Trad Shaving

[carrda04]

I hated shaving throughout high school and college, and thought there had to be a better way. Once I found an article saying that going backward in technology was that way, I jumped in with two feet. Bought my first DE and some TOBS creams my first week of law school and haven't had a bad shave in the 11 years since.

Can't go wrong with any of the Taylor/Trumper/Truefitt stuff. But you can get great results and a wonderful routine with even thriftier options, like Proraso, Lavanda, and Musgo. Throw any aftershave you like over them, including their own. And some may scoff, but don't sleep on Clubman when it comes to the shampoos and aftershaves.

 

[TKI67]

I noticed my favorite Red Personna Israeli blades have gone up to $19 for 100 at West Coast Shaving. The one I am using has been in there a week and is still feeling amazingly smooth and shaving very close. It feels as if it will be fine for another week or more.

 

[challer]

You should all visit the shave nook forums if you want detail on shaving akin to clothing here. You Futur guys are brave. I use much milder single edge razors, also feather blades. When I travel, and that used to be every week, I’m back to cartridges. Good soap makes all the difference, more than the blade. In my case Castle Forbes. I make my own aftershave using Creed cologne for scent. Everything else is scentless.

 

[Dhaller]

Good soap makes all the difference, more than the blade. In my case Castle Forbes.

I'll add to this and say that good soap is only as good as *hot enough water*. Nothing is as purgatorial as shaving with lukewarm water.

I've occasionally met a hotel with not-quite-hot water, and no degree of kit, soap, or ritual can compensate.

DH

 

[challer]

I'll add to this and say that good soap is only as good as *hot enough water*. Nothing is as purgatorial as shaving with lukewarm water.

I've occasionally met a hotel with not-quite-hot water, and no degree of kit, soap, or ritual can compensate.

DH

On this we can agree. As a man of science, I do not understand the details though. The temp should be a bit more than comfortable

 

[Fiddle Ben]

While I’ve worn a full, neatly trimmed, beard for over a decade, I‘ve kept the same kit for keeping the neck line tidy. A Muhle r89 with Red Personnas, a Simpson badger brush, Proraso Sapone, and a mild Nivea post shave balm.

 

[carrda04]

While I’ve worn a full, neatly trimmed, beard for over a decade, I‘ve kept the same kit for keeping the neck line tidy. A Muhle r89 with Red Personnas, a Simpson badger brush, Proraso Sapone, and a mild Nivea post shave balm.

The only downside to the full beard I've worn since my late twenties (33 now) is that there is less face to shave. Still wouldn't give up my Merkur 37c w/Gillette 7-o'clocks.

 

[TKI67]

Just because every blade in the pack says it is the same does not make it true. Usually I get a week from a Red Personna. The current blade is coming up on two weeks on Saturday and still shaving smooth and close. I have a new brush after thirty plus years, and the new one has enough backbone to work up a much better lather from the same soap. Early mornings are much nicer than I deserve.

 

[drpeter]

I must be the odd man out. I do have a goatee and only shave the sides and neckline, but I have used shaving soap, shaving foam, handsoap, bathing soap, warm/hot water alone, and absolutely nothing
(an actual dry shave). I don't mind any of it, although the shaving foam applied on a wet face is probably the one I prefer the most. I suspect I have a soft beard, and I also suspect it would be harder to use some of these methods if I had to shave my whole face, or if I had a couple of days' growth on the parts I shave.

 

[TKI67]

I must be the odd man out. I do have a goatee and only shave the sides and neckline, but I have used shaving soap, shaving foam, handsoap, bathing soap, warm/hot water alone, and absolutely nothing
(an actual dry shave). I don't mind any of it, although the shaving foam applied on a wet face is probably the one I prefer the most. I suspect I have a soft beard, and I also suspect it would be harder to use some of these methods if I had to shave my whole face, or if I had a couple of days' growth on the parts I shave.

I have tried them all as well, although the attempted dry shave was only partial. Using a very sharp blade makes many more options possible! I have a fairly heavy beard, although as I get older it seems thinner. It has been shaved daily save on backpacking trips, all my shaving life. Although I can get a decent lather and shave from most anything, I notice a pretty big difference using one of the better soaps or creams. But when I travel a hotel bar soap works fine.

 

[The Irishman]

I recently ordered menthol drops from Shaving Time Co. The package had a bit of a malfunction and some of the menthol was spilled, but nonetheless it's a cool product... Basically a little squeeze bottle of strong menthol that you can add to any other soap product you wish. So, a pedestrian shaving soap can become a little frostier if you like.

I still remember using some unnamed product in Japanese onsen back in the 1990s that had so much menthol in it that it was borderline probably bad for your health. You'd splash it on liberally and have a few moments of such cold that it felt like your face was on fire.

 

[John M]

I shave my stubble once a week just using a simple Gillette Mach 3 although I did like the Mach 3 Turbo in the past because it had more of a lubricated strip. I usually will use some kind of sensitive skin shaving cream either Gillette's own shaving cream in the teal container or Barbasol with Aloe. I haven't tried Barbasol's sensitive skin version yet but maybe next time.

 

[TKI67]

I shave my stubble once a week just using a simple Gillette Mach 3 although I did like the Mach 3 Turbo in the past because it had more of a lubricated strip. I usually will use some kind of sensitive skin shaving cream either Gillette's own shaving cream in the teal container or Barbasol with Aloe. I haven't tried Barbasol's sensitive skin version yet but maybe next time.

You might give using a shave cream (as opposed to soap) and brush a try. I have found the Art of Shaving and Taylor of Bond Street creams to be highly lubricating, far more than any of the aerosols. The up front investment in a brush is an issue for some, although the economics of using one pay off in the long run. The Simpson synthetic brushes offered at places like West Coast Shaving are getting extremely good reviews and are priced quite attractively compared to badger.

 

[carrda04]

You might give using a shave cream (as opposed to soap) and brush a try. I have found the Art of Shaving and Taylor of Bond Street creams to be highly lubricating, far more than any of the aerosols. The up front investment in a brush is an issue for some, although the economics of using one pay off in the long run. The Simpson synthetic brushes offered at places like West Coast Shaving are getting extremely good reviews and are priced quite attractively compared to badger.

I would do as TK suggests. I strongly believe that even if you don't go all in with every component of classic wet shaving, using some of the products will create a better shave. Case in point, I bought a brush and some TOBS creams for my wife a couple of years ago. She'll never give up her women's cheap disposable razors. Even using that crappy cutter she is now a diehard for the creams and always uses the brush. It really does make a difference.

 

[Beefeater]

Another vote for Harry’s.

 

[Califax]

Inherited my grandfathers Aristocrat Gillette razors; use those when I have time. https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/gold-plated-british-made-16-gillette-aristocrat.377248/

They are a pleasure to use but are a bit more time-consuming than the Gillette multi-blade cartridges.

Also have his straight razor; my father told me they were really meant for barbers, not for people to shave themselves; not sure if that's correct. In any case, he made me promise - if I were to try using it - to not shave naked (In case it should drop and cut me netherparts); nor to use it on my throat unless the door was locked.

 

[TKI67]

I agree that with many DE razors you need to slowly and carefully, but I find with a mild razor like an Edwin Jagger DE89, you can shave at pretty much the same pace as with a multiblade razor like a Mach III or a Fusion. This morning I timed it for grins. Three minutes for a two pass extremely close shave, even with taking a moment after the second lather to rinse the brush!

I also note many who are pleased with the Dollar Shave or Harry's model. One would assume thrift played a role in going that route.

I recently was directed by this thread to Badger and Blade and joined. It has gotten me track my actually mileage. Switching between Israeli Personna reds and Crystals I am getting over a week of superlative shaving from each blade. Even at the exorbitant price of $19 for a hundred I can afford to keep shaving!

I have learned tidbit I will share. Apparently even though their blades are crazy sharp, apparently Feather razors are quite mild. Curious but sensible.

 

[mrm21711]

Big fan of the Astra blades (tried a lot in the West Coast shaving sampler packs) and found these to be the best for me.

 

[TKI67]

I just got a whole month off of a Crystal ($12 for 100 at West Coast Shaving). Pretty much every shave was comfortable and exceptionally smooth.

 

[fishertw]

I began shaving with Harry’s system about four years ago and have never been disappointed. Great products, fair price and I don’t have to go up and try to find the exact blades to fit my razor handle.