For years I used a cartridge to shave and I have tried them all, but my face always seemed to get nicked, cut and bled. The skin above my upper lip - moustache area - was always reddened and irritated. So for the past two years, I have shaved almost exclusively with a Braun electric shaver, the closest shave I ever have had from an electric device. Now I am ready to give the cream/razor a try again. After researching this and another forum, I decided to buy the following items: Godrej shaving cream Taylor of Old Bond Street Mr. Taylor shaving cream Tweezerman brush Is this a good start? Now I need a razor. In the past, regular razors (non-cartridge) always nicked my face. The best cartridge razors I've tried are Gillette's Sensor 3. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
That would be a fine, low cost starting kit. Have a look at the Shave School Master Sticky, it will have links to blade sampler packs and razor recommendations, not to mention some great video links as well.
I have the Godrej and the TOBS Mr. Taylor cream and they are each good choices.Godrej just flat works , it makes a rich lather. Mr. Taylor has a scent you'll enjoy, it made me get the cologne. From what I have read although the Tweezerman brush is good it becomes a liability the more you use it, therefore, I'd go with a best badger in the $40 range, its softer than pure and lathers just as well. Razor wise, I'd start with Merkur HD, can't beat it for ease of use , effectiveness and value for dollar. Good luck.
Thanks for the advice. Which Mekur HD do you recommend? I found a couple of different ones at Amazon.com: Merkur Model 38 Hd Classic "barber Pole" Long Safety Razor [ Merkur HD 34C, Chrome Plated: Merkur Model 178 Classic Safety Razor, Straight
Just a bit of warning though. Chances are as you start out, you are more than likely going to bleed and experience some discomfort. There is a learning curve invloved with DE shaving but it is plenty worth doing it. The more time you spend reading the noob sticky and watching the videos, the less blood and discomfort you will have though. Don't be put off by what I'm saying but remember that these require a little restraint in the beginning as opposed to cart shavers. After a few shaves though you'll have it down well enough to keep from having the kind of discomfort you got from carts. There are some of us who have been doing this for decades (not me, I'm rather new myself) that still bleed from time to time but wouldn't go back to save their cart razor for anything. Welcome to The Den!
The one that most start with is the 34c. Got mine from Amazon as well. Later I got it in gold, prettier. You might check out BullGoose , the shaving vendor. He has nice prices on razors,brushes and blades, has a sterling rep . He is a member here and is listed in the subforum for vendors.
I am also somewhat a noob, as I have only been DE shaving for about 3 months. IMHO I would also suggest gentle razors like a vintage Gillette 1940s Superspeed or Gillete Tech. I started with a Weishi, which is a razor made in China, and based on older Gillette razors. The gentle razor allows you to learn the basics such as angle and no pressure without exposing a lot of blade to face. As mentioned I am newer to this so please watch the videos, read the threads, and absorb as much as possible from the wealth of knowledge here. Good Luck and Welcome to the Den!
Thanks for all the replies guys. I used TOBS Mr. Taylor for the first time yesterday. Wow! What a great lather and smell! I was forced to use a cartridge, though, since I have not yet received the DE blades or razor. It worked OK, although I had more nicks and bleeding than usual. I'll have to review the videos more carefully and keep trying.
You might be a noob (maybe - you're coming along pretty quick from what I read), but those are really good razors you recommend. I'm personally a fan of vintage razors over the new stuff, but YMMV as we say. For a first vintage the two you recommended of any of the adjustable razors would work well. I'd add to anyone who gets an adjustable to set it at a fairly mild setting (3 is good place to start IMO) and not mess with the setting for a couple weeks while they learn technique.
Are either of the Gillette razors you recommended above,(vintage Gillette 1940s Superspeed or Gillete Tech) adjustable? Also, does it matter which Gillette Tech razor you get? I see different models and years on eBay, like Gillette Tech; Travel Tech, Tech 3, pre-1950's; 1973, etc.?? If not, would you or someone else recommend an adjustable DE razor for a noob? My main concern is a mild, forgiving shaver to avoid shaver burn and cuts as much as possible. Thanks!
