Education I want to get into wetshaving [Update: I got into it]

So i'll be 20 in a couple of months and i've been shaving with the usual disposable rubbish for a good few years now. No matter how uber-leet multi-glide 9-blade laz0rz i buy i just don't dig it and it irritates my face.

I've heard good things about wetshaving, including on these forums and after a little digging around i decided to make the move. But first i'll post here to see if any of you guys have any advice for me.

As far as gear goes i've been looking at Merkur's razors because they seem to be available new from stores, but that's about as far as i've decided.

One particular question i have is do i really have to fork over 60 quid for a badger brush or am i missing some of the options available? Other than that any tips would be nice.

Thanks in advance guys

 

Hit the Art of Manliness site, and see what they're recommending in budget brshes. I think mine was about 10, but it's boar hair as well. I purchased it for an experiment, and got really into it.

If you have issues finding soaps and such locally, try bath and Body Works. The C. O. Bigelow barber's stuff is actually Proraso Green, and it's some of the best stuff I've used, bar none.

 

yeah still use gillette razors.. mach 3 nowdays.. used to have an electric razor but it doesn't get really close like a blade

then follow it up with aveeno lotion.. I used to get irritated by the razors at your age but nowdays I can pretty much dry shave with a rusty dull blade and won't catch a nick xD when I started shaving remember thinking wtf too but it gets easier

 

As you practice you get better at it too. If you are victim to irritation then see if you can find some decent after-shave balm. I used it for a while and it worked wonders.

Also, while you're actually shaving, lots and lots of really hot water, as hot as you can stand. Then cold water as cold as possible when you've finished.

 

I've just returned to DE safety razor shaving after 20 years of using cartridge blades. I found this site to be very helpful.
http://badgerandblade.com/

You don't need a £60 brush. I picked up a £12 Badger (linky) and it's fine, Boar brushes are getting decent reviews on B&B.

I also picked up an Edwin Jagger De89lbl for £20. Blades are stupidly cheap.

Just read up and take it slow if you do go the DE route, I'm only on my third shave and no nicks and a fairly close shave.

All the best.

S.

 

I'm intrigued!
I'm going to follow this thread and possibly splash out on a nice razor.

 

I use a Merkur Saftey Razor that works pretty well.

http://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/shaving/shaving-kits/safety-razor-stand-915-570.php

 

I bought my self one of these http://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/dovo-stainless-steel-shavette-disposable-blade-straight-razor.php a while back as I didn't like the idea of splashing out loads on the required accessories. It's really good for getting used to shaving with a straight razor.

 

Try shaving with the direction of the hair first. Doesn't irritate as much.
For a really smooth shave*, you can go exactly against the direction after that, though if you're prone to irritations... meh, try it.

*smooth as an androids bottom

 

If you're prone to irritation (like me) what I normally do is use my beard trimmer so the hairs are small as possible before I start, then I use the shaving gel and I leave it about a minute so the hairs are soft. Then Shave as normal, against the hair. Even with a dull blade you can get pretty much all the hair in a single stroke; maybe two

 

Gillette, Wilkinson, whatever, as long as it shaves your face. Shave in the shower for the easiest shave. Else, warm water on the face to open the pours, shave, then close them off with ice cold water then before you walk out the door a little aftershave. Might sting a little, but it goes after about 10 seconds.

 

I probably need to wetshave, my electric razor hardly manages to simply cut my beard/stubble.

 

I just found out that Merkur offers gold versions of their products. Bling yo!

What's the deal with slant bars? Would it be a really bad idea for me to get one of those as a beginner?

 

Not recommended for a beginner.
A very close shave but lose focus for a second and you'll lose blood.

 

For future reference, is it a considerable step up in quality compared to a "normal" safety razor or will they be equally impressive compared to what i'm working with now? I suspect my technique will bottleneck either type at first so i might try a slant bar a few years down the line, but i definitely don't see the sense getting one now.

Thanks so far guys.

 

IMO, It would be good to find and arab or persian barber that does wetshaves and have it done a few times, just to watch how they do it and to get a feel for the technique.

Man spa at it's best.

 

Barbers tend to work with straight-edge razors though, don't they?

 

Wilkinson sword quatro here. Problem is, I get lazy and end up shaving once every three or four days, so the blade just gets full of crap anyway. Bah. If I shave every day though, or every second day, it's all good. I never shave against the grain, don't see the point in it.

 

Never shave against the hairs it increases irritation and can push the hairs under the skin causing those hairy spots

 

shaving + sensitive skin = shower (bonus points for extra hot shower time!)