New Member help

New to the world of wet-shaving? Grab a desk and be seated! Welcome to SMFU: A place to learn and compare notes about the ABC's of wet shaving. From brushes to creams, razors and more...We've got it all!
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FireTJ
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Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 10:16 am
Location: Broken Arrow, Ok

New Member help

Post by FireTJ »

I have spent about a month looking over the forums here and have decided its time to switch to wet shaving. Im switching cause no matter what I seem to do, i always get razor bumps on my neck. I have tried different creams, razors, aftershave balms, all kind of things but nothing has helped. So, the switch needs to start soon. :)

I have decided to get a vintage gillette razor but i need help with choosing the correct years. I do believe i read somewhere that certain year Super Speeds were not great. Can someone help me and tell me which years are best for the fat boy, slim adjustable and super speeds? Also, is there any other place to pick up some decently clean ones other than ebay?

Thanks!
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Squire
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Post by Squire »

Hello Fire, welcome aboard. The other members can chime in on the specifics regarding vintage razors, Gillettes and others, I like the Schick Krona for a starter DE.

We can help with the shaving difficulties if you will post a bit more about which razors/shaving products you are using now.
Regards,
Squire
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Blue As A Jewel
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Post by Blue As A Jewel »

Welcome to the forum FTJ - a Schick Krona is an excellent suggestion - might also want to consider:

- 50's SuperSpeed
- Blue Tip
- Adams (Merkur) - very mild razor and perhaps even consider a
- Fat Boy Adjustable
- Ravi -

You can mistrust me less than you can mistrust him. Trust me.
ShadowsDad
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Location: Central Maine

Post by ShadowsDad »

Probably the best place to find a vintage razor is on the sell/trade area here.

You can post a WTB at any time, or purchase an advertised razor from there.

One of the really nice things about buying from a member is you can ask questions and the condition will be accurately portrayed. On e-bay there may be 6 people there who know a razor from a corkscrew. Here everyone knows razors.

Edit: Another good place to find gear is just by asking family. Generally the gear is free and it keeps the memories where they belong, with the family members.

I've never found any gear in the wild. All of my gear is either from the family (that's where I started) or from sell/trade areas, and very little is from e-bay.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
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FireTJ
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Location: Broken Arrow, Ok

Post by FireTJ »

Well currently I am using a Mach 3. I am using nivea for men shave gel out of the pressurized can. Then after shave I am using Nivea replenishing post shave balm. I have tried many different creams and gels and different after shave balms but haven't gotten much in relief. The mach 3 has been the best razor so far though. I once used a schick turbo 5 I believe and it was probably the worst. I don't really have a thick beard growth though. Im just wanting a comfortable shave that gets rid of my irritation on my neck.

I will also go ahead and see if anyone has a razor on here they will be willing to sell. Im hoping to not spend much since im just getting into this but we will see. Thanks for the help guys!
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jww
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Post by jww »

Welcome to SMF.

Another excellent first razor is a Gillette Tech - generally rather forgiving, it helps you readily develop proper technique - which is the topic of many a thread here.
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?
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FireTJ
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Post by FireTJ »

Techs dont look too bad. Ive seen acouple but I think im falling more towards an adjustable razor.
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gil3591
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Post by gil3591 »

FireTJ wrote:Techs dont look too bad. Ive seen acouple but I think im falling more towards an adjustable razor.

merkur progress
Gil
futur/EJ357/ gillette redtip
iridium ,blue IP
thater, shavemac.anchorset/tgn,sr3226
dirty bird
and a prayer
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Squire
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Post by Squire »

Gillette adjustable, no question . . . this from a former Progress user.
Regards,
Squire
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desertbadger
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Post by desertbadger »

Welcome to SMF!

Regards,
David
Regards,
David
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celar36
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Post by celar36 »

Hi,

Check this http://shavemyface.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=50051
You will learn a lot from that post as guys were very helpful to me :D
Watch mantic videos also.

I am using Gillette Rocket 1962 ( English version of super Speed) and I might say is best razor for me. I though Fatboy will be better but it cause for me to much irritation no matter with set. Also my second choice is Gillette Tech fat handle. IMHO adjustable dont work good with my skin.
My Rocket gave me superior shave with personna prep( Personal Choice). The Key is to find good blade with a proper safety razor. What works with Rocket something doesnt work same with Tech. Ones think there is long way to holy grail but is definitely worth it.

For me the key for my sensitive skin is preparation. I take a lot of time there. Hot water--> Glycerine Soap---> Hot Water--->Proraso Prep(2-4min on face)----> Good and long leather atm--> 1 pass With the grain--> 1 across the grain---> and if necessary bit against the grain where needed---> Razor Burn relief cream(2-3min)---> Moisturiser Balm--->Aftershave :D :!:

Sorry for such a long post it just flow from me :D

Keep asking my friend we are here to help you.

Welcome at SMF 8)
Jack
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FireTJ
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Post by FireTJ »

I have seen nearly every one of mantic's videos to include geofatboy's haha. They helped greatly. My biggest thing now is just finding my razor. I find ones i want but they are bid only on ebay and i constantly lose the bid haha. I wanted a black beauty super slim but no luck so far. As for everything else, Im going to be getting a tweezerman badger brush, taylor of old bond street cream and a blade sampler. I am still deciding if i want to buy a stand or not for the brush. I know i can probably make one up but I may also be able to find a nice one.

Is a special bowl needed? I am on the fence between buying one or not. I have seen that some people like to lather up straight on the face and others need a bowl. Would it be a problem to just start using a large mug or bowl that I already have? Mug would be porcelain and bowl plastic. I do have porcelain bowl too.

Thanks guys :)
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jww
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Post by jww »

celar36 wrote:...

Check this http://shavemyface.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=50051
You will learn a lot from that post as guys were very helpful to me :D
...
In SMF-ese, I suppose this is the equivalent of a mass re-tweet? 8)

On behalf of all of us who participated in The Sensitive Skin ..... thread, humble thanks for the shout-out. :D

Seriously, once you get technique down, it's really not that complex (nor dangerous).

ymmv.
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?
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FireTJ
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Location: Broken Arrow, Ok

Post by FireTJ »

I have read over post you both have written about and it had helped as well! I just need my supplies and ill be on my way haha. I am nervous about my first DE shave though...
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Squire
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Post by Squire »

It'll be easier than your first date.
Regards,
Squire
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FireTJ
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Location: Broken Arrow, Ok

Post by FireTJ »

Hahaha that is great to know! It will be too easy then!
ShadowsDad
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Location: Central Maine

Post by ShadowsDad »

FireTJ wrote:I have seen nearly every one of mantic's videos to include geofatboy's haha. They helped greatly. My biggest thing now is just finding my razor. I find ones i want but they are bid only on ebay and i constantly lose the bid haha. I wanted a black beauty super slim but no luck so far. As for everything else, Im going to be getting a tweezerman badger brush, taylor of old bond street cream and a blade sampler. I am still deciding if i want to buy a stand or not for the brush. I know i can probably make one up but I may also be able to find a nice one.

Is a special bowl needed? I am on the fence between buying one or not. I have seen that some people like to lather up straight on the face and others need a bowl. Would it be a problem to just start using a large mug or bowl that I already have? Mug would be porcelain and bowl plastic. I do have porcelain bowl too.

Thanks guys :)
Ahh, the question as to whether to dry with bristles down or bristles up... We can go round and round on this. The brush will dry faster withthe bristles up, but many folks will say you need to hang it bristles down. Flip a coin or do what you want, either method will work fine. I use one stand, and that's for a brush that doesn't have a flat bottom, or it would stand on it's own the way all my other brushes stand- bristles up.

Bowl, hand lather, or face lather... another do what you want item. Of the 3 I suggest bowl or face. Reserve the hand lathering for test lathers and learning to make lather, and for travel. You need to try both bowl and face lathering.

To my way of thinking face lathering is the way to go, but lots of folks use a bowl.

I face lather because I need to prep my face/beard anyway and face lathering does that by the most efficient method IMO. There is another reason also; one has a huge handle on the lather quality as it gets built on the face.

Have no fear about not having enough lather, even a tiny brush holds enough lather for at least 3 passes if the lather was any good to begin with. If you need more than 3 passes, well, I wouldn't do that. Too many passes can lead to irritation. If you don't get the shave you want with 3 passes concentrate more on technique , get a more aggressive razor when your technique is up to handling it, and/or try another blade.

I can go on can't I!? One last thing, get a blade sampler. There's only one face that can determine your best blade(s) and that is yours. We can tell you what works for us, but not will work for you. So buy a sampler and bite the bullet and test the blades after you have your technique down and can consistently pull off a decent shave every time.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
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FireTJ
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Location: Broken Arrow, Ok

Post by FireTJ »

Thanks Shadows, that helps alot. I think for now I will just make up a stand for a brush. I think itll look better on a stand in my bathroom. I will also just try face and cereal bowl lather haha. If i like bowl better, ill invest in a better bowl later on. I have a blade sampler that I like so I will be ordering it soon.
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Squire
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Post by Squire »

Fire if it will help you along pm your address and I'll send you a stand.
Regards,
Squire
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FireTJ
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Location: Broken Arrow, Ok

Post by FireTJ »

:o Thanks squire! Pm is sent.
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