Getting started...

[Brance]

Hi all. My name is Brance. I've just been traditional wet shaving for two weeks. Here's my story.

I'm 38 and I've always hated shaving. I've worn a beard or goatee to avoid shaving, or at least avoid shaving all of my face. I have fairly light, fine hair so I've usually only shaved every other day. I've always looked at it as a dreaded task.

My dad recently passed away. As my brothers and I were going through his stuff, we found an old shaving brush. It became mine. I remember playing with an old TTO razor at some point as a child, but I don't know what became of it. For as long as I can remember, dad had always shaved with a disposable or cartridge razor.

I do remember the enchanting smell of his shaving cream and aftershave as a child, but it wasn't something he taught me about. Just gave me a cheap disposable of some kind, some quick tips, and let me go at it.

Have I mentioned that I always hated shaving?!

So when I inherited this brush, I started thinking about shaving. I started wondering why anyone would even use a brush. I took to google and I soon found out! I became intrigued by the idea of actually enjoying a shave. I read A LOT. Then I started using the brush. Just with my shaving gel from a can, but it furthered my interest. I soon searched the house for an appropriate bowl and began lathering my gel in a bowl. :blushing:

I was using a Mach 3 all this time.

When I decided I wanted to give a DE a spin, I was sorely wishing I had one that belonged in the family. I asked my grandmother (my dad's mom, and the only living parent or grandparent I have at this point). She didn't have any of grandpa's shaving gear, having gotten rid of it years ago.

So I went to ebay. I ended up with a 1967 Gillette adjustable. I also happened across an older, gold plated, 3 piece at an antique store. I payed $20 for the adjustable and $10 for the 3 piece. I've only used the adjustable at a setting of 2. I'm thinking about giving the 3 piece a spin tomorrow morning...

I went to CVS and bought some shaving soap. Just the Van Der Hagen. A few days later I ended up at Bath & Body works and came away with a tube of C.O. Bigelow.

I'm using Wilkinson Sword brand blades because they were cheap and readily available at Wal-mart.

Below is a picture of my gear.

I've also acquired some good aftershave balm. Davi is the brand. Picked it up at TJ Maxx for $3 on the clearance rack. I like it.

A nick or two a day for the first 10 days. No nicks at all the last 3-4 days.

I just ordered a new Vulfix 660 super badger, and I'm eagerly awaiting it's arrival.

I'm planning a trip to http://www.diebelsg.com/ on the plaza in Kansas City soon. I want to pick up some Edwin Jagger soap to try out. Any recommends on a scent?

For the first time in my life I actually look forward to a morning shave now!

That's my story. Here's the pic.

http://www.clearblueproductions.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_0770.jpg

[Eric V]

Nice starting kit! Get a blade sampler to find a great blade for your current technic. I have no suggestions about which scent to get, but you can probably smell them either through the box, or with an open box. Pick the one that appeals the most! Have Fun!

[Edward 1689er]

:thumbup:

[kg4ghn]

Looks like you are off to a great start!

The adjustable is a Gillette Slim Adjustable, and the 3-piece is a Gillette Tech.


Welcome to B&B!

[RJKflyer]

Any recommends on a scent?

Of course, a zillion choices, but as someone a couple of month's in myself, here are my suggestions with a very definite 'shaving' smell to them imho, simply to be consistent recommendations with our new 'hobby'!

Depending upon how flush you're feeling, three different suggestions:

1. Aqua di Parma: take alook here http://www.acquadiparma.it/en/barbiere.html The Barber's Colonia is marvellous! Seems to rate well with the ladies too according to another post here somewhere!
2. Truefitt & Hill: http://www.truefittandhill.co.uk/viewproducts.php?selection=Aftershave%20Balms&id=337 The Classic is a very 'classic (er...) man's post shave smell
3. Floid Spanish (orange) splash - very invigorating (strong menthol content) and again a 'barber shop' smell.

[franz]

Welcome to B&B!

[Marcus_C]

Welcome to B&B! That slim adjustable is very nice, it's one that's on my wishlist.

[nyyfan71]

Welcome to BB. I'm a new member myself. I've been wet shaving for twenty five years,the fun part is looking and trying different soaps and creams. I use Williams Shaving soap for most part. That's what my Dad always used. I have found sandlewood scented products from Art of Shaving just recently. It's nice to get a routine that you enjoy, since you have to shave might as well make it fun. Hope you enjoy your new hobby.

[TheWendysGuy]

since you have to shave might as well make it fun. Hope you enjoy your new hobby.

This is one of the things that has brought me to DE shaving. I always hate shaving (cartridge razors, multiple ones), and I hate beards even more (plus I couldn't grow a decent beard anyway even if I wanted to, so that was a non-starter for me).

Will really be nice to be able to start getting a good clean shave, without getting irritation/burning/pimples the next day. And to enjoy it at the same time? That is what I am hoping to get out of DE shaving!

[Greyfox]

Welcome to B&B. Glad you joined. Enjoy yourself.:001_smile

[Brance]

TheWendysGuy: I'm right there with you. I wore that goatee for years just to avoid shaving my chin, but it wasn't much of a goatee being reddish-blond and fine as it is.

I'm getting a closer, smoother shave than I've ever had from a cartridge. The smells are more enticing, as they smell like a manly tradition is taking place rather than something disposable just came out of a can!

I've found that it does take me longer to shave now, because I'm not just slapping on some gel and then scraping it off with a multi-blade cartiridge that was suppose to give me a close shave magically.

My wife has found occasion to prod fun at me over the time I'm spending "prepping" myself in the morning. So I do advise you to engage in your morning ritual before she rises.

For all the hard time she's given me though, she does seem to enjoy the smooth, non-irritated look and feel of my face. Let me just say she seems to enjoy kissing a lot more! :tongue_sm

[awolff]

The Edwin Jagger Sea Buckthorn has a very nice, mild scent, and the soap is a solid performer.

[rm71]

Welcome to the forum:001_smile

[Brance]

Welcome to B&B! That slim adjustable is very nice, it's one that's on my wishlist.

Yes, I like it. I will say that it looked great in the photos on ebay, no brassing visible at all. Once I got it, I sterilized it and then started using it. Within 2 days, there were two medium sized spots of brassing and several very small spots. I don't know if I caused them somehow, or if the ebay seller had covered them up somehow.

In the end, it shaves great, and even though it didn't start out in my family, it still conveys a sense of history to use a 50+ year old razor. And it's in my family now and can someday be handed down to my son or grandson.

[Sledgehammer39]

Welcome Aboard. Nice gear..

[Optometrist]

Welcome to B&B, Brance!:thumbup1:

[dpmtherrien]

Welcome to your new addiction. :laugh: :thumbup:

[Dave258]

Welcome aboard! I felt the same way as you did about shaving before I started with a DE. Have you tried any other blades? You may find some that work better for you then others!
Welcome aboard! You will love it here!

[franz]

Yes, I like it. I will say that it looked great in the photos on ebay, no brassing visible at all. Once I got it, I sterilized it and then started using it. Within 2 days, there were two medium sized spots of brassing and several very small spots. I don't know if I caused them somehow, or if the ebay seller had covered them up somehow.

Describe your process. I've damaged a razor by using an inappropriate product before.

[Brance]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

franz: Here's my process.

I load a blade in the TTO. I fill the sink with hot water. I place the bowl in the sink, with water in the bowl, and then place the brush in the bowl. I then place the razor in the bowl, head down.

Then I take a shower.

After the shower I empty the sink and bowl. then refill the sink with hot water. this ensures I'm using hot water as I shave.

The razor goes back in the sink, this time lying on end so the razor edges are vertical.

I submerge the brush, squeeze it moderately, then load the soap. with the brush loaded I then squeeze a small amount of the CO Bigelow cream in the bowl and build my later. After a minute or two of building lather, I work it on my face.

Then I set the bowl and brush in the sink to keep warm. I then take the razor and begin shaving. I regularly rinse the razor in the sink by just swirling it around without touching anything but water, then back to my face. After one WTG pass, I set the razor down as before, pick up the bowl and re-lather. Another WTG pass. Re-lather. A final XTG pass, with a few careful touchups around trouble spots (a mole on my chin mainly).

Then I drain the sink. Set the razor on the countertop head up (balanced on the end of the handle). bowl on countertop (brush still in bowl - I always have lots of lather left over).

Splash with cold water.

Rinse the brush, squeeze, set to dry. Rinse the bowl.

Apply aftershave. (Should I be waiting this long for this step? It seems right to let the water dry before applying the aftershave for some reason...)

Remove blade from razor. Rinse razor with hot water. Wipe with towel. Set to dry, standing on handle again. Rinse blade, dry with towel, lay in bottom of bowl for next shave.

All these items are removed from bathroom to my home office for drying/storage. The bathroom just isn't large enough for my stuff AND her stuff! :001_rolle

Last step is to apply moisturizer. (I hope I didn't loose any "manliness points" for this one!) I'm currently using Davi lotion which I picked up at TJ Maxx along with the aftershave balm.

That's it. I'm not sure what I would have done in this process to cause the brassing on the razor...

[du52]

Welcome!

[franz]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

franz: Here's my process.

I load a blade in the TTO. I fill the sink with hot water. I place the bowl in the sink, with water in the bowl, and then place the brush in the bowl. I then place the razor in the bowl, head down.

Then I take a shower.

After the shower I empty the sink and bowl. then refill the sink with hot water. this ensures I'm using hot water as I shave.

The razor goes back in the sink, this time lying on end so the razor edges are vertical.

I submerge the brush, squeeze it moderately, then load the soap. with the brush loaded I then squeeze a small amount of the CO Bigelow cream in the bowl and build my later. After a minute or two of building lather, I work it on my face.

Then I set the bowl and brush in the sink to keep warm. I then take the razor and begin shaving. I regularly rinse the razor in the sink by just swirling it around without touching anything but water, then back to my face. After one WTG pass, I set the razor down as before, pick up the bowl and re-lather. Another WTG pass. Re-lather. A final XTG pass, with a few careful touchups around trouble spots (a mole on my chin mainly).

Then I drain the sink. Set the razor on the countertop head up (balanced on the end of the handle). bowl on countertop (brush still in bowl - I always have lots of lather left over).

Splash with cold water.

Rinse the brush, squeeze, set to dry. Rinse the bowl.

Apply aftershave. (Should I be waiting this long for this step? It seems right to let the water dry before applying the aftershave for some reason...)

Remove blade from razor. Rinse razor with hot water. Wipe with towel. Set to dry, standing on handle again. Rinse blade, dry with towel, lay in bottom of bowl for next shave.

All these items are removed from bathroom to my home office for drying/storage. The bathroom just isn't large enough for my stuff AND her stuff! :001_rolle

Last step is to apply moisturizer. (I hope I didn't loose any "manliness points" for this one!) I'm currently using Davi lotion which I picked up at TJ Maxx along with the aftershave balm.

That's it. I'm not sure what I would have done in this process to cause the brassing on the razor...

:lol: Sounds fine, and I can relate to the part about having to store gear outside the bathroom.

But I was asking about your sterilization process. You didn't perchance use bleach, did you?

[GMX]

FWIW, I think that's a Burma Shave boar brush.

[mattymatt]

Wow your story sounds like mine. I'm 37, hated shaving, used a Mach 3, grew a goatee to make shaving less a hassle, dad passed away last year. Welcome to B&B! It sounds like you have a great starter kit.:thumbup1:

[pirateskull]

Welcom to the club

[Brance]

:lol: Sounds fine, and I can relate to the part about having to store gear outside the bathroom.

But I was asking about your sterilization process. You didn't perchance use bleach, did you?

Ahhh!

I used a vegetable steamer to keep the razors (I did both at the same time) from being directly against the the stove top burner. boiled them for 10 minutes, then wiped them down good with rubbing alcohol afterward. They were both clean looking when I got them, so no scrubbing was needed.

[Brance]

Wow your story sounds like mine. I'm 37, hated shaving, used a Mach 3, grew a goatee to make shaving less a hassle, dad passed away last year. Welcome to B&B! It sounds like you have a great starter kit.:thumbup1:

Wow, what a coincidence! And you're in KC according to your profile? I'm just outside KC about 30 miles, on the MO side. I grew up here. Had been living in VA the last 10 years, but when dad got sick (lung cancer) last year, my wife and I moved back here to help care for him. We're living at his house now. Planning to sell it this year and move to Boston, MA.

[franz]

Ahhh!

I used a vegetable steamer to keep the razors (I did both at the same time) from being directly against the the stove top burner. boiled them for 10 minutes, then wiped them down good with rubbing alcohol afterward. They were both clean looking when I got them, so no scrubbing was needed.

I wouldn't imagine either of those things damaging nickel plating.

A ten minute soak in Lysol or Scrubbing Bubbles will adequately sanitize a razor also. While that's going on, you can steam some broccoli :tongue_sm