Hey my name is Jorge D and I'm a regular guy with a beard. I been thinking about losing the beard and going with a goatee but not sure if I should try using a safety razor. I have a barber So that's who usually trims me up but I want to lose him and Cut my own facial hair. Any razors, cream, brush or any shaving oils I should? I'm beyond being a newbie I shave under my neck about once a month.... I need help!!!
Welcome to the Den. Here is the advice I received when I started with a DE and so I freely give it to new users. The most important things in shaving are, your skin and technique. All other things fall in line behind those two things and to support them. Since the skin is a given fixed item, the next major item is technique. It is called THE 30 DAY RULE. THE 30 DAY RULE is as follows: Find a razor, then a blade that will not cause issues with your skin (that may take a few different blades in a sampler pack to find a suitable choice or it maybe the first out of the gate) and select a soap or cream that is easy to generate good lather. Once you find those, and it may take a couple of weeks to find this combination, order a quantity of that blade enough for 30 days, and then spend 30 days using nothing else until you build up your technique. (Note that only one brand blade is used for 30 days after each blade in the sampler pack is tested to make the decision on the blade brand to use for 30 days.) The 30 day clock starts when you have the right blade for you. After 30 days, change one and only one variable and work for another week then change another after another week. At that point you should be able to make better decisions because your technique is now in place. This will help you to avoid buying too much gear and stuff too soon without having the technique down to enjoy it all. As to hardware (razors / blades) and software (creams / soaps / oils) it would help us if you told us where you are located and that way we can see if you can obtain these items locally (most of us cannot due to limits on selection) or will you have to order via internet / mail. Oh and one more thing ... Welcome to the Den. We know you'll fit right in. So grab yourself a comfy chair, and give our threads a spin! Burma Shave
Welcome to the Shave Den No matter where you are, an Edwin Jagger is usually a good, affordable razor to start off with!
Wow that opens up a lot of vendors. Off the top of my head: http://www.bullgooseshaving.net http://www.italianbarber.com http://www.westcoastshaving.com There's a LOT more that I'm missing but others will add them shortly I assume. The best bet is finding a nice affordable razor like an EJ DE89, brush you like (Boar is cheap and will break in to be soft), and hunt through the list of creams/soaps that may catch your eye due to the scent. A sampler pack of razor blades is your best bet, and follow the 30 day rule above for the blades, it'll allow you to find the best blade to use with your face.
One more thing I'm so Used to using a Fusion will going from that to a safety razor be really hard for me you think?
It'll be a change, but read up on some threads, watch a few youtube videos and everything will fall into place for you. Just takes patience and practice. Rome wasn't built in a day
Welcome to the shave den, definitely go with the Edwin Jagger, it's a nice mild razor to learn your technique on but unlike the fusion don't use any pressure, let the weight of the razor head do the work for you, and above all else...... Enjoy the journey!!!!
Yeah an Edwin Jagger DE89L looks great and shaves great and would be a great choice/starting point. welcome to the shave den.
Welcome man, nice to have you here. Just take it easy and don't go against the grain until you're confident in your technique. Don't use any pressure when using a DE. We've been institutionalized to use pressure when shaving because you have to push down when using a cartridge razor.
to TSD Jorge D..... on the EJ89 it's my go to razor also. The learning curve between a cartrige and a proper razor(DE,SE,Injector isn't that steep). Straights will take a little more attention and effort. As has been said Time,Technique,Patience and Practice will see you through, a large blade sampler pack is a good idea also....
...to The Shave Den family! Be sure to stop by The Shave Den "Master Sticky" thread to familiarize yourself with the rules and different areas of The Shave Den!
