found this on the canadian site, http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00DQHJXUW
looks like the same thing
3 buck, costs as much as a small pack of disposable razors, so i figured, why not, i'll try it
shipping comes in a month, lol
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Wet Shaving |OT| The Cutting Edge of Grooming
- Thread starter Giard
- Start date
found this on the canadian site, http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00DQHJXUW
looks like the same thing
3 buck, costs as much as a small pack of disposable razors, so i figured, why not, i'll try it
shipping comes in a month, lol
EvilKatarn
Member
Anyone got recommendations for a straight razor in Europe?
rykomatsu
Member
Thiers (French) or Dovo (German) come to mind.
If your facial hair is tough, go with a wedge ground edge. If soft, full hollow ground makes a nice sound when cutting through the hairs.
If first straight razor, a 1/2inch blade gives a good mix of shaving power and finesse around tight areas. I prefer 6/8 or 7/8 blades since I have stiff hairs, but like a hollow groUnd blade which flexes a bit if you use too much force.
The razors (and scales) can be as plain or extravagant as you want. Won't affect the shave.
Rest
All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
The only specialty store that I know of in my area doesn't carry full sized strops and says they can't order them. Anyone now where I might find one online, or any chains or west coast distributors I might contact?
I'm not in Europe by the way, but my understanding is the Thiers-Issard makes their razors in France.
I have a Thiers-Issard razor, quality seems pretty nice, it didn't come super sharp though, so you may need to it sharpened if you go with that brand.
I'm not in Europe by the way, but my understanding is the Thiers-Issard makes their razors in France.
rykomatsu
Member
Try: https://www.thesuperiorshave.com/
By full size, I assume you mean 3" right? The website looks like something out of the Geocities era and somewhat "unprofessional" by current eCommerce site standards, but shipment is very fast - I believe he's out of Florida and always been happy with my orders from there.
Also, most razors I'd argue need honing out of the box - some stores will pre-hone before shipping so that might be why the Thiers you have wasn't that great.
ZombiePlatypus
Member
Awesome thread. Been shaving with a double-edged razor for a while now (and while it feels great to not get shafted by gillette razors) I keep getting cuts, and bumps. I basically feel like I motor-boated a porcupine's back everytime I'm done.
I think I'm gonna try and order some Witch Hazel and Arlington shaving cream to help fix this. Also, if I'm not shaving after a hot shower, how wet of a warm towel should I use to prep my face?
Edit: Are bowls really essential to create a lather? Can't I just re-appropriate a mug or soup bowl or something?
I think I'm gonna try and order some Witch Hazel and Arlington shaving cream to help fix this. Also, if I'm not shaving after a hot shower, how wet of a warm towel should I use to prep my face?
Edit: Are bowls really essential to create a lather? Can't I just re-appropriate a mug or soup bowl or something?
adamsappel
Member
I used a coffee mug for lathering when I used a shaving puck. Now I just lather Proraso cream on my face.
Rest
All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
By "full size" I mean more than 9" long and l wider than 1". All they had were compact strops and travel strops. Thanks for the link, I'll check them out.
rykomatsu
Member
No reason why you couldn't just use a coffee mug or soup bowl. I don't think there's anything particularly special about "shaving bowls". Hell, some people cup their hand and lather in there. I don't lather on my face though, it seems like shaving oil kills the lather a bit compared to using a clean bowl/mug surface.
https://www.thesuperiorshave.com/strops.html
Search on the page for Dovo 180-80002
15"x 3.1"...can't get much more "full size" than that, imho
Finding the correct angle and technique could take a couple tries. I recommend putting the top cap of the razor flat against your skin, then tilt it down until the blade is just touching the skin. Then lock your wrist in that position.
See this wiki page for reference:
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Blade_Angle
See this wiki page for reference:
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Blade_Angle
rykomatsu
Member
With the grain -> across the grain -> against the grain
Stretch skin while shaving...should get your face as smooth as a baby's bottom.
ZombiePlatypus
Member
Guys, I ordered shaving creme, and, uh...I think it came already used?
This is the brand:
And here's what it looked like soon as I opened it:
I dunno. It doesn't look absolutely like someone scooped some outta there, but shouldn't it have a smoother, more uniform surface? Is this typical?
This is the brand:
And here's what it looked like soon as I opened it:
I dunno. It doesn't look absolutely like someone scooped some outta there, but shouldn't it have a smoother, more uniform surface? Is this typical?
I have the same tub of TOBS and it looks the same. Its all good.
If you are having nicks and razor burn try different types of blades (get a sample pack). I've gotten very different results with each blade. Also, try a thin layer of Noxzema classic skin cream before lathering. Adds some slickness. Smells horrible (especially compared to that nice TOBS sandalwood) but it really helps.
Learning your face is key. Mapping the hair growth will tell you which directions to shave. My neck hair is like a bad weather map, gotta be careful.
If you are having nicks and razor burn try different types of blades (get a sample pack). I've gotten very different results with each blade. Also, try a thin layer of Noxzema classic skin cream before lathering. Adds some slickness. Smells horrible (especially compared to that nice TOBS sandalwood) but it really helps.
Learning your face is key. Mapping the hair growth will tell you which directions to shave. My neck hair is like a bad weather map, gotta be careful.
Quote
Member
Beginner-beginner here! Just put in my order for my first setup. I purchased:
Merkur Classic Safety Razor, Straight
50 FEATHER NACET BLUEBIRD BIC ASTRA SHARK LORD DERBY Blade Sampler
Van Der Hagen Men's Luxury, Shave Set
I realize the brush and stand are probably going to be cheap, but I really liked that mug so I figured what the hell for the price and I can always buy a quality brush if I hate this one.
Right now I shave every two weeks because my facial hair grows slow and also I hate shaving. I hate the way my skin feels during and after, so I'm hoping DE is the solution for me!
Merkur Classic Safety Razor, Straight
50 FEATHER NACET BLUEBIRD BIC ASTRA SHARK LORD DERBY Blade Sampler
Van Der Hagen Men's Luxury, Shave Set
I realize the brush and stand are probably going to be cheap, but I really liked that mug so I figured what the hell for the price and I can always buy a quality brush if I hate this one.
Right now I shave every two weeks because my facial hair grows slow and also I hate shaving. I hate the way my skin feels during and after, so I'm hoping DE is the solution for me!
Depends on your comfort. I could use a new Astra blade every save and still save money over cartridges.
Grimm Fandango
Member
I use a new Astra about every 2-3 shaves, depending on how long I go between shaving.
i have an old gillette safety razor that belonged to my grandfather(and possibly his father as well). it is in a case, and i have never done anything with it. how would i go about cleaning this to use it? i know people here have bought used razors, and i imagine you would have done something to clean them before using them.
thanks
thanks
I'm using Derby after burning though the feather 10 pack that came with my razor.
I paid $10 for 100 blades, I get 4 shaves out of each blade. I can't shave every single day either as my hair doesn't grow that quickly. If I shaved every other day (I'm lazy some times) I'd still be good for almost 3 years.
Quote
Member
Sorry for the double post but I have finished my first wet shave.
+ No nicks or cuts
+ Never had the hair pull feeling, no irritation
+ Lather feels great
+ Easier than expected
- Brush hairs were coming off the brush, resulting in an annoyance of fishing them out of the lather on my face
- Lather is tricky to know when it is enough or too little even after watching videos
- I used a Derby blade which I think is why it isn't as smooth as I thought it was going to be
- I found myself wanting to apply more pressure as it wasn't just cutting through whole sections in one swipe as I thought it would
- Upper lip is tricky. I thought I was good but now after my face has dried I noticed I missed a bit
I know that seems like a lot of negatives, but they're really nothing compared to how my face is not irritated in the slightest compared to traditional razors that make my chin feel like burning.
+ No nicks or cuts
+ Never had the hair pull feeling, no irritation
+ Lather feels great
+ Easier than expected
- Brush hairs were coming off the brush, resulting in an annoyance of fishing them out of the lather on my face
- Lather is tricky to know when it is enough or too little even after watching videos
- I used a Derby blade which I think is why it isn't as smooth as I thought it was going to be
- I found myself wanting to apply more pressure as it wasn't just cutting through whole sections in one swipe as I thought it would
- Upper lip is tricky. I thought I was good but now after my face has dried I noticed I missed a bit
I know that seems like a lot of negatives, but they're really nothing compared to how my face is not irritated in the slightest compared to traditional razors that make my chin feel like burning.
That's unfortunate about the shedding hairs, hopefully that will stop after a couple lathers. Van der Hagen brushes can be hit or miss with quality control. I started with one and never had a problem with it shedding, but I've heard from others who have.
I tend to take shorter strokes with very light pressure, but that's a matter of preference.
Glad it worked out for you!
I've tried to hold back on more hardware purchases, but I ended up buying this very nice brush second hand the other day.
For now, the only other purchase I plan on making is the RazoRock Stealth slant razor when it ever comes back in stock. The word is "soon", but that's been the story for a while now.
http://www.italianbarber.com/razorock-stealth-slant-razor
I tend to take shorter strokes with very light pressure, but that's a matter of preference.
Glad it worked out for you!
I've tried to hold back on more hardware purchases, but I ended up buying this very nice brush second hand the other day.
For now, the only other purchase I plan on making is the RazoRock Stealth slant razor when it ever comes back in stock. The word is "soon", but that's been the story for a while now.
http://www.italianbarber.com/razorock-stealth-slant-razor
Soodanim
Member
I don't think I've seen this thread before. I found the Reddit community a year or two back and became curious, then a while later I bought the only double edge I could find - a cheap plastic Wilkinson sword thing. Now that I've finished the blades that came with it and had some practice, I think I'm gonna get a proper kit. The last time I looked it seemed to be a toss up between that Merkur (34c?) and whatever that other similar one is, probably the Edwin Jagger in the OP (which is excellent btw, a far better read than Reddit's attempts). For blades I was just going to get a feather sample pack, but I have a feeling GAF will tell me to get a range. I guess that makes more sense, especially as I've managed to nick myself a fair few times.
Grimm Fandango
Member
Yeah don't limit yourself to just Feather. Get a pack with at least 8 different choices. Lots to choose from on Amazon.
Quote
Member
So I have a shaving mug and lather tablet that sits in the bottom of the mug, I've tried finding a video for this type of lather but I can't find anything good. Am I supposed to treat it like any other lather? Just wet the brush, wring it out and add drops of water at a time or does this type require more water?
It shouldn't require more water, but it doesn't hurt to practice and experiment with the water levels. Start by adding a few drops at a time, and keep going until it starts to fall apart. You might be surprised by how much water it can take, but make sure to load the brush (swirl it on the soap) plenty beforehand).
Here's a newer video on how to lather:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4zESTQWDuw
Stn: I'd say get some practice using a safety razor before taking it to the delicate areas. There is only a single blades so you can get some very close and smooth shaves, but it doesn't have the swivel head and plastic guard that disposable razors have. I'm not saying it shouldn't be done, but you should get used to the technique of using the proper angles and pressure first.
Here's a newer video on how to lather:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4zESTQWDuw
Stn: I'd say get some practice using a safety razor before taking it to the delicate areas. There is only a single blades so you can get some very close and smooth shaves, but it doesn't have the swivel head and plastic guard that disposable razors have. I'm not saying it shouldn't be done, but you should get used to the technique of using the proper angles and pressure first.
rykomatsu
Member
Generally I would use a shaving bowl instead of the mug - i find mugs generally "overflow" if I lather in there. Swirl a wet (but not wrung out) brush on top of the soap puck for a few seconds, then move over to shaving bowl and add a few drops every now and then, not much different than other soaps at that time.
Quote
Member
Second shave tonight. I was able to produce a lot more lather, now I just need to find somewhere between too thin and too thick.
I love that I don't get any razor burn or skin irritation after the shave yet all my facial hair is gone.
I do wish I was getting a closer shave. I don't know if that because I'm using Derby blades or because I'm not applying any pressure (which I believe is the correct way)
I love that I don't get any razor burn or skin irritation after the shave yet all my facial hair is gone.
I do wish I was getting a closer shave. I don't know if that because I'm using Derby blades or because I'm not applying any pressure (which I believe is the correct way)
percephone
Neo Member
How many passes do you do? For a really close shave you need to do multiple passes.
The secret to a really, really close shave is to have the pores of your skin open and multiple passes. One with the grains, One across the grains and one against the grains. Rince with warm water and re-lather between each passes.
Mantic 59 videos
rykomatsu
Member
Also stretch skin around the area you're shaving
Guys, guys! The arko stick!
I am amazed right now. I bought it for cheap at a turkish supermarket. Cost me a dollar and woah, this is the most extreme and unique soap I ever used.
The smell is 100% chemical and kind of nasty. But it fades after a while.
The method of application is dead simple and surprisingly easy.
It creates amazing lather from extremely little soap. I was amazed how that thin layer of soap foamed up that quick.
It gives a really smooth shave.
Whoever likes oldschool shaves owes it to himself, to try arko at least once. Just for the cheap thrills of it!
I am amazed right now. I bought it for cheap at a turkish supermarket. Cost me a dollar and woah, this is the most extreme and unique soap I ever used.
The smell is 100% chemical and kind of nasty. But it fades after a while.
The method of application is dead simple and surprisingly easy.
It creates amazing lather from extremely little soap. I was amazed how that thin layer of soap foamed up that quick.
It gives a really smooth shave.
Whoever likes oldschool shaves owes it to himself, to try arko at least once. Just for the cheap thrills of it!
Roland1979
Junior Member
I've been wet shaving for quit sometime now. My recommendations for beginners are simple: get either a Edwin Jagger DE89 or Muhle R89 (same head different handle) or a Merkur 34c . Get a sample pack of blades. Omega makes good inexpensive beginners brushes. For soap and cream i would go with the Proraso line, it's fool proof, they have everything from shaving soaps, creams, after shave lotion/splash and aftershave balm. And paraben free. If you want to try a shaving stick you can't go wrong with Arko. There are many other brands and products that work, this setup is not the holy grail, but it is foolproof and doesn't set you back an arm and a leg.
This is my current setup:
Muhle R89
Muhle Silvertip Fibre, Large
(Synthetic, no animals where killed for the brush, but it's also much faster drying. Much, much faster. I buy it because of it's characteristics.)
For those who want to learn more, Mark, or Mantic59 is the guy who got thousands of people into wetshaving.
Check out his YouTube channel, "The Shave Tutor".
This is my current setup:
Muhle R89
Muhle Silvertip Fibre, Large
(Synthetic, no animals where killed for the brush, but it's also much faster drying. Much, much faster. I buy it because of it's characteristics.)
For those who want to learn more, Mark, or Mantic59 is the guy who got thousands of people into wetshaving.
Check out his YouTube channel, "The Shave Tutor".
I do it all the time. Just follow correct shaving practices.
Oh. Maybe you will try it one day.
Quote
Member
So, i've done this a handful of times and I like the "art" of it, it kind of motivates me to shave which is weird.
I'd like to ask a skeptical question though. Is there any actual science or studies behind why a double edge razor is better than a modern razor? Is it because 3-5 blades in a stroke is just irritating? Is there a chance that a double edge does not irritate as much because you're forced to move at a slow pace? Would a modern razor with this "art" carried over have the same effect and a smoother shave?
I hope this isn't blasphemy but I am general curious if this is all a perception thing.
I'd like to ask a skeptical question though. Is there any actual science or studies behind why a double edge razor is better than a modern razor? Is it because 3-5 blades in a stroke is just irritating? Is there a chance that a double edge does not irritate as much because you're forced to move at a slow pace? Would a modern razor with this "art" carried over have the same effect and a smoother shave?
I hope this isn't blasphemy but I am general curious if this is all a perception thing.
Seems like common sense to me that 1 sharp blade would cause less irritation than 3-5 blades of lesser quality. Never thought to check up the science behind it though.
And no it doesn't really carry over. I've done wet shaving with my old gillette mach/fusion/whatever it is before and I got irritated skin from it. Besides, one of the biggest draws of shaving with a double edge is the cheap cost of replacement razors!
Yeah, that's still quite a bit pricier. $31 every 2 months on one of their plans. I just recently bought a top up of 25 Astra Platinums for $6 and that will last me at the very least 3 or 4 months. As for the Dollar Shave Club, they were an option I looked at before switching to the Double Edge but they don't really impress me. $10 a month for their best razor and it doesn't look all that different from a Gillette or any other razor with disposable cartridges to me. Same applies to the Harry's razors. More blades just doesn't equate to a closer or more comfortable shave in my opinion.