Hi all, newly registered having been browsing your very good website for invaluable info over the last couple of days.
I'll lay my cards on the table here and give a bit of background to my post. I'm a VERY new convert to wet shaving in that I only received my Merkur HD 34C DE razor last weekend.
I've long been a user of cartridge razors which on the whole gave at best, an adequate, pain free, but very expensive shave for your buck. During this time I've been building up to the full wet shave conversion by using Taylor's of Old Bond Street shave cream which I picked up on a chance shopping trip a couple of years back in Glasgow in a shaving emporium.
I have to confess, I have found this cream to be excellent and have subsequently purchased and road tested every shaving cream scent in the range.
I have also been using a pure badger shaving brush, also purchased from Taylor's (online) which again has improved my shave significantly.
In the week I've had my DE razor, along side which I purchased 10 Merkur platinum coated blades, I've had 3 shaves, with mixed success.
I have to confess, I was a little bit tentative, but ultimately excited, the first time I limbered up for my first PROPER wet shave. I showered, scrubbed my face, hot towel treatment, then spent some time working up a nice lather using Mr Taylor's own named shave cream. I also used some shaving oil underneath.
I used two passes, one with the grain, and ambititiously for my first shave, one against the grain. I have to say, it was a pleasant shave, with one minor nick. But on the whole, a close shave which went better than I expected.
I shaved two days later, perhaps a little complacent from my surprising first shave and proceeded to have a horrendous one! Many nicks, serious razor burn and the inability to shave for at least 4 days. My preparation was identical to my first shave, and the same blade was used.
I shaved just last night and had a good shave, with no nicks, but still experiencing some razor burn and very red, sore, dry skin subsequent to my second and third shaves.
I have viewed mantic59's you tubes videos, absorbed as much of your many good post's information as I can but feel DE razor shaving is perhaps not for me? I do believe, aside from my wet shave sensitivity, that I do have fair, sensitive skin and would appreciate any additional advice more experienced shavers could give? I do wish to stick at this fine art, as have many happy memories watching my Dad as a very young boy go through the at times laborious, but by no means unenjoyable wet shave, with ironically, like myself, mixed success? Where was Badger and Blade when he was starting out?
Apologies for the length of the post and look forward to hearing from you
