blade that works well for someone else may not be the cat's meow for you,  and vice versa.
The blades you mentioned Derby, Shark, and Big Ben, are generally considered to be smooth and mild.
By the way, a good rule of thumb is this: You should be able to accomplish between 4 and 6 shaves with any one of those blades.
YMMV: Your mileage may vary based on your beard type, shave prep, and shaving technique.
Geo.

Q: Can you shave everyday with a straight razor or is it irritating?

A: Sure, you can shave everyday with a straight razor...
That's how they did it before safety razors were invented.
Think about it...
What will irritate your face more? Shaving with one super-sharp blade contacting your skin and slicing the whiskers off cleanly with no pulling or tugging, or dragging 3, 4, or 5 blades across your face, with some blades pulling the whiskers and the others following behind and cutting them?
2 strokes=10 Blades....3 strokes =15 blades being dragged across your face.....
It makes sense that the fewer blades which are coming in contact with your beard translates to less of a chance for irritation.
Plus, no cartridges to dump in the land fill.
Good for your face, good for the environment!
Geo.

Q: I have trouble shaving under my nose getting too close to my nose with the blade, any tips?

A:   Try pushing your nose up and to the left, shave that area, then push it up and to the right and shave that area from north to south.
 Start with the razor just under the nose and scoop downward toward the bottom of the upper lip.
Then turn the razor sideways and go across the grain both ways under the nose..
Flatten your upper lip as you shave across it.
Run the corner of the blade just under your nose without hitting the philtrum (attaches your nose to your lip) or nostril.
Basically any facial contortion or movement you can perform to get your nose out of the way of the razor so that you can shave under it will get the job done.
It also helps if you can look into a 5X magnification mirror as you are shaving the area under your nose. This will allow you to see the blade up close and personal as it navigates its way across that area.
Hope that helps...
Have A Great Shave Have A Great Day   
Geo.

I have a very prominent adams apple and always find it extremely difficult to shave the adams apple area of the neck without cutting myself. Any tips?

I salute your prominent Adam's Apple, you should be proud of it!
OK, Two effective ways to navigate the troublesome Adam's Apple while shaving.
First Method: Pull the skin over the apple to one side.... shave across that area and release. If need be,  pull the skin to the other side, shave across that area and release.
Second Method: Swallow, hold that pose long enough to shave across the area, then release and you're all good!
Try one method or perform them both! Your Adam's Apple will Thank you!
Geo.