What do you use to shave?

[mdove]

Used various Gillette cartridges for years and am now getting back into the DE world. I am currently using a mid-60's Gillette adjustable. I just purchased a -65 de and have a -47 de on order. These old razors are things of beauty, not a hunk of plastic. You have to be careful, get one and pretty soon you want more. Also using a silvertip badger brush and an Old Spice shave mug with some ral Old Spice shave soap. This can get to be addicting.

 

[Michaelshane]

 

[H.Herdick]

I shave most of the time with a straight razor, sometime DE or SE.

This was the razor, I used today; a rare Filarmonica INOX. A bit agressiv, not for newbies, but a really good shaver.

 

[St.Ignatz]

Very nice H.H.. Which DE blade do you prefer.
Tom D.

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

Lately I've been using this Heljestrand SE - shaves every bit as close as my Ever Ready lather catcher or my Gem Junior Bar and is a tad more comfortable. It's a much heavier razor and the balance and weight contribute a lot to the shave quality.

On days when I use a DE, I have to use this Heljestrand or a GEM SE to touch up the trouble spots that the DEs don't seem to reach ( and I use either a fatboy on 9 or a Merkur slant on DE days).

Trying to get into straight razor shaving but I can't seem to master the knack, especially around my adam's apple.

 

[camjr]

Edwin Jagger DE89l double edge razor and usually Gillette Blue 7 o'clock Russian blades or Astra SP (Russian as well). Feather's don't last long enough for my taste...

 

[H.Herdick]

Very nice H.H.. Which DE blade do you prefer.
Tom D.

Hi Tom,

The Voskhod is a very good DE blade, but also the Personna from Israel, the Lord, Rapira and the Souplex. For me, the Feather from Japan is to sharp and not necessary.

Straight razors: Wade & Butcher, Thiers Issard, Friodur by Henckels, but I own also some really good Chinese straight razors, compareble with the 'Le Grelot'.

 

[Chaps]

I rotate between a '41 Gillette Ranger Tech, '53 SuperSpeed, '57 SS Red-Tip and a '59 FatBoy. I have several badger and boar brushes I also rotate. My favorite being a Savile Row 204 Badger. I like Proraso Shave Cream.

 

[David Conwill]

I rotate between a '41 Gillette Ranger Tech, '53 SuperSpeed, '57 SS Red-Tip and a '59 FatBoy.

How do you know the dates? I have two old Gillettes, one of which was my grandfather's, and I'd love to know for sure when they were made.

-Dave

 

[Chaps]

How do you know the dates? I have two old Gillettes, one of which was my grandfather's, and I'd love to know for sure when they were made.

-Dave

Dave, go to www.gillettedatecodes.com and that site has everything you need to date your razor. Under the razor you will see a letter on one side and a number opposite. The letters and numbers tell you what year and what quarter of that year the razor was produced.

Danny

 

[David Conwill]

Thanks, Danny. Now I just need to find something comparable for my GEM Micromatic.

-Dave

 

[Chaps]

You are very welcome. You might want to check out ShaveMyFace.com. It is a wet-shaving forum I belong to and I am sure they can help you with your GEM. I have a '20s GEM but I have never used it.

Danny

 

[David Conwill]

Thanks for the lead.

I have a '20s GEM but I have never used it.

If it's anything like my Micromatic, you're missing out. Excellent razors. My favorite.

So much so that I rarely use my double-edge razors.

-Dave

 

[Chaps]

Thanks for the lead.



If it's anything like my Micromatic, you're missing out. Excellent razors. My favorite.

So much so that I rarely use my double-edge razors.

-Dave

I do need to try it.

 

[Feraud]

If it's anything like my Micromatic, you're missing out. Excellent razors. My favorite.

Agreed. The Micromatic is also my favorite. It give a great shave.

 

[mdove]

You might also want to check out badger and blade for shave advice.

 

[Young fogey]

I use:

A 1959 red-tip Gillette Super Speed. (Help: brassing. Can anybody recommend someone in the Philly area for nickel replating, or will any jeweler help?) Getting a chrome-plated Weishi copy of a '60s Gillette as a spare.

A brush. Vintage. My guess is horsehair. Does the job.

Seaforth Scotch Heather mug with shaving instructions on it.

Astra platinum-plated blades from Russia.

For now, The Art of Shaving cream. Amazing.

 

[rayban]

Shaving utensils

During the week: Merkur safety razor with Feather blades. During the weekend: Thiers - Issard open razors.

A badger hair brush, a porcelain mug and Valobra shaving soap (almond/menthol). For open razor shaving: Musgo Real and Karo (form Bulgaria) shaving cream.

Aftershave: Proraso cream or (if I am not going to wear a cologne) original Swiss Pitralon.

 

[rayban]

Michaelshane can I ask: where did you find that bottle of Yardley Black Label?

I used Yardley Original for years (also their shaving stick) but Yardley has (so it seems) dissapeared from the earth.

 

[Michaelshane]

I have found several bottles of Yardley on eBay. However they are not cheap...
I also use Old Spice from eBay