I finally understood why my old mentor insisted on using a hot towel before every straight razor shave

A regular at my chair yesterday, a retired barber from Chicago, told me he still uses the method because it softens the hair follicle, not just the surface. He said it makes the blade glide for a full 30 seconds longer on each pass. Anyone else have a specific prep step that seems small but makes a huge difference?

4 comments

4 Comments

shane_park921mo ago

Huh... have you tried a hot towel soak yourself yet?

the_olivia3mo ago

Guess my beard is too tough for that trick.

hugos463mo ago

Okay but "too tough" is a total cop out. I mean, beards are just hair, they're not made of steel wire. The trick probably just needs the right product or a different way of doing it. Maybe you haven't found the right hold yet, or you're not using enough of it. It's not that your beard is magically tougher, it's that you haven't cracked the code for your particular hair type. Giving up that easy is how you end up never figuring it out.

christopherw343mo ago

Ever notice how this is the same energy as telling someone their headache isn't real?