Some questions

mattyb240 · Post by **mattyb240** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 3:00 pm

Firstly Hi!

I found this manly of places on another forum I use, where someone purchased a DE razor set. I was intrigued as I had always heard about these types of razors but have never seen them sold?

Fast forward a little bit and I am in ore of the manliness. Mainly because I am dissatisfied with the closeness of shaving I get from my present Mach 3. After doing a bit of reading on here I have found this kit: http://www.traditionalshaving.co.uk/mal ... t-%2D-Soap

It seems to better value to buy as a kit then it does to souce the bits individually? I don't have particularly thick facial hair, so would a DE be wasted on me? Is the kit above overkill for me? I am tempted by the long handled 38C, is this to much for a novice?

All your feedback would be great thank you!

Matt[/code]

gsgo · Post by **gsgo** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 3:18 pm

Matt,

Firstly, welcome to SMF and glad that you dropped in, hope you get the chance to hang around a bit.

Secondly, the beauty of DE Wet Shaving is the choice of products we have to customize our shaves exactly to our own liking. With such a wide choice of products, getting started can be a bit daunting. I see nothing to much wrong with the kit you are looking at getting, and if buying as a package offers a savings then all the better. The Merkur HD is a fine razor to start with, but again, everyone will have a different opinion.

Here are a couple of links to help you along:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=man ... jhIy9rgWQU
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=man ... 4ezJNJfygw
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=man ... PLfCyGMm9o
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=man ... btiTgTROMs

Do a little research and see what you like and keep us posted

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 3:26 pm

Matt

welcome to smf, where are you located? The kit you are looking at is OK but i think you can do better buying individually

clive

mattyb240 · Post by **mattyb240** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 3:33 pm

Thanks for the warm welcomes! I appreciate you guys taking the time to look at the link as well as the videos?

What would you recommend buying seperately? The "kit" seems a fair price at least according to the website, as the brush and razor come to £43 and the entire kit is only near £50?

I am currently in Wales, based in Cardiff!

Looking forward to all the different products and customising.

Sando · Post by **Sando** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 4:01 pm

Hey Matt, glad to have another guy trying de's. You might consider Paul from Connaught Shaving. He's a SMF member and highly regarded salesman. UK based, too.

...Ray

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 4:02 pm

I was going to say that kits have too many items in them and you don't need half of the stuff they make you pay for. Then I went to the link you provided and actually had a look - and I'm impressed with the fact that all the "rubbish" usual in shaving kits is missing.

I suggest (just from my own preferences) that you choose one of the better brushes (not the least-expensive black one because they tend to be scratchy) and the 34C razor. I suggest that razor because I think the handle is more comfortable to use, even though it's obviously less attractive. If you do prefer the long handle on the 38C there's nothing wrong with that either. They are really the exact same razor with a different handle tacked on - that fact doesn't get enough press around here.

You could buy probably a better brush, and maybe better soap too, elsewhere. But at this kind of price? Maybe; maybe not.

If you've compared the prices and it looks good that way, then by all means... just make sure any price comparison includes a couple of other good vendors as well.

Happy shaving!

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 4:10 pm

A DE razor will certainly not be wasted on you, assuming you enjoy using it. You get cheaper blades, probably a more comfortable shave, and hopefully a more enjoyable experience. If your beard is not thick that just means shaving will be less of a chore for you.

If you are currently not getting close shaves, look into preparing for your shave more effectively, using hot water and shaving soap (or shaving cream, same effect). Your beard is like spaghetti - when you give it a good soak, it gets softer & much easier to cut. Even five blades are no match for a dry beard. A quick splash of water is not much good - the hair needs to get waterlogged.

Blue As A Jewel · Post by **Blue As A Jewel** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 7:11 pm

I think the kit is pretty good - you could upgrade the brush to a Super and never have to buy another piece of hardware... of course coming here will kill that strategy pretty quick!

Welcome.

merkri · Post by **merkri** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:33 pm

I don't have thick facial hair at all either, and DE shaving was an epiphany for me. I think it will be rewarding for you, to say the least.

The kit looks pretty nice to me, actually, although I agree that part of the fun in DE shaving is researching your own tools. If you like the kit, and don't want to look into things, I think that kit would serve you well as an introduction.

I fear, though, that a year from now you will find yourself with four versions of everything in the kit, and you might reduce that number to three by getting a little of that out of your system to begin with.

I might start with a new EJ/Muehle razor or a vintage Gillette Tech, but that kit is a nice place to start.

mattyb240 · Post by **mattyb240** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:55 pm

Thanks for all of the replies!

I can be a bit OCD on researching products and other such stuff so I am sure this will be right up my street!

Would the pure badge brush upgrade be better? As it seems they are out of stock of the super?

How often do you need to change the blades? I noticed the Connaught Shaving website has the sample pack of blades I have been reading about! So I guess this would be a good place to start also.

Thanks again,

Matt

desertbadger · Post by **desertbadger** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:59 pm

Welcome to SMF!

Regards,
David

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:47 am

Matt

some guys change blades once a week or so, some after a few shaves. It will not take you long to come up with your own blade switching schemes

clive

marsos52 · Post by **marsos52** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 4:44 am

make your own kit...

from what i have read ...i would suggest..

edwin jagger/muehle razor ,,,becuase it a little smoother shaving over the merkur...

a good cream...trumpers is my pick...cream is easier to lather than soap
so its good way to start for lather makeing

for brushes thats hardest area. just go with a basic 22mm knot and a basic grade for badger hair ...

blades are so personal too.. the redpack personnas ,, gillette yellows
or derby 300's are nice blades especially to start out with

enjoy and have fun
marc

ps welcome to smf

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 8:42 am

mattyb240 wrote:Thanks for all of the replies!

I can be a bit OCD on researching products and other such stuff so I am sure this will be right up my street!

Would the pure badge brush upgrade be better? As it seems they are out of stock of the super?

How often do you need to change the blades? I noticed the Connaught Shaving website has the sample pack of blades I have been reading about! So I guess this would be a good place to start also.

I don't think you would be satisfied with the cheapest brush, but any one of the upgrades would be acceptable.

I would avoid any sample packs of anything until you have some experience. As a new shaver I was dazed & confused enough already without having to test different kinds of equipment which I knew nothing about anyway.

If you tend to obsess, then go and read a lot of old threads discussing things you're interested in. There's tons of information (and arguments

) waiting for you!

If you want to choose your blades more carefully, then instead of a sample pack, click over to the double-edge razors subforum and look for Squire's blade reviews. Anything highly rated by him would be a worthwhile choice.

mattyb240 · Post by **mattyb240** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 1:29 pm

Well what a lot of reading! I think I have decided the starter kit is a good place for me to learn!

The only thing I am still unsure about is whether or not to go for cream or soap?

Which is better as far as skin care? Lather? The options on offer are:
Edwin Jagger Aloe Vera Soap or Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandlewood…

I am definitely going to upgrade the brush to pure badger, and I think the Merkur Razor seems a good starter.

Thanks for all the input and welcomes so far!

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 5:20 pm

I know that Taylor's is good, though if it's cream then the scent is pretty strong - if you like the scent you're in luck; if you hate the scent then you'd need to get something else. Taylor's soap is regarded as not the extreme top of the line, but probably just a small notch down from there, and gives a very good shave as well.

I haven't tried Jagger products but they're probably fine as well.

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:02 pm

Hey Matt, welcome aboard.

jbc · Post by **jbc** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 5:07 am

I personally do not recommend a long handle razor for a man. My research on the information super highway ahs told me that the long handled razors were intended for women who frequently shave where they can not see. For men the long handle is overkill. The two most popular ones for men tend to be the three piece tech and the super speeds which can be typically found at the shoebox shave shop online. I have a 1947 Super Speed for years and I love it and the fact that it hasn't changed one iota in approximatly 70 years, why tamper with perfect? AS for the brush, in my opinion - don't waste your time with the boar hair, a base model badger is the best thing for you. Soap or cream? I typically prefer soap becuase it lasts longer then creams do. I can understand why some would prefer creams, for some becuase their skin does nto like the drying of the soap. As for the blades - get a sampler pack from west coast shaving or shoebox shave shop and try all the brands you can get your hands on then decide.

You and I have one thing in common we have very light beards and from experience it makes little difference what blade you use. I bought a 100 blade pack of Dorco ST300 several years ago and I am still at it with the same pack of 100 blades. Why the Dorco? Becuase they were the cheapest thing I could find and I said before the brand of the blade makes little difference. When do I change the blade? When the current blade does a poor job of shaving and I need to go back over the face again.

This is my opinions and I am sticking to them.

function · Post by **function** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 6:33 am

jbc wrote:I personally do not recommend a long handle razor for a man. My research on the information super highway ahs told me that the long handled razors were intended for women who frequently shave where they can not see. For men the long handle is overkill.

This is my opinions and I am sticking to them.

I am inclined to agree but will state one fact that does not change:

The majority of us prefer, or have preferred, to find things out the hard way.

Certain blades are stated to be garbage but I bought a few anyway just to see what the difference is. The Tech is stated to be mild, but I own several Techs anyway just to compare them to others, and only use one of them with any regularity, the most aggressive one.

Enjoy the ride, and find what makes you happy.

jww · Post by **jww** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 9:56 am

Welcome to SMF, Matt.

You will find this forum a great source of information - but a point of caution for a newbie -- ymmv (your mileage may vary) with all things regarding wet shaving.

You have had some sound suggestions so far -- my 2 cents worth is that you consider looking at a vintage Gillette Superspeed or Tech. These are great newbie razors, and can be had from the selling and trading forum pretty easily.

Get the best brush you can afford to start with -- you will not be disappointed if you do so.

Insofar as soaps and creams go -- this is a personal preference. Some find soaps easier to lather, while others of us prefer creams. One thing you might want to consider, if you are on a budget, is the Palmolive Classic shaving cream or shaving stick. These are very inexpensive products you can readily pick up at Asda or Tesco for a song - and they are excellent starting products. This will allow you to develop proper technique while targeting your initial investment on what matters most at first -- a good brush and razor.

Keep those questions coming - we love to help.