In the WTB section of the forum @FancyRamen asked about a starting kit and it got me curious about what everyone started out with in their DE razor journey. I started with a Gillette Super Speed from ebay for $10, My Grandfather's Old Spice shaving mug, a puck of Williams Mug shaving soap, and my Grandfather's Peerless nylon shaving brush. I got the big tryablade.com blade sampler and the first blade that fell out of it hen I opened it was a Personna Med Blue. I tagged him in this because I'm sure this information would be as helpful as recommendations as to what to buy. If something was terrible tell us that too. If it was amazing let us know.
started my journey back in 02/2015 with: EJ89lbl EJ best badger medium Proraso green tub TSD blade sampler very soon after, i added a shavex alum block. after a few weeks, i added some DIY PSO and post-shave witch hazel. i stayed with that setup (and different blades, of course) for the first four months before venturing out to try some other software.
I din't stick with my first setup very long. I got a fatboy maybe 3 days after that first Super speed and fell in love with its heavy chunkyness. I shave with the fatboy more then my other razors even now. I have upgraded soap, I use proraso soap tbs now. All 3 scents are nice.
over the past few months, i've also started four of my sons (four of five are shaving age) on the wetshaving journey with this setup: merkur 180/23c top 10 blade sampler (times 2) from tryablade.com omega 10065 boar 1/2 tub proraso green, 1/2 tub proraso red dad's own DIY PSO shavex alum block styptic pencil witch hazel ... and links to mantic59, geofatboy, and other shaving basics videos edit: (and not just because @GDCarrington liked this post) ... but it did remind me, and how could i forget?!?! while it's not hardware or software, i also included in my sons' kits the ways of the force ... proper angle, no pressure, and details of the 30 day rule and 30 day focus !
Vintage Gillette '67 super speed Van Der Hagen shave brush Wilkinson Sword DE blades & Maca Root Shave Cream from the Body Shop. All in all, not a bad kit to start out with. If I had to do it over, the only thing I would change is the brush.
I have forgotten to mention a jumbo styptic pencil and a bottle of Nivea sensitive post shave balm. I also had a bottle of witch hazel that I use but I have forgotten why I got it originally. pre shave and after shave is very personalized by skin types and scents so I didn't think to add that in.
I started with an EJ DE89, EJ best badger brush EJ apothecary bowl, TOBS sandalwood cream and Astra SP blades. Luckily the Astras worked great and I used them exclusively until I got my technique down then started trying other blades.
I started about a month ago with a VDH Tto and deluxe set, that lasted about a week when I got a 53 gillette tech ball end and and sample soaps from maggard. First blade I used was a VDH blade that came with the razor. I now have several gillette SS and a slim adjustable which is now my preferred on setting 3. My favorite blade so far is derby extra, but I'm still working through a large sample pack.
For me, it was as follows: Merkur 34C Blade sampler Proraso green pre/soap/splash Franks' Silvertip Did find which blades I like and tried a bunch of great razors afterwards, but it took me awhile to find out the Proraso Green didn't really agree with my face (suspect the eucalyptus) and gave me more redness than any other products I've tried. It's too bad cause I realy wanted to like Proraso!
Over 50 years ago I bought either a Fatboy or a Slim, I forgot witch for around $2, Blades were Gillette Blues, Later Wilkinson Sword, a brush, Williams soap, later VDH, and a mug my Dad gave me, Aftershave had always been Old Spice. Now I have many razors that I've collected New and Vintage. My go to razors are Weber PH, Gillette Slim, BB, Fatboy. Favorite Blades, Astra and Personna Israeli Reds. A number of brushes, Boar and Horse hair, Soaps are Cella Croap and VDH. Aftershave is my own mix. After teaching my sons and a few nephews about shaving, Each has his own need as for a kit, One likes the Merkur 34c another likes an Muhle R 41 , none use the same blade.
Have you tried any of the other porasos? Just wondering if they all have eucalyptus in them or just the green.
I have green white and red didn't know there was a blue. I saw blue cream but not soap. I'll have to flex my google-fu and find some so I can try it.
Ah.. I wasn't making the distinction between the soap and cream. Blue only comes in the tube as far as I know.
Yeah, I know its soap in a tube but in my head its cream in a tube, soap in a puck or tub. I don't even like calling things croaps. Just adds confusion.
Merkur 34C 25 blade sampler from Amazon Omega Pure Badger Brush Proraso Green Shave Cream I ended up giving away the shave cream since I thought I was having a bad reaction to the menthol, but it was really just irritation from too much pressure when shaving. I kinda miss the green cream. I could've held on to it to make chilling super lathers. Oh well.
I tried white and red and I just didn't like their scent as much as the green, but I think they worked OK for me.
That's funny, I love my VDH boar brush. Almost no shedding, lathers great, feels great. Maybe I got lucky with the one I got or it could be another example of the YMMV with shaving cause I definitely would not change mine. I started a long time ago (like a month) with VDH Deluxe kit to get bowl and brush Lord L6 razor from Amazon multiple sample blade packs from tryablade.com Stirling Soap samples with Glacial Lemon and MITA being the most amazing! Have worked well so far.