I am thinking of ditching my fusion and canned shave cream in favor of a safety razor and a good shave soap. I have used cartridges my whole life. I really like the Merkur 38 razor. Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.
Newbie seeking advice.
- Thread starter rabidravens
- Start date
Welcome to Badger & Blade!
Skip the Merkur. Their build quality is spotty, and there are cheaper alternatives. Head on over to the BST and get yourself either Gillette SuperSpeed or a Tech. Get a blade sampler from either BullGooseShaving.net or WestCoastShaving.com. Pick up some Proraso and Speick shaving cream too. Both are on the inexpensive side, but are fantastic. Give Tabac a try too. Then head on over to Walmart and pick up a puck of VDH shaving soap and a bottle of aftershave (Aqua Velva is pretty good).
Enjoy!
EDIT: I forgot to mention a brush. A $10 Omega boar brush will do.
Skip the Merkur. Their build quality is spotty, and there are cheaper alternatives. Head on over to the BST and get yourself either Gillette SuperSpeed or a Tech. Get a blade sampler from either BullGooseShaving.net or WestCoastShaving.com. Pick up some Proraso and Speick shaving cream too. Both are on the inexpensive side, but are fantastic. Give Tabac a try too. Then head on over to Walmart and pick up a puck of VDH shaving soap and a bottle of aftershave (Aqua Velva is pretty good).
Enjoy!
EDIT: I forgot to mention a brush. A $10 Omega boar brush will do.
+1 on everything mretzloff said. Also take a look in the vendor section for ideas. If you are looking to buy a new razor, you can't go wrong with the Edwin Jagger 89L, at around $30-$35 shipped its a great deal plus its a great razor
Or you could do like I did and get one at an antique store. A cheap alternative to see if you'll like using a DE before you invest in a new one. They usually go for 5 to 10 bucks.
Welcome to B&B, mate!
Regarding DE razors I'd suggest Edwin Jagger DE89 or Muhle R89, both terrific shavers with the very best Chrome finish ever seen. As about shaving creams you can get Proraso, Speick and Musgo Real. Regarding soaps Cella, Valobra, MWF and MdC.
Regarding DE razors I'd suggest Edwin Jagger DE89 or Muhle R89, both terrific shavers with the very best Chrome finish ever seen. As about shaving creams you can get Proraso, Speick and Musgo Real. Regarding soaps Cella, Valobra, MWF and MdC.
Welcome to the B. As for what to use, everyone has their own personal choices, and its really all about what works best for you.
A good simple way to get into things would be to start with the Merkur HD, which is where most start, any decent brush, and some soap that you think you'd like. Then go from there.
I found myself starting with the HD, then trying about a dozen different DE's until I settled on the 1904 with the HD as my backup.
You'll find it fun and interesting to try different razors, brushes, and soaps/creams until you settle on your favorites.
A good simple way to get into things would be to start with the Merkur HD, which is where most start, any decent brush, and some soap that you think you'd like. Then go from there.
I found myself starting with the HD, then trying about a dozen different DE's until I settled on the 1904 with the HD as my backup.
You'll find it fun and interesting to try different razors, brushes, and soaps/creams until you settle on your favorites.
Welcome to B&B. This is a great community of folks that are more than willing to share their experiences and opinions on shaving gear and technique. Make sure that you visit some of the fine tutorials on B&B and the wiki.
I would agree that if you can find a good vintage Gillette on the BST here or a local antique or thrift store you will be well served.
Enjoy your shaves,
Doug
I would agree that if you can find a good vintage Gillette on the BST here or a local antique or thrift store you will be well served.
Enjoy your shaves,
Doug
Welcome to B&B!
You've gotten some really good advise in this post. I would also add that you can get some great perspectives by looking at the reviews board in this forum as well as the Wiki pages on your topics of interest.
From a personal perspective, I have and use both a Merkur 23C and the Edwin Jagger DE89L razors. They are both excellent shavers and are not that expensive. The Gillettes available on Ebay are tempting as they are very good and mild razors but look closely at condition before you bid. There are many good soaps and creams out there. My personal favorites are Tabac, Speick and the large selection Of Mama Bear Glycerin soaps http://www.mamabearssoaps.com/.
My only other suggestion would be to pick up and use an aftershave balm. Nivea for sensitive skin (unscented) is a good product available just about everywhere and is inexpensive also.
Keep us posted.
You've gotten some really good advise in this post. I would also add that you can get some great perspectives by looking at the reviews board in this forum as well as the Wiki pages on your topics of interest.
From a personal perspective, I have and use both a Merkur 23C and the Edwin Jagger DE89L razors. They are both excellent shavers and are not that expensive. The Gillettes available on Ebay are tempting as they are very good and mild razors but look closely at condition before you bid. There are many good soaps and creams out there. My personal favorites are Tabac, Speick and the large selection Of Mama Bear Glycerin soaps http://www.mamabearssoaps.com/.
My only other suggestion would be to pick up and use an aftershave balm. Nivea for sensitive skin (unscented) is a good product available just about everywhere and is inexpensive also.
Keep us posted.
Although some members have stated that a merkur razor may not be the best to start off with due to build quality issues and the like, I would disagree.
The reason I say this is I started off de shaving with a merkur hd razor because it was cheap at the time, I found it to be a really good razor when loaded with derby blades, the build quality of the razor was good and still looks the same when I bought it 6 years ago (just clean it with an old toothbrush and shower gel).
However as the old saying goes, ymmv. I would suggest either a merkur hd, a mhule r89 or possibly a feather popular *although the feather is a very mild razor).
As for soaps, would suggest either proraso soap, mhule soap or Col conk soap. Just keep in mind that you may find it easier to use a cream first and get your lathering technique down before trying shaving soaps but of course its your call.
Hope this is of help
The reason I say this is I started off de shaving with a merkur hd razor because it was cheap at the time, I found it to be a really good razor when loaded with derby blades, the build quality of the razor was good and still looks the same when I bought it 6 years ago (just clean it with an old toothbrush and shower gel).
However as the old saying goes, ymmv. I would suggest either a merkur hd, a mhule r89 or possibly a feather popular *although the feather is a very mild razor).
As for soaps, would suggest either proraso soap, mhule soap or Col conk soap. Just keep in mind that you may find it easier to use a cream first and get your lathering technique down before trying shaving soaps but of course its your call.
Hope this is of help
Welcome to B&B !!
Welcome to B&B! You should be able to pick up both a Superspeed and a Tech on B/S/T for less than the cost of a Merkur. Just as important is picking up a blade sampler. There are some available that have two each of ten different blades. I would make sure you get a sampler that includes at least one of what are considered the sharp blades; i.e. Feather, Kai, Iridium or Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge (Yellow pack) and one of the more forgiving blades; Derby, IP, Astra SP, Shark. I would also pick up a decent cream and soap. There are many to choose from. I found the easiest to lather when I started were C.O. Bigelow cream and Tabac shave soap. As for brushes, I find a good boar brush can be found for much less money than a similar badger. BUT, I would get a decent badger brush to start with. They don't need broken in and are easier to use initially. You can find one of the small to medium sized Simpsons in Best Badger for under $50. I actually prefer this size and grade of hair because this combination makes it a good brush for both soaps and creams and works well with either face or bowl lathering (One of my favorite brushes is the tiny Wee Scot which I could easily get by with as my every day brush). Good luck!
Welcome to B&B!
I would recommend this page: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Getting_started_wetshaving
I would recommend this page: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Getting_started_wetshaving
Welcome to the group !!
Welcome to B&B!
Welcome to the B&B. I own a 38C and find it to be a fairly friendly razor to use. It has a nice heft to it and has enough aggression that you'll not find it lacking when your comfort level and skills increase.
Welcome to Badger & Blade!
Welcome to the good ship B&B. Take a stroll on the promenade deck and enjoy the voyage.
Always remember, relax but be vigilant when you shave!
Always remember, relax but be vigilant when you shave!
Done with cartridges and spray foam. You have indeed found the right place. I hope you come around to enjoy shaving as much as I do.
Welcome to B&B.
Mike
Welcome to B&B.
Mike
I like Merkurs and never had an issue with quality / finish. HD is still my everyday razor.
Tried a Muhle and is pretty, but found it mild in comparison. New user probably wouldn't though. Practically an DE blade is sharper than a cartridge.
Tried a Muhle and is pretty, but found it mild in comparison. New user probably wouldn't though. Practically an DE blade is sharper than a cartridge.
I am a newbie to and am looking to switch to a DE. I have been wet shaving for 1.5 years and now I am ready to make the jump to DE forget about the fusion carts.
