What do you use to shave?

[Belegnole]

I like the fact that I can spend five dollars on blades and have them last up to six months. Of course meanwhile i may be picking up a few cremes or soaps...lol

 

[Canadave]

...i've been wet shaving in the shower with a disposable bic...

ANYTHING but disposables. Think of how much plastic there is in the environment already...

David

 

[DeaconKC]

Aw Sam, you are killing me. I have to shave daily or SWMBO won't get near my beard. Switched to a DE a few months back and it has saved my neck from irritation and breaking out. Used my Dad's old 69 Super Speed this AM and what a nice shave. I like the Derby blades as they are so consistent.
As far as comb razors go, it will depend on what works best for you. Every razor has it's own personality and will shave a little differently for each individual. I love Col Conk's shave soaps and always have some Van der Hagen ready to go in the bathroom. During the warmer months Proraso/C. O. Bigelow/Proraso shave cream and Mama Bear's Hydrogen see a lot of use.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

the bics last a long time...
lol deac...like i said, lucky genes...
i had a friend in highschool who would shave in the morning and when he got to school at 8 or so he would a 5o'clock...

 

[harbilly]

I use the soap in a cup sometimes, German Florena MEN rasiercreme in a squeeze tube mostly and the Italian Proraso in a squeeze tube when I can't get the German stuff (that whole green stuff aroma isn't my thing - besides, Florena has a bigger cap and stands more steadily on the counter!)
I won't shave in the shower unless I'm camping. It isn't about getting the hair cut off. It is about a ritual that refreshes and awakens.
Not a curse.
A blessing.
Disposables may last a long time Sam but that's just yucky and unkind to mother earth (unless you recycle the things). I'm sure a decent used razor that fits for you is out there somewhere. Make finding it an adventure! You've got plenty of time before that bic dies, right??? This could be a hobby.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

i have a mach 17000 or whatever with the disposable razor head thing...i usually shave every sunday morning but i just haven't done it for awhile...apologies for causing such a debate...i didn't think a shave once a week with a razor that could very well last me 6 months+ was wasteful but i must be mistaken...

to some it's a hobby and a ritual...to others, not so much...

continue, gentlemen...

 

[harbilly]

Ah! I see Sam. My friends that must be weaned off of throw away razors have so far all been guilty of using those three shave wonders in pink that are sold by the pound at evil retailers.
Still though, in your shoes I might cultivate some skill with a vintage straight razor. It would last a lifetime in your hands, double as a great friend in tight places and amaze your associates to boot.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

no problem...i have always wanted to learn a straight razor but i hate cutting myself...i may try it though...see how it goes...

 

[charlie farley]

Her Flic.

I've just bought my first open razor from www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk
It was made between 1930 - 1940 for two Indian gentlemen in Karachi possibly a barbers? It has the original box.The image is from the website I bought it from.
I currently use a Merkur slant bar with feather blades,a badger brush with onyx handle and valobra almond shave soap pressed into my white shave mug.

 

[RondoHatton]

Mekur safety razor (model?), wet shower shave, cheapie brush, Trader Joe's French Milled Soap, lather in hand. Felt like it weighed a TON, converting from dispos, but just-right now. For attempting a "pencil-thin" mustache, a "Magic" (cheapie) straight razor which uses safety razor blades trimmed in half - twice the mileage. This type of razor is required by law to be used in California barber shops these days, I'm told.

Ross Cutlery, downtown Los Angeles, in the Bradbury bldg., is just fantastic - very very old store, tile floors, high ceilings, weight machine out front, excellent service (I was waited on by the OWNER!).
Highly recommended to visit. Wide variety of shaving supplies.
( http://www.rosscutlery.com/ )

After the little heartbreaker tramp I was seeing betrayed me, a straight razor seems much less a harsh mistress...

 

[Plus-Four]

my shave

Well, i think i am a little bit modern while not using a blade..................

First when i got some hair, i began with electricity, but that is not funny to do.
I stinks, it's dirty, brrrrrrr. Hates that.

So, later i went to the brush. That's much better.
My wife loves it. And i too


I use a normal multiblade 'Wilkinson Sword' and 'Vergulde Hand'.

Taco.

 

[SteveS]

Steve,
They have the potential to give a better shave.

But, some caveats:
You will need to WANT to shave this way. You will need to invest a few dollars in some blades, soap or cream, and a brush. You will also need to do some homework to develop good technique, and learn some different shaving methods than you currently employ. During that time, you will have a few lousy shaves, and most likely see some blood.
It can be a wonderful ritual, and give you fantastic results if you have the mindset and will to learn a new(OLD!) way of shaving.

Best of Luck!

Alright, alright I'll get with the program and start shaving this way, please stop twisting my arm Thanks for the heads up on Badger and Blade great site. I tried the search on their site but wasn't able to find exactly what I am looking for which is information on equiptment. What equiptment do I need to pick up to get started, I have read so much about all the different equiptment people use, what are the basics I need. I have the razor, a gillette 1920 Tuckaway saftey razor and a face that needs shaving.

Thanks for the help!

 

[DeaconKC]

Get yourself some good blades and you are good to go! Don't use Merkur's blades, they make great razors, but their blades are pretty poor. The Gillette's made in Sweden have a great reputation and I like Derby's for their mild nature and consistency. PM me your address and I'll send you some to try out!

 

[arthur]

My 1930's Gillette Tech,I also have a 63 Gillette adjustable but i don't think it does as nice a job as my old tech

 

[charlie farley]

Wow! sharp.

My new vintage razor arrived a few minutes ago and it's the first time I've ever actually seen one. Man alive! are these things sharp!!
Well, It's been so nice chatting with you guys.So,just in case....tell my wife I love her and that it seemed like a good idea at the time.

 

[SteveS]

My new vintage razor arrived a few minutes ago and it's the first time I've ever actually seen one. Man alive! are these things sharp!!
Well, It's been so nice chatting with you guys.So,just in case....tell my wife I love her and that it seemed like a good idea at the time.

LOL Very funny Charlie. Below is a pic of the weapon I will be starting with. My dad gave it to me a few years back, it was my grandfathers.

 

[NonEntity]

I'm normally found over in Hats, but I saw this thread on the main page, and being a shave-a-holic, eagerly clicked.

I don't have the fortitude to wade through this epic-length thread from the beginning, so forgive me if I'm repeating things already asked and answered. Here goes:

First, I completely agree that a straight razor is unparalled in terms of closeness and accuracy of shave, but it takes real expertise to both extract its full potential and not cut yourself, and I would disadvise trying to figure out the technique on your own.

My grandfather, God rest his soul, taught me how. When I was but a kid, we'd talk in his bathroom while he shaved, so I saw him do it many, many times before I came of shaving age and he patiently trained me in all the tricks and techniques: How to hold the razor, pulling the skin just so with the off-hand, the angle to hold the razor at, the direction to move it vis-a-vis the part of the face you're shaving, and to get it right the first time so you don't have to go back over an area previously just shaved--that's one of the things that irritates the skin.

When he passed away, his shaving implements that I'd used so many times at his house were left to me, as he had no sons and I was his only grandson. The straight razor is high-carbon steel and folds into a beautiful hippopatamus ivory handle. I have the orginal box, but, unfortunately, the printing has faded and is illegible. The long strop, one side for sharpening, the other leather for deburring, has a swiveling buckle on one end to attach it to something stationary. Learning how to use the strop properly is critical in keeping the razor sharp.

Granddaddy got both in Europe when he was in the Navy during the Great War, which pretty much ravaged production on the continent, so I'd say it's pre-1914. Someone offered me $1000 for the set, and I laughed, for as far as I'm concerned, Grand's razor is priceless.

I think it's primarily the hippo-tooth handle, so smooth from eight decades of use, that makes it valuable. I learned from watching Antiques Roadshow that were I to try to sell it or even give it away--both out of the question--I would need a certificate from some authority that it was imported before the ban on trade in ivory, so it is, technically, illegal to transfer without such a certificate.

Furthermore, straight razors in my area are considered deadly weapons and are unlawful to carry outside ones domicile, so it is doubly illegal! I also have his ancient badger-bristle brush and heavy, plain mug, with plenty of an unknown dense soap left inside. From whence they came or by whom manufactured, I haven't a clue. My mother has a foggy memory that her older sister, now deceased, gave them to their dad when she was a teen, which would have been in the late '30s into the '40s.

I still use the razor and strop, but only very, very occasionally, they being what I consider precious heirlooms.

OK, now the questions:

Where could I get a top-notch modern straight razor and strop, and what could I expect to pay? Would the best be as good as the ones of yore? If not, where to get a vintage one and its cost? I'm not interested in a fancy-smancy handle, just a super-high-quality blade. I'm already a fugitive from justice, so another straight razor will not make me more any more wanted than I already am, provided the vendor will take the risk in shipping it to me.

On to my advice:

I've tried them all, and the best so-called safety razor widely available that I've found is the Schick Quattro. Consumer Reports rated it tops, as well. The handle is both substantial and at the right angle, and though the business end has a ridiculous four blades, it's still compact enough to maneuver into tight spots, particularly important if you shave yourself or your lady "down there."

Actually, just about any blade will last an incredibly long time, as the apparent dulling is not nearly so much from the steel wearing but from soap, skin, and body oil build-up. There is a solution--the blue stuff you used to see barbers put combs in--made by a barber supply company that removes and retards that build-up. Just blast your razor periodically under hot water during and after shaving, then dunk it over into the solution and leave it there until your next shave. It really works. I forget what it's called because I bought an industrial-size bottle of it years ago and transferred it into smaller containers, but I'm sure someone here will know.

I know I'm going against the grain here on this next recommendation, but listen up. The best shaving cream I've found is not any of those relatively expensive soaps for mugs that posters have discussed previously. It's Neutrogena Men Skin Clearing Shave Cream and works as well with the Quattro as Grand's straight razor.

All it takes is a quarter-size amount for a very thin layer over the face and neck. It's extremely slick and allows the blade to truly glide, and because it's almost clear, you can see exactly what you're doing--key. You'll be amazed at how close a shave, without irritation, you'll get with this product. It comes in a 5.1-oz charcoal-colored tube that stands upright on the flat top and is widely available at drug, grocery, and big-box discount stores.

Finally, after-shave lotion: Whatever you use, keep in mind that marketers are very savvy about how the fragrance and refreshing aspects are what attracts you to a given product, not what really works. So it's probably the odor or the bracing feel that you like. If it has even the least bit of sting, look on the label, and you'll most likely find alcohol. It may feel good at first, but it's one of the worst things for you skin, as it dries it out, and what you need is to moisturize.

By far and away the best after-shave I've found is Nivea for Men Sensitive After Shave Extra-Soothing Balm. It comes it a 3.3-oz white glass container and can be hard to find but is currently available at Target for about six bucks. Get several bottles when you buy, as you tend to use this great stuff up quickly. The only downside is that it has an SPF of zero, so you'll need something additional for sun protection.

Sorry for the long post, but that my 2 cents, and please give me tips on a quality straight razor I could use on a daily basis.

 

[charlie farley]

LOL Very funny Charlie. Below is a pic of the weapon I will be starting with. My dad gave it to me a few years back, it was my grandfathers.

Nice razor,Steve.It looks like it was the kind soldiers had.Great for travelling with.

 

[dnjan]

Furthermore, straight razors in my area are considered deadly weapons and are unlawful to carry outside ones domicile, so it is doubly illegal!

I'll have to keep that in mind the next time I visit your neck of the woods. I always bring my straight razor when I travel (and of course always check a bag).

OK, now the questions. Where could I get a top-notch modern straight razor and strop, and what could I expect to pay? Would the best be as good as the ones of yore? If not, where to get a vintage one and its cost?

I have purchased new staight razors twice, both purchased at least 20 years ago. Both were purchased from the regular barber I was going to at the time. They ordered them from one of their barber-supply catalogs for me, and (back then) cost in the $40-$50 range. Insist on German stainless from Solignen.

I have since purchased a few vintage straight razors from Ebay. Again, insist on a razor made in Solignen, Germany. I prefer ice-quenched stainless. (may also say high-carbon stainless).
Some of the German-made razors were made for U.S. companies, but still say where they were manufactured on the blade, close to where the handle is attached.

I don't think I have paid more than $15 (plus shipping) for any of the vintage razors I have purchased.

As for a strop, I make my own with a belt blank from Tandy leather, 3-in-1 oil, and jeweler's rouge (also from Tandy leather). the 3-in-one is used to soften the jeweler's rouge and work it into the leather.

 

[NonEntity]

Hmmm, jeweler's rouge worked into a leather strap with 3M oil. Hadn't thought of a do-it-yourself strop, but thanks for the idea, dnjan.

One side of Grand's strop is a very fine abrasion metal, and he taught me how to sharpen the blade on it using only a few strokes, then debur on the opposite, leather side. The key is to sharpen the razor before or after each use and never let it get the least bit dull, which it never has.

Even after all these years, there's only the slightest inward curvature of the blade from repeated sharpenings. I think it actually improves the way it cuts, as like this, it conforms to the curves of the face.

It's Solingen steel, but not exactly stainless, as the blade will develop a bit of rust on the surface if left in the moisture of the bathroom unprotected, so I long ago learned to put a thin coat of gun oil on, since I rarely use the razor.

As it's been so long since you got a new one, can anyone else suggest a current source for a high quality straight razor?