What do you use to shave?

[Robert Conway]

I love a wet shave, but my skin is very sensitive and I tend to get bad razor burn. At least that's how it was about 10 years ago, before I made the switch an electric Braun shaver.

I used to shave with a Mach razor, but boy those blades don't last and cost way too much.

Growing up my dad occasionally used a straight razor, which I was always found intriguing. Recently I've been thinking about giving it a try myself. I love the whole ritual of a wet shave, with the hot towel etc. Now that I'm all grown up, maybe my skin has become a little less temperamental.

 

[scotrace]

Recently I've been thinking about giving it a try myself. I love the whole ritual of a wet shave, with the hot towel etc. Now that I'm all grown up, maybe my skin has become a little less temperamental.

It really is all about the prep and having the right type soap and razor to match your face. In experimenting with various products and methods, the difference one soap can make over another is pretty amazing. It also takes your face at least a week or two to adapt to a new method or tool. For example, I've always shaved against the grain, which many men find irritating. So once I dutifully tried gong with the grain and it was a bloodbath. My skin is simply adapted to being scraped in one direction.
I used to like the house brand shaving soap from Classic Shaving. Now I'm using some other (and cheaper!) soaps that are far better for my particular skin type.
You're so right - the ritual of it transforms the morning from dreaded chore time to an interesting and always-changing prep for the day. Only being able to use and try your collection of implements once in 24 hours means it doesn't get dull.

Maybe that's the key: it's a chance to play with nifty tools.

 

[shoeshineboy]

"by gosh I think she's got it !!!"

Daisy,

You are right on with your steps...have you ever tried to shave your legs according to this ? The soaps makes a world of difference compared to other products !!! (not that i shave my legs !)

Many men do not really know the proper steps to a good shave. That is why you see so many young people looking like "Shaggy"...

I agree with the cost of the m3 blades...10 merkur double edge blades costs about 5 bucks...on ebay 100 israeli made personna are about 18 bucks.

What you will save in blades in two years you can justify buying a good brush and a tub of great cream or several hard soaps.....and then start enjoying shaving once again....

need more help...check out www.badgerandblade.com

mark the shoeshine boy

 

[flat-top]

Lucky Tiger

I met the guy who now owns this company. These new products use the original 1930's packaging!
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2907295...+cream+in+All+Categories&origin=searchresults

 

[pigeon toe]

my boyfriend shaves with a straight razor and learned himself through trial and error (!!!). unfortunately, because shaving with a straight razor takes more time and effort, he is way more tempted to let himself get scruffy instead of shaving everyday, which i hate! but when he does shave, his skin is soft like a baby's bottom.

 

[shoeshineboy]

flat top....i am familar with the brand, but didn't know that they made the shaving stuff...just the hair tonic...i love old packaging...

pigeon toe...if you could get you BF to shave with an original double edge or Shcick injector...he could have that baby butt smooth face everyday....both of you come and visit us a www.badgerandblade.com and our forum and we will share everything we know about shaving...we are a fun group, too.

hope to see you there...

mark the shoeshine boy

 

[flat-top]

flat top....i am familar with the brand, but didn't know that they made the shaving stuff...just the hair tonic...i love old packaging...

Yeah, this is a line made exclusively for Nordstom. I'm gonna have to pick some of this stuff up--even if it IS just for the packaging!

 

[Willi_Goat]

I use a Merkur Long Classic Razor and recently received a Merkur Moustache Razor. I have a turnback super badger brush and a pure badger one also. I have used at one time or another, Taylor of Old Bond Street sandalwood Cream, Colonel Conk Almond shaving soap, Caswell Massey almond cream and The Art of Shaving lavender and sandalwood Cream. I also have some Caswell Massey sandalwood aftershave balm and Art of Shaving sandalwood balm and gel. I guess I kind of lean toward the sandalwood items.

 

[RadioHead]

Rapidly vanishing single-blade Schick.

Every once in a while I get out my single-blade Schick injector razor, just to give me a break from the Bic disposables. I can't stand the twin/multiple blade razors, because they clog too quickly and easily, and besides... it's getting a bit ridiculous with the new 5-bladed razors!

I started using a single-blade Shick when I joined the army in 1973 at the age of 18 (I know, you can do the math...) and love the heft of it... at least compared with the new plastic jobbies. A small "aside" here: I vividly recall trying desperately to get rid of that one, stubborn whisker just under my right nostril, about 5 minutes before platoon inspection. I managed to cut myself rather badly and proceeded to bleed like the fabled stuck pig. However, just as we were called to assemble on the parade ground, the bleeding stopped, only to re-start when the sergeant called "Dismissed"! "Hysterical auto-cauterization"? [huh]

Unfortunately the Schick single blades are no longer available around here, and I have to buy a couple of packs every time I go to the U.S.A.

Kind of a drag, all-in-all.

"RadioHead"

 

[Fred G.]

One more note on shaving

After you apply the soap, let it soak a minute or two before shaving. It gives the hair a little time to soften up.

Shoeshine, thanks for the tip, I just checked out Ashford, looks like a great site.

 

[Spatterdash]

Based on a suggestion I read here, I now use unscented Liquid Dove and a modern Gillette razor (Mach series). I shave after I shower and apply the soap with a badger brush and shallow mug. The soap doesn't dry out the skin (quite the opposite), it's inexpensive, feels nice and the blade glides smooth and close.
Afterwards I rinse with cold water, pat dry, and apply the scent of my choice, another option I get with using Dove.

Using this method for two weeks gave me better looking skin, so much so I've gotten compliments. I've asked the other half about this. She says there was nothing wrong with my skin at all beforehand, it's just nicer now, in appearance and feel.
I also can get an extra two shaves out of my blades using Dove. They don't dull as fast.

 

[Mr. Sable]

I'd like to learn to use these. They're just sitting in a drawer.

I have one EXACTLY like the razor on the bottom of your photo. I shaved with it twice. I still use a shaving mug and badger hair brush, but that thing is just too dangerous for me. ...although I did try it the first time without knowing how, exactly. The second time, I used it properly and got a decent shave out of it, but there were a lot or areas I just couldn't get with it. That's probably a result of learning with a more or less modern razor (one of my Dad's Wilkinson deals where you screw in the rectangular blade).

I did very recently notice, when I let my beard go for about a week, that I have an very thin, straight 'invisible' scar exactly the length of that straight razor blade. Hair no longer grows on that first bloody stroke I took with the straight razor. I hear 'chicks dig scars', so it's all good.

I use the modern double blade thing all the time now... I'm not messing with that kinda danger anymore.

 

[adamgottschalk]

Soap not cream

I can't stand the twin/multiple blade razors, because they clog too quickly and easily...

"RadioHead"

I had trouble with clogging when using shave cream. I switched to shave soap (Col. Conk's unscented) and it does not clog at all, not one bit. So annoyed was I by the clogging that I recently got some Merkur twin-blade cartridges for my old ATRA razor, thinking two blades would clog less than 3 (I was wrong...the problem was using cream instead of soap). Ugh. The shave was nowhere near as smooth, long-lasting, or easy as with the Mach 3. Also, I got a number of nicks, cuts and scratches when I tried the twin-blades again (used them twice); don't get any at all, and no razor burn or anything else, with the Mach 3, which I'm happily back to using (got a cool art-deco handle from Caswell-Massey). With shaving soap applied with a brush, it will not clog no matter how hard I try. I'm a happy, well-shaved camper.

 

[shoeshineboy]

Every once in a while I get out my single-blade Schick injector razor, just to give me a break from the Bic disposables. I can't stand the twin/multiple blade razors, because they clog too quickly and easily, and besides... it's getting a bit ridiculous with the new 5-bladed razors!

I started using a single-blade Shick when I joined the army in 1973 at the age of 18 (I know, you can do the math...) and love the heft of it... at least compared with the new plastic jobbies. A small "aside" here: I vividly recall trying desperately to get rid of that one, stubborn whisker just under my right nostril, about 5 minutes before platoon inspection. I managed to cut myself rather badly and proceeded to bleed like the fabled stuck pig. However, just as we were called to assemble on the parade ground, the bleeding stopped, only to re-start when the sergeant called "Dismissed"! "Hysterical auto-cauterization"? [huh]

Unfortunately the Schick single blades are no longer available around here, and I have to buy a couple of packs every time I go to the U.S.A.

Kind of a drag, all-in-all.

"RadioHead"

radiohead...

amazon still sells them and some people are cutiing down feather baldes from classicshaving to fit the injsectors. Feather blades are extremely sharp and will give you a great shave.

there are usually some ebayers with schick blades too.

mark the shoeshine boy

 

[RadioHead]

Love the free tips.

Adamgottschalk and Shoeshineboy

Thanks for the information, gentlemen! I'll see what I can do.


"RadioHead"

 

[Spatterdash]

Let me give credit to Mycroft on the Dove soap I mentioned above. I didn't know he'd mentioned it in this particular thread, but it was his comments about it that got me interested enough to try Liquid Dove.

Also, I never realized just how important a badger hair brush was until I used one. I had no idea you could actually feel the difference. I always figured it was a self indulgent luxury thing, a type of grooming snobbery.
I was wrong, and I have you folks to thank for the education.
The Forum works as intended.

However, all you straight razor guys? You're on your own. I'm just too pretty to risk it.

 

[shoeshineboy]

BADGER AND BLADE CONTEST

OVER 48 PRIZES WORTH OVER $2,100 IN VALUE...

This thread has been a good one and I have told many of you to check out the other forum that i participate... www.badgerandblade.com it is 90% about shaving except the "Barbershop" where I moderate...but for those who have join or what to join, now is the time...

Come in and sign up....

Read a bunch about shaving and make it a fun part of your day !!!

www.badgerandblade.com

see you there at the contest... http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=58656#post58656


mark the shoeshine boy

 

[Dinerman]

I use a twin blade disposable. I'd like to learn to use a straightrazor, but they rather scare me what with the extreme sharpness and proximity to my throat and face. It just seems like it would be really easy to slice yourself something good.

 

[scotrace]

This is what Lincoln used to shave.

It is one piece I really wish my woodworking skills were up to copying. Lincoln was, according to surviving accounts, a careful shaver until he began the beard in late 1860/early 1861.

 

[Lee Lynch]

Also, I got a number of nicks, cuts and scratches when I tried the twin-blades again (used them twice); don't get any at all, and no razor burn or anything else, with the Mach 3, which I'm happily back to using (got a cool art-deco handle from Caswell-Massey). With shaving soap applied with a brush, it will not clog no matter how hard I try. I'm a happy, well-shaved camper.

We're in the same boat on Mach 3, and I had similar experiences with other razors. I have an easy time of it with Mach 3. I am a bit lazy on the perfect shave, though, and could stand to spend a bit more time with the fine tuning.