I'm Sold!

[Edcculus]

First of all, I'd like to say hi to everyone, since this is my first post. My name is Ed as you can probably tell from my screen name. I'm a junior at Clemson University studying Graphic Communications. The time I've spent lurking here, I've seen there is a Clemson Alum here. Go Tigers! I'm currently not at Clemson because I am doing a required internship with a printing company located near DC.

I guess while were doing this, I might as well give a little history of my shaving past. I've always been a fan of what I considered "wet shaving" over using an electric razor. As far as I knew, wet shaving consisted of a Mach 3 and "goop in a can". I was never really satisfied with my shave though, and once my facial hair started to grow faster so I had to shave every day, I quickly realized that something had to change. Funny enough, I was watching an episode of M*A*S*H one day and saw Hawkeye lathering up with a snazzy lookig brush. That got me thinking that there has got to be a better way to shave. At the very least there had to be some technique out there.

Finally, after searching about shaving, I stumbled across this forum via Wikipedia I think. Boy was I suprised. As soon as I started reading, I just couldnt stop. I decided to stop by Target today after work and pick up some of the Proraso products. After a little searching around, I finally found them and ended up buying the entire line: pre-shave, shaving cream (green tube), after shave cream, and a brush (boar hair I think). I also picked up a Gillette Sensor since that seemed like the most acceptable cartridge razor around here. I was going to wait until tomorrow morning to shave, since I take my showers in the morning, but I was so excited about my new stuff I decided to shave as soon as I got home from work.

I hopped in the shower for a quick rinse off and to get my beard wet. Since I had been growing it out for about a week, I took the advice I read and washed it with shampoo. The pre-shave felt very nice, cool and relaxing. It was also great fun whipping up the cream in a cappuchino mug I found around the apartament. After applying the cream, I shaved one pass N-S, re-applied cream and did another pass N-S, since my hair was thick in places. Since this sort of shaving was not wholly new to me, I also did a E-W pass after lathering up again. Needless to say, This was the best shave of my life. My face feels great, no irritation whatsoever. It is also a lot closer than I have ever been able to get it.

Originally, I was going to wait for a week or so and forage into the world of DE shaving, but after my positive experience today, I think I'll start much sooner. I plan to follow most of the advice I've seen around here for beginners and buy a Merkur HD. I've seen a lot about blades, and was really wondering what would be best to start out with.

Hope you can endure such a long post. Thanks for all of the great advice so far.

[boboakalfb]

Congrats and Welcome! It will only get better...

[J_P_K]

Welcome aboard.

[TraderJoe]

Great Avatar!

[Scotto]

Welcome, and ask questions!!

[PalmettoB]

Welcome aboard, fellow Tiger! Ed, you won't ever regret finding this gold mine of information. Just take it slow and enjoy! Good luck with your internship.:thumbup1:


Clemson U. alumnus
Centennial class of 1989

[Scorpio]

Welcome and enjoy the possibilities!!

[tjkirch]

Welcome, and I like your story! Good choice on the Proraso products, and I know you'll like the Merkur HD. Of course, we'd be happy to provide even more recommendations :wink:

[GeeQue]

Sounds like your starting off on the right foot.
Welcome Edcculus :biggrin1:

[jduffy]

Greetings and go Gamecocks!

Hehehehehehe :biggrin:

[NMMB]

Welcome Ed... I like your "jump in with both feet" attitude. Trust me, with a little work/practice this is a choice that you will never regret.

[Edcculus]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys! Do you have any suggestions on where to go to buy a HD? I've seen that some people mentioned Classicshaving.com. Would that be my best bet? Also, what would be the best suggestion for blades? If it comes down to it, I may get some Merkur's to start out with. One final question. On Classicshaving.com, is the "Merkur HD" the Classic or Heavy Classic. I didnt see one that said "HD" so I'm assuming its one of these.

[Austin]

Welcome sir.

[moses]

It's the Hefty Classic.

For blades, the merkurs are fine to start as far as I'm concerned. But send a message to John, username Letterk, on this forum, regarding his blade sampler packs, and get one. Either 5 or 10 blades, of each of the major blade brands commonly used. Pretty cheap (don't remember the exact price).

[NMMB]

Do you have any suggestions on where to go to buy a HD? ... what would be the best suggestion for blades?...

I have no experience with Classicshaving.com but I have purchased from QED and menessentials - both of which have been good to do business with. QED does have slightly better prices (I think) but the website is difficult to navigate (however any Qs you may have will be answered by e-mail very quickly). Other members here have purchased from Classicshaving.com and have not had problems, so they may be good as well.

As for the blades, well, I would say contact John (AKA "Letterk") regarding his DE blade sampler. I did not do this, but I have no doubt that this is the easiest way to find out which blade works for you (since it is the easiest way to try many blades).

[OldSaw]

Welcome

[PalmettoB]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys! Do you have any suggestions on where to go to buy a HD? I've seen that some people mentioned Classicshaving.com. Would that be my best bet? Also, what would be the best suggestion for blades? If it comes down to it, I may get some Merkur's to start out with. One final question. On Classicshaving.com, is the "Merkur HD" the Classic or Heavy Classic. I didnt see one that said "HD" so I'm assuming its one of these.
Ed: I bought my Merkur from QED. Site isn't so user friendly, but put what you need in an email and they have GREAT customer service. Also, go with John's (letterk) sample pack (see thread elsewhere on this site). He sent mine fast, and it is nice to have such choices to learn what blade works best for you.

[Keith5698]

From one newbie to another, welcome. I can relate to your excitement at finding this forum. It has done wonders for me, and I'm sure it will for you as well.

As far as the razor is concerned, I purchased my HD from QED. The service and price are both great. As was also mentioned, the sampler blade pack from letterk is a great way to start. I'm still working my way through mine, but it is amazing how the different blades work for each person. The only way to figure out what will work best for you is trying different blades.

Last, but certainly not least, just keep reading, asking questions, and enjoy the process. Everyone here has been fantastic offering advice, resolving issues, etc. You couldn't have found a better place to join the world of wetshaving.

[Edcculus]

Well I just ordered a HD from ClassicShaving.com. The website was easy to use and the shipping seems to be quick. I'll PM John and talk to him about the sample pack. Thanks. I'm sure I'll have some more questions in the future.

[Queen of Blades]

Welcome Ed!

[Edcculus]

I can't find the thread for John's sample pack for the life of me.

[GoTeeGuy]

Welcome to B&B!!!!

[TraderJoe]

I can't find the thread for John's sample pack for the life of me.

try this:

http://letterk.net/blades/

or this:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2379&highlight=sample

[Jim]

Great first post welcome!:biggrin:

[Edcculus]

Thanks Joe, I just ordered the small pack.

[bearbeard]

welcome and congratulations. Shaving this way makes life a whole lot better.

[Steelforge]

Wecome Ed. :smile:

Just a tip from a fellow newbie. All the blades in the sample pack will feel different to shave with, and don't forget at this early stage you're still learning your technique. My advice would be to not be tempted to swap around lots of different creams/razors/soaps etc for the moment, while you're learning and trying to compare the different blades.

Stick with the Merkur HD and the proraso products for now (they're great), and slowly work your way through the different blades in the sampler pack. That way you'll have a level playing field and be able to get a decent comparison. I'd leave the Euro Gillettes and Feathers until last, they are probably the sharpest and hence least forgiving blades in the sampler pack - not so great if your technique isn't spot on!

Once you work out which blade works for you, you can buy in bulk online and they're pretty cheap - especially compared to Mach3 lol! :lol:

Then start trying all the different creams/soaps/brushes etc which are available.

Best thing is, the whole experience just keeps getting better the longer you stick at it. :smile:

[TimmyBoston]

Welcome Ed!
I'm a newbie also and my story is similar to yours. I've been amazed at how friendly and open everyone on this forum is Don't be afraid to ask questions everyone is very helpful.
I shaved with the proraso stuff for about a week with a Mach 3 until my HD arrived. I ordered from Classic Shaving and I had great results. You'll love your HD, it's an amazing shaver and your shaves really will keep getting better and more enjoyable. Make sure you check out Kyle's thread on grip, (the stick thread in the this section entitled, "what works for me" it really helps you keep that light touch that's needed with a DE. Another cream you may want to look into is Nancy Boy I've had great preliminary results with it and also don't forget about Scotto, he has large samples of nearly every major aftershave and shave cream available at reasonable prices. Good luck and keep us posted, Ed.

Cheers

[rikrdo]

YGPM.:c2:

[Edcculus]

Thanks again all of you for your kind and encouraging words. The only problem I have now is that I can only shave once a day!

[gc_30286]

welcome to B&B ed

when you get that HD i would try it with an israeli persona or a derby first (i dont like them but they are the most forgiving) also take it slow, dont try to get a smooth shave too quick. just stick with two with the grain passes for the first week or so. this will give your face time to adjust as well as giving your time to start to develope the muscle memory needed for DE shaving.

remember no pressure on the razor. that HD will glide through even a long tough beard without your help. pressing on the razor will only leave stubble as well as cause razor burns and cuts. if you need help finding the right angle just post back and someone will tell you all the ways to find it. you will be amazed what a DE razor will do. when you are doing everything right you wont feel anything (but you will be able to hear each hair being cut, its pretty cool).

dont be disapointed if your first few shaves arent so great. DE shaving is a skill, but any time spent learning it WILL be rewarded many times over.

glad to have you

matthew

[NMMB]

... The only problem I have now is that I can only shave once a day!

I think that a lot of people, especially the overly zealous beginners feel this way... but really, you can shave more than once each day if you time it right (once early morning before work/school and once early in the evening before a night out, or whatever) and are careful/gentle (though, if you shave more than once a day often somebody might start to think that you are a little crazy :lol: ).

[gc_30286]

i somtimes shave twice a day. an evening shave is very relaxing. although i would not recomend for those who are very new since they tend to be rough on their face anyway :smile:

matthew

[Edcculus]

I havent gotten the blades in yet, but I was wondering how I should go about using them. Would it be best to start with one type, say the Derby, and use all 5 blades, then move to the next kind? Or would it be better to use 2 or three of each before switching?

[NMMB]

I havent gotten the blades in yet, but I was wondering how I should go about using them. Would it be best to start with one type, say the Derby, and use all 5 blades, then move to the next kind? Or would it be better to use 2 or three of each before switching?

An interesting Q. You would certainly want to try a blade (or several blades from the same producer) a few times before you judge it as being good or not... but if you use all 5 of each blade then you cannot easily go back and try, say Derbys (for example) at the end to decide if you like that one better than the Feather blades (supposing, of course, that you try Feather blades after the Derby blades). I think that I would suggest using some intermediate number (2, 3 or 4) of blades to try them, and then if you are undecided at the end of the trial you can go back and try them again.

[Edcculus]

Yea, thats a good point you have about going back to a blade once I've tried them out. I think what I will do is start with an israeli persona or a derby like Matthew recommended and see how long it lasts (ususally up to a week from what I have read). If I end up getting a week out of each blade, then 2 would probably be a good number as I would be spending 2 weeks on each blade. Then , it won't be too long of a gap between the switch and I'll be able to remember which one was better. Sound good?

[gc_30286]

i usually get only 3-4 shaves from a blade and less while i was learning. so depending on how often you shave you will probably use 2-3 blades a week.

matthew

[bearbeard]

Thanks again all of you for your kind and encouraging words. The only problem I have now is that I can only shave once a day!

Spoken like a true Wetshaver!!!:a14:

Maybe there is some pill we could take to make our beards grow faster.

[NMMB]

...see how long it lasts (ususally up to a week from what I have read)...

How long a blade will last will depend on many things (the blade itself, your beard, etc). You may find that your blades last for 5-7 shaves (that's about a week worth of shaving for a "normal" person) or maybe for as many as 8-10 shaves... or you may be like me and get a max of 2 shaves before the blades become painfully dull (like so many politicians!). While only you can determine how long your blades will last I make the following suggestion; if it is dull (i.e. it starts to pull/tug when you shave) throw it out (even if you are mid-shave). It isn't worth having a bad shave to save the few cents and seconds that would be required to change the blade.

[guenron]

Hi Ed,
Perhaps you should start by trying one blade of each brand and only shaving a day or two with each. If you enjoy a particular blade, i.e. close shave easily achieved, continue with it till it becomes dull. Make careful note of those that meet this criterion. After going through you entire cycle of 1 of each. Should there be any doubt in your mind between two or three different blades, revisit them. Use one till it is dull and then the other. Reverse the order and try again. I propose the object of the exercise is to find a blade that meets the close shave easily achieved criterion consistently.:001_cool:
BTW, I was a sabre wielder in HS (a thousand years ago).

[Edcculus]

Great, thanks for the advice guys. Chances are I'm thinking about this too hard anywyays, but what else do I have to do while I'm waiting for my razor and blades to come in!

[Edcculus]

Well, my razor and blades came in the mail today! I will officially have my first DE shave tomorrow morning. I'll let you know how it goes.

[TraderJoe]

Well, my razor and blades came in the mail today! I will officially have my first DE shave tomorrow morning. I'll let you know how it goes.

You could shave now!

Either way, enjoy it Ed.

[Edcculus]

Just finished my first DE shave! Of course, like many of you said, it wasnt the best shave in the world, but I did survive with no cuts or nicks. I did 2 N-S passes to start out with. After that, I decided that the hair left on my chin was un acceptable, so I did an across the grain pass on that to clean it up a bit. Like I said, it wasnt the closest shave of all time, but I am very confident!

[Steelforge]

Nice work, sounds like a good result. On my first DE shave I managed to take a big chunk out of my top lip, I still have the scar from it 5 weeks later! :lol:

[gc_30286]

congrats on the shave and your first step twords a happier morning

matthew

[Duggo]

Nice work, sounds like a good result. On my first DE shave I managed to take a big chunk out of my top lip, I still have the scar from it 5 weeks later! :lol:

Iwan,
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but after 5 weeks, how are your DE shaves now?

Duggo

[Duggo]

Just finished my first DE shave! Of course, like many of you said, it wasnt the best shave in the world, but I did survive with no cuts or nicks. I did 2 N-S passes to start out with. After that, I decided that the hair left on my chin was un acceptable, so I did an across the grain pass on that to clean it up a bit. Like I said, it wasnt the closest shave of all time, but I am very confident!


Welcome to B&B!

I just started DE shaving 6 days ago. Your first shave went exactly like mine did. Stick with it, be patient, because I believe in the end (based on all the posts I've read) it will be worth it.

Duggo