Do any other gents here enjoy the luxury of a wet-shave?

[Sativa_Fan]

Hello, my name's SF and I'm addicted to shaving...

OK it's not that serious, but I do truly enjoy the time-honored tradition of the classic wet-shave. The way our fathers and grandfathers shaved. Today it's so rushy-rushy with the new 3, 5, 96 blade cartridge razors with replacement cartridges at $3 a pop along with an aerosol can filled with gooey jelly that you slap on your face and butcher off. And as for electrics, whatever floats your boat but I don't see how people can enjoy these things

So what other gentlemen here prefer and relish the luxury of the old-school shave? To me, there's nothing simpler that can make you feel like a million bucks! Prepping my beard, using a high quality double-edged, single-blade safety razor (like my Merkur Heavy Duty or 1940s Gillette SuperSpeed), building your lather with an antique badger hair brush that was passed from my great grandfather, using a classic high-quality triple milled hard English shaving soap (I use Trumper's Sandalwood at the moment, but I have many others on hand ) and taking the time to relish the experience. A high quality, alcohol free shaving balm dabbed on the cheeks and neck and maybe a smidgen of a special scent around the neck. Not many daily tasks can compete with how a good wet-shave makes me feel

Only thing better is a straight razor shave, if the weilder is skilled enough. If you are a cartridge or electric razor user and are unsatisfied, I highly recommend giving DE (double-edged) safety razors a try. They're the old school ones, single blade. But I can guarantee with the right technique and some time to learn it they will blow any other shave (with the exception of the straight razor) out of the water. There are tons of references on the net to get you started if interested.

What do you blokes use? What razor, brush, shave soap/cream, aftershave? For aftershave I'm using Geo F. Trumper's Sandalwood as I'm using the same scent shaving soap.

 

[Guest]

Schick bites the perverbial weeny,Gillette is the only way to shave..Old school orangne sigle blades remind me of jail bro,a free man desreves a triple blade or better!

 

[treble]

wow. i too hate the futility of these advanced shaving systems. 6 blades plus 1 for triming.. only cause its so damn big from 6 blades you can't manouver it for triming. I refuse to upgrade from my now falling apart 2 blade, still a cartridge system

I think back to the days when my uncle used a gillette single blade. Should have took it when it was offered. Now I dream of getting a cutthroat ... in fact i had one many years ago, faux ivory casing, solid though and well cared for, strop, brush the whole kit. never really learnt to use it. water was too hard to lather with perhaps is what I remember.

now days that flubber goop they sell is like acid, it just burns and a shave lasts about half a day.

I might take a trip into the city on the weekend, you got me interested again now... surprising yet pleasant thread Sativa Fan.

cheers
treb

 

[Sativa_Fan]

Schick bites the perverbial weeny,Gillette is the only way to shave..Old school orangne sigle blades remind me of jail bro,a free man desreves a triple blade or better!

I'm not talking about cheap disposable single-blades. The more is better attitude certainly doesn't apply to shaving. If you're satisfied with a triple blade that's cool, but I can almost guarantee that if you perfect your technique with a double-edged it will blow any Mach 3 or Fusion (gag) shave outta the water. I'm certainly a free man, and I certainly prefer my high quality shaving accessories, old-school as they may be, to any Mach 3 and goo out of a can

Edit: I actually used a Mach 3 for a long while, as well as other cartridge razors. Never fully satisfied until I started using a DE razor.

 

[Old Man Time]

damn bro....you make shaving sound kinda euphoric

Very cool man.

I really dont shave to much. I like to let it all hang out.

 

[Sativa_Fan]

damn bro....you make shaving sound kinda euphoric

Very cool man.

I really dont shave to much. I like to let it all hang out.

After REALLY learning to shave properly with all the proper equipment, I was very surprised to find out how much I enjoyed it and how good it made me and my face feel. Kinda one of those "just got a great haircut" kinda feelings, except every morning

 

[Guest]

I do the old school method of brush and suds and use a straight razor. Contrary to popular opinion, I don't cut myself up. In fact, I rarely nick myself - maybe once or twice a year. Which is considerably less that the average shaver using a number of fancy blades that do it almost regularly.
I take pride in the fact I can shave with a straight razor.

Unfortunately, last Spring, we had some visitors over and somebody decided they liked my razor set up. Took my razor belt, razor, and brush (they left the cup). Since then, I've been using a can of foam and those Bic Metals. It leaves my face dry after shaving. I'm going to replace my old shaving tools and go back to the method that I liked better. Downside is, the razor I had, had an ivory handle. Which is something you can't get anymore.

You're thread here has reminded me....I was upset when my stuff was taken. I was convinced by my wife to join everyone in the 21st century - but I hated it. I'm going back to the way I like to shave and replacing my stuff.

However, even though I prefer the old school method, I don't like shaving. I do feel clean and refreshed afterwards. But I also find it a pain in the ass that I have to shave everyday - sometimes twice a day, if I want poontang that night.

 

[green_grow]

the mach 3 works great for me . i do agree that whipping up your own lather with shaving soap and a brush is the way to go . much more environmentally friendly and costs WAY less than those aerosol cans of shaving cream.

 

[genkisan]

I use a hard soap and brush for environmental reason, and do enjoy a straight razor shave.....I just never have the time, what with three kids....

 

[Hal]

shaving sucks....

Every minute I spend shaving is a minute I would rather spend doing just about anything else. I discovered a few years back that using shaving cream is not necessary at all, and I have rather sensitive skin. I just use one of my twin blade cheapo schick disposables, throw some water on my face, and scrape the stubble off. Feels just as smooth as when I used the shave cream. Not using shave cream cuts the total shave time in half...and thats what I want.

 

[Sativa_Fan]

Ganjalord, yes shaving with a straight razor is an art form. I've only had them done by barbers, haven't learned myself. You can still get straight razors with an ivory handle, the downside is the exhorbitant price.

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522940/1669860.htm

And green_grow you're exactly right. Some people might look at my soaps and wonder why I spend so much, but truth-be-told even a prolifigate shaver can get anywhere from 6-12 months out of a single puck of a hard English triple milled soap (Geo F. Trumper, Taylor of Old Bond Street, Tabac, D.R. Harris, etc). The hard thing is trying your best not to buy them all

 

[imnotcrazy]

Ganja Lord: I most certainly agree, nothin better than a straight blade shave, have one of the ones like they use in a barbershop with disposable blades. You CAN get straight blades with horn handles, just gonna cost you a ton of money.

For anyone interested, hers is an Excellent Shaving Website:
The Art Of Shaving

 

[LEGI0N]

I use my knife...

I've always wanted to get into the strait razor but I didn't want to suffer the learning curve..

 

[Sativa_Fan]

Here are some recommendations for those that are looking to get into this fine art, or are maybe looking to step it up a bit for a better shaving experience. I will include low and high range products to suit people's budgets...

Razor:
Merkur Heavy Duty or Merkur Heavy Duty SlantBar - ~$30. This is a standard that is recommended to most as a first DE shaver. However, unless you're lucky enough to come across one locally they are available at online retailers.

Gillette Tech or SuperSpeed - These are vintage razors that are a little lighter and offer a more sensitive shave. They can be purchased used if you'd like one of these (of course get new blades for it), and they run around $10-20.

Blades:
Merkur, Derby, Personna (sometimes available at Wal Mart), are all excellent. Feather blades are extremely sharp and are a little unforgiving, but they are great once you get your technique down. They usually average about $.50 a blade and come in packs of 5 or 10. One blade will generally last you about a week, a little less if you're a daily shaver. Still much more economical than the $3-4.00 a pop cartridge thingies that aren't any good (for me atleast) after 2 shaves.

Brushes:
A boar hair brush is just fine for a starter and are much less expensive, ranging from around $10-25.00 for a good one. Omega and Tweezerman make good brushes for this purpose. However, a genuine badger hair makes a big difference. Genuine badger hairs vary widely in price, from $35-$500+ for an elite model.

Mug:
Not much to say here, a big latte cup does just fine.

Shaving Cream/Soap:
Oh God where so I start? This is where it can get expensive There are so many amazing ones to try. Generally, a cream is going to give you more comfort and cushion during the shave but may not get as close as a soap. YMMV, personal preference. There are a variety of bargains on the market for someone not willing to spend so much, like William's Mug Shaving Soap which is widely available, costs about a buck and alot of shavers really enjoy it. Tabac soap is a must try if you can find it, a refill puck is only about $6.00 and will offer a shave that is on-par with that of the most luxurious soap. The smell is love/hate, though. Proraso from Italy offers a great cream, smells like eucalyptus and shaves with the best of them for about $10. QEDman offers a line of very high quality glycerin and aloe-based soaps that come in a myriad of intoxicating scents! Sandalwood being the favorite, along with Vetiver, Limes, and many others. One of my favorite brands, and a favorite of many many shavers. A 2oz shaving "stick" is around $8 for most scents, $10 for the sandalwood. A larger puck of the soap is around $15. Then there are the classic, triple milled English shaving soaps. These soaps are generally more expensive, but a triple milled soap will far outlast any cream or glycerin soap. The most distinguished in this category are Geo F. Trumper, Taylor of Old Bond Street (though not sure about their new formulations, same with Trumper), Truefitt & Hill, and D.R Harris. You almost can't go wrong with any of these, although I've been hearing that the NEW Sandalwood and Lime from Trumper is not what it used to be, and many shavers don't like it. For a soap or cream from one of these fine companies, expect to pay $15-30+. D.R. Harris Almond is one of my all-time favorites. As always, YMMV. Find something that's right for you.

Aftershave:
Laugh if you want, alot of the higher-end brands don't have shit on Aqua Velva (alcohol free balm) or Clubman Pinaud (you know this one if you see it, always at drugstores in the green, white and red container). Corn Husker's Lotion and even Witch Hazel make excellent, economical aftershaves. For someone with sensitive and acne-prone skin like mine, I usually recommend something alcohol free to avoid skin irritation. The Aqua Velva Ice Balm can hang with the best and does not have an overpowering scent, for about $6. There are higher-end aftershaves, and they are nice and all but really there's no need to spend a lot of money here especially since most of them just smell nice and don't do a whole lot to help your face. If you're still interested, there are many magnificent ones to be had from the same English soap makers I listed above.

Unfortunately, most of these things are mostly available from online retailers anymore unless you know of a distributor in your area.

Hope this guides a newbie in the right direction.

 

[Guest]

Wow......I knew they were pricey, but wow. Mine was my grandfather's. He'd given it to me when I was 16. Taught me how to shave properly and given me the razor as part of my rite into manhood. It was more of why I got so bent out of shape when it was taken. Had more sentimental value than monetary to me.

I may just get a wood handled one and carve my own ivory handle on it. I found a guy selling Hippo tusks. I was going to buy one to make a small pipe from. Yeah, sweet - smoking from a hippo tusk. But I think I'll order another one to carve the blade's handle.

The more I think about it, the more sweeter it sounds. Shave with a hippo tusk handled razor and then wake n bake with a hippo tusk bowl.

I can shave myself with a straight razor with no problems. But I cannot do someone else. I've never had the balls to try it. It is something that takes practice, it's a feel sort of thing for me. When my grandfather taught me, I used the blade backwards - so I wouldn't slash my throat or cut off my adam's apple. When I got comfortable doing that. I then shaved with the bladed end, but lightly. Eventually I was able to shave with pressure and a slight angle to the blade.

Thanks for the link. I think Ill replace my set.
I can't explain to anyone how much pressure or how much angle. It's something you have to watch someone do and then practice yourself carefully until it becomes natural to you.

Here's some irony for ya. I can shave with a straight razor, but I hack myself up with the old change blades. I've never gotten used to a handle. For me to shave, I have to actually have a blade floating in my hand and pinky finger in the air.

 

[Guest]

i love the wet shave, except i do it with a norelco coolskin razor...can't beat it, i get mad razor burn with any str8 razor...its even better when used in the steam room at the health club!

 

[Guest]

I have no time to shave, and I hate facial hair so doing it every morning would be a pain your way.

I must say though when they use the same style on the back of my neck at the barber shop I must say how good it feels and I love the smell.

 

[Guest]

Got to say it, try Broddicks Body Shop "For Men" shave cream, in a tub the best I ever tried, if your working in a cold wind it wont take your face off. I hate all this Male grooming shit, but grab some of her hemp hand creams, after planting out, your hands can crack & dry out, mine look like old brogues, but it helps loads. OUCH.
cheers fmz2

 

[fr33th3w33d]

i prefer facial hair.

when i do shave though, i use a gillette fusion. 5 blades.. quick as hell.

 

[Guest]

i prefer facial hair.

when i do shave though, i use a gillette fusion. 5 blades.. quick as hell.

I have the fusion! Unfortunatly the replacement blades are more than a tank of gas~

Electric razors are the way to go imo.