Shave of the Day

[Robieman]

Sell the blades on a message board (like here or the other shave-based ones) and go right-quick to your $1 shaves. There's no reason you should have to wait years. The amount of consumption that goes on in the wet shaving community is insane. No, it's mindblowing. They'd snatch up your Feathers in a second.

The Shave Nook. Damn Fine Shave. The Shave Den. Badger & Blade. Those are the bigger ones that come to mind, but I'm sure there are others.

I hate to admit it, but I never really thought about selling them. Perhaps I will, thanks for that.

 

[Yesteryear]

I received my Giesen & Forsthoff 'Timor' razor yesterday. First impressions are very good, it has an impressive weight and looks to be of excellent quality. Chrome plated brass handle, with a chrome plated zinc alloy head. I shaved with it for the first time this morning. It gave a very smooth and comfortable shave, I'm happy with it!

 

[Shangas]

One of the more recent shaving photos I took, featuring my 1905 Sheffield straight razor set...

 

[St.Ignatz]

Just a kick start. My shaving season starts in a couple weeks.

 

[Cocker]

Shaved my beard for the first time in 8 years two weeks ago, and gave in to the delicate art of DE razor shaving. I really love the whole ritual behind it, and it was a bit easier than what I expected (only a couple very small cuts). The only thing is the skin on my throat and the lower side of my jaws is very sensitive now, but I think it'll get used to it.

So here goes, I caved in to the very appealing packaging of Fine Accoutrements, especially when all reviews I read of their different products were so good:

- Fine Marvel safety razor
- Fine lather bowl
- Fine stout shaving brush
- Fine American blend shaving soap
- Darwin Alum block (quite useful!)

I ordered a bundle of different blades for my first times, try and get the feeling, see what would work best for me. For now I've used the Feather one, we'll see what'll be next:

I'll have to do a couple pictures of the products in use.

 

[Woodtroll]

Shaved my beard for the first time in 8 years two weeks ago, and gave in to the delicate art of DE razor shaving. I really love the whole ritual behind it, and it was a bit easier than what I expected (only a couple very small cuts). The only thing is the skin on my throat and the lower side of my jaws is very sensitive now, but I think it'll get used to it.

So here goes, I caved in to the very appealing packaging of Fine Accoutrements, especially when all reviews I read of their different products were so good:

- Fine Marvel safety razor
- Fine lather bowl
- Fine stout shaving brush
- Fine American blend shaving soap
- Darwin Alum block (quite useful!)

I ordered a bundle of different blades for my first times, try and get the feeling, see what would work best for me. For now I've used the Feather one, we'll see what'll be next:

I'll have to do a couple pictures of the products in use.

The Feather blades are very sharp, but once I got used to DE shaving they became my favorite by far. They require a light touch and NO sideways slips or roughhousing, or you'll bleed! But if you carefully learn how to use them, I think you'll like them.

I use them with Mitchell's Wool Fat Shaving Soap; this combination works very well for me. And you don't need a huge lather to make it work, just a modest coat.

I HATE shaving (my first act of retirement will be to dispose of my razor!), so I try to do it the most effective way. I think you're on the right track. Good luck!

 

[Cocker]

Actually had my third shave with the feather blade without any blood spill. It took me a bit of time, but I think I'm getting the hang of it, and I really love the whole preparation and everything.

And yeah, the result is far above what I've ever experienced in my previous shaving days.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

I would encourage you to use the blades more Xs than general consensus and your intuition. I used to throw my blades out after a couple shaves because that is what everyone said to do and because they're so inexpensive. Then I ran into people using a blade 20-50Xs. After years of going with the former philosophy, I experimented with the latter. I now get close to 20 shaves out of a blade. Usually Astra greens. I have thick hair like wire. After a handful of shaves, you'll stop getting weepers and other issues. The blade goes from sharp to smooth, and I've found that to be a good thing. It is different, but it is also good.

 

[Cocker]

Thanks for the tip! To be honest, I planned on going with it as long as I felt it was ok, be it 5 or 50 times. I usually don't buy the "it's good for X uses" and rather experiment for myself. Seen I don't shave every day, I suspect a blade will go a long way for me.

 

[Woodtroll]

I’ve read that some folks use their blades for only a few shaves, but I usually get 3 weeks or more out of a blade before it starts dragging. I’ve learned not to use it past that point - the economy is not worth it! Maybe the type of shaving soap affects blade life, I don’t know.

They used to sell concave stones to sharpen DE blades, but I have never bothered to find one and try it. I’m only using about $8 of blades a year, as compared to the outrageous cost of those cartridges, so I’m pretty pleased with that.

 

[K5MOW]

Here was my shave of the day.

 

[Cocker]

It's now been 3 months since I've started shaving with a DE razor, and I've been constantly nicking my neck while doing so, no matter how precautions I am. Every shaving guides of any sort I've been looking at advised about the importance of preparing the shave with a hot/humid towel to soften the skin and the beard. But the more I'm doing it, the worst the nicks are. So I've decided to try the opposite way and going for a COLD preparation since last week. And I must say, since I've started the routine of cold water on my face before shaving, Ive barely got any cut or nicks at all. I've been digging a bit around, and found some other advocating the same, that the hot humid towel actually may soften the skin and the beard too much, not allowing for a smooth shave, where the cold preparation can actually help getting the facial hairs more straight and rigid, and the skin more firm and allowing for a better glide of the blade.

So, any of you folks into the cold preparation instead of the hot one?

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

Maybe keep using your blade too. Don't throw it out too quickly. I've been DE shaving for years, and I still (can) get weepers on a fresh blade (first 1-4 shaves on a blade). The weepers stop happening after that.

 

[Trenchfriend]

It's now been 3 months since I've started shaving with a DE razor, and I've been constantly nicking my neck while doing so, no matter how precautions I am. Every shaving guides of any sort I've been looking at advised about the importance of preparing the shave with a hot/humid towel to soften the skin and the beard. But the more I'm doing it, the worst the nicks are. So I've decided to try the opposite way and going for a COLD preparation since last week. And I must say, since I've started the routine of cold water on my face before shaving, Ive barely got any cut or nicks at all. I've been digging a bit around, and found some other advocating the same, that the hot humid towel actually may soften the skin and the beard too much, not allowing for a smooth shave, where the cold preparation can actually help getting the facial hairs more straight and rigid, and the skin more firm and allowing for a better glide of the blade.

So, any of you folks into the cold preparation instead of the hot one?

Warm preparation PLUS basic greybadger brush with the great "massaging-in effect". Works always. I don't like softer silvertip brushes.

 

[Cocker]

Maybe keep using your blade too. Don't throw it out too quickly. I've been DE shaving for years, and I still (can) get weepers on a fresh blade (first 1-4 shaves on a blade). The weepers stop happening after that.

Trying to get as much as I can from the blades, indeed .

Tried the Feather again, and it's way too aggressive for me. I'll go back to the Astra Platinum as soon as possible, this seems to be the best working ones for me at the moment.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

Here's a guy who was trying to get the most out of a blade. 425 or something.

https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/l1tc8m/gsb_after_400_shaves/

Blade use in DE shaving is a weird one. When I first got into it, everyone was talking sharp sharp sharp. That was the only metric in which they were measuring a blade. It's obviously a significant variable, but if you're new to it, you get the (wrong) impression you have to throw out a blade after maybe four uses. Creating a rule that is meaningless, and then also trying to justify the meaningless rule because a blade only costs X cents. But guess what? Some of us find out that a blade performs better when it isn't sharp sharp sharp. You might be one of us, too.

There used to be a youtuber from I think New Mexico. He did the best experimenting I've seen. Like using a digital scale to weigh soaps before and after and closely estimating how many shaves he could get out of a tub, thus being able to break down how much each shave costs. Or my favorite: doing only one complete circle in a tub with a brush and seeing how many full, comfortable passes he could get out of that amount of lather. I used to wonder if Albuquerque had some magical water source because he got so much lather out of that single circle. You watch guys on youtube fill a brush for up to a minute sometimes and probably have enough soap loaded for ten shaves. Another modeling that gives other wet shavers a false impression of what is mandated.

 

[Bfd70]

The Feather blades are very sharp, but once I got used to DE shaving they became my favorite by far. They require a light touch and NO sideways slips or roughhousing, or you'll bleed! But if you carefully learn how to use them, I think you'll like them.

I use them with Mitchell's Wool Fat Shaving Soap; this combination works very well for me. And you don't need a huge lather to make it work, just a modest coat.

I HATE shaving (my first act of retirement will be to dispose of my razor!), so I try to do it the most effective way. I think you're on the right track. Good luck!

Regarding retirement, same here.

 

[Bfd70]

Are you all shaving in the evenings? For me the issue with the DE is that i shave in the morning and am always sort of rushed. I can’t enjoy the event of it all. Also, how frequently are you shaving? I need to shave every day for work.

 

[Robieman]

Are you all shaving in the evenings? For me the issue with the DE is that i shave in the morning and am always sort of rushed. I can’t enjoy the event of it all. Also, how frequently are you shaving? I need to shave every day for work.

I’m 65, and with the exception of once when I tried growing a beard, have shaved every morning since I was 19. I’ve tried cartridge razors, a couple different electrics, have a collection of virtually every old Gillette razor, and found the one Gillette that is a goldish color that you screw the handle off and put the blade in the head, works best for me. I’ve also tried nearly every brand of double edge blade and found Feather works the best. Now believe it or not, I picked up some el cheapo women’s disposable razors at Dollar Tree, and was amazed at how close a shave I could get with those. Once the box of kazillion Feathers I have run out, I will probably go to those full time. I use Penhaligons shave cream when I catch it on sale, or GF Trumper if on sale. I also use and like Proraso in the tube. I will sometimes get a bit of a nick with first day use of the Feather blades, and sometimes on the last day or two, when it’s getting a bit dull. But past that, they are just fine.
And I’ve always made time in the morning for shaving. It’s just part of my routine.
But that’s just me. No doubt others have different routines.

 

[Cocker]

I shave every other day. The skin on my throat is very sensitive, and I don't need to shave every day for work, so no need for more.

Since I've started to shave again, I'm very much enjoying this time in the morning. I had to adapt the schedule to find some times in between my wife's morning routine and taking care of our daughter, but this makes this small "me time" even more enjoyable before starting the day.