What pushed you over the edge to DE?

[FriscoSoxFan]

I can remember when the seed was planted. It was last year's superbowl when I saw the introduction for the Gillette Fusion. My eyes started opening to the reality of marketing versus functionality, so I decided to stick with my M3.

Then I saw the NBC Today show special.

Then I finally ran out of my M3 econo pack from Costco.

Then I saw how much Fusion Catridges were.

Then I had a baby. $9 for 4 blades now seemed a bit ridiculous.

Then I was cleaning an old junk drawer and found my grandfathers old Gillette travel Razor.

[boboakalfb]

Nonstop problems with ingrown hairs and irritation...I would say savings by switching to a DE but that is a joke. Yeah...blades are .15 a blade instead of $4...but I went from filling Gillettes pockets to the pockets of the nice purveyors of the wet shaving community.

Oh yeah...and my face looks and feels great. :thumbup1:

[htownmmm]

Ingrown hairs, electrics not working well(plus,you have to replace their heads yearly at a ridiculous cost) and the smell of their associated chemicals, and multi-blades eat my face up.



Marty

[jimmy_g32]

Awful razor burn and ingrown hairs after quite a long time with an electric, which I only took up because a Mach3 was giving me even worse problems. Actually, I made a rather bold leap from electric directly to a straight. A steep learning curve but I booked into Geo F Trumpers for one of their lessons and found it tremendously useful.

[jazzbass]

It seemed that Gillette had me by the shorthairs:lol:. Just when I was resigned to paying rediculous prices for crap that did not work, razorburn, and bloody collars, I saw a Merkur Futur online, then I saw the MSNBC article and then this site. I was convinced that there was a better way to shave. I have seen the light and my face has never felt better.:thumbup:

[TraderJoe]

Got sick and tired of the usual "canned goo" shave gel (not to mention the razor burn, bumps, etc), and I was searching for shaving creams on the web when stumbled on B&B. The rest is history.

[av8or234]

I would have to say dissatisfaction with the cartridge shavers. I couldn't stop the burn. Now, part of it is .16 to .60 cents a week in blades vs. 2.50-$4, I'm trying to save where ever I can. :001_unsur Anyway, I'm now getting immensely better shaves and having more fun than I've ever had shaving. That's easy as I never had fun with it before. I think this is probably the best thing I've done for a long time.

[jfm]

A combination of two personality traits: being a semi-Luddite and cheap!

[marclynn]

Got a shave in Vegas at Art of Shaving, and discovered that shaving could be done right. Had to find out how to do it myself, minus the striaght razor (at least for now)

[_C_]

It was a tri-phase thing for myself.

First I switched to electric. Unfortunately the only good electric I found was running me roughly $15 (avg of cleaner every two months and foil and head replacement once every year.) per month. Even then the shaves were not as good as they could have been.

I figured it was cheaper to go back to canned foam and bics. Which it was, but M3's and cream gave a better shave, with little irritation, but a fair amount of ingrown hairs.

Then on my wedding day, I made a mess of my upper lip and chin and vowed that I would never go back.

Although the circumstances may be different for each person, I suspect the symptoms are all pretty much the same. :biggrin:

[HawkeyeDave]

Without a doubt it was stumbling onto B&B. I spent the better part of three nights reading through all the great stuff on here and I was hooked! Shaving is no longer a dreaded chore but a challenging and relaxing ritual every morning.:thumbup:

[Jonnybc]

The barbers I used sold Merkur Razors and had a window display which I often use to drool over, I had a chat with them oe day and walked out with a Merkur Classic Open Comb, a Kent BK2 brush and a tube of Palmolive shaving cream. I always had trouble shavig and the DE route looked lie the answer to my troubles, this was 20 years ago and I've been learning ever since.

[PalmettoB]

The MSNBC article that stood out on my Yahoo! homepage. Then web searching for shaving information and winding up on here! :thumbup:

I used to have a full beard, mainly because I had grown sick of shaving. When I went back to goatee only, I had to shave the rest of it every day, and the disposable razors and gel/foam/goo were not getting me EVEN CLOSE to anything resembling a comfortable shave. Then I was using an electric I had gotten in the years BB (before beard), but as others have mentioned, the cost of new rotary heads and maintenance was also a problem.

[J_P_K]

I was trapped in M3 - Blu-Goo web. I did some reaserch on DE / wet shaving but still had a cache of M3 cartridges so I put off the switch till I racked my last 3 blade face scraper. I had used a DE years ago and the technique came back pretty fast. (kinda like riding a bycycle!) I'm using a Futur and experimenting with various blades (thanks letterk) and soaps/creams. Shaving is fun again!:biggrin:

[JMT]

I saw a picture on flickr of a really cool straight razor.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leviathor/123814723/

So I started using a straight. When the maintenance and time associated caught up with me I switched to using a DE. I will probably someday use a straight again, but it will most likely be a Shavette instead of a "real" straight.

I never had irritation issues with the Mach 3, and I got a really good shave with the Fusion, but the prices are ridiculous.

I guess the reason I switched was because I thought it was cool, and I thought it would be cheaper.

[MasonM]

For me it was constant neck irritation, the fact that the multiple blades clogged constantly, and cost.

[kozulich]

Started out with a DE and canned goo. It wasn't very satisfactory. I blamed the old-fashioned DE, so I switched to tracII. It was not much better, and the blades were more expensive. Tried williams soap, but didn't have the technique down, so I gave up on that. Then I went to mach III and canned goo. My beard constantly clogged the machIII so I kept a toothbrush on hand to scour out between the blades. What a hassle, and it never cut that well because it instantly clogged. Finally tired of struggling all the time, I went to electric. Norelco rotary didn't do that great of a job, switched to a braun foil at my uncles recommendation. The braun was much better, but my beard would totally trash a foil within 6 months. Within 3 months the shave would deteriorate to the point where I had to go back and forth over the same spot on my face 6 or 7 times. I was getting razor burn from my electric! Plus the stubble debris was kind of gross. Also, it was tough to shave accurately around my newly grown goatee. Surely there had to be a more precise tool for this. Some sort of naked blade is what I needed. Discovered that there actually was such a thing and there were people that still shaved with them. Went to a straight with williams soap. Immediately got better shaves. Discovered Classic soap, and C&E and my shaves improved exponentially. Recently rediscovered my old gilette SS DE languishing in a drawer and now I've come full circle, back to my original razor!

[rossination]

I always did fine with my M3, although the shave wasn't that close and I had pretty bad acne. Part of the acne problems were just on account of my lousy, oily, skin, but I never realized how much of it was also caused by the razor until I started shaving with the DE. My skin is clearer, and I have more fun shaving every morning!

[DemocritusJr]

All our answers will undoubtedly be one or a collection of the same, few themes. For me, I had been having a crummy day and stopped in to buy new blades for my Quattro. I'd always been cognizant of their cost but, because of the day, as I was paying I thought, "What a king-daddy screwing." The sentiment stuck long after the foul mood had gone and I soon hit then internet looking for other like-minded folk. Enter Badger and Blade.

With the Quattro, the shaves were adequate, but never phenomenal and I'd usually dread the whole process. Since switching to DE, I get better shaves and actually touch my face sometimes and think, "Crap. I don't need to shave." The process of prepping, lathering and thinking about what you're doing while moving the razor over the face is a very calming thing. I get 20 minutes to myself without the usual loathings infiltrating my mind. And if that's not reason enough to rub a dead animal's soap-laden hair over your face, I don't know what is!

[olkev]

Without a doubt it was stumbling onto B&B. I spent the better part of three nights reading through all the great stuff on here and I was hooked! Shaving is no longer a dreaded chore but a challenging and relaxing ritual every morning.:thumbup:

It was pretty much the same for me as well. I was just a happy camper be-boppin' along through life with a can of Barbasol, a Gillette Fusion, and some really inexpensive and quite dated cologne. I THOUGHT I was doing quite well. I was surfing Andy's Fashion Forum about clothes and found a reference to SMF; then from SMF to here. I've nearly gone blind with my face stuck to the computer monitor reading threads. I got lucky real quick and got a great Gillette Super Adjustable and ran out to Target and got the Proraso and brush and I was like a kid again experiencing his first shave . . . AND I HAVE BEEN GATHERING STUFF EVER SINCE! THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY ADDICTIVE!

That being said, I'm getting the best shaves ever and I just feel better (whatever THAT means).

[Folie]

For me it all started with Mantic's shaving videos on YouTube. At first I was just going to do the lathering part and stick with my Mach3 and then he put up the video which talked about various websites, one of them being this one. I then came over to the good ole B&B and realised that the ingrown hairs and irritation and frustration shaving wasn't normal and that I could actually enjoy it. After lurking for awhile I ordered myself a Merkur HD and registered as a member and the rest is history. Man am I glad I switched over. Shaving is relaxing and I look forward to it each and every day.

[kenxxxxxx]

Like most people, a confluence of factors...

(1) had been using Braun electric because I had been so tired of the Gillette M3 hype

(2) electric was expensive and didn't shave too well either

(3) was complaining about this to my father, who told me he had my great grandfather's old Super Speed

i was hooked from that point.

[webguru24]

For me it was three main factors: The rising cost of blades, crappy Edge/Gillette shave gel, and most importantly a connection to the past. I'm young and I love technology, but there are some things that worked well 100 years ago and if something is working just fine, then why mess with it? And now, I have some time for myself in the morning and a nice little meditation before I start my day.

[Folie]

Joe,

I totally agree with you about using tools from the past. I really like doing it they way it has been done for a long time. If it ain't broken then don't try and fix it.

[kenxxxxxx]

the connection to the past was huge to me. I recently shared a hotel room with my best friend growing up (he since moved away) and he was very interested and impressed that I was using the same razor that my grandfather used and getting closer shaves than his Fusion. I think I converted him.

[MasonM]

Perhaps that connection with the bygone days is a common thread among us? I also like this aspect.

[OldSaw]

I was tired of crappy shaves and razor burn from canned shaving foam and the electric was even worse. Post adolescent acne really liked to hang out around all those ingrown hairs.:eek:

I read an article in a mens magazine, while standing watch in the Navy, about using a brush... Well that was over 20 years ago and I have only occasionally strayed toward the electric in my drawer. The worst it got was a two year period of burning the candle of life at both ends and didn't take time to enjoy the lather. Glad to say that's behind me now.

[Aky007]

For me, its getting to learn the proper technique of shaving, also evr since i have been shaving with a DE i have had no ingrown hairs, smoother shave with no rash. I suppose that why i switched.
All these electric shavers and expensive mach 3's, makes you feel theat everything you own is disposable.

[highre]

Ingrown hairs, razor burn, and the Mach 3 ravaging the area under my nose.

[Larry C in Texas]

As for me, I got beaten down using my Braun electric every day. It's a mindless grind that I dreaded. My Braun was starting to only keep a charge for 3-4 days, so I knew it would take some expense to either replace it or get it refurbed. I thought I might go back to my old Sensor Excel. When I saw how much cartridges cost, even the older types like Sensor, I thought there had to be a better way. I saw that Walgreens still sold DE blades, so I did a Google on safety razors and it lead to classicshaving.com and eventually to here.

Real glad I did. Of course, I have spent enough on a brush and creams and witch hazel and alum bars to buy a ton of cartridges, so there is no cost savings. But, there is a ton of added enjoyment to my shaving.

[vincentl]

I have sensitive skin (it seems like most guys have :), and one day I used my skin moisturizer before applying that lovely Gillette goo all over my face. Wow, I had no razor bumps after that. Then, I couldn't get hold of that particular skin moisturizier (Nivea) and the other L'oreal stuff I got did not have the same effect. So, I thought I'd go to Boots and find some proper lather (at that time a mysterious phenomenon to me). For a novice there was quite a little selection, I did not now what to choose, but I ended up with lather from Real Shaving Co. Now that was a different experience! Then, I thought I'd do some Internet research and found LeisureGuy's shaving blog, which directed me here...

[carniby]

I bought the new mach turbo(whatever the four blade cart. is). It cost me 13 dollars for a 4 pack. I shave once and was impressed, shave the second time, and the blades were already dull and I cut my face so bad near my lips I had to wear a band-aid. My neck was burnt so bad I had a hard time going to sleep. I threw it all out. I googled best shave, and got to this website.

[ead]

I was just "SICK" of all the hype in Gillette products, they just don't do it right
I wanted something more "traditional" that will give me a nice shave and a very nice effort for making it so nice, and I love the smell, feeling and so on
So
DE or Str8 for me
Can't go other way these days:biggrin:

[rhett121]

I've always had a DE in my shaving arsenal but never had the right razor, the right technique or decent blades and creams to enjoy it fully. Then several months ago I read a story that was running somewhere on the net that led me to shaveblog and from there more research led me here.

I haven't touched a Mach3 or canned goo since and instead of shaving once every week or two, I now shave almost daily (sometimes I skip a day because it's more fun to cut off a longer beard but then again, sometimes I'm so excited, I'll try to shave even twice a day).

:shaving:



p.s. I should add that I've always had a DE in my arsenal because I was always attracted to that historical simplicity of using the classic tools of my fore fathers.

[takehiro12]

Read an article about wetshaving on msnbc.com and saw a couple of Mantic's videos last June. That planted the seed.
Then I moved from the inner city to the outer burbs and the change in tap water for some reason started giving me really crappy shaves that were not close. After a few months of that I just got fed up and took out the credit card. Did not find out about this forum until after the stuff started coming in the mail. I'm glad I did, though.

[doctorsimon]

A number of reasons:

1. The wife told me to change razor blades more often to reduce skin irritation
2. The blades were cheaper
3. A friend of mine has been doing it since university
4. I had a really good straight barber shave a couple of months before my wedding and wanted to get similar results at home

Since changing I have found that:

5. I love the scents of the creams, soaps, etc.
6. I get great shaves like at the barber
7. My skin is in far better condition

I'll never go back. NEVER!

[toconn]

The Mach 3 just wasn't cutting it for me (no pun intended). The shaves weren't very close and I was getting terrible razor burn on my neck. I would get 2 "good" shaves out of the cartridge, and then it started to feel as if they were just tearing hair out as opposed to cutting it off, and not to mention how expensive they got! I read someone's post on offtopic.com about DE shaving and that lead me to here and Mantic's shaving videos... one thing led to the next and I jumped on the DE shaving bandwagon about a week ago.

[gigemlee]

Baby on the way, couldn't afford M3s anymore. Had to find something less.

It actually has been less money, and all the money I spend on supplies other than blades has been out of gift money/slash luxury budgets.

So it's totally a financial thing... he he... or that's what I keep telling myself between BBS shaves...

[jonctd]

The wonderful fragrances!
Plus the BBS shaves!

[jonctd]

I bought the new mach turbo(whatever the four blade cart. is). It cost me 13 dollars for a 4 pack. I shave once and was impressed, shave the second time, and the blades were already dull and I cut my face so bad near my lips I had to wear a band-aid. My neck was burnt so bad I had a hard time going to sleep. I threw it all out. I googled best shave, and got to this website.

Glad to have you here!:biggrin:

[Gafer]

I was getting perfectly adequate shaves with a Schick Slim Twin and some goo from a can. Or so I thought. I picked up a boar brush and some cheap shaving soap at Walgreens on a whim just before Christmas. I really liked the resulting shave (still using the Schick) and started hunting the web. I found Leisureguy's blog and the next thing I knew I was at Enchante buying a Merkur HD from Charles Roberts. I know I'll never go back.

For me, I haven't saved money since the Schick Slim Twin's are just a few cents a piece but it's not about the money. It's about turning something I otherwise "had to do" into something I "want to do". I honestly look forward to shaving each morning. When I start the day with a comfortable, BBS shave it gives me a boost and convinces me that "Today is going to be a great day!" A hobby that I get to do every day - that's like a dream come true.

[locapacow]

My shave with my cartidge razors was pretty good. I had finally found a formula that worked. Mach 3 razor (which I later switched to a Fusion razor), Menscience advanced shave formula and the Post-shave repair (which was ok).
My shaves were close to bbs and I had little irritation.

So why switch? Pretty good wasn't perfect. I had ingrown hairs on a small part of my neck and my neck would stay irritated for a little while.

[Duggo]

After I found Badger and Blade, 5 plus months ago, I found Mantic's/Mark's videos on YouTube. I watched them. I read the comments here. I was hearing stuff like "the most comfortable shave..." "I'll NEVER go back" The members here were just praising shaving with a Double Edge (DE) razor.

I had no complaints with my Mach 3. No razor burn. No ingrowns. No irritations. I took a leap of faith that Mantic/Mark and the members here knew what they were talking about.

I ran out the next day to AOS and bought their starter set, for too much money but I'm glad I did. Because the shaves that I'm getting now, are better than before. Shaving is not something I have to do now. It's something I want to do. It defines my whole day. For me, learning a skill like using a DE, really was a boost to my self confidence. Not that that will resonate with the multi-blade crowd, but that's another post.

[TimmyBoston]

It was Mantic's videos that gave me the bug.

[OldSaw]

I ran out the next day to AOS and bought their starter set...

Which flavor did you get?

[digitldlnkwnt]

Like many others on B&B i just really was fed with trying various high-cost gimicky razors and ending up with the same crappy irritation all the time.
This in turn lead me to buying pretty every after shave/ pre-shave you can name.
Somehow i ended up on B&B (divine intervention i guess) did some reading...bought a Merkur Futur and the Letter K sampler pack. I started with Taylors Sandalwood cream and a Vulfix brush (number i dont remember) but after further reading i discovered what i believe to be a better cheaper soap that fulfills the roll of being a good shave-medium Mama Bears Lavender and Eucalyptus.

Now i have a custom shavemac silver tip and stand on the way (threw in some Tabac Shaving Soap after reading some good reviews on it) and all i see is positive results. Shaves get better and better.

So while it has been so trial and error one constant remains...that all the damage that i had done to my hair follicles and my skin is slowly starting to fade away, and i guess in time will be gone all together.

Now i like shaving so much, I wish i had another face.

[PeteT]

I was a long time Mach3 / Quattro user but I always begrudged paying such a ridiculous price for replacement cartridges. Then two things happened:

Wilkinson Sword sent me a free sample of the latest version Quattro which I tried once and decided it was the most unpleasant shaving instrument I had ever had the misfortune to use. It felt and looked cheap, it rattled when I used it and the 'lubristrip' covered my face in slime.

At about the same time I ran out of aftershave balm and searched Google for an 'eco friendly, not tested on animals' alternative and ended up at B&B.
That was about 4 months ago and I will NEVER go back to a cartridge razor.

[Juaquin]

I was using a Fusion - BBS shave every time, but a lot of irritation, so much that I couldn't enjoy the BBS because I didn't want to touch it. I had taken to only shaving every other day. I wanted something better. And boy did I find it!

Give me some Taylor's St. James, a Derby, and an HD, and I could shave all day long.

[tim8557]

For me, it was as simple as I like to purchase stuff. Besides, it was a bit of nostalgia as a DE was how I started in the 60's.

[Brushed]

I've almost always had bad shaves. The result could be very good with an M3, but I had to pay the price the next day. Shaving two days in a row was something I avoided.

While searching for info hair trimmers (buzzed my head some weeks ago), I stumbled across info on DE razors and thought I could give it a try and got a Merkur Futur. Excellent shave, even with Gilette Gel (which I never really liked, but hadn't realized there were alternatives). Got a brush and Edwin jagger soap but got mediocre results (probably my technique). Found this site and SMF and a wealth of info! Mantic's videos are fantastic! I could never have guessed that some many take shaving so seriously. I then bought the Bodyshop's cream locally, and got much better results (oh, the luxury of warm lather!!!). And now I intend to order a bunch of creams from the UK (with help from the reviews here - if everyone dislikes it, it's probably no good).

I just wish I had converted earlier! It isn't until now that I have realized that when it says "sensitive skin" on the can of shaving gel, it's a description of what you'll get! With 'whipped cream' I can continue to shave until I am satisfied.

[AFDavis11]

When my high school sweetheart dumped me she referred to me as "The guy that doesn't know how to shave". When my drill Sergeant screamed at me by lunch saying "Davis, did you shave today?". When I just couldn't get a good shave no matter what I somehow concluded that the pivoting blade didn't make any sense.

But what was I to do? I tried a DE and it just didn't work. Why, to this day, I don't know. I stuck with cartridges until the razor heads starting "flopping" instead of pivoting. The Mach 3 was such a joke I just couldn't stand it anymore and learned to shave with a DE and a straight at the same time.

The second time I tried to learn with a DE it was so easy. I don't know what I did wrong the first time. But then, very very slowly, I learned how to use a straight too.

By then I would tell my friends, "If I want a razor to pivot I'll do it myself"

Now I just use a straight because I got tired of ordering blades off the internet.

[galpman]

I can remember when the seed was planted. It was last year's superbowl when I saw the introduction for the Gillette Fusion. My eyes started opening to the reality of marketing versus functionality, so I decided to stick with my M3.

Then I saw the NBC Today show special.

Then I finally ran out of my M3 econo pack from Costco.

Then I saw how much Fusion Catridges were.

Then I had a baby. $9 for 4 blades now seemed a bit ridiculous.

Then I was cleaning an old junk drawer and found my grandfathers old Gillette travel Razor.


Boston, That's pretty much what happened to me although I did not have a DE razor in a drawer. I also remember the experience from 30 years ago and said WHY NOT go back. Those Gillette prices pushed me over the edge.

[ratcheer]

I had already started hearing about DE wet shaving on the internet when I was running out of Mach 3 Turbo cartridges and went to Sam's Club to see how much it would cost to move up to the Fusion. I was paying about $28 for 16 Mach 3 Turbos. 16 Fusion cartridges were about $38.

That's it!

I switched, immediately, and have never looked back. I'm getting the best shaves, ever.

Tim

[Christoph]

I began to really, really resent pasying so much for Mach3 and Fusion blades. At the same time, I was doing research on the net to try to improve the quality of my shaves. Then I read that there were actually DEs still in exisitence, and that there were humans who still used them. That made be search my attic (literally) for a DE which I had not used since I was about 16. No trace of them. So I bought a Merkur HD. And so began my journey. And while money was the issue in the beginning, I have certainly spent more money on hardware (razors and brushes) and software (creams). So the money issue is not a continuing factor in my shaving hobbie. But it is still there as a principle. I hated paying lots of cash for cartridge systems. They're just little pieces of plastic: what you're paying for is R&D and advertising. DEs are the questessential long tail market product.

[chop-chop]

I was talking with one of my friends following a band rehearsal one night. Somehow, the topic of shaving came up... as he had recently made the switch back to DE shaving. He told me that he had purchased a Merkur razor, stand, "beaver" brush (I've since straightened him out on the fact that it's "badger", not beaver. :cool: ) Anyways, he seemed very happy to have returned to DE shaving... and, I had recently purchased some cheap multi-blade razors that were making a mess of my face. I chose them to avoid paying the high price for replacement blades for my M3.

The next day, I started researching safety razors, and my friend, and fellow B&B member, Matt/UAtrmpt and I started chatting about all of this on AOL. Matt found Mantic's videos, and I watched them. The story rang true to form about the multi-blade wrecking tools for the face. So, I started looking on eBay for razors and brushes. I won the auctions for a Merkur LH Classic, and an EJ-Super Badger brush. As soon as I had the DE razor, I shaved using the goop in a can. Great improvement! When I received my brush, I ran out and purchased the only shave soap other than Williams... Burt's Bees Bay Rum... and, had an even more enjoyabe experience.

After joining B&B, I discovered that I NEEDED some Mama Bear soaps... and, the rest is history. Since I had started shaving with a Gillette adjustable, many years ago, DE shaving was not a new experience for me. Like others have said, it felt really good to get back on the bike again. I traded up for a Merkur Vision, and I have since purchased a B&B brush, and a great supply of Derby blades (along with some Derby cream). I am much more OCD about my hygeine than I am about purchasing in excess. So, I'll stick with what I have, and when I need more, I'll buy it. From participating on this site, I already know what I will buy. :wink:

This site is a great resource... whether you are considering making the switch to DE wetshaving, looking to improve upon your technique... or, especially if you are looking for some nice interaction with a great bunch of people. Having women like Sue - Mama Bear, Sue - Saint Sue, and JoAnna here help keep us honest, and provide a wonderful balance on the forum. :thumbup:

Tchau,
chop-chop

[Jfala]

I wasn't really looking to switch, even though my shaves with my Fusion weren't the very best shaves I have ever had. In fact I couldn't ever remember the best shave or enjoying shaving for that matter; except when my father taught me how with a twin blade. Furthermore, I was having difficulty swallowing the continual costs of replacing those damned razor cartridges. Even buying them in bulk at Costco seemed outrageous! :scared:

Then, I stumbled into an Art of Shaving store while shopping for my wife's birthday present. I spent some time talking with the salesman about the various elements of a great shave, the PSO, brush, cream & lather, and especially the razor. The AOS salesman focused on their Mach3 and Fusion handles but I could not stop staring at the DEs they had in their cases. I remembered that my father had an old DE in his travel manicure set; one which I don't think he had ever used. Totally enamored, I bought a "starter" package of their PSO, shave cream, badger brush and ASB - lavender.

Still with my Fusion, I proceeded to follow the directions of on the packaging for applying the various elements, producing the lather, etc. Wow, what an epiphany! Just using the brush made shaving fun again.

Of course I scoured the internet for the best deals on razors, brushes, creams, et al. I have been shaving with my Merkur Progress for almost a week now, and I know that I have a lot of learning to do, but man is that a great shave!!!

Over the past couple of days I have come across great sites like this one, and my passion/obsession has grown - especially knowing that there are so many other people out there just like me.

[Bahamianlvr]

I was using a Norelco with the goo, was not able to shave everyday and needed quite a bit of stubble built up to get a shave. Internet searches led me to Leisureguy then to Mantic then to here and that was it. Now it's only getting better.

[vespergo]

it looks like there are plenty of people that change to DE shaving to save money. i'm definately one of the many, but in the beginning you actually end up spending way more, the difference is that you actually want to spend the money as opposed to it being a necessity.

[ericmoritz]

I remember when I was in my early teens that my dad started using a butterfly door DE. I guess it was some kind of Gillette. I thought it was the coolest thing. I don't think he kept it more than a week and went back to the plastic multiblade. Knowing him, he was attempting to save money with the DE (he's real frugal)

The coolness of that razor stuck in my mind. I later found a link to the CNBC article and dreamed of buying a brush and to start wet shaving. I thought it was the coolest way to shave. However I could never convince myself to drop close to three hundred to get started. Like most expensive purchases, I try to convince someone to buy it as a present. I finally convinced my wife to buy me a shave kit for Valentine's Day. She wanted to get me an XBOX 360. I'm extremely glad that she didn't buy the 360 because I'm having a much more fun with the brush and blade than I would with the 360. I'm getting a little old for videogames, I think my Wii is collecting dust.

It's amazing how much better you feel having a pampered, luxurious shave every morning, even when the shave is not perfect.

I was over at my parents this weekend and said to my dad, "I just started shaving with a old fashion single bladed razor" thinking that he would give me all kinds of admiration and praise for shaving like a man :) Unfortunately, he told me, "Man, don't use those, they'll cut up your face." I responded with, "Not if you use them right. If you use them right they're much better than anything you'll use"

I guess I found out why that old DE of his never stuck around, he didn't know how to use it. In fact I'm sure he was still using canned goo with the DE he had. At least I now have a Christmas present for him this year, A proper shave kit with a brush and some Mama Bear soaps.

E.

[ead]

I remember when I was in my early teens that my dad started using a butterfly door DE. I guess it was some kind of Gillette. I thought it was the coolest thing. I don't think he kept it more than a week and went back to the plastic multiblade. Knowing him, he was attempting to save money with the DE (he's real frugal)

The coolness of that razor stuck in my mind. I later found a link to the CNBC article and dreamed of buying a brush and to start wet shaving. I thought it was the coolest way to shave. However I could never convince myself to drop close to three hundred to get started. Like most expensive purchases, I try to convince someone to buy it as a present. I finally convinced my wife to buy me a shave kit for Valentine's Day. She wanted to get me an XBOX 360. I'm extremely glad that she didn't buy the 360 because I'm having a much more fun with the brush and blade than I would with the 360. I'm getting a little old for videogames, I think my Wii is collecting dust.

It's amazing how much better you feel having a pampered, luxurious shave every morning, even when the shave is not perfect.

I was over at my parents this weekend and said to my dad, "I just started shaving with a old fashion single bladed razor" thinking that he would give me all kinds of admiration and praise for shaving like a man :) Unfortunately, he told me, "Man, don't use those, they'll cut up your face." I responded with, "Not if you use them right. If you use them right they're much better than anything you'll use"

I guess I found out why that old DE of his never stuck around, he didn't know how to use it. In fact I'm sure he was still using canned goo with the DE he had. At least I now have a Christmas present for him this year, A proper shave kit with a brush and some Mama Bear soaps.

E.

We are the same here :biggrin:
My papa still think I have gone Nut for using DE, and told me the same things like "It will cut you, you will ruin your face" and so on
Well
I am happy with my DE very much, tank you :biggrin:

[Fuzzy Face]

I originally departed from multiblades and began my quest for the perfect shave via straight razor. The learning curve for getting it sharp enough has been challenging so I got a Dovo Shavette which is a straight razor with a disposable blade in it. I liked it and purhcased a Merkur Futur and then a Merkur Slant (the Slant is "Da Kine!"). I love the Slant and it has taken preeminence in my daily shaving routine. I'm still trying to master the straight and have progressed, but my stropping and honing skills need to improve.

Merkur uber alles!

[greycat]

For me, it was the fact that I hated paying $8 for four Mach3 cartridges, none of which lasted very long (I was spending at least $20 a month for cartridges, or using dull ones because I didn't want to pay that much!) And regardless of which cartridge or electric I'd ever used, I'd never had a very good shave. I've always been a WWII history buff, and I started to consider DE's, both for the "romantic" reasons, as well as cost of blades and having a great shave.

I finally went to an antique store last week, picked up a '52 Super Speed for five bucks, got some cheap blades and instantly got a better shave than any cartridge or electric I'd ever used! Even with the cheap blades and brush, it's far better than any other razor I'd ever used, and I'm NEVER going back!!! That, and $20 will buy me a few months worth of blades, instead of a few week's worth!

[Christoph]

Well, I never got great shaves with ANY cartridge systems. Not like I do now with my DEs.

But what really did it: Resentment! I got to resent paying for mach3 and fusion blades. It just didn't seem right.

its very true that I have spend hundreds on products since converting. but I don't resent spending the cash one bit.

[bluenose]

Since I started shaving in the early 60's on Gillette DE's, I've gone through just about every type/brand of razor and shaver. The cost of blades for the new Gillette's/Shick's/etc. is ridiculous. The cost of replacement cutters for my electric razors are almost as much as the cost of a new one.

I think it's like a great many things we are being prompted to buy nowadays. Newer and better isn't always best.

The shave I get with my DE is better than any I've got using my other assorted pieces of "planned obsolesence". I am just sorry I didn't stick with DE all along.

Regards

[bpatton]

I was introduced to wet shaving through going to a caswell massey store in Colorado. Now, after 2 years of the slight improvement from that, I have discoverd this site and others that impressed me with the idea it might be better on the DE side. The DE is on the way so we shall see...

[xmemnochx]

I came to DE shaving in a vigorous search to find a better way, I was getting so much irritation and really poor shaves with the mach3/fusion. DE shaves are great, I don’t know if I really save any money, but here is some simple math.

Fusion Blades $3.62375(each in 8 pack) * 200(blades) = $724.75
Feathers $.25(each) * 200 = $50.00

[Limey]

I was in Nordstrom's shopping for cologne when the sales lady started pitching me on Truefitt & Hill cologne. I chose the West Indian Lime. She then talked to me about T&H shaving kit with a brush, razor, soap, etc... She asked if I wanted a demo to that I said, "sure". She then starts soaping my hand and arm with WIL shave cream and a badger brush. It was a nice scent and feel. :blush: She then looks at me and asks if I shave with an electric. I'm thinking she guessed that because it was around luchtime and I had a full 5 o'clock shadow. I say "thanks" head out of there with my T&H WIL cologne back to home. At that point I realized I've need to do better so I started surfing the internet for shaving, badger brushes, razors, etc... I wanted to get into straight razor shaving but in my studying I realized DE had a shorter learning curve and less start up dollars. Now over 50+ DE razors here I am! :blink:

[navy_shave]

I learned to shave in the late 60s with a DE, but switched to Trac II when they came out. Got good shaves with that system for 30 years. But throwing all that plastic into environment was beginning to irk me, as well as the prices of the cartridges displayed next to DE blades.

So I decided to experiment using my wife's DE. I was impressed enough to continue the experiment. Shaves were just as good as Trac II and I was saving money. Then I found leisureguy's blog and promptly bought my own razor from ebay. That, and the advice I've found here gives me great shaves that are actually fun.

Then there's the connection with the past. I remember the one and only shaving lesson my grandfather gave me. I must have been 13 or 14. Now, I'm shaving like my grandfather did--only better. I'll NEVER go back to cartridges. My only regret is that I didn't stay with my first DE those many years ago.

[TstebinsB]

I never shaved with a razor because of the constant razor bumps and hyperpigmentation - instead I used a hair trimmer. I saw the article online titled "How to get a perfect shave" and decided to take it up on some of its suggestions. Now, I get BBS shaves everytime I shave, to the extent that I've even taken up straight razor shaving. I look forward to shaving everyday, my girlfriend loves how smooth my face is, and irritation is no longer a threat.

That being said, there is NO way I would have made it without B&B. There are so many things this website has helped me with. I know I started wetshaving on my own but without B&B's knowledge, my incompetence would've forced me to quit a long time ago. Respect the badger. Respect the blade.:thumbup:

[Lil'Shaver]

I was looking for some better shaving cream. I found Nivea in a can. Then I watched the History Channel about the History of Shaving. I searched the internet to see if I could improve my shave. At the time, I was using the Fusion 5 blade cartridge and I was hoping to educate myself a bit. I wondered how long a razor blade should last???? I was using my Fusion for four weeks!

So after some time in Wikipedia on shaving I linked to this board and began to explore the DE razor. I bought a Merkur HD from Classicshaving.com and some Proraso cream and an Omega brush from Target. Not satisfied with just that I purchased a C&E Best Badger brush and LetterK's sample pack blades and a Slant from Lee's Razor. Now my shaves are terrific and no irritation at all. I learned to shave with the grain, not against the grain and a whole lot of other cool stuff here on BB.

[Steerpike]

I never got into DE, when I tried it recently I got nicks every time, so I stuck with my Straight razors. What tripped me over into that was my Mum not buying me cartridges for whatever 3 blade thing I was using. I had recently been taught to sharpen, so I spent an afternoon making a small knife really sharp, and gave it a try: the shave was fine, no worse than the 3 blade razor, and the blade was free ( I stole it from my Mum). Some time later I got an antique straight razor in an antique shop, and that gave me a FINE shave, I mean better than any I had had before. So I stuck at it!
I've always used soap (originaly Plamolive sticks) and a brush (originally some cheapo boar bristle brush) because it's how my dad shaves. Never tried electric, canned goo or anything unnatural like that...

[latheredup]

I saw an article in Reader's Digest. It intrigued me, I like to try cool new stuff -- and I thought I would save money on blades. A few months, 2 razors and countless creams, soaps and balms later - its cooler than ever, but saving money?? Fuggedaboutit!! :laugh:

[Mitch]

When I started shaving my head, I used an electric for fear of cutting myself. It felt like velcro. I got brave enough to use twin blades, then the Mach 3.
Then I noticed that the Mach 3 blades were almost as expensive as the Fusions. (I didn't like the fusion, it wouldn't shave close enough and the handle was too slippery.) After doing some reading online about straights, I decided the switch to DE was soemthing I could do now, and it seemed that people were getting decent shaves with them. A $5.00 travel Gillette and $2.97 generic blades and I started getting good shaves wita no name glycerin soap. And I'm getting the satisfaction of learning a new skill. I cant wait till I feel like I've got my technique down to the point where I can start trying different blades, creams, soaps, and after shaves.

[Dave_D]

A few things that inspired the switch:

1) The clogging tendency of cartridges and the resultant slide over the top of two day stubble without cutting it.

2) Even when taking the trouble to scrub out the clogged catridge on every other pass (with a toothbrush) their would be irritation on the days I attempted a close shave (in fairness to the cartridges, the gooey gel didnt help)

3) The price of replacement cartidges and the waste of disposable things.

4) A natural inclination to traditional things that just work better and look neat! D.Es in general, Str8s in particular, brushes, etc.

After my first D.E. shave I was hooked, 3 day stubble mowed down in 1 pass! Admittedly, it wasnt my best shave but I was certain of the possibilities.

Dave

[scruffyv]

Well, I was using a Sensor, noticed that occasionally I would get a pack of cartridges that seemed dull. So after trying two and confirming that it was the whole pack, and throwing the whole set away a few times, I then tried a triple system. I noticed that the triple did not fit under my nose easily, and most of the triple systems did not pivot like the sensor. Grumble grumble. Then I noticed that the Edge gel I used just wasn't that good. So after years of getting a few good shaves, then a few bad ones, I finally concluded that something was going on with the Sensor cartridges-- either planned obsolescence, or aging stock, different plants, or all of the above. The net effect was I was getting frequent lousy shaves with the Sensor, the other 3,4, or 5 blade systems did not work for me, and the gel sucked. I googled shaving and came to leisure guy's blog. And as they say the rest is history.

[daniel]

I came to DE's because of a search for a better shave. I always had gotten good results with the Mach 3's on my cheeks, but my neck was a different story. I was always nicking myself and just generally getting a bad shave. Ingrown hairs on my chin and general irritation in that area because of the amount of passes required to get that area shaven led to me always looking for something better. It started with all the commercial shaving creams and gels from Target, etc. and led to me finally picking up a boar brush from Wal-Mart. Now, of course, I'm using a Merkur HD and various soaps and creams with varying success. With my DE I have gotten the best shave I have ever received, and also the worst shave (bad angle, horrible technique, all the wrong things newbs do) I have ever received. Now, I'm achieving more consistent shaves that are closer than I've ever received with a Mach 3 and less irritation on my neck than my Mach 3. The only area left to conquer is achieving the same closeness on my neck that I can get on other places on my face. This will come in time and once that happens, I will finally chuck all the cartridges in the trash (they are handy when the alarm doesn't go off for a quick, down and dirty shave). :smile:

[Ogion]

I kinda stumbled upon DE shaving. I had been using Mach3 Turbo cartridges with various cans of synthetic goo and was not all that happy with the price vs. performance I was getting. One day, I was searching for "ball powder" on Google for a project at work (those of you that shoot or reload your own ammo will know what it is) and found a completely different product on Men's Essentials.:ohmy: Being curious, I poked around the Men's Essentials site a bit and eventually found my way to B&B. I picked up a few products to see if I could get better results with the Mach3, and then decided to switch to DE when my supply of cartridges ran out. I'm one week into DE shaving, and have no plans to go back.

[scagooch]

Like most people here I decided something had to be done and shortly I arrived here

[tsv]

I had always been disappointed with the quality of my shaves. I hated the way blades had loaded up with goo. I'd keep a tooth pick or old tooth brush handy to clean it out. Things got better when I started to shave in the shower, but shave did not improve that much. I had gone from Atra to Slim Twin to Sensor to Mach 3. I kept trying the latest razor, and kept being disappointed. I finally googled "how to shave", and ran across Mantic's videos. I immediately bought a brush and soap. My shave improved, so I bought an Injector. The Injector worked well, then RAD set in. I had to try a DE. I bought a '54 Super Speed and got a better shave. More RAD, ended up with a Fat Boy, been happy ever since.

[DEwey]

I bought my first shaving brush while in France at 18 years old. I've always loved using a brush... Well, after my wife got me a new brush for Christmas this past year, I saw an Art of Shaving store that claimed DE single blade shaving resulted in fewer ingrowns (always a problem with my tough wirey beard - I have tried fusion, machs, sensors, disposables and electrics but had either a poor shave or irritation and usually both!). With the Art of Shaving's promises in their beatiful ad copy, I remembered that many dermatologists recommend DEs. I also remembered using my grandfather's old 1966 Gillette Superspeed when I was in about 8th grade. Thought it might be fun to go "old school". So I went to ClassicShaving.com (where my wife had picked up my Vulfix brush) and ordered a Merkur HD Open Comb. Since then, I got my grandfather's Superspeed from my mother and picked up my favorite DE the Merkur Slant Bar from another forum member. So, it has been a lot of fun and I've really enjoyed the "community feeling" in the shaving forums as well!

[guitarslinger]

I was doing gillette good news disposable + gillette foamy.

I didn't have any irritation or anything, but my shaves were getting worse due to manufaturing going to mexico.

I was surfing harmony central amps forum and somebody referenced the CNBC article or wherever it was from. The article talked about how bad foam shaving cream smells. I thought about it and was enticed by the idea of lime or lillac shave soap.

My Mom asked me if I wanted anything for CHristmas. I said, "yep, I need a DE shave setup."

the first lesson I learned was, "damn, even these wal mart blades are sharper than these Merkurs of which I purchased 20 from classic shaving. :("

[Wil]

Thought that I would save money going to the DE- :lol: :lol: :lol: well at least the water bill is less...

Presently have a Vision and a gold Slant- and two Brushes (a Dove and Saville) I see myself saving money everyday- I love this- My sanity is worth so much more!!!

[bizprof]

Maybe money is part of the motive - and certainly, getting a better shave, but I have two other reasons.

First, it slows me down in the mornings, which means I can't laze around and rush through shaving to make up time. Also, the process is meditative and, with all the shave creams,colognes, etc. that are making their way to my house, sybaritic as well. Shaving is a little oasis before the day is underway.

Second, I really, really like the tools involved. I just got my first DE - a gold Merkur HD. That is a beautiful little piece of work and I can see a real AD emerging (that new Merkur, for instance, or a Jagger Chatsworth lined razor). Ditto for brushes in all their material and quality choices. Add in creams, etc. ..well, good tools are a pleasure to own and use.

[DirtyDave]

The cost of M3 cartridges for starters and the memory that three blades did not shave any better than two blades and two blades didn't shave any better than a DE razor.

I was thinking about the four and five blade razors at time and shaving with my M3 and more or less decided that four or five would not be better, just more expensive. That is when I decided to Google DE razors, found the Merkur HD (among others) and recommendations of it here on B&B and SMF.

Now I am spending less on razor blades and getting better shaves. I am also spending more on razors and other stuff, but having more fun.

It all works out in the end.

[Daves]

I have always had a hard time shaving, ingrown hairs, the neck, hard fast, growing beard and sensitive skin.

My father used to razz me all the time about it. He would say I was going ATG but I wasn't and I had a dermatologist confirm that I was doing the right thing.

At the end of June, after more than 10 years I shaved my beard. The major I had a beard was because I wanted to avoid shaving.

When it was off I had to learn how to shave again. I realized that the Gillette multi-blades were not working for me so I googled shaving and found the shaveblog. It was then that I decided to go for the DE. It has proved worthwhile but it has been a steep learning curve. I have also realized that now my beard is even thicker, harder and faster growing than it was 10 years ago. This adds to the difficulty.:crying:

[joselastra]

crappy, unstylestic shaves.

[daveesq]

One of my best friends received an AOS brush/cream/oil set for Christmas and he said good things about it. I researched brushes on a whim and found, among other sites, B&B. Though the M3 shaved me pretty well (despite the occasional triple nicks that I'd get), I could never get all the hairs off my neck. A little lurking later showed that there was a pretty good chance that a DE would get rid of them, so I risked it and picked uph an HD, some Proraso, and a Vulfix brush.

I'm really happy that I did, though my bank account isn't. :wink:

[Izzy]

Cost of replacement cartridges, not so great shaves and the feeling there must be a better option.

Then I found B&B and the rest is history.

Regards

[dreadpirate]

I can remember when the seed was planted. It was last year's superbowl when I saw the introduction for the Gillette Fusion. My eyes started opening to the reality of marketing versus functionality, so I decided to stick with my M3.

Then I saw the NBC Today show special.

Then I finally ran out of my M3 econo pack from Costco.

Then I saw how much Fusion Catridges were.

Then I had a baby. $9 for 4 blades now seemed a bit ridiculous.

Then I was cleaning an old junk drawer and found my grandfathers old Gillette travel Razor.

Schick sent me a 4 blade razor in the mail. I thought (and still think) shaving with 4 blades is stupid. Then, I remembered the NBC today show and "Merkur" razors. After some research - I bought my current outfit.

[brooklynlou]

Short answer - I went bald.

I have been wet shaving in the shower for over a decade. For god knows how many years my tool of choice was a Trac 2. The Trac 2 coupled with a cheap brush I would replace ever couple of years, consistently gave me a nick free BBS shave. As a result I never bothered going for the 3 and 4 blade contraptions. There was no need to.

When I started losing my hair in my late 20's. rather than go the route of comb-over or hair club for men, I started shaving my head. Trying to keep the space between the twin blades of a Trac 2 clean was a pain in the ass. Shaving my head took forever since a lot of time was spent with a thin piece of cardboard trying to dig crap out from between the blades. All I kept thinking was how a single blade razor would be soooo much easier to shave a head with. Enter the Bic Metal.

For a lot of years, I used various brands of Trac 2's cartridges I found on sale for my face and Bic Metals on my head. Both were relatively inexpensive and gave a damn good shave so I was happy.

Doing cleaning one day found an old Gillette DE (Black handle SS). Loaded it up with a convenience store DE blade and decided to shave my head with it. Considering I had no idea what I was doing with a DE, it went very well. Gently passing the razor over my foamy head it very quickly, almost effortlessly, shaved my dome. I had a nick or two, but the thing had made a convert. Plus it looked cool. Unfortunately when I tried shaving my face with the SS it seemed like nothing was happening. So for 2-3 years I used a Trac 2 (or Bic Metal) on my face and a DE on my head.

On a random youtube surf a few months back I accidentally found the mantic videos. Cause of the mantic videos I went out and bought a Futur (it looked really really cool). When I first got it, I set it to '1' and using mantic's technique, started shaving. The thing shaved like a dream. [Cue light of enlightenment from above].

Since then I lurked and later joined this site and once I get delivery of my Megress I will have gone over to the dark side of acquisition disorder as well. (Damn you mantic).

As for the Trac 2 handles, they went into the trash. The Bic's were relgated to touch up work. I just use DE's now.

[gps]

My wife, actually. I asked her to pick up a pack of Mach 3 cartridges one day and she had a fit at how much they cost. She said: "I don't understand whatever happened to just shaving with a single blade. Why do you need 3 blades?" Truth was, I had been looking for yet another electric shaver just to get away from the blue goo and cost of cartridges, and I didn't really want to spend $$ on something I had tried before and knew wouldn't fit the bill, so I decided to check things out and see if anyone was still selling safety razors and blades. The rest, as they say, is history.

[New2DEShaving_Montreal]

Saw my father using it a lot. He finally stopped, but his Gillette DE was always there. It was catching rust. I like to preserve old things, so I took it. Saw blades for it at the drug store. I was shocked they still existed. So I bought the blades.
Perfect opportunity to try something different, something not so hyped up by the media.
DE wet shaving to me is art, skill, class, all in 1. Plus, way cheap if ordered in bulk. I no longer have to drag a cartridge across my face for a month :) I got so good at making them last a whole month. Hahaha.
Been enjoying shaving *almost everyday* now.

[morajam]

got tired of paying so much for my Schick Quatro blades, but still bought them. Wasn't getting a good shave so i googled "how to get a good shave." Found an article on MSNBC which started the switch. Later i found Classic Shaving, Found my grandfather's old Schick DE razor and brush and proceeded to buy razors and some TOBS soap, and then then obsession happened. Searched "wet shaving" on you tube, found mantic's videos, then looking around for products to try i found this site!

Like many people here I HATED shaving before, sometimes going a week or more (i could get away with it by being a college student). Started shaving EVERYDAY when i started with a DE razor.

[iron maiden]

Hmmm...originally I switched because the cost of those damn M3, Quattro & Fusion blades relegated them to either Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, or teeth-gnashing, hair pulling endeavors at Walmart...
If Gillette would have made those blades cost only $1 each, rather than $2 or more, I would still be happily shaving with their powered M3 & Fusion razors....but P&G are greedy bastages, so I had a "learn to shave" get together with my dad, who happily provided me with all of his DE razors (Schick Krona, 1940's SS, Black Beauty) and a plastic mug with a vintage (NOS) cake of Williams. I woke up the next day and shaved with a real razor...and haven't looked back.

Now shaving has become more of a ritual and enjoyable pastime for me. Not realizing it at the time, but the cartridge razors irritated my neck...I thought everybody had irritation and ingrown hairs.:thumbdown But after switching to the DE, the neck has cleared and shaving is great.

[Wade253]

I stumbled onto this board after taking the Philips Norelco 21-day electric shaver test. I thought maybe electrics had made technological improvements. I wasn't satisfied but found the ERR Electric Razor Rap board. Somehow I surfed shaving sites and found B&B. Following the beard reduction advice, I found great shaves with my M3 and better soaps. If the board was right about that I thought they may well be right about DE. Even though I had no fond memories of DE, perhaps it was technique. Technique was indeed the factor for bad memories!

[rabidpotatochip]

Of all things, I was looking for recipes for shampoo bars. I ended up looking into shaving cream recipes and this led me to Sue's site (Saint Charles Shave) with a pretty nifty story about shave soap. I thought it was a cute story, but didn't think much else at the time. A few days later I wondered, "Shave soap? I must have missed something...". This led me to a site with an article that promised the best shave of my life and did a darn good job of selling the idea, including a detailed cost breakdown.

A few weeks research later and I bought everything I needed to start off Ebay and never looked back. Somewhere in that few weeks I found this site, but I think I'll always have Sue to thank/blame for getting me so off track with my shampoo bar project. :biggrin:

[king hiram]

I switched cuz Iron Maiden said that if I did not that I was no longer a man. I was really talking to him about how I was going to shave everyday because of white patches of hair on my neck. He told me about the great shaves from his DEs and about this forum, which I mistook for Beaver&Razor.com which is another story. I bought a 50's SS flaretip and have not looked back, I have shaved every day for 3 weeks and feel great.

Ryan

[Mojo88]

My son started working at a mall that has a AOS store close to where he works. He brought some samples to me and I gave it a try. I have been hooked since and have been bit hard by the bug. I can say my face has never felt better. The advice on this forum has been nothing short of great. It truly is the most civil and helpfull forum I have participated in.

[MotoMike]

Man, this thread has struck a chord!

I thought I was smart. went to a straight from a Sensor. I was outsmarting the market forces. then after a couple months, I carelessly dinged the edge of my straight on the faucet. I had to re grind the edge, reestablish the bevel and then hone it to perfection. Well some where along the ling, I could not get my hair popping edge back and while I sorted it out, I used an old ball handled tech. I was amazed at the shave and have been hooked ever since. I would say that outsmarting the market may at this point be questionable, as the AD's have set in and I doubt I am saving money any more.

Regards,

Mike

[jss]

like everyone else I tired of pay premium prices for inferior tools and sub standard shaves. Since converting there's only been one in grown hair. If anyone shows me how to remove this one, there may never be another. Shaving is now a joy and not a drag.

[Shave Cat]

Yep, I was tired of paying the high prices for cartridges, even though I thought I was getting a good shave. I then made the mistake of being cheap and buying a bag of inexpensive disposables that tore my face up. I remembered that I had seen an article on the web that contained an interview with a barber. I never could find that article, but I found B&B. Thanks, guys!

-Clarke

[rickw]

In 1962, I had a choice of Schick, Gillette or power. The Tech was available at the PX.

[mysticmonkeytattoo]

got tired of paying $100 every few years for an electric, at least $30 a year for replacement blades, having to use disposables to touch up my neck anyway, and getting itchy blotchy irritation on my neck no matter what. i used to shave only every 2 or 3 days, and i hated it. now my shaving time in the morning is the second best part of my day (the best being coming home at night to the family). although i have spent a good deal of money on my shaving stuff lately, most of that was spent on vintage gillettes that will likely _never_ wear out. in terms of actual money per shave, i am spending far far less, and getting a superior shave and a far superior experience. what's not to like?

[Naes12]

I was using an electric shaver and around the end of high school when I had been shaving for 6 years the blades started to go dull on me quick. I bought new, expensive razors about once a year because the replacement blades I would buy ended up doing a lot of pulling.

I had tried using a mach3 sporadically throughout my first couple years of uni/end of high school, but I either found the blades to pull and nick and not provide as adequate a shave as my electric.

Then I found mantic's videos and hesitated until my electric started to pull again. Anways its been a rough past several months with DE and after a LONG learning process I am able to get fairly close and enjoyable shaves.

I felt a little upset that I hadn;t started with a merkur HD instead of a classic and a good quality cream instead of florena/proraso (which I don't find to be slick at all), but then yesterday I saw that a pack of 8 fusion cartridges cost 35.99+tax. I suddenly felt very good about myself. lol.

[guitarslinger]

saw an article about DE shaving posted on a guitar forum.

THen I decided I disliked the smell of foamy.:frown:

[TimmyBoston]

What really drew me to traditional wetshaving was the traditional aspect. I like old fashioned things and thought it would be cool to shave this way. A Fusion and canned goo has no soul, but a brush, good soap, a DE or straight does. What kept me using these methods were the results.

[Shave Cat]

What really drew me to traditional wetshaving was the traditional aspect. I like old fashioned things and thought it would be cool to shave this way. A Fusion and canned goo has no soul, but a brush, good soap, a DE or straight does. What kept me using these methods were the results.
Yeah, there is something to the nostalgia aspect too. :thumbup1:

-Clarke

[DEmac]

I could not bring myself to buy disposable cartridges, or aerosol cans which would all end up in the trash.

[Spikestrip]

When I realized my cartridges for what was my current razor were no longer readily available and that I would have to transition to the latest multi-blade creation. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/images/icons/icon9.gif

Something snapped and I knew I had to find a better way.

Clyde

[stripec30]

I was researching custom knife making and stumbled across a blog written by leisureguy about wet shaving.

Justin

[ex-bugonaut]

Replacement cartridge price did it for me. On the road recently, I found myself without my Mach 3 so I bought the (non-electric) Fusion out of curiosity to try new things. As always with new “shave systems” it came packaged with a couple of blades, and I found it gave a good shave if you bore down on it. Later I checked out new blade prices. Thirty dollars for an 8-pack... which was placed behind bars, no less! (Now this will age me, but I can recall being shown a new Mount Blanc Diplomat in a pen shop in Chicago, cost: $20). The prospect of spending thirty bucks for 8 cartridges created an attitude of revolt – so I searched under ‘shaving brushes,’ and from the shaveblog site (so entertainingly written!) found Leisureguy, Mantic, & this site… and took the plunge. :smile:

[Scotacus]

Been shaving for over 2 decades and have never felt anything but irritation. Thought it was a "fact of life", filed under "that's the way it is": have too sensitive skin.

Once in a while I considered alternatives, usually in the form of straight razors, but never seriously enough to go further with it.

This past weekend, out of desparation (read another case of upper lip rash & bristled and bloody mangled neck) I went to youtube to figure out (once again) if there was something I could learn technique-wise to escape this ritualistic torment.

There I happened across some videos by a guy that seemed to know what he was doing and talking about -- mantic59. He layed it all out, step by step. After watching his videos for a couple of hours I knew The Time Had Arrived, Damn It!!

The same afternoon I braved the 40cm of snow falling on the city to hunt for the prize of a Merkur, a badger & essentials (did not want to wait for ebay). I believe I may have overpaid for the Merkur. I was just astonished I had found one.

Anyway, I mentioned Zen, PE & stemming blood flow. Perhaps Ive covered the last item on that list. The Zen I anticipate is the relaxed feeling of shaving, akin to a meditative state, which is not an option with the mass-produced/consumed products of mainstream shaving. THe PE is the awareness of why these companies continue to "improve" on a concept that was basically mastered generations ago, at least from an engineering concept. But that fact makes for dull ads I suppose. Spending ridiculous prices for a miserable experience succeeds in allowing some corporate CEO make his or her bonus for that year, nothing more.

Anyway big thanks to mantic59 for his vids on youtube and for his mentioning of Badger & Blade. I am still quite new to this but expect it to be a beginning of an entirely new experience. Have been quite impressed and encouraged by what I have read so far on this site.

Cheers
Scott

[moses]

Pure unabashed curiosity did it for me. That, and a desire for hot lather. See, I went to a new barber who used a Shavette and hot lather from a latherking machine instead of clippers to clean up the back of my neck. Well, the hot lather felt so could on my neck, I got to thinking how maybe it would be nice for shaving. Especially since my Bathroom was mighty cold in the mornings, meaning the gel coming out of the can was mighty cold too.

So I started poke around online. On Amazon (I think) I found these strange devices that you put a can of shaving gel into, and it comes out hot. So I started looking around for reviews, or something of the sort, on these things. Never found any, but I did find a review of the LatherKing professional machines, on Corey's Shaveblog. Which convinced me that was more trouble than it was worth. But I got sucked in, and became very curious about all the other stuff. So, eventually curiosity killed the cat, and I placed an order with Classic.

-Mo

[MooingLizard]

I have always HATED shaving with a passion and have used M3 & disposables in the past. Going for over three weeks without touching a razor while backpacking in Argentina and Bolivia was a special treat last summer (and also very practical- you try shaving in hotels without hot showers, let alone hot sinks!).

I think either a personal finance blog or LifeHacker linked to wet shaving. As I started reading about it, I saw parallels with my experience with fountain pens (highly recommended, btw), where I bought a few old-school aesthetically pleasing devices that turned a hated but necessary chore (writing) into a pleasurable daily activity. I longed for the feeling of warm lather and figured that if I could turn a hated experience into a loved one, like I did with fountain pens, I'd be gaining a significant amount of pleasure daily. I also figured that DE razors, like fountain pens, would help me reach a simpler state, and enjoyed the "flair" (uniqueness) and nostalgic aspects of the concept.

With nothing else to ask for Christmas and needing distractions from exams, I watched Mantic's videos and spent way too much time on B&B and ordered some stuff for the parents to reimburse me for and put under the tree. While waiting for Christmas (due to the family's travels, it's only 4 days until I shave with my HD- so excited!) I bought the well-reviewed Nivea Cooling ASB here and noticed how much softer it made my face feel, even with the cheap disposable and goo-in-a-can shave- that alone has added pleasure and made me want to shave more.

I also managed to acquire RAD and win auctions for 5 vintage Gillettes (and counting) and 1200 razor blades :scared: (anyone need any Israeli Crystals? hehe :001_tt2: :001_tongu ) before even touching a DE... yeah, I got RAD bad!

I think that just about everyone recognizes the pleasure aspect of it- it's just so fulfilling to have a pleasurable daily ritual.

Reading this whole thread, it's interesting to get a feel for the demographics- it seems that college students like myself are a significant part of this forum. It seems that we enjoy the nostalgia of it and recognize that the double-edge razor in many ways is symbolic of the pinnacle of American engineering and of a simpler era.

[beisler]

I was in CVS and saw Williams mug soap.I had no idea what it was so I went home and "googled "it.It brought me onto this site where I read everything I could for about 6 hours.I had tried King of Shaves oil about 3 months before that and didn't like it(too greasy). After reading this board for 6 hours,I went back to CVS the next day and bought the Williams soap and a cheap boar brush and used the Fusion that day.---Pretty close shave---Next day I ordered from Ems place some cream and a Merker HD---Fusion now resides in garbage can.:lol:

[bluedog]

I had been using electric shavers for years and had become more and more dissatisfied with the closeness of shave, missed hairs etc. Switched to a Schick twin blade and canned foam which was better but still lacking something. Found B&B whilst looking for info on wet shaving technique and it all made sense. Purchased an old SS and haven't looked back.

[z00100]

I am switching because I am looking for a zen experience.

I have been shaving for 15 years now and have been loathing every time I shave. 15 years of anguish is enough!!

The next 15 years have to be more enjoyable for me. :001_tt1:

[flash]

Was actually very happy with mach 3 as my best solution for nick free, fast, decent shaves. Hated the price (average $3 a cartridge in Australia), but managed 2-4wks per blade.
Anyways, started to google about best shaving techniques (is ATG good or bad? etc) & stumbled across an article about the joys of DE shaving with good, wonderful smelling soaps instead of foams. The article connected me to B&B ... & I'm a sucker for reading reviews.
Bought HD, then Slant - haven't looked back!:w00t:

[Mr-Scruffy]

My wife gave two old superspeeds. I did not know what they were or what blades they took. I found 100 blades on ebay for $13.
My electric could not shave my neck well. The M3 cartridges were expensive.
I did not have to feel guilty about the high cost of shaving anymore.

I also returned to the injector when I realized I did not have to use nasty goo, and I did not have to cut my face everytime I shaved.

[_JP_]

Nothing pushed me over the edge, I more like tripped.

Dad taught me how to shave with a DE, so I have always been familiar with the techniques.

[NurseMedic]

This is a long and convoluted story...

Started out in middle school with electric shaving, just like dad. Started with a Remington foil, then switched to a Norelco rotary. Neither was entirely satisfactory on the neck and under the jaw, but blades scared me.

Fast forward through college and into my master's degree while in Miami. Got bored one night for some reason, whipped out a cheapo 2-blade disposable that some kind soul had sent me as part of a care package from home, tried it out (dry!) on the back of my hand, liked the smoothness, and ran out to the 24-hour drugstore to pick up a "starter kit" Mach 3 (razor, 4 cartridges, and sample size Gillette shaving goo). Much to my surprise, I LIKED it.

Fast forward through getting married, moving to Colorado and moving back to Michigan, I got intrigued by the Fusion Power, especially with the single blade trimmer on the tip. I especially liked the fact that I was basically done in a single pass; however, my face felt abused even though it was supersmooth.

At the same time, I had found a quirky little shop (http://www.acmemercantile.com/) in Ann Arbor which has an associated salon (http://www.salonvertigo.com/) that proudly states they sell eShave products. Google "eShave", order a sample pack, and I got hooked on the higher-end shave creams and aftershave balms. Somehow, I stumbled across The Art of Shaving and in my newbie naivete wanted to figure out which was the better performer/value, as I only intended to buy a single product at a time (oh, the pre-acqusition disorder days...).

When Googling for a comparo, I find a unique site called Badger & Blade, dedicated to the fine art of wetshaving. I read about the virtues of using a badger brush, and go out to the local Crabtree & Evelyn to pick up a Best Badger. About this time, I come close to running out of cartridges for the Fusion Power and am aghast at the prices (and I thought the M3 cartridges were ludicrously priced). Back to Badger & Blade, read up on DEs, and I stumble into one of my favorite hole-in-the-wall stores (http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11924) and find they have an excellent selection of fine wetshaving supplies... I come home with a Merkur Classic and to my delight, 10 blades for far less than the price of a 4-pack of Fusion cartridges.

Finally, after a rant about the poor quality of shave I was getting from the Merkur blades, Dennis sends me a "pay it forward" package with multiple shaving cream and aftershave balm samples and a nice assortment of blades. Needless to say, it was "down the rabbit hole" for me for good after that...

Mike in Michigan

[DonLafontaine]

Ever since High School, my beard has been the bane of my existence. I am 37 and I believe that I started shaving with a double bladed razor of some sort (maybe around 1984). Things went OK for a while until Freshman year of College, when I started getting all kinds of irritation with my beard (skin). I could not find any product or razor that would address adequately the problems I had with shaving. I didn't find electric razors to be too comfortable either. Last year, I bought a Merkur HD (I think) and never used it because I was somewhat intimidated because of all the bad shaving experiences I had had in the past. I moved houses and lost the Merkur in the move, never having used it. I did not lose the Merkur blades that I bought along with the razor. Anyway, I was trolling Amazon for a "highbrow" cool shaving cream and came across some Proraso. I thought of the Merkur HD that I had lost and decided to give it another go. I bought the Futur because it looked cool and got good reviews on Amazon. When I received it, I looked up more information concerning safety razors on the wikipedia, which has a link to this site. I signed up here about 2 weeks ago or so. My shaving has never been closer or more comfortable. I am slowing getting up to speed on my equipment and have the Futur, Musgo cream and a C & E Best Badger Brush and I should be getting the westcoastshaving Sampler pack within the next couple of days. My skin looks terrific and feels so much more comfortable. I will never go back to multi-blade razors like the ones on the market ever again.

Don

[Big.Dave]

I had always shaved with cartridge razors tried them all and did not like any of them most were 3+ blades I settled for cheap wilkinson sword double blades and canned goo because they hurt the least. Spot and bad skin I thought was normal for getting older and just accepted it as a part of growing up. then back in about 2004-5 I went on holiday to Turkey and had a proper barbers shave so smooth so comfortable and what was that strange soap bar shaped thing they rubbed on my face and made it tingle. my curiosity was sparked but when I got home work and life got in the way. I went again to Turkey in 2010 but this time when I came home I went online and found out more. I started using an old horse hair brush and an old stick of soap I had brought years ago but never got on with. Using the advice on B&B I started getting good shaves just from this small change then I got my first DE a Merkur 23c it cut me up good but I was getting closer shaves and it was only a few more cuts then what I was getting with the cartridge razor but now I knew it was about technique and I was determined to get better I did and changing to an 11c then a flare tip rock showed me that you can have a comfortable cut free shave at home. I also found out what that strange soap was not soap at all but an alum block. a year down the line and I can shave with a straight and a shavette and my DE shaves are out of this world.

No more spots no more bad skin and for the cuts well I only get them if I rush:)

[TheRealBeowulf]

Gillette fusion, pure and simple, the blade would last one shave, 2 shaves in and DE is already incredibly more economical.
The cost was a big part of it, I understand the loss leading business model, I just think they have pushed things too far with the insane prices and new version every few months.
On the one hand, I would hope more people would leave cart's and head over to DE or SE, on the other, if everyone did prices would be cranked up on that too as supply got squeezed by demand.
To sum it up, yay for DE. Shame on you Gillette.

[telleuno]

I am not convinced yet and am ready to go back to Mach3 anytime. So far I have seen no benefits from DE shaving. One Mach3 blade (using proraso soap) gives me approximately 7 to 10 problemless shaves. So economical reasons aren´t there. Probably mostly curiosity. But unless I find perfect blades which I am trying to do now, I am always ready to go back to cartridges.

[TheRealBeowulf]

Around here the mach3's aren't far off the same price as the fusions, glad you get so many shaves from one cart though!. Good luck on finding the perfect blade.

[Christopher_loaf]

It seemed that Gillette had me by the shorthairs:lol:. Just when I was resigned to paying rediculous prices for crap that did not work, razorburn, and bloody collars, I saw a Merkur Futur online, then I saw the MSNBC article and then this site. I was convinced that there was a better way to shave. I have seen the light and my face has never felt better.:thumbup:

I read this same article in my quest for better shaves. Eventually I KEPT doing it because of cost.

[Eric V]

Dang! Like I can remember? :001_unsur

[Luc]

I was at the toilette at the movies... There was an ad showing how many ingredients were in a canned shaving gel vs shaving oil... That's how it started...

[Brent]

I was at the toilette at the movies... There was an ad showing how many ingredients were in a canned shaving gel vs shaving oil... That's how it started...

I think this takes the cake! "Decision made while urinating and reading"

[Brent]

I went to a straight but it was a combo of being angry at the cost of cartridges and the fact a barber shaved the back of my neck with a straight during a haircut during the same day.

[beeranon]

Not unlike Mantic59's experience: I got a straight razor shave at AOS in Atlanta before dinner, and SWMBO gave me the "Wow!" comment. That was a year or so ago, and now I'm finally startiing down the DE path.

[demaro]

I always used Gillette Good News Disposables. In recent years I found a knock off of them at a local BJ'S [kind of like Cosco]. They were reasonably priced [64 for $12.99] , but I always thought what good is having more than one blade in a razor? The first blade in line does the bulk of the work during shaving. Once that gets dulled down , what good are the others behind it? My family came here from England many years ago, so I have always been fascinated with England. One day I looked up on the internet what kind of shaving cream they use in Englaand , so I stumbled accross TOBS shave cream. Soon thereafter I stumbled onto de razors , and bought a Merkur 38c. About 50 vintage Gillettes later , I can safely say I am hooked and will never ever go back to using a plastic razor .

[zano2]

It started with a google search for "what is the best shaving cream?" and I was really only looking for something better than Edge Gel. What I found was a world that I did not even know still existed. My dad used to shave with an old Gillette DE in the 70's (black handled SS if I remember correctly) but, he got caught up in the cart revolution so, when I started shaving I just did what he did. Once I started reading and reading..........and reading, I was pulled in like the Millenium Falcon to the Death Star..........I had no chance. The rest as they say is History but, it is good to be out from the dark side and no I'm not a Star Wars geek or anything.............not that there's anything wrong with that.:lol:

[john shea]

I started shaving with the Gillette Slim, adjustable recommended by my father. DE is what most people were using in 1964. There is nothing exotic about the DE razor, brush, and mug of soap for me.

After running out of blades one day, I found that bags of plastic disposible razors were cheaper than DE blades, and that I did not require shaving soap if I shaved immediately after showering. I shaved this way for many years.

I have never tried shaving gel and cartridge razors (too expensive for a few shaves), but have tried an electric razor.

I have been dabbling with a straight razor and have returned to using the DE, brush, and shaving soap. I have been getting the closest and most comfortable shaves ever using MWF and my 3 DE razors with Feather blades. I rotate between a Merkur 34G, a Merkur Vision, and a Gillette Slim. All three shave well.

Going from disposable razors to a DE is easy, but switching to a straight razor requires a much higher degree of skill in both the use of the razor and its maintenance.

[Brian-M]

What pushed you over the edge to DE?

Two things:

1. This article. (http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/6886845/ns/today-today_weekend_edition/t/how-get-perfect-shave/)

2. I broke a very nice gold Trac II handle and needed something new. So I started using Gillette Good News Trac II disposables, but became frustrated when my local drug stores were either out of stock or didn't carry them.

I knew there had to be a better solution.

[nosedog]

Sick of the cost of cartridges, and always wanting to recreate (as far as possible) the awesomeness of a barber's shave, I asked my barber (who doesn't do shaves) about the blades he uses for shaving the back of the neck -- Astra Stainless. He couldn't tell me much detail about varieties of blades and razors, but I left with enough knowledge to get online and do some research. As soon as the Merkur HD arrived, the Mach 3 wasn't touched again.

[fccexpert]

Started shaving with a DE, graduated to straight razors years ago.

[srjohnnie]

I couldn't get a decent shave with any of the cartridge razors or an electric - awful irritation, bumps, and cuts. I was also pretty aggravated at the fact I was spending so much for crappy shaves. Last summer I was in a good friend's wedding party, and as a gift to his groomsmen, he got us professional shaves. Sounded awesome, but thoroughly disappointing - the place uses Mach 3 blades, and while my face had never been so smooth the day of, I'd never experienced razor burn as bad as the rest of the week. Lucky for me, the place also sold some DEs and other shaving supplies that caught by interest. After a little online research, I bought myself an HD, a few soaps, a cheap badger brush, and a blade sampler pack. I have to admit I was slightly skeptical at first, especially at several comments I had read about guys actually ENJOYING shaving after making the switch, but leaving the cartridges behind has been one of the most rewarding experiences I've had in a long time. I've even been able to rationalize my spending by quantifying how much my GF spends on manicures/shoes/etc :001_smile

[RazorbackFan]

I developed a habit of using both a Fusion and orange Bic disposable for each shave; the Fusion shaved everything except my neck area and the single blade Bic gave an acceptable shave on the neck. It really felt redundant buying, using and traveling with two different razors but it was the only way I could get presentable. It also ticked me off paying high prices for Fusion carts, even at Costco. One day I stumbled across an article called "How to shave like your grandpa" on the artofmanliness.com site and the rest is history. $500 later, here I am. At least I'm clean shaven.

[superspot]

Simple, it's how my dad taught me to shave about 1970.

[Dennard]

The money required for cartridge refills combined with finding this place via a basenotes reference is how I ended up going to the DE.

[CraigarTA]

First it was the dry skin I swear from the canned gels. So I went to a brush and mug and things improved, but then my Sensor razor bit the dust and I got a free Fusion razor and when I saw the price of them and my daughter treating like a one time use blade or leaving in the shower full of junk did it for me. Went to a injector razor and then got into the DE setup and have only used my Sensor replacement (Personna's handle) or FaceBlade razor when traveling.

[Obiwan]

Tired of bad shaves, having to wait days in between shaving because of irritation, my overall view that my Grandfather's generation knew a heck of a lot more than we do about these things, and always thought straight shaving was cool.

[beau5278]

With me it was a matter of cost and skin irritation,I've always had trouble with irritation but the cost of cartridges just got ridiculous unless you bought the generics and then the irritation was back.I did worry about irritation with a DE in the beginning but haven't had any problems so far.

[kalbai]

Two things brought me back to DE shaving, after an absence of 10 years.

1. The ever increasing price of razor cartridges, it is now cheaper to buy a new razor with the one free cartridge included and then throw it away after you have used it.

2. The ever increasing size of the cartridge head, what are we up to now? five blades is it? I have a vision of a not to distant future where a 32 bladed cartridge exists.