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The Wet-Shaving Thread

tzrider said:
My beard isn't particularly heavy, but the hair seems to go every which way, so getting a smooth shave is a matter of hitting it from at least three angles. For some reason, a cartridge always takes fewer strokes.
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Same here.

With a cartridge, I can go across or against the grain right away, and get a good shave. With a DE, I always need to start with the grain. If I use the R41, I can leave it at that and not have 5 o'clock shadow, but it's not as good a shave as one pass with a cartridge. With other razors, I need to follow up with at least one more pass, usually against the grain.

OP: don't get an R41. I've given a pint of blood to that absurd device. I only use it if I'm in a hurry. Realistically, I might as well bring my Sensor Excel out of retirement for those days.
 
FoolishMortal said:
Thanks for sharing!

So the question is, why so many razors? Are they fun to collect (just to have), or do you use different ones for different purposes?
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Um its like any hobby or thing I do in life...I get addicted and buy more and test various things out. They all get used though depending on my mood or how much I grew out my beard. I was able to use the FaTip open comb to shave about a month's growth without having to trim. Beard was prolly about 1-1.5 inches long lol.

Like Coors said check on ebay for vintage razors and superspeeds are very mild and great to practice technique on. Also, they can be had for 10-20 bucks shipped in very good condition.

Regarding changing pattern, I didn't really notice a chance. My stubble on my cheeks and sideburns grow in all directions just like my beard and a weird patch under my neck. I usually go with the grain on the first pass and just reverse 2nd pass. Last pass and for the weird hair areas I just do a diagonal or cross pass to get remaining.

I don't force a baby smooth in case I was getting irritated during the shaving process that day/night.
 
CoorsLight said:
Same here.

With a cartridge, I can go across or against the grain right away, and get a good shave. With a DE, I always need to start with the grain. If I use the R41, I can leave it at that and not have 5 o'clock shadow, but it's not as good a shave as one pass with a cartridge. With other razors, I need to follow up with at least one more pass, usually against the grain.

OP: don't get an R41. I've given a pint of blood to that absurd device. I only use it if I'm in a hurry. Realistically, I might as well bring my Sensor Excel out of retirement for those days.
Click to expand...

I can shave with a DE pretty fast in the morning with about a weeks worth of growth. You can too unless your hair growth is coarser/thicker than what I get
 
CoorsLight said:
Too much too fast. If your GF is getting you stuff already, just use it, work on your technique, and see what you like and what you don't like. Hold off on WD for now. You're just going to end up with a bunch of shit you'll end up not using. Not the WD isn't good; the brushes look great and are a steal. But that TTO razor is garbage.

Antique shops are fun, but for razors, most likely everything's been picked over, and the antique dealers around the bay area know the value of what their selling. And then they ask double that value regardless of condition. Might as well try ebay if you want a vintage razor.

Sounds like some people here have old razors, too. I have a couple superspeeds and an old type I'd be willing to part with.
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I might be interested in one of the Superspeeds. Details?
 
tzrider said:
It might. My beard isn't particularly heavy, but the hair seems to go every which way, so getting a smooth shave is a matter of hitting it from at least three angles. For some reason, a cartridge always takes fewer strokes.
Click to expand...


sounds like a easy pop problem :rofl
 
Dropped into an antique store yesterday and scored two razors. :D

One is a ball-end Gillette Tech, probably from the 1938-45 range, in great shape. The other feels like aluminum and was made in England - that one need some cleaning. Pics to follow when I get the chance.
 
WTF...

I use a loofa in the shower with hot-hot water and Dove soap on the neck followed by a pea sized amount of Liz Earl for men shave lotion foamed up with a badger brush. Razor of choice are the Schick Xtreme 3 (less than $1 each on Amazon). Rinse with cold-cold water and pat dry. Followed up with Liz Earl for men aftershave lotion. I get three or four days between shaves without looking too Grizzly Adams with this set-up.

FWIW, I have skin made out of vagina flesh. I can't apply even the least toxic deodorant more than 3 times in a week without getting a rash.
 
FoolishMortal said:
Dropped into an antique store yesterday and scored two razors. :D

One is a ball-end Gillette Tech, probably from the 1938-45 range, in great shape. The other feels like aluminum and was made in England - that one need some cleaning. Pics to follow when I get the chance.
Click to expand...

Great score. The Tech is a wonderful shaver.

Is the ball cracked? Those more often than not have cracks in the handles.
 
CoorsLight said:
Great score. The Tech is a wonderful shaver.

Is the ball cracked? Those more often than not have cracks in the handles.
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I didn't see any, but thanks for the tip!

Here they are. Both are silver, but the lighting made them look gold:

IMG_0499.jpg

IMG_0503.jpg
 
I haven't figured out the blades yet. I'm curious to try the Astras and the Feathers, as I've heard good things about both paired with the Tech razors.

Feedback?
 
I'd consider avoiding Feathers for now. Not because they are bad or they are too sharp, but just because they are expensive. If cost is any issue, you should get your technique down before spending money on more expensive blades that, for the time being, you won't use to the full potential.

For value, Astras are a good choice, IMO. Personna Blues are also good. Israeli Personnas (Crystals) are also a good, my favorite of the three.
 
CoorsLight said:
I'd consider avoiding Feathers for now. Not because they are bad or they are too sharp, but just because they are expensive. If cost is any issue, you should get your technique down before spending money on more expensive blades that, for the time being, you won't use to the full potential.

For value, Astras are a good choice, IMO. Personna Blues are also good. Israeli Personnas (Crystals) are also a good, my favorite of the three.
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Great, thanks. I'll try to track down some Crystals and Astras to give them a try while I learn the technique. :)

Oh, and with a ton of help from the Badger & Blade community, I figured out what the razors are! The older of the two - and the one that is in better shape - is the US Tech, which seems to be a 1945. The English Tech seems to be from 1980.

I'm not sure why, but if I'm going to shave with vintage razor, I want to shave with one that's older than I am. Otherwise, it just doesn't seem vintage. I'll clean up the English Tech and either use it as a travel razor or pass it along as a PIF.
 
As I have mentioned, I'm new to wet-shaving and while I've really enjoyed the reading I've done on B&B (and the Shave Den and Shaving 101 and...more), there's no substitute for experience. With that in mind - and an empty house for the evening - I set out for my first DE shave adventure.

This was my set-up:

1945 Ball-End Tech (a $5 gem from a local antique store)
TopCare (house brand) blades from CVS (Isreali Personnas?)
Parker Silvertip brush (Christmas present from the GF)
AnthonySport pre-shave oil
Nivea Sensitive Shave Cream
Neutrogena Triple Protect Face Lotion
Tend Skin Liquid
Pacific Shaving Company Nick Stick

Overall, things went passably well. I am still here to write this rather than bleeding out on the bathroom floor, which I take as a positive step. I took most of the hair off my face and neck, left behind plenty of unbroken skin and learned a few things in the process:

1. Don't forget to use the pre-shave oil. It really doesn't do much good if you're so excited/nervous to scrape and lacerate yourself with a sharp, precision-engineered metal object that you leave the oil in the cabinet.

2. Flip and rinse. I was concentrating on my so-called "technique" and occasionally forgot to spin and/or rinse the razor. This meant that I got lots of cream build-up on the head, which interfered with getting to the skin. And because I didn't want to irritate my skin with too many passes, I wasn't as efficient as I could have been.

3. Work on the lather. Because I was so slow, and because (I think) I didn't use enough water, I ended up with my chin looking like I had put on a Van Dyke of pancake foundation - it was drying out, tightening up and flaking off. I added more water to the brush and re-lathered and it seemed to go well after that. I was face-lathering because (a) that feels like it should be the most efficient, and (b) I like the idea of a little extra exfoliation, and (c) I haven't yet co-opted a mug or bowl to use for lathering.

4. The razor will find ingrowns for you. My face has "features", including some minor "age spots" (I'm 46 and, probably due to time in the sun, have suborrheic keratoses) that have risen from the skin. I expected to have to work around them, but they were fine - it was the newly-ingrown at my chin from my last quick-shave with an old cartridge that the blade opened for me. So considerate!

5. Shave. Just...shave. I was being so careful about not cutting myself that I think I went too slowly, not letting the razor really do its job. I noticed that when I used short strokes at a medium speed, I got a better rhythm and the razor didn't drag so much.

All things considered, I give myself a C-plus. I didn't cut myself too badly and my cheeks are smooth. I also got the lines on my sideburns fairly straight. Unfortunately, I was such a chicken that while I did fine with WTG, my XTG was marginal and my ATG was non-existent. Still, it was a Friday night and I'll be able to try again on Sunday morning.

And that is a bit of a revelation in and of itself. I can't believe I'm actually looking forward to shaving again!
 
FoolishMortal said:
As I have mentioned, I'm new to wet-shaving and while I've really enjoyed the reading I've done on B&B (and the Shave Den and Shaving 101 and...more), there's no substitute for experience. With that in mind - and an empty house for the evening - I set out for my first DE shave adventure.

This was my set-up:

1945 Ball-End Tech (a $5 gem from a local antique store)
TopCare (house brand) blades from CVS (Isreali Personnas?)
Parker Silvertip brush (Christmas present from the GF)
AnthonySport pre-shave oil
Nivea Sensitive Shave Cream
Neutrogena Triple Protect Face Lotion
Tend Skin Liquid
Pacific Shaving Company Nick Stick

Overall, things went passably well. I am still here to write this rather than bleeding out on the bathroom floor, which I take as a positive step. I took most of the hair off my face and neck, left behind plenty of unbroken skin and learned a few things in the process:

1. Don't forget to use the pre-shave oil. It really doesn't do much good if you're so excited/nervous to scrape and lacerate yourself with a sharp, precision-engineered metal object that you leave the oil in the cabinet.

2. Flip and rinse. I was concentrating on my so-called "technique" and occasionally forgot to spin and/or rinse the razor. This meant that I got lots of cream build-up on the head, which interfered with getting to the skin. And because I didn't want to irritate my skin with too many passes, I wasn't as efficient as I could have been.

3. Work on the lather. Because I was so slow, and because (I think) I didn't use enough water, I ended up with my chin looking like I had put on a Van Dyke of pancake foundation - it was drying out, tightening up and flaking off. I added more water to the brush and re-lathered and it seemed to go well after that. I was face-lathering because (a) that feels like it should be the most efficient, and (b) I like the idea of a little extra exfoliation, and (c) I haven't yet co-opted a mug or bowl to use for lathering.

4. The razor will find ingrowns for you. My face has "features", including some minor "age spots" (I'm 46 and, probably due to time in the sun, have suborrheic keratoses) that have risen from the skin. I expected to have to work around them, but they were fine - it was the newly-ingrown at my chin from my last quick-shave with an old cartridge that the blade opened for me. So considerate!

5. Shave. Just...shave. I was being so careful about not cutting myself that I think I went too slowly, not letting the razor really do its job. I noticed that when I used short strokes at a medium speed, I got a better rhythm and the razor didn't drag so much.

All things considered, I give myself a C-plus. I didn't cut myself too badly and my cheeks are smooth. I also got the lines on my sideburns fairly straight. Unfortunately, I was such a chicken that while I did fine with WTG, my XTG was marginal and my ATG was non-existent. Still, it was a Friday night and I'll be able to try again on Sunday morning.

And that is a bit of a revelation in and of itself. I can't believe I'm actually looking forward to shaving again!
Click to expand...

Sounds like you're off to a good start.

About the lather, how are you putting the cream on your face? I've found that creams work much better if you use your fingers to apply it all over the shave area before you use the brush. It also sounds like you aren't leaving enough water in the brush. If you soak the brush with warm water and just give it one or two shakes, that should be enough. Don't squeeze the knot.

The Top Care brand could be Israeli personnas or Korean Dorcos, but when I've gotten them, they were US made, almost assuredly ASR blades. They weren't inexpensive, and they were noticeably duller and rougher than Personna Lab Blues, which is weird. I thought they should be identical. Also keep in mind there are two types of Israeli personnas, the red ones and the crystals. I've found the red ones to be pretty ineffective, but the crystals are wonderful blades. Sharp and very smooth.

I'm guessing you paid abou 40 cents per blade at CVS, so I'd urge you to get some blades from Amazon or something. You'll save many rubles. Lab blues are 13 cents a blade from Amazon and Astras are about 10 cents. Both are good blades.

Pay close attention to your angle and pressure, and you'll be able to eliminate the need for most of the products you're using. All you really need is soap/cream, brush, and razor. Maybe an aftershave.
 
CoorsLight said:
Sounds like you're off to a good start.

About the lather, how are you putting the cream on your face? I've found that creams work much better if you use your fingers to apply it all over the shave area before you use the brush. It also sounds like you aren't leaving enough water in the brush. If you soak the brush with warm water and just give it one or two shakes, that should be enough. Don't squeeze the knot.

The Top Care brand could be Israeli personnas or Korean Dorcos, but when I've gotten them, they were US made, almost assuredly ASR blades. They weren't inexpensive, and they were noticeably duller and rougher than Personna Lab Blues, which is weird. I thought they should be identical. Also keep in mind there are two types of Israeli personnas, the red ones and the crystals. I've found the red ones to be pretty ineffective, but the crystals are wonderful blades. Sharp and very smooth.

I'm guessing you paid abou 40 cents per blade at CVS, so I'd urge you to get some blades from Amazon or something. You'll save many rubles. Lab blues are 13 cents a blade from Amazon and Astras are about 10 cents. Both are good blades.

Pay close attention to your angle and pressure, and you'll be able to eliminate the need for most of the products you're using. All you really need is soap/cream, brush, and razor. Maybe an aftershave.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the insight.

Like everything, there's a learning curve. My second shave went went much, much better. My lather was not nearly so shoddy, I was quicker about the shave and I had a bit more confidence. A few little weepers showed up, but no more than when I shave with a Mach3, and it seems that the irritation was lessened. I give myself a B-minus for this one, having achieved a CCS for the cheeks and an SAS for the neck/chin (which is the norm for me with a Mach3).

I have all of 9 DE shaves under my belt, and I still feel like that newb trying to figure out how to do an oil change or chain maintenance, but each one has gone better and/or I've learned something in the process.

The blades have "Made in Israel" on them, so I think they may be Israeli Personnas of some sort, and cost about $4 for 10, so you're spot-on. I have since acquired (from Amazon) a 100-pack of Astra SP that I will get into once the TopCare blades are done. I want to keep the variables to a minimum so that I can concentrate on exactly what you stated - angle and pressure - and the Astras seem to have a good reputation.

I hope you're right that I can stop using the additional products, but I have always, always, always had at least some irritation/razor burn and at least one minor ingrown hair each week. For now, I am using the Tend Skin and Nick Stick to help with nicks. The Neutrogena helps with the irritation and I'll probably always use it - my skin gets a bit dry, especially in winter, and it has SPF 20 as well.

As for lathering, the cream went onto my soaked brush, then got smeared onto my cheeks and throat before I went on to lather it. I've started using Proraso White and having a decent amount of success getting that to lather well - I'm figuring out the soap/water ratio and just continuing to progress.

And now I can't wait for my a/s samples to show up!
 
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I think a/s (art of shaving?) is not worth it. You can get better products for less than what they charge. I know I bought a couple of things when I first started.

If you want to try some various shave creams or soaps I got let me know. I can send you some via slow mail or drop it off when i pass through the 707.
 
drewcandraw said:
I think a/s (art of shaving?) is not worth it. You can get better products for less than what they charge. I know I bought a couple of things when I first started.

If you want to try some various shave creams or soaps I got let me know. I can send you some via slow mail or drop it off when i pass through the 707.
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That's a really nice offer! I just might take you up on it, or we can work a trade when I've had a chance to pick up some things of my own. :)

Yeah, AoS seems to be a bit of a rip-off. $250 for a SilverTip brush? Sure, the handle was a nicely textured chrome, but I'm pretty damned happy with my $60 Parker SilverTip. The products appear to be nice quality and over-priced, reeling in those who don't do any research or just look for the shiny, pretty things. I also don't really feel like supporting the corporate megalith that is Proctor & Gamble (the AoS parent company that bought the business from its founders) - I would rather give my money to the little businesses doing the work for the love of it.
 
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