The Manly Shaving Thread

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Hey guys, I've ordered the following items:

Edwin Jagger Double Edge Razor DE89 (Plus 5 Derby DE Blades)
Progress Vulfix 660 Pure Badger Shaving Brush
Feather Double Edged Razor Blades

Could have swore that I ordered some shave cream too but looks like I didn't. With shave cream, do you have to lather it with the brush or is it a case of just dipping the brush in and using the brush to spread it on your face? If you have to lather it, would I need a separate bowl to transfer some of the cream into?

Thanks
 
I need to use quite a lot of cream as our water here is very hard.

I got a Merkur 39C for my birthday today.

danbo-39c-20121112-205120.jpg
 
Hey guys, I would assume the shaving shack send automated emails once your order has dispatched?

I ordered over the weekend from two places, with all products in stock but I didn't have a dispatch email from the shaving shack?
 
Quick question. What's the difference between the Edwin Jagger DE89 and DE89L? All I can see is that one has a smooth handle, the other has a lined handle. Is either better than the other?
 
TheCenturion said:
Quick question. What's the difference between the Edwin Jagger DE89 and DE89L? All I can see is that one has a smooth handle, the other has a lined handle. Is either better than the other?
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That's exactly the difference, the lined one is grippier with wet hands :)
 
<3 Danbo!

Thinking about moving on from my Merkur Slant as has gone from gold in colour to white (soap residue etc). It also doesn't hold blades at the correct angle anymore for some oddball reason, so I need to tweak the blade when I attach it.

Sadly I am out of touch with the latest Razors and cannot think of any that are better then the slant. Any ideas peeps?
 
Mekrel said:
Hey guys, I've ordered the following items:

Edwin Jagger Double Edge Razor DE89 (Plus 5 Derby DE Blades)
Progress Vulfix 660 Pure Badger Shaving Brush
Feather Double Edged Razor Blades

Could have swore that I ordered some shave cream too but looks like I didn't. With shave cream, do you have to lather it with the brush or is it a case of just dipping the brush in and using the brush to spread it on your face? If you have to lather it, would I need a separate bowl to transfer some of the cream into?

Thanks
Click to expand...

So I shaved tonight with the above combination (with Taylor of Old Bond Street Coconut Shaving Cream) and using the Feather blades and wanted to share my experience as first time DE safety razor user.

The shave:
Very impressed, a little bit of irritation and bleeding although not caused by cuts. I struggled the most when I shaved across the grain as it was during this pass that I noticed the appearance of blood. I guess I didn't pull my skin taught during the shave as I was concentrating on the angle of the razor and the pressure I was applying. Also, I found it harder to understand the angle I was using when shaving across the grain as with the grain and against, you can tell by the angle at which the handle is pointing away from you.

The lather:
I was surprised with the lather I got from the amount of shave cream I used, but I didn't think much to the smell of the cream. The lather did go on easy but after the first pass, the lather that was left in the brush and bowl seemed to have lost its consistency. I tried using the brush to bring what I had in the bowl "back to life" but it seemed to just spread the stuff around rather than create more lather. Any ideas here? People seem to get enough lather for three passes from the size I used according to the reading I've done.

What about the angle of the razor? There seems to be a comb at the bottom of the razor and a flat edge above the blade, does your skin to be touching both of these, or do you need less of an angle so the top isn't touching your skin?

I'm impressed with my first attempt, but I would be keen on peoples recommendations on shave cream that smells great and what balm people recommend for sensitive skin. :)
 
You can generally tell if you've got the angle correct because you'll hear the blade cutting. The razor should sit with both the top and the bottom parts against your skin to hold the blade at the correct angle, there's a great tutorial on B&B here.

I don't hold my skin taut at all, I just move my face to stretch the skin slightly and haven't felt the need to do any more than that. I would suggest that while you're getting your technique sorted out that you just do two passes, with and across the grain and hold on with an against the grain pass until you're confident.

I think you were low on product for your lather. I have to use significantly more than all the guides say to get a good lather for three passes because the water here is so hard. Don't be afraid to add extra product into the bowl or even a few drops of water if the lather isn't up to scratch. A good lather is important and if that was below par then you wouldn't be getting the protection from the razor and that could help explain why you cut yourself. You said that the blood wasn't caused by cuts - If you weren't cut, where did the blood come from? You _did_ cut yourself!

I've not tried TOBS coconut but I love TOBS Shaving Shop and really like their Sandalwood. A lot people rave about TOBS Mr. Taylors but that doesn't do anything for me at all. I've got over two thirds of a tub left and I'm trying to swap it.

I've gone from hating shaving and only wanting to do it once or twice a week to really enjoying it and looking forward to my daily shave. I've now got two razors with a third on the way (a vintage Gillette Super Speed from my birth year), a couple of brushes and a handful of creams and soaps with more on the way.

Finally pressure - Don't use any! Let the weight of the razor do the work. I made the mistake of not remembering that on my second shave and my face was a bloody mess.
 
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