Help a Newbie

[cdguylhs]

Hello all. My name is Preston. I am look at starting to shave with a DE razor. I have been shaving in the shower for years and I just cannot stop getting ingrown hairs and red bumps all over my neck. I have two questions. The first one is this:

1.) I have the opportunity to buy a Merkur Futur for $30. A guy put it up on Craigslist to sell and it has the box. Is this a good razor for someone new to DE shaving? I have heard the best razor for a newbie like me is a Merkur HD 34C. I would love your thoughts on this.

2.) If the Merkur Futur is not good for me, do you know a place in either Atlanta, GA or Birmingham that sells what you recommend? If so what is it called.

Thanks for the help.

[cdguylhs]

I have been using a Mach 3 recently (as in yesterday and I also got a boars hair brush and shaving soap to begin) and before that a Schick Hydro. I have also tried some wet electric razors and I cannot get rid of ingrown hairs and razor burn.

[Buck Melanoma]

I can't help you on the Merkurs, as I am a vintage guy, but I have some suggestions. I am sure others will chime in.

First off, you are correct in thinking that a DE will help. It helped me and drastically. The learning curve is not all that steep.

Also, you might also want to think of a change you can make now, like mapping your hair growth patterns. Before you shave next take a cotton ball and drag it around the stubble on your face and neck. If it slides, that is going with the grain. If it drags, that is going against the grain. If you are like most guys, your neck probably has some sort of weird swirl going on somewhere.

When you next shave do your first pass (or only pass) with the grain, even if that means not shaving in a north-to-south fashion. Follow the grain.

It sounds like you have sensitive skin. Should you pick up the DE habit, do not make the mistake of going for a BBS (baby's bottom smooth), but rather a close comfortable shave.

Good luck!

[Kcaps]

A Futur for $30 is a steal of a deal!! They usually go for $50 plus even here on the BST. I think that you can learn with a Futur fine, it is all about technique, not gear. I say, go for the Futur. If you don't like it, post it for a trade for something else on the BST and I am sure you will get plenty of bites on it!

Good luck and welcome.

[cdguylhs]

has anyone tried the Edwin Jagger DE89? how does it compare to the Merkur Futur or Merkur?

[mretzloff]

has anyone tried the Edwin Jagger DE89? how does it compare to the Merkur Futur or Merkur?

The DE89 is not an adjustable, unlike the Futur. The Edwin Jagger DE89 is supposed to be one of the best DEs. I would get that.

Oh ya, welcome to Badger & Blade!

[bogey97]

$30 for a Merkur Futur is a very good deal, but you might find the razor to be somewhat aggressive for a beginner. I've never tried the Edwin Jagger DE89, but most folks agree that it is a good razor to start with. Both Edwin Jagger and Merkur are well-respected brands. I would go with the Merkur HD 34C.

Also, it makes a big difference what blade you use in the razor. Oddly enough, blades are very much a matter of personal preference. You should get a blade sampler from one of the online vendors so that you can try several and see which works best for you.

[k200817]

Get both. DE89 is a very good and so is the future. $30 for the future is one heck of a deal. You will eventually end up using both but start with the DE89. :001_smile

[jtadmin]

Preston,

There are so many razors it's hard to know where to start. My suggestion would be to pick one and go with it. I spent weeks going back in forth (been wet shaving for 3 weeks now) on what razor to get, Edwin, Merkur, or something else. Finally I had just said screw it and ended up buying a 1969 Gillette Super Speed off ebay for $10.00. I love the razor, but I love Wet Shaving even more! My sensitive skin is gone, irritation gone! DE Shaving has helped my skin in so many ways.

My other suggestion would be to get a good cream for your sensitive skin. I would recommend Art Of Shaving Cream Non Scent it's on the expensive side of $22.00 but it's really brought back life to my dried and irritated skin from the goop and m3 days. Also the other big key is a multi pack of blades, I bought a 10 pack of different blades 70 in total for $30.00 from westcoastshaving.com. I just looked at all the reviews and bought the 5-10 pack of each blade. This will help you find the right blade for your face and hair.

Good Luck and Happy Shaving! :thumbup1:

Joey

[bogey97]

Get both. DE89 is a very good and so is the future. $30 for the future is one heck of a deal. You will eventually end up using both but start with the DE89. :001_smile

You people are like crack dealers! :001_tt2: Start with one razor.. if you find you don't like it, sell it back to one of us on the B/S/T forum and get another one.

[bordeaaj]

Razor bumps are what originally brought me to DE shaving, too. I found these helpful recommendations from this and other shaving sites after many questions and much trial and error so hopefully they will help you right up front, without the months or years of searching most of us go through. With DE shaving it's very important to have a good visual of what you are doing so shaving in the shower might be out for a while, at least while you are learning. Basically, in order to prevent whisker bumps I start my shave right out of the shower while the whiskers are nice and soft, do a quick hot towel pre-shave prep, lather up, and do 3 passes based on the Method Shaving shaving patterns (see below) which are meant to give you a BBS shave without having to go directly against the grain (a major cause of whisker bumps), and follow up with aftershave and moisturizer. I can't remember the last time I had an ingrown whisker using this method, then again, what works for me may not work for you. A couple of great resources are Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving and mantics shaving videos. I'll try to list the basics below:

Razor Choice
As others have indicated $30 is a great deal for a Futur...but they do seem to be a little aggressive even at the lowest setting. If it was me I would pick it up anyway to start my collection but use a milder razor to learn on. Common recommendations for those converting to DE are the Merkur HD, Gillette Tech, Gillette SuperSpeed, Schick Krona. Other great choices are the adjustables as they are like several razors for the price of one...you can start on a low setting and dial up as you learn. They include the Merkur Progress and Gillette Fat Boy, Slim, and Super Adjustable.

Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving, 4th Ed.
I would highly recommend ordering Leisureguys Guide to Gourmet Shaving from Amazom as it was an invaluable learning aid for me...it's only about $12 and so good I always keep a few copies on hand to give to my friends who become interested and they love it too. The new 4th Edition is by far the best version and has a good section on preventing ingrowns (what originally brought me to DE shaving, as well).
http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Fourth/dp/1450582974/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292441295&sr=8-1-spell

Mantic's Shaving Videos
Mantics youtube videos are also a great resource...just google "mantic shaving videos" and look for whatever topic you have questions on.
http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59

Before the Shave: Pre-Shave Prep
Also great for prevention of ingrown whiskers is a hot towel pre-shave prep to soften your beard prior to shaving. It helps a lot for softening tough beards, reduces tugging and pulling, and helps prevent newly shaved whiskers from snapping under the skin as easily. It's very easy and only adds a minute or so to the shave. It seems to works best just out of the shower as well, but it helps anytime, is relaxing, and feels great too. Just soak a hand towel in the sink with the hottest water you can stand. While it's soaking get your face wet and rub a small amount of shaving cream around the beard area. Squeeze just enough water out of the towel so it's still good and wet but not quite dripping. Place the towel over your face for about a minute or so to steam the whiskers nice and soft...sometimes it's easier to lay down to do this. You also may have to make a little breathing hole so you can breathe comfortably. After about a minute quickly lather up and start shaving as normal before the whiskers have a chance to cool down. A hot towel pre-shave prep makes a big difference in shave comfort, esp while learning. Some do it every day, some once in a while, and some not at all. Hope it helps a little!

The Actual Shave: Shaving Patterns for Reducing Ingrown Hairs
You can make DE shaving as easy or as complicated as appeals to you. There are lots of opinions on shaving patterns and number and direction of passes, etc...most work very well. The Method Shaving pattern passes are designed to get easily get a BBS shave while minimizing irritation and whisker bumps without having to pay attention to grain or shave directly against the grain. The shaving patterns work well with or without the specialized Method Shaving products. Enchante.com has a download of what they call the Method Shaving Cutting Forms showing the direction of the passes and mantic has a couple of youtube demonstration videos as well. Basics: first pass straight down, second pass diagonally downward from ear to chin, third pass diagonally upward from rear lower jaw to nose. If needed, add a polishing pass where necessary. The cutting forms worked for the swirl patterns on my neck and I've had no razor bump problems after 5 or 6 years of using them for DE shaving...hopefully they help you too!
Method Shaving Cutting Patterns
http://www.enchanteonline.com/pages/faqs/cuttingforms.pdf

Mantic Video Demonstration of Method Shaving Patterns
pay no particular attention to specialized terms or products
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VxFXpdLvG0

Post-Shave
Rinse off the lather thoroughly, apply alum, leave it on for a couple of minutes while rinsing out brush and cleaning up the area, then rinse the alum off thoroughly with warm water. I apply a good aftershave balm, witch hazel, and moisturizer...all of which seem critical to lubricate the pores and protect the skin from ingrowns as the whiskers grow.

When you get nicked
Another recommendation that would make learning easier would be a tube of My Nik is Sealed or Nick Stick roll-on styptic from wherever you can get it cheapest on the web...far better than grocery store styptic. Hope that helps and have fun with the transition!
My Nik is Sealed
http://www.amazon.com/Nik-Sealed-Easy-Roll-Applicator/dp/B0001LGYSU
Nick Stick
http://www.pacificshaving.com/nickstick.php

Hope that helps! :001_smile

[cdguylhs]

bordeaaj, thanks for the info. I have watched almost all of Mantic's videos. I have stopped shaving in the shower now. I have been trying to follow some of Mantic's instructions now, even though I don't have a DE razor. I have actually seen a huge improvement in the way my neck looks (less bumps and stuff). I have not tried the hot towel. I might try that tomorrow.

[bordeaaj]

bordeaaj, thanks for the info. I have watched almost all of Mantic's videos. I have stopped shaving in the shower now. I have been trying to follow some of Mantic's instructions now, even though I don't have a DE razor. I have actually seen a huge improvement in the way my neck looks (less bumps and stuff). I have not tried the hot towel. I might try that tomorrow.

Sounds like you are off to a very good start! I began wet shaving the same way...utilizing the techniques with a multiblade cartridge razor. I saw a huge improvement with that alone. Once I transitioned to DE it got even better. Hopefully it works the same for you! :001_smile

By the way, it looks like some of the links had changed since I last posted this so now they are all updated and current.

[Luc]

I never had a Merkur Future but my recommendation would be to stay away from it. From what I heard, it's a very aggressive razor on #1. Also, there's a setting, you won't be able to resist, you will play with it. I would recommend a non-adjustable.

However, for that price, yes it's a steal, if you buy the razor and leave it aside for a few months, it can be very good.

EDIT: Almost forgot - This should help on where to shop: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/USA_Atlanta_Georgia

[man00ver]

I've not used one, but another common complaint about the Futur is that it has a large head, which can make it difficult to shave the upper lip and under the nose. These areas are difficult enough for a rookie using ANY razor.

[ackvil]

I've not used one, but another common complaint about the Futur is that it has a large head, which can make it difficult to shave the upper lip and under the nose. These areas are difficult enough for a rookie using ANY razor.

He is right. If you want an adjustable a Progress, slim or FB are good choices. If you go the adjustable route just start at a lower setting and keep it that way for a few shaves. As your technique improves you can increase the setting.

I like adjustables and for me they work. I use a higher setting on my face and a lower setting on my neck and mustache area, sensitive areas for me.