If You Were Starting Out Now.....?

This is mainly for those who have acquired lots and lots of shaving swag and have been wetshaving for a while. Please add the why as to your current decision also. The question as stated above applies to what would be your initial set-up and other purchases you would make.

My initial set-up would be:

Gillette Blue Lady

Omega Boar 48

Toss up between Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge/Super Iridiums

(wouldn't it be nice if someone did a blade sampler based on levels of sharpness/smoothness; the 'sharpest' one would contain Feathers, Sharpedges, Super Iridiums, etc; the next level down would contain Astra Superiors,Personna Red packs, etc; the basic level could contain Merkurs, Dorcos, Sharps, etc.- then you could buy a sampler on the basis of perceived sharpness and depending on your results move up or down a level.)

I would still be a Saint Sue, Mama Sue, Honey Sue soap customer and would still have as many creams(SAO,Speick,Musgo,Proraso, et al) as I do now)- after all RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!

I would have missed out on the purchasing of other razors, blades, and brushes(only the brushes are rotated regularly now), but that money would have been spent on the swag that works for me the best. Conversely, w/o the journey, I would have no idea of what is my perfect set-up that gives my face the shave it deserves.

Do I need all the current gear I have-no. Then why don't I sell what I'm not using? Because each piece represents a step to shaving enlightenment(plus, I have yet to purchase a camera that will take good shots and I'm to lazy to do it!). That acquired knowledge was worth every cent spent! Eventually, I will get around to selling off what I don't use, so that someone else can climb that mountain top also.

Now it's your turn..........



marty

I wouldn't change a thing.

Except that cheap Chinese shaving cream in a tube I wasted a buck on. "Gilcheny" or something. And maybe when I cracked the handle on a Schick Injector trying to disassemble it. Oh, and when I took a slice out of a strop. And there was the whole Burt's Bees Bay Rum Soap in the microwave debacle. And then there was the time I threw out about a quarter puck of vintage Old Spice shaving soap. And there was that time I tried the sawing motion with a safety razor on my face.

Yep, it's all been smoooooooth sailing.

I'd stick to Gillette Techs. I have 3 shave-ready ones I got for all of £12 and they're fantastically easy shavers.

I'd have bought my Tweezerman brush online and saved a bit of money.

I'd have been more patient when my first DE razor arrived and waited until I got a decent brush and cream instead of soap (Palmolive would have been ideal) before using it. At the time I went out to the supermarket and bought the Wilkinson Sword soap and brush. I could probably get a decent shave out of that combo now, but not so at that time.

If I were to start over all together...

Brush: Simpson 2 band Tulip
Razor: Chandler Wootz and Zowada Damascus
Strop: Hand American Cordovan
Hones: Shapton Glass Hones
Soap: Tabac
Aftershave: Pinaud Clubman

If I were starting all over again, knowing what I know now, I'd probably have the stuff I have now, without all the constant buying and selling that went on for a while...

the full tabac range, LE08 brush, my ward bros straight

I would NOT recommend that someone just starting try to learn from others what's best, or what the final set of tools should be (so as to start there and forget the rest). You can't appreciate your favorites without having experienced your not-so-favorites.

So I say to a newbie -- try everything. Have fun learning both the skills and what you like.

Ball ended English Tech (ironically my first vintage razor the others that followed have been good but not as good)
Derbys
Any tallow soap
Simpson Major
Any alcohol splash (I spent almost a year thinking that balms were better)

But even with that setup I think I'd have just gotten into trying out straights earlier is all.

If I were starting out today, I would like to have the following as my first stuff:

Brush: Omega boar. I wasted a lot of time lathering with a cheap badger brush that I didn't enjoy.

Razor: Gillette Tech.

Blade: My first blade would actually be my choice for a first blade again: Green Russian 7 o'clocks. Nice blades.

Cream: This is a tough one. Honestly, I suppose I wish I'd started with The Real Shaving Company Sensitive Skin cream, because it lathers up really easily and provides a nice smooth shave, and it can be had locally for 5 bux. Other choices would be The Body Shop Maca Root cream and eShave White Tea.

Soap: For me Mama Bear's soap provides a consistently smooth shave and is very easy to lather. Although not my top soap now, it would be my top choice for myself as a newbie.

Aftershave: SCS Hydro, because it provides SOME feedback but it's not harsh.

Robert Paulsen said:

I would NOT recommend that someone just starting try to learn from others what's best, or what the final set of tools should be (so as to start there and forget the rest). You can't appreciate your favorites without having experienced your not-so-favorites.

So I say to a newbie -- try everything. Have fun learning both the skills and what you like.

Click to expand...

Excellent advice! It is a bit like dating. Best to experiment, try a lot of different products, and settle on what is best for you.

OK, it is only a little bit like dating.

I started out with Merkur razors, and even tho I ended up selling every single one I'm glad that I tried them. Same goes for all the blades, soaps and creams I tried. Anything that does not work for you you can always sell on the BST.

But back to the OP's question, if I had advance knowledge I would have gone directly to using NOS blades.

Robert Paulsen said:

I would NOT recommend that someone just starting try to learn from others what's best, or what the final set of tools should be (so as to start there and forget the rest). You can't appreciate your favorites without having experienced your not-so-favorites.

So I say to a newbie -- try everything. Have fun learning both the skills and what you like.

Click to expand...

+1. Trying is half the fun!