If you want to try a really inexpensive alternative to fancy shaving creams, get a jar of Noxema. Put some on your finger tips and thin it out a little with some hot water. Yes, Noxema makes their own shaving cream, but this is much better, and cheaper.
I have three of my grandfather's safety razors - one of which is a Red Tip. One is a British alu-handled ball-end Tech and the other is a Gillette Super Speed. I'm going to join bewildered & start shaving my legs with one of these but not sure which one I'll try first. From what I've read, the Tech (that I initially favored because it's lighter) is "aggressive". Suggestions?
Just try them both. Use one for a couple weeks, then switch to the other one. You'll find one you like better - usually the "aggressiveness" of a razor refers to the angle at which the blade is held, and whether you like it or not will be personal preference. I'd probably start with the Gillette if you're just learning how but I doubt it'll matter since you'll develop a feel and a technique for either one. Heavier razors are sometimes a boon for new shavers because they're unaccustomed to how sharp the blades are, so if you have some weight on the razor, you can let the weight do most of the shaving.
Woo got a DE safety razor the other day thanks to this thread, holy fucking awesome... I always had a problem with razor burn, not now though, thanks a TON!!!
Mine's on the way right now, wouldn't have even been aware of the truly old school style of shaving if not for this thread, which is easily in the all time best. This probably changed more lives in a meaningful way than any other thread.
I have had issues with shaving since highschool. And BOOM! With one $20 purchase, my life has drastically improved. I no idea that these razors even existed. I thought everyone used disposable cartridges.
Since this was bumped back up I'll give my opinion. Between this thread and my brothers consistent raving of using a DE razor I picked up a Parker (felt the best in my hand) and a pack of Merkur blades. I opted not to buy the badger brush and shaving lather until I was sure I liked it (didn't want to drop even more money on a shaving experiment). First shave was done using the body wash I've always used to shave with when using a Mach 3. Seemed to work ok and the shave was decent. Little bit of stubble around my chin (I have two scars there so I was worried about nicking myself). Overall reaction was "Meh" Second shave I picked up some Burts Bees shaving cream. It didn't lather up for shit (no brush) and the shave sucked. I cut myself for the second time ever shaving. Actually that's not true, I cut myself the second, third and fourth time ever. Overall it sucked ass. A lot of ass. Third and currently the most recent shave I used the GF's shaving lotion stuff (typical girly leg stuff) Worked up to a nice lather and had a base that is shown on most youtube DE shaving videos. Huge difference. Could actually feel the blade glide over my face instead of dragging across it like the other two times. Definitely my best experience so far but still don't see the huge raves people are talking about on here. Overall opinion is that it's kind of cool but I wouldn't care if I never used it again. I probably will seeing as I've already spent the money on it. I don't see how its a "better" shave than using a traditional disposable cartridge. Both give me a close shave with no nicks but I can shave in the shower with Mach 3 where as I can't with the DE. That's a HUGE detractor for me personally.
If I remember correctly, don't you grow facial hair like a 12 year old? I think the cartridge razors were created for people like you, get a quick and easy maintenance shave while in the shower, I'd want the same if I didn't have much facial hair. Shaving is a fucking process for me every time since I have a full set of facial hair and usually only shave once every three-five weeks. Cartridges just don't cut it for people like me.
Agreed. It isn't for everyone. I don't look down on people who shave with cartridges; if it works for you and gives you a genuinely better shave, then use a Mach 3. I know a guy who swears by his electric razor. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I do suggest giving it another try with a shower mirror. The chin is always a pain in the ass; I tend to lather up an extra time and make VERY short (as in less than half an inch) strokes on the chin, slowly working my way from left to right. If it isn't smooth enough, I lather up one last time and work my way from right to left.
The shaving brush is pretty damn important. Tweezerman makes a cheap badger hair brush, it works fine for me. I find I get a good lather by running the brush under the faucet until it's soaked, flicking my wrist once to get a decent amount of the water removed, then working up the lather that way. Too much water in the brush and it'll take a really long time to get a respectable lather. If your skin needs it, maybe a boar hair brush would be better (and cheaper). They're stiffer, so they do a lot more exfoliating of your skin than the badger brush. However, they'll be a bit less pleasant to shave with than the badger hair brush.
I won't lie. I got a Burma Shave and some Williams soap a few weeks ago and had been just perfecting using it and my shit was off the hook. My brother came home from China and gave some late Christmas presents. A Parker 3 piece, badger hair brush, and some random soap puck. Honestly, I like the stiffness of the boar hair better. Maybe it exfoliates better (I HATE that term) but after using the Burma shave brush it feels like my face has great massage. The badger hair can lather better but the face rubbing is a bit weaker in my mind. Also the random soap puck doesn't lather for shit the Williams (which is always debated as one of the worst soaps) lathers and spreads much much better.
Does anyone have an opinion on the quality of Kingsley products? I want to get a three or four piece shave set for the Boy, and while I love the Edwin Jagger sets, Kingsley sets are much more affordable.
The GF got me a The Art of Shaving kit for Vday and I must admit, using the brush and proper shaving cream is light years ahead of just using traditional out of a can shaving cream and using my hands to lather up. I guess using a DE razor isn't something you can half ass. Either get all the items or just stick with a cartridge style razor.
Finally used my Merkur razor with feather blades after building up about five weeks worth of growth. The good: -You guys weren't kidding, I felt awesome doing it and even better after. -Closer shave than normal. -Managed to not cut myself, thanks to rei for mentioning that you let the weight of the razor to the work, otherwise I probably would have shredded my beautiful face to ribbons. -I'm pretty sure my girlfriend creamed herself when she saw how badass I was. -Bragging rights at the office. The bad: -Took me about a half hour to do it. -My facial hair is very coarse and curly, with the extra length I had to pop the top off to clean it multiple times. -The blades went very quickly, I ended up using both sides of two blades and tossing them both. Couple things to note, The soap and brush I used were cheap stuff I bought years ago, not the good stuff that has been recommended in this thread. All the bads are due to lack of experience and my refusal to shave regularly. It took me damn near ten minutes (included in the total 30) to work up the courage to finally get the blade on my face. A lot of the extra time was just me not knowing that I'm not shaving wrong, the blade just needed to be cleaned/replaced. I was slightly annoyed with the blades dying so quickly, but at 45 cents a blade, that's only 90 cents a shave and I shave about 12 times a year, really no biggie. I also had to use multiple cartridges before I got an electric trimmer, which I hate using, anyways. So all in all my variable costs are lower.
No problem - that said Feather blades just don't last that long. I'd look into Astras which are almost as sharp but last for ages. Might be useful if you're only shaving once in a blue moon and have a lot of work to do. And you can get 100 for $17 - 5 cents a blade seems like a better value proposition even then, especially if it means you use less blades <a class="postlink" href="http://www.fendrihan.com/astra-doubleedge-safety-razor-blades-p-227.html?cPath=116_4_126" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.fendrihan.com/astra-doubleed ... =116_4_126</a>
Yep, all the hallmarks of a first timer. Been there. Now, I can bang out a shave, including making a lather, in under 5 minutes. It's just a two-pass shave, but it is much closer than anything else and, of course, much better. My blades last about 5-6 shaves now. Keep working, grasshopper.
I was wondering about blade life. It seems a DE blade is lasting me about 3 shaves before it starts to hurt around my throat and against the grain under my chin. Mach 3 style cartridges would last me about 6 months (~60 shaves) I use the Merkurs that come in the white box with blue trim (from what I remember)
So, cartridges don't last that long. They just don't. If you've switched to some nice shaving cream or soap with your switch to DE blades, that probably explains why you're experiencing pain sooner with your blades. Many of the goops that Gillette and such sell have numbing agents in them so you don't notice that you're shredding your skin. If you haven't switched shaving creams, I really don't know what to tell you. Some DE blades have different blade life, but not to the extent of a disparity between 3 shaves and 60 shaves. If you said you get 3 shaves out of a DE blade and 10 shaves out of a cartridge, I'd be inclined to chalk it up to individual blade life and recommend a longer-lived blade. You could try another blade type, but 3-5 shaves is probably about right for a blade in my experience.
I use to just shave with whatever body wash the GF had in the shower, but I would literally go a few years before I had to buy a replacement pack of cartridge razors. I have between a "normal" guys beard and 15 y/o's peachfuzz and always shaved in the shower so maybe that's why they lasted as long as they do. I stayed at her house the other night and used her womens version of a Mach3 and while I could feel it "tugging" a little at the hairs, the actual shave was on par with my DE razor. I've come to the conclusion that I use the DE because I like doing the whole ordeal. I like warming the mug up, making the lather, taking my time shaving, lathering again for the against the grain pass, using a post shave balm and then splashing on an after shave. It's all mental for me.