So it went ok. No cuts and did 2 passes. Lather was not good at all. Used an omega cream that is in a circular tub. Think I need longer razor. Using ej 89. Got big hands and it was hard to handle. What y'all think I should do? Glad I did not bleed to death.
If you need a longer handle, there are companies that provide longer handles that can fit the EJ89 head. Or you can go to a company like Shave-A-Buck, Bullgoose, Shoebox, Connaught, Razors and More, that carry a variety of razors to fit various needs. Lather issues are many times due to technique. One thing I tell people to do is get a puck of Current Williams soap and if you tolerate the smell, work on making practice lathers a couple of times a day with it for the first week or two. Williams is not expensive and it will allow you to work on your technique without wasting the soap you want to use for shaving. I wish you good fortune and when you find the combination that suits you shift into the 30 Day Rule we discussed in an earlier thread.
I have big hands and have no issues using the EJ de89. The handle on the Aristocrat is even shorter. I find the shorter handles are easier to maneuver. Practice. Practice. Practice. No one starts out as a pro. Take your time. It is not a race. Watch your angles. Adjust your hold to make it more comfortable and ... NO pressure. Enjoy the experience. Some have an easier time mastering lather than others. I'm a slow lather learner and am just now consistently getting good to great lathers. Don't know about Omega cream. Used my first cream this morning. Found the cream easier to lather up than a soap. By the end of next week you'll probably have a much different outlook.
Keep at it! Regarding the handle, try different grips, different ways of holding it. Two fingers, just under the head, allows for good control with minimal pressure. Some other grip may feel more comfortable.
Time,Technique,Practice and Patience are key to a close irritation free shave... When I first started and indeed still today I prefer an irritation/nick free DFS shave over a BBS with irritation....The BBS's will come trust me and everyone else here.... As for handles Cadet(shaveabuck) make some nice long ones with really nice knurling as well as the Weber Classic in SS..Griestshaving also has a nice long(3 1/2") SS handle...
Congrats buddy! just a suggestion but wally world carries Van Der Hagen puck soap in the shaving isle for $1.58 . This is good stuff! It smells great (my wife says) is dirt cheap and lathers like no bodys business. Try this, leave your brush nice and wet, not dripping but dangerously close. Hold your soap mug (dish, bowl, whatever) upside down over a cereal bowl and whip quickly . At first thick bubbles will spill into your bowl , then it will thicken and thick rich suds will form and fall into your bowl. When the soap in your mug gets real stiff and quits falling into your bowl, start whipping it in your bowl. Very soon it will start to look like cool whip and it'll sound different, also it will have peaks that stand on their own. Again, the secret is LOTS OF WATER IN YOUR BRUSH. As far as the short handles, I agree. I have big bananna hands myself and I'm still getting used to the baby handles they put on thease things. You will get used to them , I have an EJ89 myself (one of my favorite DE's) and it feels good in my hand now but early on! I remember thinking English men must be tiny little fellas. Dont give up pal, its worth it in the end.
Welcome to TSD and congrats on your first successful shave. Great starter razor as well. The lather will come with practice.
My first razor was the EJDE89. It's a really good razor. For me I found I was not using enough water. Keep working on it. You'll find the right mix.
First off, . Getting the lather thing going is important for good shaves. I had quite a bit of trouble when I first started. It was hard for me to know how much water was in the brush and how much I should start with. Well, I kinda worked out a system that helps. This works for badgers and boars, I don't have any synthetics. Here goes. Soak your brush in warm water for at least three minutes. (5 is better) Remove the brush and hold it bristles down for 5-10 seconds. Tip it up and look it straight in the business end. My Omega 48 looks like this. Tons of water, and the bristles are really clinging together. Now take the brush to the shower or tub and give it 4 moderate shakes. The idea is to remove most of the water. Eyeball it again. As you can see, it's now fanned out considerably and doesn't look nearly as wet. I don't have much luck loading the brush when it's this dry. But, you should try it so you'll know how the soap looks and how the brush feels in your hand when it's too dry for the soap you are using. Back to the water! Repeat the soak process, and this time shake the brush twice. Fanned out a bit, but not nearly as much as when shaken 4 times. Try to load the brush again and see what you get. Lather, rinse, repeat... (just kidding) Soak it up again! This time, shake only 1 time. For my Omega 48 and the Omega soft soap, this is the sweetspot. Here she is. Fanned out only slightly, and the bristles mostly cling together. My point is that you can tell how much water almost any brush is holding by just by looking. Once you get used to your brush, you won't have to go to the tub and fling water like a beaver, you can give it several shakes at the sink and look at it. You'll be able to tell by the shape and the amount it's fanned out whether your in the ballpark. When you've mastered the water, you'll get this! I usually do about 10-15 circles in each direction. This works well for direct to the face lathering, or in the bowl. Hope this helps. Best of luck and hang in there!
My first DE was an EJ DE89L, and I really love it. I have tried different blades and different soaps and creams. I'm fairly new to safety razor shaving also. In my limited experience, I have found that experimentation is the key. I'm still working on my technique with lathering soaps and creams, but I'm getting more proficient. I am getting better lathers now after trial and error. It does take time, but the results are worth it. I'm getting the best shaves of my life. Hang in there!
I just posted this on another thread, but here's what works for me. Step 1 & pic 1 soak brush about 3 mins. (or let it soak while you shower) Step 2 "Snap" shake your brush 1 time ( leave PLENTY of water in your brush) Step 3 pic 2 hold soap dish over lather bowl and swirl. Thin bubbly water will fall into bowl. Continue until it gets crazy thick and stops falling into bowl. Pic 3 This is what you get. As you can see in pic 1, the cappacino mug is so big my brush fits in long ways with plenty of room.
Sorry, forgot step 4 whip about a minute or so. This took less than 5 mins with the $1.58 Van Der Hagen
I just finished my first shave and my biggest problem was definitely getting a good lather I'm gonna try that next time ...thanks
Other than me not being able to make a lather my shave was fine, not super close but I wasn't going for that I tried a persona, gonna try a derby in the next couple shaves, can't find anything else locally, hope my sampler comes in the mail soon
Man, Derby blades are NEVER spoken of in high regard. Do you have a Sallys near you? They carry the medical prep blades. They're very near the top of the food chain as far as blades go (IMO)
