[Closed] The Bearded Colonel Subscription - Worth It?

How about an electric razor?

I use a Fusion blade a month so £25 for 8 Gillette blades seems good value to me.

Do yourself a massive favour and get an old fashioned setup, I started DE shaving about 6 years ago and never considered once going back to expensive blades.

1st get on to Ebay and buy a nice razor, something like a Gillette SuperSpeed, I use a 1950's one which is lovely. Nothing adjustable or too fancy -- £30 (probably delivered from USA)

2nd, Amazon for a brush, shaving cream and blades
Proraso Professional Boar Hair Shaving Brush -- £10
Proraso Shaving Soap Jar (large) 150ml -- £6
100 Astra Superior Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades and Arko Shaving Cream Soap Stick -- £10

I use each blade twice or 3 times so that's a weeks worth for me so that's 2 years of shaving for £60 and you won't need to replace your razor...ever.

Personally, when I [i]used[/i] to wet shave, I found that generic Boots own brand 'Gillette contour compatible' blades were perfectly ok, at £3.99 for 10.

That's OK if you've run out of blades but at £10 for 100 I'd be using Amazon 🙂

agree with love badger, except I got 200 blades for a tenner in an eBay auction - and at about the same shaving frequency, its £60 for almost 4 years of shaving for me.

Just beware all blades are not the same...I've settled now on the Astra blades and they seem to suit my skin. I imagine there are better out there but for 10p a blade they suffice so I haven't looked around.

I get a smashing shave with this setup though and would never consider going back 🙂

I subscribe to Cornerstone which I believe is very similar to Bearded Colonel. I've tried everything, including old school as above, and always suffered from shaving rash if I shave too often, i.e. more than 2 - 3 times a week. With Cornerstone, no rash or discomfort so to me it's more than worth it. It may not be for everyone but it works for me.

Lovebadger, I like the sound of your setup! I am interested in getting something like this. I don't get in with the Gillette or wilkinson razors, tried one called bold king and it's ok but not great.

Did you try loads of different blades before settling in that brand? I shave daily as well so will the deterioration be noticeable?

My mum always told me never to buy food from a thin chef or razor blades from a bearded colonel

Edit: and my own experience of food from a bearded colonel was pretty poor too 🙂

LOL at all this "playing at being a grown-up" hipster stuff. "DE" shaving? Who'd have thought it would come to this.

Anybody use a cut-throat?

OP - agreeing with lurvebadger again - it took a few different brands of blades before i found one to suit.

I got a mixed brand pack on ebay before buying the four years supply.

Buy one of these and save ££££££££s on disposable blades.

I get about a month out of a blade, minimum, shaving 5 times a week

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Razorpit-RP-O-B-Razor-Blade-Sharpener-x/dp/B004W2UMDW

Ashleydwsmith...I tried half a dozen types of blade and almost stuck with a few types but then tried something else and realised that they were even better. The Astra blades may suit you and at £10 are worth a go.

Many 'experts' will tell you that it is the prep that is the most important part, I'm not so sure but it doesn't take much time at all to use a brush and soap which is why I've never gone back to foam or gel out of a can. I even look forward to running out of soap so I can try another type but it doesn't happen very often.

Nico, not sure about this 'playing at being a grown-up' thing, I just shave because I have to and I'm too tight to pay £2 a blade. I also found the new razors could be too big and awkward to get in to different places. If everyone believes that the new Mach xx from Gillette is the best and doesn't mind paying the price that's fine but it's not for me. I have tried a straight razor but it takes too long and I have other hobbies 🙂

Do yourself a massive favour and get an old fashioned setup, I started DE shaving about 6 years ago and never considered once going back to expensive blades.

This. There have been many threads and recommendations on here previously.

LOL at all this "playing at being a grown-up" hipster stuff. "DE" shaving? Who'd have thought it would come to this.

Better that than paying ten quid for three shit cartridges. If you have one blade that's any good, you don't need four more dragging along pointlessly behind it.

So thought this was going to be about KFC - is disappoint. 🙁

Do yourself a massive favour and get an old fashioned setup, I started DE shaving about 6 years ago and never considered once going back to expensive blades.

We've just hit peak-STW.

What is DE shaving?

To be fair I've tried almost everything over the years, electric rotary, electric flat, disposables, gillete mach stuff and flat blades. Now I just use a electric beard trimmer set on the lowest. Never tried cut throat other than in a Kathmandu barber. Luckily I don't work somewhere where clean shaving is required, I don't think I could face it everyday anymore. I really don't. 😐

Anybody use a cut-throat?

3 blade razors from Aldi, £3.90 or so for 5 refills. Great.

A company that sells shaving implements calls itself the bearded colonel. That's crap marketing. Might start buying beard balm from the shiny faced Sergeant

Vader - Member

What is DE shaving?

Google 'double edge' or 'safety razor'
I bought one two years ago after a thread on here, also look at the shave nation vids on YouTube.

*lovebadger*

Will the brush and soap last that long? I'm fed up with buying mach 3 blades...

this used to be a popular post on here, what de razor and all that. its what got me started on it, was fed up with paying heaps for mach 3 basically... maybe 5 years ago or so.

to give it a go i just bought a cheap lord de razor for about a fiver that came with a couple of blades, a cheap turkish soap stick off ebay and gave it a go.

i've never bought another disposable razor.

i'm not particularly fussy about how i shave, just some shaving gel from sainsburys, 20quid or so edwin jagger that i've had for years and some blades off ebay. i shave in the shower simple as that.

give it a go, but as has been said definitely play around with blades to find ones that suit you. trial packs are very cheap off ebay and its fun to experiment. i bought a pack with some bic ones recently and they are possibly the best blade i've used, which surprised me to be honest as i wasnt expecting them to be any good.

DE shaving is too slow and faffy.

Kings of Shaves shaving serum (the green one), Gillette Hydro (the battery powered vibrating one) and the Hydro 3 blades.

Each blade cartridge lasts ages (weeks) and it's lubrication helps to start and then when it runs out you just use a bit more shaving serum.

The 3 blades as they clear better, but the powered handle from the 5 bladed version as it is useful when clearing those pesky bits on the neck.

The Hydro doesn't have that stupid paper based lubrication strip that just about every other type has, and which is the bit that 'wears' out first and causes all the drag that makes you think the blades are blunt.

I've done most of the main ones, like Mach, Fusion, and this is much better.

Also got a decent DE but life is too short...

£10.00 for 2 years worth of blades, and I'm a clean shaven business executive.

Anybody use a cut-throat?

It's five quid for a trial on bearded colonel so I gave it a go.

Makecoldplayhistory...the brush will last 10 years easy and the soap lasts me at least a year, I've got a badger brush which is good but the Proraso brush is great for a tenner and that's what I use when I work away from home so I've got a couple of setups :), It's a bit harder than my badger brush but you can really feel it working wonders on your stubble 🙂

TurnerGuy...I don't know which bit is slow...wet a brush, swish it in the soap and slop it on your chops...shave with whichever blade you want, be it a Mach27 or a traditional razor and you're done. Maybe it's my skin but I don't feel like I need any of this extra hydration and my old 50's razor doesn't need batteries 🙂

NJA...you can't say we didn't try to get you shaving the old fashioned way but see how you get on...

DE shaving is too slow and faffy.

I thought that at first, but it's just a case of getting used to it. I'm as quick (or quicker) now with a DE as I was with the Gillette Sensor Turbo XR3i Ninja Vibro Stealth Edition. The only tricky bit I find now is shaping with the larger DE head (edging sideburns / beard) and I'm getting there.

I don't know which bit is slow...wet a brush, swish it in the soap and slop it on your chops..

There's nothing to stop you using modern shaving foam / gel rather than a brush either. I found that using a brush & soap made a big difference, but if I'm in a hurry a can of $stuff is perfectly serviceable.

I switched to a brush before I got a DE razor, but TBH there's no reason why you couldn't do it the other way around. Paying silly money for razor cartridges is a mug's game.

Do yourself a massive favour and...

I love the idea that someone called love badger is recommending shaving brushes. 😀

TurnerGuy - Member
DE shaving is too slow and faffy...

It is if you subscribe to all the faff.

Like fixed wheel bikes it's actually dead simple (and reliable).

I have been using the same DE razor for 50 years, an adjustable Gillette. Run it under the hot tap after my shower, shave, rinse, put away. No magic lotions, no mess. Job done.

I've been using The Bearded Colonel for a year or so and am perfectly happy with their blades. I used to hate the expense of Gillette blades but now I just pay BC by DD so don't notice. I also love post so like them coming in a wee parcel every month or so.

Dogsby

If you run a disposable blade the non-cutting direction down your forearm about 10-15 times it will put a decent edge back on it.

Instructions unclear. I'm now bleeding out on my bathroom floor...

Recomend me a DE razor. Ideally ebay and under £20

I shave about every 3 days, and usually only downhill/with the grain.

Wet shave with foam from a tin and cheap disposables.

No shaving rash, no spots, no ingrowing hairs, very cheap.

Also have a Philips electric shaver I use occasionally, and for special occasions I set shave properly, up and down, but you can only tell by the touch that it's closer, though obviously it lasts a day or two more.

Ampthill...don't know what you get for £20, I'd recommend something like [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nice-Z2-Gillette-Flair-Tip-Super-Speed-1954-Safety-Razor-w-Red-Case-Blade-/122309535310?hash=item1c7a37664e:g:70EAAOSwA3dYeBEd ]this[/url] for £47, only 63 years old so nearly new and you'll have it for a lifetime

I was looking at this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Parker-22R-Double-Edge-Safety-Razor-Same-Day-Postage-Before-1PM-/132055107713?hash=item1ebf190881:g:RswAAOxyA4ZRIiTN

the advice from anyone that doesn't shave every day means bugger all, imho...

I shave about every 3 days, and usually only downhill/with the grain.

Wet shave with foam from a tin and cheap disposables.

No shaving rash, no spots, no ingrowing hairs, very cheap.

With the wire wool that grows out of my face, if I did that I'd a) still be beardy and b) look like I'd been bobbing for chips.

I was looking at this

Search for "Merkur."

Eg,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Safety-Razor-Merkur-Classic-Double-Edge-Safety-Razor-33C-/262791926433