Excited

**TXDE** · 08-15-2009, 07:03 AM

I am new here and am nervously excited about getting started with my first DE. I have been ready the post on here and belive I am ready to start purchasing the tools to start wet shaving.
I have been letting my barber give me a shave when I go in for a haircut and have REALLY enjoyed that experience. I love a close clean shave.
I am sure I will have plenty of questions in the future, so thanks in advance.

**rm71** · 08-15-2009, 07:17 AM

Welcome to B&B! Fire away with the questions, we are happy to answer them.

**RichGem** · 08-15-2009, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by rm71

Welcome to B&B! Fire away with the questions, we are happy to answer them.

+1. and welcome!

**TheHatter** · 08-15-2009, 07:26 AM

Welcome to B&B.

**Sue** · 08-15-2009, 07:28 AM

Welcome to B&B. You have all the help you could ask for at your fingertips.

Sue

**blackfoot** · 08-15-2009, 07:38 AM

Welcome!

**cmccorm286** · 08-15-2009, 07:41 AM

Welcome!!! Let us know how you are doing

**Emmett** · 08-15-2009, 07:43 AM

Welcome!

**SilverB** · 08-15-2009, 07:45 AM

Welcome. Ask away, we love to give our opinions.

**TXDE** · 08-15-2009, 08:45 AM

ok, so here is my initial plan. That is if I can practice some restraint and not go wild with enthusiasm.I am going to add one of these every week and build to the whole ritual.
Start by getting my preshave routine down.
Learn to lather well( I am leaning toward using a soap)
Take the plunge and enjoy choosing and buying my first DE.
Finally take the time to treat my self to a good shave.
I hope that if I get the pre shave and the lathering right, by the time I try to shave with a DE the outcome will be decent at least. Has anyone else do it this way or is it best to jump in with both feet and start wetshaving? Any opinios/advice are very welcome!

**Luc** · 08-15-2009, 03:34 PM

Welcome to B&B!

That's a good plan. Check the tutorials on how to build lather on this forum. Also, do not wait on the very first morning to learn how to build lather. As soon as you have time, I would recommend doing 3-4 bowls of lather even if you won't be shaving with them. It will give you a better idea on how it works.

**luvmysuper** · 08-15-2009, 03:54 PM

That is a great plan.
Good prep and lather can make a poor razor shave passable, but poor prep and lather means a horrible shave even with the best equipment on earth.

Welcome aboard.

**Koss** · 08-15-2009, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Luc

Welcome to B&B!

That's a good plan. Check the tutorials on how to build lather on this forum. Also, do not wait on the very first morning to learn how to build lather. As soon as you have time, I would recommend doing 3-4 bowls of lather even if you won't be shaving with them. It will give you a better idea on how it works.

+1 on all aspects!

Don't feel shy about practicing on building a lather even when you are not shaving. You don't need all that much of an expensive soap when you are starting out. With a properly built lather, you can get a BBS shave no matter the cost of the soap. So go and check out the lathering tutorials here in B&B. Also search for Mantic59's videos on youtube. That is a gold mine of information that got me started and on the right track in my wetshaving/de transition.

You have a good plan set out already. Get down the wetshaving aspect first before using a DE. that way you won't have so many new skills to learn all at once, with all the variables thrown into the mix.

BTW, what products are you looking to buy? Also, creams are generally easier to lather than soaps and I recommend them to people starting out. But I still prefer soaps because they are more involving and fun.

**Gruder** · 08-15-2009, 04:35 PM

Welcome -- keep us posted!

**profsaffel** · 08-15-2009, 04:44 PM

Don't be nervous, especially while shaving. It could potentially lead to a nasty cut.

Seriously, though, welcome to the B&B!

**TXDE** · 08-16-2009, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by Koss

+1 on all aspects!

Don't feel shy about practicing on building a lather even when you are not shaving. You don't need all that much of an expensive soap when you are starting out. With a properly built lather, you can get a BBS shave no matter the cost of the soap. So go and check out the lathering tutorials here in B&B. Also search for Mantic59's videos on youtube. That is a gold mine of information that got me started and on the right track in my wetshaving/de transition.

You have a good plan set out already. Get down the wetshaving aspect first before using a DE. that way you won't have so many new skills to learn all at once, with all the variables thrown into the mix.

BTW, what products are you looking to buy? Also, creams are generally easier to lather than soaps and I recommend them to people starting out. But I still prefer soaps because they are more involving and fun.

I want to start my purchase with a soap/cream, brush, and bowl. I went to our local mall yesterday(family outing) and stopped into a few places and asked if they sold shaving supplies. They all said yes then took me over to look at their shave gel and cologne! What a disapointment, I guess the journey is half the fun though.

**rsvossen** · 08-16-2009, 06:58 AM

Welcome to the boards!
You will get used to the fact that most shops don't have a wide range of traditional shaving supplies. I get about 99.9% of my supplies via the internet... it's about the only way!
Anyway, good luck and keep us posted.

**NickCutlip** · 08-16-2009, 08:01 AM

Welcome to B&B !!

**humber burns** · 08-16-2009, 11:34 AM

Depending on the quality of stuff your looking to by you should be able to get most of your supplies from walmart, cvs and/or wallgreens or other such drugstore type places. You should be able to find everything you need from B&M (brick and mortar) stores to start, this is how I did it.

To start I would suggest picking up proraso shave cream, this stuff is awesome and cheap, if you can't find proraso you can get CO Bigelows from bath and body works (it's essencially the same as proraso but it's a buck or 2extra.) Creams really are easier to work with from the get go.

Next find a cheap boar brush from your local drug store (love my first boar still.) or if you don't want a boar you could head to C&E and pick up one of their badger brushes (I have their BBB works like a charm.) or if neither of those appeal to you you could go for a synthetic brush from the body shop.

Don't worry about picking up a fansy shave bowl yet a regular surving bowl will do fine, or a large coffee mug will do fine to start. If you were looking fr something a little more permanent get yourself a oversized cappuccino mug. these work perfectly, and you can get them cheap from just about any department store.

You can acquire razor blades at most drug stores. They won't be great but they'll be enough to get you started.

Then all you need is a razor. I don't reaslly have any B&M suggestions for you. For these it's best to buy online as the in store mark up tends to be astronomical! If you want a new razor order a merkur online. If you want used (my recomendation) Gillettes are great just check out the BST forum here, or you can hunt one down in at your local antique shops. A word of advicw on antique shop: make sure you educate yourself about vintage razors before you go out. know what you're looking for and more importantly learn the value of vintage razors (BST is good for this as well.)

These are all suggestions based on personal experience, it's also important to note that all this can be bought online. These suggestions are simply if your weary of puchasing online (like myself) and are looking to set yourself up with a solid starter kit on the cheap. I would also like to add that almost everyone on B&B are upstanding getelmen (or ladies as the case may be) and you should not worry about any dealings you may have with them.

Happy Shaving!