What do you use to shave?

pgoat · May 5, 2008

I just picked up a few 5 packs of the Wilkeson sword carbon steels. I coulda swore i found Wilkeson SS in Walmart the last time I tried safety razors; now razors of any brand seem to be scarce in my neighborhood...I found these at a corner pharmacy and grabbed a few. I do want to try a sampler pack and move on to a better brand...Merkur, etc.

I must say I bought some Mach 3 and Sensor cartridges at Target this weekend (they had no DE blades), just to have around in case i need them, and the cost comparison per shave is staggering. Then again I just blew $66 on a Fatboy

! Course, that will pay for itself with these cheapo razors in short order. Good thing too, cause the price of the stands for these nice new brushes and razors is killing me!

I also need to hit Bed Bath and Beyond or someplace for a decent bathroom shelf unit to put all this stuff....

I think I am getting the hang of this safety razor thing again.....The red tip Gillette SS I inherited from my dad definitely gives a closer and more painful shave than my black handled 70s Super Speed I cut my shaving teeth on back when Gerald Ford sat in the Oval Office. But I am getting a closer shave from them after 4 days or so, with less bloodshed than the last time around. I can still shave closer, faster and more safely with the mach 3, but I am enjoying the ritual with the vintage stuff much much more.....It helps to take your time with the old boys at first...I think last time I just tried to mow the lawn like I was still holding one o' them sissy cartridges with an Aloe Vera strip.....mistake!

MD11 · May 5, 2008

scotrace said:
Nice setup, MD11. You have your own boy bathroom?

Well, yes and no... I've commandeered the guest bath, but am under strict instruction to "get rid of that crap!!" when guests are expected.. :eusa_doh:

btw... on the subject of Feather blades... I too find them a bit too sharp, but especially their DE blades, dangerous if you're not VERY careful.

Aviator · May 5, 2008

MD11 said:

Wow, you could be a salesman for Geo F. Trumper; skin food, lotion...the whole works. Nice set up.

MD11 · May 5, 2008

Aviator said:
Wow, you could be a salesman for Geo F. Trumper; skin food, lotion...the whole works. Nice set up.

Had the privilege of a shave at their Mayfair shop on a few occasions and have been hooked on their stuff since.

Mark P · May 10, 2008

I've a sensitive skin that gets scraped and sore easily when wetshaving. Shaving oil is a great way of minimising this problem. I generally put that on first and then some cream rich foam or gel - it's all about lubrication, if you don't mind me saying. I always use the latest razors on the market, they really do seem to work better for me than the older razors.

pgoat · May 11, 2008

I'm with you Mark.

I've been using the DE razors the last two weeks and am happy to find I can use them again after a very long lay off and get great shaves. I'm still a little timid coming back to them after nearly 30 years of heavy handed cartridge razor use, but the light touch technique is coming back to me.

Though it helps to use my Aluminum black-handled Super Speed (light weight made in the 70s) and the pre-shave oil. I notice a huge difference in the shave comfort with the oil.

pgoat · May 11, 2008

Is this a good idea?

Does anyone else flip the blade in their DE safety to 'rotate' the edges and get more use from the blade?

I remember reading something back in the 70s that recommended this. In other words, shave a few times with the blade, then flip it and shave a few more times with the blade essentially reversed. The idea being you're using a 'fresh' side of the edge to prolong its useful life.

It seems counter-intuitive to me; wouldn't the edge be 'set' once one shaves with a blade in one direction?

rtaylor61 · May 11, 2008

pgoat said:
Does anyone else flip the blade in their DE safety to 'rotate' the edges and get more use from the blade?

I remember reading something back in the 70s that recommended this. In other words, shave a few times with the blade, then flip it and shave a few more times with the blade essentially reversed. The idea being you're using a 'fresh' side of the edge to prolong its useful life.

It seems counter-intuitive to me; wouldn't the edge be 'set' once one shaves with a blade in one direction?

Depending on the blade you use, you are talking about an expense of .03 cents to .25 cents. And you are using this on your FACE? Why bother. If you were trying to stretch the use of a plastic cartridge, this might make sense. Otherwise, install the blade, use it and toss it.

Randy

pgoat · May 11, 2008

Thanks Randy.

has there ever been a thread asking how many shaves you all get from a single blade?

I realize this will vary with your beard, the razor model, the blade brand and how frequently/aggressively you shave. Just trying to get a feel for how long to expect out of the blades. I know I used mine far too long back in the day, but that was as a teen, and I am sure my beard was finer then and I didn't need to be as presentable on a daily basis!

I typically have gotten a week from a single cartridge for the past few decades; that's about 4 or 5 shaves tops. They probably should have been tossed after three at most. But you know - when they're $2-3 apiece I get kinda miserly!!

Edward · May 12, 2008

PGoat, I know exactly what you mean. For about 18 months before I went over to the DE, I was using a Gilette Fusion. I still use those for my head (after a very nasty incident when I tried a DE over the skull top!), but I find the blades last much longer doing that. I was getting a month out of a cartridge before, now doing only the skull every other day I can get at least two months out of it. For mostly daily shaving, it seems I can get about a fortnight out of each DE blade (no flipping). That's currently working out at something like 20% or less of the cost of a Fusion cartridge for chin shaving. So even with still using the Fusion for my head, I'm probably spending less than half of what I was on shaving product.

PADDY said:
Mach 3 with badger brush and shaving bowl. However, the bowl is porcelin and therefore heavy when I travel, so I'm after a good travel bowl.

The wooden bowls at www.shaving-shack.com look very nice.... I'm looking at buying one of those eventually. For now, I'm usuing a porcelain bowl which actually came with an M&S individual chocolate dessert in it. Does the job! It's not ideal for travel, obviously - breakable. Actually, what I'm thinking of for travel purposes is a small, plastic, bowl-shaped Tupperware-style container that would serve both as a bowl and as a carry-case for at least some of the shaving bits.

Mid-fogey said:
...is you can't take a DE on an airplane either.

Here in Europe, anything with even a hint of a blade must go in the hold. This includes any kind of razor (even a cartridge), nail clippers, nail scissors.... on it goes. It's quite the pain when one is flying and will only be away for a couple of nights, bearing in mind that a razor means you have to check your bag in, thus on many airlines now occasioning the additional charge that applies to hand baggage, even though you were well within the limit for taking it as carry-on. I suppose the answer would be to go electric (yuck), though quite honestly I never did find an electric razor that lifted enough hair that you'd even know I'd used it. [huh] I guess one answer would be to buy a packet of cheap blades at the desitination - cheaper than the hold baggage charge.

pgoat · May 13, 2008

Edward said:
I guess one answer would be to buy a packet of cheap blades at the desitination - cheaper than the hold baggage charge.

exactly what I do...and then toss the unused ones or leave them for the hotel staff or friends we stay with....sigh....[huh] I have on occasion shipped them home with purchases made on vaca. (We never check bags unless absolutely necessary)

went from a 'mild' Gillette Super Speed (last week) to an "agressive" red tip this morning - was rushing to get out the door and almost carved my upper lip off!

Guess those colored tips really work!!

omedon · May 15, 2008

scotrace said:
Nice setup, MD11. You have your own boy bathroom?

Omedon, welcome to The Fedora Lounge! I'm very curious about that brush and where to find it.

On Zohar's strong advice, I've just ordered ten feather blades from Classicshaving.com. The Derby's I've FINALLY run low on were very hit-miss. Some excellent, most had a lot of pull and tug, some had to be tossed after two strokes. They seemed to have a tiny flaw on an edge that opened a cut right away.

Thanks for the warm welcome. As for the finding the brush, you may want to look here.

The store where I bought it also carries a very luxurious silver tipped badger travel brush that came from germany.

I decided on this one because it is much lighter and less expensive to lose. I don't mind paying $100 for a luxury brush; but dishing out the doe, then losing it (as one might when traveling) would be heartbreaking.

Shane · May 17, 2008

Baby Steps

After reading this thread, I took a few baby steps. I picked up a nice brush and some Williams shaving soap. I must say, this has resulted in a closer, burn-free shave for me. I'm still using my Mach 3, but my shaving experience is significantly improved. I might have to get my barber to give me a straight razor shave sometime to see if I like that better.

On a side note, I was watching North by Northwest the other day. I found it amusing that Cary Grant, anticipating the need for a shave, swipes Eva Marie Saint's lady's safety razor while on the train. The amusing looks he gets from other shavers in the bus station for his choice of razor are priceless.

Shane

freebird · May 25, 2008

This is my herd after roughly one year of shaving with a straight. I started out with 2 razors, one of those has been completely retired as there wasn't much left to hone. I have 3 other's that need honing that aren't pictured.

Bottom to top, left column: Barclay Bros. spike, Geo. Wostenholm & Son barber notch, Wade & Butcher barber notch, Wade & Butcher spike with custom bloodwood scales.

Right Colomn, bottom to top: Robeson ShurEdge roundpoint, Genco roundpoint, Challenge Cutlery roundpoint.

Better shot of the Wade & Butcher with custom bloodwood scales.

Robeson Premier that needs cleaning and honing.

George Wostenholm & Son IXL also needs honing.

Simmons Hardware "Keen Kutter" K15 Blue Steel also needs honing.

dnjan · May 25, 2008

pgoat said:
has there ever been a thread asking how many shaves you all get from a single blade?

As a straight-razor user, I can't directly answer. However, many years ago I was told by a metalurgist that if you rinse your razor in cold water rather than hot, the blades would last longer. Something about the corrosion at the micro-level being accelerated by hot water.

Daniel · May 26, 2008

I use a basic Gillette 1940's double-edge razor with a brush and shaving soap. I typically shave in the shower, as the hot water is plentiful and there's no scum left in the sink. I've found rinsing my face with cold water, then moisturizing it, is an absolute must when using this setup.

I use whatever double-edged blades are available at Walgreens, and find they last about one week before I have to change them.

When traveling by air I carry a Braun electric razor. It's just not worth the hassle. (Remember when air travel was glamorous and everyone dressed up, instead of being just another chance to get strip-searched in public?)

shoeshineboy · May 26, 2008

as a moderator of www.badgerandblade.com i invite all of you over for any in depth interest in the art of classic shaving. Under the shopping heading you will find a preyy complete list of all shaving supply places in the world.

plus if you need any assistance of questions, you will find us more than happy to do so...

the keen kutter razor is quite the collectors item in the KK collectors field....

take care,

mark easter

rmrdaddy · May 26, 2008

+1 On Badger&Blade!

Great bunch over there as well. A large repository of shavng knowledge to be sure.

freebird · May 26, 2008

I'm also a member of B&B ,straightrazorplace,shavemyface ,and a new member of the shave den, great sites all.

Warbaby · May 26, 2008

Us tough old guys don't bother with any of that sissy razor stuff - we just pound the whiskers in with a hammer and bite 'em off inside...

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