The reason i picked this brush is because it had the stand with it, if i dont need the stand is there a brush of similar quality for cheaper? Im paying £25 for this one so if i can get one for £15-19 it will save a few quid but if not i may aswell get this one with the stand? Thanks for the welcome Im ordering tonight so the more input the better guys, im trying to get everything by Friday because i need a shave
I would recommend a stand. While it is true it is not needed (most things are never "needed") I have always been told for proper maintenance your brush should dry bristles down to prevent water from building up in the knot area, thus softening the knot, glue, wood, etc. This prevents any rotting bristles, loosening of the knot, cracked wood handle, etc. When I first started I made a stand out of a wire hanger. It worked pretty well!
There's a few Vie-long horsehair brushes for under 15. Don't let the low pricetag fool you, they make great brushes.
Ive took the plunge! It was £71 altogether; Edwin Jagger Brush & Stand Edwin Jagger DE89 Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream And the 60 pack of popular blades, since it had 10 feathers in it which are supposed to be the best. We will see if its better then spending £15 per 2 months + Gel, it should be a lot cheaper
Pretty much. As a general rule of thumb, creams contain more water than soaps and are easier to lather. I prefer creams over soaps because creams tend to have more scent than soaps do. (Mitchell's Wool Fat Shaving Soap being the one exception, and I've saturated that puck down with water to an almost cream consistency). They also tend to be less drying than soaps, though there are exceptions to that rule as well.
Yeah this is why i picked the cream, i hate all soaps really, i never wash with soap always shampoo or shower gel.
That reminds me, if you use a scrubber or loofah pad on your face, you should stop once you start wet shaving. wet shaving will exfoliate your face just fine and using a scrubber on your lower face might increase any irritation you get starting out.
Thanks, i dont use anything but my hands This will also stop shaving rash on my neck too? One of the main reasons im switching.
No guarantees. Learning the direction of hair growth and shaving in that direction, rather than against the grain, will help. Not shaving with a multi-bladed razor should help even more.
I was watching youtube and the guy shaves his neck against the grain for a smoother shave? Yeah i think its more the tug and pull that causes rashes.
Click on the link in my signature, towards the bottom of the first post is a newbie question thread. He was having problems with razor burn/rash. I suggest that you take a quick read through it, you might learn some stuff. At the very least, it can't hurt. http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/another-noob-seeking-advice.29618/ Here's the link, just in case you are reading this on tapatalk.
Welcome to The Shave Den! You've been told wrong. Sorry. As long as you don't leave your brush soaking wet none of those things will be a problem.
Nice he seems to be a bit noobish and maybe just the way his hair is? If i put sudocreme on after i shave i get no rashes. I wont go against the grain the first 2 weeks and see how it is but i will try it once im use to the razor. That guy even said Feathers dont shave him good? I thought they were the sharpest? Also blades cant go rusty they are stainless steal? so a quick dry with the towel should be fine? I wont use anything other then water to clean my blades and once they look done for i will swap out? How long do blades normally last? Im hopeing to get atleast 2 weeks per blade if i can? Thanks for the tips
I wouldn't put it quite like that. His hair and skin type are part of his problems, yes. It takes about a month for one's face and skin to become accustomed to this new way of shaving. Even stainless steel can rust. A quick dry with a towel is fine, so is a quick rinse and shake. Once they feel done for you should swap out. Good luck with that. Most people get 5-7 shaves per blade. You're welcome.
Feathers are the sharpest blades out there. In fact, they are too sharp for some people. They also tend to dull faster than most other blades because of the keenness of their edges. For these reasons and more, they are not universally liked. I like them though.
Haha so ill use feathers when im doing something nice lol, they are also the most expensive maybe thats why people dont like them too Well i shave like 3 times per week? So 6 shaves will do me
Wow! Looks like your off to a great start with all the advice and a kit on the way!! So, all I'll say is welcome to the Den! Be sure to sign up for the January Newbie Give-Away.
Gotcha, thanks for the tip. I understand both sides of the argument and choose to err on the side of caution. While it may not be a problem to let your brush dry bristles up, it is definitely 100% not a problem to let it dry bristles down. If I'm going to invest $$ in a brush I'm going to take every step, even if it is a small one, to ensure longevity and function. If any research on the "net" is done you will find tips and suggestions like these: "Do I need a stand to hold my shaving brush with bristles facing down between use? I have heard both answers to this question, Yes and No. While it makes sense that a brush will last longer when excess water can drain out, I have also noticed that a well rinsed brush that is shaken of excess moisture does not have dripping water. However, a brush with the bristles facing down in a holder will provide you with the longest brush life. We feel a stand is especially beneficial for wood and metal handle brushes. " "How you place the brush depends on the brand: some prefer bristles up, others down. If the manufacturer does not say, you can set it either way. Just be sure NOT to store it in a closed, air-tight cabinet–it should have some air circulation to dry." "Wood handles can be a bit more problematic. It is not unusual to see a wood brush handle split down the side from top to bottom. This is most often due to moisture absorption and can be prevented by properly allowing the brush to drain and dry in a "bristle-downward" position after use. Painted-wood brush handles seem to be more prone to splitting than unpainted handles. Wood handles do offer the inherent beauty of the wood grain and the "natural material" factor that many prefer." "Many wet shavers have found little or no difference between hanging a brush on a stand or sitting the brush on its base. My personal preference is to use a stand because several manufacturers recommend it, and it obviously doesn't harm the brush. I usually allow the brush from my morning shave to hang on the stand throughout the day. This can be about 12 hours or until the brush is thoroughly dry." Like I said before, I personally would take the extra step of hang drying with bristles down, just because there are no downsides with a possible increase in durability. But that's a personal problem I have, always going to the extreme with things, obsessing, trying to eek out that extra bit of performance in everything. It drives my wife mad sometimes, but I don't blame her, I mean she did have to put up with an ugly hanger stand on the sink for a couple weeks.
