I grew up in a middle-low family in a third world country, and when I started shaving I shared the disposable Gillette with my dad, we used to use them a whole week and then get a new one, I always got rashes in my face. When I was 17 my great-uncle bought a raffle ticket from me and won, I was in charge of taking the price to him (a goods basket where I spotted an aluminum handle Gillette's Mach3) and in the way, against all my values I stole the Mach3 and told my mom and dad my great-uncle gave it to me. I had no way to buy refills, so I used those MFs for months !!!! rashes were common for me by then, every now and then I was able to get a new refill (I even tried to steal one in a super market once ). I graduated college. Now, with a good salary I started getting the refills and using them only once ... but the rashes were still a thing. I tried everything, machines, different reusable/disposable brands and nothing worked ... I resolved to use a beard (which was good, women liked it, but not all of them), and shave every 2 months to keep it from making me look homeless. At 35 I got a security razor, just to try ... and I liked it, rashes went down by a lot, and those refills are reaaaaally cheap, but somehow I didn't like the feeling, I had to trim my beard down first, and hair sticks in there easily ... but so far, was the best option. Im 40 now, and TODAY I tried a shavette for the first time in my life !!! WHY NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS BEFORE?????????? how is it possible that as a society we went from straight razors to something else???? (I mean, I understand shavettes, not everyone is able to sharpen properly) but it makes NO SENSE, ONE PASS and was DONE (a few cuts, but it was my first try give me a break). I have carried that stolen Mach3 and that refill steal try all my life in my mind, I can't forget it, and it could have been avoided JUST with someone teaching me about shavettes !! it's cheap (I paid $12 for this one and it came with 100 blades), refills are cheap, and I still want to wait for Tomorrow to judge, but I feel my face like I never did before. I feel cheated !!! Also, I'll use this thing for a year or so, then I think I'll try a cheap/mid-range straight razor when I feel ready to learn sharpening (I have a feeling I suck at it), otherwise I'll stick to this, but .. do you have a recommendation for someone like me? any other advice for begginers? (I JUST joined the forum, I felt I needed to tell someone about this, I promise I'll surf the forum soon, sorry if messages like this one are posted everyday and I came to repeat it) Teach people around you about shavettes and straight razors please !!
That's quite a background story! I can understand how you feel, regretting things we did as kids that go against our values. Sometimes, violating those values and the guilty feeling connected to it is what solidifies the value in our core. "I will never do that again!" Welcome to the Rediscovered Old World! The conversations are pleasant, the drinks are cold, and the shaves are out of this world! Take your time with each step, you will only get better and better with practice. When you're ready to move on to your next stage, you'll know. It will become an irresistible impulse. Once you start down this road, there really is no going back. You can't experience a real shave and ever settle for anything less ever again. Most of us wouldn't have it any other way! Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
Very interesting experience. Most of us got into the vintage style of shaving because of horrible rashes, and ingrown hair, caused by the disposable razors. You seem to have a lot of guilt thrown in with that. If it were me, I would relieve myself of the guilt, tell your family, and either give the Mach 3 handle back to the rightful owner, or family. I am sure they will understand. Now, for the next progression, in your shaving evolution, you can advance up to a true Straight Razor. Once you master a Shavette, advancing to a Straight Razor will be easy. The shaves and comfort level will be even better. But, be very careful, those Shavettes are very unforgiving, and can slice you fast. A true Straight Razor might be easier to learn on, if the Shavette becomes difficult.
Welcome to the forum. Take your time learning to use a shavette. It’s easier than you think to give yourself a cut that will require stitches. Short straight strokes are a good idea.
One word: speed. This whole mess started with the Trac II "Lift-n-Cut" cartridge razor. It was the first razor that gave a passably smooth, single pass against the grain shave. With a can of Gillette Foamy in hand, you could shave in about three minutes. A big advantage for a man in a hurry-the 50's were long gone and wives didn't do everything for you like they used to. The price for that speed was ingrown hairs, razor bumps (what you call a rash) and general irritation. It worked fine if you were a northern or Eastern European with a light beard that grew straight. Probably the majority of Men in North America in the 1970's. For everybody else it was a disaster.
@Bernal Murillo I am guessing that you didn’t have internet access when you were learning to shave. (I don’t know your age, so I don’t know if it existed then.) If you had, you’d have learned of this much sooner. That, unfortunately, is something you can’t undo. All you can do is move forward (and, if possible, make restitution for the stolen razor.) As to shavettes, I am just learning those myself. I have learned that you can get a super-close shave. The parts that require some learning and practice are; 1)finding a comfortable grip on the razor and 2)maintaining a very shallow angle when you shave. I will also ask now, what is your process of preparing to shave. For instance, do you use any pre-shave balm or oil, shave foam from a can, shave soap & brush? All of these things can also affect the quality of your shave.
Yes, it's easy to look back and find defining moments in our life, values are created that way. I have a strict no steal rule for me, and not only objects, I dont like to steal moments, experiences, time, emotions and others from family, friends, coworkers, employers, etc. Thanks for the warm welcome. I didn't know who to talk to about that revealing shave, came to the internet and found this forum, which coincidentally is the kind of forums I like. I'll stick around and read more, for sure.
That guilt is there, wont be spared, my great-uncle died several years ago, that mach3 was thrown away a long time ago too and my family knows about this incident ... there's nothing wrong remembering that incident as far as I can tell, it was a learning experience that luckily for me, had no bigger consequences for involved people. Im in peace with it now. I was just recalling those memories in relation to my shaving experiences in life, and how I went to low levels to try and get a shaving experience like the one I had Yesterday, feels like it was so close and I tried everything in the wrong directions. I'll continue with the shavette for some time, once I master it I'll define what's next, for now, Im as happy as I can be with it, the experience was awesome !
Yeah, I noticed ! it was kind of scary, but at the same time, for some reason, I felt I knew what to do, and just did it. I have plenty to learn, but I'm eager to learn more
Yes ! that's what I think. Im latino and I have thick hair and a prominent beard, I always look at those shaving ads cutting against the grain and I feel that's just an impossible lie "no one can shave like that ... right?" but Yesterday after the experience I went to youtube and saw people doing it with shavettes, but I noticed their beards are lighter ... maybe that's why. Or maybe Im doing it wrong and I can do it ... we'll see
I too have a heavy beard, and going Against The Grain(ATG), is no big deal. Just make the ATG pass the last pass, not the first. But, I've never been a fan of the Shavette, and do not have much experience with them, to many "slice and dice" shaves. I do have many years of Straight Razor, and Double Edge razor experience though.
Ha! no, Im 40 and I live in Costa Rica ... when I started shaving Internet was not a thing for me. I agree with both your points ... most of the time I felt good with the grip I used, but in some positions/places it was harder to maintain and those are the places where I cut myself. I didn't know about the angle, I saw it after the fact, when I checked YouTube and everyone was talking about the 30 degrees angle ... I have no idea how to calculate that one, and how to maintain it, but I guess it will come natural. Regarding the process ... that's a good point. I usually take a bath first, and wash my beard/face with Dove soap and hot water. I got soap and a brush with my security razor, so I get foam of out the soap with the brush and apply it the best I can. Then I start shaving. The shaving process per se changed a little bit Yesterday, I did all the surfaces that I felt were easier and then moved to the harder ones. Im sure there's a better way, but that's why Im here. I'll try to find what's the recommendation for a thick beard like mine, Im sure this has been discussed several times around this forum. This are my tools so far. Any recommendation on brands or qualities is welcome
A very slick soap is a must. Anything made by "Stirling Soaps" is going to be very well made, and they smell good too. Not too costly. If money is not a big deal, The Art Of Shaving(AOS) creams, are excellent. Their stores are discontinued, so eBay and Amazon are the only choice for AOS creams. .
Yes, I figured there should be a way to go ATG for me, how many passes does it take for you to get a clean shave? The only thing I have against the Straight Razors is sharpening ... As I see my options I can get a cheap one to try it out, that will be a disappointment for sure. Or I get a more expensive one and then I find out I suck at sharpening, so I keep getting tools to try it and realize I better go back to shavette or security razors and all of this was wasted money. What would you recommend ?
Stirling Soaps, their webpage "SMELLS" manly hahaha, I'll try to get products from them in here. Thanks for the recommendation.
Cheap is no good, but inexpensive is fine. A quality Vintage Straight razor can be had for under $20, online. Then, send it out to @gssixgun , or one of the other Honemeisters, for a good Professional Honing session. All you need is a $30 Illinois Strop to maintain it.
