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The Beginning...

I found B&B through a Red Sox discussion board, where one of our off-topic discussions turned from cartridge razors to wet shaving. I had been annoyed with the cost of replacement cartridges for my Mach3, and read a bunch of stuff (kind of haphazzardly) before settling on a kit:

  • A near-perfect Gillette Fat Boy (c.1961) picked up on Ebay for less than $50.
  • A Parker silvertip badger brush, Proraso soap, and Derby blades from Amazon. (I'll probably also pick up some yellow Gillette 7 O'clocks and feathers, although I plan to wait a bit before using the feathers).
  • A styptic pencil and Aquavella from the local drug store.

While I'm waiting for some of this stuff to arrive I've tried to get in the habit of paying more attention and using my Mach3 as I would (will) a DE razor. The wrinkle is that right now when I shave I lather up my entire head, as well as my beard; shaving my head with a DE gave me a little pause, but the time has come to give it a shot
 
Welcome to the good ship B&B. Take a stroll on the promenade deck and enjoy the voyage. :thumbup1:

I head shave. Some times with a DE and sometimes with a Trac II depending on the time I have available.

Always remember, relax but be vigilant when you shave!
 
Welcome to B&B, and to DE shaving!! Looks like you are off to a good start. I do like Derby's (although I can't say I have a favorite just yet), but I would recommend getting a blade sampler to try different brands. Each is a little different.
WCS is a great vendor and has quite a selection. http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Sample-Packs_c_1.html


Remember to take your time and enjoy the experience.:thumbup:
 

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
Welcome to B&B!

+1 on the razor blade sample pack.
 
Welcome to B&B and congratulations on your decision to wetshave!

My condolences on being a redsox fan!
 
Welcome to B&B! That Parker was the first brush I got for myself too. Its as soft and luxurious as anything else I'v ever tried :thumbup1:
 
Welcome to the good ship B&B. Bo Sox are really taking it on the chin right now - 10 games behind Yanks. Ouch!!
 
Welcome to B&B and congratulations on your decision to wetshave!

My condolences on being a redsox fan!

Thanks. Sometimes in Baseball it's just not your year.

Welcome to B&B, and to DE shaving!! Looks like you are off to a good start. I do like Derby's (although I can't say I have a favorite just yet), but I would recommend getting a blade sampler to try different brands. Each is a little different.
WCS is a great vendor and has quite a selection. http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Sample-Packs_c_1.html

Remember to take your time and enjoy the experience.:thumbup:

I've looked at a few sample packs, but I went with the Derbys because it looked like a nice compromise (according to reviews and postings here) between quality and cost. My thought is to use them to get used to what I'm doing and then experiment with blades when I can actually recognize the difference between the blade and changing (improving, I hope) technique.

I can already see the time element will be key. Just doing the little things with my Mach3 has added a few minutes to my shaves, but has made them a bit more enjoyable, and much better (to the point that someone at work commented on my well-shaved dome the day after).

Welcome to B&B.
You will also need to find something to build a lather in (unless you are planning on face lathering).

I planned to either use the plastic tub the Proraso comes in (I didn't get the tube), or a large coffee mug with a flat bottom. I've looked at a few shave mugs (there's a black Edwin Jagger number that looks nice), but figure that I'll try to spread out the initial investment a bit while I'm getting started.

Some other things I'm interested in picking up are a stand to hold both razor and brush; the common Col. Conk's looks like it would work, but I think I'd like it to hold the brush by the handle end rather than where the knot meets the handle (I also paint, so brush care is something I pay a lot of attention to). I've also see oils mentioned as something that will extend the life of the blade (using it to keep water off the blade which would otherwise corrode it). Is this the same oil one would use prior to the soap, or something different?
 
I would suggest using either a small bowl to lather in or just face-lathering (the Proraso tub itself won't really do the trick). You'll want to load the brush with soap from the Proraso tub and then either move to a bowl (or large mug) or to your face to start making your lather. As for oils extending the life of a blade, I've never heard of that but I'd guess that the mess and hassle probably wouldn't really be worth it as Derby's cost only cents per blade. Have fun!
 
Welcome and you're gonna love it here.

I use this for bowl lathering and it's available at Big Lots, 99 cent store, etc for about $2.00.

Works great.
 
Thanks. Sometimes in Baseball it's just not your year.



I've looked at a few sample packs, but I went with the Derbys because it looked like a nice compromise (according to reviews and postings here) between quality and cost. My thought is to use them to get used to what I'm doing and then experiment with blades when I can actually recognize the difference between the blade and changing (improving, I hope) technique.

I can already see the time element will be key. Just doing the little things with my Mach3 has added a few minutes to my shaves, but has made them a bit more enjoyable, and much better (to the point that someone at work commented on my well-shaved dome the day after).



I planned to either use the plastic tub the Proraso comes in (I didn't get the tube), or a large coffee mug with a flat bottom. I've looked at a few shave mugs (there's a black Edwin Jagger number that looks nice), but figure that I'll try to spread out the initial investment a bit while I'm getting started.

Some other things I'm interested in picking up are a stand to hold both razor and brush; the common Col. Conk's looks like it would work, but I think I'd like it to hold the brush by the handle end rather than where the knot meets the handle (I also paint, so brush care is something I pay a lot of attention to). I've also see oils mentioned as something that will extend the life of the blade (using it to keep water off the blade which would otherwise corrode it). Is this the same oil one would use prior to the soap, or something different?

I feel your pain, I'm an Angels fan and they're having a worse year than the Red Sox.

Your brush handle looks like a tough one to find a stand that doesn't hang at knot end. A suggestion is Velcro. Put a piece at the end of the brush and another underneath the shelf and let it hang. You can still stand a brush on the bottom with the Velcro underneath when preparing to shave.
 
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