Help- I don't know where to start!

Hey everyone!

OK. So. As you may/may not have read in my hall of fame entry, I am here to get my boyfriend sorted with an assortment of manly goodies for his furry face. He is a terrible shaver, is unwilling most of the time and when he does do it (once every three days or something) he does a lousy job because he can't be bothered. He gets sore skin and pimples from his crappy disposables and therefore doesn't like doing it, also I figure if he has some sort of manly regime in the morning he'll feel better about himself and enjoy making an effort. I know that he'd be hesitant from the outset to spend money on himself in this way, therefore I'm getting him an "AMAZING SHAVING KIT FROM YOUR GORGEOUS GIRLFRIEND" for his Christmas present, I figure I start getting it together now as it'll be expensive and I want him to have good products at his disposal!

I'm pretty certain that a Merkur HD is the way to go for the razor, but they seem a little short... is there one with a longer handle? He has BIG hands... haha... and I figured I'd get him a sample pack of razors so he can try some different ones and see what he likes best. As for the brush, I was intrigued by the 2006 B&B badger brush, but I'd say they're long gone? Is there another lovely badger brush which isn't toooooo expensive which would be good? Also I'm really at a loss as far as products and accessories go, I don't know what you need in a typical DE wet-shave set up? A mug? Some sort of soap? Other products? And what to do with all of these mysterious manly objects? I really don't know... Haha, but don't worry, I will be signing him up to this forum on Boxing Day so he'll be able to get help first hand...

Speaking of help though... I was also wondering where to go to get a really good in depth run down on HOW TO SHAVE. Because clearly my boy was neglected by his father and not taught properly.

I realise I am asking a lot as a newB and I guess all of this info is within this wonderful forum, but I really don't know where to start...

Any help and/or advice would be UNIMAGINABLY APPRECIATED!!!

Hello and Welcome to B&B.. I would suggest a Merkur Barberpole 38C or the Merkur 23C (it has the slender handle) but both of these razors are about 4 inches in length and have the same head as a 34C. I would definitely get a sampler pack. Blades are a particular item for us gents. What works for one might not work for another. As soaps or creams go I would suggest MWF (mitchells wool fat), Tabac. For a cheap and great cream I would suggest the Prorasso lineup. There are great online vendors that stock these items regularly. I have ordered from Bullgoose Shaving Supplies and Westcoastshaving . Both suppliers are great to deal with. I hope this helps.

Thanks so much Sledgehammer39, but it seems I was way too quick posting my own thread and missed the incredible resource of information that's sitting up the top of this newbie forum, haha, I have a bit of reading ahead of me it would seem, but I think the info seems goooooood. I will take your suggestions into consideration too, and it's great to know that Merkur make longer handled razors for the bigger fisted fellows... Thanks so much again! I'll let you know what I decide on

Bear in mind that your boyfriend should only be holding the razor with the tips of a few fingers, so the length of the handle isn't a problem. I think the longer handled HD would be more difficult to learn on since it's heavier and not as well balanced as the regular HD.

OK, I'm a bit of a contrarian on this topic, but I think the razor itself should be the LAST thing you buy as a gift for someone else.

The thing is, DE shaving involves learning some significantly different skills than he's used to, and you need to commit to working through a difficult learning curve. If he hasn't made that commitment to himself, he'll get horrible razor burn the first time out and quickly enough toss it aside.

IMO, technique makes the biggest difference in quality of a shave. You don't need to go to the OCD lengths some guys here do, but reviewing Mantic59's videos on youtube will at least give you some pointers on angle and pressure.

Almost as important (and best for gift giving, hint hint!), is proper shave products. Canned foam doesn't prep your face properly, while a quality cream or soap applied with a brush will make a huge difference to your skin health. Creams and soaps smell awesome, and as a bonus shaving brushes just plain look cool in the bathroom - every guy feels like Frank Sinatra using one.

Even the cheapest brush sold by a vendor here (check the Vendors forum for links) will be of high quality and work well. Grades (pure, fine, etc) and materials (boar vs badger) are really a personal preference item, and a first time user won't know the difference, so don't sweat that. Don't buy anything from a retail store like Art of Shaving, they'll rip you off horribly.

I'd go to one of our vendors and buy a really nice brush, a couple pucks of quality soap or tubs of cream (you can choose different scents) and a fancy aftershave like Speick and still come away for well under US$100 for the lot.

Go West Young Man said:

OK, I'm a bit of a contrarian on this topic, but I think the razor itself should be the LAST thing you buy as a gift for someone else.

The thing is, DE shaving involves learning some significantly different skills than he's used to, and you need to commit to working through a difficult learning curve. If he hasn't made that commitment to himself, he'll get horrible razor burn the first time out and quickly enough toss it aside.

IMO, technique makes the biggest difference in quality of a shave. You don't need to go to the OCD lengths some guys here do, but reviewing Mantic59's videos on youtube will at least give you some pointers on angle and pressure.

Almost as important (and best for gift giving, hint hint!), is proper shave products. Canned foam doesn't prep your face properly, while a quality cream or soap applied with a brush will make a huge difference to your skin health. Creams and soaps smell awesome, and as a bonus shaving brushes just plain look cool in the bathroom - every guy feels like Frank Sinatra using one.

Even the cheapest brush sold by a vendor here (check the Vendors forum for links) will be of high quality and work well. Grades (pure, fine, etc) and materials (boar vs badger) are really a personal preference item, and a first time user won't know the difference, so don't sweat that. Don't buy anything from a retail store like Art of Shaving, they'll rip you off horribly.

I'd go to one of our vendors and buy a really nice brush, a couple pucks of quality soap or tubs of cream (you can choose different scents) and a fancy aftershave like Speick and still come away for well under US$100 for the lot.

Click to expand...

Well said and good advice, too, except that Art of Shaving has exceptional quality soaps and shaving creams. I won't buy anything else from them, however.

I got into wet shaving whe given a starter set by my brother as a birthday present at the time I didn't know that this world existed but I loved it and havent looked back since.

I would recomend a Merkur Adjustable to start with starting at the least aggressive setting with the mildest blade will give your boy friends face time to adjust.

Be sure to check Mantic 60 or so shaving vids on utube the sorce of all knowledge for the newbie

Well said Chris....exactly what I would have suggested

according to what I've read (since I wouldn't do this to myself) you should still get a decent shave from a disposible 2 blade like Gillette as long as the beard has been prepped and lathered with a brush and decent soap/cream. You can get a serviceable brush for under $20 these days in stores or online-- Shea Moisture brush from Target, many good quality boars, Frank Shaving brushes from eBay, or the Tweezerman brush. If he really hates shaving and is lousy at it, he might not be willing to invest in learning the technique all at once.

Mantic59's videos on youtube are excellent for learning.

(and don't forget about yourself! have you considered DE shaving?)

A shaving cream would probably be a better start for a beginner than a hard soap. You can't go wrong with the "Three Ts": Geo. F Trumper's, Taylor of Old Bond Street, or Truefitt & Hill. These are luxury creams that will really impress someone used to canned goo... maybe impress him enough to want to shave!

As for razors... Giving a Double Edge razor to someone who has no desire to learn how to properly use it can be a bit dangerous. One good dose of razor rash from ham-fisted technique will put him off shaving for months. Perhaps you should start him on a nice Mach III cartridge based shaving set, and you can save the DE razor for when he gets more into shaving, or shows willingness to learn better technique.

As for what to lather in. Some use mugs, but generally a shallower, wider vessel is desireable. A small, plain white cereal bowl actually looks incredible classy, and does the job very well.

You could also direct him to the B&B website. We'll straighten him out for you.

On the other hand, someone who starts off with a hard puck and a boar brush might really appreciate the move up to cream and badger. I sure did. In fact, I was amazed at the difference.

Go West Young Man said:

OK, I'm a bit of a contrarian on this topic, but I think the razor itself should be the LAST thing you buy as a gift for someone else.

The thing is, DE shaving involves learning some significantly different skills than he's used to, and you need to commit to working through a difficult learning curve. If he hasn't made that commitment to himself, he'll get horrible razor burn the first time out and quickly enough toss it aside.

IMO, technique makes the biggest difference in quality of a shave. You don't need to go to the OCD lengths some guys here do, but reviewing Mantic59's videos on youtube will at least give you some pointers on angle and pressure.

Almost as important (and best for gift giving, hint hint!), is proper shave products. Canned foam doesn't prep your face properly, while a quality cream or soap applied with a brush will make a huge difference to your skin health. Creams and soaps smell awesome, and as a bonus shaving brushes just plain look cool in the bathroom - every guy feels like Frank Sinatra using one.

Even the cheapest brush sold by a vendor here (check the Vendors forum for links) will be of high quality and work well. Grades (pure, fine, etc) and materials (boar vs badger) are really a personal preference item, and a first time user won't know the difference, so don't sweat that. Don't buy anything from a retail store like Art of Shaving, they'll rip you off horribly.

I'd go to one of our vendors and buy a really nice brush, a couple pucks of quality soap or tubs of cream (you can choose different scents) and a fancy aftershave like Speick and still come away for well under US$100 for the lot.

Click to expand...

I agree with GoWest...I think the first step should be getting a good brush and some quality products. Good prep is key to a good shave regardless of the razor. As mentioned check out the Mantic videos on YouTube they are very informative. Good luck!

Ride4TheBrand said:

On the other hand, someone who starts off with a hard puck and a boar brush might really appreciate the move up to cream and badger. I sure did. In fact, I was amazed at the difference.

Click to expand...

I started with a hard puck and boar. I still get on better with it tbh. Just more proof that ymmv

Another voice of agreement with Go West Young Man.


Start him off with a nice brush (boar or badger) and a nice smelling cream such as Truefitt and Hill's 1805 or Grafton, or maybe Trumper's Lime.

For razors I'd say a Sensor Excel (still available if you look around a bit) would be the best of the cartridge razors for a guy with little or no shaving skills.

Have him watch the Mantic videos and try to mimic the techniques, even though he's using a cartridge razor. Most importantly, tell him to shave with a VERY LIGHT touch, and try to go WITH THE GRAIN of his beard on the first pass, rinse, re-lather, and then go ACROSS the grain with a very light touch.

Get him a nice aftershave to splash on after a final, thorough rinse. He'll be AMAZED at how much better his shave is.


Let him do it this way for a month or so, and then see if he is interested in taking the plunge into safety razor shaving.


(Welcome to B&B!)

Welcome to B&B!

You search already which gear you should buy. This page should give you an idea of what's recommended to start with: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Getting_started_wetshaving

Being in Melbourne, you got 2 choices on what to buy, either stay local, cost will be slighly higher but you will get your item quickly or go overseas. If you stay local, try the Australian shaving supply list: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Australia_shaving_supplies

If you go oversea, here's a good page: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Supporting_Vendors

From what I see, you picked a razor, Merkur HD (I'm not sure if Nathan @ Mensbiz has the long handle version). A razor blade sample pack, that's good. There's also a discount if you go with Mensbiz. (use BB2010 on checkout).

Brush. Could you define your budget? There are brushes that go from $5.95 up to $300.00... When someone is starting, a boar brush is my advice. Those are cheap and they last a while. If he doesn't stick to it, you won't loose much money. Omega makes excellent brushes.

Other than that you will probably need an aftershave. Nivea sensitive available in all Coles/Woolies/Priceline/etc. is pretty good and isn't too strong scent-wise.

Finally, I almost forgot, shaving cream or shaving soap. Shaving soap give you best results IMO but shaving creams are easier to use. Proraso shaving cream is a good pick-up. There's also the Palmolive shaving cream (also available at all Coles/Woolies/Priceline/etc.) that is the best buy price/quality in Oz I think.

If you have any other questions, don't be shy!

I am 6'3 inches tall and over 200lbs. Not a small man at all, and I use the Merkur HD with ease. When starting out and trying to learn techniques you don't want a big man grabbing the entire handle and pulling the razor on his face like you could do with a cartridge razor (which by the sounds of it he does, and is the major reason for his irritation). The smaller handle will make him use finger tips instead of an entire grasp, which should help.

It sounds like he was like me and saw shaving as a chore until I stumbled onto DE shaving recently. It changed my opinion about shaving and now I look forward to shaves instead of dreading it. However, you can't force that on someone you can only suggest they try it. So don't be discouraged if he resists at first, he may well still see it as a chore.

Make it fun for him and be encouraging with his results (even the not so good ones), and it will go a long way into opening his eyes to the better world of DE shaves and the legacy of men.

Welcome to B&B!

You've gotten some very good advice here. The boards on this forum are an especially good resource fer your venture into wetshaving. Let me offer some observations.

The Merkur razors are an excellent choice. They are well made and not that expensive. The HD and the 23C are both mild razors and I think that is where a new user wants to be. Don't concern yourself with handle length as that is not overly relevant. The razor is held with the fingers and not the fist-besides the extra length is usually less than an inch more.

Blades are a matter of personal preference. I would suggest starting out with a sample pack available from many vendors including the vendors who are members of this forum. Let your shaver pick out what works for him and have fun trying.

Soaps and creams are really a pleasurable part of this wetshaving process. They work and smell so much better than pressurized gels and foams. Once again, these items are a matter of personal preference. Soaps are not as easy to lather as creams but give excellent protection and smell very nice. Creams are a dream to lather and also protect really well. Take a look at the review board in this forum for candid descriptions and assessments. Don't go overboard in terms of cost but I would pick one of each for a starter.

I agree with the opinions above in recommending a nice boar brush, Enough said. I also like to build my lather in a bowl. I find it gives more control over the consistency of the lather. I use an oversized stoneware coffee cup (darker lets you see what you are doing) I picked up for $3 at an outlet store.

I would strongly suggest you put an unscented aftershave balm on your shopping list. After a really close shave, nothing can beat a moisturizing balm to relieve any effects from a too close shave or just to rehydrate the skin. You can get into aftershaves and colognes later.

I have put together and gifted two sets as described above for a son and a grandson. They were both well received and, more importantly, used.

I hope this is some help to you.

Well I can't top the advice that's been given above but I can suggest you try it out yourself too. Why not learn together and have fun with it. Have a his 'n' hers shaving section in your bathroom and have fun swapping and recommending things to eachother? Maybe he'll be more encouraged if you're giving it a go too...

Plus I just like having new women join the board to chat too !!

WOW! I go to sleep and when I wake up there are so many wonderful responses!!! Thankyou all so much for your incredible insights and advice, I'll definitely take it all onboard, and yeah I totally understand about not forcing anything on him, haha that's kind of why I want to give a nice set to him as a gift rather than just nagging him to go out and buy it all himself, etc. But I'll definitely have a read of all the reviews on here and put some time into choosing some good solid beginner gear!

P.S. that's awesome to know about the handle length not really mattering, I saw some people mentioning it in other threads and was kind of like "Oh no... that's another thing to worry about..." haha

Feel free to keep posting suggestions and I'll let you all know what I decide to go with

I started out by reading this: http://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2006/07/10/a-guide-to-the-gourmet-shaving-experience/ and then eventually ended up here