So I've been shaving for a long time now but used solely gillette products (mach and currently fusion power). I was on my way to LAX when security disposed of my shave cream (aerosol). The security guy, (nice guy) talked to me about using a brush and soap...said it was the best thing - and you can travel with it. So being out of cream, I picked up what I could find in the airport here in YVR. Picked up some Omega brush and glycerin based cream. OK...that was almost a week ago and I'm barely able to use it (I think the brush is of pretty poor quality - boar hair and nylon if I'm not mistaken)...or maybe it's the cream. But I'm not here to discuss the brush and cream...I'll save that for the other appropriate forums. I have 2 fusion power cartridges left. I plan to use them up and then either a) buy some more or b) switch to safety razors. I'd like to give them a try. Anyway, I have a few stupid questions: 1) I've searched...but what is a DE razor? Are there other types of 2 letter abbreviated razors? 2) Is there a site that has a FAQ on shaving...I typically rely on wiki but that didn't help too much. 3) IF there was one thing I should change about my shaving regimen, should it be moving to a brush and cream/soap or using a non cartridge safety razor? 4) Is anyone here in Canada because I'd like to purchase these things either locally or nationally to avoid brokerage fees 5) Are these safety razors more likely to yield cuts than cartridge razors? At the moment, I don't ever cut myself or suffer from razor burns. 6) Though not razor related - do brushes have a life span? Thanks for any insight. .spencer Ok...found out DE is double edged...no? What does that mean? Two edges on your skin?
Welcome to he Shave Den, Spencer I'm sure you will get all the information from the guys and galls overhere! Enjoy your shaves
Thanks Rene! I was just reading in the creams and brush sub forums. Looks like I need to break in my brush...perhaps that's why the lather is lacking. .spencer
A boar brush must be broken in, absolutely! And the time it takes to break in depends from brush to brush. And whipping up a good lather is also something that needs to be "mastered". There are some good discussions here in the Den and also some links to youtube feed where the technique is displayed. Finally the razor..... It's all about favor, and mine is in de double edge razor. I stopped using cartridges more than a decade ago and will never go back unless I'm forced Good DE razors to "begin with" are the Merkur 34C (Heavy Duty) or the Parker 91R. Or you could search for some fine vintage Gillette's. Good luck!
First of all, Spencer, :signs046 to TSD. Second, your questions are not stupid. Most of us have these same types of questions when starting out. When it comes to the acronyms, I'm still not sure of them all. As you have discovered DE means double edge. It is a single blade where both sides are sharp and can be used while shaving. SE means single edge and only one side is sharp. Obviously these blades take a DE or SE razor respectively. You will also sometimes see Str8. This means a straight edge razor, sometimes called a cut throat. There is a place here that lists some of the abbreviations and acronyms. I'm not sure where, exactly, but someone on site should be able to tell you. You will hear from both camps on which is more important, soap/cream and brush or razor. I'd say both. However, if you only start with one, may I suggest soap/cream and brush. I started by using a soap and brush with a Power Fusion and my shaves improved immediately. They also seemed more satisfying and not just something I had to do. Three years later, when I started using a DE razor and blade, the combination of soap, brush, razor, and blade was an absolute revelation. There is a definite learning curve with this method of shaving. It was not long for me but for some it takes a little time. Watch mantic's You Tube videos on wet shaving. They are superb and cover just about every aspect of this "hobby." If you decide to get a DE razor, read up on the various types, both new and vintage, here at TSD. You will learn which are milder and good for beginners like yourself and which may be more aggressive. Look to getting a sample pack of several brands of blades. Sites like westcoastshaving.com and others offer these. The blade is the most personal of shaving gear and what some love others loathe. An acronym you will see a lot here is YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) which means what works for one may not work for someone else. Even though I live in the States I know there are some Canadian vendors. Jeff (Crackstar) one of the moderators here at TSD lives in Montreal and I am sure he may be able to help you with that. You also may find some listings here at TSD but I'm not sure. Brushes can last for years, even a lifetime, with proper care. I favor boar and silver tip badger (but lean strongly to the boar). There are many fine brushes in all price ranges so, again, do a lot of reading here at TSD and other places. Look at the reviews here as a starting point. Good luck to you, enjoy your shaves, and, again, welcome to The Shave Den.
Spencer, I took the liberty of moving your thread into the newbies section as it makes a great introduction thread, and gives our members a chance to welcome you and offer their advice. First off, Welcome to The Shave Den! A great community of guys and gals that enjoy wet shaving, I hope you enjoy your stay! Be sure to sign up for the September Newbie Give-Away for a chance to win some great shave gear!
Howdy, and Welcome from Texas! you asked a lot of questions there, most of which will be answered with a little bit of time around here, but let's jump at the basics: Brush: the brush you have is probably fine for starting out, and with more practice you may find you could use it til it dies. Omega brushes are good brushes, so you may want to keep using it til it breaks in and you develop your technique, then start looking to upgrade. Razor: truthfully, any razor you get should be fine. Vintage, new, doesn't matter...the main thing right now will be the learning curve of a single blade, fixed head razor, versus the multi-blade, flexible head that cartridges have, that require little skill or attention to angles Blades: two words - sampler pack. there are as many opinions of blades as there are blades, so get a variety and try each one for at least a week. Soap/Cream: again, individual tastes vary, but there seems to be a consensus that getting great lather from cream is easier than from soaps when you're beginning. you may look into the $5 small tube of CO Bigelow, which is rebranded Proraso, an excellent cream, if you have a Bath and Body Works near you. The TSD store is also and excellent source of some great products, both name brand and hand made (two thumbs up!). There's a plethora of vendors around, you're sure to learn about them in due time. there's the basics. pull up, have seat, kick your shoes off, and ask away!
yes, double edged. it simply means that there is an edge on both sides of the blade, as opposed to single edge where only one side has an edge. Think typical pocket knife or razor blade with one cutting edge as a single edge. Double edge you have a cutting edge on either side of the razor
Welcome to the Den, Spencer! It's good to see a neighbor here (I'm in Washington State). Glad to have you here with us!
Thanks all for the warm welcomes! So it's been 5 days since using my brush and cream and this morning, my wife said my face looks different (after a shave). And I do notice it actually softer. I also noticed yesterday that my stubble comes back a little later than it normally does so perhaps there is something behind this science. Actually, I've noticed that it's a lot easier to generate lather now then when I first started - I guess the brush is slowly breaking in...also, no more hairs are falling out of the brush or breaking - I had about dozen of them do that. And the smell...well...I'm hoping the boar hair smell goes away completely...it's already not as strong as before. Thanks for moving this into the newbie sub-forum - I didn't know it was here before. Ok...so two more questions: 1) How long, on average do DE blades last for and when do you know when to change it. My facial hair is very sparse - being asian, I don't have a heck of a lot to shave so I don't think I need a super aggressive blade. 2) I have problems using the standard shaving cream/gel from gillette - they irritate my skin and I can break out if I have to use them. So I typically use a Biotherm product for sensitive skin. Would this be comparable to sensitive skin creams and soaps? Thanks again!!! BTW, my wife is worried I will engross myself in yet another hobby and end up with a half dozen brushes, razors and soaps.
Welcome to TSD! If you have sparse light hair, you really can use any razor. If you get an aggressive razor, your favorite blades can be expected to be mild ones. If you get a mild razor, you can expect to like more aggressive blades. Either way, you want a sample pack of blades. Try one of these on-line stores for a good sample pack: www.westcoastshaving.com. bullgooseshaving.net connaughtshaving.com (UK) I had the same problems when using canned "goo". I used to shave with just water and a Mach 3. I now find I can use at least 95% of the traditional creams and soap. Reactions and sensitivites to SLS (a detergent in many cosmetics), and propellants are common and the first thing I'd suspect in your case. Try a couple of the less expensive options for cream or soap and make sure. I don't think you'll need to worry about getting "senstive skin" formulas, but might watch out for SLS if you think it's the issue. Some good inexpensive items are Van Der Hagen shave soap (WalMart & Drug Stores), Kiss My Face Moisture Shave (cream at organic/hippy food stores), C.O. Bigalow (Bath & Body Works), and Real Shave Company (at Rite Aid in the USA). Finally, if you stick around here, your wife has good reason to worry. Just check out a Shave of the Day (SOTD) thread and you'll quickly have a list of things you want to try.
Sounds like you're doing great already, Spencer. Blades are a very personal thing which is why a couple of us have suggested sampler packs (see a couple of the posts above). Different blades may last different amount of times for different people. I know that sounds strange but, as an example, I only get two shaves from a Feather blade while some get up to four. On the other hand, I get a week's worth of shaves from a Derby blade and others can't use them at all. Again, get a sampler pack. If you mean Gillette's canned foam or gel, look at the reviews of the soaps and creams here. Most are not in cans. Again good luck with and enjoy those shaves. Oh, and yes, your wife has reason to worry.
Welcome to The Shave Den. The forum has many experienced wet shavers who are eager to help a newbie. So...jump on in...the water's fine!
I have to agree. I'm only just over a month into DE shaving and I have already tried Merkur, Feather, Crystal (Israeli), and Derby. Each one was slightly different. Sample packs are the way to go! Cheers, Colin
Be sure to consider a SE razor. MUCHHHH better then a DE.. but that is just my opinion... Also I would suggest trying one thing at a time. learn the basics of good lather making before you try to tackle a new style razor. Just my .02 worth
