N00b checking in from down under : (with some Qs)

Hey! I recently decided to dip my toes into the world of wet shaving, and just grabbed a cheap DE safety razor off ebay, nothing special, but I didn't want to drop too many $$$ before I knew if I liked it or not. I also have a synthetic body shop brush and some proraso green shaving soap (which I LOVE!). I have also recently ordered the (in)famous no. 6 brush from bestshave.net, along with an alum block and some new blades to try, but it hasn't arrived yet.

So far I am very much enjoying shaving like a real man, however the results have been mixed. I know my technique has a LONG way to go and I'm sure that will come with time and practice. I also believe that a nicer razor and better blades will help (the ebay razor came with 20 dorco blades, and while they seem to do a reasonable job I'm sure there are much better blades out there) and that's where I'm hoping you guys come in with the sagely advice.

I think I need a better after shave, at the moment I'm using a natio post shave balm thing which doesn't seem to do much to sooth the irritation I am getting, especially on my neck. Suggestions for a better post shave would be great.

I think I probably need a better brush too. I'll see how the no. 6 goes, but I think I'll likely go to a boar or badger sooner rather than later.

I'd also like a nicer razor. I was originally thinking Edwin Jagger DE89 but from watching and reading online I kinda changed my mind to the Merkur 34C but then I was looking at some other Merkurs (1906, for example) and I've read that the heads are essentially the same just different handles so I'm not sure why the 34C seems to be the most popular razor ever.

Anyway, that's about all I can think of at this point, except maybe if anyone has some little secret online store that has all the best things at the best prices with reasonable overseas shipping hook a brother up!

Cheers bros!

Welcome to B&B. With time and practice everything will improve.

Welcome to B&B!

Work on the blade angle and you'll see the irritation disappear, no pressure should help too. Took me a long time to get those right but it's worth the effort.

RE: Blades, there's lots of information on there here, I'm currently looking for a new blade since the one I use is out of stock everywhere.

One thing about aftershaves I learned was to avoid any that had alcohol in them. Definitely helped my face when I switched years ago.

Lots of information here for everything else, best of luck!

Welcome to the forum !!

Welcome to B&B. Trial and error + time and everything will improve. In the early days, I read many many posts about blade angle. I was trying too hard to "get it right". I shelved the theory, and went with my intuition and what felt right. Things clicked by the end of the first month.

Stick with it.

Welcome!
With time, practice and experimentation everything will come together. Just be mindful of your angle and pressure, make sure to take your time and enjoy the whole ritual.
As for the razors, the two of them are practically interchangeable. I've used both and they give almost the same shave, with the Merkur being a hair more aggressive. On the other hand, the finish of the EJ is better, and ime Edwin Jagger has excellent customer service.
Dorcos are bad imho. I don't like them at all. I got one pack of them with a shavette and discarded them immediately after the first shave.
Finally, I think the Nivea sensitive asb, as well as the blue Proraso, are really good at regenerating the skin post shave.

Welcome to the forum.

Buy a 1958 Super Speed razor. The aren't that costly.

Have a jolly good day.

Hello and welcome. Great to have you on board.

Welcome from Arizona !

thisISjoel said:

I think I probably need a better brush too. I'll see how the no. 6 goes, but I think I'll likely go to a boar or badger sooner rather than later.

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If I had it to do over again, I would not have bothered with cheap brushes. If you go badger be prepared to spend a little. I spent a little on a Simpson Special in Best, and do not regret the purchase.

There was some good advice from AvariCe, his post is worth re-reading.

Welcome!

Welcome aboard bro!

Welcome to B&B.

Proraso is a great product, my personal favorite right now is TOBS Eaton College....creams, soaps, blades etc..are a very YMMV chiice

If you have access to it try Nivea Post Shave Balm it is very nice, it is what I use when my brain and hands don't get along. The Proraso AS is nice too, if you don't need a soothing post shave product.

An Omega is a great brush and won't break the bank.

I have both an EJ & a Merkur, I like both but if I had to choose one it would be the Merkur.

As mentioned practice, practice and more practice will help get you to better shaves.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the replies! I know my technique has a long way to go, especially in regards to angle and pressure. I try really hard not to put any pressure on the razor but sometimes old habits kick in and I catch myself doing it. I think I also need to learn to be ok with imperfect shaves, at least for now, especially on my neck. My hair grows in a few different directions on my neck and I find myself making pass after pass after pass trying to get it smooth and just end up irritating myself. Will check out the suggested aftershaves too. Thanks again!

Welcome to Badger & Blade!

Got a pretty nice shave in this morning, nice and close everywhere except the right side of my neck. Really need a better brush though, the body shop brush I have is awful.

thisISjoel said:

Thanks for all the replies! I know my technique has a long way to go, especially in regards to angle and pressure. I try really hard not to put any pressure on the razor but sometimes old habits kick in and I catch myself doing it. I think I also need to learn to be ok with imperfect shaves, at least for now, especially on my neck. My hair grows in a few different directions on my neck and I find myself making pass after pass after pass trying to get it smooth and just end up irritating myself. Will check out the suggested aftershaves too. Thanks again!

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Try mapping the beard

thisISjoel said:

Got a pretty nice shave in this morning, nice and close everywhere except the right side of my neck. Really need a better brush though, the body shop brush I have is awful.

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My favorite brush is a Silvertip from WSP just 59 bucks.

Welcome Joel!
I'm a newbie too, and have also found it tempting to keep going over the same spots. If you do, do it on a cleanup pass where you only work the areas needed - keep some lather on the non shaving hand and be sure to keep some on the spot you are working - and as you said - can't get the perfect shave everytime. Use it to learn from, and maybe research the problem areas. Growth map that neck for sure!
You might pick up some witch hazel to try post shave before your after shave balm. And don't be afraid to put some more of both on later if you need it. I have more oily skin, so a splash of alcohol, then some witch hazel, then Creamo Moisturizer has been treating me quite well, even on the days I am off on my shave technique.
I am resisting the temptation to blame it on bad equipment and just keep at technique...
Good luck!

Just had a rough shave, nicked myself up pretty good. With the cooler weather here I'm really struggling to keep moisture on my face during the shave. Maybe my lather is too dry, but I'm finding after every stroke of the razor my skin underneath the lather is bone dry and I think this contributed to my poor shave today. Any ideas how to keep my face wet in the cold?

thisISjoel said:

Just had a rough shave, nicked myself up pretty good. With the cooler weather here I'm really struggling to keep moisture on my face during the shave. Maybe my lather is too dry, but I'm finding after every stroke of the razor my skin underneath the lather is bone dry and I think this contributed to my poor shave today. Any ideas how to keep my face wet in the cold?

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Ime there are two reasons this happens:
1. There is not enough water in the lather
2. I haven't loaded the brush enough, so the whole shave goes sideways.
Try loading the brush much more than usual and then gradually add water. Also Marco's method was a lifesaver when I started.