SMF

Go to tryablade.com and you can buy as many or as few as you like. $3 flat fee shipping -- quick service.

I find that the Astra SP blades are the best combo of sharp/smooth of any blade in the same price range. Polsilver SI are wonderful too, but about twice the cost of the Astras. An earlier post in this thread mentioned sticking with one blade choice while your technique develops -- a very good plan, ...

For me, the hardest part of switching from multi-blades to DE was un-learning all the bad habits regarding pressure and angle -- the Merkur 34C is a wonderful razor that will simply take a while to become comfortable with. Try using the Merkur to do the easiest parts of your beard (for me, the cheek...

I saw an old advertisement from the 1930's for Colgate shave stick I think, suggesting that you wet the end of a new stick, and the stump of the old one, and just push the two surfaces against one another to "weld" the two together -- dunno if this would work with Arko, but it's worth a try.

Joe had just turned 50 and he was self conscious about his face looking older, so he bought some very expensive anti-aging cream. He had only used it a time or two before he thought he detected a markedly more youthful face in his mirror. He was dealing with the clerk at the Post Office and he asked...

I'm keen to hear scruffy, if the re-insertion of the bottom knob resulted in any change in how the numbers line up -- that's a fairly important component of a Progress.

The Edwin Jagger Kelvin is a marvelous razor. The short handle is my favorite thing about it. I have two iKon Tuckaway handles that I love -- they're no longer in production and I cherish them. You are doing this transition very well, in my opinion. Your work on getting a satisfactory lather is very...

I don't know. That phrase sums up so much -- I go into an upscale restaurant and order a grass-fed porterhouse steak for $85 and I eat what they give me. If it's not good I will never eat there again. I like the idea that there are quantifiable standards for such things as beefsteaks and razorblade...

NJRonbo, your gear and soap choices all sound excellent to me. The Proraso soap is a joy to use, as is the Edwin Jagger razor. You are off to a very good start -- slow and steady wins the race here, as in so many things. Patience will pay big dividends!

tryablade.com is a great resource for this exact situation. You can buy as many or as few as you like and there's a reasonable flat shipping fee. You have the option of choosing one by one, or they offer pre-selected sampler packs. I've used them several times with excellent results -- highly recom...

If you use an alum block to finish off your shave, I'd like to know if you've seen any change, any reduction of your block over time? Mine is two years old and has only recently started to show the slightest sign of shrinking at all! After every shave I rinse off the soap residue and apply my alum b...

Enjoy your well earned leisure. You may need to get one of these:

I think the Scotchbrite/vinegar solution will probably solve your problem. I love shaving with a double edge safety razor myself, but I respect the more modern razors. I guess razors are now like so many modern gadgets we use -- battery powered. I've found that one of the most useful things I've pur...

In my earlier post, I mentioned injuring my left knee last summer by leaping off a boat onto the shore ( VERY foolish). Anyway, as I mentioned, it took months to heal, and I still think of it as 99.9% healed -- I will always be a little extra careful of it. Then, just about a week ago, I was standin...

So mrjediconsular, how is the Progress treating you? Did you decide you didn't like it, or that you wanted to wait awhile.

I'm curious since I recently bought a Progress too -- nice razor.

The Stirling Gin & Tonic shaving soap is very good -- I also find that Truefitt and Hill's TRAFALGAR shaving cream smells like gin and tonic with a little lime added.

I was sipping a Dr. Pepper the other day and I think a Dr. Pepper scented shaving soap or cream would be very pleasant!

I am very focused on scent. If a cream/soap I try doesn't have enough smell, I am disappointed. I would love to see some of the major soap/cream producers offer cream/soap in some different scents........ Can you imagine the shaving soap stick Arko offered in some different scents? I gotta wonder wh...

I am astounded that you can shave your head with an R41! I speak entirely out of turn, because I have never (yet) shaved my cranium. I think the only reason I can shave my beard with an R41 is that I can stretch and manipulate my facial contour to allow such a stringent shaver to cut without razorbu...

Another great reason to try Mitchell's Wool Fat shaving soap is the after shave feel. By golly, you don't even need any aftershave balm or etc. -- the soap alone is enough!

As I mentioned earlier, I have both the 37C and the 39C -- both wonderful razors, but I use the 37C most of the time. I find shorter handled razors work a little better for me.

I envy anybody who owns a 37G -- too bad they're out of production.