RWMerengue
03-27-2008, 02:22 PM
I started wet shaving about a month ago with a Futur and Merkur blades. After finding this forum and doing a bit of reading, I purchased a Merkur HD and some Derby Extra blades. As I also read such positive reviews of the old Gillette Super Speeds (for newbies), I found a 1956 SS on the web and bought that. It just arrived, and after thoroughly cleaning with boiling, Scrubbing Bubbles, and Barbicide, I tried it out with a corked Derby. Just a couple of passes in the evening.
Surprisingly, I nicked myself about three times, and the passes yielded about the same closeness as similar passes with the HD. I think I need to try the hot towel prep. If I do too many passes with the HD, I irritate my skin, causing bumps. I don't believe they are true razor bumps caused by ingrown hairs, as I was never prone to that with the Trak 2,3,4 cartridge razors, and I'm not achieving a BBS shave anyway. But too many passes seems to cause bumps and irritation; my face itches later in the day. I've been using an after shave balm from Olivia's Soaps.
I think it will really take quite a while to truly get good at this.
Surprisingly, I nicked myself about three times, and the passes yielded about the same closeness as similar passes with the HD. I think I need to try the hot towel prep. If I do too many passes with the HD, I irritate my skin, causing bumps. I don't believe they are true razor bumps caused by ingrown hairs, as I was never prone to that with the Trak 2,3,4 cartridge razors, and I'm not achieving a BBS shave anyway. But too many passes seems to cause bumps and irritation; my face itches later in the day. I've been using an after shave balm from Olivia's Soaps.
I think it will really take quite a while to truly get good at this.