Double edge razor

[zack1234]

The Few shave all over

[VonMessa]

The Few shave all over

To make it look bigger?

[zack1234]

Aerodynamics i think while flying

[VonMessa]

 

[Krupinski]

Gillette Fusion won my heart over.  I recommend The Few use this when they get old enough to shave.  

Fusion Pro Glide ftw.

[Tac]

I wouldn't know...

Mornings can be hazardous enough around here...

(Image removed from quote.)

So... you shave with CREST? 

I've wanted to try the old style razor switchblade shave but never could find a place online or where I live that sold one I could say 'this one will work'.

I get lots of small cuts with the gillete fusion/whatever blades.. so either the old style razor will work better or it will be free plastic surgery (  )

[VonMessa]

So... you shave with CREST?  

I've wanted to try the old style razor switchblade shave but never could find a place online or where I live that sold one I could say 'this one will work'.

I get lots of small cuts with the gillete fusion/whatever blades.. so either the old style razor will work better or it will be free plastic surgery (   )

You can buy a decent straight razor (cutthroat, if you prefer) online.

I would recommend  starting with a solid wedge (7/8, perhaps) before going to a hollow grind as the wedge is more forgiving.  I still use both:  wedge for the brute work with the grain and the hollow grind for for a cross-grain and final against-grain pass (and for under the nose and detail work etc)

No crest, I actually make my own soap (sort of)   

1 bar of Dove
1 bar of Ivory
1 decent sized aloe leaf (use inside liquid/pulp, discard shell)
2 tsp bentonite clay
2 tbsp castor oil
1 -2 tbsp coconut oil (to make good foam/lather)
clove, rosemary and orange oils (or essential oils of your choosing and add drop by drop til fragrance suits you)
grate soap, melt in pan, add oils (fragrance oils last)
mix well
pour into clean Pringles can
cool and cut into discs  

I like the clove oil for its antiseptic properties, some folks add menthol crystals to desensitize the skin
(this can also be made the old fashioned way with lye and olive oil, etc)



Face/skin preparation is the secret to a good shave.

Fast and dirty version(for the sake of brevity):

Wash face to remove all dirt/foreign oils.
Make a washcloth as HOT as you can possibly stand it and soak the whiskers multiple times (the smell of burning flesh means it's hot enough)
Lather and use brush to paint lather on face
strop the razor a good 30 or so times
shave
rinse blade often
strop again, as needed

Rinse face with cold water (closes the pores)
pat (don't rub) dry (rubbing removes the natural oils the come to the surface after scraping your face with sharp steel)

I also make my own after shave:
equal parts glycerin and water
essential oils of choice until smell is acceptable to your taste
lavender, clove, rosemary, orange, lemon all work well, are great for the skin and still smell manly

I make the soap once/year, usually making 2 or 3 batches, cut them into disks and wrap them in waxed paper.
It makes for a great, manly and inexpensive holiday gift.
Whatever is remaining usually lasts me for the rest of the year.

It's not something to try on a rushed morning, but once the proper methods are learned, it will be the best shave you have ever had.
The best thing to do is see if there is an old-school barber shop nearby that does straight razor shaves to understand what I am talking about.

A good website to go to is http://badgerandblade.com/

[Tigger29]

You can buy a decent straight razor (cutthroat, if you prefer) online.

I would recommend  starting with a solid wedge (7/8, perhaps) before going to a hollow grind as the wedge is more forgiving.  I still use both:  wedge for the brute work with the grain and the hollow grind for for a cross-grain and final against-grain pass (and for under the nose and detail work etc)

No crest, I actually make my own soap (sort of)   
<SNIP>

WOW!  That is a *LOT* of work!  Maybe I have a fact that's easier to shave than most but really I use the Gilette Excel and I shave in the shower without any shaving cream.  I don't understand why this is such a production for some people - unless they get a kick out of it.

If my whiskers have been allowed to grow more than 2 or 3 days I'll sometimes use hair conditioner on my face.

I shave 3 or 4 times a week and one blade will last me about two or three months.  I'll use that blade until it's not even sharp enough to cut butter!  Really I'm pretty cheap and I almost never cut myself and if I do it's because I've tried to use the blade one too many times.

Going by those instructions it seems like making my own shaving cream would cost me more than the $1.50 per blade I pay for what I do.

But like I said maybe I have a forgiving face when it comes to all that.  Maybe I should be happy, huh?

[wil3ur]

Mach 3 w/ a lifetime supply of cartridges from Cosco for Cheapcheap... 

[Plazus]

All this talk of shaving the old fashioned way is making me want to try it.

[VonMessa]

WOW!  That is a *LOT* of work!  Maybe I have a fact that's easier to shave than most but really I use the Gilette Excel and I shave in the shower without any shaving cream.  I don't understand why this is such a production for some people - unless they get a kick out of it.

If my whiskers have been allowed to grow more than 2 or 3 days I'll sometimes use hair conditioner on my face.

I shave 3 or 4 times a week and one blade will last me about two or three months.  I'll use that blade until it's not even sharp enough to cut butter!  Really I'm pretty cheap and I almost never cut myself and if I do it's because I've tried to use the blade one too many times.

Going by those instructions it seems like making my own shaving cream would cost me more than the $1.50 per blade I pay for what I do.

But like I said maybe I have a forgiving face when it comes to all that.  Maybe I should be happy, huh?

If I get more than two shaves from ANY disposable razor or cartridge, it is a miracle.  I do not exaggerate.  I know others, like you, that can use a razor for weeks/months, but that's not me.  My beard is like steel wool.

It is a ritual, and most men that shave with a cutthroat do it for the sake of the ritual but most do it for the quality of the shave, as well.

For me, personally, I have not found a disposable/cartridge razor that comes close to the quality of a straight razor shave, including the irritation that a safety razor tends to give me.

It takes a bit of practice and yes, I have caught myself quite good at least once (mostly due to rushing and inattentiveness), but it goes pretty smoothly after a fashion.

[VonMessa]

All this talk of shaving the old fashioned way is making me want to try it.

Find a local barber shop that will give you the "works" with a hot towel, etc while drinking a beer and smoking a $12 Cohiba.  Better yet is one with a pool table and a giant flat screen with the game on while you are waiting your turn.

It almost makes you understand how women can spend half a day and half of your paycheck in a salon 

[Plazus]

Well I'd hate to bump up an old thread but after a few years, I finally took the leap of faith and picked up a cheap Van Der Hagen DE razor at Target two weeks ago. I went from shaving with a Schick Hydro 5 to a classic double edge. Needless to say, I learned real quickly just how many bad habits I picked up from shaving over the years. I nicked the tip of my lip on the first shave. Second shave was a piece of cake, the third shave, has a bad razor burn spot underneath my lower lip.

I just bought an Edwin Jagger 89DE and a 35-blade sample pack from Amazon and expect the package to arrive later this week. I'm excited to find out what the hype is all about regarding the DE89.

I figure once I'm fully up to speed on shaving with the DE, I might step up to the straight edge razor.

Thank you VonMessa, and zack1234 for inspiring me to shave like real men!

[Serenity]

I may try a straight razor at some point, but I just got a pretty great kit from a store called The Art of Shaving, with a pre-shave oil, a good cream, brush, and after shave lotion. Came with a book about the science behind the lotions, creams, etc, and whats best for the skin that I really like. I still run a Gillette Fusion though.

[Volron]

Now I want to give the Mug/Brush a try....