Hi, I am new to this site and I just wanted to say hello. I have developed an interest in DE shaving and am expecting my first razor (a flare tip super speed) via FedEx today. Since I haven't even attempted a shave with one of these razors yet, I look forward to making use of the wisdom of the grizzled veterans on this site to ease my transition into real shaving.
Welcome aboard. There is a wealth of knowledge available here. The flare tip is a good choice for a first razor. It's easy to use, performs well, and will last a lifetime. Use a light touch, concentrate more on getting your technique down than on getting a perfectly smooth shave, and keep patient and you'll do just fine. What other gear are you planning on using with your newly acquired flare tip?
I have a whipped dog 20mm silver tip brush coming as well and some C.O. Bigelow cream. I don't have any pre or post shave stuff. What would you suggest?
The Whipped Dog brushes are an excellent first choice. If you need something to get by with until all of that arrives, then head over to WalMart, most of them have the Van Der Hagen Premium shave kits for about $9. It comes with a puck of Van Der Hagen Deluxe soap (great stuff), a basic boar brush (not a great brush, but it works well enough once it's broken in), and a lather bowl. C.O. Bigelow is great cream. If you have a Bath & Body Works you can buy it there too. I don't really use any pre shave stuff. For after shave, witch hazel works well and is readily available at most drug stores. A good alum block is also a great, low cost way to go. Alum can be found at many Indian or Asian grocery stores, but SAL alum is my personal favorite (large quantity, good design, and comes with a case). It can be bought from Connaught shaving, which is based in the UK, but they have excellent prices and fast shipping. http://www.connaughtshaving.com/allumblock.html
. Here's a thread from the preshave and aftershave subforum on alternatives to store-bought preshave oils: http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/pre-shave-alternatives.33886/#post-593991
to TSD mce...............I hope you enjoy it here...... The Flair Tip SuperSpeed is a nice razor, but only time and a little experimentation will let you know if its the razor for you...I would suggest getting a large blade sampler pack, the more blades you can try the better and different blades can work differently in different razors....Just remember Time,Technique,Practice and Patience are keys to a good shave.....
to the Den! Nice choice of razors for your first one. For your pre-shave make sure you get your beard good and moist. I suggest taking a shower first. Lather up good and do NOT apply pressure to the razor. Let the weight of the razor do the work. Short strokes. You may not want to shave against the grain your first time. Rinse with very cold water when your done.
Welcome to TSD!!! Sounds like you have a pretty great set up going. I second the Homemade PSO route (Inexpensive and easy to make). Maybe a soap to try along with the cream? Tabac or MWF...
Welcome to TSD! For pre-shave, I just use a glycerin face wash like Nivea menthol and leave it on for a few minutes while I make my lather. It softens up the whiskers nicely.
Welcome to TSD. For pre-shave, I either use Gillette face wash for sensitive skin or some homemade pre-shave oil (recipe is on this site). After shave varies between Old Spice, Pinaud, Nivea.
Welcome, nice to have you here. If you have a Body Shop near you, I suggest going there too. They sell the Maca Root shave cream. It works great with or without a brush.
And here's the recipe ---> *click here* As you read through you'll see some folks have modified, self included, but I wouldn't have gotten there without Sara's original ideas. Thanks again, Sara!
