Multi-blade razors
Discussion
Davey S2 said:
Delude yourself into thinking that you will stick with that stuff and be happy with it.
There used to be a bloke on here called NDA who started out like you. It wasn't a happy ending.
There used to be a bloke on here called NDA who started out like you. It wasn't a happy ending.
It's now a serious collection of costly vintage gear and hand made brushes. The only cost saving is that I'm using water from a tap.
That aside, I have to say that I actually enjoy shaving and look forward to it. But it has cost many hundreds.
So stick with it, but recognise that you may get drawn in!
I bought some rather nice unused chrome brush tubes from the 1950's the other day..... When will it ever end?!
1st shave down...many more to come!
No nicks/cuts, but definitely not my closest shave. Only 2 passes and both same direction. I'll get there!
Lather wasn't great and I'm not entirely sure that it was all down to my technique; maybe the cheapo Boots soap?? I'll try the Men-U cream I got with the brush next time.
Also, I found the brush rougher than I expected...possibly a bit irritating. Maybe I just have delicate skin...
All in all though, very impressed and I quite enjoyed it.
No nicks/cuts, but definitely not my closest shave. Only 2 passes and both same direction. I'll get there!
Lather wasn't great and I'm not entirely sure that it was all down to my technique; maybe the cheapo Boots soap?? I'll try the Men-U cream I got with the brush next time.
Also, I found the brush rougher than I expected...possibly a bit irritating. Maybe I just have delicate skin...
All in all though, very impressed and I quite enjoyed it.
Stick with it. I bought pretty much all the same stuff as you.
The boots soap takes a bit if work to lather, but stick at it, plenty of warm water and just apply to a small area, shave then repeat. I've had mine 2 weeks and getting the hang if it now.
Still struggle with certain areas, upper lip and chin mostly but ill get there.
The boots soap takes a bit if work to lather, but stick at it, plenty of warm water and just apply to a small area, shave then repeat. I've had mine 2 weeks and getting the hang if it now.
Still struggle with certain areas, upper lip and chin mostly but ill get there.
iaincb1 said:
1st shave down...many more to come!
No nicks/cuts, but definitely not my closest shave. Only 2 passes and both same direction. I'll get there!
Lather wasn't great and I'm not entirely sure that it was all down to my technique; maybe the cheapo Boots soap?? I'll try the Men-U cream I got with the brush next time.
Also, I found the brush rougher than I expected...possibly a bit irritating. Maybe I just have delicate skin...
All in all though, very impressed and I quite enjoyed it.
Where I live I have very soft water, so I get a decent lather with Boots soap, if you have hard water where you are this could explain it, although I too started off with the Men-U brush but found it wasn't the greatest and have since upgraded to a Vulfix "super badger" brush, this made a huge difference in how easy it was to get a lather. No nicks/cuts, but definitely not my closest shave. Only 2 passes and both same direction. I'll get there!
Lather wasn't great and I'm not entirely sure that it was all down to my technique; maybe the cheapo Boots soap?? I'll try the Men-U cream I got with the brush next time.
Also, I found the brush rougher than I expected...possibly a bit irritating. Maybe I just have delicate skin...
All in all though, very impressed and I quite enjoyed it.
Try loading your brush with the soap, really work it into the centre so that the bristles are splayed right out when doing it, and then add a squirt of the Men-U cream and go to work on it in a bowl, I got a tremendous lather this way. I've since found creams that I prefer to the Men-U stuff, but I still return to the Boots soap + cream of choice combo to get an outstanding lather.
Edited by zb on Saturday 6th October 11:10
325Ti said:
Question for the more experienced people.
What makes the biggest difference? Brush, soap, handle or blade?
If its the razor itself is a fatboy the best to go for?
A decent brush can make it easier to get a good lather, but the quality of water where you are is a factor too. I would say a decent brush, soap+cream to work a lather and a Personna blade would be a good baseline, the really tricky part is finding a razor that suits you, both in terms of your technique and how close a shave you want/need and you can only find this out by buying and trying, which is both fun and irksome.What makes the biggest difference? Brush, soap, handle or blade?
If its the razor itself is a fatboy the best to go for?
325Ti said:
Question for the more experienced people.
What makes the biggest difference? Brush, soap, handle or blade?
If its the razor itself is a fatboy the best to go for?
As above - a huge list of variables, and everyone has their own unique way of doing things.What makes the biggest difference? Brush, soap, handle or blade?
If its the razor itself is a fatboy the best to go for?
The blade is very important, but in a poor razor, it won't perform.
I think the hard soaps from Mr Taylor's or Trumpers are best (others will have their own favourites) and a silvertip badger brush creats a great lather.....
Are you talking about a vintage Gillette 'fatboy'?
NDA said:
As above - a huge list of variables, and everyone has their own unique way of doing things.
The blade is very important, but in a poor razor, it won't perform.
I think the hard soaps from Mr Taylor's or Trumpers are best (others will have their own favourites) and a silvertip badger brush creats a great lather.....
Are you talking about a vintage Gillette 'fatboy'?
Ok thanksThe blade is very important, but in a poor razor, it won't perform.
I think the hard soaps from Mr Taylor's or Trumpers are best (others will have their own favourites) and a silvertip badger brush creats a great lather.....
Are you talking about a vintage Gillette 'fatboy'?
Yeah tempted to get myself a proper vintage one from eBay etc.
325Ti said:
Ok thanks
Yeah tempted to get myself a proper vintage one from eBay etc.
Slim or fatboy would be great..... I have quite a few of them (!). Yeah tempted to get myself a proper vintage one from eBay etc.
The slim is regarded as being slightly preferable, but I find little difference between the two. Condition is important and you should expect to pay between £50 and £150 for a pristine example.
The vintage Gillette adjustables are, in my opinion, the best razors ever made. Attractive looking things, a triumph of form and function, they give a supeb shave, better than anything modern - and I've tried them all.
Executive Shaving in Scotland usually has an interesting selection of them.
Brush soap blade handle for me.
The first two are pretty interchangeable and could be grouped together as "lather"
With a really good consistent lather I can use almost any blade to get a very very good shave,
If I get the lather wrong I've had a bad shave with numerous different blades.
Get the lather right and in my view your 90% of the way to having a decent shave.
The first two are pretty interchangeable and could be grouped together as "lather"
With a really good consistent lather I can use almost any blade to get a very very good shave,
If I get the lather wrong I've had a bad shave with numerous different blades.
Get the lather right and in my view your 90% of the way to having a decent shave.
The Brush makes a massive difference.
I used a cheap Wilkionson Sword synthetic brush from Boots for quite a while and struggled to get a decent lather from my Mitchells Woolfat Soap.
I now use a Edwin Jagger Best Badger Brush which made a massive difference.
http://www.theenglishshavingcompany.com/cgi-bin/ps...
Obviously you can spend a lot more but this has been great for me at a good price.
I used a cheap Wilkionson Sword synthetic brush from Boots for quite a while and struggled to get a decent lather from my Mitchells Woolfat Soap.
I now use a Edwin Jagger Best Badger Brush which made a massive difference.
http://www.theenglishshavingcompany.com/cgi-bin/ps...
Obviously you can spend a lot more but this has been great for me at a good price.
Bought some feather blades which showed up yesterday. Comparing them to the Gilette blades, they were a lot sharper and easier to shave with. Cut myself a couple of times but it's the usual suspect points.
Specifically, the lower sides of my neck, the hairs seem to invert and point up rather than down. This means I'm usually taking the first swipe against the grain... Need to figure out exactly where to turn the razor around. Also got quite a thick bit under my chin which is fairly stubborn. Suspect this is mostly down to the angle of the razor being wrong.
Any tips appreciated, still learning!
Specifically, the lower sides of my neck, the hairs seem to invert and point up rather than down. This means I'm usually taking the first swipe against the grain... Need to figure out exactly where to turn the razor around. Also got quite a thick bit under my chin which is fairly stubborn. Suspect this is mostly down to the angle of the razor being wrong.
Any tips appreciated, still learning!
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