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Post by Crusty Ruffles on Dec 17, 2012 19:21:28 GMT -5
Admittedly, you guys inspired me back in the too expensive thread. I had some money on a gift card burning a hole in my digital pocket and I ordered up my first safety razor: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NL0T1G/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00I'm looking forward to giving it a whirl once it gets here. Anyone else have one? Penny for your thoughts on the whole experience.
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Post by eDemento2099 on Dec 18, 2012 9:58:23 GMT -5
I acquired my first safety razor in late November. I read reviews on several models before buying mine, and I remember reading good things about the Merkur model that was being sold new at a local shave shop. I ended up buying an old, antique safety razor, mainly because the one I went after is legendary for its performance and construction.
Using safety razors to shave with double edge (DE) blades is wayyyyyy better than using cartridge-based razors (or disposable razors). Yes, you get fewer blades, but no one needs more than one blade. In fact, you're better off having only one blade since hairs can't get caught between blades as easily and you won't feel the whiskers on your face being pulled.
So you'll need to buy some DE blades. You will save a lot of money if you buy in bulk, but you should try as many brands as possible to see which kind suits you best. Most DE blades will last you at least 5-6 shaves before they start to go dull. I've heard that Feather blades are among the very best, but so far the only brand I've tried (because I'm still very new to using DE blades) is Derby, which does a fine job.
Unless you want to buy a sampler pack (to try a bunch of different brands), I suggest researching some of the better DE blade brands and buying 100 or 1,000 blades. I paid about $13 to have 100 DE blades shipped.
You should invest in a badger brush, which not only lets you apply shaving soap to your face, but eases the shaving process by 'tickling' your face so the hairs stand up. You don't need an expensive brush to accomplish this; the more expensive models simply have more badger hairs per brush.
Buying shaving soaps is supposed to be better than buying the chemical shaving creams that cartridge shavers are used to using, but I have yet to try them.
Here's a tip for getting the maximum life out of DE blades: As soon as you are done shaving, remove the blade from the razor, rinse the hairs off under flowing water, and then immediately blot the DE blade dry with a towel. Leaving blades wet/moist causes the steel to corrode, making them less sharp and thus less effective.
If your safety razor is adjustable (meaning it has a dial to adjust the angle at which the blade comes into contact with your skin), start at the lowest setting and work your way up to a point you're comfortable with. DO NOT start at the highest setting unless you want to look and feel like you walked out of Tournament of Death.
Good luck!
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Post by Bone Daddy on Dec 18, 2012 10:26:01 GMT -5
Just throwing this out there, but that seems really expensive for a safety razor. I'm sure it's awesome, but can anyone recommend a cheaper model?
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Post by Drillbit Taylor on Dec 18, 2012 11:47:30 GMT -5
Also would add a Styptic Pencil too. They are cheap and they help stop the blood flow extremely fast incase you nick yourself. But you can get those if you look around much cheaper than if you go online.
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Post by "Gentleman" AJ Powell on Dec 18, 2012 12:43:49 GMT -5
I've got a Gilette Fusion Pro Glide. It's pretty awesome, had it for nearly a year and never cut myself, and I've only had to change the blade once.
And on top of that, I liked the Gilette FB page, and because it was within a year of my 18th, they sent me another one for free!
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Post by Crusty Ruffles on Dec 18, 2012 23:21:53 GMT -5
The Fusion Pro Glide is actually what I'm switching from. Hands down the best cartridge I've used, but it's still not as good as I'd hope.
ED, thanks for all the tips. I really appreciate it. I know my razor is coming with a Merkur blade, so I'll start there. I also got a 10 pack of Wilkinson Sword at Walmart for like $1.20 to give those a try, but I'll definitely be moving to bulk pick ups once I find something. I heard good on Feather and Derby, too. I believe Amazon has a 100 pack of Derby for about $7, so I may sample them next.
Riley, I've seen some razors on Amazon for about $10-$20 on the low end. They're not too hard to find. Or you could always go to The Art of Shaving and grab one of the $150 ones they have ;D
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Post by Munkie91087 on Dec 18, 2012 23:25:29 GMT -5
I only shave my head and I'd be terrified to use a safety razor on there.
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Post by britishbulldog on Dec 19, 2012 0:14:09 GMT -5
I used to use a straight blades. Miss that thing, but damn can you hurt yourself.
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Post by eDemento2099 on Dec 19, 2012 4:28:12 GMT -5
I used to use a straight blades. Miss that thing, but damn can you hurt yourself. Used to? Why did you stop? I seriously considered getting a straight razor instead of a safety razor, but I wanted to switch from electric shavers to something better in time for starting a new job, and didn't expect to master the art of honing and stroping straight razor blades in time for said job, so I went with a safety razor.
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Post by eDemento2099 on Dec 19, 2012 4:35:59 GMT -5
Just throwing this out there, but that seems really expensive for a safety razor. I'm sure it's awesome, but can anyone recommend a cheaper model? Expensive? Not if it was built to last like my antique safety razor, which was made in the mid-1960s. The fact that it came with DE blades and spares the buyer the labour of sterilizing it (because it's brand new) is another plus, so I think the OP paid a reasonable price for a highly-rated safety razor. I saw a new Dorco safety razor for $15. While Dorco's DE blades are said to be decent (or a little better than decent), the razor itself was not adjustable and reviewers said they could not achieve a very close shave, even when they switched to another company's DE blades. Unless you have connections or have already been using safety razors for a while, I wouldn't expect to spend less than $25 on your first safety razor if you want a model you intend to keep. Yes, the razor may be a bit of an investment, but DE blades are very cheap when you buy them in bulk (eBay is a good place to look for them), so in the long run, shaving with safety razors is much cheaper (not to mention more effective) than shaving using cartridge razor heads. Your investment will pay for itself with the course of a year if you consider how much you'd pay to buy replacement cartridges.
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BHB
Hank Scorpio
Posts: 5,778
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Post by BHB on Dec 19, 2012 7:24:25 GMT -5
I've always wanted to try one but I'm too scared. Normal razors tend to give irritate my skin.
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Post by Munkie91087 on Dec 19, 2012 15:11:33 GMT -5
I didn't realize this board was so full of shaving hipsters.
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Post by "Gentleman" AJ Powell on Dec 19, 2012 15:31:00 GMT -5
I didn't realize this board was so full of shaving hipsters. f*** yo electricity! Man power all the way!
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Push R Truth
Patti Mayonnaise
Unique and Special Snowflake, and a pants-less heathen.
Perpetually Constipated
Posts: 39,281
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Post by Push R Truth on Dec 19, 2012 15:39:12 GMT -5
I just set my phaser to Shave and blast away
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Post by Crusty Ruffles on Dec 20, 2012 2:15:18 GMT -5
Got mine in the mail today and had a go. Man...I'm never going to use a cartridge razor again. This thing easily gave me the best shave I've had that I can remember. Not a real big learning curve and no bloodshed. Zero irritation, and that was carving about two weeks worth of growth off. Just for fun, I even tried the old Gillette on the upper lip and it felt like I was plucking hairs.
Hipsters: Unite! This is very much the way to go.
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Post by Drillbit Taylor on Dec 20, 2012 2:17:06 GMT -5
I didn't realize this board was so full of shaving hipsters. I see it less Hipster and more Manly.
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Post by Munkie91087 on Dec 20, 2012 2:19:33 GMT -5
I didn't realize this board was so full of shaving hipsters. I see it less Hipster and more Manly. Real men have beards. We don't need to shave!
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Post by Drillbit Taylor on Dec 20, 2012 2:23:44 GMT -5
I see it less Hipster and more Manly. Real men have beards. We don't need to shave! You can have both. Clean the edges up and the neck.
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Post by eDemento2099 on Dec 20, 2012 6:29:06 GMT -5
Got mine in the mail today and had a go. Man...I'm never going to use a cartridge razor again. This thing easily gave me the best shave I've had that I can remember. Not a real big learning curve and no bloodshed. Zero irritation, and that was carving about two weeks worth of growth off. Just for fun, I even tried the old Gillette on the upper lip and it felt like I was plucking hairs. Hipsters: Unite! This is very much the way to go. Glad to hear it works well! Did you use a badger brush and/or special shaving soap, or did you simply spread chemical shaving cream from a can onto your face with your hands?
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Post by Crusty Ruffles on Dec 20, 2012 16:53:13 GMT -5
I actually started out with this: www.amazon.com/Van-Der-Hagen-Premium-Shave/dp/B001A3HPT0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1356039586&sr=8-4&keywords=shaving+kitI was able to pick it up at a local place for about $6. Figured it'd at least get me started and was a minimal investment until I knew I was going to stick with this razor. Worked out pretty well, actually. I don't have much faith in the brush lasting for the long haul, so a badger hair brush is very much on the horizon. I used the soap that came with it. The soap has a nice smell and I was able to get a very good lather with minimal effort. I'm going to look around, but I think soaps will be the way to go for me. I hear good things about the Col. Conk line and the Williams mug soap. Both are relatively inexpensive, so that'll be up to trying next. Conk has a lime one which really intrigues me. Now one other thing I'm seeing and hearing is that people are recommending stands for their brushes and razors. Some people said they do it to "protect" the razor/blade. Is this a must do or can this survive in the medicine cabinet like my disposal has for the last decade and a half?
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