Introduction and gratitude

[Big Nickita]

Great advice chente. You're right. There is only one reason for me to be doing any of this. For myself and no one else.

I enjoy the soaps and stuff. But also enjoy a simple life. So I will eventually come down to just a few favourites. Use what I have before getting new ones. I think 3 razors is more than enough for me. It will probably end up being just 2 in the long run. But we shall see what happens.

Thanks for your words.

 

[alex2363]

Greetings,

I've mainly signed up to offer my thanks to the members for all the great advice I have taken advantage of over the last few months. I may as well share my journey also.

I'm a big hairy aussie bloke that has never been able to shave properly. Over 42 years I have learned it's just something I am never going to be able to do. Or if absolutely necessary, just before special occasions once or twice a year. With the associated suffering from very nasty razor burn for the next few days. As such, wahl hair clippers are my only real face grooming for all of my adult life. Fortunately as a carpenter, I don't need to look pretty

Nothing worked. Electric, cartridge..... It all chewed my face up. In particular my neck and chin area.

Inspired by all the information on the net. Particularly here. I figured I would give de safety razor a crack. It all made sense to me. The mechanics of it. The nature and properties of the single edge blade etc...

All I really wanted to accomplish was to shave once every week or so. If I could have that. I would be very happy. Freshly shaven is a wonderful feeling. It's just that it only ever lasted a few hours before the pain set in for days.

The journey starts about 3 months ago. I've been averaging one shave per week.

I worked out a budget beginners kit. Figuring if it didn't work, I haven't over invested. No real loss. I bought a Maggards open comb head, mr5 blue handle, proraso sensitive soap sample, omega s-brush, blade sampler, and some witch hazel from the local chemist. All up a pretty cheap little kit.

While that was coming I read all I could. Watched many many youtube vids. It seemed to me the beginner fundamentals were; least pressure as possible, short light strokes, don't press hard, don't skimp on lathering, use a very light touch.

First shave; loaded a voshkod. Result: I was rather speechless. Very little rash other than some low down on my neck. I had over a weeks growth. Which in hindsight was a little too much. My whiskers aren't as dense as some. But they are very thick and heavy. So I was excited that maybe this would work out as I had hoped. Even with this long growth, I had less burn than ever before.

Next shave not so great. Even though I made sure I was cutting less growth. About 3-4 days. I used a gsb. Significant burn on lower neck, chin and sides of chin.
So I spent some more time researching technique. Found out how important face mapping is. Also realised it probably wasn't all my own fault. Maybe the blade just didn't agree with me.

Third shave loaded a Gillette yellow. Used my knowledge of my neck hair directions to go only with the grain for 2 passes. Best shave ever. For the first time in my life I have experienced a near irritation free shave. What a feeling. I will never forget that shave.

Used the same blade for two more shaves. Each time a little more perfect. Then switched to a perma-sharp. Wow. This truly was what I had always dreamed was possible. A completely irritation free shave. I had achieved shaving perfection at last! And it was only my third or forth attempt! Boy was I happy.

By now I have the bug. Bad. Proraso pre/post shave cream, arko stick, alum block, barrister and Mann samples, Maggards barbershop soap and AS,Lucky tiger toner. Scored a tub of TOBS sandalwood, la toja and Palmolive stick from a friend. Very generous. Love it all.

So far blades I have tried are as above. Along with Derby, and kai. By far the best are the perma sharps, Gillette yellows and kai. Derby and gsb seem to cause razor burn. Voshkod is somewhere in between. Even bad blades are better than my best ever cartridge shave however. By miles. The three good ones are as good as each other. I can get perfect shaves with those.

So it seems my face likes the sharper blades maybe? I have many more in my sampler to try yet. How exciting!

I couldn't help myself. I purchased a R41 head and a Parker variant. I haven't used them yet. I want to get very proficient with the one I started with first. But you can see I have the bug bad. I have plans for a b & m Lavanille soap and AS set. Also a fine l'orange set. Maybe also a Maggards black and white brush. Maybe for Christmas

But I'm happy to stop for now. Sabbatical time. Get my technique down more and more and just enjoy the journey and products I already have. I haven't cut myself even once as yet. Just one or two tiny weekend from going too fast. So I figure I'm going ok and should just keep doing that.

Many thanks to all the members. You help more blokes than you can know. 4 months ago I was just a guy that could never shave. Now I look forward to the weekly or bi-weekly ceremony.


Many thanks,

Big Nickita.

Welcome aboard