Checking In

[Hayduke]

It seems like newbs are encouraged to post here, so here i am :001_smile
I thought the hall of fame was for this purpose. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the forum description :tongue_sm

Anyway... I was pointed here from a thread on an audio forum that was discussing wet shaving. I didn't understand what they meant, so I was asking questions. I ended up here. (Un?)Fortunately, I'm convinced that by using the methods described here, I may actually enjoy shaving! I sure hope so. My wife loves it when I'm clean shaven, so if I can make it into something I enjoy, we will both benefit :w00t:

I'm going to jump right in:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=63408
This seems like a good deal to get everything I need to start. I have a nice big coffee mug that should work well for lathering. I'll want a brush stand too, but I'm sorta a DIY guy, so I'll probably make something ;)

Any advice on what I might want to consider next?
I figure I'll want to get a blade sampler pretty quickly. 10ish blades should last a couple months, right?

[kevtex]

Welcome to B&B. The B/S/T forum is a great place to find everything you need to get a BBS shave.

[Etoyoc_Rebmos]

Welcome to B&B.

If you haven't done so already, check out Mantic's videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59) on Youtube.

How often do you shave? The average tends to fall somewhere close to 3 shaves per blade (depends on your beard, your face, your razor, your technique...). If you shave only 3 times a week, then yes, 10 blades will last you 2.5 months.

Be aware... if the bug really gets you, you might find yourself shaving daily. In which case, 10 blades will last a month. Check out the shopping forum as well as the forums under the sticky threads in the newbie area. West coast shaving offers several good blade sampler packs.

[profsaffel]

Welcome to the Hall!

[OldSaw]

Hi and welcome to B&B.

You don't need a brush stand, at least not to start. you might want to add one later on because you like the way they look.

Just about any brush is better than no brush at all. You could start with an inexpensive brush from Walgreens for about $6 and a shave soap from the same store for about $3 more. Use the mug you have and start shaving with your current razor cartridge system, unless you are using an electric, then you will have to buy a razor.

Old Gillette Super Speeds can be had for $20 or less. I got a few from antique stores for about $5 each. They had to be cleaned up, but they work great.

Now that you have saved all that money, you can start sampling other lathering products to see what works best for you. Then when you get bored with that one try another. Some guys get bored pretty fast and have huge collections. I tend to be a little more slow at accumulating things and have actually saved money shaving with a DE over using a cartridge and cans of goo.

[lamontqsanford]

Welcome to B&B. I don't have a brush stand. I just flick the water out good and stand it up on my sink. Definately check out the B/S/T for good deals plus you will get stuff that people have used/tested and know it is in good shape.

[crankymoose]

Welcome
may want to get a styptic pencil too:biggrin:

[Hayduke]

Hi and welcome to B&B.

You don't need a brush stand, at least not to start. you might want to add one later on because you like the way they look.

Just about any brush is better than no brush at all. You could start with an inexpensive brush from Walgreens for about $6 and a shave soap from the same store for about $3 more. Use the mug you have and start shaving with your current razor cartridge system, unless you are using an electric, then you will have to buy a razor.

Old Gillette Super Speeds can be had for $20 or less. I got a few from antique stores for about $5 each. They had to be cleaned up, but they work great.

Now that you have saved all that money, you can start sampling other lathering products to see what works best for you. Then when you get bored with that one try another. Some guys get bored pretty fast and have huge collections. I tend to be a little more slow at accumulating things and have actually saved money shaving with a DE over using a cartridge and cans of goo.

So is that newbie kit too much? It sounds like a good deal to me. It may have some items I don't "need" to get started, but I thought it might help me get started more quickly with more things to try. $85 is a little more then I had planned to spend initially, but it seemed like it was gonna cost at least 50-60 for a razor, brush, some blades, and the stuff for pre/post shaving. With this deal, I'd get some variety to try out. Plus I live in a smallish town, so I haven't found any used razors around. This package has a Merkur 38c and a Gillete Tech. Both seem to be highly regarded, so it sounded good to me.


To answer Somber Coyote's question. I should shave every day, but on average I shave 3-4 days a week. I tend to not shave on weekends, but do shave most weekdays. My beard is fairly tough, so I dull cartridges pretty quick. Of course I hate paying $3-4 each, so I will make one last for way way to long and just push harder on my face.

I'm looking forward to trying something different. :biggrin:

[Eagle]

3339033391

Welcome to the B&B from a fellow Zonie. My whiskers are coarse too. The only blade that works well for me are the Red IP's. Just keep them in mind as you make your tests. You can spend as little or as much as you want on this "hobby". However once you get into it you will likely want some nice equipment because they look nice and generally perform better than the cheaper stuff (not always true especially in the case of AS's but just a general rule). For starters however don't spend a fortune. Make sure this style shaving is for you first. Good luck and keep us posted.