Get a blade sample pack. Lots of the shaving sites offer them, so does the bay. I recommend the sample pack at tryablade.com
Some advice needed for new wet shaver
- Thread starter Linus
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Another option for checking out a new razor - try before you buy
Fatip Piccolo Passaround
Fatip Piccolo Passaround
- Thread starter
- #23
Thanks for the info. I will order one of the blade sample packs and will report back with my findings.
Welcome Linus-I am also very new here and everyone is knowledgeable and very helpful as you have already seen.
somebody asked a while back and I may have missed your reply; What razor did you get with your starter kit? You may have a good-enough razor for now and work on the lathering part of your routine. Lots of varieties of soaps and techniques t o uit your preferences.
somebody asked a while back and I may have missed your reply; What razor did you get with your starter kit? You may have a good-enough razor for now and work on the lathering part of your routine. Lots of varieties of soaps and techniques t o uit your preferences.
- Thread starter
- #25
The razor does not have any name on it so cannot say. I include a photo of the razor, maybe someone has seen one that is similar to it.
Nice to meet you! Great advice above.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
Hello and welcome to B&B.....
2. It's only worth it if you think it is. Steep learning curve, higher risks, and much more maintenance to consider. That said, some straight razor people claim to get better shaves than with any other type of shaving.
3. I wouldn't toss the foam; either use it up or keep it for a rainy day/hurried shave/travel setup. Any good soap/cream will, when lathered properly, provide better slickness and cushion than foams. They'll also be better for your skin. And better skin = better shaves with less issues. Unfortunately, both your lathering technique and mystery soap are possible culprits. You may need to pick up a reliable, name-brand product in order to determine whether the issue is technique, product, or a combination.
4. I think oil users are in the minority. Some swear by it, others swear at it! But if it's clogging the razor, then you probably need to use less of it. Or try not using for a while and see how you do.
3. I wouldn't toss the foam; either use it up or keep it for a rainy day/hurried shave/travel setup. Any good soap/cream will, when lathered properly, provide better slickness and cushion than foams. They'll also be better for your skin. And better skin = better shaves with less issues. Unfortunately, both your lathering technique and mystery soap are possible culprits. You may need to pick up a reliable, name-brand product in order to determine whether the issue is technique, product, or a combination.
4. I think oil users are in the minority. Some swear by it, others swear at it! But if it's clogging the razor, then you probably need to use less of it. Or try not using for a while and see how you do.
Welcome to the forum!
I'm sort of old fashioned, so I'd also recommend a Super Speed or a Slim, either can be acquired for $20 or less. I prefer the 60s/70s black handled SuperSpeeds so far. FatBoys, the early version of the adjustable, are nice but much more expensive. I'm not fond of the Super Adjustables, at least not the one I own anyway. All are very sturdy and can be fixed if dropped (the safety bar will bend, but it can be bent back to the proper position).
Your "kit" soap is very likely a glycerin soap similar to Van der Hagen or Col. Conk. Not terrible, but not the best around. My advise is to face lather -- wet your brush (soak it for a bit if it's a boar brush, most likely in a $20 kit), shake most of the water out, and swirl it on the soap until the ends of the bristle stick together a bit. Wet your face and work the soapy brush around, spreading it out some. This will work up the lather on your face, which does two things. It raises and hydrates your beard hair, and it allows you some control over the amount and hydration of the lather. Dip the tip of the brush in water occasionally and keep lathering on your face, moving the brush all over. What you want before you start shaving is wet, shiny lather that is quite soft.
Glycerin soaps will load up on the brush very quickly as a rule, and it's easy to get hard, dense, dry lather that does little to help you shave. You want very slick lather, it's the slipperyness of wet lather than keeps the sharp edge of the razor from abrading your skin as you shave. Dry lather doesn't do much for lubrication. You also don't need half an inch of foam, must a light coating of wet, shiny, slick lather. It took me a while to figure out glycerine soaps, I was grossly overloading my brush the first few times.
Once you get good lather, revisit your blades, you may find they magically work better!
Peter
I'm sort of old fashioned, so I'd also recommend a Super Speed or a Slim, either can be acquired for $20 or less. I prefer the 60s/70s black handled SuperSpeeds so far. FatBoys, the early version of the adjustable, are nice but much more expensive. I'm not fond of the Super Adjustables, at least not the one I own anyway. All are very sturdy and can be fixed if dropped (the safety bar will bend, but it can be bent back to the proper position).
Your "kit" soap is very likely a glycerin soap similar to Van der Hagen or Col. Conk. Not terrible, but not the best around. My advise is to face lather -- wet your brush (soak it for a bit if it's a boar brush, most likely in a $20 kit), shake most of the water out, and swirl it on the soap until the ends of the bristle stick together a bit. Wet your face and work the soapy brush around, spreading it out some. This will work up the lather on your face, which does two things. It raises and hydrates your beard hair, and it allows you some control over the amount and hydration of the lather. Dip the tip of the brush in water occasionally and keep lathering on your face, moving the brush all over. What you want before you start shaving is wet, shiny lather that is quite soft.
Glycerin soaps will load up on the brush very quickly as a rule, and it's easy to get hard, dense, dry lather that does little to help you shave. You want very slick lather, it's the slipperyness of wet lather than keeps the sharp edge of the razor from abrading your skin as you shave. Dry lather doesn't do much for lubrication. You also don't need half an inch of foam, must a light coating of wet, shiny, slick lather. It took me a while to figure out glycerine soaps, I was grossly overloading my brush the first few times.
Once you get good lather, revisit your blades, you may find they magically work better!
Peter
Linus: First off; welcome! There are lots of members who have tons of knowledge and experience who can help answer most questions you might have.
While the idea of a straight razor is nice; the disadvantages include the learning curve and the knowledge, tools and effort to keep it sharp. I think a double edge razor is more advantageous for most new wet shavers than a straight razor.
As far as aggressiveness; I would suggest an inexpensive double edge razor that is mild or moderate in terms of aggressiveness. My rationale is that it takes a little while to find out what you really like or prefer. (I now know I prefer a fairly aggressive razor). My first razor was a Edwin Jagger 89-lined. Around low to mid-$30s. Another good option is a Merkur 34 or 38HD. Like the Edwin Jagger, many Merkurs are not too expensive.
The beauty of the wet shaving journey is that the route you take is up to you. I am somewhat of a minimalist compared to some guys; in that I own two brushes, a handful of razors, etc. In contrast, some guys have dozens of brushes and razors.
What I think you will like is that the quality of the materials, such as the shaving soap, are vastly superior to the canned foam and multi-blade cartridges. For me, the appeal of wet shaving is that it turned shaving from something I hated (when I used cartridges and foam) into a luxurious experience that I enjoy. Granted, it takes longer to shave; but I don't care.
Enjoy the journey.
Phil
While the idea of a straight razor is nice; the disadvantages include the learning curve and the knowledge, tools and effort to keep it sharp. I think a double edge razor is more advantageous for most new wet shavers than a straight razor.
As far as aggressiveness; I would suggest an inexpensive double edge razor that is mild or moderate in terms of aggressiveness. My rationale is that it takes a little while to find out what you really like or prefer. (I now know I prefer a fairly aggressive razor). My first razor was a Edwin Jagger 89-lined. Around low to mid-$30s. Another good option is a Merkur 34 or 38HD. Like the Edwin Jagger, many Merkurs are not too expensive.
The beauty of the wet shaving journey is that the route you take is up to you. I am somewhat of a minimalist compared to some guys; in that I own two brushes, a handful of razors, etc. In contrast, some guys have dozens of brushes and razors.
What I think you will like is that the quality of the materials, such as the shaving soap, are vastly superior to the canned foam and multi-blade cartridges. For me, the appeal of wet shaving is that it turned shaving from something I hated (when I used cartridges and foam) into a luxurious experience that I enjoy. Granted, it takes longer to shave; but I don't care.
Enjoy the journey.
Phil
Nr3 - make sure you soak the soap for a few minutes in hot water to loosen it up. Use the soaking water on your face as a pre-shave lubriction.
2 No -
2 No -
- Thread starter
- #32
So I finally found the make and model of the razor I have, it's a Weishi 9306. From what I gather it’s a mild razor and good for a beginner like myself. The soap is still a mystery but found my technique lacking at the start and not creating a good enough lather. I now get good shaves from the soap, razor and current blade (SuperMax). Waiting for my sample pack of blades to arrive and will report back later on the blades.
Hello and Welcome, Linus.
Weishi 9306 are fine razors... you've got a nice mild one that lots of guys here like. Not the most expensive but a good place to start.
Blade experiments are next....
Practice lathers, too, to learn what is a slick creamy lather.
Where are you? That will help with some targeted shopping advice.
Our house is your house
Nuestra casa es su casa
Notre maision est votre maison
Taigh againn tha taigh agaibh
Weishi 9306 are fine razors... you've got a nice mild one that lots of guys here like. Not the most expensive but a good place to start.
Blade experiments are next....
Practice lathers, too, to learn what is a slick creamy lather.
Where are you? That will help with some targeted shopping advice.
Our house is your house
Nuestra casa es su casa
Notre maision est votre maison
Taigh againn tha taigh agaibh
#1 I started with the Merkur 42C closed comb, (1904). A very good beginner's razor. I still use it. Then I'd recommend the Merkur 34C, (Heavy Duty). Thirdly, the Merkur 37C, (Slant). With these three, in this order, you'd be making a steady progress. Beginning with the 34C, which has already been recommended, would also be ok. From here you can go either Straight, Shavette, DE Open-Comb, Vintage or just start adding to your collection as you fancy.
#2 I previously used a Straight. Very smooth. But you're right, a steep learning curve, not only in Shaving, but stropping and honing. IMO, DE shaving is a good middle ground between Cartridge and Straight. I use a Shavette occasionally. Once or twice a month. But I'm happy with DE. Once you've mastered them, (you'll never stop learning), they give a fantstic shave.
#3 Personally, I'd keep all your old shaving kit, but move on to using soaps and creams now. It is good to go back sometimes and use old kit. It's a change in routine. I still have some Mach 3 and Gillette Vectors.
Both creams and soaps are unique in their own ways. Use both.
#4 Dump the oil.
If I may, can I give you two pieces of advice. 1) Check your razor angle. This is so important. And don't apply any pressure at all. Shaving is beard reduction, not elimination. 2) Watch all manic59 videos on YouTube. Brilliant, brilliant stuff.
#2 I previously used a Straight. Very smooth. But you're right, a steep learning curve, not only in Shaving, but stropping and honing. IMO, DE shaving is a good middle ground between Cartridge and Straight. I use a Shavette occasionally. Once or twice a month. But I'm happy with DE. Once you've mastered them, (you'll never stop learning), they give a fantstic shave.
#3 Personally, I'd keep all your old shaving kit, but move on to using soaps and creams now. It is good to go back sometimes and use old kit. It's a change in routine. I still have some Mach 3 and Gillette Vectors.
Both creams and soaps are unique in their own ways. Use both.
#4 Dump the oil.
If I may, can I give you two pieces of advice. 1) Check your razor angle. This is so important. And don't apply any pressure at all. Shaving is beard reduction, not elimination. 2) Watch all manic59 videos on YouTube. Brilliant, brilliant stuff.
- Thread starter
- #35
I’m in South Africa and unfortunately the stores that do keep even the simplest of wet shaving supplies are far and few between. I think my best option would probably be to order from a reputable online store.
- Thread starter
- #36
Thanks for the great advice!
Linus,
I just did a quick check..
Stirling Soaps, Maggard Razors, Italian Barber and Try A Blade will all ship internationally. Costs vary, of course, and they won't be able to ship alcohol based products (USPS regulations) but these 4 are a really good start and great products abound..... some FleaBay vendors will also ship internationally but those can be pricey. A direct contact with some might get you a better deal than FleaBay's Global program.
For what it's worth, I think that the Wilkinson Sword shave sticks are manufactured over there, and they are supposed to be quite good. (unlike the tub version)
- Thread starter
- #39
So I managed to get some Muhle Sea Buckthorn Soap and a HJM boar brush at a local shop in Sandton City. Used it for the first time yesterday and it’s a great improvement over what I have been using. The soap smells really nice and the brush and soap combination creates a good lather. My skin feels better after using the new soap and I’m sure it will even improve after using it for a while. I also got some Muhle Aloe Vera and Sandalwood soap and will post my findings one I’ve used it.
