Completed my first DE shave

Hello all, I recently discovered B&B at an "off topic" forum and decided to invest in my own wetshaving kit. I got fed up with using my electric razor so I started to keep a short beard, trimming it occasionally. I never thought of myself as the type to do a classic shave. But everything has changed now. Thank you, B&B, for convincing me to make the switch.

The first thing I did was watch Mantic's videos on YouTube which were a huge help. I also read the tutorials listed here, which were all top notch articles Then I ordered everything I would need for the perfect shave.



I loaded my new Merkur HD with a Derby blade, lathered up with some Proraso, and started out with slow, gentle WTG strokes. Within a few minutes I found the right angles to use and it all went very smoothly. I have a pronounced chin/jaw so that was tricky at first, but I managed to get a decent shave there. My face never felt this smooth . There are a couple of grainy spots and a small nick on my neck, but I couldn't be more satisfied right now. Afterwards the irritation was minimal, and the Proraso/Nivea aftershave combo feels excellent.

I'm gonna stick with this set up for at least a few months, and I just ordered a bunch more Derbys. For the first time in my life, I can't wait to get back in the bathroom to shave

Welcome!! Nice kit. I'm an 'Every Man Jack' fan, also, especially the aftershave lotion; it heals razor burn and bumps quickly. Nice Merkur, blades, and brush, too. You're off and running. There's no looking back. Keep us posted.

Welcome aboard. Great kit you got. It's noble that you think you want to stick with that set up for several months. After spending a week here you'll be making changes. It gets addictive.

Looks like you're off to a good start. Wecolme aboard.

Awesome to hear and you have quite a nice selection of products already.

Oh that is a nice kit congrats

Welcome to the mix!

Well done - GLAD YOU'RE HAVING A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE. (OOPS) Caps lock on...

I'm using some free Derbys at the mo' and finding them fairly vicious. I even prefer the oft maligned Merkur blades to them. Glad you find them good.

Why blades vary so much is beyond me at this early stage. I always thought: "they're sharp - or they're not." Apparently there's more to it.

John

johnnyivan said:

Well done - GLAD YOU'RE HAVING A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE. (OOPS) Caps lock on...

I'm using some free Derbys at the mo' and finding them fairly vicious. I even prefer the oft maligned Merkur blades to them. Glad you find them good.

Why blades vary so much is beyond me at this early stage. I always thought: "they're sharp - or they're not." Apparently there's more to it.

John

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Thanks. While the Derby gave me no problems at all, I still plan on testing out more blades from the sample pack I recieved from West Coast Shaving. I gotta admit though, I'm a little hesitant on trying those Feathers anytime soon

But what is the difference?

Sharpness? Doubt it.
Angle of the bevel on the edges? Maybe.
Polymer coating lark? Doubt it - imagine that's just nonesense apart from preserving the blades a little longer.
Thickness? Possibly.

Anyone else care to speculate?

Hi Moose,

Welcome to B&B. Thanks for posting the nice picture. That is a very nice set up.

Nice kit and welcome aboard!

that's a very nice kit; Welcome Aboard!

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Welcome aboard. Another addict. Sweet.

Too funny I recently started wetshaving as well since this past Saturday and the only difference in our setup is our bowl right down to the use of a Derby blade first. I love it!!! I will say though it does get crazy as I have already purchased a 59 Fatboy and am always looking for goodies. I did manage to pick up a bunch of other stuff to use in the future but for now am sticking with the original setup for a bit. Best of luck with everything and be very cautious its only a matter of time before some sort of AD sets in bro....

Kevin

frank85 said:

Oh that is a nice kit congrats

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frank85 said:

that's a very nice kit; Welcome Aboard!

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Post much anyone? Haha.

Welcome to B&B! And as frank85 said, twice I might add, that's a very nice kit you've got there. We're glad to have you!

When is mantic going to get his royalty check from Merkur and C&E? Soon I hope. He has made them a bundle that's for sure.

That pack of crystals in your gear is my blade of choice. I like them so much I bought a 100 of them. The red personnas aren't bad either.

monkeyman said:

That pack of crystals in your gear is my blade of choice. I like them so much I bought a 100 of them. The red personnas aren't bad either.

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Yeah, I'm thinking of trying those next. But after another great shave tonight, I'm convinced Derby's will stay at the top of my list.

moose-o said:

Yeah, I'm thinking of trying those next. But after another great shave tonight, I'm convinced Derby's will stay at the top of my list.

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I do hear good things about the Derby's but they just don't work for me. To me, they act like a dull blade because they pull on my whiskers too much before they finally cut. This creates a lot of irritation. I guess a lot of guys do well with them though which is cool.