a few questions

[piwi]

Good evening everyone,

To cut long story short, I used to shave with those nasty cartridge/disposable razors.
First the simpliest Gilette in the world: cartridge with one blade. Then I tried disposable cheapest razors. I switched to Sensor XL (triple bladed).
I get the usual razor burns and big nicks, and I am talking about BIG nicks, the ones that bleed for 20-30 mins.
I actually now have to shave on the evenings once every 3 days/when I have no girl overnight (whichever occurs first) otherwise my face just can't take it.
And even by doing so, I am covered in blood, very irritated, get this awful red skinned neck and totally pissed off at the overall result.

So I googled/yahoo answersed for the ultimate solution as I couldnt believe I was the only one down here with this problem.
And fortunately enough, I wasnt!

I want to have a very close shave, I want to keep my skin healthy and smooth, I want shaving not to be a shore anymore.
'okay dude, welcome to DA place'

I am sure those questions have been answered before but I couldnt find them by searching the bulletin board. Maybe you could have them sticky.

1. I want to switch to DE as it seems to be the next step after the sh**** cartridge razors. I just don't know which one to go for!
It seems that Merkur have the best ones, but which one? Ajustable, fixed, expensive, not expensive?
Plus where to get one in the UK (either online or in London)?

2. I think that badgerwisely I will go for a Vulfix one, at around 20-30 GBP to begin. Maybe I will get a more expensive one with neck hair later on but I dont want to spend too much on my first one.

3. Shall I get a lathering bowl or not? If so, which brand shall I go for?

4. Same for the cream, which one to get (tub or boxed soap)? And which brand? I understand that Proraso is a good one but not the best.

5. Which after shave to get?

6. Where can I get one of those starter packs with one blade of each brand so that I can try all of them and decide what suits me the best? Once again I am in the UK... I found many website selling them but in the USA only.

I want to keep the cost reasonable (approx 30 pounds for the razor, same for the badger and average for the rest). This is just for a start, when I will be more experienced I will surely get more expensive items.


Well thats it really, thanks for reading and helping me out!
I look forward to enjoy shaving and have a perfect shave!!!

[Leisureguy]

There are several sources in the UK, both on-line and not. The online ones include The English Shaving Co. (http://www.theenglishshavingcompany.com/), The Gentlemen's Shop (http://www.gentlemans-shop.com/), and Tones Barber Shop (http://www.tonesbarbershop.co.uk/index.htm).

Probably your best bet for a starting razor is the Merkur Heavy Classic ("HD"). You should try the blade sampler packet from LetterK, though: the Merkur blades are not necessarily the best. In the UK, you have access to Swedish Gillette (http://www.auravita.com/products/AURA/GILL12120.asp) blades, which are good.

The Vulfix 2235 is a good starter brush. It's a softer brush rather than stiffish, but it will whip up a fine lather. Edwin Jagger also has some good brushes that are not expensive.

A lathering bowl is a big help. Just find a roughly hemispherical bowl about 5" across and 2.5"-3" deep. It will work fine. In my blog, I talk about them (and also have some recommendations for beginning shaving kit, though not specifically UK).

Proraso is a fine shaving cream. It's mentholated, so it's got that kind of cold feeling. Cream in a tub is about half the price per oz. as cream in a tube, but Proraso is tube only and is reasonably priced. Taylor, Tumper, Truefitt & Hill are all good creams.

Aftershave is very much up to you, since fragrance is a personal choice. They are all fine.

LetterK has starter packs of blades (http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showpost.php?p=23269&postcount=1).

Good luck, and tell us how it goes.

[Jonnybc]

Hi Piwi and welcome to B&B ,do you have a first name we can use, friendly place this...

Your questions answered, I hope!


1. I want to switch to DE as it seems to be the next step after the sh**** cartridge razors. I just don't know which one to go for!
It seems that Merkur have the best ones, but which one? Ajustable, fixed, expensive, not expensive?
Plus where to get one in the UK (either online or in London)?

A Merkur HD or a Merkur Classic will suit your needs perfectly, you can buy these in Taylor's (http://www.tayloroldbondst.co.uk/) or Trumper's (http://www.trumpers.com/) in Jermyn Street. You could but online too at mant online stores, just search for Merkur (http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Merkur&btnG=Google+Search&meta=cr%3DcountryUK%7CcountryGB) in Google, you'll find somewhere.


2. I think that badgerwisely I will go for a Vulfix one, at around 20-30 GBP to begin. Maybe I will get a more expensive one with neck hair later on but I dont want to spend too much on my first one.

Vulfix make fine brushes and again Taylor's and Trumper sell rebadged Vulfix brushes, the Pure 2235 is a great brush for £36 so if you go to Jermyn Street you can have a good look and feel of them and make your mind up about how stiff you might want it. A good alternative it the old and highly recommended C&E best badger brush (http://crabtree-uk.stores.yahoo.net/acc130147.html) for £19.


3. Shall I get a lathering bowl or not? If so, which brand shall I go for?

Grab a cereal bowl from the kitchen to start, if something more interesting catches your eye whilst shopping replace it. Bowls definitely make for easier lather building so I'd definitely advise using one.


4. Same for the cream, which one to get (tub or boxed soap)? And which brand? I understand that Proraso is a good one but not the best.

There's plenty out there, a good starter id Palmolive which is a really good cream. Go to Jermyn street, visit Trumper and Taylors see what scents you prefer and buy accordingly. I don't know of any shops in London that sell Proraso.


5. Which after shave to get?

DR Harris (St James's Street) AS Milk is excellent bit smells of rose which may not be to your taste, truper do a fine Limes Skin Food too. At the cheaper end of the scale Proraso ASB and Nivea Sensitive are excellent.


6. Where can I get one of those starter packs with one blade of each brand so that I can try all of them and decide what suits me the best? Once again I am in the UK... I found many website selling them but in the USA only.

Here! (http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2379)


I want to keep the cost reasonable (approx 30 pounds for the razor, same for the badger and average for the rest). This is just for a start, when I will be more experienced I will surely get more expensive items.

To summarise, get down to St James's and have a mooch round the shops there...

[ada8356]

I agree with everything that Michael has suggested... Merkur HD, Vulfix brush is fine to start.

For the bowl, you can use almost anything to start. I just used a bowl from the cupboard until I saw one in the store that I liked (just a real deep cereal/soup bowl).

Since you are in London, you can easily locate some of the top shave creams: Truefitt & Hill, Taylor of Old Bond Street, Trumpers, and more. Maybe you can visit a few places and see which fits you best. They all make good quality creams.

[piwi]

Thanks very much for all your replies and advices, much appreciated!

I will go to Taylor's and Trumper's this weekend to see the things for real and buy them there.

My name is Pierre-Yves but it's easier for English speakers to call me Pierre :D

Michael: I have come across your article in my outlook for a better shave. It is very good and is held as a reference by many websites (along with this guy who went on NBC)

Thanks again for all your advices, I will keep you posted with my experiments.

[Leisureguy]

Glad to hear that the long post is acquiring a readership. I continue to revise and update it as I learn more or get questions that it didn't answer. Little by little... the same way we acquire shaving expertise. :smile:

[PalmettoB]

Pierre, welcome aboard! You'll get the best advice here. We're glad to have you.

[piwi]

well well well...

I went to Jrmyn Street at Taylor's.
After looking around, I ask to a shop assistant for the 'Merkur HD'.
She takes all the Merkur's they have in store out and asks me
'which one is it?'
'Well I'm not quite sure, and this is why I didnt buy it off the Internet'
She gets the boss who says the same thing, 'Merkur razors only have numbers for a name... I dont know what a Merkur HD is... Are you sure it is not another brand?'
In the end of the day I took a 35 pounds priced Merkur razor which shows up as 'Misc Item' on the receipt, so I dont know which Merkur I have.

Then I ask them about the cream. I ask him if they have any Palmolive as adviced in this thread.
He gets a large smile and says 'Palmolive is the worst one you can get, and they only make soap... Where did you get these infos from?'
He sold me a Taylor's Shaving cream (which smells really good), the blue one along with a pack of Merkur blades.

I have the safety razor
I have the shaving cream
I have some blades
The badger is on its way
The blades sample pack is on its way too.

I was very surprised of the service I had in this shop... They dont know what a Merkur HD is although it seems pretty renowned and I didnt feel like being served with the high standards I was expecting from a shop in this street. I could read on his face 'what the '%%('& does this kid think? Safety razors are not toys, why the hell do you want one at your age? (I am 20)'

Anyway, I almost have all I need... Just sit and wait.

[ada8356]

Which cream did you end up with?

Maybe you can check HERE (http://www.classicshaving.com/page/page/522941.htm) to figure out which razor you ended up with.

[Jim]

Piwi

Sorry to hear that you had a hard time at that shop, if you go here (http://www.cottonblossomcrafts.com/razor_page.htm) you might be able to pick out which razor you have-
I commend you on all the legwork you did to get this far.
When will we hear about your shave?

[Steelforge]

In the UK the HD is known as the 'Hefty Classic', they also do a long handled version of the same razor.

I'm guessing if they sold you a Merkur for £35 it was probably the Merkur Progress (below).
http://www.gentlemans-shop.com/acatalog/merkur-progress-safety-razor.html#a43

If so this is supposedly a fine razor, I believe it's the one Mantic is using in his DE shaving demo video. I hope they didn't sell you a HD for £35 as thats about £10 overpriced.

You can pick up the Palmolive cream in the shaving section at Tesco or Asda, it's in a green tube which looks like a toothpaste tube. It will do the job just fine, it just doesn't smell quite as wonderful as the Trumpers or T&H creams which contain some nice essential oils etc.

Welcome to B&B.

[piwi]

I have this one:
http://www.cottonblossomcrafts.com/shave_page_1.htm

the shaving cream says
'Eton College COllection' although it doesent look like the one on their website.
The bowl is blank with blue printings.

--edit the Merkur Progress as on the link on the upper post was for sale at 50 pounds

[Steelforge]

Ouch it sounds like they were quite overpriced! Have you used the razor yet? I was just wondering if you could take it back for a refund, maybe say you were bought one as a present etc?

Then buy a HD from Robert at The Gentlemans Shop, he's very good. :biggrin:
http://www.gentlemans-shop.com/acatalog/merkur-34-razor.html#a45

If you bought Taylors shaving cream then it'll probably be great, you can't go far wrong with anything from the 3 T's (Taylors, Trumpers, Trufitt & Hill). :smile:

[Leisureguy]

The actual name of the HD is the Hefty Classic. "HD" is, I suppose, Heavy Duty or some such. They do not make a long-handle version of the Hefty Classic, just of the Classic, a much lighter razor with slimmer handle. The Classic (regular or long-handled) is a three-piece razor, the HD is two-piece. (See blog.)

The one you got is indeed the HD, and it will be fine. I agree, it does seem to be overpriced. Still: you're on your way.

[MasonM]

You've received great advice and purchased a nice razor so all I can do at this point is to say Welcome!

[PalmettoB]

I have this one:
http://www.cottonblossomcrafts.com/shave_page_1.htm

the shaving cream says
'Eton College COllection' although it doesent look like the one on their website.
The bowl is blank with blue printings.

--edit the Merkur Progress as on the link on the upper post was for sale at 50 pounds
Wow, Pierre. If I'm reading my exchange rates right, they really think a lot of their razors at that shop. But there is something nice about being able to walk in and handle the goods and get what you want without waiting on shipping. Still, you're off to a great start! Keep us posted on how it goes.

[TimmyBoston]

I'd go with the HD, which is also known as the Merkur Hefty Classic, I have one and it's a wonderful razor.

Also pick up a bowl, just a cereal bowl or coffee mug, you don't need a special expensive one. But the bowl is a tremendous help and you can get one very inexpensively.

Piwi, Welcome to B&B!

[piwi]

Wow, Pierre. If I'm reading my exchange rates right, they really think a lot of their razors at that shop. But there is something nice about being able to walk in and handle the goods and get what you want without waiting on shipping. Still, you're off to a great start! Keep us posted on how it goes.


sure, but still, the prices are very high.
In the other hand, the street has prada guess cartier burberry eand shops alike, so they price acccordingly.
There are only Ferraris/Porsches/Bentleys/Rolls Royces/Aston Martins parked in front of the shops...

I just have to wait for the badger now that I ordered on the Internet... Its hard to wait, I am afraid i will try the razor today with my canned goo, cant resist :rolleyes:

[piwi]

plus they charged me 6 pounds for the 10 merkur blades pack whereas I paid approx 9 pounds to get 5 of each blades form letterk... okay I wont go back there :D

[Steelforge]

plus they charged me 6 pounds for the 10 merkur blades pack whereas I paid approx 9 pounds to get 5 of each blades form letterk... okay I wont go back there :D

Holy .... :eek:

The most I've ever seen Merkur blades selling for is £3.50 - i guess that's London for you. :frown:

After you've tried your sampler the best thing is to buy blades in bulk off the internet. You can often pick up 100x Derby blades for about £12 from Ebay, now that's a bargain!

[piwi]

Yep like I said I will not go back there.

I didnt get the level of service I came for and the prices were... like you said

[Jonnybc]

I think you're judging Taylor's a bit harshly.

Firstly the razor; I have never heard the the Merkur HD referred as an HD outside the US. Merkur don't even refer to it as an HD it's a "Safety Razor 34". I should have realised this when I advised you and apologise for not letting you know what the UK terminology is for this razor.

Secondly the cream; if you went into McDonalds and asked for a Whopper with cheese, would you expect to get one? I wouldn't! You have gone into a shop that sells it’s own brands and asked for something they don't sell. Taylor’s sell top end cream and are going to be dismissive of the likes of Palmolive, this is ignorance on their part not bad service IMO.

Lastly the blades; yeah they were expensive and you can get much better value if you shop online. Perhaps you should have crossed the road and gone into Trumper’s, compared prices and bought accordingly.