Just read all 13 pages of this thread, I'm kinda tired of my razors tearing up my face, Kuzi, I have the same problem with whisker thickness, looks like a metal wire when I pull out an ingrown hair. I just don't think the disposable razors are up to the task of cutting something that thick. My dad can go about 2 weeks before he changes his and mine is about 2 shaves and they are done. and they are not great brand new.
Anyway, this gives me something to think about. I might be making a purchase soon.
Merkur 38c Barberpole, Feather blades, Razorock artisan soap, and a silvertip badger brush, and Proraso aftershave; maybe a Dirty Bird Scuttle. It's all I need
Dragging this one up from the dead...Revisited Feather blades today in my Merkur Heavy Classic, much better experience than when I tried them previously with the Long Classic. These are sharp as hell, and with the Heavy I find I have much better control and didn't end up with as much irritation as before. The Heavy allows me to shave with a much lighter touch and overall better positioning, and with that working in my favor I can really see using Feather blades in the future. I won't drop Derby as I still think they are a fantastic blade for my needs, but I can't help but be impressed with the Feather experience.
Awww, crap! As if my cigar habit wasn't enough, now I'm probably gonna spend my hard earned $.25/day on a new DE, shaving soap and a brush. Thanks, brothers, ya bunch of freaks! come to think of it, a hot bath, a glass of scotch and a good shave after a hard shift doesn't sound bad...
"Jess, honey, I know what you can get me for Father's Day..."
Check out classicshaving.com, they have just about everything you could ever want for your grooming needs. They have some decent kits for the newcomer. Just bought a new mug and a few different cake soaps myself today. The good thing, like kuzi said a few posts back, is that it's only costly once...unless you take the collector approach.
I got my kit about 1 1/2 years ago...love it! I use the Parker 90R (Polished Nickel Plate 4.25 Inches Long 2.15 oz. Weight) Pure Badger Ivory Diffusion Shaving Brush by Edwin Jagger Old Style Barbers Shave Lather Scuttle mug.( Col. Ichabod Conk ) Used with Col. Conk shave soap and I dispose of my blades in a Blade Bank
I think it is a very pleasurable and relaxing shave. I would never dream of going back to the crap I used to use! I got all of mine from Best grooming tools.com, except for the blade bank, got that from emsplace.com. If anyone needs a blade bank let me know, have extras!
I've been getting myself back into the routine of shaving more frequently in the past couple weeks, I had forgotten how nice and relaxing a good shave can be.
This afternoon I tried out a new soap cake from http://classicshaving.com. This soap is made with wool fat and shea butter, the lanolin is quite good for the skin. Check it out here http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522960/8012398.htm. I'd highly recommend this one to any here who like a nice slick lather and those who suffer from dry skin could benefit as well. I purchased the Mountain Spice scent and like it quite a bit. While not a cheap cake of soap, it works very well and should last a good while.
Gear used:
Merkur Heavy Classic
Feather blade
Vulfix badger brush (unsure of the exact specs)
And my Classic Shaving heavy, deep mug.
Splashed on a touch of Aqua Velva afterward and feeling like a million bucks.
You want an insanely lathering cream, you gotta try Razorock artisan soaps - it's an italian soft soap, but it lasts forever and lathers like nobodies business, even with hard water. I swear by the stuff; love me the Muget de Bologna and Napoleon's Violet
I really need to stop reading about shaving, i hate disposables, but i dont want to invest non-existent money into something else (shot glasses, jeep, cigars, etc...already consume it all)
I really need to stop reading about shaving, i hate disposables, but i dont want to invest non-existent money into something else (shot glasses, jeep, cigars, etc...already consume it all)
in the pic above of what i got in the mail i spent about $80. that will last me over a year. ...probably closer to 18 months. thats just shy of $5 A MONTH to have a fabulous shave. my razor was purchased at a flea market for $10 and i put maybe about 30 minutes worth of cleaning into it.
are you telling me you dont have $5 a month to get a good shave?
i buy my disposables in bulk and get them for $0.50-0.60 each and i can make one last three, maybe four weeks. i think it is the initial investment that scares me.
I really need to stop reading about shaving, i hate disposables, but i dont want to invest non-existent money into something else (shot glasses, jeep, cigars, etc...already consume it all)
How you think I feel? I shave my head lol only rock the goatee. I use a mach3 everytime brand new. when i done its gone. 24 bucks a week to shave...
I really need to stop reading about shaving, i hate disposables, but i dont want to invest non-existent money into something else (shot glasses, jeep, cigars, etc...already consume it all)
How you think I feel? I shave my head lol only rock the goatee. I use a mach3 everytime brand new. when i done its gone. 24 bucks a week to shave...
no way in hell i could afford or want to pay for that.
You guys are bad (or good?) influences. Figured I would give this a shot and just snagged an old Gillette off of ebay. Hopefully it goes okay because it really makes me mad each time I have to buy a pack of the cartridges for the mach3.
TTO super speed from the 60s? date code of F-1 ? wither way, nice looking razor. my dad had one like that save for one difference: it was a "red tip" that looks exactly the same but the part you twis to open it up was red. the red indicated that it was a bit more aggressive, where as a blue was less aggressive. the one you have there is the "normal" one of course i dont know my razors anywhere near as well as cigars so this could all be wrong. thats just my guess...
From the reading I've done you are correct, this is the mid-line of the TTOs. The date code is k2 made in '65. I may grab a Merkur or Jagger if I stick with it, but this should be a good inexpensive starting point.
i have a merkur HD 38c and i almost never use it. the mid 1930s Gillette NEW is a much better shaver in my opinion. of course, your face is different than mine and that may be a good way for you to go. didnt do well for me though. i keep it because it does shave well i just cant seem to control it as well due to its weight. if i were to get another Merkur i would go for the classic open comb.
if you wanna borrow my HD 38c i can ship it out and you can get a few shaves with it to see if you like it and send it back after a month or so.
After 4 years, starting this thread up with my story of my first DE wet shave:
So today was the day. I had acquired all of the basics, a razor, blades, soap and a brush. I woke up around 8:30 am and sat everything out, excited, but hopefully about my new path to a better shave..
I had purchased a mini gift set of White Birch and tobacco butter from Burlington Coat Factory. So, it wasn't a puck, nor really cream. It all ready had the yogurt consistency in the jar. It smelled more menthol than anything. No idea what white birch smelt like, and the tobacco smell was faint. I then pulled out the synthetic brush that came with the gift set and wasn't impressed.
I picked up my Shave Factory (Derby) razor bought from Sally's Beauty Supply and dropped it onto the tile floor. Should have taken that as a sign, but I inspected it and saw nothing wrong (as if I could tell) and proceeded. I placed the razor and the brush in my mug filled with warm water and took a shower.
After the shower I took a dime sized mount of the cream with water and placed it is the mug and tried to work up a lather. It only made the cream more milky. Another bad sign. No matter how much I tried no lather. I checked the directions. Which were of no help. I finally stuck the brush directly in the cream and applied. I then realized this was possibly a brushless soap. I remembered a few guys mentioning that slightly in the limited reviews I had found online, but never processed what that meant to actually applying it. I proceeded to lather my face and head with the shaving soap. The smell was very minimal. The brush was able to lather ok. But, sadly I could get the blade to catch on my skin. I was able to shave without incident. I didn't have any nicks or cuts, mostly because I followed all the advice of light pressure, but the blade never really came into contact to cut any facial hair (which I had a 3-4 day growth of). Then, it happened, the cream started to run down my head into my eyes. Which made me ask should I be doing my face and head at the same time, or should it be done separately? So, now looking like Carrie (minus the red color of blood) with milky white goo running down my head into my eyes, distracting my rhythm while applying a sharp blade to my face and head-ah, living the dream! I decided to power through, but sadly had it running down my neck to my chest and stomach. It was a bloody mess, especially compounded by the fact I didn't see any hair in the sink after each rins I was not impressed with the Personna blade (a last minute substitute from the Astra). It seemed to sit to far in and not set out far enough. Will definitely consider upgrading to VDH, Astra and possibly Feather blades-hell anything else, maybe a rusty soup can lid.
I had planned to do 2 passes WTG only (remember it my first time). But after the 2nd pass left me with a goatee stubble (under the nose, mouth and chin) and virtually no hair removed from the back of my head. I finished and went to take a nap, but couldnt sleep, because I needed to address this failure. So, I got up and did one final pass against the grain and not duplicating the messy disaster of earlier got mostly all of the hair that remained. I still had some very light hair on my cheeks. But, I felt it was good enough as I concluded I would also need to refine my technique by much more practice. It was the closest shave I have had in a long time.
Immediate takeaways: I got over my anxiety of having the blade contact my skin (when it did) so that's gone. The knowledge that my face has many more subtle contours than I knew, but thankfully no cuts or nicks occured. That I need to do more research on the selection and use of my tools and products. Lastly, I've got to play the long game and the goal is to improve.
So all in all, not dissuaded, just a lot discouraged, because I thought I had prepared well for my first time-not even close: "Beware mileage may vary". I'll be doing it again, but I don't know if I'm suppose to shave everyday or when I have growth after a few days.
I did feel manly, but the little girl in me died a messy death to achieve that.
Stick with it and try other stuff until you find what works for you. My first safety razor was given to me from my sister in law. Her grandfather died and he had a bunch. She said "you're into weird stuff, figured you might like this." I used it until I got somewhat proficient with the razor in hand. Now I have a Merkur 34c with an open comb.
My bowl/brush came from Walmart of all places. The brush is boar hair. Not the greatest but gets the job done. I pretty much order soaps and blades exclusively from westcoastshaving.com. Prices are reasonable and selection is wide. I'm still working through my first pack of assorted blades. I think I got the one with 30 or 50 blades in it for like $15. I keep a mental note of which ones I like and dislike for future orders.
I shave about twice a week. Anymore than that and the skin on my neck gets way too irritated, sore, and bloody.
But it I will say, when I do shave, it's the closest, smoothest shave I've ever had. I like to use aftershave also. It's the perfect cap to a great shave. Just like cigars, find what you like and enjoy it.
That's a great razor to start with and one that many keep as their daily driver. It has the Merkur head and a classier handle, I don't have the EJ but do have Merkurs. I think you'll like it.
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I actually waited an extra day because I did have that much beard growth. But, I did have more experience and was brimming with confidence. I soaked the razor in warm water and not the brush. I actually ran into a issue when showering that the water never got cold. Normally, I would have taken that as a bad sign, I powered through and wetted the tip of the brush and dipped it into the shave butter directly and applied. It lathered ok, but I know other products would do much better. I decided to not do my head (I'll alternate days or decide to do that after more shaves). While I placed the razor where my sideburn end and tilted the razor, I still don't feel I've improved getting the best the angle from my first shave. I made to WTG passes, which resulted in patches of stubble still being on both cheeks and my lower jaw and chin (my problem areas) but they were better due to my first shave reducing the majority of the beard. I snapped to my senses and did a third pass ATG. I washed out my brush, razor and blade; I added coconut oil to the blade before storing it away. I rinsed my head with cold water under the shower spicket and patted my face dry with a face towel. I ended using a tea tree balm and Dove men's moisturizer.
I noticed I had two weepers in the exact same spots just above the tops of the corner of my lips. But, that was all the damage done. My technique is still crap though. I will admit I have taken having a light touch to heart, which has been a godsend, but my strokes and hesitant, too long at times and I go back over the same areas too much from what I've seen in the videos (areas w/o shave foam). My other take away was the feeling I had looking forward to and after the shave. It was a mixture of confidence, as I earlier mentioned, and elation. Not, because I had another shave under my belt, but how great it felt, how I looked forward to the actual shave itself. I was pumped, like answering the bell for a prizefight. It was almost zen like during the shave itself. But, I left renewed, refreshed and feeling good. So, there's something to what several members said about shaving daily for the feeling. I'm starting to get it-it's very therapeutic. While not BBS, I was please with this second attempt.
I appreciate all of the positive feedback, well wishes, encouragement and advice. I feel a little stupid, every time I think, "why hadn't I done this sooner or where has this been all my life?"
You're not stupid at all. Wet shaving does take some time to get used to, and if you're not careful you can really hurt yourself, so a lighter touch is a good thing.
Since the topic was Badger and Blade, you might want to join that site. I did back in the Jurassic era and it really taught me everything I know wet shaving, including how to get SAS (Shaving Acquisition Syndrome) to compliment all the other *AS you've got already.
I've experimented with various razors, soaps, blades, etc. over the years, so this is what I use as my lineup.
Razor: Rotate three: A 1960's era Gillette Slim adjustable (lets you "dial in" the aggressiveness; a Parker R22 (my first razor, and probably the most forgiving while still giving a great shave); a Muehle R41 (probably the most aggressive razor out there today. Provides the closest shave and also the deepest lacerations if you're not careful.
Soaps: I only use soaps. My go-tos are Proraso (any kind; they're all great, relatively inexpensive, and they lather up fantastically); Mitchell's Wool Fat Shaving Soap, which is expensive but lathers up luxuriously; L'Occitane Cade (not too expensive, lathers up good); and Tabac, which is quite possibly the best latherer but has a funky scent you either love, hate, or learn to live with (I'm the third category)
Brushes: I prefer boar over badger, personally. Boar is stiffer, so if tends to apply soap better. And they're much cheaper. Omega makes the cheapest brushes. For a little more you can the Semogue line, which to me are the best boar brushes, period.
Blades: I've tried at least 30-40 brands, most of which stink. I'm not a big fan of Derbys, which aren't that sharp. Although competely subjective, I tend to use the following: Gillete Sharpe Edge (also called Yellows), Gillette 7 ' O clock (also called Blacks), Israeli Persona (often referred to as "Red Personas), and a couple of hard to find Russian brands. Most agree that the sharpest blades are Feathers. I agree, but they also tend to cut me to shreds.
One tip that I did learn from B&B: Prep is really important. Many (including me) swear by "Kyle's Prep," a process in which you: 1) wet your face; 2) apply a thin layer of soap or cream; 3) apply a hot, drenched wash cloth to all areas you're shaving and let it soak up the soap/cream; 4) Repeat step 3 until you face "feels" like it's absorbed a lot of water. At least 1-2 minutes is best. I've found that Kyle's Prep really results in a smoother, closer less irritating shave.
Thanks for the tutorial @raisindot. Great information based on your experiences. I'll check out the brands and products you mentioned. Again, much appreciated.
Also very curious about this Kyle's prep you mentioned. I read that you can lather up before getting in the shower to soften your beard, but that's impractical for me, since I wash, scrub/exfoliate my face with facial clensing products whole in the shower. But, this sounds intetesting. I going to have to do more research on it before my next shave.
Comments
Anyway, this gives me something to think about. I might be making a purchase soon.
"Jess, honey, I know what you can get me for Father's Day..."
Pure Badger Ivory Diffusion Shaving Brush by Edwin Jagger
Old Style Barbers Shave Lather Scuttle mug.( Col. Ichabod Conk )
Used with Col. Conk shave soap
and I dispose of my blades in a Blade Bank
I think it is a very pleasurable and relaxing shave. I would never dream of going back to the crap I used to use! I got all of mine from Best grooming tools.com, except for the blade bank, got that from emsplace.com. If anyone needs a blade bank let me know, have extras!
This afternoon I tried out a new soap cake from http://classicshaving.com. This soap is made with wool fat and shea butter, the lanolin is quite good for the skin. Check it out here http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522960/8012398.htm. I'd highly recommend this one to any here who like a nice slick lather and those who suffer from dry skin could benefit as well. I purchased the Mountain Spice scent and like it quite a bit. While not a cheap cake of soap, it works very well and should last a good while.
Gear used:
Merkur Heavy Classic
Feather blade
Vulfix badger brush (unsure of the exact specs)
And my Classic Shaving heavy, deep mug.
Splashed on a touch of Aqua Velva afterward and feeling like a million bucks.
are you telling me you dont have $5 a month to get a good shave?
shenanigans. I call them.
wither way, nice looking razor. my dad had one like that save for one difference: it was a "red tip"
that looks exactly the same but the part you twis to open it up was red. the red indicated that it was a bit more aggressive, where as a blue was less aggressive. the one you have there is the "normal" one
of course i dont know my razors anywhere near as well as cigars so this could all be wrong. thats just my guess...
if you wanna borrow my HD 38c i can ship it out and you can get a few shaves with it to see if you like it and send it back after a month or so.
So today was the day. I had acquired all of the basics, a razor, blades, soap and a brush. I woke up around 8:30 am and sat everything out, excited, but hopefully about my new path to a better shave..
I had purchased a mini gift set of White Birch and tobacco butter from Burlington Coat Factory. So, it wasn't a puck, nor really cream. It all ready had the yogurt consistency in the jar. It smelled more menthol than anything. No idea what white birch smelt like, and the tobacco smell was faint. I then pulled out the synthetic brush that came with the gift set and wasn't impressed.
I picked up my Shave Factory (Derby) razor bought from Sally's Beauty Supply and dropped it onto the tile floor. Should have taken that as a sign, but I inspected it and saw nothing wrong (as if I could tell) and proceeded. I placed the razor and the brush in my mug filled with warm water and took a shower.
After the shower I took a dime sized mount of the cream with water and placed it is the mug and tried to work up a lather. It only made the cream more milky. Another bad sign. No matter how much I tried no lather. I checked the directions. Which were of no help. I finally stuck the brush directly in the cream and applied. I then realized this was possibly a brushless soap. I remembered a few guys mentioning that slightly in the limited reviews I had found online, but never processed what that meant to actually applying it. I proceeded to lather my face and head with the shaving soap. The smell was very minimal. The brush was able to lather ok. But, sadly I could get the blade to catch on my skin. I was able to shave without incident. I didn't have any nicks or cuts, mostly because I followed all the advice of light pressure, but the blade never really came into contact to cut any facial hair (which I had a 3-4 day growth of). Then, it happened, the cream started to run down my head into my eyes. Which made me ask should I be doing my face and head at the same time, or should it be done separately? So, now looking like Carrie (minus the red color of blood) with milky white goo running down my head into my eyes, distracting my rhythm while applying a sharp blade to my face and head-ah, living the dream! I decided to power through, but sadly had it running down my neck to my chest and stomach. It was a bloody mess, especially compounded by the fact I didn't see any hair in the sink after each rins I was not impressed with the Personna blade (a last minute substitute from the Astra). It seemed to sit to far in and not set out far enough. Will definitely consider upgrading to VDH, Astra and possibly Feather blades-hell anything else, maybe a rusty soup can lid.
I had planned to do 2 passes WTG only (remember it my first time). But after the 2nd pass left me with a goatee stubble (under the nose, mouth and chin) and virtually no hair removed from the back of my head. I finished and went to take a nap, but couldnt sleep, because I needed to address this failure. So, I got up and did one final pass against the grain and not duplicating the messy disaster of earlier got mostly all of the hair that remained. I still had some very light hair on my cheeks. But, I felt it was good enough as I concluded I would also need to refine my technique by much more practice. It was the closest shave I have had in a long time.
Immediate takeaways: I got over my anxiety of having the blade contact my skin (when it did) so that's gone. The knowledge that my face has many more subtle contours than I knew, but thankfully no cuts or nicks occured. That I need to do more research on the selection and use of my tools and products. Lastly, I've got to play the long game and the goal is to improve.
So all in all, not dissuaded, just a lot discouraged, because I thought I had prepared well for my first time-not even close: "Beware mileage may vary". I'll be doing it again, but I don't know if I'm suppose to shave everyday or when I have growth after a few days.
I did feel manly, but the little girl in me died a messy death to achieve that.
My bowl/brush came from Walmart of all places. The brush is boar hair. Not the greatest but gets the job done. I pretty much order soaps and blades exclusively from westcoastshaving.com. Prices are reasonable and selection is wide. I'm still working through my first pack of assorted blades. I think I got the one with 30 or 50 blades in it for like $15. I keep a mental note of which ones I like and dislike for future orders.
I shave about twice a week. Anymore than that and the skin on my neck gets way too irritated, sore, and bloody.
But it I will say, when I do shave, it's the closest, smoothest shave I've ever had. I like to use aftershave also. It's the perfect cap to a great shave. Just like cigars, find what you like and enjoy it.
Good luck!
http://www.amazon.com/Edwin-Jagger-DE89bl-Chrome-Plated/dp/B003LW4L2W
It would be my first foray into the razor rabbit hole. Does anyone have experience with this brand or model or recommend something else?
Since the topic was Badger and Blade, you might want to join that site. I did back in the Jurassic era and it really taught me everything I know wet shaving, including how to get SAS (Shaving Acquisition Syndrome) to compliment all the other *AS you've got already.
I've experimented with various razors, soaps, blades, etc. over the years, so this is what I use as my lineup.
Razor: Rotate three: A 1960's era Gillette Slim adjustable (lets you "dial in" the aggressiveness; a Parker R22 (my first razor, and probably the most forgiving while still giving a great shave); a Muehle R41 (probably the most aggressive razor out there today. Provides the closest shave and also the deepest lacerations if you're not careful.
Soaps: I only use soaps. My go-tos are Proraso (any kind; they're all great, relatively inexpensive, and they lather up fantastically); Mitchell's Wool Fat Shaving Soap, which is expensive but lathers up luxuriously; L'Occitane Cade (not too expensive, lathers up good); and Tabac, which is quite possibly the best latherer but has a funky scent you either love, hate, or learn to live with (I'm the third category)
Brushes: I prefer boar over badger, personally. Boar is stiffer, so if tends to apply soap better. And they're much cheaper. Omega makes the cheapest brushes. For a little more you can the Semogue line, which to me are the best boar brushes, period.
Blades: I've tried at least 30-40 brands, most of which stink. I'm not a big fan of Derbys, which aren't that sharp. Although competely subjective, I tend to use the following: Gillete Sharpe Edge (also called Yellows), Gillette 7 ' O clock (also called Blacks), Israeli Persona (often referred to as "Red Personas), and a couple of hard to find Russian brands. Most agree that the sharpest blades are Feathers. I agree, but they also tend to cut me to shreds.
One tip that I did learn from B&B: Prep is really important. Many (including me) swear by "Kyle's Prep," a process in which you: 1) wet your face; 2) apply a thin layer of soap or cream; 3) apply a hot, drenched wash cloth to all areas you're shaving and let it soak up the soap/cream; 4) Repeat step 3 until you face "feels" like it's absorbed a lot of water. At least 1-2 minutes is best. I've found that Kyle's Prep really results in a smoother, closer less irritating shave.
Also very curious about this Kyle's prep you mentioned. I read that you can lather up before getting in the shower to soften your beard, but that's impractical for me, since I wash, scrub/exfoliate my face with facial clensing products whole in the shower. But, this sounds intetesting. I going to have to do more research on it before my next shave.
Will also pop over to B&B and check it out.