What do you use to shave?

[poetman]

Went through this with my hairstylist yesterday. She wondered if I shaved with a straight razor. I have trouble enough with a safety razor! Seems like it would be a great idea to have the whole rig out - cup, cream, straight razor - but there's a very good reason why someone invented the safety razor.

I've never liked an electric razor. Too much burn and stubble. For the past few years I've been using Gilette Mach 3 with very few nicks (I tend to be a fast shaver) and Edge gel. I've always wanted to try the high end creams ($15 - $25) Anyone ever splurged?

Regards,

Senator Jack

I used to shave with the Mach 3 and a variety of canned creams, but I always had terrible razor burn. A few months ago, after much internet searching, I found some websites that were of great help.
badgerandblade.com
the art of wet shaving
shavemyface.com
and mantic59 videoes on youtube

With all these resources, I now use a badger hair brush, creams from Crabtree and Evelyn, and Proraso, as well as a safety razor.
While I love all things vintage, I understand that modernity actually did improve certain things--the razor being on of them. Multi-blade razors promote skin irritation because the first two blades are meant to pull the hair away from the face while the final blade cuts it. Also, many men get razor burn from shaving to hard. Even with an M3, shave gently, applying little pressure and especially with a safety razor. I love C&E's Sweet Almond Oil cream; while I prefer other smells, this cream gives me the least irritation.
The only can that is not terrible is Barbasol. So much of this depends on your face. My father uses a 99 cent can og cream and the gillettee disposables and he gets a perfectly good shave. I tried that the other day, to see if the vintage route was more aesthetics or actual improvement--the can a disposables shredded my face. It still hurt the following day!
Also, a good after shave and mosturizer are important--proraso and oil of olay hydrating beauty fluid help heal the skin.

 

[Martinis at 8]

No mystery with me.

1. Barbasol shaving cream.
2. Mach 3 razor.
3. Cold water for after shave.

M8

 

[Nick D]

I have a SureEdge straight razor (The Razor That Fits Your Face!), boar brush, and shaving soap. My strop is shorter than I'd like, but it works.

Once I figured out how to use it, the cutthroat gives a better shave than my Mach 3 ever did. It's also easier to keep my beard trimmed, with the corners at my ears and mouth.

Nick

 

[PADDY]

Paddy's shave

1. Mach III razor
2. Advocado shave cream (from Taylor's of Old Bond Street, London)
3. Full badger shave brush (from Tayor's)
4. After Shave (Knize Ten or Creed Tabarome or Gucci Pour Homme)
5. EDT (Knize Ten or Gucci Pour Homme - both are dark leathery/Cigarish)

 

[Jovan]

Speaking of "metrosexuality"...

Continuing this conversation from another thread.

I've been reading an article I found using Google just now, and I've been opened up to shaving the old way by both it and the help of a gentleman here. It can't be too hard to put a little more effort in the morning.

So, what do all of you old school shavers recommend? I'm considering getting an old fashioned safety razor (since the prospect of straight razors scares me a little). Some of the prices in that article are a bit steep, though I suppose it breaks even when you consider how long those creams and blades can probably last you. Best bang for the buck recommendations, too? Thanks.

 

[scotrace]

But THIS ONE is the one you really need. "The Method."

 

[MK]

...AND...

....the third issue of Classic Style will have a feature on shaving. It will ship the end of May.

 

[Jovan]

Thanks. I may start off just incorporating a brush and tub of cream into my routine. Even Wally World is bound to have that.

 

[Martinis at 8]

No mystery on my side:

1. Barbasol shaving cream.
2. Mach 3 razor.
3. Cold water for after shave.

No straight razor for me either. Especially after seeing Sweeney Todd on Broadway back in the 70's. Yikes!

 

[Jovan]

See, if something like a safety straight razor existed, I'd use it. That's originally what I thought they were talking about here.

 

[Fletch]

Durham-Duplex used to make precisely that animal.
I don't know if blades are still obtainable, tho!

 

[Jovan]

I successfully found a puck of Williams shaving soap today at the local Pubix.

When I called ahead of time asking if they had any, none of them knew what the hell I was talking about. But thankfully I double checked in the hygiene/beauty section when I did my normal shopping. Now, if I could only find a shaving brush...

 

[Lincsong]

Unfortunately, out of the three boys, I'm the one who has the 5 O'clock shadow at 10 a.m.:eusa_doh: I also have skin that will break out in a rash at a drop of a pin, so I have to use Aveeno shave cream. My razor is a standard Atra that I've been using for the past 15 years. The electric Reminington I used from 1988-1990 wasn't that great so I stopped using it. Aftershave???? What's that?lol I am unable to use that or any type of cologne, I'll break out in a massive rash. So after I shave I just wrap a hot towel around my face.

 

[cooncatbob]

Here's my weapon of choice, Merkur Progress with a Bolivian Rosewood knob that I made to replace the ivory plastic knob that the razor came with. Also 2 brush handles I made out of the same wood.

Here the Progress with a extended bronze knurled knob. makes shaving ones head much easier.

 

[Jovan]

Classic aftershave is actually more of a lotion from my understanding. I only use Jōvan* as a cologne.

Nice stuff, Bob. Can't wait to start getting into the world of classic shaving.

*My name here is my real first name. The brand name of that aftershave is just a coincidence.

 

[dnjan]

So, what do all of you old school shavers recommend? I'm considering getting an old fashioned safety razor (since the prospect of straight razors scares me a little). Some of the prices in that article are a bit steep, though I suppose it breaks even when you consider how long those creams and blades can probably last you. Best bang for the buck recommendations, too? Thanks.

You really can't get more "bang for the buck" than a straight razor. I've got 25+ years on less than $50 worth of blade.

No reason to be afraid of a sharp straight razor. Just keep three things in mind:

1) keep your skin pulled tight with your other hand

2) NEVER move the blade sideways - only straight in the direction perpendicular to the long axis of the cutting edge.

3) never, ever get distracted.

 

[Martinis at 8]

You really can't get "bang for the buck" than a straight razor. I've got 25+ years on less than $50 worth of blade.

No reason to be afraid of a sharp straight razor. Just keep three things in mind:

1) keep your skin pulled tight with your other hand

2) NEVER move the blade sideways - only straight in the direction perpendicular to the long axis of the cutting edge.

3) never, ever get distracted.

Hmmm. I never even thought of the money aspect of this debate.

Kaching! Gillette has probably made a fortune off of me!

 

[Feng_Li]

From another forum

The cheapest razors I can find are these packs of 10 Gillette CustomPlus for $6.62 from Wal-Mart (taxes included). Now let's assume you shave everyday, so each razor lasts about a week (7 shaves a week, or 5 shaves and take the weekend off). So in a year you'll go through about 5 of these packs (52 weeks/10 weeks worth of shavers per pack) forget about the extra 2 weeks, let's just say you get lazy every once in a while.

The cheapest shave foam (and frankly quite good compared to the Gillette garbage) I can find is a can of Barbasol for $1.77 (taxes included) also from Wal-Mart. It lasts me a little longer than a pack of the cheap razors will, maybe about 13 weeks, so you'll need about 4 cans in a year.

So 5 x $6.62 = $33.10/year for razors; 4 x $1.77 = 7.08

Grand total of $40.18 for a years worth of the most unsatisfying shaves imaginable.

I'm 20 now, so let's say conservatively, I have another 50 years of shaving ahead of me.

50 x $40.18 = $2009.00

Now thats a fair sized amount of cash, and what would I have to show for it...not a damn thing! Relentless razor burn and ingrown hairs...no wonder a lot of old men are cranky!

And this is the lower limit of what you'd probably spend on shaving with disposables. Don't even get me started on if you use a Mach3 or Fusion or whatever contraption torture device they think of next.

Even with a moderate case of RAD you can still come out ahead of the game, and then at least you'll have something you can hold and be proud of and pass on. Truly more worthwhile. (or you can sell it and regain some of your costs less the price of soap)

The only problem is that the price has more of a impact with straights. Hones, strops, paddles, razors. Even a cheap setup will give some sticker shock. Even though they about balance out in the end, straights make you more aware of how much you truly spend on shaving.

Ref: straightrazorplace

 

[dnjan]

Cost of keeping a straightrazor sharp

I already had the sharpening stones for my chisels and woodplane blades, and already had a stick of jewelers rouge for the strop. I bought a 60-inch (2-in wide) belt blank from Tandy leather to make a belt, and used what I cut off to make the strop. That was in 1979. I haven't had any sharpening costs since then.

 

[Jovan]

I want to now thank you guys for putting me in the right direction.

I just picked up a Burma-Shave brush (yes, I know, not the best, but I have to start somewhere) and shaved according to the instructions in the article I linked to. I got the closest shave I've gotten in a long time, with very little to no irritation. Seriously, the smell, the feel of the brush against my skin, the cream feeling almost lotion-y... why didn't I take the cue from that kid's "shaving set" I got when I was little?! It included a fake DE razor and a brush with real shaving soap. I believe I got it from my grandfather and if he was shaving that way, he was probably trying to teach me something valuable. I'll certainly teach this should I have any sons in the future! Quality shaving needs to come back in fashion, for sure.

Now, I'm still using the Mach3, but hoping to phase it out soon. The closeness would probably be better with a DE. This one member who lives here said he'd give me one that he has, but he hasn't replied to me in a couple of days. :-/