I have to believe a lot of you are doing this, digging it and have a lot to share. I’m shocked there isn’t already a forum. I just started, and I can already see the parallels to other addictive things, like pinball, booze, beers, and fun hobbies.

I’m embarrassed at how many videos I’ve already watched on how to properly lather a soap versus a cream, and the merits of badger versus boar versus synthetic brushes. Of course the double edged safety razor deserves a topic of its own.

I’m 54 (as of last week) had never got a decent, close, smooth shave in my life until I started using the brush and proper cream/soaps a few months ago. I’d been using a badger brush with some Jack Black cream and some (really) old Colgate puck soap for the last few months (with my Gillette multi-blade razors) before going all in on the DE safety razor and quality tallow soap for XMas.

So here’s my current situation: I’ve now shaved twice with my Merkur 34C and the blade it came with. I have 120 blades of different brands and types at the ready when needed. I received Barrister and Mann shave soap (Dickens) and a sampler of Chiseled Face soaps for Christmas, and I’ve now shaved 3 times with the safety razor (twice with the CF “‘Bay rum” soap and once with Dickens). The scent of these soaps is to freaking die for.

I can see is being a very enjoyable thing for the rest of my life. I’ve never had a closer shave or more enjoyment shaving. I look like one of those fresh, clean cut dudes with a baby face now, instead of a shadow right after I finish shaving!

I have the Proraso pre-shave cream and a couple of their after shave balms. I haven’t tried their soaps or creams. I don’t like their eucalyptus scent too much.

I asked for ToBS Coconut shave cream for Christmas but got sinething different. Buying different soaps will be expensive, but it’s fun! The aromas of these things are amaze-balls.

All other things being equal, wet shaving is way cheaper than the multi-cartridge and can of Edge approach.

Shaving in shower is definitely better for the face. I’ve been wet shaving in front of the mirror as I learn the ways of the safety razor. Once I have that down, it’s back to the shower.

Awesome! Glad to see some of you guys going for it. It really makes. Difference.

I failed to mention using an “alum block”. Perfect thing to stop any nicks from bleeding.

Re: popcorn, we buy the Wabash oil and Flavacol salt and our popcorn tastes just like the old time movie popcorn..without adding butter. Haven’t worried about a specific popcorn yet. But if you have a “must try” reco...

Say what?

I’m getting consistently closer shaves using my new soap and DE, but man I’m all over the place with my technique and needing multiple passes over trouble spots. Probably getting a little more irritation than I need to, learning razor angle, but not cutting myself at all.

Looking forward to when I can confidently shave in the shower with my DE without needing a mirror. The DE is a different animal.

Here’s my current set up:

774525E3-F3F9-4956-889A-ED326BD37A52 (resized).jpeg

Stirling is terrific. Have bought a bunch of their stuff. Mostly samples, but will buy full products when gone.

So I’m two years in to this now. The samples are finally running out and I have a good sense of what I like and what works for me. I think you can always get a good shave with practically any gear if you’re careful with your technique, but some products stand out.

Of the soaps I’ve tried, Barrister & Mann, WSP (Formula T) and Grooming Dept. offer the whole package: comfort, glide, slickness and post face feel. And through the holidays, B&M just offer up some amazing seasonal products. Their scents are original and usually fantastic.

There are aLOT of good and compelling after shaves out there, and I haven’t tried most (!), but Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements (PAA) is pretty amazing. They have a bigger selection of fragrances than anyone and a lot of care goes into making a fantastic aftershave. Your face feels spectacular using them. I was a huge fan of Paco Rabanne in the 80’s and PAA’s dupe takes me back! Al Fin is another PAA knock out. Chiseled Face after shave remains a winner - Summer Storm and Sherlock rock! Such interesting scents and a terrific dose of menthol. Clubman products offer the best bang for the buck. So many choices, good smells, good quality! B&M’s stuff is great. Stirling has a great selection of scents and the price is right, but the performance is just OK.

The best thing about two years of experience is the techniques I’ve learned. In the beginning I couldn’t make a proper lather to save my life and it took forever. Now I can whip up a perfect lather in about 20 seconds. Summer of 2019 I found my wife’s grandpa’s old Gillette Superspeed razor (1954!) at the lake cottage and cut my face to ribbons trying to use it. I was going to give it away, but this past summer, I pulled it off the shelf and got a near perfect shave out of it. Been using it ever since. Technique is everything.

I’ve learned I like a more aggressive razor and can handle a sharp blade, although milder blades are ok. I absolutely require a sharp blade with a mild razor.

The reward is amazingly close shaves, that leave for your face gleaming. I think I look younger with a close shave, and definitely better. The over-priced cartridges never worked well for me. I used them over 30 years and got crappy shaves the whole time. The story behind these is fascinating too. Once the patents expired on their DE razor designs, Gillette knew they needed a new money maker, so they invented the multi-blade razor and convinced everyone they were “new and improved”. Irony is they’re worse and more expensive. Kinda like some of the latest pinball machines nowadays!

So, any other new reports out there, from Pinside shavings dens?

This works for women too. Cheaper and smoother shaves. It’s a great combo.

lol! Point taken. I wouldn’t go near my balls with a DE razor! Although it would be great practice for skin stretching.

Not sure how often you shave, but $20 per year sounds very cheap for cartridges. How many shaves you getting out of one cartridge?

For comparison, I got a razor blade sampler pack 2 years ago. Cost under $20 bucks on Amazon. Lots of blades. Have no idea how many brands etc. just lots of 5 pack and 10 pack “tucks” of razor blades. I pretty much shave every day now, even in quarantine, because now shaving is such a pleasure. I’m still working through that sample pack of blades two years later.

That’s basically an alum block, and I use one. It heals as well as gives you feedback on how well your shave went. No sting, good technique, sting, your angle was wrong.

Yeah, but you see, it hasn’t been around forever. Straight razors have, and single blade razors for a century. And they were just fine with one blade. Better even. Then “they” over thought it with 3, and then 5, and where dies it stop?

And it’s almost impossible to cut yourself with a multi blade razor. Because the way they’re designed is to first pull the hair up out of your skin, and then lop it off with another blade that probably barely touches your face. This can lead to ingrown hairs and razor bumps for many shavers, and there’s a whole industry just to deal with THAT problem, which could also be eliminated with single blade old school shaving.

Shaving in a hot shower is great for your face, but using goo out of a can that does little to prepare your face (for scraping a razor blade against it) isn’t how I roll now. I want to enjoy the smells of a fine shave soap (or cream) using a nice brush to whip it up into a face loving lather that actually protects and nourishes your face while you attack it with a razor. The brush also exfoliates your face and invigorates you’re whiskers, helping them stand to attention, ready to be mown down by seriously sharp steel.

We’re not over complicating anything. We’re savoring a process that was dumbed down so much over the years as to become a chore instead of something to look forward to. It’s also cheaper this way. You can spend a lot - and you will because it’s so enjoyable - but you don’t have to. Blades average about a dime a piece. A puck of shave soap will last you all year. A perfectly good razor can be had for $5. Or $15. Or $30. Or $300. Your choice.

Good call! I’ll post this now. I’ve got my eye on this. The rose gold gets me. Good stocking stuffer!

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Got my eye on this too. Sounds heavenly:

https://phoenixartisanaccoutrements.com/collections/space-nog/products/space-nog-seasonal-aftershave-cologne

Nice! One of these days, when I’ve worn down my soap supply, I need to try the fat. I dig that copper Captain’s Choice bowl. I had a lovely chile pepper red ceramic one that I dropped and broke. Which is ok, because all I do is face lather now anyways.

I just started using Feather blades and I love them. I actually think I prefer them in my Merkur 34C as opposed to my Muhle R41. Smoother shave. Although I’ll definitely try them in the Muhle again one of these days.

I have a tuck of Sharks, but haven’t noticed anything special there.

My latest addiction is buying EdT’s. So many great fragrances out there! It’s fun, and much cheaper than pinball. I bought the classic Halston Z-14 the other day, and it’s pretty cool. Starts out like lemon pledge. Literally like furniture polish. But when that dries down you get this cigar ashe like tobacco...but the lemon never goes away completely. It’s so damn different than modern frags, and definitely a macho artifact from the 1970’s.

Excellent. Yup, my shaving experience changed over night. If cartridges work for people, that’s great, but if anyone feels they’re getting a mediocre shave in any perspective, I’d bet $ that a DE razor will improve things.

That and understanding how to make a moist, cushiony lather that protects the face and allows the razor blade to glide as opposed to scrape the skin.

Overkill dude. You only need one.

Yeah, I figured , I’ve seen other funny pics like that before.