Advice Wanted: Complete budget shave setup

[Eben Stone]

Van Der Hagen Shaving Set (mug, soap, Brush) on Amazon for $19.99

I was amazed at how good the VdH soap is, considering how disappointed I was with the brush and bowl. The soap is very slick, even with hard water. Initial cost is low, but I threw the brush away after 7 shaves because the knot fell out, and the bowl now collects dust because it's too small.

 

[Jay21]

I was amazed at how good the VdH soap is, considering how disappointed I was with the brush and bowl. The soap is very slick, even with hard water. Initial cost is low, but I threw the brush away after 7 shaves because the knot fell out, and the bowl now collects dust because it's too small.

I really like the soap as well.

 

[SmokedStanley]

I was amazed at how good the VdH soap is, considering how disappointed I was with the brush and bowl. The soap is very slick, even with hard water. Initial cost is low, but I threw the brush away after 7 shaves because the knot fell out, and the bowl now collects dust because it's too small.

I really like the soap as well. Very impressed considering how cheap it is, last purchased 3-9.99 on amazon. Sorry to hear you had such bad luck on the brush, I have ben using a VDH Boar and Badger off and on for a couple years and they still look/work great. I heard a lot of the earlier ones had knot failures though. I have passed my VDH mug down to my son since I am using Old Spice mugs for all my soaps now.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Hello everyone. I would like help putting together a budget DE shave system. I have strayed over time and tried electric, cartridge, those all in one (one blade) type things. I want a complete, budget, no frill shave system. My goal is value for the money, not luxury. My goal is to shave, not collect. Function over pretty. Bang for the buck. Yet, I want quality, no stuff from Aliexpress. Here are my needs:
Sensitive skin
Shave soap/stick/cream with light or no fragrance...can trigger migraine. Arko shave stick, Williams used to work well.
Need DE safety Razor, soap/stick/cream, blades, value brush
There use to be a Gillette sensitive aftershave gel. It had a very light scent, but it is no longer made.

My goal is to shave on a budget while getting a far better shave than a Philips One Blade and without the crazy expense of a cartridge razor. I want to invest in quality yet basic tools. Think Ford F150 but the XL work truck, not the ultra platinum edition. Thank you for the help. Also, can you suggest online shave stores to purchase from? I live in a rural area so my only shave supply is CVS and Walmart. LOL Thank you for the help.

There are many good budget DE razors on the market, or you could go with a vintage Gillette Fat Handle Tech. As for blades, again there are many good brands, at a good price. I can recommend Gillette Sharp Edge, or Gillette Silver Blue blades or Tiger. As for a brush...any of the Omega boar brushes will give you years of shaving pleasure at a good price. Now when it comes to soaps, there are many unscented soaps on the market that are good shaving value. There have been many threads posted on good unscented soaps that you can search. I can recommend, Zingari Man Unscented, or NIL (Bartigan and Stark). Both are excellent. If you want a low scented aftershave you can try Nivea Sensitive, or if that is too strong, try just using an unscented drug store brand face cream. Or unscented With Hazel with no alcohol. Good luck.

 

[Albert V]

For blades it is best to start out with a good sample pack. Blades tend to be paired with the razor for best performance so a sample pack will help let you know which works best.

If you think you will incline to harder soap then look into a boar brush. They are inexpensive and excellent. I have owned four brushes in the past two years and the one I use now is my $10 Omega 10049 in red.

My starter razor was the Vikings Chieftan razor - which I do not recommend. If you go too cheap then you will end up paying more when you upgrade. After several razors over the past two years I have settled on the Rockwell 6S - stainless steal and guaranteed for life

 

[86-foxtrot]

Italianbarber.com is where I buy most of my shaving gear.

You can get a razor for under $20 and a brush for under $15.

My setup for March is a budget rig. The Baili razor was $6 (Italian Barber sells the same one for $10 and calls it the Quick Change), the brush was $23 (RazoRock 400) at Italian Barber, the soap was $5 on Amazon (they also make unscented), the blades were $10 for 100 on Amazon, and the mug was $3 at the local grocery store.

View attachment 1805172

I miss being able to buy VDH Luxury from Walmart and other big box stores.

 

[gpjoe]

Gillette Tech (or Superspeed)

Lots of good blades at $10 per 100 or less. I've found that most well known brands shave very much the same. Pick one, or get a sample pack. I bought 100 Astra SP right off and now have at least 700.

Lots of soaps/creams at 10 bucks. Being sensitive to scents, you can get a tub of unscented Stirling Soap for a bit more ($15).

Any $10 Omega boar, or $10 Razorock synthetic. Pick your size.

Old Spice and Aqua Velva aftershave. Get both from Walmart for under $10.

All in: $60, allowing $20 for a decent Tech.

In fact, this set up would be a slice of heaven for me.

 

[hairless wonder]

Lord L5 and L6 razors are really inexpensive, but because they're made with Zamak heads, they can break easily. A buddy of mine said his L5 broke in a week.

While Merkur, Muhle, and Edwin Jagger have better quality razors, most of the common ones are also made with Zamak heads. That said, from what I've read on other threads in the forum, Muhle at least replaced the thread portion with of the razor heads with brass instead of Zamak. Still, I'd steer away from them if you're looking for something that will last decades.

Instead, for more durable razors, your best bets are either razors made from stainless steel or brass. The former tend to be more expensive while the latter can be a little expensive (e.g., Fatip). Personally, my daily driver is a Fatip Grande Open Comb with nickel plating.

Many people complain about Fatip's quality control. The main issue being that they have difficulties aligning a razor blade. I've found the best way to resolve this particular problem is to place the top cap upside down on a towel (on my bathroom countertop) before loading my razor on the top cap and sliding the bottom cap in place after that. I then screw the handle in place (with the top cap still upside down on the towel on my countertop). This tends result in proper alignment for me 9 times out of 10.

Also, while I started with a Van der Hagen Luxury Shave kit, which I bought for $15 at Target, I don't really use anything from it anymore. The boar brush shed hairs with every shave. The soap, though, was excellent. But I believe VdH changed the formula for their Luxury soap. The mug worked okay, but I kept clanking the brush into the sides of the mug when making lather.

Instead, I'd recommend you get a good synthetic brush or a good Omega boar brush and use it with a puck of Haslinger shaving soap and a ceramic bowl with some pennies superglued to the bottom interior.

A Fatip Grande OC runs about $20.
An Omega boar brush is about $10.
A puck of Haslinger is also about $10.
A ceramic bowl and pennies is about $3.04.
Aqua Velva aftershave is about $7.00.
A pack of 100 LOI Titanium razors (on Amazon) is about $7.00.

All told, that comes out to about $57.00. But this setup should last you a long time.

 

[hairless wonder]

Also, The Razor Company has a 10% off sale (with a discount code) on its website through Wednesday. They have the nickel Fatip Grande OC for $19.99, Haslinger's Aloe Vera shave soap for $7.99, and the Omega 10065Y for $8.75 before the discount.

Also, because razor blades are such a YMMV issue, you might be better off getting a variety pack from Amazon (or Walmart's online site) or even making your own at razorbladesclub.com so you can try different blades before buying a 100 pack.

 

[zoidberg]

IMO there are often PIF's where almost no one throws their name in. I've given away blades, soaps, razors, brushes and so on. All of which could have been used to form the basis of not just a cheap kit but a free one.

 

[euro]

Fatip razors are pretty cheap but very good. Both the open comb and the closed comb, the closed comb costs more than the open comb but it's very mild. Even milder than the Merkur 34C HD.

Semogue brushes are affordable, I have one too and I have been using it for almost 13 years.

The prices can really differ between the US and the EU.

I can tell you that within a couple months or years you won't be a minimalist, you .... have .... been ... warned...

 

[AshleyC]

I think a more interesting variation of this question would be to set a "No greater than $______" amount and see what all can be squeezed into that limitation. We have to make this, fit into this, using this.

As far as a razor, I mostly recommend an adjustable. IMO, the best low cost adjustable right now is Yaqi's "The Final Cut". These are frequently on sale, and I got mine for $22 before shipping.

My second suggestion would be to try for a "Wild Card" find. Spend a weekend or so browsing the local flea markets, antique stores and malls, and thrift stores. I found a nice Gillette Super Speed "Red Tip" at a flea market last year for $5.

I found a brand new Merkur 34C HD at a TJ Maxx, on sale, for $5. But I think the glory days of finding awesome shave gear at TJ Maxx/Burlington/Marshall's are over. Yesterday, I found a a gold-plated Gillette Aristocrat, in carrying case, for $48. It's still there, at the antique mall, as I have the razors I need.

Searching around like that is fun. But I give you this warning. Going to a couple places and finding nothing, then going to a third place and finding a $20 Gillette Super Adjustable, still in the 70s packaging, unopened, can set up something like gambling addiction. No, I'm not kidding. It is a function of "operant conditioning", a psychological condition we are all hard-wired for. The fact that you only occasionally are rewarded for your searching is the same feeling you get when playing slot machines. And any notion of shaving on a budget will become a mockery. You will join the rest of us in the ranks of the shaving Nosferatu.

Soap...Arko. You get the mostus for the leastus. Brush, I don't know. I have 4 and none of them cost more than $20. Follow someone else's recommendations.

Alum block. Don't dismiss this as an unnecessary expense. And not just for rubbing on your face post-shave as an astringent. Use it as underarm deodorant too. Right out of the shower, still wet. You will wake up next morning and your armpits still won't smell. A full day later. You'll no longer need to spend on scented deodorant speed sticks. And alum is odorless, so it won't conflict with an aftershave or cologne, as a speed stick will.

 

[Umma2gumma]

Baili BD176 is a good mild yet efficient Tech clone. In my experience more efficient than the post-war Tech. $10 on Amazon, comes with a nice travel case. If you're looking for something slightly more aggressive, BT131 is under $9 and is amazing. You could probably find them a couple dollars cheaper if you don't have Prime, but with shipping it may still be about the same price. I have both razors and swear by them.

You said Arko works for you. It's my soap of choice. I picked it based on performance, but the price can't be beat either. It's currently $15 for 12 on Amazon, so $1.25 per stick. One stick lasts me 6-7 months of daily use.

Astra SP is my go-to blade. $8.40 per 100. I just tried the new blade made in India and it's just as good as the older Russian made ones.

So, for roughly $34 and tax you have a razor and over a year worth of shaving supplies - or longer depending on your use.

The only thing missing is the brush. I bought one brush five years ago and stuck with it, so I can't comment on the quality of cheap brushes. Mine was around $15 but I am sure that there are cheaper brushes out there.

 

[Snowman94]

Razorock has a lot of great choices, and many of the scents are light.

1. Triple milled-pucks are like $4.99 and last a long time.
2. Softer soaps in a tub can be found 5 oz. for $10 and even as low as $5 if on-sale.
3. Dead Sea is 8.5 ounces for $20, and works great. Probably the best-performing of the triad.

A Razorock Game Changer (I'd guess a .76 plate if they have them is a good sweet-spot) is a great value for money.

 

[Snowman94]

I think a more interesting variation of this question would be to set a "No greater than $______" amount and see what all can be squeezed into that limitation. We have to make this, fit into this, using this.
View attachment 1811239
As far as a razor, I mostly recommend an adjustable. IMO, the best low cost adjustable right now is Yaqi's "The Final Cut". These are frequently on sale, and I got mine for $22 before shipping.
View attachment 1811221
My second suggestion would be to try for a "Wild Card" find. Spend a weekend or so browsing the local flea markets, antique stores and malls, and thrift stores. I found a nice Gillette Super Speed "Red Tip" at a flea market last year for $5.
View attachment 1811232
I found a brand new Merkur 34C HD at a TJ Maxx, on sale, for $5. But I think the glory days of finding awesome shave gear at TJ Maxx/Burlington/Marshall's are over. Yesterday, I found a a gold-plated Gillette Aristocrat, in carrying case, for $48. It's still there, at the antique mall, as I have the razors I need.

Searching around like that is fun. But I give you this warning. Going to a couple places and finding nothing, then going to a third place and finding a $20 Gillette Super Adjustable, still in the 70s packaging, unopened, can set up something like gambling addiction. No, I'm not kidding. It is a function of "operant conditioning", a psychological condition we are all hard-wired for. The fact that you only occasionally are rewarded for your searching is the same feeling you get when playing slot machines. And any notion of shaving on a budget will become a mockery. You will join the rest of us in the ranks of the shaving Nosferatu.

Soap...Arko. You get the mostus for the leastus. Brush, I don't know. I have 4 and none of them cost more than $20. Follow someone else's recommendations.

Alum block. Don't dismiss this as an unnecessary expense. And not just for rubbing on your face post-shave as an astringent. Use it as underarm deodorant too. Right out of the shower, still wet. You will wake up next morning and your armpits still won't smell. A full day later. You'll no longer need to spend on scented deodorant speed sticks. And alum is odorless, so it won't conflict with an aftershave or cologne, as a speed stick will.

I concur with the Yaqi advice, FC shaves very well, gives the user options, etc. but OP said no alieexpress stuff. Maybe he could buy the branded version from Maggards and avoid aliexpress, but pay more: The Goodfellas' Smile Blazer Adjustable DE Safety Razor, Polished Finish - https://maggardrazors.com/products/the-goodfellas-smile-blazer-adjustable-de-safety-razor-polished-finish

 

[AshleyC]

I concur with the Yaqi advice, FC shaves very well, gives the user options, etc. but OP said no alieexpress stuff. Maybe he could buy the branded version from Maggards and avoid aliexpress, but pay more: The Goodfellas' Smile Blazer Adjustable DE Safety Razor, Polished Finish - https://maggardrazors.com/products/the-goodfellas-smile-blazer-adjustable-de-safety-razor-polished-finish

I missed the no Aliexpress bit. I understand the sentiment...but I'm posting these comments on a phone from that country, in a house full of items from that place.

 

[Umma2gumma]

Ter

I missed the no Aliexpress bit. I understand the sentiment...but I'm posting these comments on a phone from that country, in a house full of items from that place.

I ordered something from Ali in early February. It’s still not here and I can’t get any answers. The tracking info claims both “package destroyed” and the day later “address doesn’t exist” even though I’ve received something from Ali before. I am not sure if saving a couple dollars was worth all that hassle. Sure there can be shipping problems with domestic sellers, but they are easier to resolve and it doesn’t take six-seven weeks before you know that you have a problem. I will avoid Ali in the future as well.