What do you use to shave?

[rmrdaddy]

Shangas,
Try soaking your brush in the sink and then shaking it a few times to remove most of the water, but not all. I have a tendency to give my brush 5 firm shakes when using creams, 4 when using soaps. The Proraso is a hard soap in a plastic tub yes, like this:
http://www.leesrazors.com/products/Proraso-Shaving-Soap-Regular.html

I will advise that creams are easier to use for a beginner at the using-a-brush-to-make-lather game. Just a tip.

Keep at it!

 

[Shangas]

Yeah that's the kind! It doesn't seem to be that hard, but I think I put in too much water first time, which made it too slippery. Next time I'll use cream, but I want to have a shot with soap, first.

The fuzzy prickly tickly slippery feeling of swilling the brush over my face is really relaxing...

 

[Big_e]

I buy my shaving soaps from an ebay seller, Chelsea's Soap Garden. Her shaving soaps are glycerin based and she mixes in a type of clay for extra slickness. Not ideal for bathing 'cause the bathtub surface will get slick! Great for shaving and she has them in many fragrances. I have no business connections with her other than I am a costumer and I like her fast service. Polo Blue is my favorite.
Ernest

 

[David Conwill]

Any tips on how to get your safety razors cleaned up and nice looking again. Mine (GEM Micromatic and a Gillette DE of unknown pedigree) are getting pretty scuzzy looking, and some quality time with hot (even boiling) water and a toothbrush has proven fruitless. Some kind of bathroom cleaner, maybe? I hate to be using harsh chemicals, though.

In other news, this fall, I was up north at the family cabin for the first time in several years. I was poking around my grandfather’s old workshop and discovered his Gillette DE in with the box cutters and such. If my father and brother have no objections, I think I’m going to bring it home next time I’m up there and work it into my rotation.

-Dave

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Any tips on how to get your safety razors cleaned up and nice looking again. Mine (GEM Micromatic and a Gillette DE of unknown pedigree) are getting pretty scuzzy looking, and some quality time with hot (even boiling) water and a toothbrush has proven fruitless. Some kind of bathroom cleaner, maybe? I hate to be using harsh chemicals, though.

CLR maybe?

 

[Lone_Ranger]

DnJan,

To each his own and I certainly don't begrudge you the right to scrape off your whiskers with a straight blade if you wish. I will challenge your statement about quality of shave/ experience with technique however... I go to an old school barber who has been at it since the 1950s. He is about as experienced as you can get. I have had him do a straight razor shave on me a couple of times, with the hot towels, etc... just for nostalgia sake and to see if the straight in experienced hands would yield a better shave. My face came out very irritated and nicked both times. Could just be my sensitive skin... but in my case, modern razors are kinder to my face. [huh]

Try shaving with your modern razor, using a brush & soap, instead of something that comes in a can. The best of both worlds.

 

[dnjan]

I go to an old school barber who has been at it since the 1950s. He is about as experienced as you can get. I have had him do a straight razor shave on me a couple of times, with the hot towels, etc... just for nostalgia sake and to see if the straight in experienced hands would yield a better shave. My face came out very irritated and nicked both times. Could just be my sensitive skin... but in my case, modern razors are kinder to my face. [huh]

Very sorry to hear that what should have been a relaxing indulgence turned out to be painful. If he has been doing it since the 1950's, the guy must be in his seventies now. I hope that when he retires and you have to find a new barber, you give the barber straight razor shave another try.

 

[Lone_Ranger]

Very sorry to hear that what should have been a relaxing indulgence turned out to be painful. If he has been doing it since the 1950's, the guy must be in his seventies now. I hope that when he retires and you have to find a new barber, you give the barber straight razor shave another try.

It is kind of sad. I'd love to get a real barber shop shave, but it's hard to find a barber that will even shave the back of your neck with a straight razor anymore let alone, your face. I guess, in some states the barbers aren't allowed to anymore, under their regulations (don't know if that's true or not, just something a barber told me)

 

[SteveAS]

I've been shaving with a straight for a little more than three years now. I shaved with cartridge razors (most recently a Mach III Turbo) until I was 38. I briefly used a DE and soon got better shaves that I got with cartridge razors. I switched to straights when I was 39. It took me a few weeks to stop cutting myself and a few months to get the best shaves of my life. now, I cut/nick myself much less often than I did with cartridge razors and I get closer, more comfortable shaves. My skin is in much better health, too.

I need somebody local to LA and me that doesn't charge an arm and a leg to really sharpen my straight razors.
At 20 bucks a pop, that's too much for my budget.
I have the stones but I just can't get the technique down.

What stones do you have? It took me about a year to get consistently superb edges, but now that I've gotten the hang of it, it's really satisfying (and money-saving!) to do my own honing. Stay with it!

 

[dnjan]

I need somebody local to LA and me that doesn't charge an arm and a leg to really sharpen my straight razors.
At 20 bucks a pop, that's too much for my budget.
I have the stones but I just can't get the technique down.

My razor only sees the stone every 6 months or so. Other than that, it is 6-8 passes daily on the jeweler's rouge strop.

If you have the stones, do you put a piece of tape on the spine? One layer of tape on the spine for the basic sharpening, and two layers (for a secondary bevel) for polishing with a black arkansas or finest-grade japanese stone.

(with tape on the spine, you can rest the spine as well as the cutting edge right on the stone)

 

[SteveAS]

If you have the stones, do you put a piece of tape on the spine? One layer of tape on the spine for the basic sharpening, and two layers (for a secondary bevel) for polishing with a black arkansas or finest-grade japanese stone.

(with tape on the spine, you can rest the spine as well as the cutting edge right on the stone)

I only tape the spine on one heavy, Sheffield wedge; the rest of my razors go without tape. But in sharpening razors, one must keep the spine on the stone whether it's taped or not. The spine wears veryt slightly over time, but I live with that.

 

[dnjan]

I didn't like the flattening of the edge on the spine, so I started taping for sharpening.
Plus, I like the way the second layer of tape gives a secondary bevel with the polishing stone.

 

[David Conwill]

CLR maybe?

Hmm, thanks for the idea. We do have hard water, but I tend to think this is more in the nature of a persistent soap film than calcium, lime, or rust buildup.

-Dave

 

[rmrdaddy]

David,
I use CLR with great success on my 50's and 60's Gillette DE razors. That and an old toothbrush make them really shine.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I just noticed - Crabtree & Evelyn has brought back the Sienna line of shaving soap, cream, body wash and aftershave. They pulled it over a year ago, but I guess they got a lot of complaints. I know a lot of the shavers here on FL used the shaving soap...

 

[ffgus]

Safety Razors

David,
I use CLR with great success on my 50's and 60's Gillette DE razors. That and an old toothbrush make them really shine.

I have been using a Murkur heavy duty safety razor for 4 years now. I bought it at www.classicshaving.com and is great. Use the double edge blades by the same company. Vulvox badger brush, bay rum lime soap, and d bay rum with lime aftershave is well worth it. Nothing better next to a straight edge.
Gus

 

[rmrdaddy]

Welcome aboard ffgus!

We also have a Shave of the Day thread where you can see some of our gear and daily selections.

Are you a member over at Badger & Blade as well?

 

[Mikey P]

I'm sold on my Merkur 38C, Red Personnas, Thayers Lavender Witch Hazel, my B&B essential and a small collection of creams and soaps. My skin is much healthier now that I've been shaving this way.

 

[Mr_D.]

What Shaving soap do you use?

Does anyone use a powder they mix with water? If so where can I get it?

Those that use a soap bar, how do you store it when not being used?

I got a shave kit for Christmas and so far I just put the soap bar back int he plastic it came in. I then rinse out the bowl and brush and store the brush handle side down in the bowl.

Any tips for longevity of items?

 

[Selvaggio]

I use Taylors of Old Bond Street soaps. They make a neat little bowl with a lid that fits the soap perfectly - in either wood or pewter.

I use pewter, as I find that the dome-shaped lid is great to work a lather up in. When finished, just rinse the lid and pop it back on the bowl - looks smart enough to leave out on the bathroom vanity.

One of their big soaps would last me about a year - maybe more.

Their products can be purchased on-line.

They also make fantastic shaving creams, which come in their own bowl and screw-on lid. Think my next one will be a cream. A bit easier to get a lather up quickly with the creams and I always seem to be in hurry these days.