Greetings-- I have been giving myself lousy shaves for about 20 years now and I decided this past week that I'm tired of it. I found this site and it is AMAZING. The information and the level of discourse is excellent! Y'all really do a terrific job. Here's what I've got so far: Equipment Razor: Went for the Merkur 38C "Barber Pole". Blades: I ordered a ten pack of the Feather Hi-Stainless Platinum. I saw somebody else on here ordered the variety pack from the guy in Florida. I will do that too but I wanted to have something to get started with. Instruction: I've watched the Mantic videos on YouTube. I think I have a pretty good idea of what he's doing. I've also ordered Leisureguy's book. Questions: Shave cream or soap? I was thinking of buying the C&E BBB and one of their creams. Cream looked pretty easy to work with in the videos. Shaving in the shower? For the past few years I've shaved in the shower. I hate standing over a sink and getting water all over the place. Any special techniques or processes for shaving in the shower? What else do I need? I have an old mug I'll use for the cream and I'll pick up a brush holder. A little about me: 44, MHA/JD, work for the world's leading cancer center, ride Harleys, have great wife, obnoxious but loyal border collie and constantly herding Australian Shepherd. Looking forward to the great education I'm getting on here as I become relatively more refined!
Welcome to the Den! You sound like you have a good grasp on things and are choosing decent equipment to start with (I too began my wet shaving career with a 38C). Soak up the knowledge and enjoy those shaves! Cream or soap? Use both! (You'll learn about "superlather" soon enough!)
Welcome to TSD! Great introduction too. The C&E BBB is a great brush and for the price is pretty hard to beat...I like soaps and creams, some folks like more moisturizing products in the winter.....me included. I like the 38C too, a great shaver. I shave over the sink and usually make a big mess.....but one pass with a dry towel and it's all clean again There are a couple newbie giveaways posted now...one in the Classifieds and one Here Enjoy your stay :happy005
Wow! From what I understand, the Feather blades are ridiculously sharp, and most newbies to wetshaving are cautioned against starting with them. I'm not saying that you shouldn't try them, I'm just saying be very careful with them.
Welcome to The Shave Den! Looks like you have a pretty good start going. Don't fear the Feather blades, but do respect them. Go easy, use zero pressure and always stay in straight line. Don't let the blade slide sideways! As far as the whole soap or cream thing, that is very personal. You just have to experiment. I like both. I think I liked soaps more when I first started, since it seemed more "traditional." But I like creams for their ease of lathering and that you can often get a more concentrated scent.
Welcome to The Shave Den! World's leading cancer center? Is it safe to assume that I'm welcoming a fellow Houston area member?
Correct, although I live in a hick suburb south of Houston. We're building a new house in the city though and I'm looking forward to moving back and having less of a commute (and more time to shave)
Howdyyyyyyyyy (said in my best Minnie Pearl voice...heh), Nice first post, and welcome to this place. Couple things I'd mention from personal experience that may or may not do you some good. Far as the blades go, JoAnna offers a bunch of the more popular brands, and you might consider just ordering 3-4 types to get you started. The samplers can take a looong time to go through properly, and in the beginning you're gonna be using the most well known brands anyway. Heh, those feathers will be an interesting time..........using those for your first shaves should make for a good story......... You made me smile when you asked about tips for shaving in the shower. It's simple..........we all do it!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, nothin to it. Actually, I'm kidding around a bit. I don't think you'll find many members who stand in the shower for the needed 15 minutes or so to shave properly. The crazy thing about this hobby is the idea of taking your time when shaving. Yeah, the idea of purposely taking longer to shave......to go slow instead of fast........see what I mean? You gotta rebrain yourself to some degree if you want the best possible shave with whatever razor you use. I think you might like to rule out the shower thing, but that's up to you. Anyway, good luck on your shaving journey, Martin
Welcome ! I've found TSD to be a friendly, informative, and low pressure place to hang out. I wish you the same experience. Since you've been wetshaving for more than 20 years, you've got a good handle on the basic techniques, so I wouldn't suggest being too put-off by the comments about Feather blades. Yes, they're sharp; but that's a good thing, isn't it? The Merkur 38C is a great razor. Eventually, you might want to snag a 37C or 39C from another member. Both are Slants, and, with a little experience on the part of the user (along with a Feather blade), they can deliver the closest non-straight razor shave you could imagine. Regarding the cream or soap question, it's a matter of personal preference. The only thing I've learned is that, no matter which type you use, if you have relatively sensitive skin, steer away from the highly scented stuff - it can result in a less-than-pleasing after-the-fact experience. Finally, regarding your employer, which I assume to be MDA, keep up the good work. A 25+ year co-worker (and dear friend) just finished a very successful round of treatment there for colorectal cancer. To you and all your associates there: Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! :1respect :happy096
My own recommendation is to try both shaving soap and shaving cream, but for the soap start with a shave stick: it's soap in stick form. You rub it against the grain all over your wet beard, and your beard scrapes off the soap you'll need. Then a wet (but not dripping---give it a shake or two) shaving brush will bring forth the lather as you brush your soaped beard. The usual problem novices have is getting enough soap on the brush, and this method finesses the problem. A good soap stick to try is Arko, which runs just $2 and does a fine job. (Razor and Brush carries them.) D.R. Harris shave sticks are superlative, but the Arko does a fine job. Hope this helps.
That's cool. I live in a hick suburb northeast of Houston! I'm 30 miles out, but I don't mind the distance because I live on a 1/2 acre lot, and have low taxes. We're also close to family.
