Hi! It's great to be here. I found the place as I've been using a plastic TTO feather for a while now after liberating myself from overpriced multi-blade monstrosities. Turns out I've been doing DE shaving all wrong, using canned lather and a razor so light that pressure is necessary. I'm hoping to step up to something nicer soon, maybe a Merkur 34c, and the reading I've already done here has helped a lot! I hope to make a decision soon and really get into the splendor that is wet shaving.
Welcome to the Den! You'll soon receive a lot of advice and opinions, so I'll start with my own. First, you are correct in your observations. You can do a lot better than canned goo, and you definitely don't want to apply pressure. I switched to a brush and soap before making the plunge with a double edge razor, starting out with a Van Der Hagen brush, bowl, and soap set from Walmert. Later, my wife bought me an Edwin Jagger 8911 razor, and I haven't looked back. Since then, I've picked up another brush, a Semogue 1305, 3 vintage razors (actually just picked up a 4th while on vacation), and have tried numerous creams and soaps. Enjoy the journey!
I hear you about the pressure, and everything I read keeps saying "NO PRESSURE!" but this razor requires several passes otherwise even with notoriously sharp Feather blades. I'm hoping something adjustable might be a better way to dip my toe in. I'm already prepared to build more shelves in my bathroom just for shaving gear!
For a moment there, I thought you were wearing a Star Fleet red shirt in your avi and thought, "He's doomed, Jim." Glad to see you'll survive. Welcome to the Den!
Welcome to the Den from a fellow Oklahoman. I'm just outside of Tulsa. Enjoy your stay here and Happy Shaving!
Welcome to the Den! All DE razors require several passes to complete your shave. DE razors are all about beard reduction. If you attempt to achieve a baby butt smooth with 1 pass using a very aggressive razor or an adjustable you will most likely leave some of your face in the sink.
to TSD Raktageno.........I hope you enjoy it here...... I see your already getting some AD's I have a Merkur 34C and it is a nice razor..You may also want to consider an Edward Jagger 89 however, I also own one of those. I.M.O. the two razors are comparible out the box as far as price, shaving preformance, materials used to make them(both shave heads are made of pot metal) and both have good workmanship... I finally chose the EJ89 (3 piece) over the Merkur34C (2 piece) because the EJ gives you the ability to change handles so you can try different lengths,weights and knurling patterns...You also might want to search ebay for a vintage razor....You can many times get good deals on ebay for all types of razors(2&3 piece,Adjustable, SE, Injector etc.) A Gillette Fat handle tech is a wonderful 3 piece shaver and they can still be found for not too much money on ebay.. You should also consider getting a large blade sample pack..The more blades you can try the better, as different blades sometimes work differently in different razors..
