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The Wet-Shaving Thread

FoolishMortal

FoolishMortal

Smooth like a Porcupine
Joined
Jun 13, 2003
Location
Benicia
Moto(s)
2007.5 Tuono R, 2025 Street Triple RS
Name
Atticus
I'm about to dive into this world and figured that some of my motorized brothers (and sisters) were already there. I'm spending (far too much) time on Badger and Blade, Shaving 101 and Amazon. This rabbit hole is deep, just like motorcycling...so why not enjoy them both?

I know that I'm getting a brush and a razor for Christmas and I'd love to hear perspectives about what to do, what not to do and your lessons learned.

What are your favorite razors?
What are your favorite blades?
Face, bowl or palm?
Soap, cream or stick?
TTO or 3-piece?

Tell me a story!
 
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I started last year. So far I've used one razor and a variety of blades. Using a Merkur razor, favorite blades are Astra (Feather a close second), a badger brush, cup and soap. I go over my face with a hot, sloppy wet washcloth for 30 seconds or so, then brush on the lather. Shave with the grain first,, re-lather, finish against the grain. Works really well. Once you have the razor, brush and cup, the consumables are ridiculously inexpensive.
 
Merkur Futur or Parker (I like a longer handle and some weight on the head).
Feather or Shark blades
Badger brush/bowl
C.O. Bigelow or Colonel Conk

3 passes here, with, against and across.
 
agree that feather blades are probably the best out there. the taylor/bond creams are my fave for lather but it's also a matter of how much time/patience you have to whip shit up- a lot of stuff works well just takes more time and elbow grease. i usually finish off the the works with a splash of witch hazel and then rub some coconut oil into my trap, especially if it's cold out.
 
I have to admit, I'm a bit scared - I have a tough beard because it lays flat and grows in a few directions. I don't want to slice myself up! But I think that the action of the brush will work much better for me to lift the beard and the blade will be easier to take than the Mach3 cartridges. I've hated shaving for so long, and I just want to not-hate it, you know? Once I learn what I'm doing, I'm hopeful that I can get a good shave without my daily nicks and scrapes.

Looking at a Parker finest badger brush, a RazoRock Mission razor and will figure out the blades based on the sampler that comes with the RazoRock. I've also been looking at the Whipped Dog products - his brushes look great and have solid reviews, with not a huge cost!

Oh, and just like I would love to own a crap-load of motorcycles, I can already see that I will want to try out a bunch of brushes, razors, blades and lathers. I'm curious to know how many brushes and razors are in the rotation.
 
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yeah yeah. we all have tough beards. wait til you first try using a safety razor on your balls.


protip- set the gap between the guide and the blade as close as possible.
 
Fondly remembering the days when my dad had a double-edged razor, I went online and found they are still made, albeit overseas. Now I have one and for about $40, two years of blades. Those 4-blade monstrosities at Walgreens probably cost hundreds a year. Cruelest joke on the consumer going.
 
I need to buy some more blades.

It's funny, almost nowhere local has them in stock except for that stupid expensive Art of Shaving place in the mall. You would figure Walgreen's, CVS, etc would have a fucking 2 dollar package of blades.
 
I have a regular Merkur razor, Shark super chrome (pretty good blades) and some bar shaving soap. I just load the wet brush with soap and lather on my face, I could never get the bowl to work right.
 
I am due for some new soap.

The shit lasts forever though. I've been on the same "starter kit" from Art of Shaving for like 2 years.
 
Favorite blades:
Gillette Silver Blue
Gillette 7 O'Clock black box made in India
Polsilver Super Iridium
Personna made in Israel

Favorite razor when in a rush and only have time for one pass:
Muhle R41 with Feather or Polsilver blades

Favorite 2-3 pass razors:
Above the Tie R2 with 7 O'Clock blacks
1930's Gillette New with Silver Blues or Israeli Personnas

Favorite soaps:
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Speick soap stick

I'm not a fan of creams on their own, but Biotique Palmyra is good.

Favorite brushes:
Muhle synthetic
Savile Row Best Badger

I used to bowl lather, but now I prefer to face lather. Faster and just as good. Although bowl lathering a mixture of Witchell's Wool Fat and a cream like Cade is really slick.

I have a bunch of old Gillette TTOs, which are nice, but the head is too bulky. 3-piece is my favorite setup.

I find it embarrassing that I've spent the time and money I have on this "hobby."
 
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Dollar Shave Club.

I have Colin Edwards' beard pattern, and as Foolish Mortal knows, I shave maybe once every two weeks. I got a years supply of stuff for about 5 bucks, sampled the fancier blades and now my wife uses those instead of dropping a shit ton of cash on lady specific disposables.
 
enki said:
Fondly remembering the days when my dad had a double-edged razor, I went online and found they are still made, albeit overseas. Now I have one and for about $40, two years of blades. Those 4-blade monstrosities at Walgreens probably cost hundreds a year. Cruelest joke on the consumer going.
Click to expand...

If you are going to safety razors for reasons of frugality another option to consider is to greatly extend the life of the cartridge blades. I was finding the cost of shaving to be getting quite high in consumables and I thought about going to safety razors. They also had the romance of a manly ritual from times gone by to it that some people find satisfying.

However, in talking with a few folks about this somebody pointed me at this method. I've been using it for about 4 years now and it really makes the cartridges last a long time. I went for about 2 years with one cartridge at first but now I've settled into a 6 months per cartridge pattern. I'm using the Sensor twin blade cartridges and with 10 costing $20 that's only $4 / year in blades.

[youtube]5ADaRIqy0Dc[/youtube]
 
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CoorsLight said:
Favorite blades:
Gillette Silver Blue
Gillette 7 O'Clock black box made in India
Polsilver Super Iridium
Personna made in Israel

Favorite razor when in a rush and only have time for one pass:
Muhle R41 with Feather or Polsilver blades

Favorite 2-3 pass razors:
Above the Tie R2 with 7 O'Clock blacks
1930's Gillette New with Silver Blues or Israeli Personnas

Favorite soaps:
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Speick soap stick

I'm not a fan of creams on their own, but Biotique Palmyra is good.

Favorite brushes:
Muhle synthetic
Savile Row Best Badger

I used to bowl lather, but now I prefer to face lather. Faster and just as good. Although bowl lathering a mixture of Witchell's Wool Fat and a cream like Cade is really slick.

I have a bunch of old Gillette TTOs, which are nice, but the head is too bulky. 3-piece is my favorite setup.

I find it embarrassing that I've spent the time and money I have on this "hobby."
Click to expand...

Awesome post - thanks!

Yakoo752 said:
easy peasy - don't be a clumsy, I've yet to nick the boys.
Click to expand...

What about the taint? I find that to be the most challenging.

frozenuts said:
Dollar Shave Club.

I have Colin Edwards' beard pattern, and as Foolish Mortal knows, I shave maybe once every two weeks. I got a years supply of stuff for about 5 bucks, sampled the fancier blades and now my wife uses those instead of dropping a shit ton of cash on lady specific disposables.
Click to expand...

You shave? And you spend money on it? :p
 
I been doing it for about 3 years now. Check out theshaveden forums. Good information on those boards, not as active as I was in the past.

Razors i got
- grandfather's gillette superspeed (forget the year at the moment, def. has 20+ years of patina)
- gillette slim adjustable 1963
- gillette superspeed flaretip 1959
- EJ De89L
- FaTip Grande open comb

Brushes
- 2 omegas
- 2 cheapos
- my advice just use whatever seems to work up a lather and get your whiskers up
- i been just face lathering now since it works better

bowls
- cheapo that came with a set, does the job

favorite blade
- bic chromes
- personas
- russian blades

soaps
- too many but cheap and easy is C.O. Bigelow (rebranded Proraso) from bath and body works.
- theshaveden soap works as well
- the bath shop has some fancy mens one with some type of root extract. Not bad at all

I tried straight razors but they need to be sharp and my beard dulls out blades quick and my lack of stropping messed up my blade. I tried a cheapo from whipped dogs and was a good introduction. A little harder to do if your scared to cut your neck but its fun.
 
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