Newbie Looking for Some Recommendations

[Locke]

Hi!

I've been reading the forums for the past few weeks and have already made some changes to my routine which has helped reduce the usual irritation I feel after shaving. Since I'm on my last Fusion blade (have been for the past month) this is probably the best time to give shaving with a DE razor a shot.

The numerous options available does make things difficult in deciding what I should start out with.

For the razor I'm probably buying a Murker but which type should I go with or are there other better brands?

Since I'm not yet sure if I'll stick with this throughout I don't want to pay a lot for a brush. What should I look for in this case?

I was initially going to buy Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving soap but have also read a lot of positive reviews for their shaving cream (and it is cheaper and has more variety). Does anyone who tried both types prefer one over the other?

[mammoo]

Most people recommend a Merkur HD as your first DE razor. It's very easy to use, doesn't have any fancy adjustments and is also the cheapest Merkur available.

For the brush I would recommend a cheap badger brush if you are on a tight budget. A 'best' badger brush or similar would be good.

I think Taylor of Old Bond Street creams are great for beginners. They are cheap, excellent quality and really easy to lather.

It sounds like you already have a good idea of what you need as a beginner so shop around to find a good deal and jump in!

[FreezerBurns]

I'm a noob too, +1 on the HD, it works for me.

Col Conks soap!

[Hando]

good recommendations from mammoo

Merkur HD for the razor, most Merkurs shave the same as regards blade exposure/aggressiveness the differences being handle length/weight/design so that's personal taste

you can pick up a good basic badger brush for next to nothing

supermarket creams/soaps are a lot better than you would expect, especially in the UK

even if you decide that DE shaving isn't for you, you'll still be wet-shaving (brush & good lather) with whatever you stick with - i'll bet you on that one

[soapbuddy]

Just wanted to say hello and welcome to B&B.

[ari95]

I have always been more than satisfied with Merkur razors. You can also get a vintage Gillette at a good price in buy/sell/trade forum. As for a brush, there is nothing wrong with starting with a boar brush. Even the good quality boars are cheap. For soap I would used what you find locally, col. Conk is also very good online.

[kingfisher]

I have always been more than satisfied with Merkur razors. You can also get a vintage Gillette at a good price in buy/sell/trade forum. As for a brush, there is nothing wrong with starting with a boar brush. Even the good quality boars are cheap. For soap I would used what you find locally, col. Conk is also very good online.

+1 on the boar brush. Omega boars are especially nice, and they are not expensive.

[rm71]

Welcome to B&B.

A HD is a nice razor especially with a Derby blade in it.

[Eman]

Welcome to B&&. I am new here also. You can't go wrong with a Merkur HD. I have just discovered my new favorite razor. I got a Gillette red tip Super Speed at a antique store for $2.50. A mild shaver and can be found on the B/S/T very cheap. A boar brush is ok to start with IMHO, but a best badger would be a step up. I have used col. conk soaps and am very happy with them. Almond is my favorite.

[NickCutlip]

Welcome to B&B !!

[Blade II]

I went right into the Merkur Future, cut myself for a week and learned fast. Used a cheap brush for a while and now use a really good one. Just take your time, get some good shaving cream and something that will make your face feel better after those first few beastings. Have fun!:biggrin:

[jeffmeit]

I am a newbie and love my Merkur Progress, as soon as I learned to apply NO pressure what so ever I get great comfortable shaves. Its an adjustable and I have it on the second least aggressive setting. It feels like a piece of art in your hands, love shaving now,

by the way this is my first post!

[itb76]

I went right into the Merkur Future, cut myself for a week and learned fast. Used a cheap brush for a while and now use a really good one. Just take your time, get some good shaving cream and something that will make your face feel better after those first few beastings. Have fun!:biggrin:

Sounds like me! I worked my way up to the 3 setting with Dorco blades but had to go back to 1 for Astras. When I get to the Feathers I'll definitely go with the 1 setting.

Will I get a better shave or less irritation upgrading my brush? I'm using an old Burma Shave boar (I assume) brush I bought at Meijer a couple years back.... :confused:

[Pete's Kid]

good recommendations from mammoo


even if you decide that DE shaving isn't for you, you'll still be wet-shaving (brush & good lather) with whatever you stick with - i'll bet you on that one


+1 Welcome and enjoy.

[Locke]

Thank you for your suggestions!

For the brush I decided to go with this (http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=28_39&products_id=214) Omega brush. All the comments I've read make it sound like a great brush for a beginner. I'm probably going to buy the TOBS avocado shaving cream. How much would I need to use when shaving?

For the Merkur HD razor, is this (http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=29) the one that everyone's referring to?

[stroppy]

Nice brush choice and yes, that is a HD. (Another good choice.)

Regards,

Les

[Luc]

Thank you for your suggestions!

For the brush I decided to go with this (http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=28_39&products_id=214) Omega brush. All the comments I've read make it sound like a great brush for a beginner. I'm probably going to buy the TOBS avocado shaving cream. How much would I need to use when shaving?

For the Merkur HD razor, is this (http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=29) the one that everyone's referring to?

Yes for Omega and HD...

For the shaving cream, Mantic (http://www.youtube.com/mantic59) recommends an almond size. I would say that you might need a bit more just to be sure. For what it cost to make a bowl of shaving cream, I would recommend trying to make some in the afternoon just to see how you go.

[bolocheung]

I'm new too. I use an old Gillette fatboy that my dad had lying around. This is my razor of choice. Unfortunately :) RAD begins & you will soon find yourself experimenting with other razors. I have a Mergress & some other vintage Gillettes that I use in my rotation. The standard choice for a newbie seems to be a Merkur HD or a vintage Gillette. Enjoy the hobby.

[ytsejammer]

my first DE was a 1958 superspeed...wouldn't recommend anything else for a first DE razor...and now I own ten vintage gillettes!! 5 of them superspeeds...lol

[Locke]

One last question :)

I was going to buy the Choice Blade Sampler Pack (http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=16) but after comparing it with the Economy Sampler Pack (http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=14) not only does it not have the Red Pack Israeli Blades, it costs more than buying the Economy pack and the Feather and Astra blades separately. So does the Choice pack have more than the site lists or am I better off going with the Economy pack?

[Batman]

C & E best badger brush, Merkur HD, or vintage SS, conk soaps are cheap.

[dkrymskiy]

You can always run out to a local Wal Mart or CVS and grab a VDH or Williams soap. They are relatively cheap and easy to lather. And give really solid shaves for starters.

Make sure the pack includes the Red Isralis, they are my favorite. How can you lose if you get 100 for $10?

[dpmtherrien]

Hi!

I've been reading the forums for the past few weeks and have already made some changes to my routine which has helped reduce the usual irritation I feel after shaving. Since I'm on my last Fusion blade (have been for the past month) this is probably the best time to give shaving with a DE razor a shot.

The numerous options available does make things difficult in deciding what I should start out with.

For the razor I'm probably buying a Murker but which type should I go with or are there other better brands?

Since I'm not yet sure if I'll stick with this throughout I don't want to pay a lot for a brush. What should I look for in this case?

I was initially going to buy Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving soap but have also read a lot of positive reviews for their shaving cream (and it is cheaper and has more variety). Does anyone who tried both types prefer one over the other?

I don't think you can go wrong with the Merkur HD. Its a great razor, and easy to use. Just keep in mind: NO PRESSURE, and you'll be fine.
As for the brush get a good badger hair brush with a med. knot (20 to 23mm), should cost anywhere from $25 to $50, but will last a lifetime. I like to use soap, but cream is nice, your choice. I even mix the two to make a super lather. The brush is really important so go the extra cost here. Good luck and welcome.:laugh::laugh:

[michiganlover]

One last question :)

I was going to buy the Choice Blade Sampler Pack (http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=16) but after comparing it with the Economy Sampler Pack (http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=14) not only does it not have the Red Pack Israeli Blades, it costs more than buying the Economy pack and the Feather and Astra blades separately. So does the Choice pack have more than the site lists or am I better off going with the Economy pack?

Interesting, hadn't noticed that....You could buy the Economy pack, throw in the Feather, and Astra blades, and still come in $.50 less. Very interesting....I have yet to buy my sampler pack myself..it's on the list of must buys for this Friday....:thumbup:

If you are budget savvy, it's worth noting that BullgooseShaving (http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/razorblades.html) sells both the Astras, and the Feathers at a lower cost....:tongue:

[curtis909]

welcome

[Locke]

A quick update.

I received everything earlier this week and first tried out the brush and cream on Thursday. While I was able to get lather immediately, it wasn't really thick because I added water (I avoided that today and it came out well though it took a while).

Today I started using my razor and for the most part it turned out well (I first went with the grain and then across).

Even though I made sure to only bring the razor close enough so that I can hear the hair being cut, there were still times when I felt my skin being tugged. Was this because I held the razor at a wrong angle or something else?

Despite having no cuts or red areas, when I applied some aftershave certain parts of my face and neck stung. I think this was because I shaved over the same area a few times or was it because of something else?

[SiBurning]

Three possiblities come to mind: prep, pressure, and blade.

Prep:
You need to add water to the cream or soap. I prefer mine on the very wet side, and even lightly splash water with my hand on my face in the middle of a pass. Water helps lubricate.

Your prep should include at least two minutes of a wet face, preferably with some shaving cream on it. You can use a hot, wet towel, but I'd add a thin layer of shaving cream/soap before and during the towel prep.

Pressure:
If you have the HD, you want to keep the rounded part of the head nearly flat against your face. Use that as your guide to get the right angle. Also, use only as much pressure as required to keep the blade firmly against your face. Most people would say use zero pressure, but I probably took too many engineering classes to say it exactly like that.

Blade:
Try a different kind of blade. If you get a bad shave, you should try another blade type from the sampler pack. Once you get a good shave, stay with that blade type for a while. After a while, you can go back and see whether you really don;t agree with the blade, or just had a bad hair day.

As for the pulling, it may be that your angle is off. I think this could happen if the angle is either too high or too low. To get the right angle, you need to ease off the pressure as much as possible. This way, the angle is pretty much fixed by the head and safety bar. There is a bit of play to an HD, not much, but more than my other razors. To shave at other angles requires a applying a bit of pressure to push back the skin. Of course, it could also be that the blade doesn't agree with you.

An alcohol based after shave is always going to sting just a bit. It should sting very little if you get a clean shave, but going for BBS, it'll sting a bit more. If it really burns, you shaved too hard and need to ease off. You need to become a jedi shaving master to avoid any sting whatsoever.

[calcustom]

Welcome to B&B.
The HD and Omega brush will be a great place to start.

[dorje194]

I'm a noob too.
I've found that there's a great selection of cheap blades that can be bought from eBay. I've picked up some Gillette blades and some feathers. I like the feathers myself. Once you find the type you like, you can buy in bulk for cheap. That's what I do.

As for razors, I've found the old Gillette super speeds and Techs are cheap, easily available and high quality.

As for soaps and creams, I'm still finding my preferences.

Good luck

[bolocheung]

You are off to a good start. I started out with a Fatboy with Gillette cheapo blades, & VDH soap. They continue to work for me, but have expanded to a 40's SS, Mergress, 38c, krona, black adjustable. I just enjoy rotating around & trying different DE's.

[michiganlover]

One last question :)

I was going to buy the Choice Blade Sampler Pack (http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=16) but after comparing it with the Economy Sampler Pack (http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=14) not only does it not have the Red Pack Israeli Blades, it costs more than buying the Economy pack and the Feather and Astra blades separately. So does the Choice pack have more than the site lists or am I better off going with the Economy pack?

Both those kits have exactly what is listed on the site, nothing more, and nothing less.

Totally buy the Economy pack, and simply add a pack of Astra's and Feather's to your shopping cart.

I have not tried my Red IP's yet, but they are heavily raved about on these boards, so you definitely want them as part of your sampler pack.

[sangman]

Hi I am very new myself, I asked the same question and brought a Merkur HD, it is heavy and that’s what I wanted, on my first shave cut myself 3 times, asked advice and only 1 nick today. I am enjoying learning to use it. I am using Taylor of Old Bond Street sandalwood, and its fine for me a newbie.

[bonusmarple]

Merkur HD
West Coast Shaving Sampler Pack (start with the Red Pack Personnas)
TOBS Avocado or Proraso SC
Any decent grade badger brush

This should fit the bill to start. Make sure you read Kyle's prep and follow as much as you can. From there it is just a matter of figure out the way your hair grows on your neck.