Very new Newbie from Australia

[r377]

Hi, born 1977 from Australia. Hobbies - slot cars, real cars. Collects older signs, tins etc. Racing slot cars im one of the youngest. I enjoy history and get along better with pple my own age or older.

Ive got sensitive skin so shaving has always been a chore for me but lately im shaving everyday as I like the fresh feel to start the morning. I youtube on how to have a good shave, did some googling and found my way here. I love forums, ppl are friendly and all here for the same interest. Forums are also great for info and you can find just about anything.

I've always used cartridge shavers as with advertising I didnt know any better. Been on here last few days reading and about to make my first purchases. Just going by what i read i was looking at the following

Razor - mekur 34c looks the most popular for beginners. i am 6'2 and not sure if the handle would be long enough ? also slightly heavier and not as nice looking in my eyes as the other 2 im about to list
Muhle R89 & Edwin Jagger 89DE knurled. Im leaning towards the jagger as its a bit cheaper and i think it looks the best, well equal best with the muhle. Anyway no harm if i got 2.
brush - omega 10049.
pre shave - i shower at night and shave in the morning (kids and wife asleep) i use nivea face wash but was going to try regular conditoner.
shave soap - was going to try the white proroso and the arko shave stick. maybe mitchells. 20% cella Cella Shaving Soap Tub 150g - https://connaughtshaving.com/cella.html
aftershave - i currently use nivea sensitive lotion
blades - lots of opinions. Was going to try a sample pack here Popular Blade Sample Pack - https://connaughtshaving.com/popular.html
from i read maybe Astra SP, personna, derby or shark might be good ?

Also where to buy online ? Not much around local so need to be online. With our exchange rates and postage USA is not really good. Was going to buy razor from australia as prices are the same. 10% off and free shipping here Australia's Home of Men's Grooming Products - Shop Online - https://www.beardandblade.com.au
Buying everything else from UK is almost half price ! Welcome To Connaught Shaving - https://connaughtshaving.com/index.html

Thanks for having such a useful forum and thanks for reading....

 

[Lightcs1776]

Welcome to the forums. Looks like you have a good list.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[persistent analyst]

Hi, check out yaqi on AliExpress for some well priced razors and brushes. The yaqi Mellon is an excellent starter razor imo. If you can't wait, there is a local yaqi Aus store. Check out Vshod for blades in Aus - well priced. Gillette pure shave cream is nice, and readily available in Aus.

 

[ajkel64]

Hey, Welcome to the forum from another Aussie. Don’t forget to check out The Great Southern Land forum located at the bottom of The Barber Shop. All things Australian and New Zealand.

 

[Invicta]

Welcome to B&B.
I would reccomend the Merkur34C but if you have large hands maybe the 38C (same head but longer handle) is preferable;tall does not have to mean large hands so I will leave that thought with you. I prefer the Merkur34C to the DE89 but with good technique both will deliver a good shave.
Proraso Sandalwood and Cella are both good so get some of each. The white Proraso is also good if you have sensitive skin.
Cannot go wrong with the Omega 10049 but it can take ~ 30 shaves to break in fully; the tips split and it gets a softer feel. You should soak a boar brush for at least 3 minutes before each use and that will give you many years of service.
Get the shopping cart with Connaught up to £60 and you get free postage I believe.

 

[r377]

Hi, check out yaqi on AliExpress for some well priced razors and brushes. The yaqi Mellon is an excellent starter razor imo. If you can't wait, there is a local yaqi Aus store. Check out Vshod for blades in Aus - well priced. Gillette pure shave cream is nice, and readily available in Aus.

thanks for that - interesting on the yaqi and vshod is cheap for blades so ill try a few thanks for the tips

 

[r377]

Hey, Welcome to the forum from another Aussie. Don’t forget to check out The Great Southern Land forum located at the bottom of The Barber Shop. All things Australian and New Zealand.

Nice one, thanks

 

[r377]

Welcome to B&B.
I would reccomend the Merkur34C but if you have large hands maybe the 38C (same head but longer handle) is preferable;tall does not have to mean large hands so I will leave that thought with you. I prefer the Merkur34C to the DE89 but with good technique both will deliver a good shave.
Proraso Sandalwood and Cella are both good so get some of each. The white Proraso is also good if you have sensitive skin.
Cannot go wrong with the Omega 10049 but it can take ~ 30 shaves to break in fully; the tips split and it gets a softer feel. You should soak a boar brush for at least 3 minutes before each use and that will give you many years of service.
Get the shopping cart with Connaught up to £60 and you get free postage I believe.

Thanks for all the tips, I actually thought the 3 razors i mentioned had similar safe head angles and that other models had more aggressive heads. I didnt know the 38c was same head, just longer handle. Maybe i will look into the DE89 if there is one similar but with a longer handle. I just got to borrow my father in laws Muhle 89R and the handle looked a bit too short. Would u suggest Proraso Sandlewood to go with the white or just one of each, plus the cella which is 20% off.

I think the free shipping is usa and europe but will email them to find.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[djh]

Welcome aboard.

Scent is a very personal thing, but having lived through plenty of hot summers, I can tell you that Sandalwood is not something which I would choose for the hot weather. I'm much happier with refreshing/menthol/citrus scents when the temperature rises.
As far as the rest of your kit is concerned, it sounds as if you are on solid ground. It may pay to also consider a vintage razor - your self-description tells me that it may be a worthwhile consideration, and most of us try one (or more) at some point.

Enjoy the site.

 

[Invicta]

Maybe i will look into the DE89 if there is one similar but with a longer handle. I just got to borrow my father in laws Muhle 89R and the handle looked a bit too short. Would u suggest Proraso Sandlewood to go with the white or just one of each, plus the cella which is 20% off.

There are many choices of handles for the DE89. For the R89, the Grande handle is 15mm longer; total length of handle is 100mm.
Yes, get all three soaps. The Cella is worth trying.
Australia shipping is extra but I hear they are reasonable.

 

[cyclingsteveb]

Welcome and thanks for sharing your story. The razors you listed are all good and will give you a great shave. Aliexpress has Yaqi and DS cosmetics for brushes and razors, great prices. I've gotten several razors second hand from B&B, Buy and sell forums and eBay. Enjoy your hunt for gear!

 

[GBerry]

Welcome to B&B!!!

You will soon discover what YMMV really means.

I have used the three razors you are contemplating. First the Merkur 34C, then Muhle R89 and then the EJ DE89 Kelvin. While I prefer the 34C, all three are good capable razors for beginners and veteran shavers alike. YMMV on what you like best.

I recommend you sample a variety of blades before committing to a bulk buy.

Enjoy...

 

[BigJ]

Welcome aboard!

You are looking at some great kit. Any of the razors that you are considering would be a reasonable choice. I suggest that you also order a blade sampler pack or two because the best approach with blades is to just try them to see what works for you. You should check out the B+B vendors on the bottom of the Forums page. They are very reliable IME.

 

[Mouette]

Welcome from another Aussie -

I get a bit of stuff from the Beard and Blade on-line store. It's an Aussie shop and stock a lot of the popular stuff.

cheers
Andrew

 

[StratMan]

welcome mate.. another aussie here... you have several options in Oz for ordering stuff have a look at these places when you get a chance, some stores have stock of brands that others dont so always worth checking them all out and there all aussie

thestraywhisker.com.au
beardandblade.com
artisanarcade.com
vshod.com
ozbarber.com
mensbiz.com.au

in regards to your choice of razors, dont get sucked into this theory of beginner shavers like i and many others did. What you need to consider is your beard growth.. do you have fast thick growing hair? if so i would suggest against a merkur or the muhle R89 or DE89..

these are all mild shavers and if you have thick growth they wont be much good to you. If you have little growth then they would be perfect.

Another suggestion to look at for a 'beginner' razor is the Rockwell 6C. You can get these for $79 in Oz or the solid Stainless steel version for more. They pretty much shave the same but come with plates that you can change up to get you a mild shave up to a more efficient shave. This way you can work out what you like before committing more $$ to the journey you about to embark on.

good luck

 

[FireDragon76]

If you have sensitive skin and light beard growth, a mild double edge razor will be fine.

I would suggest a sampler pack of blades that includes Derby and Dorco blades. They are smooth and may be perfectly adequate for you.

If the double edge razor does not work out for you, there are alot of other options. Gillette's Skinguard has a decent reputation for those with sensitive skin, but pricey, and there's also the Gillette Guard, which may be one of the most sensitive skin friendly razors around (and very inexpensive to use), and is excellent for folks that aren't daily shavers. And of course there are injector razors and single blade disposables like Bic, which are perfectly adequate for sensitive skin.

 

[Atlantic59]

Welcome, mate. I'm not from Aus, BTW.

It seems you are making some good equipment choices there. Based on what you've said so far, here's a few suggestions.

Cella and MWF are excellent choices. Don't get Arko, get a pair of La Toja sticks, or Wilkinson Sword sticks, or Speick sticks. Better performance, better post shave feel, and you won't have to feel like you're sticking your head in a mop bucket every morning.

DE89 or R89 are on the mild side. If you are OK with that, don't buy the entire razor, buy the head part of the razor and put your own handle on. The handles they come with are light and don't have much grip. You can get the R89 head at Connaught's if you are shopping there.

If you want the Merkur, consider the 23c. It is a three-piece razor with a long handle. Good if you have bigger hands. It's one of the most inexpensive Merkurs but shaves the same. Later on, you can swap the handle out with something else if you like. It will shave just like a heavier Merkur.

The Yaqi double open comb (aka Mellon) is a great daily driver and very inexpensive if you want one.

Skip Derby and Shark blades. Get some of the better Russian blades like Nacet, 7'oclock Yellow or Gillette Silver Blue as part of your sampler pack.

 

[r377]

Thanks for all the responses guy - appreciate it.

I was just getting my order ready for tonight for xmas peak, seems like i might need another day or two research. Was all set to order the Edwin Jagger 86BL.....

Edwin Jagger Chrome / Black Long Handled Safety Razor

Connaught Shaving is supplier of quality, traditional shaving products including Wickham 1912 shaving soaps, REX, Merkur & Edwin Jagger safety razors & many brands double edge razor blades. UK Supplier of Feather New Hi-stainless razor blades, Feather Artist Club Razors & Blades & Feather Safety...

connaughtshaving.com

I have sensitive skin with what i would say medium to thick beard (def thick around my chin)

I had my first real go today with my father in laws muhle 89 with a new Asco blade. I did have 2 day growth but went quite lightly with 4 passes. I wasn't impressed with the result, I just put it down to me being a beginner and not going hard enough but you reckon maybe i need a more aggressive razor and blade ? I did use nivea shave foam

thanks

 

[StratMan]

I did have 2 day growth but went quite lightly with 4 passes. I wasn't impressed with the result, I just put it down to me being a beginner and not going hard enough but you reckon maybe i need a more aggressive razor and blade ?

from what you have just said i would highly recommend you get a more aggressive razor. You did 4 passes and were not happy with results. If you end up going 'harder' you may increase efficiency a touch but you will also get razor burn, which isnt pleasant.

3 passes should be all you need with maybe touch ups if needed.. apart from the 6C i recommended earlier the Game Changer 0.84 is also a great razor. the SB version is a touch mild for me (but much better than the DE89 in efficiency) but the JAWS/OC versions are perfect (for me)

 

[Invicta]

I have sensitive skin with what i would say medium to thick beard (def thick around my chin)

I had my first real go today with my father in laws muhle 89 with a new Asco blade. I did have 2 day growth but went quite lightly with 4 passes. I wasn't impressed with the result, I just put it down to me being a beginner and not going hard enough but you reckon maybe i need a more aggressive razor and blade ?

On a first DE shave I would not expect a very good technique so give it time. Perhaps your blade angle was wrong and this may help; Blade Angle | Badger & Blade
You don't want to press hard but try different blades. Pressing hard may lead to razor burn. I am not familiar with Asco blades but try the many Gillettes like Astra SP, GSB, 7 O'Clock SharpEdge, Gillette Platinum, Polsilver SI to name a few.
You do not need a more aggressive razor to overcome bad technique, what you need is to improve your technique. The Muhle R89 has adequate blade gap and exposure and is one of the most cloned razors.