shaving soap and brush

I have a $20 Vulfix that has lasted me over a year. :) I use the shaving soap for sensitive skin from classicshaving.com .
 
OK after a bunch of searching and deliberating, I finally hit the go button and bought some Prorasso for Ultra sensitive skin and an inexpensive brush for now. It says natural hair, but not what type. It will do until I can get a good badger hair one.

All I can say is WOW, repeatedly:eek: I haven't had such a nice shave since I broke down and had one at an old school barber while I was in the army. Skin feels silky smooth no, razor burn, its great.

Thanks for all the advice, I can't believe I didn't try this earlier. I may give the D.E. a try again in the near future and just use the Gillette Fusion for around the scar.

Once again WOW and thanks:thumbup:
George
 
unky, I purchased a couple nice sets from these guys Shavemac who are located in Germany. They shipped my order to Los Angeles no problems. Their silver-tip badger brushes are outstanding and very soft. The shaver I bought uses the Mach 3. A little pricey but pretty nice stuff.

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i have a custom brush from "floppyshoes" on straight razor place forum (reall name is dan)
worthe every penny not to stiff but nice and soft also and not a monster size mop

so far as soap or cream KD creams are nice and i use mamabear soaps
 
Those are all so much nicer then what I have. I really hope this shaving thing isn't as addictive as knife buying and making:eek:
 
Over the decades I've used a variety of soaps. What I'm currently using (and extremely happy with) is made by a small soap making outfit called Udder Delight. It's a goat's milk based shaving soap containing Fuller's Earth. I'm particularly fond of the Bay Rum (also my wife's choice), but they also have unscented, plus a musky scented one. It has the additional benefit of being about $5 each.

http://www.udderdelight.com/catalog.php?category=21
 
Cock Robin said:
Over the decades I've used a variety of soaps. What I'm currently using (and extremely happy with) is made by a small soap making outfit called Udder Delight. It's a goat's milk based shaving soap containing Fuller's Earth. I'm particularly fond of the Bay Rum (also my wife's choice), but they also have unscented, plus a musky scented one. It has the additional benefit of being about $5 each.

http://www.udderdelight.com/catalog.php?category=21
Click to expand...

I'm sure unky will appreciate the goat's milk in the soap. :thumbup:
 
The soap I use for shaving is Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap. You can get it at Trader Joe's, or by the gallon from Amazon. It's a Castille soap made from some kind of oil. I happen to like the peppermint, it gives a nice tingle.

I mix it 1 part soap to 7 parts water and put that mixture in a soap foamer. Dawn soap can be bought in a foamer. Have you seen them? It's a pump system, and the soap and water come out mixed and foamed when you hit the plunger.

In the last year, I've used about ten ounces of soap out of my 128 ounce gallon jug. I have a hard time believing I actually bought a decade worth of soap for $75, but to my continued astonishment that's what I'm seeing. I'm not sparing with it either, I soap up my whole body twice in the shower two times every day and shave with it.

Make sure you shower first and work that hot shower water into your beard for a couple of minutes before you get out and then shave immediately after.

That scar looks like a tough piece of business to deal with. Good luck with that. I would hesitate to recommend a razor for you. I almost want to say try an electric or figure out a beard to grow around it.

I had three fairly large cysts on top of my head and it was hell trying to find a hairstyle that would hide them. I finally got them cut out a couple weeks ago... it's supposed to be another couple months while the skin reshapes itself so I can go to a short haircut again. So, I kind of feel your pain. It was about 25 years I dealt with them before I finally got a job with good health insurance and found a way to get them to pay for it.

Best of luck in coping with that.

On second thought, I wonder if a straight razor isn't the answer. Maybe not, but go with me for a second. You're in total control of the blade and everything about it. The DE is at an angle and it might be difficult to consciously find a way to make it move with the contours of your scar tissue. With a straight razor you could conceivably become skilled enough eventually to do what you need to do without a piece of equipment fouling your skill level. I don't know, but it's a thought. I've never had to shave around a scar.

I believe there are places where you can have a straight razor custom made. Maybe one with a short blade would be the answer for that particular area.

Just thinking out loud.
 
Try a Dovo Shavette with the DE insert. I can shave off individual hairs with a straight if I want to. I will always shave with a straight razor.

Love Dr Bronner's soap. I use the tea tree and lemon bars myself.
 
If you're looking for something other than the traditional "puck" style shave soap, Real Shaving Company makes a wonderful shave cream in a squeeze tube. It's available at Rite aid and CVS. You can put in on straight or whip it up to a sweet lather with a brush and mug. Either way, great lubricity, subtle scent, and way better than canned goo. Just sayin.... :o
 
Ok so now that I am fully hooked on the benefits of traditional wet shaving, I am looking to pick up a DE razor to do all of my face except for my chin/scar area. For that I will stick with my Fusion simply because I can shave the are with no cuts with it. Thing is there are so many DE razors out there I don't really know what to get. I have been looking at Fendrihan and they seem to have a decent selection, but like I said I don't know what to get or what I need. I don't really want to spend to much on the razor, but if I order from there and spend $100 or more I get free shipping so I am thinking a DE razor and a badger hair brush together to get free shipping on the order. May throw in some aftershave balm as well because I can't seem to find anything without alcohol locally.
 
Unky when I was looking around fendrihan myself for my first kit. I figured you could get the Edwin Jagger 89 (classic), Fendrihan best badger brush, sample pack of blades, and a tub of JM frasiers original shave cream for a little over 100. All get great reviews with the exception of the brush, which I cant find anything on. Though I'd guess its made by a reputable company and re branded. They also have the edwin jagger medium best badger which is the same as the Crabtree & Evelyn brush everyone talks about. I ended up getting a razor on ebay, and spending 100 on a post apocalyptic store of blades, creams and a brush.

Had an uncle with a scar under his jaw that he ended up going to a plastic surgeon to get reduced because shaving was a pain. the downside he no longer looks nearly as bad-ass. may be something to consider.
 
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Fendrihan has my favorite, the Merkur Futur, but it will get you most of the way to your free shipping by itself. It's not a cheap razor. On the other hand, it's a very well-built product and so simple in its design and construction that it can easily be expected to last a lifetime with almost no "maintenance."

It might ask Steve if he has any nice older Gillettes he's looking to sell. Or, he could point out a good razor on eBay for you.
 
What about the Merkur Progress adjustable? I am going to look around the fleabay as well and give my mother a call to see if by chance she has my fathers old razor laying around still
 
So barring my mother still having my fathers old DE kicking around in usable condition, I have narrowed my choices down to
  1. Weishi Black Gunmetal Classic Double-Edge Razor (non adjustable)
  2. Edwin Jagger Classic Razor, with faux-ebony handle (non adjustable)
  3. Merkur Progress Adjustable Safety Razor
In order from least expensive to most expensive. Everything I have read about these razors says that they may be a good place to start, but I lean more to the Merkur because it is adjustable and I could fine tune my shave. Yet it is more then the price of the other 2 combined:eek: The EJ is advertised as an aggressive razor that is good for a beginner, but I don't know if I want aggressive. And finally the Weishi is said to be a mild shaver that is recommended for beginner wet shavers.

I don't really consider myself as a "beginner wet shaver" I have always shaved with a razor, water and shaving cream. What I am, is new to traditional wet shaving.

I will be purchasing through Fendrihan and ordering a silver tip badger hair brush and a blade sampler kit at the same time, so I will be into free shipping.

My budget for this will be in the $150 range so what of the 3 razors would be your suggestion and why?
 
The setting that I started using on mine was considered as aggressive as the 89L. no problems at all. I think if you get the weishi, you'll end up getting something else soon after. So even if the merkur is twice as much that narrows it down to the progress, or EJ. You got the message I sent you right? because the EJ would be less than 1/3rd as much as the progress. cheaper brushes too.
 
The EJ is better finished than the Merkurs. You won't find the flaws in an EJ that you will in the Merkurs. Excepting the Futur and Vision, the Merkurs have some QC problems with the heads of their razors.
A vintage Gillette Slim Adjustable or Super Adjustable would do you very well. They ave excellent razors and will last several lifetimes. The Gillette Super Speed is an excellent non-adjustable twist-to-open razor, also.
The Merkur Progress is more aggressive than the Gillette adjustables.
A Weishi or Ming Shi would get your feet wet without spending a lot of cash.
The Parkers have had a lot of quality problems.
Your best bet for starting out is to get a good vintage Gillette Adjustable or non-adjustable TTO razor off Ebay or countryjoescollectibles.com

The Gillette Tech is a great 3 piece DE razor. It's a mild shaver and with Derby blades, gives me fantastic shaves without irritation.

Join the forum at www.badgerandblade.com and you will get tons of help and information.

I've been using Van der Hagen soap from Wal-Mart, Arko shave sticks from Amazon.com, Godrej Shave Rounds and Godrej shaving creams from Maharaja Shave. Look for Beyboo on badgerandblade.com.

I've been using a cheap Van der Hagen boar brush and a Tweezerman badger brush. They both have worked well. I really want to try a horse hair brush.
I can't see spending $100 on a brush. That's just me. Maybe if I tried a $100 brush I may change my mind. I see $600 brushes for sale.
I can buy a best or silvertip badger nib from the golden nib and make a custom length and size handle just for me, and only pay about $28 for the nib.
 
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You know there was a time that I could never see myself spending more them $50 on a knife, now my EDC is a BM710 or a BM 556 and I can spend $100 at the drop of a hat to buy knife making supplies.
I will most likely be making my razor purchase at the end of the month, I have been looking at the sets on Fendrihan, I can get the Weishi classic DE razor with a silver tip brush and a stand for just shy of the free shipping. Throw in some blades and an after shave balm and I get the free shipping. If I don't like the razor I still have a brush and stand so I wont be sad because 2 out of 3 so it aint bad:p
 
2/3 is still only a C+. then if you end up getting a better razor anyways you effectively lose the free shipping you were out to achieve in the first place. Ditch the stand and get a better razor.
 
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