What do you use to shave?

[RLM]

Has anyone here tried Truefitt and Hill products? I have heard great things about them, haven't had the chance to order anything as of yet!

I use their Trafalgar (sp?) aftershave(warm weather) and aftershave balm (in the cold months) I've also used the Trafalgar shaving cream in the tub. The cream works pretty well and my wife loves the smell of the Trafalgar line.

 

[cptjeff]

So does anyone want to try and explain why all the creams, brushes and oils are necessary? I picked up a vintage Gillette double edge at a flea market recently, and have just been using irish spring soap (with aloe, my normal stuff) to lather up. It's seemed fine so far, and I'm a convert to the double edge, but am I killing my skin, or are the brushes and cream just so you don't get soap on your hand that you have to rinse off?

 

[Shangas]

A lot has changed since I last posted here. I've since taken up DE safety-razor shaving, and I must say that it's really something! I'm enjoying it very much. I'm using a set of a half-dozen vintage Gilette blades that I found at the flea-market (NOS, still wrapped in paper).

The vintage razor-blade sharpener I found works a treat! Whoever said I shouldn't pin my hopes on it might want to swallow his words now! I've been sharpening the same blade once a week for the past month now and it's worked amazingly well after each zip through.

 

[freebird]

Found this barber's razor box online at a straight razor forum (straightrazorplace.com) , it was my Christmas gift from Dad. What better way to keep your straights safe than in a vintage barber's box.

it has a place for 3 shears, and 15 razors. I've heard of similar boxes having a decal of the double duck logo on the inside, this one although made just like the DD boxes, does not have the decal.

 

[Shangas]

Taking full advantage of the fact that my camera has decided to start working again...

Not included in the shot is the shaving-cream I use, since that's really nothing special. No brush, either. But I hope to buy one, one day.

 

[cptjeff]

So is that thing at bottom left the sharpener? If so, how does it work?

 

[Shangas]

Yeah, that's the sharpener.

You put the blade on the two metal wheels. The two outer holes on the razor-blade slot over the two 'knobs' on the wheels. Then, you close the sharpener with the blade inside it. After that, you pull the string really fast in either direction (it doesn't matter which way).

Pulling the string causes the wheels to spin really fast and this moves the blade back and forth, scraping it against the whetstones (the four, grille-teethy looking things) and that sharpens it up.

I've only ever seen two of these in my life (one on TV, and this one which I own!). When I saw it at the flea-market, I snatched it up at once, along with the six NOS Gilette blades, all for the fat sum of $30. It works remarkably well! I've been using the same razor blade for a month now (come the end of this week) and the sharpener has really kept it nice and 'razor sharp'!

 

[cptjeff]

Huh, I'll need to keep an eye out for one of those at the flea market I got my razor from. There's some nice shaving stuff there.

As for the NOS blades, I don't think that'll be necessary... Nice find though.

BTW, if anyone wants a straight blade razor for a restoration project, pm me. I saw one there that someone might be interested in.

 

[John in Covina]

So does anyone want to try and explain why all the creams, brushes and oils are necessary? I picked up a vintage Gillette double edge at a flea market recently, and have just been using irish spring soap (with aloe, my normal stuff) to lather up. It's seemed fine so far, and I'm a convert to the double edge, but am I killing my skin, or are the brushes and cream just so you don't get soap on your hand that you have to rinse off?

******
Shaving soap has stuff in it that lubricates the skin and makes for a better shave. Shea butter is in some shave soaps. Usually if you use regular soap most people complain that their face dries out a lot your aloe base probably helps there. A nice brush when applying lather will help lift the whiskers so that can improve the shave. There is a style where the cream type is applied by hand and hit with the brush once on but I have not found that to lather very well. A good brush and working up a good lather to apply seems like a good step for many, if you are unconvinced don't worry if you are getting good results.

 

[Shangas]

You're welcome, Jeff! And I wish you good luck in finding one.

Seriously, I do. They're not easy to stumble across! But who knows? Flea markets are full of interesting things. Half the stuff I own comes from there!

Here's a little video I made, showing how it works:



The scraping, rasping sound that you hear is the wheels moving and the blade being scraped against the interlocking whetstone teeth inside the closed sharpener. That blade is going to shave SO well now! That's the one I've been using for the past few weeks. Any sharpener should be able to take and sharpen any regular-size, DE razor-blade.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

You may be getting good results using regular bath soap instead of shaving soap and a brush...but you'll get better using a brush & specialized soap. As John mentioned, there are more moisturizers and the like in shaving soap that both cares for the skin and makes the whiskers softer, which leads to a closer shave. It also doesn't dry out as fast on the skin as plain soap.

It's probably a little like drinking, being it good Scotch or even coffee. If all you've experienced is instant like Brim, you think that's great. But after a few cups of Starbucks, Peet's or one of the "better" coffees, you wonder how you got by before. Ditto being used to some cheap Scotch and then making the leap to 15 year old Laphroaig, or Gilbey's gin and then getting used to Plymouth or Aviation.

About the only difference is using specialized shaving product vs. plain soap isn't as a big a leap in cost from 7-11 coffee to Starbucks when you figure it on a use by use basis. Target carries Real Shaving Company products. They have a set for $11.00 consisting of facial scrub, hot towel treatment (it's really amazing if you haven't tried it), shave cream and post-shave balm. Use the facial cleaner, rinse, then the hot towel cream (you use it only once or twice a week), rinse, then the cream. And now with a fresh blade in the razor, shave away.

Try that sort of routine for a few days and you'll no doubt notice a big difference. Then you can graduate to applying the cream or a freshly whipped-up batch of shaving lather from a good soap.

My cake of $7 shaving soap (now priced at $8) has lasted over a year and I can probably squeeze another week and a half out of it. That's about 2 cents a day. A well-cared for brush will last years. But if I wanted to save the expense of the latter, I could get the same product as shaving cream in a tube.

 

[Emerson]

I have not tried the old fashioned brush method. I have a horrible time shaving. I can't seem to shave without having my face feel like someone just sandpapered it. What do you use to shave?

Safety razor, bowl and brush. Lemon Essential Oil shaving cream. Takes more effort, and I have to be completely awake, but nothing beats a wet shave.

 

[nicholasb]

I am slowly moving away from modern shaving. I use a shave soap (Neals Yard) and brush (Body Shop), then follow with balm but still use a Gillette Sensor (probably 1980's). I have used many and find this one pretty good. I don't think the Mach 3 or Fusion are any better but cost a lot more.

 

[Tim in Ohio]

Straight razors cool, but...

A couple of years back I went thru a stage of being fascinated by the idea of shaving with a straight razor. I acquired a quality straight razor and all the gear... strop, expensive honing stone... etc. Ultimately realized that technology has made advances since the straight razor days and there are good reasons that the world for the most part uses modern Gillette Mach IIIs etc.

I'm all for nostalgia and classic styles, but I shave with modern razors and I wash my clothes in a Kenmore washing machine instead of a tub and washboard!

 

[dnjan]

A couple of years back I went thru a stage of being fascinated by the idea of shaving with a straight razor. I acquired a quality straight razor and all the gear... strop, expensive honing stone... etc. Ultimately realized that technology has made advances since the straight razor days and there are good reasons that the world for the most part uses modern Gillette Mach IIIs etc.

The technological advances have been related to convenience and ease of use rather than in the quality of shave for someone experienced with the technique ...
Unfortunately, along with those technological advances have come increased waste (disposable components, packaging, etc). This is true for almost everything from TV dinners to telephones. Just a part of today's world, I guess.

 

[cptjeff]

You may be getting good results using regular bath soap instead of shaving soap and a brush...but you'll get better using a brush & specialized soap. As John mentioned, there are more moisturizers and the like in shaving soap that both cares for the skin and makes the whiskers softer, which leads to a closer shave. It also doesn't dry out as fast on the skin as plain soap.

It's probably a little like drinking, being it good Scotch or even coffee. If all you've experienced is instant like Brim, you think that's great. But after a few cups of Starbucks, Peet's or one of the "better" coffees, you wonder how you got by before. Ditto being used to some cheap Scotch and then making the leap to 15 year old Laphroaig, or Gilbey's gin and then getting used to Plymouth or Aviation.

About the only difference is using specialized shaving product vs. plain soap isn't as a big a leap in cost from 7-11 coffee to Starbucks when you figure it on a use by use basis. Target carries Real Shaving Company products. They have a set for $11.00 consisting of facial scrub, hot towel treatment (it's really amazing if you haven't tried it), shave cream and post-shave balm. Use the facial cleaner, rinse, then the hot towel cream (you use it only once or twice a week), rinse, then the cream. And now with a fresh blade in the razor, shave away.

Try that sort of routine for a few days and you'll no doubt notice a big difference. Then you can graduate to applying the cream or a freshly whipped-up batch of shaving lather from a good soap.

My cake of $7 shaving soap (now priced at $8) has lasted over a year and I can probably squeeze another week and a half out of it. That's about 2 cents a day. A well-cared for brush will last years. But if I wanted to save the expense of the latter, I could get the same product as shaving cream in a tube.

Well, I think I'll be giving the nicer stuff a shot soon enough. It should be back up to the mid 20s sunday, I suppose that would be a good time to go pick up a few things. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Tim in Ohio]

The technological advances have been related to convenience and ease of use rather than in the quality of shave for someone experienced with the technique ...

DnJan,

To each his own and I certainly don't begrudge you the right to scrape off your whiskers with a straight blade if you wish. I will challenge your statement about quality of shave/ experience with technique however... I go to an old school barber who has been at it since the 1950s. He is about as experienced as you can get. I have had him do a straight razor shave on me a couple of times, with the hot towels, etc... just for nostalgia sake and to see if the straight in experienced hands would yield a better shave. My face came out very irritated and nicked both times. Could just be my sensitive skin... but in my case, modern razors are kinder to my face. [huh]

 

[Shangas]

The necessity of meeting a university lecturer landed me in town today. So I wandered off to find myself some shaving accessories.

I returned with a badger hair shaving-brush made by Windsor, a cheap, plastic brush-stand (I would've gotten the neater, brass one, but I didn't have the money and didn't see it as being necessary) and a tub of Proraso (have I spelt that right? It's such a wiiieeerd name!!) shaving soap.

...please tell me that I made intelligent and smart purchases!

The shaving-soap has me a bit puzzled though. It looks rather thick...how am I supposed to use it? I usually use shaving cream or foam or gel which I frankly am gettng a bit tired of (the mess and scraping that crap off my hands, mostly).

How do I use Proraso shaving soap effectively?

 

[John in Covina]

Shaving soaps are usually designed to go in a shaving mug. You pop it into the mug, run some hot water into the mug let it stand a minute, and pour the water out. Run some hot water into your shaving brush and use the brush to make lather in the mug. The lather needs to be not too runny (soft peaks!) so it stays in place. Wash your face in hot as you can be comfy with water and use the brush to lather up. Most suggest circular swirling with the brush and lather.

 

[Shangas]

Thanks, John.

Tried today, using a small, deep ceramic bowl. Was moderately effective, but I think I used a bit too much water...