The Manly Shaving Thread

Skeptic · 13 May 2012 at 22:46

Kemik said:
How can you put the head on incorrectly? It fits in the handle one way... Then you can use both edges of the razor blade, alternating with each stroke. I'm pretty sure the blades can be used both sides out of the packet too (i.e. it doesn't need to be font face up or down in the razor).

If you see when he is setting it up, the piece which holds the blade in place can be grooves up or grooves down. I'd used it grooves down by mistake.

Just had a shave with it the correct way and it was incredible. Much less irritation, a closer shave and the Taylor's stuff is amazing. My styptic pencil had a bit of use too

Definitely a convert.

King Damager · 13 May 2012 at 22:48

Looks great! Thanks a lot, I'll order this tomorrow morning probably once I'm more awake, looked through more info etc... But seems like a great starting point

Thanks

kd

Skeptic · 13 May 2012 at 22:48

King Damager said:
Right.

Well, as I've got the job coming up in summer I've decided I need to start shaving properly and be clean shaven rather than my current 'trimmed' stubble that comes about due to my awful electric razor. Which also leaves my skin itching for ages.

From what I can see, I need:
Razor
Brush
Blades
Soap

What are people's recommendations?
Merkur seem to be the people to go for for razors... but short of that I know little. I'm also not too sure on whether to get the 34 or 33....

I guess you could classify me as 'new' to shaving xD

So therefore I'm guessing I should try an assorted blade pack or something?

Anyone link to the best price/ratio stuff out there at the moment?

kd

I got this starter pack with the 'Eton college' cream, Derby blades and the Edwin Jagger 89l blade. Recommended!

http://www.traditionalshaving.co.uk...onalshaving/_STA-CRE-NOR/268168/Shaving-Cream

RoboCod · 13 May 2012 at 23:00

MachM said:
King Damager

This is what I'd go for:

Muhle R89 (http://connaughtshaving.com/mur89.html)
Nice razor, not too aggressive, not too mild. Looks great and the build quality is better than Merkur in my opinion.

Vulfix 660 brush (http://www.shaving-shack.com/progress-vulfix-660_pure-badger-shaving-brush.html)
Great little brush, what I started with and even though I have others now I still use it

Blade sample pack (http://connaughtshaving.com/popular.html)
Some great blades in this pack. I like the Astra SP and Gillette 7 o'clock. This is probably the biggest variable and it's important to find a blade that suits you. Sample packs are a great way of doing this.

Soap, there's loads to choose from. Proraso is great, and often highly recommended (http://connaughtshaving.com/prorasosoap.html)

I'd get an aftershave balm too, I use Nivea Replenishing balm, you can get this everywhere.

Watch some tutorial videos too.

This kind of set-up has improved my shave immensely. Hope this helps.

That sample pack is crackin, I'll have to get myself one ordered to try out some other blades.

dirtychinchilla · 14 May 2012 at 13:22

Can anyone recommend a decent straight edged razor? Minimum price though...this one looks fine, but I just wanted to get people's opinions before I buy it.

SimonCHere · 14 May 2012 at 19:35

That one takes standard double edged blades so at least you don't have to go about learning to sharpen your razor to start off with. And a very good price.

Woogie · 16 May 2012 at 08:45

So got all my stuff last night and decided to give it a whirl, was surprisingly nervous about it as I was quite conscious about the fact I could quite easily slice a nice new crevice into my face. Have to say it wasn't that difficult and didn't actually cut my self other than to take the heads off a few spots under my neck from my last shave with a cartridge.

All in all for a first attempt I easily matched my best shave with my old crappy Gillette razor with 2 passes, didn't want to risk a 3rd as I felt my skin was starting to get slightly irritated (this is something new after all) but with no nasty horrible skin afterwards. Cheeks are smooth as are parts of my neck but going against the grain by my ears and parts under my chin show I still have a way to go.

All in all the best shave I've had since I actually started to have proper stubble. Practice and confidence will no doubt improve this.

spaceman · 16 May 2012 at 11:29

hux said:
code 'bandb' gives you 10% off iirc

Thanks, that traditional shaving company code from June 2010 still works (was a google search result

)

hux · 16 May 2012 at 20:40

spaceman said:
Thanks, that traditional shaving company code from June 2010 still works (was a google search result )

Well technically the code 'tsr' works as well, seeing as they're both forums anyway.

At this rate they'll have one for ocuk, someone should contact them.

dirtychinchilla said:
Can anyone recommend a decent straight edged razor? Minimum price though...this one looks fine, but I just wanted to get people's opinions before I buy it.

It's fine and will do the job, you'll need to split a de blade in half to use it mind as it's a shavette.

A real straight would provide a better shave, the point of a shavette tends to be to give you an idea, before you jump right in.

Straights if done properly can be rather expensive, time you buy the hones etc.

dirtychinchilla · 16 May 2012 at 20:44

Oh right...well I ordered that straight, and some normal double edged blades as the site said that they would fit. Am I still going to have to split them though? How do you do that??

Housey · 16 May 2012 at 20:53

Ive been testing some of the new Blue Beards Revenge shaving cream and its very very good, best product I've used in close to 30 years of shaving.

hux · 16 May 2012 at 20:55

dirtychinchilla said:
Oh right...well I ordered that straight, and some normal double edged blades as the site said that they would fit. Am I still going to have to split them though? How do you do that??

Personally i would wrap it up in tissue and bend it carefully, that's how i would.

It might take the blade whole, some do some don't.

dirtychinchilla · 16 May 2012 at 20:59

OK I guess I'll see then, thanks for the advice

spaceman · 16 May 2012 at 21:21

hux said:
Well technically the code 'tsr' works as well, seeing as they're both forums anyway.

At this rate they'll have one for ocuk, someone should contact them.

ah, i didnt know it was a forum code, googling voucher codes for them, the 3rd result is this thread

RoboCod · 16 May 2012 at 22:18

Woogie said:
So got all my stuff last night and decided to give it a whirl, was surprisingly nervous about it as I was quite conscious about the fact I could quite easily slice a nice new crevice into my face. Have to say it wasn't that difficult and didn't actually cut my self other than to take the heads off a few spots under my neck from my last shave with a cartridge.

All in all for a first attempt I easily matched my best shave with my old crappy Gillette razor with 2 passes, didn't want to risk a 3rd as I felt my skin was starting to get slightly irritated (this is something new after all) but with no nasty horrible skin afterwards. Cheeks are smooth as are parts of my neck but going against the grain by my ears and parts under my chin show I still have a way to go.

All in all the best shave I've had since I actually started to have proper stubble. Practice and confidence will no doubt improve this.

Excellent. More people need to discover the benefit of shaving like this lol. You save so much £ in the long run too!

Skeptic · 16 May 2012 at 23:37

Unless you get the bug and start buying posh shaving creams etc!

alexakasloth · 16 May 2012 at 23:44

RizZy said:
If price really is an issue head to Boots & pick up something like this it's pretty much what I started using when I 1st decided I'd had enough of multiblade things & didn't want to drop a lot of money on something I might not have been any good with.

I've started using boots own version of this (before I was shaving with disposables or a gillette mach3) and it's a huge improvement, it causes no shaving rash and gives a good result.

Woogie · 17 May 2012 at 07:39

Captain Planet said:
Excellent. More people need to discover the benefit of shaving like this lol. You save so much £ in the long run too!

Aye really glad I came across this thread

and that Proraso cream makes your skin so tingly after a shave.... that stuff is just ace.

Pulsedriver · 17 May 2012 at 17:16

Now all of a sudden I am interested...!

Been using the usual 'Mach 3' / Wilkinson Quattro type shavers for years now, fed up with blunt blades (ever find when you buy a pack of blades one is always either blunt or blunts quicker than the rest???)

Anyway, was looking at the starter kit posted above.

http://www.traditionalshaving.co.uk...onalshaving/_STA-CRE-NOR/268168/Shaving-Cream

Does anyone ever just do a one-pass shave? Ie lather up, shave, rinse, done?

Skeptic · 17 May 2012 at 17:35

Pulsedriver said:
Now all of a sudden I am interested...!

Been using the usual 'Mach 3' / Wilkinson Quattro type shavers for years now, fed up with blunt blades (ever find when you buy a pack of blades one is always either blunt or blunts quicker than the rest???)

Anyway, was looking at the starter kit posted above.

http://www.traditionalshaving.co.uk...onalshaving/_STA-CRE-NOR/268168/Shaving-Cream

Does anyone ever just do a one-pass shave? Ie lather up, shave, rinse, done?

It's possible, but not really worth it! (YMMV)

You're aiming for beard reduction in each pass, rather than beard removal. It's best to spend more time doing 2/3 passes, for a better quality shave. I generally do 3, but could get away with 2.