What do you use to shave?

[Dixon Cannon]

1975 Gillette Trac II

Purchased new in 1975, complete with the imitation leather deluxe case.

-dixon cannon

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Just bought a new Philips/Norelco. Still, I'm waiting for them to issue a Bakelite version. Who needs the silly funky multicolour battery time displays of their high-end products?

 

[Nathan Flowers]

Update: Over the last several weeks, I have been doing a head-to-head comparison between the Merkur blades and the Feathers. I have found the Feather blades to be superior, at least on my skin. I have a fairly tough beard with tender skin and I get get a noticeably better shave with the Feathers. They get closer, without the minor razor burn I sometimes get with Merkurs. Also, I rarely get nicks. I'm finding that I don't have to press as hard to get a good close shave. I realize this is a highly individual thing, but I recommend all you safety-razor guys out there give Feathers a try. I got mine from ClassicShaving.com but I've seen them in other places as well.

You're right, Feather blades are fantastic. Extremely sharp, and give a super close shave. I have also started getting unlabeled Persona blades made in Israel from an ebay seller. I like them about as well as the Feathers, and they are much cheaper ($20 for 100 of them).

 

[adamgottschalk]

I must echo many if not most of the many comments on this lengthy thread. These things have recently made a big difference in both my grooming and my well being.

1. Mach 3 razors (straight razors, even safety razors, would be like asking for serious trouble for me now, what wih shaky hands and all). I was using an old metal-handle Atra-type two-blade razor; worked okay. The Mach three shaves much, much closer, makes NO nicks or irritated skin, the shave actually lasts longer...and best of all, I just discovered today, you can use the razors more than once! I have tough, stubbly facial hair (I just couldn't do that with the Atra razors), and my shave today just as smooth, close, and FAST, as the first (this was the second...I will very carefully try a third but am not very confident...).

2. Caswell-Massey unscented 1752 shave cream. I've found the unscented versions, which are rare, go on sale because no one buys them. I prefer them. My tub was maybe $10. Applied with a Tweezerman badger brush, it just works plain great.

3. Barclay-Crocker unscented after-shave cream/balm. As mentioned, I won't really have as much of a need for this now that I've switched to the Mach 3 (really), but it's good stuff and I'll use it occasionally. A little goes a long, long way.

I really enjoy the ritual of the brush and cream. And it really works. I'd rather use a shave soap with my brush, but I haven't yet found the soap in an unscented version. Anyone know of one?

 

[shoeshineboy]

www.classicshaving.com

they have thier own brand of hard soap and taylor's, too.

go to www.qedusa.com and the website is kind of hard to get around, but you can call Charles directly (I suggest that) and ask him what he has in unscented. He will not try to sell you a bunch of stuff...he is a top notch gentlemnen.

if you ever want to kick your brush up a notch, let me know, i will share some ideas with you.

mark the shoeshine boy

 

[Hemingway Jones]

2. Caswell-Massey unscented 1752 shave cream. I've found the unscented versions, which are rare, go on sale because no one buys them. I prefer them. My tub was maybe $10. Applied with a Tweezerman badger brush, it just works plain great.

I have switched to Caswell-Massey, but I use a scented, though it is lightly scented and not obnoxious at all. I used to use Crabtree and Evelyn, but that stuff just didn't lather. C-Massey lathers very well with my badger brush, and it keeps on lathering on your face, which is what it should do.

I use a Mach III and Bay Rum aftershave.
Good call.

 

[Mr. Jason]

Caswell Massey apparently stopped selling the small cakes, not the 1752 stuff, the 1752 cakes don't fit in my mug. I waited and waited and finally ordered some Col. Ichabod Conk shaving soap. It's very nice stuff. I like it better than the Caswell Massey soap.

 

[adamgottschalk]

www.classicshaving.com

they have thier own brand of hard soap and taylor's, too.

go to www.qed.com and the website is kind of hard to get around, but you can call Charles directly (I suggest that) and ask him what he has in unscented. He will not try to sell you a bunch of stuff...he is a top notch gentlemnen.

if you ever want to kick your brush up a notch, let me know, i will share some ideas with you.

mark the shoeshine boy

Nice! Unscented hard shave soaps on classicshaving. I'll let you know when my brush gives out or I grow tired of it. Thanks for the tip.

 

[shoeshineboy]

check here later on....

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3696

check this thread that I started for you at www.badgerandblade.com my friends there will list a bunch of them for you...

mark the shoeshine boy

 

[Ferragamo]

Magic Shave

Guys,

Many of you may not have heard of this but Its called Magic Shave, its a powder that you add water to make a cream and it takes the hair of your face or (eye brows) lol if your not careful.

But its the only thing I can use, been using it since high school.... Applies like Nair and comes off with a plastic razor. For most black men its been a saving grace from hair bumps!

Sweet Georgia Brown and Magic Shave, dont leave home without it!

 

[adamgottschalk]

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3696

check this thread that I started for you at www.badgerandblade.com my friends there will list a bunch of them for you...

mark the shoeshine boy

Cool beans. Thanks for thinking of me!

 

[shoeshineboy]

farragomo,

I understand your situation with your shaving needs. I good double edge razor with a good saop and brush will do a great job on providing you with a great shave.

Google "how to get a perfect shave" from the Today Show and you will read a very good article on this subject. The stars were aligned that day, because I was ready to make a switch and I was home that Sunday morning.

Being an old shoeshine boy, I was properly trained on how to shave, but I let that slide over the years. This woke me up and I returned to true wetshaving again and I have never regretted it.

I am not against the Mach 3 but I am against canned foam. The soaps and creams that are available are far superior in lubrication. Pesonally, I can get my face as smooth as a baby's butt.

It takes a little while to learn the proper techniques, razor angle and lather making...but the big secret is in the prep work...the hot shower or hot towels...

visit us over at www.badgerandblade.com or www.shavemyface.com for even more pointers and info.

I know the SMF has a few African-Americans that visit. Search that thread and get yourself know.

I hope this helps....

mark the shoeshine boy

 

[scotrace]

Say now, Mortimer...

How about link for QED?


Google's not finding it for me.

 

[shoeshineboy]

www.qedusa.com

his sight can be a pain to navigate around, just call Charles...he is a fine gentlemen....

I give you my word on that....

mark the shoeshine boy

 

[Fred G.]

Shaving

Fellows,

There's a British outfit called Truefitt and Hill, supposedly the oldest barber shop in the world.

I use their pre-shave oil and shaving cream... Fairly pricey, but if a guy uses this, he could probably get a close shave with a rock... Do a google search and you'll find them.

But I am using the Trac 2 (not a rock). Thinking about moving up to the Mach 3, though.

I read an article in Popular Mechanics about 25 years ago on the best techniques for shaving... The short course: short strokes, shave down on the cheeks, up on the neck.

Famously,

Fred G.

 

[shoeshineboy]

Fred,

I agree with you about the pricey stuff from Truefitt...check out www.ashford.com they regurly run a good discount on thier products.

Tere are other soaps that work real well that you don't have to spen alot of money on.

St Charles shave shop is a good one...Mama Bear's soaps is getting rave reviews....these hard soaps are cheap and have great shaving qualitites.

Qed, I have mentioned before has his own line of great soaps, too.

if you want to learn more about shaving visit www.badgerandblade.com and www.shavemyface.com you will learn a bunch.

Read this article too. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6886845/ this is a good article about wetshaving in general.

Your shaving oil can be made usuing extra light virgin olive oil and cod liver oil with a few drops of your favorite essential oil like lavender or peppermint.

This will save you a bunch of money.

mark tssb

 

[scotrace]

??

Mark, I'm having a little trouble shaving with this stuff. Can't seem to get a lather out of this Accident Reporting Software. lol

I'll try his stuff next round.

Thanks for the link to badger&blade. Excellent information. This morning I ordered two cakes of the Mamma Bear (rosemary mint and bay rum), two cakes from Chelea's Soap Garden (ginger lime and bay rum), and five cakes from Honeybee Soaps (Almond, Sandalwood, Bay Rum, musk and Coconut). I'll post results - though I still use a cheap Burma-Shave brush.

The WillG stuff looks great as well, but it seems to be unavailable?

Thanks again, Mark!

 

[shoeshineboy]

OOOOPS

WWW.QEDUSA.COM

sorry....

WilliG is great stuff, but he recently passed away, and no longer available.

mark the shoeshine boy

 

[scotrace]

Cutthroats

I'd like to learn to use these. They're just sitting in a drawer.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

OK, not a man, and don't worry, I definitely don't shave my face! But, I have learned a little bit about the topic, being that I live with Hemingway. What I've learned, and I hope this is useful and hasn't already been said is: Warm, damp cloth to open the pores, then a thick layer of shave soap appllied with a soft brush which will also open the pores, make sure the soap and brush are warm for anything cold will close your pores right up. For the first pass, shave in the direction of your hair. This, supposedly takes away the layers of skin that can grow over and make it more difficult to remove stubble. After this is done, rinse the face with warm water, re-apply warm shave soap and shave again, this time against the growth direction. This should remove what wasn't from the first pass. I hope this is helpful, and not redundant. Your face will be as smooth and baby soft, just like Hem's, in no time