Help a 45 yr old newb out ??

[tuxdad]

Ok folks,

I've never, EVER considered or tried shaving with nothing other then an an electric beard trimmer..

Now, I'm looking at squeezing the trigger on a safety DE razor and accessories.

I'm in need of a good bit of guidance on this adventure..

To describe my beard, I'd say its a medium to lightly coarse type of hair(judging from what my uncles had, which always felt like the coarsest sandpaper there is).. I have a bumps and scars from my teenage yrs of acne, and I also have a bit of dry patched skin areas on my face..

What would be a good safety DE razor, and brush to possibly start off with ??

Also if there's anyone needing to know, I'm also black/NA/Latino (interesting mix), if thats an added factor with shaving..


Looking forward to your help with this...

Thanks,

Tux

[Ignatius]

Tux,

If you can find a vintage Gillette, they're all good.

If not, go for the Merkur HD. Its the standard among modern razors.

Brush: Tweezerman badger brush, or a Virtual Village Silvertip (ebay), or perhaps a boar from from Omega.

[chrislols]

I think I can help you out as far as a razor, and a sampler pack!

I started DE'ing recently and believe me when I tell you, many nights were spent reading hundreds of pages of threads on B&B!

I invested into a Merkur 33c razor from WCS (Westcoastshaving.com) which I really like, and some friends who I got into Wetshaving also purchased and love.

But seeing as you described your beard to be more coarse. I might suggest going for a Merkur 34C HD, which is generally for tougher beards. Although my cousin has a beard like barbed wire, and the 33c is great for him.

Though many people will also suggest other Razors such as the Edwin Jagger 89l

As for a sampler pack, I'd suggest getting the basics, something that includes around the following. Derby Extra, Crystals, Personna Red Pack Israeli's, Astras, Feathers, and maybe even Gillette Yellows. YMMV (Your milage may vary).

Than you get the fine luxury, if going through page after page of soaps and creams, and picking out what you'd like. I'd also suggest checking the review section to read some reviews.

All of this of course can be purchased from my favorite site (WCS) and there are plenty of other highly recommended sites!

As for a brush, I'm in the same boat as you, I've been using a Synthetic Body Shop brush which is great, but I'd like to move on up to a Badger soon.

Hopefully I can be of SOME help, seeing as I'm still new to this also.

Welcome to B&B!

[dpmtherrien]

Check out things here;
www.classicshaving.com

The Merkur HD is good, I think the Classic 1904 is even better.

Any of the Vulfix brushes are very good, and the price is good.

Be sure to get a blade sample pack.

[danek]

Welcome to the boards, Tux; there are LOTS of good folks around here full of good advice.

Since you've never shaved with a razor before, I suggest that you spend a little time watching Mantic59's tutorial videos. He does a very good job of describing and showing good technique.

As far as the actual hardware used, I would venture to guess that the majority of men here started with a Merkur of some model, however A LOT (me included) have transitioned to a vintage razor. There are just too many models and too much personal preference involved to suggest what would be the right razor for you. Troll around in the buy/sell/trade area and see if anything perks your interest.

Brushes can run from a few dollars for a horse hair brush, to several hundred for a super-soft and tightly hand packed gem from Europe. I would suggest that you don't go wild here, but it will be the most expensive item in your dopp kit; I suggest a 'pure' badger brush to start with - around $35.

Last thing about the hardware: get a sampler pack of many brands of blades. You will find some you like, maybe some you love, and definitely some you hate. If you only get one brand and find it's uncomfortable, I'm afraid you might abandon the hobby altogether.

The software: Ah, the pleasures of hundreds of combinations of soaps, creams, aftershaves, moisturizers, etc. Using a good qualty soap will probably be the best thing you've done to your face in 30 years.

Enjoy!!!

[mdunn]

welcome aboard.

a vintage gillette superspeed or tech is what youre after, buy on in the BST right here for the best deals.

[Slivovitz]

Welcome Tux!

The problem with picking a DE razor is that you have many, many, good choices, and when you ask here, you'll be bombarded with suggestions. I'll suggest a Merkur 23C, also known as the long handle #180, only because I have used it personally, and it was the first DE that gave me good results. I'm sure that the 34C or 38C are just as good or better, or there's the 1904 classic.

Many people here will suggest a vintage Gillette Tech or Super Speed. Those are great razors, but there's an argument against buying one of those first. Since you're new to this, you may not be as well able to spot a problem with a vintage item, and in any case, if you don't find one at a local antique store or flea market, you'll be buying it unseen. You may or may not get a good deal on the B/S/T forum here. OTOH, if you do get a good one, it may be the only razor you ever need.

I suggest starting with either an inexpensive Van der Hagen boar brush, which you can find at Walmarts and some drug stores, or a low end Tweezerman badger, available at Amazon among other places. Van der Hagen soap may be available locally, is inexpensive, and is a good one to start with. Again, lots, of good choices, YMMV, FWIW, IMHO, and any other applicable Internet abbreviations. :)

[b00stzx3]

I too have very course hair....half Greek lol. Don't think its so much the razor that matters as much the blades. Love my Derby's they shave very well.

Get a good badger hair brush with good soap, take shower first while your brush is submerged in hot water and got some hot water in your mug/soap. Love my gold vintage Gilette tech but check out the Parkers and Merkurs on Amazon. The longer handle on those would be very helpful compared to the shorter handled gilette techs.

[goby]

You will notice that we are friendly, but we don't agree on everything.... except one thing....

For blades you need a good sampler pack. Blades that I love, someone else will hate. I love Red Israelis, Dorcos, and Lords, while others may hate one or all of those blades. It's really very subjective.

I would get a Gillette Super Speed for about $10.00, sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less.

[Pike]

Welcome!
A gent at my bank is black/puertorican and had a lifelong battle with ingrown hairs...I set him up with a 50's SS and Derby blades (gratis)...his skin looks great now! Plus, I get great service at my bank!!! ( I keep him supplied w/blades and SC samples!) A nice side benefit for me! Best of luck to you!!

[Alacrity59]

Hi. Welcome to the adventure. It does take a bit of practice to get it down but once you have it it is wonderful.

Mike

[the beav]

I don't have any experience at shaving with acne scars, but it seems to me that you might want to start of cheaply with a mild Gillette Tech and a medium blade like a Derby.

[saltypete]

Welcome! I started out with a Merkur HD and found it to be an excellent introduction to DE shaving. I then moved on to vintage Gillettes and have aquired many. The HD is still in my rotation though.

Pete

[Alfredo Becerra]

Tux,

Lots of choices to make when you are first starting. Be prepared to experiment a LOT before you figure out what works best for you (good proof of that is the fact that no one here can agree 100%). You might want to start with more economical options to save some $$ while you experiment, then move on to the fancy stuff. Here are some cheaper suggestions to experiment with.

Razor: Parker makes pretty good razors at a reasonable price. Make sure you get the 3 piece design since their TTO aren't all that great.

Blades: definitely get a sampler pack. My favorites so far are Derby, Shark are a close second, both very cheap. - YMMV.

Brush: you should figure out what you like best between badger and boar. Don't buy into the whole badger craze (they are ungodly expensive and, in my opinion, over rated). Try a cheap Burma Shave brush (boar) and a cheap Tweezerman (badger). See what you like best and then get the fancy one. I prefer boar brushes but, again, YMMV.

Cream/Soap: there are very decent soaps and creams at a good price. Try Ingram, Speick, Erasmic, and Proraso.

Aftershave: Well, that depends. Do you like balms or splashes? If you have oily skin go for the splash. If you have dry skin go for the balm. Scent plays a HUUUUGE part here, that's why I'll leave that choice to you. I like Clubman as a splash, and during the winter I use C.O. Bigelow or Proraso.

Keep in mind these are cheaper suggestions to begin experimenting. Also, keep in mind that what works for you may not work for me, regardless of price. More expensive isn't always best.

Good luck

[tuxdad]

Hey all,

Just wanted to thank you all for all the info..

I was able to find a shaving kit at my local walmart that included soap(hypo allergenic), brush, and soap dish for making my lather, all for 15 bucks.. I'm trying to look locally for razors but not having much luck at the moment with no flea markets or yard sales going on.. Getting hammered by 3' or more of snow tends to make things a bit difficult...LOL

I'll probably have to order online if all else fails.. Still not too sure about what aftershave to go with since I have a mix of oily and dry skin.

Thanks again!!

Tux

[bfieldsnc]

Tux -
Yeah, I had to resort to online after searching everywhere local for traditional gear. I did get a couple things at WalMart, but they didn't have razors.
For post-shave, I've been using the Neutrogena Razor Defense Post-Shave (they have several products in the Razor Defense line).

[Gizmo]

I'd recommend the HD as well, or the Merkur 23C.. it's the same head, just with a longer and skinnier handle. It's proven to be quite forgiving on my face when trying new blades, or shaving on back to back days with light stubble.

[ProphetNoir]

Welcome to B&B Tux!
I started here when I was five years older than you are now. I am also Black and some other stuff, so I know that there may be some specific skin issues to take into consideration. You will get tons of advice here and nearly all of it is useful. The one thing that I would add, is that this will require some patience and some commitment on your part. Done right, you will see the benefits right away, trust me. Still, you have to be willing to shave regularly, or it won't be shaving that irritates you, it will be your beard growing back that causes the most problems. Read the sticky posts and read them again. Watch Mantic's videos on youtube and ask questions here before you throw money at an issue.
My recommendation for a razor would be to get yourself an Edwin Jagger, and get the best one that your budget will alow for.
That's my opinion based in my personal experience.
You might also want to pick up a few Bic Metal Guard disposables. They are, IMO, the perfect training razor and I used them for nearly a year before I picked a DE razor. By then my prep and lather techniques had been perfected and I had a good grasp of proper angle and pressure.
Find the Zen of shaving and join us. You won't be disappointed.

[tuxdad]

Just wanted to say thanks again..

I went and ordered my gear last week, but didn't get to try them out until today..

I ordered from classic shaving, and was quite satisfied with what I picked..
I ordered the Merkur "classic 1904" open comb.. It resembled what all my uncles used when I was a kid.. I also ordered a BUNCH of sample blades .. I wound up picking up the rest of my kit along with a few extra blades at walmart..

I was sort suprised that they actually had DE's in stock, yet nothing else..

I'll admit I was more nervous then barber shaving a customer with gun pointed at his crotch, the entire time I was shaving... I finally had to choke up on the handle of the razor to help keep the angle right.. After that, things went a lot better..

Thanks again for all your info and help...

I'm sure I'll be having more questions as time goes on with my shaving...

Tux