2 Shaves in.

**nsanity** · 10-01-2009, 05:39 PM

Hi All,

I'm new - watch me bleed

I've been posting this on other forums, as well as my personal journal - but decided to stop lurking and start contributing (and hopefully get some personal advice). This initial post is a catch up so that you guys have all the info.

First post when I ordered the stuff.

I've never really had a "pleasant" shaving experience. I basically have to wait 4-5 days between shaves (which is longer than I should - I feel stubble the next day) because if I don't, I end up a bloody mess.

Also at this stage I can't shave anything but with the grain, otherwise there is a reasonable chance I'll end up a bloody mess. To be able to shave against and get that "nice" feeling, I need to wait 5-7 days - which is far too long.

Tried pretty much everything on offer at a supermarket - Fusion's, Fusion Powered, Mach3, Mach3 Turbo ultra phantom power (or whatever), Shick (OH GOD NO) - seem to get the best value for money out of the Mach 3 disposables.

Cream/Oil wise, I've use most things at the supermarkets, I find the King of Shaves Oil/Cream stuffs to be the best - but still not stellar.

So as a result I just snagged the following from Lees Razors;

http://www.leesrazors.com/products/U...dge-Setup.html

(Snagged the DR Harris Arlington Shaving bowl soap and Red Personna blades)

http://www.leesrazors.com/products/G...k-of-Alum.html

(Apparently seals cuts well)

http://www.leesrazors.com/products/D...ftershave.html

All for $262 aud delivered (god bless the woeful USD). We'll see how this goes, hopefully shaving isn't as annoying. Apparently you should stick with a regimen for a month before you go changing things whilst you're learning...

Most of the info on starting products was gleaned from this thread - What I have learned- If I was starting over what would I do differently?

First Shave... (Wednesday Afternoon)

Well I posted back there that I was buying a ton of kit and it showed up today. So naturally I gave it a whirl after work.

Wow.

I suck at shaving. Ok maybe not suck, but my lower neck looks like I just started shaving again.

Reading all these guides about how to wet-shave with a Safety razor tells you that you can and will cut yourself if you're not careful - and that its almost downright impossible to cut yourself with a Cartridge razor.

They are right. To a degree. If you do all the pre-shave prep that you should, it is. I was dragging the DE Razor vacross my face at all kinds of inexperienced and probably flat out wrong angles - and despite how harsh it felt across my face, didn't slice me open.

A couple of points though.

Despite the poorness of my shave (i think there is a few patches on my cheeks that are about as good as I can get with a Mach 3 disposable - which i think superior over fusionpowerultraturboninjaphantoms or whatever you can buy now) the products that came with it REALLY feel nice.

* Building Lather from Soap is really only about 40-50 seconds longer than spraying it out of a can or applying gel to your face - and the difference is amazing. Its really nice.

* Block of Alum? Holy crap this thing is awesome. I walked out of the bathroom and despite some pretty nasty bleeds 60 seconds ago, I had none actively bleeding as I walked out. Has a mild stinging sensation as its applied to a cut, but its certainly not painful.

* Good quality Aftershave. Not the Home Alone Kid experience I was expecting. Despite my shave being really really poor, my skin on my face feels really nice. Even 40 minutes later, still slightly scented, but feels nice.

Overall, given that the quality of the products (outside of my razor operating abilities) and the instantaneous result i had from the first shave - not to mention that all the guides are very clear that it will take 2-3 weeks to really get comfortable with the blade - I'm certainly going to stick with it.

Second Shave (Friday morning)

So if Wednesday afternoon was a;

* 8/10 for lather
* 3/10 for shave
* 1/10 for time.

I think I just made a

* 6/10 for lather (not enough soap maybe?)
* 6/10 for shave
* 2/10 for time (about 30 minutes)

(picture)

Key differences is here is that;

1. I wasn't being a hurried klutz holding the razor.
2. No shower before - hot towels to the face.
3. Managed to get a With the Grain everywhere, and across the grain on my neck and cheeks.
4. Didn't bleed lots. (hooray not soo many cuts).
5. Showered after. Applied some alum before I showered, got out and applied aftershave.

What I'd do differently next shave;

* Probably wet my face some more during the shave process (between relathers).
* Better Lather.
* try and get a little closer on my lower neck towards my adam's apple.
* Aftershave before the shower? Maybe.

Summary?

If this was the "base-line" shave with a DE, I'd be happy with it. I'm about as close as I get with a Cartridge on my cheeks, and my neck is tidy (but not as close as I can get with a cartridge).

**Gruder** · 10-01-2009, 05:54 PM

Looks like you're off to a great start! A warm welcome to B&B -- stick around and post often!

**mdunn** · 10-01-2009, 06:41 PM

welcome aboard mate, join the rest of us aussies in the 'great southern land' group
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**DSB** · 10-01-2009, 06:46 PM

Welcome to Badger and Blade. Have you watched Mantic59's videos on youtube? I think they will help your technique improve much more quickly than trial and error.

**gaseousclay** · 10-01-2009, 06:51 PM

welcome to B&B and nice starter set!

just remember to continue reading up on the 'how-to's' and watching mantic's vids....you'll get the hang of it. remember, don't put any pressure on the blade...this should hopefully reduce the nicks and cuts. having a slick lather helps a lot too. keep at it

**Topgumby** · 10-01-2009, 07:04 PM

Welcome!

Great reporting, keep posting!

**jeff2011** · 10-01-2009, 07:15 PM

Nice set up, nice work....as a recently converted soul patience is the key as I am sure you have read thousands of times here....I'm 6 weeks into it and it keeps getting better.

**RAK** · 10-01-2009, 07:25 PM

Welcome and congratulations on a good start. As someone who has been using a DE for the past 6 weeks, good plan with sticking with the same set up for the next month. It took me about a month to get really comfortable with my DE and I think the consistency of the same razor/blade/soap was very helpful.

**nsanity** · 10-02-2009, 08:53 PM

3 Shaves down.

Its weird. I just couldn't get the super foamy lather. It was a nice cream-like state, but couldn't manage to elevate it to "meringue" status (like the first time I made lather) - you know when you get it to have "peaks" with a flick of the brush?

Tried adding more water which slightly increased the volume - but not the density.

Anyway, gave up - applied to face (whilst making lather I'd been wrapping a hot towel around my face - and prior to making lather I'd been refreshing and re-wringing more hot water whilst waiting for the brush to soak).

Started shaving. Things were going pretty well. The biggest difference is I'm noticing overall is that I seem to be able to shave daily with a DE (unlike a cartridge) - maybe that's down to prep?

Made sure to wet my skin between lather applications. I think my blade needs changing, I noted that is dragged a bit (almost skipping on the skin sometimes). But still managed a good shave on my cheeks. Still need work on the neck - just can't get close enough in a 3-4cm diameter around my Adam's apple.

Going to rewatch those videos suggested and pay extra attention around the neck area tomorrow. Haven't showered after the shave yet (just letting the aftershave sink in - feels great).

**Hughies_online** · 10-02-2009, 08:58 PM

Welcome aboard!

**Gruder** · 10-03-2009, 05:53 AM

Hang in there -- you're making progress!

**nsanity** · 10-05-2009, 12:33 AM

Shaved this morning. Awesome Shave.

Lather was pretty much right - and did the job well. Took the advice of hitting the face up with lather, then soaking a hot wet towel on it. Actually brushed the lather into my stubble with the brush (I was painting it on previously) as per mantic's videos.

Managed all 3 passes as per Mantics video with a new Red Personna blade, touched up with the core lather from the brush - things were slightly spotty, but after a shower and aftershave application, looked the goods.

4 shaves in and this was seriously the best shave I've ever had. In no place was a cartridge better.

I have a Saville Row 3824 on the way (as per the champion of the Brush Wars). But asides from perhaps trying some different blades, I think i'll stick with this combo after my first month of technique learning.

**Topgumby** · 10-05-2009, 12:54 AM

Excellent!

**nsanity** · 10-05-2009, 06:59 PM

Thought I'd update again.

5 Shaves in and I'm starting to find some routine with my DE Shave. My 4th shave on Monday was far and away the best shave I've had in my life - and my bathroom time was about 30 minutes (including shave, shower and brushing my teeth). I have plenty of time I could be saving, its just about becoming more familiar with the process and technique.

Basically I follow "Kyle's Prep" (n.b I don't shower before - I shower after) - for prep work.

Using a Merkur HD DE with Red Personna blades (although I may change after the month of learning - probably give feather and derby a go), Dr Harris Arlington Soap and a Vulfix 660 Super Badger Brush (although I have a Saville Row 3824 on the way).

I shave pretty much identically to Mantic's shaving video (the < 10 minute shave).

Then quickly shower, finally applying Dr Harris Arlington Aftershave.

In retrospect, I'm not finding the HD too small, largely it works for me and I'm sure that will get better with practice.

**Scissors** · 10-05-2009, 07:10 PM

Welcome and congratulations on your improving shaves! May you enjoy many more!

**Gruder** · 10-06-2009, 05:48 AM

Congratulations! Keep up the good work, and keep on posting!

**nsanity** · 10-07-2009, 04:09 PM

Ugh.

Tried making a lather in a cup (just a normal coffee cup which I'd been using to soak my brush in) today.

Horrible amounts of fail. Just not lathery enough to protect my neck. Looks alright (blood wise) after a shower, but is a fairly average shave around my adam's apple.

Bought some Derby Blades and some Feathers to try after I cycle through the 10 Red Personna's.

**michiganlover** · 10-07-2009, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by nsanity

Ugh.

Tried making a lather in a cup (just a normal coffee cup which I'd been using to soak my brush in) today.

Regular sized coffee cups are much too small to generate lather in. If you notice the mug used in Mantic's videos for generating lather is a very large sized Cappuccino mug/ Soup Mug.

A regular sized mug/ coffee cup is fine for holding pucks of soap, but not for actually lathering in.

Use a fairly deep, large cereal bowl instead.

**nsanity** · 10-12-2009, 06:44 PM

So I've tried 2 shaves with a Derby Extra.

Holy crap it tore the shit out of my neck on the ATG pass.

Also my skin feels ultra tight and dry after using it for hours afterwards (same Dr.Harris Aftershave). Completely different from the Red Personna's.

Its closer, but alas the amount of blood simply doesn't leave a "good" look.

I have a set of feathers here to try, but sort of wary of them after the derby's.

Any suggestions on what other blades I should try?