SMF

Tim's last suggestion is a very good one. Stick to one razor, one type of blade and one cream until you've mastered the technique. It really takes time to pinpoint the optimum technique, with correct blade angle, no pressure, etc. It took several months for me to get to where I rarely get any skin i...

Gillette Slimtwist. I have a similar one, but made in England, which I bought at a local flea market and cleaned up. Very nice shaver.

jpolaski wrote:I was raised by a single mom. I taught myself.

Same here. Used cartridge razors and canned goo for the most part.

It has probably been said before, but I think it can never be said too many times: When you shave with a DE, it should feel like the top plate (or silo doors) of the razor is just sliding across your skin, and you should hardly feel the blade cutting the hairs. If you feel the blade on your skin, th...

I agree on the toothbrush recommendation. I use an old toothbrush I would have thrown away otherwise. However, I generally notice some whitish film on my razors even after rinsing them off, so I put the toothbrush to work with just warm water after almost every shave. Then I scrub the razors out ins...

I have four shaving brushes: One cheap Chinese Eterna boar bristle brush, one no-name brush which was sold as "synthetic badger" (and it didn't smell at all when I got it wet the first time, so who knows?) which is a bulb shape, one no-name German pure badger brush which is fan shaped, and...

Personally, I was a bit sceptical about lathering directly on the face, as I couldn't see how you could control the amount of water in the lather that way, but after I tried it with my C&E Sandalwood shave soap I've been using that technique for soaps. I still use my mug for making a lather with...

It would be interesting to know what prompted the changes. What makes a company change its profile and products like that? New management comes to mind, since it seems every time a company changes management, the new management wants to remodel the company to fit its ideas of what will make it more ...

One word: Technique. I've been shaving with a DE for about six months, with a quality DE for about 3½ months, and I have only recently found the technique which will give me a nearly perfect BBS shave with very little irritation and no nicks. My advice? Hang in there. Go slow, try to find the techni...

Ain't that the truth? :shock: I think it can be cheap, if you resist the aquisition disorders. But for most of us, shaving is more than just removing stubble from the face and neck. It's a hobby. And it's ok to spend money on a hobby. :wink: Having said that, I've purchased four DE razors (of which ...

Look on work as what you do to support the real part of your life: all the rest. I may be pessimistic here, but really, what "all the rest"? My experience of working is, you sleep 8 hours, you work 8 hours, and the remaining 8 hours are taken up with going to and from work, getting ready ...

I'm soon 39 years old, and I still don't know what my calling in Life is... I hope I'll figure it out before I'm put six feet under...

I just bought this lot of straight razor blades on eBay for $10.10, including shipping. The image is a little blurry, but to my untrained eye the top four blades look like they might be shavers if they get new handles. I also bought some wood slabs from a bargain bin at a store the other day and was...

I have been using my DE razors for some time now, and have steadily improved my technique. My main problem area has been the neck, which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone I think. Seems most guys have problems with shaving the neck. Anyway, after using multi-pass reduction and going every which way ...

I just received a box of 100 IP blades from this seller on eBay. The transaction was very smooth. He supplied me with a tracking number for the envelope too, something no other eBay seller I've dealt with have, so far.

/Nicholas

Not to be a spoilsport, but I haven't seen that one in the Merkur catalog, and if you look at the details for that razor it says "Manufacturer: MISCELLANEOUS", and it's produced in India... I think Knifecenter have made a cock-up when they listed it as a Merkur razor. Edit: Actually, the &...

I must be a freak, because I do 6 passes. :lol: The first is N-S, second is S-N, then I go across the grain downwards in both NE-SW and NW-SE direction, then one against the grain going upwards towards the center-line of my face, and then I do another pass against the grain from below my ears toward...

So, we are all pogonotomists? Or do only tonsors have the privilege of calling themselves that?

I use the same brush for both creams and soaps and it works for me. I use a best badger brush (fan shape), or a synthetic badger hair brush (bulb shape), and they both work fine with both cream and soap.

My 2 cents: I've been using soap (C&E Sandalwood) for a while now and consistently get pretty good lather from it using the following method: 1, Soak the brush in warm water and put a couple of drops of water on the soap too. 2, Shake the brush a couple of times to get some of the water out - yo...