Also new to this forum

Thoughts and input on anything related to wet shaving or men's grooming.
Rsdavis412
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Also new to this forum

Post by Rsdavis412 »

Hi Men, I am also new to this forum and have learned a lot about shaving already. I am 67 and have never lathered my beard properly. But I do have some concerns. When I started shaving I was thrilled when Wilkenson came out with a blade that lasted a couple of days. Then every year the blade technology got better and shaving was less of a chore. I have been using "dollar shave club" blades for a while and now most of the recommendation suggest I should go back to the DE safety razor.
Is this a forum for cheap shaver or anti technology, or do you seriously suggest a safety razor will give me a good shave? I am ready to try something different but want to make sure that I am improving my life, not rebelling against the newer expensive technology.
I am looking forward to reading your comments.
CMur12
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by CMur12 »

Welcome to SMF, Rsdavis412!

Short answer: Shave with what works for you.

We are a group of shaving enthusiasts who have embraced traditional methods, each to the extent that it improves the shaving experience. We derive enjoyment from the development of shaving skills and the resulting well executed shave. Some here use straight razors, some have settled on SE (single-edge) razors, some prefer DE or Injector razors, and some have even found cartridge razors work best for them.

For the most part, members of such forums prefer lather made with a brush and soap or lathering cream along with their razor of choice.

You can keep it simple and inexpensive or you can slide down the slippery slope of the dreaded acquisition disorders (ADs) - going after the perfect brush, razor, soap/cream, blades, etc. - and spending huge sums of money.

I got into this more for reasons of nostalgia, remembering back to when I started shaving and the choice was between a Gillette DE and a Schick Injector. I also used a brush and shaving soap or cream at times in the past, though I didn't learn to make good lather until I found my way here. I might note that while I learned to shave with a Schick Injector and then a Gillette Adjustable, I just taught myself how to get the job done. I didn't really have the concept of a skilled shave until I came here.

You can set your own goals, benefit from the experience of members here on the forum, find a lot of resources on the Internet, and confer with any number of outstanding vendors.

- Murray
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Big Swifty
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by Big Swifty »

Welcome to the forum!
~Steve

~proponent of a strong salvation army, born again Calvinist, cunning linguist, flaming heterosexual

"Life is too short to drink shitty beer"
EL Alamein
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by EL Alamein »

Welcome!

And I agree with Murry's shirt answer. There are many roads to Rome - travel the one you're most comfortable with.

Chris
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Squire
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by Squire »

Hey davis, welcome aboard. I do not seriously suggest a DE razor will give you a good shave, it will give you a great one. It is a tool though and like a golf swing takes some practice to find the groove. The tools we use are the ones (straight razors to fusions) we like individually and there is no first-second-third place sort of hierarchy, rather simply what one likes. Most of do use shaving soaps/creams, shaving brushes and post shave treatments and agree on using quality stuff. Not the same stuff or even the same brands, on that we don't agree.

The only thing we're anti about around here is getting a crappy shave by any means.
Regards,
Squire
ShadowsDad
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by ShadowsDad »

Welcome to the forum!

I decided to rebel against cart's and went to blade shaving. Then I realized that I actually enjoyed shaving . If I was getting a lousy shave no amount of rebellion on my part would keep me doing something that I disliked or didn't work. Will it work for you? I dunno. I'm also not here to persuade you of anything.

Shave any way you want . If you want to shave with a blade I can help you. If you want to shave with cart's, not so much. But you can still use the soaps and such and probably up your shave.
Brian

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Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
Thalay Sagar
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by Thalay Sagar »

Welcome to SMF. I got into this because I was getting lousy shaves- irritation, ingrowns, etc.- all problems that have been solved by using a DE. But as Squire noted it takes some practice to perfect. The nice thing is that there is a wealth of knowledge here so ask away if you have any questions.
Best,
Chris

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TheMonk
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by TheMonk »

Welcome to SMF!
David

“Use any means to keep from being a genius, all means to become one.” John Cage
Rsdavis412
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by Rsdavis412 »

Thanks Men.
I have ordered a Merkur 34c from Amazon with a selection of blades. I am committed to making shaving a little more pleasurable.
I'll let you know my progress. I feel a little old to learn a new trick but we'll see.
ShadowsDad
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by ShadowsDad »

Don't think you're alone if you have problems. We're here if we're needed or if you just want to chew the fat.
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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BestBadger
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by BestBadger »

Rsdavis412 wrote:Thanks Men.
I am committed to making shaving a little more pleasurable.
Welcome to the forum! I think this is the best attitude. Normally you have to shave every day (or maybe every other day) so why not making this task more pleasurable and enjoyable?

In my case the reason to come back to shaving with a DE razor was not to save a lot of money (to be honest, the opposite happened) or to rebel against new technology. The DE razor blades you see today look like the ones you saw 50 years ago but in fact they are not the same stuff. A modern blade does not rust, you get more shaves from it and the shaves are closer and more comfortable, because a lot of things were invented during the last decades to improve the quality of the blades. The same technology is used for the blades in modern cartridges and for the modern DE blades. So if you are against technology maybe the best way is to shave with a shell or a flint - that's the way they did in former times (maybe some guys would call that "palaeo shaving" and put it to a new standard).

My reason was to get rid of skin irritations (bumps and razor burn) which I had when using a cartridge razor and which made my shaves (and the time after them!) rather unpleasant. When learning how to shave properly with a DE razor I not only improved my skills but also discovered that the irritations decreased more and more, because they had been caused mainly by the lubrication strips and the tug and cut mechanism of the cartridges. So shaving was no longer an obligation I wanted to leave behind as soon as possible - I started enjoying it.

So if you have any questions don't hold yourself back - I think in this forum we have many people with a lot of experience who would be pleased to help you.
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Squire
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by Squire »

I'm in the same camp as BestBadger, using a DE and blades because they produce a better result. So that's my preference so long as they are available. Fortunately I have a lifetime supply.
Regards,
Squire
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BestBadger
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by BestBadger »

Squire wrote:So that's my preference so long as they are available.
I think this in fact is something we have to consider. There are countries where shaving with a DE razor is still very common, for example Poland, Russia, Turkey, Egypt, India, South Corea and Japan. As long as we can buy the blades from those countries we are lucky. But the big players are working hard to press their cartridges into those markets. Some days ago I read that Gillette has developed a very affordable one blade cartridge for the market in India. DE blades are interchangeable, they fit into every DE razor. So trying out a different blade is very easy - too easy. Those who dominate the market want the customers to buy their blades. So I think sooner or later DE blades will disappear, one of their huge advantages will cause their death. Maybe I should have a lifetime supply, too...
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Big Swifty
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by Big Swifty »

That is everyone's biggest (shaving related) fear, the dreaded reformulation or discontinuation, that is why we all sit on a double lifetime stockpile of the products we all love and cannot figuratively live without :P
~Steve

~proponent of a strong salvation army, born again Calvinist, cunning linguist, flaming heterosexual

"Life is too short to drink shitty beer"
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BestBadger
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by BestBadger »

Big Swifty wrote:that is why we all sit on a double lifetime stockpile of the products we all love
That's because we don't know our lifetime and want to be on the safe side. Maybe we'll be 120 years old and run out of our preferred blades :mrgreen:
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Squire
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by Squire »

BestBadger wrote: . . . . Maybe we'll be 120 years old and run out of our preferred blades . . . .
Yeah, that's only 50 years from now when you think about it.
Regards,
Squire
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jww
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by jww »

Welcome to SMF -- I won't bore you with my comments which will echo what's already been said by most replies above. I will say this -- enjoy the journey.
Wendell

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nicodemus38

Re: Also new to this forum

Post by nicodemus38 »

im not a rebel. I don't see anything worth rebelling against.

Look at it this way. The engineers and the men who built the hoover dam used DE and Straight razors to shave. The hoover dam has endured.

The engineers who built, designed, maintained something called "challenger" and ran the machines that made o rings.... used cartridge razors....

I can shave in less time with a DE then I do with a cartridge razor. Savings there. And im happy happy.
ShadowsDad
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Re: Also new to this forum

Post by ShadowsDad »

ROTFLMAO Nic'; but you're absolutely right!
Brian

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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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