Hey guys. I'd like to get a friend of mine to try wet shaving, so I'm considering giving him a razor for Christmas. My question is which one would be best to give him. I have a couple extra razors that I'd be willing to part with, which are both vintage (I don't have much extra money to spend on a new one for him). They are a GEM Micromatic bullet-tip and a Gillette Tech. Or would something else be better? Any advice/suggestions are welcome. Thanks.
Advice on getting a friend started wet shaving
- Thread starter CelticFox
- Start date
If money is a consideration, get him a Feather Popular razor from one of the B&B vendors, like West Coast Shaving. They only cost about $18, and should be a good starter razor. You could also find a decent starter set with a cheap brush and software for probably less than $50, total.
Using what you already have, I would think the mild Gillette Tech is nearly perfect for your friend. Personna Blue or Derby Extra blades would work well, along with an inexpensive boar or synthetic brush. Arko or a tube of Proraso would round things out nicely.
Your friend has a good friend. Nicely done!
Rick
Your friend has a good friend. Nicely done!
Rick
I would suggest giving your Tech to your friend as it would be slightly easier to use than the Gem (as well as being easier to find blades for in the future). Good luck signing him up!
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks a lot, everyone. I'll take your advice and give him the Tech, and thanks StanStill and Rick for the suggestions of other items.
Any of the men that I have "converted" already had a razor of some sort, and my mission is to get them into using a mug and brush instead of canned foam. My approach is to get them a decent brush, some soap, and a mug. I'll spend from $20.00 to $35.00 on a Chinese badger from ebay for the brush, and usually get them started with a coffee mug although I'll spend more depending on who it is.
This past month I sent a Liojuny Alaska Silvertip Brush with an Old Spice Mug loaded with Col Conk Bay Rum to my son's father in law and ordered a Liojuny Gemini Silvertip, Marvy Unbreakable Mug (his choice) and a puck of Col Conk Bay Rum soap to my nephew for some handyman work around the house for which he refused payment. That was $55.00 for my son's father in law (what can I say other than we share grandchildren) and $43.00 for the nephew.
Both were really excited about the prospect of getting a mug and brush once they were exposed to it. My son showed his father in law, and I lathered up a brush for my nephew while he was working for me. Both already have cartridge razors and are not particularly interested in DE.
This past month I sent a Liojuny Alaska Silvertip Brush with an Old Spice Mug loaded with Col Conk Bay Rum to my son's father in law and ordered a Liojuny Gemini Silvertip, Marvy Unbreakable Mug (his choice) and a puck of Col Conk Bay Rum soap to my nephew for some handyman work around the house for which he refused payment. That was $55.00 for my son's father in law (what can I say other than we share grandchildren) and $43.00 for the nephew.
Both were really excited about the prospect of getting a mug and brush once they were exposed to it. My son showed his father in law, and I lathered up a brush for my nephew while he was working for me. Both already have cartridge razors and are not particularly interested in DE.
I'd vote for giving him the Tech, a nice soap or cream, some blades, and a cheap Omega or Semogue boar brush (they start at $8).
I would let him decide if it's something he wants to do, then let him buys what he wants. Bring it up in conversation and see how he reacts. Otherwise I wouldn't be giving gifts like that to any of my guy friends. Honestly I'd be kind of weirded out of one of my guy friends gave me such a gift. I can see giving a razor to a son when he reaches the right time, but for a guy friend?......that would just be a little too weird for me. I mean hygiene is a very personal thing.
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I've noticed that a lot people come over to DE shaving because they are tired of paying so much for those multi-blade cartridge razors. If he's not complaining about his cart razor then he may not be ready to spend a little extra time learning and using a DE BUT, the brush and soap (or cream) route has a short learning curve, is manly, nostalgic and provides a great shaving experience. It may be the stepping stone to getting him fully converted. Good Luck!
I suggest a nice Omega Pro boar brush. That is what got me started and I love it. You can pick them up for around $10 on Amazon and the B and B vendors.
I have been able to get some guys hooked simply by loaning them a brush and a mug with soap for a week or two. I don't hold back. I loan one of my better brushes, a 24 mm Ace Silvertip. By the time the week is up, they are ready to order a brush, a mug, and some soap. Many have gone for a Whipped Dog Silvertip, some have not. My daughter's father in law bought a WD 24 Silvertip, liked it, but thought he liked his son's Ace better, so he bought it too. He decided he like the Ace handle better, but the WD knot better. Next he bought a WD 30. He got his hands on a good badger brush and just had to have more. Last I knew he was trying to find someone with a lathe to help him make a handle for a WD 16 knot. Guess what he is giving his other sons for Christmas.
I turned a cousin of mine fromt the dark side. A good noob got to razor is a vintage Gillette TTO. You can usually find them fairly cheap at flea markets, antique shop, garage sales, etc. A tech isn't that bad as well. Good luck.
The mug is really nice. The soap is quite good. The Badger brush is really lousy. Today, most of these kits come with a Boar brush, and I have not tried it. $20.00 is a good price for the mug and soap and you can consider the brush as a throw-away.
+1 on having the conversation first and going from there. If he asks where to get the stuff you can volunteer to set him up or point him to vendors, however the two of you work it out. A starter set is definitely not something I would, in general, hand out blindly. It's too likely to go into a drawere and never see the light of day again.
- Thread starter
- #18
Thanks for all the input guys. I have talked to him about it before and he seems interested in it, but he's pretty low on cash so I don't think he would invest in the stuff on his own at this point. So I figure putting together a cheap starter set will help him get into it, and if he doesn't end up liking it it's no big loss money-wise anyhow.
A few months ago a friend was over and saw my collection on display. He said that he had been looking into DE razors but didn't know what was good and was a bit scared to order one. I happened to have 2 Gillette super speeds lying around so I gave him one to get him started. Now when ever I'm on an antique hunt I always keep my eye out for those $2 bargin razors, even if I have it already it goes into my convert stash. I have given a few to people since and everyone has loved it so far.
Regards
Dave
Regards
Dave
