Hello all. I just got my first safety razor. I know nothing of the terminology so bear with me. I bought a Merkur #163 and a Vulfix Badger Brush. I use Williams soap. I have used it for two days. I absolutely love it. What I would like to know is what angle to hold the head? I have been a cartridge user but I am looking to enjoy the remaining years of my life. I would like to know if I made a good choice? Could I have done better? Money is not really an issue, I just want to enjoy whatever I do from this point on. I may get into straight razors but I really enjoy the DE razor right now.
Welcome to the Den! There are users here that swear by Williams and Merkur razors and there are those who don't like them. This is such a personal experience it comes down to what works for you and what you like. The angle will depend on the razor and its geometry. With time you will learn a feel for it. I believe that I usually use about 20-30 degrees. But you can start with the head pependicular and slowly tilt it towards your face until the blade is touching skin. You can practice this on your arm to see what you are doing better.
Welcome, be sure to introduce yourself over in the newbies section. Then sign up for the May Newbie Giveaway. For some great shaving tips, be sure to check out Mantics videos. He shows you how to hold your razor and find the correct angle in one of his videos.
Welcome aboard. You'll get the terminology down quick. Use this thread as a reference http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1893
Welcome to TSD. Check out those Mantic videos as a starting point. If you have questions after watching the videos, we'll be happy to help.
Hi there, and welcome to this place, I can't speak from personal experience about the shaving tools you selected, but I know they all have many fans. Looks like as good a starting set up as any. Now........could you have done better? Could you have spent more cash and gotten other tools that will be more to your liking? Yeah, that's almost certainly the case, but don't worry about that. The thing you want to do now is concentrate learning to use the tools you have effectively. Those should be perfectly fine for what you need, that thing being experience. Right now your set up will be a learning tool.......a way to gain a reference point. The items you have now will give you something to compare other things to later on. And THAT is the name of the game........heh. There's no need in dropping some serious cash right off the bat, since a new DE shaver won't know what works and what doesn't. Some members like aggressive razors, some members like stiff brushes, and soaps/creams...........heh. Give it a month for things to really come together. It's a pain when starting, but you may have read other members shaving experiences. Not bad eh? Well, dues were paid to reach that point, but then you have that skill forever! Oh, you didn't mention what type blade you use, but I'd guess it's Merkur. No problem if it is(what I started on), but think about a small sample pack from various vendors. You'd be surprised how important a blade can be, but it's true enough. Whatever blade you're using now I'd keep the same type for maybe two weeks. Then, you try the next blade, and you will most likely see a difference between the two. If it's better than the last, then you found a new 'favorite' blade.......heh. Anyway, just be patient and let your mind and body get used to the idea of taking the time for a proper DE shave. Heh, you may be tempted to rush through things at first, since that's what you're probably used to doing. Personally, I know it took me a while for my mindset to finally come around......heh. So, I'd advise waiting a while before buying any high end things, even though some may well be more fun to use. Actually, I might suggest a few inexpensive soaps and creams from many of the great vendors here. There's some nice ones out there that also smell wonderful, and they might make a nice change from what you have now. Yeah, you won't have any problem finding plenty of things to buy if you stay with this 'hobby'. Plus, all of us will be happy to enable you whenever we can! Oh, I meant 'support' you........heh. Keep us posted on how this goofy shaving thing is working out, Martin
You should put your name on the Shave Den's grab bag. Its a great way to get a hold of products that you would not normally get to try.
Tips from Newbie DE shaver I think I could write a book at this point after only 2 weeks of DE shaving. I won't talk about creams, brushes, or razor brands since this is personal, and there are many quality products out there. One trick is the hold the razor at the very bottom of the handle to assure NO pressure. You put the blade against your face, but with NO downward pressure, so it feels like the razor is BARELY touching your skin. This will be a new technique to master. Also, the reduction process is essential. Very light touch, and gradually reducing each area until smooth. You are not trying to smooth each area in one pass like marketers promise with multi blade razors. That's just a fantasy, and horrible for your skin. DE is a bit more time consuming, but the result is outstanding. You'll see what I mean when I say no pressure, have the razor just barely touch the skin. The weight of the razor head does ALL of the work. There is no need whatsoever to ever press or apply pressure to the razor. It's so counter intuitive to cartridge shaving, and you have to constantly remind yourself while shaving the the less pressure on the razor results in the best quality shave. It's totally retraining yourself how to shave, but this time properly! It's not automatic for me yet. One key is that when you find your hand choking up on the razor, you're snapping back to an old and very bad habit. The razor in your hand is almost like a pendulum. The physics of the shave is so completely different from cartridge. The angle of the razor should start at about 45 degrees to create an initial pass. You can gradually increase the angle, but remember that the greater the angle, and more severe on your skin. You'll have to experiment with this, but go easy at first. Once you cut yourself, it takes your skin many days to recover. In the end, the comfort of a DE shave is superior, and your skin quality will improve drastically within just a couple of weeks using this method. You can refine your gear once your technique is perfected. Remember, NO pressure on the razor is the mantra for the beginning DE shaver. Good Luck!
