I've just started shaving, really Not lots but I'm at the stage where I need to XD
I'm using a Wilkinson Sword Quattro. I've not really got enough experience with them to say how good it is but it does the job well enough as far as I can tell
I'm using a Wilkinson Sword Quattro. I've not really got enough experience with them to say how good it is but it does the job well enough as far as I can tell
woo hoo, progress! Man, this is getting me pumped up. We're bringing the classic shave back. Icrontic style.
In regards to shower shaving, do you guys use any kind of shaving cream in the shower, or do you just go for it?
Seriously, try shaving directly AFTER a shower, as in don't wait!! Towel off, walk over to the sink, and shave right then. That is when your stubble will be the softest.
i tried using a 3-balded razor with soap in the shower and it gave me unsigly red bumps, so i think ill try it with actual shaving cream or go back to my 2-edged, but the twofer did totally get all the hairs off my upper lip
I have a Fusion and I go with the grain until its all gone then go back over against the grain to get a CLOSE shave. Small strokes is hte key hot water and rinse the blade often. I always use the sensitive skin gel. works great
Bearded men! How goes your travel down the path of less-beardiness?
I figured I'd fill everyone in on my venture into the world of wet shaving so far. It's been 4 days so far.
Day 1: Sunday was the first day I took razor to face, having refrained from using my Norelco electric for a few days. I loaded my razor with the Merkur blade that came with it, got a small bowl from the kitchen, and tried to make a decent lather with my badger brush and Crabtree & Evelyn Sandalwood soap. The shave was lackluster.
Lesson learned: Going into this with no experience, it's really not too bad in terms of damage. I had some cuts on my lower right jaw line, but that's it. My lather was too dry and didn't lubricate enough. My blade pulled more than it cut. I finished off with my electric just to look presentable.
Day 2: Same razor blade, but I watched the YouTube video again on how to build a good lather. Did two passes again. Had a bit better shave, but it was only barely presentable. I went in to work when I finished. Way less bleeding than the first day, but still some in the same area.
Lesson learned: Better lather means a better shave. Proper blade angle and using very little pressure against the skin does wonders for improving the cut. My razor blade, however, still seems to be good at pulling instead of cutting.
Day 3: Tuesday, I switched to a Cyrstal blade that was sent to me from a Badger and Blade forum member who recommended I try it as a replacement for the uninspiring Merkur blade. I used a bigger dish for making the lather and got it a bit too wet. It didn't hold the peaks in the lather as well as it should, but I went ahead and did three regular passes.
Lesson learned: The blade made a bigger difference. It gave positive feedback but didn't tear me up. After 3 passes, I was in pretty good shape. Still had trouble around my chin area getting used to working the curves, but all-in-all it was good. I felt like I'd made real progress.
Today: Day 4 and I kept the Crystal blade. Spent time making a good lather that'd probably be an 8 on a scale of 1 - 10. Did 2 with the grain passes, and one across the grain, with a few cleanup swipes around my chin.
Lesson learned: Holding the razor back down the handle away from the head really improved my shave. I was able to do multiple passes without any problems and got a good, close shave. It's not baby butt smooth, but it's good. I'm looking forward to trying the Feather brand blades I have since they're supposed to be super sharp. I've got a few more samples to try before I hit those, but I think the sharpest blades will be the ones that work best for me. Also, I gotta figure out how to build a better warm lather. My sudz is only lukewarm at best right now.
This is sorta fun. I look forward to it every morning.
J, I would suggest using a bowl to build your lather, that way the lather can stay shallow. Because of this, fill the sink with about 2-3" of hot water and let the bowl sit/float in the water. It will help to warm the lather.
Also, when first shaving this way it might help to try and shave every other day for a bit until you get used to it.
The Crystal blade worked well for me, but its time passed and so I had to move on. Next up was the Derby blade, one with a reputation of awesomeness.
It didn't work for me. Perhaps I had a defective blade. My shave was between the Crystal and Merkur in terms of comfort, and my lather technique is much improved from when I started so I don't think that was the issue. The blade seemed to pull a bit and by the 4th day I was getting all sorts of nicks. I binned it and moved on to the Persona Reds which I believe are commonly available at WalMart.
Today, I had the best shave ever. On a scale of beardy (1) to baby butt smooth (10), this one was a solid 9 or 9.5. One north-south pass, one against-the-grain, and a cleanup pass around my chin and I was done. No blood loss. No real rough patches (except on my right-side lower jaw line closer to my ear - my one trouble spot). I declare VICTORY today.
Still haven't tried the Feather blades. Today was a good sign my technique is improving, so it soon may be time to try the Feather face chisels.
I'd really recommend getting a different brush. I have the Edwin Jagger Best Badger Brush which is the same as the Crabtree and Evelyn BBB. The C&E BBB for $35 would be what I'd get if I were buying again or making recommendations. It's good (not great). The Tweezerman brush looks pretty loosely packed from the photos here: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?ltr=T&t=16033
The softer bristles and denser knot of the C&E brush will make a difference in comfort. I'd only get the Tweezerman if you weren't sure about sticking with wet shaving, or if you wanted to save some cash and were planning on waiting to upgrade to something like the Badger and Blade Essential when it finally comes out. I've got $50 saved for an essential. It'll be worth it.
If you're looking for shaving supplies on a budget, get on the B&B forum's BST area. Those guys always have good deals, and if you're looking for something specific, they'll usually hook you up at a fair price.
All I can say. Is I dislike shaving...Even with shaving cream. It would be 10 times worse with an electric razor (I've NEVER used one). My "free" fusion razor in the mail works fine..
But...
Right after shaving, I itch like a maniac for atleast a day or so....:(
I'm on my second-ever shave with a double-edged razor. I have the smoothest shave I've ever had in my life, but I had some trouble on my neck today and bled quite a bit.
Still, I'm getting there. This is a work in progress.
All I can say. Is I dislike shaving...Even with shaving cream. It would be 10 times worse with an electric razor (I've NEVER used one). My "free" fusion razor in the mail works fine..
But...
Right after shaving, I itch like a maniac for atleast a day or so....:(
That's probably because of the Fusion pulling your hair and causing irritation. If you switch to a DE safety razor, I'd bet you'd see a noted improvement.
I never thought shaving could be fun, but it has become something I look forward to doing every morning since I've switched from an electric to wet shaving.
The Tweezerman brush is somewhat loosely packed, but it's a phenomenal value for the ten bucks it costs. It's a good intro brush, builds a decent lather especially with a soap, and it's holding me over until the B&B essential is finally released... Yup, I'm waiting for it too.
My original kit was pretty bare bones. It works well for the money I spent, however, and allows for future upgrades.
Hi all, I wanted to let you know that orders are being taken over at B&B for the B&B Limited Edition 2008 brush - it's a limited number, I don't want you to miss out.....
Is this thread monitored or something? After I posted in this thread some time ago, back on page 1, random shaving products has been showing up in my mailbox, with my name and adress and everything. I dunno where they come from. They just arrive in a grey box, with only my name and adress. I have not signed up for free samples anywhere.. I'm puzzled!
while there are numerous ways to adjust a beard to below skin level, this is what has worked for me for many years (30+)
1 shave in the shower, face prep and blood containment just in case you slip and have to deal with a minor wound.
2 I use Dr. Bronners soap., http://www.drbronner.com/
It does face prep, and you can brush your teeth with the soap , so it doesn't taste bad if you overflow. the peppermint is very nice, be careful where you wash with it. it will LIGHT UP, some sensitive areas. which under certain circumstances can be 'exciting".
great soap for camping (or LANs) since it does everything and a little goes a very long way, a gallon lasts me a year of daily shaving.
That's probably because of the Fusion pulling your hair and causing irritation. If you switch to a DE safety razor, I'd bet you'd see a noted improvement.
I never thought shaving could be fun, but it has become something I look forward to doing every morning since I've switched from an electric to wet shaving.
True enough I suppose...but there are worse things.
Is this thread monitored or something? After I posted in this thread some time ago, back on page 1, random shaving products has been showing up in my mailbox, with my name and adress and everything. I dunno where they come from. They just arrive in a grey box, with only my name and adress. I have not signed up for free samples anywhere.. I'm puzzled!
You must be on a mailing list somewhere.... otherwise, I don't know :rolleyes2
I braved it today. Used my new-to-me 1966 Gillette Slim adjustable and a Feather blade! They say to start with an adjustable dialed down to the "one" setting, so I did that. Between trying to learn a new razor and use a fantastically sharp blade, I didn't get too bad of a shave -- nothing great. Gonna have to up the dial tomorrow to level two for a bit more aggressiveness. Bet I can get a sweet shave with it then.
I'm totally stoked to also try the Feather in my LHC. GH, you totally gotta try it!
Comments
I'm using a Wilkinson Sword Quattro. I've not really got enough experience with them to say how good it is but it does the job well enough as far as I can tell
woo hoo, progress! Man, this is getting me pumped up. We're bringing the classic shave back. Icrontic style.
In regards to shower shaving, do you guys use any kind of shaving cream in the shower, or do you just go for it?
Yar
When my nieces make a comment on how smooth my face is... I think it works just fine
I figured I'd fill everyone in on my venture into the world of wet shaving so far. It's been 4 days so far.
Day 1: Sunday was the first day I took razor to face, having refrained from using my Norelco electric for a few days. I loaded my razor with the Merkur blade that came with it, got a small bowl from the kitchen, and tried to make a decent lather with my badger brush and Crabtree & Evelyn Sandalwood soap. The shave was lackluster.
Lesson learned: Going into this with no experience, it's really not too bad in terms of damage. I had some cuts on my lower right jaw line, but that's it. My lather was too dry and didn't lubricate enough. My blade pulled more than it cut. I finished off with my electric just to look presentable.
Day 2: Same razor blade, but I watched the YouTube video again on how to build a good lather. Did two passes again. Had a bit better shave, but it was only barely presentable. I went in to work when I finished. Way less bleeding than the first day, but still some in the same area.
Lesson learned: Better lather means a better shave. Proper blade angle and using very little pressure against the skin does wonders for improving the cut. My razor blade, however, still seems to be good at pulling instead of cutting.
Day 3: Tuesday, I switched to a Cyrstal blade that was sent to me from a Badger and Blade forum member who recommended I try it as a replacement for the uninspiring Merkur blade. I used a bigger dish for making the lather and got it a bit too wet. It didn't hold the peaks in the lather as well as it should, but I went ahead and did three regular passes.
Lesson learned: The blade made a bigger difference. It gave positive feedback but didn't tear me up. After 3 passes, I was in pretty good shape. Still had trouble around my chin area getting used to working the curves, but all-in-all it was good. I felt like I'd made real progress.
Today: Day 4 and I kept the Crystal blade. Spent time making a good lather that'd probably be an 8 on a scale of 1 - 10. Did 2 with the grain passes, and one across the grain, with a few cleanup swipes around my chin.
Lesson learned: Holding the razor back down the handle away from the head really improved my shave. I was able to do multiple passes without any problems and got a good, close shave. It's not baby butt smooth, but it's good. I'm looking forward to trying the Feather brand blades I have since they're supposed to be super sharp. I've got a few more samples to try before I hit those, but I think the sharpest blades will be the ones that work best for me. Also, I gotta figure out how to build a better warm lather. My sudz is only lukewarm at best right now.
This is sorta fun. I look forward to it every morning.
Also, when first shaving this way it might help to try and shave every other day for a bit until you get used to it.
The Crystal blade worked well for me, but its time passed and so I had to move on. Next up was the Derby blade, one with a reputation of awesomeness.
It didn't work for me. Perhaps I had a defective blade. My shave was between the Crystal and Merkur in terms of comfort, and my lather technique is much improved from when I started so I don't think that was the issue. The blade seemed to pull a bit and by the 4th day I was getting all sorts of nicks. I binned it and moved on to the Persona Reds which I believe are commonly available at WalMart.
Today, I had the best shave ever. On a scale of beardy (1) to baby butt smooth (10), this one was a solid 9 or 9.5. One north-south pass, one against-the-grain, and a cleanup pass around my chin and I was done. No blood loss. No real rough patches (except on my right-side lower jaw line closer to my ear - my one trouble spot). I declare VICTORY today.
Still haven't tried the Feather blades. Today was a good sign my technique is improving, so it soon may be time to try the Feather face chisels.
I haven't bought my classic shaving supplies yet... but I've got them picked out.
I'm going to pick up the simple Merkur "classic" double-edge saftey razor. Haven't considered blades yet.
Proraso shaving cream
and a Vulfix badger brush.
What do you guys think? Any changes need to be made?
And also, the brush is $35. It's the most expensive part. I take it since it's pure badger that's normal?
**actually, after re-reading this topic, I saw what GHoosdum had posted regarding his equipment. I think I'll buy the brush he linked to:
http://www.beautyrose.com/twdeshbrform.html
If I can stand to stomach the massive amounts of pink on that page, anyways. I like $10 opposed to $36. Will this make a difference?
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?ltr=T&t=16033
The softer bristles and denser knot of the C&E brush will make a difference in comfort. I'd only get the Tweezerman if you weren't sure about sticking with wet shaving, or if you wanted to save some cash and were planning on waiting to upgrade to something like the Badger and Blade Essential when it finally comes out. I've got $50 saved for an essential. It'll be worth it.
If you're looking for shaving supplies on a budget, get on the B&B forum's BST area. Those guys always have good deals, and if you're looking for something specific, they'll usually hook you up at a fair price.
But...
Right after shaving, I itch like a maniac for atleast a day or so....:(
Still, I'm getting there. This is a work in progress.
Man, I can't wait. Going to order as soon as I get a few other opinions on my gear.
That's probably because of the Fusion pulling your hair and causing irritation. If you switch to a DE safety razor, I'd bet you'd see a noted improvement.
I never thought shaving could be fun, but it has become something I look forward to doing every morning since I've switched from an electric to wet shaving.
My original kit was pretty bare bones. It works well for the money I spent, however, and allows for future upgrades.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=660649#post660649
The LE brush looks absolutely PHENOMENAL in quality, though, and I had no idea it was even in existence!
1 shave in the shower, face prep and blood containment just in case you slip and have to deal with a minor wound.
2 I use Dr. Bronners soap.,
http://www.drbronner.com/
It does face prep, and you can brush your teeth with the soap , so it doesn't taste bad if you overflow. the peppermint is very nice, be careful where you wash with it. it will LIGHT UP, some sensitive areas. which under certain circumstances can be 'exciting".
great soap for camping (or LANs) since it does everything and a little goes a very long way, a gallon lasts me a year of daily shaving.
A 50/50 mix of Eucalyptus and Peppermint is also very refreshing.
True enough I suppose...but there are worse things.
Ever cut below your chin with a Fusion? Man...
You must be on a mailing list somewhere.... otherwise, I don't know :rolleyes2
I'm totally stoked to also try the Feather in my LHC. GH, you totally gotta try it!