A saetey razor, a safety razor, my kingdom for a saftey razor!

[Edward]

I'm not sure why you think a safety razor will be any more time consuming than a multi-razor plastic thingy. It's a matter of preference and habit. I can shave quick, or I can shave slow depending on my mood or how fast I have to get out the door. When I want real close and don't mind taking the time I'll use a straight razor; when I want a perfect, super-close shave and have even more time I'll go to Gus, my barber. Different, ahem, strokes for different folks.

Ah, sometime I'll treat myself to a proper barbour shave. Time and location allowing, when a good friend of mine gets married I have plans to take us both out for a straight razor shave the morning before. The speed thing.... from what I can gather, most folks seem to consider that you can't use a DE with modern gels / foams, so that's really where the time issue comes in. The goop from a can might be classless, but it works when I'm in a rush out the door. And - I confess with shame - the fusion seems to be forgiving enough that I can run it over my head and face with only water if I'm really running late....

Edward:The Merkur Progress is one of my favorite razors. I've never had a desire to buy a Merkur Futur or Vision..
I was using a cheap Everlast boarhair brush and Williams shaving soap for over 20 years, long before I switched back to DE razor.

I heard a lot about the Futur, but they look a bit, eh, modernist.... half the attraction for me is the vintage look, adds to the vibe. I'll have a look at the Progress, thanks.

...I think you might want to consider it the other way around. Keep your current razor and get a decent badger brush and some great soaps.

What some folks call "Gourmet Shaving" isn't just razors. You are in great luck because some of the best brushes, soaps and aftershaves are made in the UK. While you can pay a lot for a brush, you can also get a very good badger (yes you want badger) for an affordable price. As for the cremes and aftershaves, they are a bit more than the regular stuff, but are in well within the realm of "affordable luxury."

You will come to enjoy your shave, and you can always move to a different razor later.

I guess it would make sense to get used to one element at a time.... I think ,though, with the lathering up issue, it's definitely gonig to have to be something I do when I can devote the time to it. I'm not the best at getting up that early on a workday.

Thanks for all the suggestions, gentlemen, I'll look into those in the upcoming weeks.

 

[Smithy]

Edward, I use a modern cartridge razor but I only ever using shaving soap, and I will say now I will never go back to modern can foams and gels.

Yes shaving soap costs more but lasts an age longer than the can stuff, as well as that I get a far smoother and comfortable shave and (with me anyway) it's better for my skin.

I use Crabtree and Evelyn Sandalwood shaving soap. When I first bought it, it came in a very nice Indian teak shaving soap bowl with lid. Replacement soaps are fairly common and with definitely be in Blighty.

I'd urge you to pick some up and a nice badger bristle brush, it's just as quick as foaming up with the modern can things.

 

[Edward]

Edward, I use a modern cartridge razor but I only ever using shaving soap, and I will say now I will never go back to modern can foams and gels.

Yes shaving soap costs more but lasts an age longer than the can stuff, as well as that I get a far smoother and comfortable shave and (with me anyway) it's better for my skin.

I use Crabtree and Evelyn Sandalwood shaving soap. When I first bought it, it came in a very nice Indian teak shaving soap bowl with lid. Replacement soaps are fairly common and with definitely be in Blighty.

I'd urge you to pick some up and a nice badger bristle brush, it's just as quick as foaming up with the modern can things.

Hmmn, if it's just as quick I might give it a go.... where does one find these things - supermarket? chemists?

 

[Smithy]

Hmmn, if it's just as quick I might give it a go.... where does one find these things - supermarket? chemists?

I bought my C & E shave soap at a chemist in Auckland, but that's not much good for you Edward.

If you want the C & E stuff then perhaps get on the horn to them or check on the internet about stockists in London (which there must be hordes of).

 

[classyguy]

great de store

Over the holidays I bought a great looking double edged set (including razor, badger brush and stand) for under $50! I got it from ebarbershop.com. They have tons of razors, brushes and everything else you need for a great shave. I have recently started using one of these and have finally stopped cutting myself by not applying any pressure to the blade...i get great shaves--better than the electric and the fusion that I used previously.

Hope you can find some deals on that site... I sure did. Cheers!

 

[Edward]

Sounds cool.... I'm watching out for a deal on a Merkur Progress when I have the cash....

For now, I'm keen to try out shaving soap, though i'm a little leery of the prices. I imagine it's because the only places I've found it in online are premium / luxury shave accountrements dealers, but oh my.... looks like soap is anything from gbp5 to gbp16 for something I'll get (as one site suggested) four shaves out of??? That's much too pricey to think about using daily.... I'll have to hunt out the chemists. Sainsburys locally stock DE blades, but not shaving soap.

 

[John in Covina]

Soaps & Cremes

These last for a pretty long time, long enough that you might consider getting more than one simply for a change of pace for the scent.

 

[Edward]

That's a relief to hear, John!

I've seen a cheap brush and soap set on eBay for GBP7.95..... I know it'd not be up to much, but I was considering trying that before I shell out for something pricier.... Also, I see someone in the UK now is selling cheaper razors for about GBP15..... would that be worth considering as a starter, then if it didn't work out for me it'd be less money invested, or is there a compelling reason to jump straight in and invest in something like the Merkur?

Presently, I can see me wanting to use the DE for my face, but maybe sticking with a cartridge for the head. I take it real shaving soap can be applied over the head with the hands well enough - I know it's better with the brush, but thinknig of aras that are not so easy to get at, like the back if the head.....

 

[Ugarte]

Presently, I can see me wanting to use the DE for my face, but maybe sticking with a cartridge for the head. I take it real shaving soap can be applied over the head with the hands well enough - I know it's better with the brush, but thinknig of aras that are not so easy to get at, like the back if the head.....

I really hate to butt into a thread where I really have little to contribute, but(t)...

My first shave was with a DE. As I recall, heavy, unwieldy, but cool in a retro kind of way.

Edward, I say buy the DE if you wish, but might I suggest the HeadBlade® when smoothing the scalp. It's the opposite of vintage now, but in 50 years it'll be really retro!

Mark
.

 

[Edward]

I've seen that website before.... they're an intriguing device, for sure. It was working out a little expensive to get one from over here, but I might look into that if they come out on the UK market. For now, I think I'll get hold of a DE when i have the spare scratch, start with the occasional shave and maybe work up to daily for the chin, sticking with the Fusion for the skull. Skull seems to come out pretty smoothe with that - it's my chin as always seems to have been the problem. I'm hoping a DE will get that smootheness I'm missing at present over my jaw.

 

[Smithy]

For now, I'm keen to try out shaving soap, though i'm a little leery of the prices.

Edward shaving soap lasts much longer than the gel and foam canned things. For example with the Crabtree and Evelyn I am using at the moment, I have been using the same soap for just now over two years, and I shave around 3 times a week. Obviously I am not using as much as you as I don't shave my head, but how many cans of Gilette gel or foam do you go through in a year? In the long run I'd wager you'll probably save money using shaving soap.

Don't be stingy about it, splash out on a nice soap (preferably in a good wooden bowl) and brush. The only thing then you need to worry about spending on is the soap and as I said, you won't have to do that for quite awhile!

 

[Edward]

Edward shaving soap lasts much longer than the gel and foam canned things. For example with the Crabtree and Evelyn I am using at the moment, I have been using the same soap for just now over two years, and I shave around 3 times a week. Obviously I am not using as much as you as I don't shave my head, but how many cans of Gilette gel or foam do you go through in a year? In the long run I'd wager you'll probably save money using shaving soap.

Don't be stingy about it, splash out on a nice soap (preferably in a good wooden bowl) and brush. The only thing then you need to worry about spending on is the soap and as I said, you won't have to do that for quite awhile!

Sounds good! I've actually just had one arrive yesterday - next, a brush. Maybe end of next month I'll buy the Merkur Progress I have my eye on...

 

[Edward]

Ah, here it is! It's amazing how many threads turn up on a search for "shaving."

Thought it worth bringing this discussion up to see if anyone has anything new to add, or if there are any more folks out there taking up DE shaving. I'm not sure whether I'm just more aware of it now, but there seems tobe a thriving business online for DE razors and accoutrements - both the web generally and on OFAS. This is not limited to vintage pieces - I'm seeing a lot more new product than I was previously aware existed.

Since I list posted to this thread, my bristle shaving brush arrived. I've been using it with a cheap Turkish shaving soap that I found for a penny on eBay, with great results. (Also good results with the cream Shaving Shack sent as a freebie along with my brush). Definitely an improvement to my shave with the Fusion, and no burn or irritation the way I often have with gells or foams (I think I'll clear those out to someone else who can use them pronto). I deliberately bought a travel brush (with its own little plastic travel tube) so that if it worked for me I could buy a 'home' brush later on rather than doubling up on something. I have my eye on a really nice onyx-handled badger brush for the near future....

Next big step is to make the jump to a DE. I've just won an eBay auction for a cheapish Fatboy (a slight darkspot on the finish on the handle and lack of box kept the price down). I intend this to be the first of maybe half a dozen DE razors, if it works out (have my eye on a few Merkurs. ). anyone have any advice on using this for the first time? I would like eventually to get rid of the Fusion entirely, I'm now thinking, but I'm wary as to how realistic it is to shave my full head with a DE (I'm 'all off bar the eybrows!'). Anyone here doing that? Steep learning curve?

ETA:

ps.... this is all entirely the fault of the FL - I'd have been happy to use the Fusion and grumble about the price of cartridges before I found this place!!

 

[Creeping Past]

Slight shaving sadness

I bought a couple of things in Trumpers in Jermyn Street yesterday and mentioned it to my lady later in the evening. She revealed that she'd planned to buy me a proper shaving set, with safety razor, powder, and everything that goes with it, a couple of years ago. Then I decided to grow a beard and threw her birthday present plans into chaos.

I love the beard - a prominent red Edward VII-style ornament - but I can't help feeling a little sad for having forfeited all those fresh morning faces.

 

[Edward]

I just read a concerning thread over at Badger & Blade about the production of badger hair brushes. Worries have been flagged that the badger pelts, whih come from China, arebeing cruelly sourced with horror stories of animals being skinned alive. I'm keeping an eye on that - some wonderful folks are trying to find out if there's a producer who can honestly give a confident guarantee that their stuff is produced with the badger being killed humanely before the pelt is harvested. Badgers being unendangered and their meat being a foodsource in China, one would hope this is possible.... I think for now I might stick with a synthetic. If a badger is killed humanely for its meat, then I'm all for using the pelt too for a shaving brush - waste not, want not and all that - but I'd hate to think that some creature had to suffer for me to have a fancy shave in the morning. [huh]

 

[Memnon]

I must have inherited about a dozen old gillette DE razors from my grandfather, most of which look like they spent the last 50 years at the bottom of a crusty bathroom cabinet (which they likely did). However, I like my Merkur Progress the best. It's adjustable, and premium quality.

 

[Edward]

Couple of relevant points here:

Further to my last post above, ShavingShack.co.uk inform me that Made in England badger brushes are fine, as there are very strict conditions placed upon how badger hair imported into England is harvested.

My Merkur Progress arrived on Saturday morning. So far I've shave with it twice. I would have been three times, but I simply didn'tg need it on Sunday, the shave is sooooo much closer than I am used to getting with a cartridge razor. First time I shaved with a DE in my life was Saturday morning, and I did give myself a bit if a cut. Today, merely some shaving rash on one small patch i foolishly gave another pass at without relathering it first. Got a bit overconfident and tried it on my head too - gouged it a bit and so will stick to the czartridge razor there for a bit at least... maybe try again once I'm sure I have the hang of the chin.