I'm not lying a puddle of blood 😮

My Merkur Futur arrived in the post today and I just couldn't resist having a go even though my proper cream and brush have not arrived yet – just used normal crappy foam.
Proper wet face (well shower actually) and shaved pretty slowly trying to get the angle right. No cuts and no burn as far as I can tell so far.
I only really did two shaves going pretty much with the direction of growth each time. The noise the blade makes as it cuts the hair gives you a good idea as to whether the angle is right. Does sound quite cool!

Razor was set at 1 (were it may just stay!) and I used the supplied merkur blade which I've heard are not brilliant. Got some Derby and Persona blades coming tomorrow.

Not sure whether to bother with the shaving cream and brush….seems like a hassle. 😐

The cream and the brush are the best bits!

ditto, the cream and brush is what makes it for me, the blade bit is just a reassurance of man hood haha
derby blades here with some wicked t and h lavender cream and a sahweet badger brush! love it, its the first time in years that im clean shaving just because i get no rash and its awesome

Ok…… will go with the brush and cream then. At least the vast array of creams etc. gives the wife some more ideas for little gifts 🙂

Anybody using 'vintage' razors? Been reading about how some of the old Gillettes give a good shave – may be tempted by an ebay purchase!

for true niche you should be using vintage blades too. There's nothing more authentic than gouging your face with a rusty 1950's blade 😉

I'd try one of these if I didn't think I'd make the BP Gulf of Mexico 'staunch the flow' debacle look like a rehersal for my face.

Check this site for vintage razors (maybe not as cheap as ebay in some instances but good quality, clean razors in my experience):

safetyrazors.co.uk

What's with the "real" shaving enthusiasm on this forum at the moment? Is it the successor to beards and sandals?

haha hasnt traditional shaving just taken the forum by storm, just a few weeks ago i remember being caught off guard with the thread and before i knew it £60 of shaving gear was on my bathroom shelf

oh ow!

Is it the successor to beards and sandals?

I think most of them just do their legs with the safety razors, tbh, so's they can hang on to the beard/sandal ensembles.

Vintage razors? Lol.. some people!

So why is a brush better than using high tech gel?

£60 of shaving gear was on my bathroom shelf

Safe to say you are not fearful of the budgets repercussions if you can blow £60 on shaving gear 😀

What shaving brush for Morzine??!

I've taken to using flints from the garden, then knapping off some suitable shards that I bind onto willow sticks with cat gut. Combined with fresh oil from the yew tree needles I harvest every morning from the woods a couple of miles away, it makes a stunningly authentic and fresh feeling shave that you just can't achieve with the artifice of steel.

IanMunro, that's just ridiculous.

I fly to Bangalore each morning to get shaved by a blind Indian man whose forefathers have been barbers since time began. Using a razor kept in an ancient Hindu temple by monks, according to a mysterious Vedic ritual that Westerners aren't allowed to understand.

I feel far more authentic than you.

sissys the lot of you.

I use a bottle of meths and a bunsen burner.

:d those are the best few replies stw has ever had on a topic haha! love it.

the brush just lathers the gel up so with a good quality gel or cream you get a very noice soft face.

all i know is…

new razors cost £10 a pop + blades usually £5 every 2 weeks and gel that seems to disappear in no time
it also gives me irritation and rashes all over and spots usually

the traditional razor gives me, super soft skin, a close as hell shave and additional early morning man points

I do tend to agree……. it does seem a little odd, but DE blade shaves do seem to be better than with a Mach 20 and a fraction of the cost….. and the fear of blood loss adds to the occasion as well 😉

I think of it as a little payback for gillette putting out all those TV adverts which are a) crap and b) very expensive thus demonstrating just how much a rip-off modern shaving gear is (along with ladies makeup, brake pads, etc.)

i just use gillette because it's the best a man can get

Stoner, earlier;

lol @ wwaswas

I tried a traditional razor once, it ripped the living sh*t out of my face. I looked like the guy in that spoof disaster movie about a supersonic bus.

OTOH Gillette have always been good for me.

safetyrazors.co.uk

Ouch… a bit steep for me. Makes me laugh that they call them Safety Razors when they're anything but safe in my quivering hand!

If you've not read this it's pretty good: Five Blade Article

This has completely passed me by….

What is a 'DE' razor?

Victor Kiam and Thomas Edison would turn in their graves if they read this thread

Middle class fuckwittery……
It's shaving, I've done it everyday for 30 years and it loses it's glamour really quickly…

sharkbait: "Anybody using 'vintage' razors?"

Yes, of course I use it every morning.

I have:

1) Gillette fatboy,
2) Gillette slim,
3) Gillette red tip,
4) Gillette flare,
5) Gillette black handle flare and 6) Gillette G1000.

Yes, I know I have too many but I like them all … 5 & 6 were given to me by my father.

If you want to buy or to bid on ebay I suggest you go for Fatboy adjustable or Slim adjustable.

Do not bid for Single Edge (SE) safety razor as you will not be able to find blades for them as they are very old …

Digger90: "What is a 'DE' razor?"

"DE" = double edge aka DE safety razor as in this thread.

Hmmmm, interesting this safety razor thing. I often use Bic throw aways … even single blade ones cause I feel that they leave a smoother skin than the expensive 5 blade modern ones.

One thing tho, on seeing the handle of this one, and bearing in mind this thread

The thought

" Are safety razors the mens version of a dildo ? "

went through my mind

IGMC

For me – i-trim stubble shaver most days then when I need to be smart (not often) a hot shower followed by Quattro Titanium razor and KoS gel, a splash of cold water and some balm.

Many years of research and this is the best combination I have found – and I'm bordering on "extreme" when it comes to beard growth speed.