Hey guys.. Been reading all day, so I figured I would join up and introduce myself. I'm James, in college in NC. I used to go down to an old school barbershop to get shaved and was always fascinated by it. However, when I went off to college I no longer had time to go and needed to save moneys. But for Christmas this year, the lady friend got me an AoS starter kit and my interest has been reignited. I currently use disposable razors with a somewhat fixed head (hate the new modern carts that have the pivoting head). So here's my question: should I look into the bumpfighter razor with the trac ii set up, or jump straight into a DE (if so, which one!?)? I'd love to eventually get into using a straight razor, but figured it best to start small and work my way up. What do you guys suggest? Thanks again - there's a lot of cool and interesting stuff on this forum
I use the Bump Fighter handle and Personna Trac II carts for airline travel when I have to take only a carry-on. It works pretty well and it's a relatively inexpensive way to get a decent comfortable shave. Better than a Fusion for me and much less expensive. It sounds like you're interested in trying a DE and there are lots of great choices for you to pick from. If you want to go with a vintage DE, I'll just throw out the Gillette Tech as a great starter. If you want to get a new razor, I think one of the most popular lately has been the Edwin Jagger DE89. Those certainly aren't the only choices though and I'm sure some folks will throw others out there. Welcome to the Den!
Thanks for the quick replies guys! Brian, are these the carts you're using: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002A6KFI4/?tag=thshde-20
Hey!!! Welcome to the den.. I went with the Edwin Jagger DE89. A solid razor, very forgiving and priced right. And if you wanted to go old school, any one of Gillette's TTO super speeds are very good. Again welcome to the den..
to TSD James........I hope you enjoy it here....... As to your post...I used a "Trac2"(w/original handle) for over 30 miserable years, I started using the "Bump Fighter" about a year or so before making the move to DE and "traditional" shaving, the "Bump Fighter" is I.M.O. definately "MUCH" better if you intend to continue using carts.. However again I.M.O. there is no reason not to start "traditional" shaving immediately..All you need is a little equipment and instruction(mantic59 video's are a great place to start)..There is a slight learning curve with DE,SE and Injector,a tiny amount of practice is needed, so the sooner you start the sooner you will begin to get the "BEST" shaves of you life... There is no advantage to using DE/SE before going to Straights..However Straights require more equipment and the learning curve is steeper and longer... As for DE/SE equipment I got AD in the beginning so I now own way over 100 razors.. Most will work, but unfortunately the only way to truly know if a safety razor fits you is to try it. I'm cheap so I tried to start cheap and work my way up... One thing you will definately want and will have to order online, is as large a blade sample pack as you can afford. The more different blades you can try the better... Most everything you'll need as far as pre/post shave,soap/cream,aftershave etc you'll be able to find locally(some expensive some not)...These are some inexpensive local products I use: Corn Huskers Lotion as a preshave( works like Jack Black and Proraso for me,but a "TON" cheaper)... Nivea post shave balm Van der Hagan Delux shave soap or C.O. Bigalow cream Old time favorite aftershaves; Aqua Velva,Mennen,Clubman,Old Spice Since you have a starter kit already(by the way AoS makes some good stuff,but they are rather over priced I.M.O.) all you really need is a decent razor at this point. My suggestions and these are all razors I've used and most worked well for me, 3 piece razors: Weber DLC,EJ89, vintage Gillette Fat Handle Tech..My current razor is a Weber DLC which is made of stainless, while I.M.O. its the best deal around for a well made stainless razor you may want to start cheaper. For me the Weber shave is comprable to the EJ89. The Tech is well made,mild and can still be found for afforable price,but you may need to hunt ebay a bit for one. TTO: Feather Popular Vintage Gillette, SuperSpeed and Aristocrat(my favorite) Theses are just a few choices to get you started on your hunt, but there are many more..Remember with everything shaving "YMMV".....If you have any questions feel free to ask....Good luck and keep us informed of how it goes...
Lots of great advice so far, so I'll just say... Welcome to the Den! Be sure to sign up for the December Newbie Give-Away.
Welcome James! Glad you found us. Really no need to delay DE shaving. To begin with new the Edwin Jagger de89 and Merkur 34C are most often recommended for good reason. Vintage a Gillette Tech or Super Speed would both be a good start. All these are somewhat on the mild side and relatively easy to master. Soaps and after shaves and styptic pencils/alum blocks can be found at Walgreens, a Dollar store, Walmart & etc.
Thanks for all the great info in this post. I've had my eyes on eBay the past couple of days trying to find a vintage SuperSpeed. Any recommendations on a specific year? According to Mantic59 the best ones are late 40s-mid 50s. The prices are pretty much all over the place, any recommendations on what the most I should spend is? Looks like most are going for around $20-$30, but there are a couple up there for well over $500. Thanks again! Looks like I'll try and pick up a DE89 or 34C and keep my eyes open for a nice vintage for the right price.
I think with patience you'll be able to find a 40's style Super Speed for $15 or less. I've found a few in pretty good shape for under $10 in the past year on eBay. But you won't go wrong with one of the new razors and the prices aren't too bad. I've heard DE89's can be found under $30 if you look around and they're worth every penny. Definitely find a blade sampler too. Blades can make a big difference. If you need some recommendations for where to look, there are lots of places. Here are just a few: Right here at the Shave Den shop - just click on Support TSD at the top ^ Bullgooseshaving.com Westcoastshaving.com
If you use a disposable with a fixed head then you are well on your way!! Not much I can add to the great advice already given!! Welcome to the Den!!
Thanks, you guys are awesome! Just picked up a bump fighter from CVS to hold me over until I do more research and purchase a DE.
Well I wouldn't pay anywhere close to $100 for a SuperSpeed,they are nice razors, but they are still fairly plentiful...While the early models(40's style) are supposed to be more aggressive than later models(Flairtips) all the SS's I've used pretty much shave the same except for the Red Tip SS it felt more aggressive to me....If your leaning towards a vintage TTO you may want to research the Gillette "Aristocrat" also...It's like a heavier(BullDog) version of the SS. I personally like the Aristocrat more than the SS and you should be able to get a good one for $50 maybe less.. Vintage prices are all over the place and most sellers don't know what they are selling and what a fair price is, so don't be afraid to negotiate and make offers...It's been a while since I bought a SuperSpeed and $20-30 maybe a fair price and it wouldn't neccesarily bother me to pay that,but I'd try for cheaper if possible...You may also want to look into Weishi and Parker TTO's made in China and India , same basic design as Gillette, not as well made I.M.O. however they are new and inexpenisve and can help you set a price point...Check out reviews some people really like them and some not so much.. Ebay is a crap shoot it's just the nature of the beast, so generally the more time you spend, questions you ask and the more you hunt you get a better feel for prices and a potentially better deal..Antique stores,flea markets and sometimes garage sales are also good places to look if you have any close by.... And if I haven't confused you enough yet, there are also 3 piece razors(my personal favorite)..The Gillette "Fat Handle" and "Ball End handle" tech's are quality razors, inexpensive and shave comparable to the SS's...There seems to be more of a selection of new 3 piece safety razors than TTO? Some brand names for new 3 piece razors: Weber, iKon, Edwin Jagger, Muhle, Merkur, Sabi, Cadet, Parker..... just to name a small selection. I hope I haven't confused you too much, I know its alot to take in, you just need to take time, do your research and like you are now doing ask ALOT of questions....
Welcome friend. Check out Lees safety razors and get yourself a top shelf Edwin Jagger, nothing like a brand new perfect quality tool to start out with. once you get going you can leisurly begin the hunt for the perfect vintage at a perfect price. Also Lees has been known for (aside from impeckable personal service) throwing in a few packs of blades for you to try for free.
Welcome, nice to have you here. Another piece of advice on vintage razors... think twice about passing up a vintage razor if it looks grimy. Most vintage razors will clean up pretty well using Scrubbing Bubbles and an old toothbrush. Even simple dish soap will do the trick.
