Poppa, you might want to try a shaving cream instead of a soap (with a cream you just put a little on a wet brush and apply direct to your face - the more you brush the thicker the 'cream').
I go for a [url= http://www.gentlemans-shop.com/acatalog/Trumper_Coconut_Shaving_Cream_Tube.html#a556 ]coconut one in the summer[/url] and [url= http://www.gentlemans-shop.com/acatalog/Castle_Forbes_Essential_Lavender_Oil_Shaving_Cream_50ml.html#a704 ]lavender in the winter[/url].
Although it's a travel size mine has lasted since early September and I shave 3 times a week.....got about a months worth left.
You could also [url= http://www.trumpers.com/product_detail.cfm?ProductID=111547656 ]try a sample pack [/url]which gives you loads of stuff to try - you'd never see gillette doing anything like this!!
Oh, I think I'm entering a new world of retail confusion and pain.
Some razors seem to 'flip open' at the top, and some you have to unscrew. Any reason to buy one over the other?
I think i'll probably spend about £20-25 on the razor. That Parker one on the previous page looked alright. Any advice welcomed.
That sample pack looks good too.
agree about that sample pack. I'll pop in to trumpers tomorrow when Im in town....
Ones that flip open are called butterfly and simply make it easier to change blades - a bit more expensive but nice.
Just be warned you'll find reasons to buy stuff. I now have 4 razors (3 '50s/'60s) and a modern Merkur.
I bought a Parker razor before xmas but I just can't get on with it (when compared to my Boots cheapie). It shaves okay but the metal head just doesn't slide over my skin in the same way that the plastic Boots one does.
I've gone back to my Mach3 Disposables to be honest.
Hmmm... you can buy a butterfly for £20 or a standard one for £20 though.
aracer - Member
I don't get it. Surely it's the blade that's the important part with one of these - the razor is simply holding the blade in the right place. Surely a cheapy one does just a good a job of that as these niche expensive ones people are suggesting?
The blade is important, but I find the angle at which it is presented to your face and the space between the blade and the surround make quite a bit of difference.
I have two razors - a Gilette Tech I bought off eBay, and a Merkur Progress my missus bought me for Christmas. I get quite different results with the two.
With the Tech, I find that I prefer Personna Platinums over anything else (Feathers included). Last night, I put a new Personna Platinum into the Merkur for the first time and found it to be distinctly average. In the Merkur, I've used a couple of Derby's and found them to be pretty good. After using them in the Tech, I almost threw them away; dreadful.
Sod it, bought the Parker. Should be interesting...
Rockhopper - Member
....the metal head just doesn't slide over my skin in the same way that the plastic Boots one does.
What soap are you using? Are you getting a thick creamy lather <fnarr, fnarr>?
Sod it, bought the Parker. Should be interesting...
you know it makes sense 🙂
I've gone back to my Mach3 Disposables to be honest.
I might be interested if you want to sell the Parker. Which one is it?
freddyg, I've used erasmic and Palmolive and I think I've also used my spray can gel stuff.
Right, the singlespeed of shaving sold me and I've taken the plunge.
Been thinking of trying this for a while tbh, tired of splashing out on Mach 3 blades and gel, I'd rather put it towards doing things properly.
Should be 'interesting'...
I'm surprised more people dont use shaving oils they enable you to get a much closer shave than foams and stuff, and you can see where your going!
Any DE will work well if you have plenty of heat. I often use hair conditioner as foam as I usually shave in the shower.
Razor is this http://www.wilkinsonsword.co.uk/men/showroom/classic and was less than £10.00.
If you suffer from ingowing hairs then I'd say you should use a brush and badger is best as it's stiff and lifts the beard.
It's all about heat, if you haven't seen this you should.
http://www.trumpers.com/shaving_tips.cfm
I may invest in a nicer razor at some point but the one I use is good enough for me, if you're tentative try a cheapy first. .
I've gone all 'real shaving' recently too. Got a cheapy Wilkinson Sword DE razor - nice and cheap and it has a pretty slim gap for the razor, so is reasonably hard to slice yourself with. Inevitably though, I've also now bought an Edwin Jagger just for the nice weight and the looks...
You're right about it making shaving fun again - I used to shave once a week (the delights of having a casual office) but now I shave every other day and really look forward to it.
The bit about it being cheaper is rubbish though! Unless you're very well disciplined, you'll soon be buying yourself several different razors, brushes, blades and lotions 🙂
And mind those shaving forums - they're as bad as here. What blade/soap for Glentress indeed!
This thread makes me want to join the Taliban and sternly enforce a policy of beards.
What's wrong with freshly-struck flint, a car wing-mirror and some cheap soap lather (preferably something you nicked from a hotel and mixed in a bucket)?
You bunch of girls. 😉
Right, the singlespeed of shaving sold me and I've taken the plunge.
I took the plunge after the last 'big' discussion on here. Used a Parker and a fresh Feather this morning after not having shaved for three days - very smooth shave. Enjoy and remember let the razor do the work (and an alum block).
fresh Feather
Out of interest, and I realise this is going to depend very much on several factors, how many shaves are people getting out of each blade?
I'm used to getting a fair few out of my Mach, but wouldn't mind a heads up before before I slice myself open.
I get around a two weeks worth.
Haze - Member
fresh Feather
Out of interest, and I realise this is going to depend very much on several factors, how many shaves are people getting out of each blade?I'm used to getting a fair few out of my Mach, but wouldn't mind a heads up before before I slice myself open.
3, maybe 4 shaves.
Per blade, or per edge?
poppa - Member
Per blade, or per edge?
Per blade.
Whilst shaving I switch the razor after, say every two strokes, so I get approximately the same usage out of each blade.
The blades cost between 10p and 20p, so the cost per shave isn't very much in comparison to the multi-bladed cartridges.
Been using a Rocket HD(British version) with various blades.
Second all previous sentiments of using a DE over anything else.
since I only shave once or twice a week anyway, I often treat myself to a new blade quite often. Sometimes after only 2 shaves. Sometimes more like 5 or 6. If the first few strokes dont feel super sharp, I'll quickly bung in a new blade. At <20p a blade you can afford to be decadent 🙂
Yep 4-5 shaves before changing, you know when it needs changing by feel.
Haze - use it like a normal multi blade and there wont be any slicing!
I get 2 or 3 shaves per blade. As soon as it starts to drag I swap for a new one. I used to get 4 or 5 out of my Mach3, but the blades cost a fortune by comparison. I do seem to have a wire-brush-like beard though.
I'm still going through my 90 blade sample pack so haven't decided which are best for my razors.
At <20p a blade you can afford to be decadent
I bet that's what the Romans said - and look what happened to them.
On a side note, one of the trickier aspects of my job is having to give some poor old admitted-in-a-hurry geezer a proper shave - whilst using only a pathetic plastic Bic thing ("decent" disposable razors not being a funding priority). A bad workman blames his tools, sure, but sometimes there is good reason...
When I say <20p, I actually mean about 2p - once you've melted down the coin though 🙂
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6766563.stm
The grocer confessed to melting down tens of thousands of Indian coins into razor blades which were then smuggled into Bangladesh, police said."Our one rupee coin is in fact worth 35 rupees, because we make five to seven blades out of them," the grocer allegedly told the police. "Bangladeshi smugglers take delivery of the blades at regular intervals."
[i]Our one rupee coin is in fact worth 35 rupees, because we make five to seven blades out of them[/i]
Inventive. You have to admire the [clean-shaven] cheek.
Mind you, I only shave with razors made from melted down on-one frames.
FAO whoever put the tag up ^^^^
Have you done the arithmetic? I have 🙂
With a fusion I got 3 shaves
With a mach 3, I get 5 shaves
With a DE, I get (max) 3 shaves.
So with the DE I need to change the blades more often. However, I prefer the feel of the post-shave results (so does MrsG) and it's cheaper:
Fusion = £2.12 per blade (£16.99 for 8 from Boots)
Mach3 = £1.43 per blade (£11.46 for 8 from Boots)
DE = £0.17 per blade (£0.84 for 5 Derby blades from shaving.ie)
Therefore, the fusion will cost me £15 a month, the mach3 £6.13 a month and the DE £1.70 a month - approx.
The price may go up a bit as I try different DE blades, but should still fall short of the Mach3.
Sorry for the delay in replying, I had bed and then work. The link Joolsburger posted ^^ is the same cheapy razor I have.
Stoner > thanks for the link. Do you recommend those blades, I wouldn't be better off perhaps with a broader selection of fewer blades?
Sharkbait > Seriously? Wow, that'd be ace, thankyou. Email address might be in my profile, unless I'm a chump.
Woody > Noted, thanks for the info.
Chewkw > Yeah, I -think- my technique is ok. Could well need practice but I think I've got a handle on the basics at least.
Interesting.
Shaving every day I get at least two weeks out of a Mach 3 (14 shaves) and maybe 3 out of my DE blades so:
Mach 3 = £2.83 a month
DE = £1.70 a month.
so not as big a saving as it might seem at first.
Cougar - you could try this selection from shaving.ie
http://www.shaving.ie/products/Two-Of-A-Kind-DE-Blade-Sample-Pack.html
I just havent used them before and just linked shaving-shack. As I mentioned before I like the unbranded israeli ones that SS do.
<nods> cool. I'll give it some thought (or flip a coin). Ta. (-:
Try the King of Shaves AZOR with King of Shaves shaving gel.
I shave every bloody morning for work and this is by far the best solution I have found- way better than Mach 3 etc.
Cheap and safe shaving.
I'm amazed by all these people getting a week+ out of Mach 3 and DE blades. I lob Mach 3 blades after 3 or 4 shaves, and DE blades I change every other shave. I can get a week and a bit out of the Hydro blades but that's pushing it.
Back in the day when I was a Mach 3 turbo shaver I used to get 7 or 8 shaves out of cartridge before I had to chuck them and I used to be able to get a decent shave out of them.
However, I would not go back to cartridge shaving I enjoy my DE shaving too much and now that I have a decent sized stash I can play around with different combinations of brush and soap plus blade and razor.
I know it is a bit geeky, but hey ho 😆
I would rather get up a bit early to do my shaving then to throw my hard earn cash away for 10mins quicker shave so slight inconvenience is fine for me. I also enjoy shaving now. 🙂
chewkw
I agree.
I used to shave with an electric shaver, then went onto a Mach 3, but now use a beautiful Merkur 570 Chrome Progress DE Safety Razor. DE shaving is the way forward, its not just cheaper in the long run but it also gives you a much closer shave. Ive used the Hydro 5 from WS and its pretty average. I would also reccomend a decent shaving cream like Trumpers and would also say you must lather with a decent shaving brush like a Kent. This helps to improve the quality of the shave as it lifts the hairs from the face and really lubricates the skin.
4 days growth and timed it from starting to fill the sink to end of washing stubble off sink, and applying aftershave balm. 2 passes and taking it quite leisurely as I forgot about the time until I put the razor back back where my watch was.
Brand new feather blade in a Merkur HD head with a Hoffritz handle (niche huh!), badger brush and Mitchell's wool fat shaving soap, in case anyone is interested 🙄
Total time 7min 35 seconds and 6 hours later my face still feels like a babies bum 😀
Does it look like one too though?
Razor arrived today, but haven't had time to pick up a styptic pencil. To shave or not to shave...
3 or 4 shaves with one blade? Blimey my Venus lasts months doing legs armpits and bits. Can't remember the last time I changed it. Sort of feel sorry for you lot having to do it every day though. Must be right pain
emsz - Member3 or 4 shaves with one blade? Blimey my Venus lasts months doing legs armpits and bits. Can't remember the last time I changed it. Sort of feel sorry for you lot having to do it every day though. Must be right pain
Because they are blue bearded (wire tough beard).
Your Venus might last months but do you get baby bottom smooth shave on your legs & armpits after a while? Or your hairs might be softer. It might also be the fact that face is more sensitive to blunt blade while legs & armpits might not or at least not so smooth.
😀
