Lets talk about shaving

I`ve been loosing bristles out of my brush as it was a cheap my wife got me. What kind and links to it are you guys using and have enjoyed?

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screeby said:
I am bring this thread back up. I have looked at it numerous times through the years wondering when this bug would bite me.

Soo. After reading through some pages again and then trying to get to a few having websites. Honestly I am still pretty confused.

Is there just a standard "kit" with decent quality stuff in it that I can pick up online? Am I better off going to Walmart and picking up a safety razor there and just giving it a go after some more YouTube videos?

I am a hands on learner so I know at some point I will just jump in but I don`t want to spend 60 bucks at Walmart to learn that is junk.

How did some of you all jump in?

Thanks

KM
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Here’s what I’d recommend. For a good quality safety razor that will last you forever, pick up a Merkur 34c or 38C. For DE blades, get a sample pack. Many sellers including Amazon have packs For $15 that will give you enough variety to find out what works best for your face. West coast shaving has good ones. I started with the razor and a sample pack from west coast shaving online.

Shaving cream is is a preference thing. If you like the gels and foams in a can, you can get those at the grocery store. If you want to try a soap or cream that applies with a brush, there are a lot of options. I like Taylor of Bond Street, available online for less than $20. You will need a brush, and you can get a good entry level one like the Omega banded boar for less than $20. You can apply a cream directly to the brush or whip up a lather in a bowl or mug. Larger shallow mugs are better than coffee mug types. Lots of options out there for very cheap.

Thats is all you need to get started.
 
Getting your shaving supplies from a grocery store and/or in kits is no different than with detailing supplies. I would recommend shoping online looking for individual items. I know it is hard when you don`t know what you are looking for. Perhaps I would go to italianbarber.com They have descent synthetic brushes for 15 bucks. I would get started with Proraso cream; a mentholated cream (perfect for the season) that works very well, has been around for ages and sells for less than 10 bucks. Get a couple packs of astra baldes. Then the razor choice becomes harder to nail. If you are willing to invest a bit of miney, I would get a "Game Changer" from italianbarber. Rockwell has a nice razor with interchangable baseplates so you can find the blade gap that works best for you. They come in stainless and chrome versions, and in chrome cheaper but don`t remember how much. If you want to go the less expensive route, I would recommend a vintage gillette "NEW" short comb. You can get one of those for different prices depending on their condition and the honesty of the seller. To get started you should find one for less than 20 bucks on ebay or etsy.
Let us know when you make up your mind. There might be a learning curve but well worth the effort.
 
Ha. Well the last line there was "there might be a learning curve". I grew impatient and did what I probably shouldn`t have done and swung into Walmart and picked up a vanderhagens razor and their shaving cream.

The only positive I have for the shaving cream was I really liked the smell. Reminded me of my barber shop.

Now the razor. I can tell you I have no clue what I am doing. It showed but I was doing "decent". I had shaved both cheeks. That went well. Felt smooth, no burn. I did below the jaw line and into the neck. Not terrible. But not great. I was moving WAY to fast. I needed to just take my time but I had this new toy and just had to roll with it.

I started around my top lip, worked around to my chin and at some point I cut a chunk out of my chin. It had to be almost 20 seconds later before I realized it. Wow do ya bleed when ya grab a chunk of skin there.

I will try again I think tommorow and also look for different blades and then probably a different razor if I ever get some sorta decent shave.

Oddly enough, I had no nics until my chin. And afterwards my face felt like it was on fire.

While probably unrelated it was odd as I used my same aftershave balm that I have been using for 3 years that works really well for me.

I will also try my regular shaving cream next time.

Finding the right angle proved to be more difficult then planned as well.

Quite a different experience but looking forward to getting it better.

Thanks for those sites fellas I will be looking at those here in the next week.

KM
 
Hang in there. Sounds like you are on the right track, only need to keep that angle just right. For me the best way is to put the head of the razor against the cheek (handle parallel to the ground), then lower your hand until the blade barely catches stubble. Then no pressure. No pressure at all! Feather light touch and just wipe the lather off your face. First pass with the growth, then lather up again and one pass across. Good luck and have fun.
Oh, a don`t forget: "the first cut is the deepest ..." and all that.
 
Today`s shave was much better then the 1st shave. Used probably negative pressure at times it felt. I am probably gun shy and I can promise I was "more reckless" with they old Shick Hydro.

I can tell there is a light at the end of the tunnel but that thing is a ways off. In the mean time I am scoping a couple sites and trying to figure out how to buy that and new detailing supplies that I need...
 
Civicclutch said:
I`ve been loosing bristles out of my brush as it was a cheap my wife got me. What kind and links to it are you guys using and have enjoyed?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I`m using the Semogue 1250. After going through a couple cheaper bruches which shed all over the place, I decided to pay a bit more and it was worth it. Right now on Amazon you can get one for under $20 and should last for a long time. I lost a few (very few) bristles when it was new, but they tell you to expect that. After a couple of weeks you won`t lose any at all.
 
Even though I have enough razors I also just picked up one of those Van der Hagen razors and it works quite nice but you may want to try other blades though. Everyone seems to have there blades they like. For me my favorites are Gillette Peramsharp(made on India and purchased on eBay direct from a seller in that country) and Wilkinson Sword(made in Germany), Feathers are another decent one I use. I did use one of those Van der Hagen blades that come with the razor and it worked for me but I didn`t care for it.

One thing to keep in mind, which you may have found out, is to use little to no pressure on the razor. Let the razor do the work.

Websites for ordering are numerous. West Coast shaving, Italian Barber, Q brothers/Merz apothecary, Maggards Razors, Top of the Chain to name a few.

For good reading material there is Badger and Blade forums. For a good YouTube I used to watch PaulHFilms, he in the UK but he is quite entertaining.
 
For those that are looking for a cheap brush I would highly recommend a synthetic brush. I have this brush https://www.westcoastshaving.com/co...nthetic-shaving-brushes?variant=3732379336717 in Turquoise. I picked it up on one of their sales for around $15 and it does a nice job and it is soft. I can`t stand the regular brushes as they feel scratchy. My main brush is an Omega 636 Silvertip badger hair and it is soft but lacks a little backbone for the hard soaps which is where the synthetic comes in hand.
 
CREMO really expanded their lineup. Barber Grade quality products available now. Tried their 2in1 shampoo and body wash this week. Bourbon & Oak. Crazy good. Still using their shave cream. Got Sandalwood this time to try out.
 
God only knows how many shave soaps I have tried but two of my favourites are Cella and Haslinger. Both are very reasonably priced and make loads of slippery lather. Proraso is a brand that is usually very popular and again reasonably priced.
I actually use Cremo as a preshave some of the time.
 
I have used the Proraso cream in a tube from Bath & Bodyworks (CG Bigelow) for years; very slick & I like the scent & feel of the eucalyptus. I recently have been experimenting with a tube of Cremo cream with a Peppermint scent. I find it`s not as smooth & slick as the Proraso going on my face, but I like the cooling sensation of the peppermint after shaving and rinsing..
 
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