supershaving

[Pavlov's Bell]

where are you guys getting the straight razors and blades? how much should you be paying?

Freeman's got a good selection. Dude's there know their shit.

[Guest Methimphibian]

is it true that a straight razor cuts just as close as a bic? a long time ago I asked a barber this and he said they cut the same closeness. also do straight razors need to be re-sharpened often?

[conqueror]

i have just jumped into the world of DE shaving and fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck me - the difference is huge. i have a thick beard that grows quickly and also have really sensitive skin - yet with de shaving i get no cuts, no razorburn and a real close shave at the end of it. i'm kicking myself for not doing it years ago...i actually look forward to shaving now as it is sort of like a little ritual and i save money in the process. have also have been dorking out by reading all the different traditional shaving forums - i was actually surprised at how many there are.

my setup at the moment:

weishi 2004 (case came obliterated in the mail, but its cheap).

dorco 300 blades.

shitty synthetic brush w/ old coffee mug (the brush is so bad that half the bristles come off and stick to my face).

i just ordered a badger brush - are there any recommendations for shaving cream or soap for someone with sensitive skin? i bought some palmolive stuff at a local shaving store (who ironically didn't have any DE razors) but it doesn't lather very well at all.

Edited December 5, 2011 by conqueror

[jbanger]

clipper every other week or so

[conqueror]

weishi has pockets of rust already, and i was anal with drying it properly. piece of shit.

Edited December 6, 2011 by conqueror

[akuma no uta]

Once every 3 months or so I'll shave, usually just clippers with no guard, and then maybe an electric shaver over top of it, but even going that far irritates the fuck out of my skin. If my beard was a tad bit thicker I would just let it go forever and have a giant whisker wars -esque beard, but it's not quite to that level.

[vaguerant]

just got into DE shaving and like conqueror, im kicking myself for not jumping in sooner. I copped a merkur 34c, merkur razors and half ased it by using nivea sensitive gel. Im gonna get some proraso pre/post oil as well as some proraso shave cream as a starting point and move on from there. I have sensitive skin so im always leary as to what i put on there. Proraso ultra sensitive seems to be like a good option.

Coming from a gillette fusion, the shave is completely different! I watched one video on youtube (check out geofatboy, hes the shit) and got the gist of the motion from there. My first DE shave was 3 passes and it was a CLOSE ass shave! no irritation and no nicks or cuts! Even the stubble comes out differently. I notice unevenness in my face (and irritation) when using the fusion, but the DE did not have that effect on my face. WAY less friction

Im only one shave in but its a whole new world. Definitely bidget 10-30 minutes for proper prep time and to insure that youre not rushing through the process. Thats how you get cut!

Edited December 19, 2011 by vaguerant

[pepper davies]

I've recently started collecting straight edge razors. If anyone is looking for a strop I've got a filly strop that I would let go of cheap. A great learning strop. I'm about ready to start using my big daddy strop.

Edit: I used the word strop 4 times. strop strop strop strop strop.

Edited December 19, 2011 by ADH92

[renski]

joined the supershaving club. purchased a razor from my barber now i just need to get it sharpened as the person who does theirs is kind of flakey. can't wait to use it.

[pepper davies]

Wow. Damascus? Or is it just printed on the blade? That thing looks nice.

[renski]

it is damascus! the guys at the shop put together a nice blade considering it was only $120.

[vaguerant]

do you know how to use that thing, renski? I'd imagine it might be a little much to take on for a beginner. (not trying to hate or whatever but you skipped a whole bunch of steps and went straight to the SE!)

Edited December 28, 2011 by vaguerant

[vaguerant]

This:

plus this:

plus this:

With a Gillette Fusion. Wash that shit down with a Rock Star fruit punch. I've got a really thick, coarse beard that grows in diff directions, so anything else leaves me with irritated skin.

haha, this is the worst post in this thread.

AoS/Kiehls/Mach 3 lol

step your game up, bro

[renski]

do you know how to use that thing, renski? I'd imagine it might be a little much to take on for a beginner. (not trying to hate or whatever but you skipped a whole bunch of steps and went straight to the SE!)

I don't but the barbershop I bought it from said once I get it sharpened to go there and they'll teach me how to use it. I have a beginner kit I got as a gift from art of shaving but will eventually upgrade.

[conqueror]

started playing around with a few different blades now, although dorco 300's are still my favourite. .i seem to be one of the rare few who find the astra SP to be awful. felt like i was using a cheese grater on my face and gave me insane razor burn all over my neck - awful. will give the SS's a go as apparently du's who don't like the SP's have a better experience with them.

also, using a badger brush makes a world of difference. will probably pick up a boar in a few months and see which i prefer.

[jyoni]

I have to rescind my statement that wet-dry electric w/lather is on par with straight-edge shaving. At least with the commonly available shavers atm. I wound up getting one of those Norelcos for my birthday and they aren't up to snuff. After a month of use, I'd say it's a decent and solid product, but I have to run it for a looooong time and re-lather at least once to get good results (which still aren't outstanding).

My assertion was based on my old Remington R856 which finally shit the bed after 10-12 years. That shaver was more like, lather up, one swipe and move on, and the end result was always quick and absolutely perfect.

[joelz]

I'm looking into getting a safety razor - any recommendations? Im looking at one of these too:

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522941/6460096.htm

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522941/5415886.htm

[conqueror]

something by edwin jagger or merkur.

http://www.westcoastshaving.com/

Edited February 13, 2012 by conqueror

[joelz]

what are the advantages of either of those brands? what should i be looking for (total newbie when it comes to this stuff, not sure where else to look, etc etc)

[Harry Hood]

i got the merkur hd as my first safety razor and i love it. highly recommended. my brother got the edwin jagger de89l and likes it but i prefer the merkur. can't really go wrong either way!

[intothevoid]

what are the advantages of either of those brands? what should i be looking for (total newbie when it comes to this stuff, not sure where else to look, etc etc)

depends on whether you want an aggressive or mild razor. if your skin is sensitive look into brands like gillette or cop a vintage injector. if your hair is coarser you need something like a merkur futur or gillette slim adjustable (comes with settings from 1-9 so its like 9 razors in one, pretty sweet). Start out with feather razors and geo f trumper/proraso soap, I have these and they are great. The proraso has menthol in it so if you nick yourself it doesn't hurt like hell.

[conqueror]

i dunno, i think starting DE shaving with a feather is pretty bad advice. joelz, just read up on the badger and blade forums - tons of newbie info and helpful du's.

[intothevoid]

yeah my mistake i meant to suggest the tech + feather as a combo. the sharpness of the feather coupled with the mild tech makes for a decent shave with little to no irritation. once you try it you will wonder why you spent so much on multi blade razors...this was my first setup and i still use it from time to time. def read up to see what you like cause of course this stuff is all subjective and you won't know until you try.

[percy]

hi guys, have only just seen this thread, but i too have only recently started shaving using a de and brush etc. i love it, it is great fun and feels kinda cool to be lathering up with a brush then using naked steel on your face! i hadnt shaved properly for a few years now so i am just taking it easy letting my skin get used to it again before going crazy with multiple passes, but generally i find it comes with hardly any irritation which is great.

my set up so far is an edwin jagger 89 with the derby blades it comes with, although i have just bought a blade sample pack which includes feathers, astras, personnas etc which im looking forward to trying. i also started with a small ej badger brush but have since bought a larger silvertip badger brush from a small company in the uk, it is awesome and makes the experience much better. the head shape on the ej lends itself to getting the correct shaving angle and is easy to use, but i think if i could i might buy a handle with extra grip just to be safe.

[halomunkey]

Been using DE for a month or so now and its awesome.

I know theres a lot of hate on badger for merkurs but I really like them. Really great for beginners and its sharpness is pretty consistent through the shaves.

I actually wish I started out with merkur instead of derbys. Even though the derbys tugged less I was still getting a crazy amount of nicks and irritation. I also was never able to get a close shave without cutting myself more than 10 times @_@, but with the merks I got the closest shave ever. Still bought one of those blade variety packs off of amazon so I can try out personnas, gillette, astra, etc.

My setup is basically all Baxter of California since I had a sale code . Baxter razor (or rebranded muhle r89), badger brush, shaving cream, and aftershave.

[vaguerant]

@halomunkey - hate on merkur? the blades or the shavers? I know the blades arent sharp enough for those with thick, course beards but the shavers have been the industry standard up until the re-designed edwin jagger heads

@joelz - i second what harry hood has said. I personally have the merkur 34c hd, which is the short handle version, and i absolutely love it. Since that razor came out, edwin jagger backward engineered the head angle, and according to most enthusiasts, improved on the merkur head. For around $30, the EJ 89 is a great bargain.

I would recommend derby or merkur blades when you first start out as those are not as sharp as others and a little more forgiving.

[jeansnkicks]

I've got a Merkur 38C Barberpole which I love. It's much heavier than the HD and its got a fairly long handle with a good grip. I have a very thick beard and usually use the yellow Feathers. When I'm skint I use Personna Reds made in Israel.

Edited February 23, 2012 by jeansnkicks

[Cold Summer]

I got a Merkur safety razor for Christmas (HD, I think?) and some decent shaving cream and a badger brush. I'll have to see what all is available here in Japan after doing some more research. So far I love it, since I usually shave when I bathe at the onsen I can't always see if I got a close shave until after the fact, but I've had no cuts or scratches since I started and shaving is actually kind of fun now.

[Erik Wagner]

Love my Merkur Safety Razor. Ladyfriend bought it for me a couple years ago (34c). Use that with a little of the Trumper violet shaving cream and some Trumper's Coral Skinfood. Hooey, have to use a stick to beat the ladyfriend off of me, ha.

Also, I HIGHLY recommend buying a styptic pen for everyone who shaves. Every once in a blue moon I cut a blemish and use it rather than bleed for 3 straight hours.

Final thing, definitely go badger fur brush rather than boar. The boar brushes are far too rough for my face.