Best shave of my life!?

How could I have been on this earth for 54 years and not have known there was anything other than electric or disposable razors? So my shipment from Fendrihan arrived today with everything I needed - I actually ordered twice, the second time after I had done even more research. This is what arrived:

Merkur 34C that came in a beginner kit
Rockwell 6S with the stand
Astra Razor blades
Proraso Green Pre-Post shave cream
Captain's Choice Bay Rum Aftershave
Lucky Tiger Premium face wash
Osma Alum Block

Okay, I used the Rockwell 6S with the No.1 plate which was soooo smooth, all I have to say is I'm pretty sure that was the best shave I've ever had. I used the face wash, Proraso, heated face cloth, lathered, did it a second time, Alum Block, and splashed on some of the Captain's. Feels great and has given me a whole new dimension to shaving!

Tomorrow I'm going to use the No. 2 plate as I think the No. 1 was a little too conservative even for a newbie like me.

Gary

 

Too conservative for a noob? Did you mean aggressive? Coming from someone getting past noobhood ypu typically want to start conservative/mild and work your way up while learning the correct form. Best of luck.

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Of the 6 plates the No. 1 is the most conservative so I'm actually glad that it wasn't aggressive one bit, it was slick with no nicks and zero irritation - everything I was worried about with my first attempt.

 

Glad you had a happy first impression. While there are razors suggested as Newbie gear, they aren't only for new wet shavers. Many folks prefer a Mild razor for their beard type, or tender skin. Do try the more aggressive razor (baseplate?) and let us know how it suits you.
If you are seeking tips, tricks, and a sympathetic shoulder to bleed on - Check out the 30 Day Rule Focus Group. There's a probability someone there is familiar with your particular razor and the different options. It's a gathering of new shavers learning vintage gear, and vintage shavers trying new things. No commitments but to yourself to get the best shave from the gear you own. Plus shenanigans.

 

Congrats Gary D.! Glad you had a great first shave with the new equipment.
The only advice I can add is to change blades after three shaves. After a month of shaving, you can try to get more shaves out of your blade, but for now you want to eliminate the possibility of a dull blade if something goes wrong.

PS - I really like Captain's Choice Bay Rum AS.

 

Congrats on a good shave! I'd recommend sticking to what works for awhile before changing things up. Once you get the technique down pat, experiment to see what might be better.

 

I'm going to take stu929 and other suggestions and with regard to learning proper form and not changing things up for a bit. Thanks for the advice eh!

 

I've never used anything like the Bay Rum aftershave - very nice and very subtle to the stuff I've found at the drug store. I've always been very apprehensive to use aftershave as there are so many places that are "scent free" and rather than run the risk of offending anyone I've just avoided them. This stuff on the other hand, I don't really see a problem. Anyone else ever been told what they put on was bothering them?

 

Welcome to TSD! Very good Report!

 

+1

 

It only gets better. Welcome to The Den and nice to meet you.

 

There are scent free options for post shave care. Most (not all, see; Pinaud) aftershaves are low in scent oils so they fade quickly. Other options include unscented witchhazel and aloe or shea butter based balms.

 

I'm allergic to a lot of fragrances, so I can say this with a straight face (from observation)

Most men, even heavy cologne users, do not put anywhere near the level of perfume on that women tend to. Part of it might be the way it's put on - I think that for men, cologne is generally around the head. Women, on the other hand, have been observed to spray a huge cloud in front of them, then walk through it.

The difference is that being _around_ that sort of perfumed person can be toxic. For men, even if they soak their head, you have to be within 'personal space' for an Italian gentleman to notice it. (No, that wasn't just pulled out of my hat. Canadians deal with a bit less personal space than most Americans, Quebecois a bit less, Germans less than that, French really close, and all of the Italians I've worked with stand close enough that you want to step backwards. That includes the guy I dealt with last week, and the OTHER one I'll have to fix the laptop of tomorrow. The other people there have asked me how I can ignore it - it's all what you're used to)

 

If you can simply master angle and pressure with one razor, you'll know the fundamentals for all razors. I am equipment agnostic, and believe results are largely technique determined. Sticking to one setup is the best thing you can possibly do for the next month. Sounds like it will be fun for you, I hope you have a great time mastering your new tool!

 

Thanks for the reply. I agree that women not only apply but use different amounts of what they put on - in my limited observation anyway. This is especially true for some seniors that have almost taken my breath away with the amount of perfume put on. Today I used Captain's Choice Bay Rum Aftershave and found it very subtle, totally changed my view of aftershaves.

 

Hey Gary! FANtastic news. Please checkout are daily running SOTD thread.
http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/sos-june-12-2017-june-18-2017.56260/page-16

 

You didn't Google "better shaving".

Welcome, and great you enjoy your shaves!

 

Better late than never I guess! Love your signature (however, I did have to Google Pitralon)!

 

Because, like many of us here, you didn't realize safety razors were still an option? Until being informed of this option, how would you know? Many guys discover traditional shaving when the searching for discounted cartridges online. They run across a shaving blog, forum or online store, and the rest is shaving nirvana.

 

As a guy who's about to wrap up 2 months of just working on my technique I can definitely+1 this comment. I've gotten significantly better in just a couple of months by focusing only on keeping my shaves irritation free and asking questions to the forum anytime I did get irritation to get it dialed in. Welcome to much better shaves ahead!

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