if you're not learning, you're dying ... or something like that, right? well, at 51+, i'm five shaves into learning how to wet shave with a DE safety razor.
before i got started, i tried to do at least a little research and get some decent middle-of-the-road (not too mild, not too agressive, fairly easy lather, etc.) starter gear without breaking the bank. this forum and youtube have been a BIG help. thanks to all who hang-out here from time-to-time and help us newbies along!
history
i was an electric guy during school years and probably a few years after college. since then, i've grown up during the evolution (2 to 3 to 4 to 5) of the multi-blade cartridge. most recently, i've been using the vibrating 5-blade fusion. for lots of years, i used foam from the can. the last handful of years, though, i've used a cake of williams in a mug with a burma red and creme brush (boar/synthetic?).
equipment
my DE starter gear consists of: EJDE89lbl, EJ best badger medium, proraso green soap, @TSD blade sampler, an old latte mug, ... and an old styptic pencil that i have used in quite a while. the DE89 has a nice weight and confidence to it. the proraso is really easy to lather into 'peaks'. the best badger does feel a bit 'floppy' to me. i'm not sure if i'm pressing too much or if it is that i'm used to a much more firm burma brush. regardless, i feel like i'm able to build a real good protective lather. the styptic ... well, it stings just like i remember ... ;-)
gettin started
in addition to the basics of the 30 day rule, i am also shaving every other day (to give the face a break and time to heal if needbe) and only using the blades for two shaves (to get to my 30-day blade as quickly as possible). i started with the astra sp, personna blue, and today was the wilkinson. i suppose i could have stopped with either the astra or the personna and went with it for 30 days. i just feel like i need to give a few of more of them a try to have some comparison. i think i'll at least try the gillette, voskhod, and 7am.
btw, i'm not sure if it was a monday (this morning) or poor technique (very possible) or the blade, but the wilkinson is history after one shot. i may or may not come back and try some different wilkinson blades down the road.
trouble spots
moles, moles, and more ... i have one close to each ear, one lower-cheek/side-chin, and one high cheekbone. i've tapped 'em all already! break out the tissue and styptic! in some ways, it feels like i just figured out how to maneuver around them successfully with the fusion. i guess it hasn't been as bad as i imagined though. most nicks have been done weeping by the time i'm done with the second pass. only a couple times have i had to break-out the styptic.
with those beginner details, this ends my first real post. as always, any suggestions, recommendations, etc. are always welcome! (especially about blade choice ... during these early days)
aug from indy
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