Good afternoon, ladies and gents!

Hello to everyone at TSD! I've spent the majority of my morning reading stickies and posts and can gladly say, I'm happy to be in the presence of such knowledgeable experience and kind, warm-hearted people. I'm lucky to have found TSD. I've been enthralled by straight razors since I was a kid, but only recently discovered how good DE's are supposed to be. Now I'm very interested in safety razors, moreso than straights, which is a shock to me! I've watched tons of videos, including all of Manic59's excellent videos. I've read a ton of great info here as well. I don't have any equipment yet, aside from a dollar store shave brush, shave soap from Wal-Mart and a small bowl. Currently shaving with a cartridge until I can afford my own DE. (Hopefully soon!) Just from my change from shave gel to soap, I have noticed a huge improvement in my shave and REALLY enjoy the ritual. Thank you all for the great info, and the awesome place to "hang out".

Also, if anyone wants to recommend a list of hardware and software for a noob, I'd be happy to read! Thanks again and God bless!

 

Sorry, should be "Mantic59".

 

Welcome, nice to have you here.

 

Welcome! I'll leave the advice to the more experienced voices here, but I really like shaving with my vintage razors. They're mostly inexpensive and not hard to find. It seems that a Gillette Super Speed or Tech are super easy to start with. Good luck!

 

Welcome to the Den!


(all in good fun, but I couldn't resist with your aviators in your avi....)

 

Welcome to The Den! There are some very affordable vintage 3 piece and TTO Gillettes on EBay.

 

It's ok, I get it all the time. I only used them for the picture though! I swear!

 

Welcome to The Shave Den!

 

Welcome aboard!

 

Howdy.

 

Hi! Welcome to the Den.

And don't worry about Rich. He's harmless, unless you try to take away his herring.

 

to TSD County Mounty.........I hope you enjoy it here.....

As to a list of shave stuff and/or advice, just remember any list or advice we give you is very specific to the person giving the info and is always a "YMMV" kind of thing.... "WE" love to give advice around here ....Also remember most all hardwear and/or software will work, it's just a question of whether a particular product will work for you or not... Finding that out is the "FUN" part of this hobby/lifestyle....

 

Welcome to the Den!

 

Good point, bplatoon. I am really enjoying everything about this stuff, and love to hear about new things to look into. And I probably should have said in my original post, good value or inexpensive hardware/software. That's my mistake for leaving that out. Like I said, I'll have to save up for anything I get, but it makes it that much better when I finally see the hard work come to fruition. And few things are as rewarding as a close shave.

 

Welcome! Glad to have you here.

 

Welcome!
Here are my thoughts on 'the list'….
Going from cartridge to DE shaving? This is a boat many of the folks here have been in—and many still are. I would start looking at some of the nicer and affordable razors that are available today to get your feet wet.
On ebay and elsewhere—such as shave forums buy & sell—you will find some quality vintage Gillettes (NEWs & Techs, for example, plus some Super speeds) that excel at providing a good, yet mild wet-shave. They are usually priced reasonably (less than $20 for a good number of the models).
Blades—A very subjective topic as to the 'best' blade, but most are relatively inexpensive, so feel free to try a variety. The Variety packs (check the TSD store) are a good way to sample different makes. Some recommend avoiding the extra sharp varieties (Feather, Personna Meds & the like) when just starting DE wet-shaving and I'm inclined to agree with that suggestion.
Brush: Get a decent Omega boar brush (less than $15); some folks like the Van Der Hagen (VDH) brushes you find at the local drug store (very inexpensive!), and although not the best quality, they are firm enough to do the job.
Soaps & Creams: Pretty much ANY good shave soap or cream will beat the canned gels and foams. Creams lather easier and may be a good choice for newbies. Soaps can be a bit more challenging, but if you're up for it, you'll be rewarded with a lather that far exceeds anything out of a can.

Okay, that's probably more than enough from me.
There are plenty of experienced voices here who are willing to share a wealth of shaving knowledge!
Glad you're here!

 

Welcome enjoy the ride