His post is verbatim what I was going to put up. So for me, I've tried everything from varying the type of lather (soap, differing creams and gels, oils), the razor (used 1 blade all the way to 4 vibrating blades) and it's always the same.

There are things I can do to ease the pain, but it always hurts to some degree and it's never close enough for more than half a day. I'm probably going to try the straight shave here soon out of shear frustration.

Tried all of this. The soap is horrid. I think using a bar of Irish Spring would be better. I have used all of the razors to varying effectiveness. One razor works well for a short while, and then I have to go on to something different. I think the cheap foams work better than the expensive gels. The gels seem like they shatter the razor. I don't think that there is much difference between using a foam or shaving with straight water.

I do have a thick beard. If I use disposables, I use one for one shave and trow it away. If I haven't shaved for a few days, I will use two or three and toss them. A friend has a thin beard but has the same problem with pain.

I heard that the closest possible shave is to use: Menthol, shaving cream, straight razor, menthol, but you should only do that once a week or two.

The surgery only cost $500 or so. I think it would pay for itself in less than a year.

Otherwise, I think this is a good post, and it would definitely be something to save in the faves and look into over next month.

i use the exact same pre shave, and a non alcohol moisturizing after shave with my electric... i clean the blades with alcohol and hydrogen peroxide every now and then and replace them every 6 months..... and i constantly get razor burn and ingrown hairs

i'm gonna give this wet shave thing a go

Just FYI, at my local Costco (in Southern California) they are selling a starter wet shaving kit from The Art Of Shaving for $20. This includes pre-shave oil, shaving cream, aftershave balm, and a badger brush. $20 is a ridiculous price, so next time you're in Costco, check to see if they have it.

Thanks, Good lookin' out!

i just shave in the shower with the mach 3. does the job fine.

Men-u Ultra Concentrated Healthy Face Wash
Woody's Exfoliating Pre-Shave
California North Pacific Foam Shaving Gel
Sharps Daily Prep Tuner
Baxter of California After-Shave Balm
Bacter of California Super Shape SPF15

Depening on time I'll use a Merkur Vision or a Mach 3. I'm using the Min2 for irritation but not overly happy with it. Twice a week scrub with California North Gelskin Scrub.

Some tidbits I've picked up along my journey to becoming a clean-shaven gentleman:

1. Hot water opens the pours. Cold water closes them and tightens the skin. You should always have open pours before you shave, and then splash cold water on after to prevent ingrown hairs.

2. Hot water is not good for the skin. I know this goes against #1, but we have to be practical. Steam in a hot shower is fine, as is putting a warm towel on the beard part of your face. But washing your face daily, particularly the skin under your eyes, in hot water (especially "hot as you can stand it" like someone said) is not good. You will age quickly that way. I can't keep warm water off my face, but I never splash it directly on my face. I let it hit my hand first and then touch my face with it. It doesn't seem as harsh that way and I can keep it off the tender parts of my face. If I am washing my face, I use cool water.

3. If you have trouble with razor bumps, you need to take your time shaving. I can't stress this enough. You should be like a surgeon with it. Make sure every stroke is going with the grain. If you're like me, you're beard goes in all different ways. You have to learn the contours of your neck and figure out when to change direction. I go up some, down some, sideways, sideways/down, sideways up...Get a magnifying mirror and look at the whiskers to see which way they fall. Also, the slower you go, the closer your shave will be.

4. Most preshave and aftershave stuff has never helped me one bit. I really wish it would because it feels good to put it on and it smells good... but nope. Maybe that's just me.

5. I found that a stiff disposable blade works best for me, because I can guide it easily. The swivel ones are too tough to control.

Hope this helps someone.

There are some good videos on wet shaving on YouTube.

While I generally eschew metro-esque male primping, I have gotten into wet shaving recently and thoroughly enjoy it.

I got a 1958 Gillette Super Speed razor for six bucks on Ebay. Israeli Personna blades. I have one of the sampler packs from a Badger poster on the way.

Proraso shave cream. Crabtree & Evelyn $35 'best' brush.

I also use an alum block after the shave for antibacterial affect. I think I'm getting another for a deodorant.

How is a safety razor different from, say, a Mach 3?


edit: just found out that it is the same thing. don't understand how there is a thread about this new and wonderful thing, which i've been doing with nothing but a razor and a bar of soap, since i was 15?

Not new, but part of what makes it 'wonderful' to me is rediscovering a lost male art.

A Mach 3 with canned goo is a world away from a warm lather whipped up with and applied by a badger hair brush, shaved with a single edge precision-machined blade.

Edit: Jeebus, youtube is fast these days. I watched the Today show thing ten minutes ago, now it's been nuked. Anyway, the guy from shaveblog did a segment on Today a couple years ago on wetshaving which got the thing going as a trend.

I completely shave my head this way. I shave in the shower with very hot water and it works very well. I can get my skin stubble-free smooth without any lotions or lathers. The key is always how sharp the razor is. An old razor doesn't do nearly as good as a fresh one.

Does anyone know of a good razor for traveling? I currently use a Merkur Vision and want something less bulky.

indeed

From what I've gathered I don't need oils or pre shave stuff (I have a fairly light "beard" Team Azia IMO). But post shave... I'm quite confused. I've read like 18 million different things and found a litany of stuff for combination skin. But I'm still not sure what to rub on my face after I hack it apart during my learning process.

Hold my hand? Pick out my clothes?


http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12205


Note: Between this and the Oil Cleansing, I feel like I'm going to end up with a very Bateman-esque morning routine.

While I'm not an expert here, I am going to say that it will depends on your skin type. I've never required anything post-shave, and I only use a normal face lotion to keep the skin moist. It's likely there will be best approaches depending on your skin.

Thank you. I have "combination skin" as its called. I did decide on a product.

http://mamabearssoaps.com/index.php?...&products_id=3

davet, this may seem like a really dumb question, but just to make sure, are you shaving against the grain?

wanted to throw out some thoughts i have had over my first few weeks of shaving:

1) be carefull what razor handle you buy. being the donk i am i just went out and got Merkurs most expensive razor (vision) and found out that its not meant for a beginner to be using. it doesn't give much room for error and even when adjusted to the smallest blade exposure is aggressive. i am waiting for my much cheaper (but wtill widely loved) Merkur HD.

2) watch mantics videos (well the relative ones, i dont need to see straight razor demos) i found the lathering videos to be great.

3) realize you are learning a new skill and be patient. the first few shaves should NOT be all that great. two N to S passes are whats recommended to begin with, after a while after a while an across the grain and other moves.

4) when you use a MACH3 you are getting 3 passes in one, but only the first is lubricated. when traditional wet shaving is done multiple passes (each one lathered) is required. so don't expect to finish your shave in one pass. ie dont be aggressive.

i am still learning but figured i would share some simplistic stuff that i have read and/or implemented and experienced.

so far i like it. you can feel the quality of the products you are usuing and i dont see shaving as some horrible chore now. my shaves havent been perfect but they seem to get better each time.

oh another thing, try andf memorize which way your grain grows on your neck, on your face its alomost always N>S but on the neck it tends to be crazy. shaving ATG around my adams(which oddly is S>N, while most of my neck is N>S) apple causes both cuts and bumps. shaving WTG, pretty smooth.

My Equipment and Routine:

Out from shower, splash of hot water followed by Noxzema Regular (in red can, a bit hard to find sometimes, not green aloe can) and let sit appr. 1 min before shaving. 1 pass w the grain and 1 against on my face and then one against the grain on the neck works for me.

The Noxzema seems to penetrate the skin for a significantly longer time than other creams to me.

I use cheap twin blade disposables. Nothing I've found for any money seems an improvement. I can replace them frequently for blade sharpness and the light weight and small size make maneuvering simple. I hate heavy weight blades and flexing or rotating ones seem just dumb to me. Recipe for disaster and inefficiency...


3. When I need to be fast or for a break I use an original Remington Microscreen electric. circa 1979 (man I'm old...sigh) Thing is a true warrior. It's been thru multiple parts changes and batteries and parts are still easily available and it works like new. Tried the newer ones but nothing has the power of this thing. (kinda like an old vacuum i have that outsucks any modern vacuum. WTF is with that?)

Hope this helps.

wow i am glad i am not your face.

I've got pretty much the same setup as the OP does (brush, razor, Art of Shaving products). So glad I made the switch from Gillette gel that I put on with my fingers. Once you get your technique down, it doesn't take but a couple minutes longer to do the whole oil, brush, lather routine.

I used the Art of Shaving stuff with the Fusion for a while, but gave the Fusion up and got a Merkur razor. I started out using Merkur blades, but switched to Derby blades and get a better and less bloody first shave with those. I don't quite have my technique down 100%, so the sharper Merkurs would make me pay more often. You can get 100 Derby blades on Amazon for $20 (!) compared to four Fusion blades for $16 or more. That's easily a year's supply of blades. So I have no second thoughts about tossing a dull blade. I get as close of a shave or closer with the Derbys as I got with the Fusion.

If you want to learn how to shave like this from a pro, suggest you go get a straight razor shave and ask the barber for a shaving consultation. They will tell you everything you need to know about how to shave your face, where your grain goes and where it switches, and all that stuff. And your face is oh so smooth after they get done. I've had two Art of Shaving straight razor shaves, and these are some tips I've picked up from the barbers.

- Blades should be good for four-six shaves at most, then throw it out. Dull blades are a big source of irritation.
- Shaving too hard is another big irritant. Be gentle!
- If you pay attention, you can feel where the grain on your beard switches direction. If you feel the razor "catch" on your whiskers, that's where the grain switches.
- The pre-shave oil should be applied before your first pass and before your second "against the grain" pass.
- One barber told me that shaving isn't always about getting the absolute closest shave you can get. She said she never shaves directly against the grain because that's the easiest way to get razor burn and bumps. She shaves across (perpendicular to) the grain. For me, some places on my face can't get very smooth without shaving against the grain, but I don't do that every time.
- After shaving, rinse with hot water to get everything off your face. Then rinse with cold water to close your pores and minimize irritation. Irritation and razor burn is like a bruise.

ScottieK

This is from a skin care discussion site I use to read.

1. Before you begin to shave, check the way your beard grows. The general rule is to shave in the direction of your hair growth. Usually the beard grows downward toward your neck. But on the neck, hair typically grows in the direction of your chin.

2. Take a warm water shower or use a very warm, damp towel to open your pores and soften your beard. Never use hot water; it dehydrates skin.

3. Apply Anthony Logistics glycolic facial cleanser to your warm, damp skin. The cleanser buffs away surface skin and fine lines. It also prevents ingrown hairs and razor burn. Rinse off with warm water.

4. Avoid cheap shaving creams, gels, or foams! The price may seem right. But these products use numbing agents like Benzocaine which close pores and make your beard very difficult to shave.

5. Apply a shave cream or shave gel in a thin, even layer on your face and neck. Don't use too much. The razor will clog and skip. If you're not in too much of a hurry, let the cream or gel soften your beard for a minute or two. Also, make sure you replace your razor after three or four shaves. If you have a heavier beard, change your razor more frequently.

6. Throughout your shave, use your free hand to keep your skin taut and as flat as possible. This will give you a very close shave, without cuts or nicks. Use short strokes, starting with side burns, cheeks, and neck. Finish with the upper lip and chin. Your whiskers are much heavier here, so the cream or gel will have them whipped into submission by the time you get around to shaving them.

7. Frequently rinse your razor under hot water. If necessary, tap it on the sink to remove clogged hair and cream or gel. This keeps the blade sharp and clean throughout your shave.

8. When you're done, rinse off your face with cool water. Gently pat your face dry. Do not rub.

9. Never use a cheaper, alcohol-based aftershave. The alcohol stings and dries out your skin. Instead, finish your shave with a moisturizing aftershave balm or gel. It'll keep your skin soft and hydrated. If you have oily skin, a low-alcohol astringent is an acceptable alternative.

I picked up a cheap one on Amazon. I forget the brand. It came in a plastic blue box with a miniature mirror. My home based double edge is a Merkur, and the travel one doesn't do quite as well because the safety bar is a bit different or something. The blades that came with it were not very good, but no big deal, I just use my normal blades. I figured I would just get something I didn't mind losing much. I use the same cream traveling now, I just get it in a tube instead of a tub. I have also tried a little can of the Art of Shaving stuff and it is pretty good.

At home the normal routine is George Trumper cream with a badger brush, the Merkur razor with Wilkinson blades, and rinsing with water and then the old school alcohol based Clubman after shave. Smells like an old barbershop or something. I have tried the Trumper face food and it doesn't seem to add much. I was a bit surprised by the Wilkinson blades, as for me they are smoother than Merkurs. I have not yet tried Feathers or Derbys, as I have only been using the safety razor 6-8 months.

For those who haven't tried shaving like this, it was the lack of the travel razor that convinced me the multi blade standard razor was junk. I switched to the safety razor at home, and after about a month went on a trip and went back to the multiblade thing since I didn't have a travel safety razor. After using a safety razor going back to the heavily marketed modern razor felt like scraping my face with a carpentry tool or something.

Scored myself a Merkur HD and a Moss scuttle for Christmas. Go me!