Welcome to TSD @kjbarth! Many of us are recent Cartridge Converts striving for a better shave. If you care to share, tell us a little about your Shave Journey? Do you have a favorite set up?
Well @RyX, I'll try not to make this too long. I'm a big guy with baby sensitive skin and thick wiry hair and facial hair. Used to shave with TracII then Atra but every other day due to irritation and found that I clogged the cartridges with my whiskers and banging the razor on the side of the sink to dislodge the whiskers also seemed to sometimes move the blades which caused some other problems. So I changed to straight razors which I like and collect (have over 300) and hone and restore. A few weeks ago I found a lot of razors at auction that included several different types. I was interested in 1 particular straight (9/8 Wade & Butcher FBU) razor and the cost for the lot was less than the normal cost for just this one razor in it's present condition so I bought the whole lot. I didn't know it at the time, but the lot included a 1959 Gillette Fatboy and a 1938 - 40's Gillette Tech both in really good condition (some easily removed soap scum). This got me into researching vintage DE razors and trying to collect some Gillette pieces, (born in 1960 so I've grabbed some 1960 F4 fatboys and a redtip) and has also led me to some researching/learning (very recently) about older single edge wedge blade razors like Heljestrand, Wilkinson, Kampfe, Henckels, L'Essor, etc. Items I purchase I expect to be able to use so I want to learn how to set up and maintain and or fix these items. My favorite setup is: Baume.Be pre-shave gel, Baume.Be shaving cream in my Karen Goldberg shaving scuttle, hot water in lower chamber, Simpson Chubby 2 best badger, or a Plisson pure badger, Iwasaki Tamahagane 6/8 or Tim Zowada damascus 6/8, Tony Miller strop, shave in 2 or 3 passes, Baume.Be aftershave balm. Oh, and I'm trying to join the Jayaruh Owners Club @Jayaruh (if I'm allowed).....