i like soaps. proraso is a good summer soap. it has a bit of menthol that feels good on the rinse stage. this is glycerin based and very wallet friendly. it is the soap i started with and i hae a spot in my heart for it always.
I like Proraso as well. I will alternate my lubricant, and I do like the way the Proraso makes my face feel while shaving, love that menthol fresh feel.
Excellent advice about not learning on a slant, I forgot to mention that. Heck, I learned on a Gillette Super Speed and still tore my face and neck up, with a slant I probably would have severed my jugular.
As for the blades, you raise a good point as to why different people prefer different blades. Feather blades are definitely sharper so they would be ideal for a thicker whisker, my facial hair is relatively soft and not very thick, so Derby suits me perfectly.
Joe, you've got a PM. So do you Kuzi. Also what did you guys think about that PDF file I linked to in my previous post?
I have a few questions about razors that I'm not sure about...
Do all of the 'classic' DE-style razors use the same blades, or do you need blades specific for that model or head design?
I plan on getting a blade sampler pack from Derby and Feather, and an economy pack of basic Derby blades, but I'm not sure which one to get for that, any suggestions?
The only 'classic' style razor I have right now is a "College Safety Razor", and it's a single-edge design with an open-comb. It's a two-piece head design and as a whole is fairly light, with a short handle. I don't know where I'd get blades for it though, so I can't really use it. Here's a picture of it, and the blades and set:
Razor w/o Blade:
Razor w/Blade:
Razor disassembled:
Complete Set:
Where would I get blades for this type of razor head? Are they still available?
Will any straight-edged single-blade razor like that work? Such as a Stanley? The used blades in the blade keeper that is in the box seem a lot heavier-gauge steel than those type of razor blades...
After spending some time here, I buy a humidor and cigars to go in humidor. I spend more time here, and end up buying more cigars than humidor can fit. So, I buy a bigger humidor. I spend more time here, and I have room, so I buy more cigars.
Then, I stumble upon this thread, and after doing some research, I'm about to spend more money!!!
If anyone has a list of excuses or justifications they have used successfully on their wife, please share.
After spending some time here, I buy a humidor and cigars to go in humidor. I spend more time here, and end up buying more cigars than humidor can fit. So, I buy a bigger humidor. I spend more time here, and I have room, so I buy more cigars.
Then, I stumble upon this thread, and after doing some research, I'm about to spend more money!!!
If anyone has a list of excuses or justifications they have used successfully on their wife, please share.
I'm not married, so I can't give you an excuse, but if it were me I'd go about it a little something like this:
Wife: Honey, did you buy more cigars?
Me: Nope, bought a sweet DE razor, a brush, blades and soap.
Wife: Do you really need all of that?
Me: Do you really need all those shoes?
And you can see why I'd spend a lot of time on the couch.
After spending some time here, I buy a humidor and cigars to go in humidor. I spend more time here, and end up buying more cigars than humidor can fit. So, I buy a bigger humidor. I spend more time here, and I have room, so I buy more cigars.
Then, I stumble upon this thread, and after doing some research, I'm about to spend more money!!!
If anyone has a list of excuses or justifications they have used successfully on their wife, please share.
I'm not married, so I can't give you an excuse, but if it were me I'd go about it a little something like this:
Wife: Honey, did you buy more cigars?
Me: Nope, bought a sweet DE razor, a brush, blades and soap.
Wife: Do you really need all of that?
Me: Do you really need all those shoes?
And you can see why I'd spend a lot of time on the couch.
LMAO. I showed her an article boasting about the manliness of using a lavendar scented cream. She said it's worth it to see me use it. LOL. I just need to make up my mind on which razor I want to get.
If anyone has a list of excuses or justifications they have used successfully on their wife, please share.
for shaving? thats way easier than cigars. the blades, soap, aftershaves, etc... are all cheaper in the long run than modern shaving. last time i spent any money on shaving was $25 about 8 months ago for 50 blades that i use at a rate of one blade every 9 or so days. plus, when you get good at wet shaving, you will be smoother, softer, and better smelling than ever before.
my wife refuses to let me go back to the canned goo and shave "systems"
If anyone has a list of excuses or justifications they have used successfully on their wife, please share.
for shaving? thats way easier than cigars. the blades, soap, aftershaves, etc... are all cheaper in the long run than modern shaving. last time i spent any money on shaving was $25 about 8 months ago for 50 blades that i use at a rate of one blade every 9 or so days. plus, when you get good at wet shaving, you will be smoother, softer, and better smelling than ever before.
my wife refuses to let me go back to the canned goo and shave "systems"
Ok, going to pull the trigger tonight. As of now, I'm planning on getting: Edwin Jagger DE89L (thanks Shaun) Edwin Jagger Pure Badger Brush Proraso shave cream Taylor of Old Bond Street - Lavender (:P) shave cream assortment of blades alum block Thaylers witch hazel AS
Anything I'm missing or should think about getting?
Ok, going to pull the trigger tonight. As of now, I'm planning on getting: Edwin Jagger DE89L (thanks Shaun) Edwin Jagger Pure Badger Brush Proraso shave cream Taylor of Old Bond Street - Lavender (:P) shave cream assortment of blades alum block Thaylers witch hazel AS
Anything I'm missing or should think about getting?
What's the alum block for? Stop bleeding in case of cuts? I already have a styptic pencil and was wondering.
the alum block is a skin toner. i know people that dont like em, but i do... and they last for years and years.
that and it will tell you how good of a job youve done on your shave. if your skin feels tight and firm upon application then you had a good shave. if it burns like the dickens, then you will probably have a bit of razor burn and a few in-grown hairs.
the only thing you should get is an alcohol free post shave balm. i like the ones from nivea. in the summer i use the sensitive one and in the winter i use the replenishing one.
with what you picked up your post shave should go something like this: - put down the razor. - rinse face with warm water - wet alum block - rub said block where whiskers once were - clean out shave brush - rinse face with warm water - apply witch hazel - let face dry while cleaning up shave area or whatever else you gotta do - apply alcohol free after shave balm to almost dry face
it may not be exactly what works best for you but this has yielded great results for me.
i also recommend you get some sort of mild face scrub for days you do not shave.
AWESOME! Well I had the chance to use the DE Merkur Long Classic that was gifted to me by joz3r today, and it felt great! It's so much different using a DE than a cartridge razor, it really does just glide over the skin.
I'm still learning how to use it, so when I shaved this morning I did have a couple nicks around my chin area and a few missed spots here and there, but other than that it was great. I'd even go as far as to say that it was better than any I've had in recent memory with my normal Mach III.
I don't have a brush or shaving soap yet, so to lather up I used my shower loofah and my regular bar soap with a bit of hot water in the sink and it worked reasonably well. I'm really excited about getting the brush and shave soap now though, because from here I can only imagine that it gets better. Thanks a million joz3r!
Also to Joe, I see what you meant with the longer handle, but after practicing for 10 minutes or so without a blade in, and after taking a couple strokes lathered up with the blade, I found a happy medium by choking up a bit on the handle. I found I had more control over my shaving strokes by doing that too.
AWESOME! Well I had the chance to use the DE Merkur Long Classic that was gifted to me by joz3r today, and it felt great! It's so much different using a DE than a cartridge razor, it really does just glide over the skin.
I'm still learning how to use it, so when I shaved this morning I did have a couple nicks around my chin area and a few missed spots here and there, but other than that it was great. I'd even go as far as to say that it was better than any I've had in recent memory with my normal Mach III.
I don't have a brush or shaving soap yet, so to lather up I used my shower loofah and my regular bar soap with a bit of hot water in the sink and it worked reasonably well. I'm really excited about getting the brush and shave soap now though, because from here I can only imagine that it gets better. Thanks a million joz3r!
Also to Joe, I see what you meant with the longer handle, but after practicing for 10 minutes or so without a blade in, and after taking a couple strokes lathered up with the blade, I found a happy medium by choking up a bit on the handle. I found I had more control over my shaving strokes by doing that too.
Cool, glad to hear it's not that difficult. I recently switch from electric razor to cartridge about two years ago. It's great. I've been looking at the Merkur on Amazon.com... It's tempting, but I have a stack of cartridges I need to use up before I spend money on that. I was also worried I'd butcher the hell outa my face with that thing. When I first started shaving with the blade I was using the safety razors. That didn't go to well.
Using Taylor's shaving cream and my badger brush tomorrow morning for the first time. Going to use my fusion one last time and wait for the weekend before I butcher my face with my DE razor.
Also to Joe, I see what you meant with the longer handle, but after practicing for 10 minutes or so without a blade in, and after taking a couple strokes lathered up with the blade, I found a happy medium by choking up a bit on the handle. I found I had more control over my shaving strokes by doing that too.
Right on, glad it's working for you. For me, it was a comfort thing in that I couldn't find a comfortable way to hold it and get a good shave, one of those personal things. Wait until you get the brush and soap, the warm lather is a whole new level of luxurious...I know I won't ever go back to the canned goo.
I have been using Tom's of Maine shaving cream for about three years now. The stuff is amazing. After reading this thread I think it is time for me to invest in a good razor.
SOB. Just had my first DE shave. I just destroyed my neck. I need to learn how to shave again...
My cheeks and chin, however, feel great. I enjoyed it except for the alum block when I was done. LOL.
it takes a minute. its worth it.
lighter touch. better angle. sharper blade.
I've found that I really have to adhere to the "with the grain, across the grain, across the grain, against the grain" shave order on my neck and chin area or it also gets cut to ****.
SOB. Just had my first DE shave. I just destroyed my neck. I need to learn how to shave again...
My cheeks and chin, however, feel great. I enjoyed it except for the alum block when I was done. LOL.
it takes a minute. its worth it.
lighter touch. better angle. sharper blade.
Definitely need to re-learn how to shave. Will use a lighter touch tomorrow. After that it's just getting the angle down.
As for the blade, I used a Gillette 7 o'clock sharp edge (yellow box). I'll use it a few more times, then try the Derby.
You were correct about the wife, though. After I was done, she loved the smells and the feel on my cheeks, even after only my first. It's just going to get better. Thanks again guys.
i didnt like derby blades. but YMMV. there are those out there that will swear by them. i like feather blades. i feel that i get the smoothest shave from them. i mean that in two ways.
1) the actual process of shaving is smoother. i dont have any drag and the blade does not seem to "skip" across my face like other blades do. 2) the results are smoother when finished.
getting your technique down is the hardest thing especially when you are new to the traditional shaving world and are looking for a combo of products that are good for you personally. just keep at it. you may have a few difficult shaves (and days after) but in the long run, it will even out (your shave and your face)
i didnt like derby blades. but YMMV. there are those out there that will swear by them. i like feather blades. i feel that i get the smoothest shave from them. i mean that in two ways.
1) the actual process of shaving is smoother. i dont have any drag and the blade does not seem to "skip" across my face like other blades do. 2) the results are smoother when finished.
getting your technique down is the hardest thing especially when you are new to the traditional shaving world and are looking for a combo of products that are good for you personally. just keep at it. you may have a few difficult shaves (and days after) but in the long run, it will even out (your shave and your face)
Based on the reputation, I'm a little scared of the Feather blades, but they'll be the next one I try. I'm at the point now where I've thrown hopes of BBS out the window, and just keeping myself presentable while I figure everything out.
I did want to throw this out there: I was out shopping with my wife, when I walked in front of her to grab something off of a shelf. I heard her inhale and out of nowhere she said 'whoever turned you on to this new shaving stuff, say thank you for me.' I think she's a fan. :P
I can say that, aside from being in junior high or high school and shaving for the first few times, I actually wanted to shave this weekend. I'm enjoying the TOBS Lavender, and have some Proraso and Tabac on the way.
dont be scared of feather blades. they were the only way i was able to get a good shave. just remember to have a gentle hand. one thing that helped me is this: when looking in the mirror while shaving, you should not see your skin moving at all while the blade is moving across your face.
Comments
Excellent advice about not learning on a slant, I forgot to mention that. Heck, I learned on a Gillette Super Speed and still tore my face and neck up, with a slant I probably would have severed my jugular.
As for the blades, you raise a good point as to why different people prefer different blades. Feather blades are definitely sharper so they would be ideal for a thicker whisker, my facial hair is relatively soft and not very thick, so Derby suits me perfectly.
I have a few questions about razors that I'm not sure about...
Do all of the 'classic' DE-style razors use the same blades, or do you need blades specific for that model or head design?
I plan on getting a blade sampler pack from Derby and Feather, and an economy pack of basic Derby blades, but I'm not sure which one to get for that, any suggestions?
The only 'classic' style razor I have right now is a "College Safety Razor", and it's a single-edge design with an open-comb. It's a two-piece head design and as a whole is fairly light, with a short handle. I don't know where I'd get blades for it though, so I can't really use it. Here's a picture of it, and the blades and set:
Razor w/o Blade:
Razor w/Blade:
Razor disassembled:
Complete Set:
Where would I get blades for this type of razor head? Are they still available?
For $1000.00 it better shave me itself. WTF?
Will any straight-edged single-blade razor like that work? Such as a Stanley? The used blades in the blade keeper that is in the box seem a lot heavier-gauge steel than those type of razor blades...
im not sure though, i dont use single edge. im a DE kinda guy.
After spending some time here, I buy a humidor and cigars to go in humidor. I spend more time here, and end up buying more cigars than humidor can fit. So, I buy a bigger humidor. I spend more time here, and I have room, so I buy more cigars.
Then, I stumble upon this thread, and after doing some research, I'm about to spend more money!!!
If anyone has a list of excuses or justifications they have used successfully on their wife, please share.
Wife: Honey, did you buy more cigars?
Me: Nope, bought a sweet DE razor, a brush, blades and soap.
Wife: Do you really need all of that?
Me: Do you really need all those shoes?
And you can see why I'd spend a lot of time on the couch.
LMAO.
I showed her an article boasting about the manliness of using a lavendar scented cream. She said it's worth it to see me use it. LOL. I just need to make up my mind on which razor I want to get.
HahahahHAHAHhahHAHaha
my wife refuses to let me go back to the canned goo and shave "systems"
how bout that?
Nice! LOL.
Edwin Jagger DE89L (thanks Shaun)
Edwin Jagger Pure Badger Brush
Proraso shave cream
Taylor of Old Bond Street - Lavender (:P) shave cream
assortment of blades
alum block
Thaylers witch hazel AS
Anything I'm missing or should think about getting?
What's the alum block for? Stop bleeding in case of cuts? I already have a styptic pencil and was wondering.
But honestly, I just saw that Kuzi uses one, so I figured I needed to have one too.
that and it will tell you how good of a job youve done on your shave. if your skin feels tight and firm upon application then you had a good shave. if it burns like the dickens, then you will probably have a bit of razor burn and a few in-grown hairs.
the only thing you should get is an alcohol free post shave balm. i like the ones from nivea. in the summer i use the sensitive one and in the winter i use the replenishing one.
with what you picked up your post shave should go something like this:
- put down the razor.
- rinse face with warm water
- wet alum block
- rub said block where whiskers once were
- clean out shave brush
- rinse face with warm water
- apply witch hazel
- let face dry while cleaning up shave area or whatever else you gotta do
- apply alcohol free after shave balm to almost dry face
it may not be exactly what works best for you but this has yielded great results for me.
i also recommend you get some sort of mild face scrub for days you do not shave.
I'm still learning how to use it, so when I shaved this morning I did have a couple nicks around my chin area and a few missed spots here and there, but other than that it was great. I'd even go as far as to say that it was better than any I've had in recent memory with my normal Mach III.
I don't have a brush or shaving soap yet, so to lather up I used my shower loofah and my regular bar soap with a bit of hot water in the sink and it worked reasonably well. I'm really excited about getting the brush and shave soap now though, because from here I can only imagine that it gets better. Thanks a million joz3r!
Also to Joe, I see what you meant with the longer handle, but after practicing for 10 minutes or so without a blade in, and after taking a couple strokes lathered up with the blade, I found a happy medium by choking up a bit on the handle. I found I had more control over my shaving strokes by doing that too.
My cheeks and chin, however, feel great. I enjoyed it except for the alum block when I was done. LOL.
lighter touch. better angle. sharper blade.
I've found that I really have to adhere to the "with the grain, across the grain, across the grain, against the grain" shave order on my neck and chin area or it also gets cut to ****.
Definitely need to re-learn how to shave. Will use a lighter touch tomorrow. After that it's just getting the angle down.
As for the blade, I used a Gillette 7 o'clock sharp edge (yellow box). I'll use it a few more times, then try the Derby.
You were correct about the wife, though. After I was done, she loved the smells and the feel on my cheeks, even after only my first. It's just going to get better. Thanks again guys.
1) the actual process of shaving is smoother. i dont have any drag and the blade does not seem to "skip" across my face like other blades do.
2) the results are smoother when finished.
getting your technique down is the hardest thing especially when you are new to the traditional shaving world and are looking for a combo of products that are good for you personally. just keep at it. you may have a few difficult shaves (and days after) but in the long run, it will even out (your shave and your face)
Based on the reputation, I'm a little scared of the Feather blades, but they'll be the next one I try. I'm at the point now where I've thrown hopes of BBS out the window, and just keeping myself presentable while I figure everything out.
I did want to throw this out there: I was out shopping with my wife, when I walked in front of her to grab something off of a shelf. I heard her inhale and out of nowhere she said 'whoever turned you on to this new shaving stuff, say thank you for me.' I think she's a fan. :P
I can say that, aside from being in junior high or high school and shaving for the first few times, I actually wanted to shave this weekend. I'm enjoying the TOBS Lavender, and have some Proraso and Tabac on the way.
when looking in the mirror while shaving, you should not see your skin moving at all while the blade is moving across your face.