Hello everyone, I am a French Canadian living in Quebec, Canada and I am new to wet shaving! I have been shaving with an electric razor for the past 30 years or so (I am 49). I tried shaving with plastic razors when I was in my late teens / early 20s but did not have any success. It was like watching the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie in my mirror. During the holiday season, I saw a couple of Youtube videos on wet shaving with a DE blade and it piqued my interest. So I decided to try it out. Here is what I have currently : Q-shave razor - Merkur Futur clone Rockwell synthetic shaving brush Les Industries Groom Shaving soap and Aftershave balm A bowl Even though my technique is not up to par (lots of nicks and cuts and razor burns), I absolutely enjoy the feeling of wet shaving.
Welcome aboard! You've found the friendliest and most knowledgeable bunch of shaving fanatics on the web! You'll find that with a little time and practice the blood goes away and the best shaves you've ever had will be normal. Feel free to check out the 30 Day Rule thread where we talk about technique and love to help the new guys figure things out. The link is below if you're interested. Great to have you along for the ride!
Hi! Welcome to the Den! Just curious, what do you have your razor adjusted to? I have a Futur and have set just a bit under 3. If this is new to you, I would recommend setting somewhere between 1.5 and 2.
High their, @Steve G , glad you have finally come over to real shaving. You don't really need the bowl, but it is a good place to store stuff.
Thanks for the welcome guys. @swarden43 for my first shave I experimented with different settings between 0.5 and 4 and set it to 2.5. Will try at 1/1.5 and see how it goes. thanks
I'd set to 1.5, leave it there and join these guys for a month ---> http://theshaveden.com/forums/threa...rule-focus-pix-discussion.58406/#post-1366405
Welcome from New Jersey! Depending on how you feel about such things, you might want to pick up a vintage Gillette at some point. There are some excellent ones which were made in Canada and are considered, by some, to be superior to US-made ones.
@Jayaruh The bowl was a gift from my wife. Gotta use it or I die... @John Ruschmeyer I am not 100% sold on vintage razors, but will definitely look into them. @Yehuda D Salut, je demeure dans la ville de Québec et toi?
Welcome @Steve G! That's a decent set up to get you started. Are you using the double edge (DE) blades that came with the razor? I tried a similar Futur clone - the Ming Shi 2000S. It came with a tuck of 5 blades that I've found to be of an acceptable quality. How many shaves are you trying to get from a blade? Depending on the texture of your beard, and maybe just as important your technique you could get 3 - 7 quality shaves per blade. Some folks count their uses but that's not an easy to compare thing. My three pass shave plus clean up might be the same wear as a 2 or 5 pass on your face. The thing to know is when a blade gets dull and needs replacing. Compared to replacement parts for electric shavers or cartridges, DE blades a cheap. If you get a tugging feeling stop right there and install a new blade. That other thing - Technique? Two links below in my signature. Pour yourself a drink, get comfortable, and visit "Ride The Cap" & Neal's @NCoxSTL shave school The 30 Day Rule / Focus Group. Being new to The Shave Den (TSD) take a moment and sign up for The Newbie Giveaway. It's your chance at some internet spending credits from folks that help support our little corner of the shaving world. Read the rules to be sure you qualify.
Welcome to the Den! I learned a lot initially from watching Geofatboy’s shaving videos, check those out to help refine your technique.
@RyX For blades, I am using Astra Superior Platinum. Bought them with the razor on Amazon. I did not dare use the included blades (pack of 5), so I went with something (most) everyone recommended. As far as number of shaves, for now I am changing the blade every 2 shaves. When I get better at it, I will try to get a few more shave out of the blades. I have already checked some of the links you recommended, but will make sure to check them all! @BamaT The videos from Geofatboy are actually what brought me to wet shaving. I watched a lot of them, he makes it look quite easy... Thanks for the welcome guys!
Welcome, Steve! You’ve come to the right place to learn about this new passion you’ve discovered. Happy shaves!
