Elrod
09-21-2010, 08:25 PM
Hi all,
I've been reading all I can on this site and am really excited to get started. I say get started, I've already shaved 3 or 4 times on a cheap shavette that I bought without much research when I was first getting interested, and I've been using the Edge canned goo left over from my mach3 days. You don't need to scold me on this, I know it's terrible and I can't wait to get a set that will actually work well, I just want to make sure I spend my money right (and I am on quite a limited budget at the moment).
So, here's the setup I'm considering:
Razor, strop, balsa paddle, and badger brush from Whipped Dog Razors
Shave cream soap from Queen Charlotte Soaps
My questions: Should I really be getting my brush from Whipped Dog? I hear great things about him here, my only concern is that $8 for a badger brush seems way cheaper than anything else on the market, and I wonder if quality suffers for that.
Also, I'm looking at Queen Charlotte Soaps because they've gotten wonderful reviews here and seem quite fairly priced. I also like the artisan feel they have, but at my current budget, if there is a choice you feel to be of better quality or lower cost, I would love to hear it.
Finally (and on a completely different note) I've found that I have a pretty weird pattern of grain in my beard. On the right side of my neck I have a whirlpool-like swirl that's a real pain to go around. It extends up to just above my jaw on my cheek, so the grain that seems to typically be pointed South is now going East, but only on the lower part of my cheek. In most of the shave guides I've read, they never seem to mention this, and I'm not sure whether to just start out with ATG strokes for convenience, or risk slicing my face going at all of the crazy angles to go perfectly WTG. (Or perhaps this beard is a lost cause, and I should go to a DE, but I hope not!)
Sorry for the long post, of course feel free to answer any one of those questions, no need to tackle them all at once. Also, thank you in advance, from the time I spent lurking this seems to be a fantastic community.
I've been reading all I can on this site and am really excited to get started. I say get started, I've already shaved 3 or 4 times on a cheap shavette that I bought without much research when I was first getting interested, and I've been using the Edge canned goo left over from my mach3 days. You don't need to scold me on this, I know it's terrible and I can't wait to get a set that will actually work well, I just want to make sure I spend my money right (and I am on quite a limited budget at the moment).
So, here's the setup I'm considering:
Razor, strop, balsa paddle, and badger brush from Whipped Dog Razors
Shave cream soap from Queen Charlotte Soaps
My questions: Should I really be getting my brush from Whipped Dog? I hear great things about him here, my only concern is that $8 for a badger brush seems way cheaper than anything else on the market, and I wonder if quality suffers for that.
Also, I'm looking at Queen Charlotte Soaps because they've gotten wonderful reviews here and seem quite fairly priced. I also like the artisan feel they have, but at my current budget, if there is a choice you feel to be of better quality or lower cost, I would love to hear it.
Finally (and on a completely different note) I've found that I have a pretty weird pattern of grain in my beard. On the right side of my neck I have a whirlpool-like swirl that's a real pain to go around. It extends up to just above my jaw on my cheek, so the grain that seems to typically be pointed South is now going East, but only on the lower part of my cheek. In most of the shave guides I've read, they never seem to mention this, and I'm not sure whether to just start out with ATG strokes for convenience, or risk slicing my face going at all of the crazy angles to go perfectly WTG. (Or perhaps this beard is a lost cause, and I should go to a DE, but I hope not!)
Sorry for the long post, of course feel free to answer any one of those questions, no need to tackle them all at once. Also, thank you in advance, from the time I spent lurking this seems to be a fantastic community.