Switching to wet shaving...All at once or piece at a time?

[quietmike]

Thinking about making the transition to DE shaving. I know it would be best to switch over all at once, but if I only started with the razor, would I be able to decide if it was right for me before I got brushes, bowls, soap, etc.

 

[Frank Raud]

If you want to slowly transition, I would change from canned goo to soap or cream first. A puck of VDH will cost you about 3-4 bucks, you can get a tweezerman brush for 12-15 dollars. If you want to use a bowl, a cooffee mug can be used. I face lather, so don't have need for a bowl or scuttle.

 

[unky_gumbi]

For how much it would cost I would go all at once. Buy a decent brush and good soap, both are things you can use even if you decide you don't like a DE razor. You can get a vintage Gillette at any flea market or on ebay for next to nothing, 10-15 bucks for a super speed, 5-10 bucks for a Tech or if you so decide you can pick up a new Merkur or Edwin Jagger DE89(L) for around $40. The razors would be easy to sell off if you find its not for you and there would be next to no money lost, you will need some blades to go along with your razor and I suggest getting a blade sampler package from one of the online stores, I really like the extended sampler ($21 for 70 blades) and everything sampler ($31.75 for 120 blades) from West Coast Shaving. Both offer a good selection of popular blades.

So if you went the cheap way it would be about $60 with a used razor or $80 with a new razor for everything, but shopping around could net a better deal. either way if you didn't like shaving with a DE you could sell the razor and unused blades for 80% of you original cost. A good soap and brush I think you would keep

I didn't buy a special mug to make my lather in I just use a cappuccino mug.

 

[Nickelsig229]

I wish I had purchased a quality brush sooner during my conversion. I was trying to do it on the cheap and quickly found out that the brush made a huge difference in the quality of my lather, as well as the overall experience of the shave. You can get a good brush for 50-75. I haven't had much luck with cheaper brushes, though some of them were not horrible.

The bowl isn't necessary. In fact I would suggest using something from your kitchen if you want to use a bowl. You may find that face lathering is more your style. Also, you may want to wait till you have more experience and try some of the scuttles, rather then spend money on a bowl that you wont use.

Soap's and cream's are arguably the best part of the conversion. You'll be surprised what a nice tallow soap will do to your shave.

I'd say switch over with a DE razor, soap and brush. If you don't like it you can sell the razor and brush, even the soap for that matter. If its just the razor you can't get the hang of, you can still use the brush and soap with one of those 5 or 6 blade razors that are common now.

 

[THG]

You can do DE without the whole brush + cream/soap deal. There's no reason you can't use canned foam for DEs or straights.

By the same token, you can use a brush + cream/soap for cartridge shaving, if you want.

 

[unky_gumbi]

I started by switching to soap and brush first and the improvement was huge over the canned goo. My reason for the half switch is I had to wait for my first razor to come in, the soap and brush I was able to buy locally. Once I added the razor it brought shaving to a new level for me. Gone was the daily chore of shaving and it was replaced by the pleasure of shaving. Its not that way for everyone, but I went from barely able to shave once a week due to irritation to smooth irritation free daily shaves.

 

[Rotte]

You can certainly use a DE with a regular can of Barbasol. Nothing all that magical about a DE. I do enjoy using brush and mug, but often make do with a warm wash and some shave cream. Start with a razor or brush and incrementally work your way toward your perfect shave.

 

[Gollnick]

DE doesn't work well with all canned lather products because many are fat-based rather than water-based. It's called "wet shaving" for a reason: water. So, if you have to change piece-meal, start with the lather.

I swithed wholesale about three years ago. You will save money. I calculate that I save about a dollar a day.. literally... real, cash-in-your-pocket savings. So, spend the fifty to one-hundred bucks it will cost to switch completely. Commit to yourself that, unless it just proves unbearably wrong -- which it won't -- you will stick with it for four months because in four months, you can throw the kit away with no financial loss. It's an easy deal.

I spent over $250 on my razor, brush, soap dish, and stand. So I committed myself for nine months. That was three years ago.

As far as bowls/mugs go I face-lather, so my bowl is really just a soap dish.

 

[unky_gumbi]

I was doubtful when I started, but Gollnik was instrumental in my jumping in with both feet. He and I have different goals with traditional wet shaving. For me it is all about the pleasure of the shave and I don't worry about the cost it is a secondary bonus, from what I understand it is the other way around for him. In the long run we end up at the same place even if for different reasons and I thank him for the nudge in the right direction:thumbup:

For the record I am now up to about 21 razors, 7 or 8 soaps and creams, 3 badger brushes, and about 5 aftershave slashes and balms and always looking for more, like that elusive Gillette New Improved:grumpy:

 

[THG]

DE doesn't work well with all canned lather products because many are fat-based rather than water-based.

I hear this a lot, but after months of using lather cream, I used Barbasol for 2 days because I was in a hurry. There was literally no difference in my shave using Barbasol compared to my soaps and creams.

I'm not sure I believe that soaps and creams are "better" than canned foam in the sense that they give a better shave, but I definitely prefer my lather and brush either way.

 

[Frank Raud]

DE doesn't work well with all canned lather products because many are fat-based rather than water-based. QUOTE] Many people prefer a tallow based soap. Can you expalin your statement a bit further?

 

[Rotte]

I also don't see a lot of difference. As I see it, a blade is a blade regardless of what it is housed in...or, in the case of a straight razor, not.

I really prefer the shaving creams to canned lather. My razor blades seem to last longer if I use shave creams which are also oil based. Don't get me wrong, I still love my brush and mug, but I look for higher fat pucks to use in them. Canned lathers and gels tend to be much more dying for my skin. Pre-shave oil seems to help with that as well. It's important to get your beard warm and wet to soften the whiskers, but some oil seems to let the edge slide more easily and protects the skin better. My $0.02.

 

[Gollnick]

Many people prefer a tallow based soap. Can you expalin your statement a bit further?

All soaps contain some kind of fat. But when you make a lather, you add a lot of water. The resulting lather, while to contains some fat (oil) is water-based.

Some canned lather products such as Barbersol, are water-based. Others, especially the "gel" products are muchh more oil-based.

To understand the role of water in wet shaving, cut a nail on one of your fingers. It's hard and it chips and breaks more than cuts. Now take a nice, hot shower and try to cut a second fingernail. It's so much easier isn't it? This is why manicurists soak a client's fingers in a small bowl of water for a few minutes before starting. What has this to do with shaving? Not much until you realize that hair is made of the same protein as fingernails... and then it has everything to do with it.

 

[Chris Pierce]

I'm still working on my transition. The first thing that I bought was a brush along with a bar of unsented glycerin soap. I had already purchased something like 100 disposable 2 blade razors from Costco. So I'm working on going through them before I buy a real razor. Part of the reason I want to transition is to become less wastefull.

 

[sloth357]

I shave in the shower or directly after.. and I use just a soap lather and a sharp razor.. and dry the razor immediately after or it will begin to rust and that makes the razor cut your skin.. no after shave.. just hot hot soapy water and very sharp razor.. and don't RUSH! hahah SLICE

 

[Gollnick]

Part of the reason I want to transition is to become less wastefull.

Good! I am no a raving environmentalist myself, but I do believe that there are some simple things we all can and should do for the environment. One of those is to seek out and prefer less-disposable products, more recyclable products, and less packaged products. DE shaving answers all of those criteria. A good DE razor will last for years and a great one will last a lifetime. Unlike the unrecyclable, comingled metal/plastic cartridge, a DE blade is a highly- recyclable piece of high-quality steel. Collect them in a steel blade-bank and you can then toss them in your recycle bin. And soap has so much less packaging (and most packaging recyclable) than canned lather products.

As for your disposable razors, I suggest saving a couple dozen of them. Keep some in the guest bathroom for unexpected overnight guests (or expected guests who discover that they've forgotten their razor). Keep one at your desk at work in case you discover that you missed a spot. They can also be useful for travel.

 

[jebib]

If you want to phase in I will recommend a process that purists may gag on. First, don't do de start with a good disposable blade. It will not be as close but you won't be learning "one piece at a time". Second, use lather in a can. It is so popular for a reason, it's a lot easier than making your lather (which is something of an art, at least for me). At this point after a few weeks you can decide if this plan makes sense, or at least your face will. The third step is to get rid of the disposable. There are a wide variety of chinese knock-offs of the Gilette super-speed that you can buy for about $10 or less. These have been around for so long for a very good reason (yes the cheap knock-offs too!) they are really good!. Number four, blades: don't go cheap or exotic as some blades themselves are pretty aggressive. Yes, again I'd recommend for starters staying with a russian or indian gilette blade. Number five l suggest you learn the absolute non-pressure method of shaving. A method I'd characterize as using your hand that holds the razor, there for no other reason to guide a blade that gravity is pulling across your face. Last, you learn how to make lather. There a lot of really good youtube's on how to do it. If I had only one suggestion it is that to make a good lather get comfortable that you must be slightly wasteful. Those are my thoughts on the subject. regards,

 

[Chris Pierce]

Yes, in my work desk.......

 

[JMJones]

I bought the brush, mug and soap at walmart for 10 or 12 dollars total. I purchased their double edge blades for 1.86 for ten. I picked up a double edge razor for 3 bucks at an antique mall and a straight edge at a gunshop for 10 and some aftershave for 6 dollars . I pretty much only use the straight edge unless I am in a hurry. I made four strops for different buffing compounds out of balsa, 4 more dollars and leather I had on hand. I was able to get everything needed, not necessarily wanted, for under 20 for DE and under 40 for straight shaving. Now the only additional cost will be hones, which I already have 800, 4000 so and 8000 and 12k will be about another 125. I say go the cheap route of getting everything and upgrade as you see fit, if at all in the future.

 

[parbajtor]

I'm in the UK and I use a cut-throat/ straight razor. I use a face flannel soaked in the hottest water I can stand and hold it against my face to get heat and water into the bristles. I wring it into the bath and then back to basin for another go. I do this 3 times and then apply Boots Botanics for Men Shave Gel. http://www.boots.com/en/Botanics-For-Men-Shave-Gel-Normal-and-Dry-skin-200ml_33299/ I never got on with gels before, but this stuff is unreal. I still have the same issue I got with shaving soap and brush, in that the other side of the face is dried on by the time I get to it, but with the gel I just dip my palm in the water and pat my face and it's ready to go. It would be perfect for a safety razor as you'll be finished in plenty of time before the gel dries out. If you can get hold of some , try it. It's far superior to the "King of Shaves" stuff.

PS. Because it's transparent, you can see exactly what you're doing.