Inflection Points in shaving

[BigJohn aka Mod12]

Gollnick-: Are you going to be in Eugene this year? I'll stand you to a bottle of wine and a steak.

Big John

 

[Will Power]

Got back into DE shaving recently after over 25years gap. I simply gave them up in the past as they were getting difficult to buy,along come the multi blades from Mr G...ranges disappear,prices go up(a lot) I notice quality getting dubious too

Present day, wonders of on-line shopping make finding DE blades possible:thumbup: Buy a couple of old school DE bladed razors,a cheap Weishi, not too bad but not aggressive enough for my needs, an OK traveller though.Then a Merkur 38 long handle,nice and heavy but not clumsy. Does take a bit of getting used to but the long lost technique comes back.

Fairly cheap Badger brushes work nicely enough and,surprisingly a synthetic faux Badger works very well (had this for 3 years now). Generally prefer cream to soap, L'Occitane CAD very good, lowly Williams is alright too, Trumper's Limes works well, Taylor of Bond St Sandalwood gives a superb lather but I can't stand the SMELL,musty old woman reek or toilet cleaner Wonder if their other scents are less musty?? Lavender perhaps, damn good lather though.

Yes, it's cheaper to shave DE that's WHY Gillette and other big firms abandoned the system and dragooned us all into buying those chuck aways or multi edge rip-offs:thumbdn: Another consideration for us in Europe and I think you too in the US soon is the environmental factor.All that plastic and packaging with disposable razors&multi blades,all the aerosol gel cannisters(it's utter crap to shave with as well!)metal to throw away and choke up the place&the waste of energy in producing it all together with the huge price charged for it. A bad business for the consumer and a bad waste for the environment. I'm very pleased that I've been able to get back to a better shave,all thanks to forums like this and the internet in general.

 

[TorzJohnson]

Present day, wonders of on-line shopping make finding DE blades possible:thumbup: Buy a couple of old school DE bladed razors,a cheap Weishi, not too bad but not aggressive enough for my needs, an OK traveller though.Then a Merkur 38 long handle,nice and heavy but not clumsy. Does take a bit of getting used to but the long lost technique comes back.

I agree that the Weishi is not nearly aggressive enough to get a good shave. Like you, I use it mainly for travel. I like my old Gillette Superspeed the best, but as far as modern razors go, the Merkur HD and 38C are my favorites.

 

[Gollnick]

Gollnick-: Are you going to be in Eugene this year? I'll stand you to a bottle of wine and a steak.

Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday morning. I'll take you up on that steak. You should come by the Balisong Underground Suite and we'll have a martini before dinner.

 

[avidknifeusersf]

Gollnick,

Your results are far from typical. Maybe it was all that practice with the sensor, maybe its your smooth mug, you so proudly sport in your avatar. I enjoy DE shaving a million times more than Fusioning, but even 3 months in, i get cut. Lack of concentration, bad form, various bumps... curly hair that results in ingrown hairs. Thats the reality of most DE shavers get.

For a truly luxurious time, upgrade to some Musgo Real or Proraso(CO Biggelow at bath and body works-same stuff), (there are others, but those have great price points). And buy yourself a vintage Gillette... thats the good life. You might want to mosey over to badger and blade sometime too.

 

[BigJohn aka Mod12]

Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday morning. I'll take you up on that steak. You should come by the Balisong Underground Suite and we'll have a martini before dinner.

Good, I look forward to it. PM me with the directions when we get closer to the show date. BBJ

 

[Gollnick]

Maybe it was all that practice with the sensor, maybe its your smooth mug, you so proudly sport in your avatar.

I'm sure that there is some truth in both of those points. From my experience with the Sensor, I have a pretty good idea of "the lay of the land" on my face. And, yes, that is my face in my avatar. My face is, I think, overall fairly simple. My face is very curved; I don't have a lot of large, flat areas. But, I don't have the complex multiple-chins or jowls that some guys have to deal with. But, including the constant curved surfaces, I do have my complexities to deal with: under my lower lip and above my upper lip for example.

I enjoy DE shaving a million times more than Fusioning, but even 3 months in, i get cut. ... curly hair that results in ingrown hairs. Thats the reality of most DE shavers get.

Then why bother with it? If it's regularly giving you cuts, leaving you with ingrown hairs, irritation, etc., then try something else.

Man walks into a doctor's office: Doc, it hurts when I do this.

Doctor: Then don't do that!

If DE shaving is leaving most of its users with cuts and ingrown hairs and irritation while cans and cartriges don't, then I guess cans and cartriges are truly technically superior and all of this prattle about Gillette just trying to make money off of all of us is false.

I think that the over-production of DE shaving seen on a lot of internet sites just drives guys to the "simplicity and reliability" of the can-and-cartridge.

For most guys, shaving is not a life-long quest. We're not seeking an adventure in the bathroom at 7:00 in the morning. For must of us, shaving is ten utilitarian minutes every morning and we want it done, done well, and -- if possible -- done inexpensively. For generations, Nobel-laureates and ditch-diggers alike got just that result from DE razors, brushes, and soap. The equipment and supplies we have today are superior to what they used. We can make this work too.




As for me, I plateaued with the Derby blades for a while. I tried the C&E soap for an entire week to give it a good go. I did learn to make a better initial lather with it, but relathering remains tough.

This morning, I tried a Crystal blade. While I'm not ready to make a judgement on it yet, it seems like a fine blade but not superior to the Derby in any way. I intend to continue with Crystal for a week or so and then maybe loop back to Derby again. (I will eventually loop back to Dorco and Merkur again too).

I've been at this for over a month now. My shaves have definitely improved during that month. But, even my first shave was acceptable and none have been any less. And I now consistently get shaves very much superior to what the old Sensor used to give.

Yesterday, I shaved in the morning as usual (slightly later than usual as it was Saturday). As I dressed for dinner and the symphony, I started to run hot water to shave again as I always do for a dressy evening. But, as I started to wash my face, I realized that there was just no need; my morning shave was still fine.

 

[avidknifeusersf]

Then why bother with it? If it's regularly giving you cuts, leaving you with ingrown hairs, irritation, etc., then try something else.

I mis-stated it. I get knicks from to time. No longer in grown hairs. But I mostly bother because its soo much more enjoyable. I dont have to shave everyday for work, I mostly just have to do it for my gf's comfort and when meeting new clients. Anytime I can turn a chore into an enjoyable experience I go for it.

When I'm in a hurry I still use a Fusion or more likely, a dsiposable. I think cartridges and canned foams have a huge advantage: they take the guesswork out of it all. No mixing of creams or angles or pressure to worry about. I get an above average shave every single time. With my DE though I can get anywhere from a poor shave to a great shave. I think as time goes by the shaves will migrate more and more into just the great range.

If I HAD to shave everyday at 7AM I'd stick with a cartridge, but still use my brush and proraso or musgo real or CF- I guess another thing I enjoy is the Old World products. Its a nice bit of tradition mixed in with my modern lifestyle.

 

[cybrok]

Then why bother with it? If it's regularly giving you cuts, leaving you with ingrown hairs, irritation, etc., then try something else.

Because the other options, electric or multi-bladed, give even worst results.



Welcome to the Wetshaving world Chuck. I agree with Torz, it's addictive. You eventually try more and more stuff, get more and more stuff.

I could probably last 5 years with what I have at the moment. It becomes more a hobby then a boring task.

So if I could give you a few advices:
- Check this guys' vids if not already done: http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59
- Don't give up.
- Try these soaps http://www.thegentlemensquarter.com/ and thank me later

 

[Will Power]

I'm beginning to look forward to getting up in the morning and taking a decent shave with a DE! Mind you, despite a thick rough beard I only shave every other day and it's a better easier shave for that.

So far, the Derby blades seem more consistent than Merkur or Feather.They are ALL substantially cheaper than multi blade rip offs, give a closer shave but do call for more expertise and care.But, I'm improving all the time...

 

[Gollnick]

I've spent the last week doing Crystal every morning... Crystal-brand razor blades, that is. They seem very nice.

I had an interesting observation one day, though. My shave was clearly not as easy nor as smooth as previous shaves. It was entirely acceptable, but clearly a step backwards. So, I did a quick failure analysis. The lather was good. My technique was the same as before. Then, I remembered that I was supposed to change the blade that morning. It had four shaves on it. I had inadvertently done a fifth. Clearly, Crystal blades are only at their peak for four shaves.

On Saturday, with extra time in the morning, I decided to try the Wars (pronounced Vars) shaving cream that Mr. citizensoldierNY generously (better part of a whole tube) provided. I'm determined to continue with lathering on the face even though I am aware from online sources that this may not be the best showcase for a cream. I also tried Wars this morning. The results were the same in both cases. A very adequate lather developed within thirty seconds, but it seemed to -- at the rist of anthropomorphizing shaving lather -- be crying out, "Water, give me more water please." So, I did. And the Wars cream quickly rewarded me with an abundance of the best lather I have yet -- and that is a very limited experience -- had. This stuff works very well.

So if I could give you a few advices:
- Check this guys' vids if not already done: http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59

Oh, I have watched all of his videos. This is required viewing, I think, for a person embarking on wet shaving.

- Don't give up.

Why would I? I'm getting better shaves for substantially less money in about the same time. This is great.

Try these soaps http://www.thegentlemensquarter.com/ and thank me later

Those look very good and at very reasonable prices. I intend to try them. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Razzierb]

I suppose I should have known that there would be high grade shaving equipment out there, but just frankly never thought of it. I'll look forward to checking out some of the sites that report on the equipment. Sounds like some it may be a bit pricey ...

These days, I'm into speed and no cuts. I generally get six days out of a standard Gillette Good News shaver using nothing but Edge with Aloe during my morning shower.

 

[citizensoldierNY]

Gollnick,
Glad you like the Vars, I thought it was pretty good too. Just couldn't see keeping about 8 different soaps in the rotation, right now I'm slowly working through a tub of Tobs, Mr. Taylor, and a puck of Pirates Cove lavender, a great soap at a great price.

 

[65535]

I have no complaints from my Gillette fusion which I have been using for over a year now. Never a cut and a pretty good shave. BUT I get away with shaving about 2 times a week and I don't grow hair fast. It's pretty fine hair.

 

[Gollnick]

I suppose I should have known that there would be high grade shaving equipment out there, but just frankly never thought of it.

There's "high-grade" for just about everything if you look for it. One effect of the internet has been to make these exotic or esoteric things readily available. Thanks to the internet, anyone can find and order up the most exotic foods, spices, clothing, art, music, books, movies, knives, and shaving equipment and supplies. Luxury has -- to some small extent -- become democratized.

The Internet also makes it possible to have a business that specializes in such things because your market is no longer geographically limited. It's possible, for example, to make a thriving business importing exotic shaving creams and soaps from all over the world to the US and selling them in the American market. If your market was just, for example, Portland, Oregon, you couldn't be successful at that. But, if your market is the entire country, and even the world, via the internet, you can run that business out of some little town in some forgotten backwater and be successful.

I'll look forward to checking out some of the sites that report on the equipment. Sounds like some it may be a bit pricey ...

As "luxury" or "high-end" stuff goes, "high-end" shaving is pretty cheap.

At about $65-75, my Merkur Futur is very near the top end of the "utilitarian" razor category for price (of course, you can graduate to the "razor as jewelry" category and pay as much as you want, but what you're really paying for there is exotic materials and hand craftsmanship or into the "collectible" category where value is often set more by scarcity or historical significance). And, as I explained in a previous post in this thread, you can easily SAVE three hundred or more dollars per year by switching from cans and cartriges to "high grade" shaving... oh, and you'll get a better shave along with the real cash savings. So, this is one place where "high-end" luxury is actually quite affordable.

 

[zpaulg]

Try Feather blades you guys, they're the lick!

Zero pressure mind......you have been warned!!!

Enjoy.

Also for that ultimate luxury shave try "Taylors of Old Bond Street Lemon And Lime" shaving soap!

 

[db]

Gollnick I've been useing aGillette ajustable for over a year now and I couldn't agree more that it isn't even 1/8 as complacated as most make it out to be on the net. In fact the only time I had any kind of problem useing a DE was when I was thinking too much about how to use the thing. For me don't think and just shave is the best method. I even go against the grain for both of the two passes I do.
Have you tried or has anyone compared the Walmart blades to these other types of blades? I'm cheap and haven't yet ordered anything on line but am tempted to try different blades and maybe even a Merkur ajustable. I've been pretty happy with an old Gillette ajustable, Walmart blades, VDH cheap brush and soap the pink one. I have tried the Bath and Body biggeloe cream in the tube and it was some really great stuff.

 

[Will Power]

db, I too usually shave against the grain (otherwise it's not close enough) with no ill effects providing I'm careful.

Nor is DE shaving complicated but it does take a bit more time.I'm becoming badly obsessed by shaving creams&soaps...but one I've just tried that suits me very well and delivers a smooth job is The Vulfix Sicilian Limes from England, very fresh and brisk:thumbup:

 

[DutchV]

I also converted from the Sensor Excel cartridges. Nearly fifteen bucks for ten, and worthless after little more than a week. Storing the blade in alcohol between shaves only got me a few extra days. If it was the last shave, you knew by the dragging and irritation.

Now I've got two vintage Gillette adjustables, and alternate between Derby and 7 a.m. Platinum blades. I've been getting about ten shaves from either blade. Start with a shower, use Neutrogena shave cream, and shave away. I still get the occasional nick if I go too fast on a fresh blade, but the technique wasn't that hard to get right. I'm definitely getting shaves that are just as good as any I ever got from a Sensor. And, I'm saving a fair amount of cash.

 

[TorzJohnson]

As "luxury" or "high-end" stuff goes, "high-end" shaving is pretty cheap.

Very true, that's what I really like about the whole thing. Of course, when it comes to shaving brushes it can get pretty crazy on the high end market. Plisson High Mountain Whites in particular, are insanely expensive.

...Have you tried or has anyone compared the Walmart blades to these other types of blades? I'm cheap and haven't yet ordered anything on line but am tempted to try different blades and maybe even a Merkur ajustable. I've been pretty happy with an old Gillette ajustable, Walmart blades, VDH cheap brush and soap the pink one. I have tried the Bath and Body biggeloe cream in the tube and it was some really great stuff.

The Walmart Personna blades have their fans and their detractors. My theory is that the detractors dislike them simply because they're too cheap to be any good. The placebo effect, if you will.

I find them to be perfectly serviceable blades, and from my experience are noticeably better than Merkur blades but slightly less comfortable than Derbies or German Wilkinsons. The gold standard for me (YMMV of course) are Feather blades. They're so damn sharp that they just feel like they are wiping whiskers off your face, not cutting them. The only problem is they're fairly expensive, as far as DE blades go.