msandoval858
03-24-2008, 12:06 AM
So this is a bit overdue now. This keeps creeping up on various threads both here and other forums that discuss Method Shaving. I've been very fortunate to get a chance to test many of the new creations that Charles puts together in his neverending quest to better his Hydrolast products. The latest development efforts have been in the pastes. What began as "super paste" a highly buffered variant of the original paste using clay agents paved the way to a multi tiered system of pastes that are designed to meet the specific needs of what the shaver wants in his wet mix.
Why? We all use different razors and different blades... straights, DE's, Feathers, Derby, etc. Making a one size fits all cutting formula is never going to be realistic. When you look at reviews of traditional soaps and creams you see a huge variation... one soap works well for me, but not for someone else, and vice versa. The same goes for Method Shaving as well. Charles has devoted a tremendous amount of time and effort in to achieving the truly "customized shave" experience for his clients.
This will without a doubt continue to be an ongoing process. Those of you who have spent any amount of time talking with Charles knows that he is always trying new things.
These are what I consider the three basic varients of pastes that I have been personally cutting for the past two months. I have standarized to one primer and am sticking to what I learned to Method Shave with, the cube. Many have used these with some of the rounds and had outstanding results. My samples have all been pure unscented however, I'm sure EO can be added to any of them just like any other paste Charles has offered in the past. I personally like my pastes unscented and leave all the aromatic qualities to my tonic and conditioner.
#1 White:
The main characteristic of this paste is I find it to be richer in density and much "slower" than the other two pastes. It is buffered with a white clay agent that makes the mix building process very easy on the brush. I've actually been able to build good quality mixes using brushes not normally considered optimal for Method. By "slower" I am talking about it's slickness and stability. The mix forms nice and thick, very much more cream like than the runny product most are used to with the paste/cube combo. Because it is stable and doesn't fall off your face so fast, it is ideal for cutting with a straight razor in my opinion. A local barber here in Austin has started doing all her client shaves using this paste and has had tremendous success with its performance. For those super close finishes using the blade buff, j-hook, etc. I find that a finish product like cutting balm is still needed.
#2 Pink:
This one is without a doubt the most well rounded paste for majority of DE shavers. Those who are very proficient with the straight and are comfortable cutting on something super slick would also benefit greatly. This paste more demanding on the water capacity of the brush so we're back to where we have been before, large fan shape brushes such as the Shavemasters are best suited. With the DE/Feather combo, the blade glides beautifully and the skin is well protected.
#3 Red:
This one is an entirely different animal. Charles often uses it as a blender for adjusting the prior to pastes to meet a certain persons preference. When using this one straight, the properties of the clay component will absorb water very rapidly. It is extremely demanding the brush to get a good wet mix created otherwise the mix will gum up and the brush will look like it's running dry. I found that I had to use this a few times to get the hang of it. Keep in mind I only use the cube, so I'm not sure what would be different with another primer. When you do get the mix right, you get the most hyper slick cutting mix I've ever used. Using a straight with this would be a bit difficult because the slickness is abnormally high both on your face and hands if you are not careful, and the mix is not as stable as the white produces. I think that most people would have too much difficulty getting the mix correct in the brush. I have the large V200 Shavemaster which holds an insane amount of water and I wouldn't consider using anything else.
So what is the "tiering" thing all about? Basicly what Charles calls a tiered paste is a combination of the above blended to give you the result you are looking for. I have been using a two tiered white/pink mix for my straight shaves that has been outstanding. To me this is a great find as I can keep a couple of different pastes around for those mornings I'm in a hurry and want to blast away my beard with a Feather or when I want to enjoy a long luxurious straight shave.
Hopefully some of the other Method guys who have had a chance to try some of these new pastes will chime in with their experiences.
Why? We all use different razors and different blades... straights, DE's, Feathers, Derby, etc. Making a one size fits all cutting formula is never going to be realistic. When you look at reviews of traditional soaps and creams you see a huge variation... one soap works well for me, but not for someone else, and vice versa. The same goes for Method Shaving as well. Charles has devoted a tremendous amount of time and effort in to achieving the truly "customized shave" experience for his clients.
This will without a doubt continue to be an ongoing process. Those of you who have spent any amount of time talking with Charles knows that he is always trying new things.
These are what I consider the three basic varients of pastes that I have been personally cutting for the past two months. I have standarized to one primer and am sticking to what I learned to Method Shave with, the cube. Many have used these with some of the rounds and had outstanding results. My samples have all been pure unscented however, I'm sure EO can be added to any of them just like any other paste Charles has offered in the past. I personally like my pastes unscented and leave all the aromatic qualities to my tonic and conditioner.
#1 White:
The main characteristic of this paste is I find it to be richer in density and much "slower" than the other two pastes. It is buffered with a white clay agent that makes the mix building process very easy on the brush. I've actually been able to build good quality mixes using brushes not normally considered optimal for Method. By "slower" I am talking about it's slickness and stability. The mix forms nice and thick, very much more cream like than the runny product most are used to with the paste/cube combo. Because it is stable and doesn't fall off your face so fast, it is ideal for cutting with a straight razor in my opinion. A local barber here in Austin has started doing all her client shaves using this paste and has had tremendous success with its performance. For those super close finishes using the blade buff, j-hook, etc. I find that a finish product like cutting balm is still needed.
#2 Pink:
This one is without a doubt the most well rounded paste for majority of DE shavers. Those who are very proficient with the straight and are comfortable cutting on something super slick would also benefit greatly. This paste more demanding on the water capacity of the brush so we're back to where we have been before, large fan shape brushes such as the Shavemasters are best suited. With the DE/Feather combo, the blade glides beautifully and the skin is well protected.
#3 Red:
This one is an entirely different animal. Charles often uses it as a blender for adjusting the prior to pastes to meet a certain persons preference. When using this one straight, the properties of the clay component will absorb water very rapidly. It is extremely demanding the brush to get a good wet mix created otherwise the mix will gum up and the brush will look like it's running dry. I found that I had to use this a few times to get the hang of it. Keep in mind I only use the cube, so I'm not sure what would be different with another primer. When you do get the mix right, you get the most hyper slick cutting mix I've ever used. Using a straight with this would be a bit difficult because the slickness is abnormally high both on your face and hands if you are not careful, and the mix is not as stable as the white produces. I think that most people would have too much difficulty getting the mix correct in the brush. I have the large V200 Shavemaster which holds an insane amount of water and I wouldn't consider using anything else.
So what is the "tiering" thing all about? Basicly what Charles calls a tiered paste is a combination of the above blended to give you the result you are looking for. I have been using a two tiered white/pink mix for my straight shaves that has been outstanding. To me this is a great find as I can keep a couple of different pastes around for those mornings I'm in a hurry and want to blast away my beard with a Feather or when I want to enjoy a long luxurious straight shave.
Hopefully some of the other Method guys who have had a chance to try some of these new pastes will chime in with their experiences.