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Hey Everyone, I'm new to the forum and I decided last night that i was going to venture into wetshaving.

I have been aware of this niche of traditional wetshavers for some time but didnt pursue it past using techniques with my plastic disposables. Im a full-time college student and in the past month i have to shave every morning which always results in nasty burn. . even with new razors and proper technique. I couldnt take the irritation any longer so i did a small amount of research and bought a 63' Gillette SuperSpeed for under 20 bucks

I need to know though, are there stores that still sell stuff for wetshaving. . i stopped in rite-aid just a little while ago and they had basic stuff but nothing notable. . boars hair brushes and basic gillette blades 10pk $10. Does CVS have a better selection? I might go by there later to see what they have.

My other question is does it matter if i use a boar brush to learn with? And the gillette blades that just say superstainless or something on the package, are they any good? Any suggestions on starter brush, soap and blades?
 
Welcome to the site. Look around here and go to the shopping page. there is a list of stores. CVS has some stuff. Target is also not bad. If you have a Whole Foods they have some great products. A lot depends on where you live.
Good luck and enjoy.
 
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Welcome to the B&B. You will most certainly end up ordering part of your setup online. However some basic products can be purchased at brick and mortar stores. Ray mentioned CVS. Also Wal Greens sells the Van Der Hagen boar brush and soaps plus a large variety of aftershaves. Sallys Beauty supply carries some AS's and creams. Whole Foods, Sprouts, Trader Joes and other natural food stores carry KMF and Alba as well as other creams and Thayers witch hazel. The Body Shop has a good cream--For Men and a synthetic brush. Bath and Body Works sells CO Bigelow in a tube which is Proraso rebranded. These are a few to get you started. Good luck.
 
Welcome. This is a great community with alot of knowledgable gents that will be more than happy to answer your questions. I think you will do better shopping for stuff online rather than Rite-Aid, CVS, etc. The boar brush is good to start with but a badger brush will hold more water and lather and will feel more luxurious on your face can be purchased starting around $25.00. I got mine from www.leesrazors.com. As far as blades go try a sampler pack from www.westcoastshaving.com . Keep us updated on your progress.
 
I need to know though, are there stores that still sell stuff for wetshaving. . i stopped in rite-aid just a little while ago and they had basic stuff but nothing notable. . boars hair brushes and basic gillette blades 10pk $10. Does CVS have a better selection? I might go by there later to see what they have.

My other question is does it matter if i use a boar brush to learn with? And the gillette blades that just say superstainless or something on the package, are they any good? Any suggestions on starter brush, soap and blades?

Welcome to B&B!

Rite-Aid carries the Real Shaving Company line of products (that's all I'd buy at Rite-Aid, FWIW) - their shaving creams are very good. They are made in the UK by the same company that makes the premium English shaving creams.

http://www.realshaving.com/

For soaps, I'd recommend, for a start, the Van Der Hagen line.

http://www.vanderhagenenterprises.com/

I believe Walgreens, CVS, WalMart, etc. carry the products. They are pretty inexpensive. They make a boar brush as well, which is fine for starting out.

If you want to start with a badger brush, or go to one fairly soon, Crabtree and Evelyn sells a fine Best Badger Brush for $35:

http://store.crabtree-evelyn.com/acc130291.html

or you can get a Tweezerman badger brush (a little lower grade than the C&E) for $15 (free shipping):

http://www.beautyrose.com/twdeshbrform.html

For blades I'd recommend West Coast Shaving for Crystals (Israeli Personnas) http://www.westcoastshaving.com, or buy some Derby blades form the main importer on their eBay store or through their web site http://www.shavingfactory.com. These are pretty good blades for starting out - sharp but fairly forgiving.

Stick with one blade for a while until you get your technique down (not just the razor technique, but lather making, and knowing your beard growth pattern). West Coast offers various sample packs that would be great for optimizing your set up, once you have your technique down.

I'd avoid the Gillette blades that are sold at drug and grocery stores. The WalMart branded blades are ok for some, as are the blades at Dollar General and Family Dollar stores. I'd personally stick to the Crystals or Derbys for now.

Search B&B, or just keep reading the threads in the shaving cream and shaving soap forums for info on great products and vendors - a number of vendors are members and post regularly.
 
Welcome to the club. I am glad to see you are ready to join the legion of wetshavers. A lot of great suggestions have been already posted. Take your time and make your selections based on your needs, you do not have to spend a lot of cash to get up and running. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the input guys.

For now i just got a Van Der Hagen Boar Brush, Williams Mug Soap, The Gillette Super Stainless blades and a styptic pencil. Once i get my technique down i'll probably upgrade to some derby's when it comes to blades. How long do blades usually last anyway?

Btw, this is a picture from the auction of the razor i bought. Looks to be in really good condition. As with the other stuff, im not going to go all out on my kit until i get the hang of things, and i've heard good stuff about the gillettes so it was a safe buy. What do you guys think of it?
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Welcome to B&B. You have a fine starter set up for sure, nothing fancy but it will get the job done. I started with the very same set up and I still go back to it from time to time. The only thing I would suggest as others have, is to change up your blade choice and try out the Derby like you had planned.

As for blade life, I get 4 shaves on average from most blades. I think this is about the average depending on your beard.

Blades are cheap enough, why cheat yourself out of the finest shaves by pushing the life of a blade.

Enjoy!!!!
 
Welcome to the show..... I use the VDH brush and like there soap better then williams.. ( I have both in the cabinet though) .... hope you enjoy.


Fuzzy
 
Welcome aboard. You've gotten plenty of good advice already. Nice razor you purchased, but be prepared to own more and potentially soon. Be aware that there is a growing legion of members here that are always welcoming of new converts to the Slant....
 
Welcome!

+1 on what BobTrumpet said but remember there is a discount for B&B members when ordering Derby blades directly from the web site.

I get around 8 shaves per blade and I've been using several.

And +1 to what Thirdeye says below with one note...

Welcome to B&B. You have a fine starter set up for sure, nothing fancy but it will get the job done. I started with the very same set up and I still go back to it from time to time. The only thing I would suggest as others have, is to change up your blade choice and try out the Derby like you had planned.

As for blade life, I get 4 shaves on average from most blades. I think this is about the average depending on your beard.

Blades are cheap enough, why cheat yourself out of the finest shaves by pushing the life of a blade.

Enjoy!!!!

Why push the life of a blade? For the same reason we climb Everest - because it's there and we have to know. For the same reason babies suck their toes - because they can! :biggrin:
 
Welcome. You've made the right decision. You're one of us, now. There's no looking back. I have a silver flair tip SS, and it's one of my favorites gillettes; I mainly use my Merkur 39c slant or Futur, though. I still use VDH glycerin or deluxe soap found at Walmart ($1.50) and Personna blades ($1.50) The VDH boar brush is about $4 at Walmart or you can step up to a decent badger brush for around $35. (I have Vulfix 660 medium pure badger bought at Lee's Razors). Call Lee at 1-800-503-5001. He's very knowledgeable, helpful, and stands behind his products. There's no S&H if you tell him you're a member of B&B. As for your SS, it gives a great shave; just remember to go lightly with no pressure when shaving. Keep us posted and ask, ask, ask. That's what we're here for.
 
Welcome and enjoy your stay. You made the right decision by switching to traditional wetshaving. Read the reviews and the forums, there's more info here than you could ever wish for.
 
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