Hello, I just introduced myself in the Newbie Portion of the Forums. Long story short, I just purchased my very first safety razor, a Merkur 34 c. I'm pretty excited about dispensing of the Fusion and going "old school". I'm also just a tad bit nervous because I really don't want to look like a victim in a horror movie. So, what are some things I should get to complete my shaving experience? Right now I have my Fision and some gel shaving cream. The Merkur should be arriving in about a week. Thanks, Rob
Welcome to TSD! Shave right after showering. Short, gentle strokes. No pressure. 2-passes to start and don't go over areas the still feel rough without re-applying shaving cream.
Welcome, nice to have you. If you want, go to Bath and Body Works and pick up some C.O. Bigelow or go to Walgreens and pick up a Van Der Hagen set. That way you can experience a quality cream and or soap. Take your time, no pressure, and avoid going against the grain until you're more confident. That is about all I have to say. Good luck and tell us how the shave goes. We're here to help.
And don't forget a styptic pen and try the Real Shaving Company creams from Rite Aid. Cheap and really good stuff. Also can pick up some Clubman, Afta, OLd Spice or other old school after shaves to help tighten up the old kisser after a shave.
Videos by mantic59 and geofatboy on YouTube are worth watching and should help no end. Stick with it as it can take time to find blades, soap etc etc that are best for you. Good luck.
Thank you for the warm welcome and the great advice. I've already changed up my order Lee's Razors. I originally ordered the Merkur 34c but decided to go with the Merkur Futur instead. It was more about the length of the handle and the ability to adjust the razor than anything else. I don't know if that was a mistake or not but that's my story and I'm sticking with it. While reading through the Safety Razors portion of the forum last night, I was kinda, sorta, looking for a general consensus on people's preferences for certain razors and what I found, generally, is that there are Ford, Chevy and Chrysler guys even in the shaving world. I'll probably explore other razors in the future but wanted to keep it reasonable starting out.
The first razor I used was a Gillette Slim; which is adjustable. It's a good choice because you can really dial in your shave that way. Only you can find the number that works for you.
The Futur is an aggressive razor. Start out with low settings until you get used to it is my best advice.
Oh yeah. Coming off a Fusion I am not going to shred my face. I still have a scar of my right cheek from when I lopped off a chunk of skin while learning how to shave with my dad's Gillette all those years ago.
To be honest, I didn't even know that Gillette still made safety razors - they didn't pop up on any of the shaving websites I visited prior to making my purchase.
With the Futur, start off with a setting of "1". Don't go above "2.5" unless you have a few days growth and a very coarse beard. It is a fine razor but respect it.
