Minimalist DE shaving

[apex.predator]

I have yet to do my first DE shave, but my Merkur is on the way.

One of my primary interests in DE shaving, however, is to minimize costs and to simply escape the marketing traps of shaving in the US. I haven't used shaving cream or lather in well over a decade. I've even shaved off a full beard with only hot water and TracII razors and/or disposables, more than once.

So, are there any other necessities for DE shaving besides lather or gel? I am unclear as to the need for a bowl and quality razor blades, and I'm really surprised at the cost of brushes!

[castlecraver]

As far as DE shaving... no, I suppose not. You can go with a brushless cream or gel and have at it. That said, your shaves will improve immensely with a brush and lather. It's understandable that the initial cost is a little daunting especially for the higher-end brushes, but if you select the right one it may well last you a lifetime. And there are many "minimalist" options in the $50 range which will get the job done just fine or better.

As far as a bowl, no, you don't need one. Lots of guys (myself included sometimes) like making the lather in the palm of their hand or directly on their face. There are several threads here dedicated to on-face lathering. Palm lathering can be accomplished with a smaller brush similarly to lathering in a shallow bowl. Both methods have the added advantage of wasting less lather (as it either all ends up on your face, or you can wipe your hand on your cheek after building the lather).

Blades like Derbys (which are actually dirt cheap if you get them direct) will really give you an appreciably better shave than the DE blades you can sometimes still buy at the drugstore IMHO. That's not to say the US Personnas don't have their fans, but blades are the single most important factor in the equation. This is why sampler packs are so popular and many individuals end up with very strong allegiances to one blade brand. What works for one guy may not work well for you, and usually it takes some experimenting to find out. Sampler packs aren't terribly expensive IMO, and you'll probably thank yourself down the road when you can buy hundreds of your favorite brand at a time at a rate of pennies per blade and feel confident about it. But either way I strongly recommend a quality blade as a necessity.

Most guys approach this hobby with the goal of getting the best shave possible, and that does usually involve a lot of experimenting with different products over time. If you're more interested in keeping costs down however, you might want to keep in mind that the right brushes and razors can last a lifetime, a puck of triple-milled soap can last a year or more, and some brands can be purchased for literally pennies per blade. So consider that relative to the average monthly cost of cartridge blades and canned goo, and I suspect the switch will pay for itself before long (if one sticks exclusively with one setup).

[Einar]

I am having great success with an old coffee mug with a puck of Williams Shave Soap (Cost around one dollar US) and a $6.99 Van der Hagen boar bristle brush.
I fill the mug with the hottest water I can get and set the brush in it while I prep. Dump out the water, shake out the brush and whip it up and get to work. Starting with the wettest face possible helps alot and if I relather I rewet first.
I'm finally enjoying shaving. Imagine that. Enjoying shaving. Unreal.

Einar

[kestrel]

apex

The Omega Professional brush runs about $15 and is really good. As for blades what's right for you isn't necessarily the most expensive. American Personnas work for me, when I use a DE, and they're dead cheap at WMart.
I'm mostly a straight razor guy, but I know that there's a sampler kit of DE blades available so that you can try a variety. Maybe one of the DE guys can chime in with details. Anyway, the priciest DE blades out there are still more reasonable than the multiblade cartridges.

Greetings and Good Luck

Graham

[Aevum]

theres planty of cheap synthetic brushes or cheap travel brushes out there, you can probobly get one for 5-15 bucks, there are good cheap soap cakes out there like williams, and the hard soap tends to last alot more then the cannged goo, since most of the can is just the propellent to make it come out and foam, a cheap DE razors are available from Feather, weishi, dorco and treet, most of their line are $20 maximum, 100 derby blades tend to go for around 20 bucks in ebay, thats 20 cents a blade, and a decent aftershave like nivea, or even something more potent like proraso with witch hazel goes for around 5 bucks a bottle,

so, going cheap on DE shaving isnt that hard,
and getting a krona or Slim off ebay for 5-6 bucks,

[MotoMike]

Like you, for long haul economic reasons, I initially switched to a straight. For a couple reasons I ultimately switched to DE. I know there are a couple members that subscribe to a minimalist regimen and I respect them for their ability to do so. A little searching should find those threads.

I found that after I got started, I became infatuated with the culture of this thing that is ours. Hobby some say, but it is more than that I think. So what money I save on blades, I am sure I spend on other products.

From Letter K you can get my favorite, Crystals in bulk for 14cents apiece (shipped). I think he recently started carrying the Israeli reds also. You might consider a blade sampler, but if you want to be low cost maybe just buy one pack of the cheaper blades and see which ones you can live with and go that way.

You can definitely go sky is the limit on brushes. I would like to have a $200 brush, but just can't bring myself to do it.

I bought initially a Conk deluxe boar. Then a Conk standard badger which is pure grade. That Conk boar brush is softer than their standard badger, but doesn't bloom like a badger. 12 bucks and you have a good brush. Now I have a Crabtree and Evelyn Best Badger and find it to be a great brush if a little large for me. $35 and is considered perhaps the value brush buy by many here at the forum. I am waiting for the Essential to come out and will probably find it to be the perfect brush for me.

I dont often use a bowl, but I do have a scuttle on the way. Usually I load up the brush with soap and lather on my face. If you went the Kiss My Face route, or other modern cream route, you could get away without a brush. Just rubbing the cream on your face produces excellent results, but again, the satisfaction I get from lathering with a brush would be missed.

I guess I sort of revel in the regimen of wet shaving and consider it a daily treat to myself. Some sort of connection with history. Hard for me to explain, but it is more than just getting rid of the whiskers. I could probably shave with hot water, sans soap or cream and a (shudder) trac II, but I am certain I would not enjoy it. And also certain it would be a sub standard shave.

It is all very personal and I guess that is part of the fascination.
If I find those minimalist shaving threads I will link them to you.


Good luck
Mike

[BdeRWest]

Shave sticks are brush-and-bowl-less, aren't they? You could try one of them.

[cl00bie]

I have yet to do my first DE shave, but my Merkur is on the way.

One of my primary interests in DE shaving, however, is to minimize costs and to simply escape the marketing traps of shaving in the US. I haven't used shaving cream or lather in well over a decade. I've even shaved off a full beard with only hot water and TracII razors and/or disposables, more than once.

So, are there any other necessities for DE shaving besides lather or gel? I am unclear as to the need for a bowl and quality razor blades, and I'm really surprised at the cost of brushes!

The only necessities I've found is:

Merkur 23c DE - $32 shipped.
Blades - (I started with the minimal sampler pack) < $10 shipped.
Tweezerman badger brush - $10 + tax shipped.
Van der Haagen high glycerin soap (Wal-Mart $1.75)

I also invested in a couple of luxuries.

A small round "onion soup" dish that holds my soap properly. $0.99
A small soup bowl to whip up lather. $1.27
(Both purchased at the local restaurant supply house).

So a little over $50 to get started. The only thing I need now is blades and soap when the puck runs out.

But I'm a n00b. YMMV.

[norman931]

The only necessities I've found is:

Merkur 23c DE - $32 shipped.
Blades - (I started with the minimal sampler pack) < $10 shipped.
Tweezerman badger brush - $10 + tax shipped.
Van der Haagen high glycerin soap (Wal-Mart $1.75)

This setup is fine for anyone. You could substitute the $5 Burma Shave boar bristle brush, Williams Mug Soap, and Personna DE blades, all also available at Wal-Mart. I have many products of higher quality, but I still use all of these occasionally.

Norm

[apex.predator]

Wow. A big thank you to everyone. I will let you know my progress once I receive my Merkur. The options listed here will be a gigantic help in getting me started with the essentials.

Thank you all again for replying. This forum rocks.

[Gafer]

Badger brush. $23 with shipping. Haven't tried one but I'd guess it compares to the tweezerman.

http://www.vanderhagenenterprises.co...php?desc=38014

[Radman]

I second the Tweezerman Badger brush. Been using mine everyday for almost a year now and it has only gotten better. One of these days I am going to buy a really nice silver tip and when I do I won't spare any expense. A puck of C & E Almond soap for $5 that will last 6 months.........bet that comes out cheaper than canned goo.............some pinaud clubman...........be sure to get a blade sampler pack to determine what works for you....its the best thing I did!.........check your local antique dealers for razors....I have found sticky's for a few dollars!!!!...........your set for not much mula.

[OldGrowth]

While you can get by with a cheaper brush, I would at least go with some soap from one of the Sue's (Mama Bear Sue or Honey Bee Spa). C&E triple milled soaps are a little more expensive than the Sues, but less expensive than GFT or TOBS plus they last longer than glycerin soaps (the Sues).

[frogman18]

My suggestion for you is this:
Quality Boar Brush ~$15, the proraso brush is a good choice so the the burma shave brush and my personal favorite boar is the vulfix at $10.
Blades are the only real thing you would have to experiment with because they all vary and what suits one persons face may not suit yours, but luckily DE blades are cheap. So experiment alittle.
The van der hagen soap is good stuff, but i like the honeybee spa soap and the susie bubbles soap, they are ebay sellers and their soap is around the same price, a couple bucks a puck and you get a wider variety of scents.
As far as a mug any old coffee mug will do and who doesnt have a million of them laying around.
You all ready bought a razor so i wont get into that but i hope this helps some, It doesnt cost much to shave with a DE after you get the razor, brush, and find a blade that works for you.

[magnus]

I am having great success with an old coffee mug with a puck of Williams Shave Soap (Cost around one dollar US) and a $6.99 Van der Hagen boar bristle brush.

Yep I'm doing the same thing, but with a straight razor.

[ratcheer]

If you are truly interested in minimalist DE shaving, you can just go to Wal-Mart. A Burma shave boar brush can be had for around $4. Personna blades are $1.54. Williams Mug Soap is about a dollar. Take all that and an old, large coffee mug and you are good to go.

I would use better blades, though. They can actually be even cheaper. For example, you can get 100 decent blades for $10 or less from West Coast Shaving.

You can also upgrade the soap to a Colonel Conk's, Mama Bear's, or others noted on these forums for a very few (less than 10) dollars. Your face will thank you.

I hope this helps.

Tim

[apex.predator]

If you are truly interested in minimalist DE shaving, you can just go to Wal-Mart.

Tim, this thread is helping me enormously. To get me started, I just purchased Personna blades a couple of days ago because they were so inexpensive, but I'm also considering the 10 pack of Merkur Super Double Edge Razor Blades. I will have to use both to compare and see if the Mercur are worth the extra expense, or if others would be better.

Still, even if the Mercur are better, it's only $4.49 for a 10 pack - roughly 5 of those per year - total of $22.45 + $9.50 for UPS Ground = $31.95 annually for blades. The Personna are about $2.00 for a 10 pack = $10.00 annually. Maybe twice that if they don't last as long.

Brushes may be relatively expensive, but I know they are also durable and will need to be purchased only once. So the only remaining cost is for cream and soap.

[SmoovD]

Just a suggestion regarding blades: IMHO, Merkurs are not that great for the price. For me they are one par with APs found at the local Walmart but more expensive! Samplers are the way to go to find what blade works best for your face. I found that Derbys are a great blade for me and they are dirt cheap (you could get 100 blades for the cost of 50 Merkurs).

[frogman18]

Tim, this thread is helping me enormously. To get me started, I just purchased Personna blades a couple of days ago because they were so inexpensive, but I'm also considering the 10 pack of Merkur Super Double Edge Razor Blades. I will have to use both to compare and see if the Mercur are worth the extra expense, or if others would be better.

Still, even if the Mercur are better, it's only $4.49 for a 10 pack - roughly 5 of those per year - total of $22.45 + $9.50 for UPS Ground = $31.95 annually for blades. The Personna are about $2.00 for a 10 pack = $10.00 annually. Maybe twice that if they don't last as long.

Brushes may be relatively expensive, but I know they are also durable and will need to be purchased only once. So the only remaining cost is for cream and soap.

I would skip the Merkur blades, there are way better blades that can be had for less.

[Aevum]

actually, the treet platinium rebadged as the Wilkinson classic DE sells for 2.70 here in spain, and its a half decent shaver,

and the Israely personna, red personna, Dorcos and derby all give great shaves at a much more economic cost,

as for SPB (shave per blade), im getting 3-4 out of the red personnas, so they are not too inferior to the merkurs,