Welcome!
I think I might be going a little crazy. I'm wondering about it. And a little worried about myself.
I thought I'd switch to old-fashioned DE razor blades to see if I can save a little money, having only slim hopes that I could adjust to it. But then I got very interested in all the reviews and videos and so forth. A recent post here talked about "immersion mode"—yup, that. I agonized over the Rockwell 6C vs. the 2C for several days. To save money, I ordered a Rockwell 2C. I saw several posts in various places saying the 2C worked well with Nacets, so I bought a little 5-pack (what's the word for that?) of those.
My Rockwell arrived. I totally love it. First of all, I could readily tell the difference between the 1 side and the 3 side, which I didn't think I was going to be able to. The 3 plate (it comes with only one plate, the 1+3) is perfect. And I could actually tell the difference between the Rockwell blades and the Nacets, which also surprised me. The Nacets are just fine. Nothing to complain about.
So I got all enthused, because the shave is just great and my face actually feels BETTER after shaving than before! That's a first. I actually found myself looking forward to shaving, which I honestly think is the very first time in my life I have ever said such a preposterous thing.
So I have NO COMPLAINTS, you're getting that part? Love the razor, everything works well, totally satisfied.
So here's the crazy part. I have now bought five razors.
FIVE.
What the...?!? Who need FIVE razors?!?
Thanks Bill (and others). I think I should take that advice. Things didn't go well with the Envoy, which I had to try tonight...I had some problems with the new shaving cream (it came out of the wrong end of the tube--there was a hole in the tube--and the cream was sticky, such that it was difficult to rinse out of the blade, and it even stuck to the blade--I had to remove it with my fingers under running water after the shave was over). I picked a blade at random and got cut up a bit. Moreover the Envoy seemed dangerous and my face didn't feel good afterward. I immediately ordered some face balm!If you think that the bunch of us here are going to tell you that owning 5 razors is crazy, then you are at the wrong place. LOL
My only word of advice, do take your time getting to know one good razor loaded with one good brand of blade as part of your learning experience. The desire to try all these new razors and potentially in combination with all sorts of blades will, unfortunately, keep adding variables to your shave (as opposed to digging into the nuances of mastering you technique using one set-up at a time).
Like most people on this forum, I enjoy having different razors for different occasions and do enjoy using different blades to match my moods and to pair with the needs of different razors. 100%. That said, my best advice to someone who is relatively new to wet shaving would be to really try to dial-in one's technique using a single setup until one feels they have achieved a degree of mastery prior to changing things up.
Don't look for "the magic blade" or the "magic razor," but instead build the skills that would allow you to get good results from almost any blade/razor combination. As you build your technique, there are many razors/blades that you can use to scaffold your skills--and razor-wise you now have some great ones to try out in time--as shaving with a very "different" style of razor can certainly add to one's skill set. Just be prudent about adding so many variables that your options don't overwhelm your progress initially.
Congratulations on the gear you've chosen to add. You have made some very nice choices and I hope you enjoy them all.
Bill
RazoRock Game Changer .84
Thanks Bill (and others). I think I should take that advice. Things didn't go well with the Envoy, which I had to try tonight...I had some problems with the new shaving cream (it came out of the wrong end of the tube--there was a hole in the tube--and the cream was sticky, such that it was difficult to rinse out of the blade, and it even stuck to the blade--I had to remove it with my fingers under running water after the shave was over). I picked a blade at random and got cut up a bit. Moreover the Envoy seemed dangerous and my face didn't feel good afterward. I immediately ordered some face balm!
I should probably be disciplined and stick with the Rockwell / 3 plate / Nacet for a good month at least, until I start to get comfortable with it. I don't consider that I've given the Envoy a fair shot, so I'll keep it to try again when I improve my skills a bit. (I'm a pool player so I know about the value of persistence in improving skills). I can use the time to experiment with foams (soaps?). I don't own a brush yet.
Appreciate the welcomes, too. New world for me, completely. This came about because I am trying to learn to enjoy the things I have to do anyway—shaving has always been a miserable thing for me, all my life, so I thought I'd try to get a handle on it (no pun intended). Better late than never.
MtB
Very true, but on the other hand, it's important to start with a cue that's straight and has a newish tip that's been shaped properly, and chalk. As with a lot of things, you can be minimalist with equipment, but poor quality equipment that works against you isn't going to help.As a pool player, I doubt you'd suggest to a newbie to get a bunch of sticks when starting out--and to keep changing them up--without taking the time to dial one in.
I think I might be going a little crazy. I'm wondering about it. And a little worried about myself.
I thought I'd switch to old-fashioned DE razor blades to see if I can save a little money, having only slim hopes that I could adjust to it. But then I got very interested in all the reviews and videos and so forth. A recent post here talked about "immersion mode"—yup, that. I agonized over the Rockwell 6C vs. the 2C for several days. To save money, I ordered a Rockwell 2C. I saw several posts in various places saying the 2C worked well with Nacets, so I bought a little 5-pack (what's the word for that?) of those.
My Rockwell arrived. I totally love it. First of all, I could readily tell the difference between the 1 side and the 3 side, which I didn't think I was going to be able to. The 3 plate (it comes with only one plate, the 1+3) is perfect. And I could actually tell the difference between the Rockwell blades and the Nacets, which also surprised me. The Nacets are just fine. Nothing to complain about.
So I got all enthused, because the shave is just great and my face actually feels BETTER after shaving than before! That's a first. I actually found myself looking forward to shaving, which I honestly think is the very first time in my life I have ever said such a preposterous thing.
So I have NO COMPLAINTS, you're getting that part? Love the razor, everything works well, totally satisfied.
So here's the crazy part. I have now bought five razors.
FIVE.
What the...?!? Who need FIVE razors?!?
I'm now the proud owner of the Rockwell 2C, a Rex Envoy ($135 new, with free shipping—Kent of Inglewood), a RazoRock Game Changer .84, a RazoRock Hawk v3, and a vintage Gillette Tech with the replica handle from Razor Emporium.
I'd show you a picture of them, except NONE OF THEM BUT THE ROCKWELL ARE HERE YET. And, I bought the Rex Envoy before the Rockwell 2C had even arrived on my front porch.
That's right—I bought four razors before the one before had even gotten here.
I'm losing my nut, friends. Off my gourd. Round the bend! Cobwebs in the attic. Lost all sense.
Worse, I'm actually thinking about keeping all five. Eight days ago I could hardly imagine needing more than one razor. Heck, I've been using my Mach 3 handle since Bill Clinton was President (and does it ever look like it). But for some reason it just seems like...I don't know...an interesting to get to know all five of them. For some unknown reason.
Probably because I have gone Looney Toons for good. Crazy as a shot-at rat.
Does anyone else in history or on the globe own as many as FIVE razors?!? Tell me I'm not crazy....
Kind regards,
MtB
Look what arrived as I was writing this:
but poor quality equipment that works against you isn't going to help.
I thought I'd switch to old-fashioned DE razor blades to see if I can save a little money
Sorry for the bad experiences with the Envoy. It is a great razor. I’d get some soap and a brush. A Simpson Trafalgar synthetic is very reasonable, Sterling soap is a great choice and also priced very reasonably. I’ve had luck Shave Nation and Razor Emporium. Some here don’t like Razor Emporium from past grievances. I’ve have no issue with them. I feel the Envoy will be one of your best razors. The number three plate on the Rockwell is a tad less aggressive than the Rex. I have both and I feel the Rex shaves more smoothly than the Rockwell. Everyone is different but I have a few more months of experience than you do. Stick to it. It’s going to work out in the end.Thanks Bill (and others). I think I should take that advice. Things didn't go well with the Envoy, which I had to try tonight...I had some problems with the new shaving cream (it came out of the wrong end of the tube--there was a hole in the tube--and the cream was sticky, such that it was difficult to rinse out of the blade, and it even stuck to the blade--I had to remove it with my fingers under running water after the shave was over). I picked a blade at random and got cut up a bit. Moreover the Envoy seemed dangerous and my face didn't feel good afterward. I immediately ordered some face balm!
I should probably be disciplined and stick with the Rockwell / 3 plate / Nacet for a good month at least, until I start to get comfortable with it. I don't consider that I've given the Envoy a fair shot, so I'll keep it to try again when I improve my skills a bit. (I'm a pool player so I know about the value of persistence in improving skills). I can use the time to experiment with foams (soaps?). I don't own a brush yet.
Appreciate the welcomes, too. New world for me, completely. This came about because I am trying to learn to enjoy the things I have to do anyway—shaving has always been a miserable thing for me, all my life, so I thought I'd try to get a handle on it (no pun intended). Better late than never.
MtB
Thanks. I ordered a brush and a bowl last night--let's see, you will want to know--see the pic. Plus some soap called Arko that I saw a few reviews of. My tube of Pacific Shaving Co. Natural that arrived yesterday was defective—the tube was slit at the bottom—but today I got a call from the owner of the company, Stan Ades, and had a pleasant conversation with him. He suspected a box cutter might have sliced the bottom of the tube as a box was being opened somewhere along the line, and that seems likely. He's sending a replacement.And on that note, before you dial back your spending you really should consider getting a brush and a cream / soap that is designed for traditional wet shaving.
Thank you cajunrph! I will try. I like to try new things—recently I taught myself to type 20 wpm with the Dvorak keyboard on a Kinesis Advantage 2, no less. That was an adventure--it took me months. I might not keep this up forever, but I like my chances of sticking with it until I manage to demystify it to my satisfaction. The chance to enjoy shaving, at long last, would be sufficient reward.Stick to it. It’s going to work out in the end.
Yes the responses on this thread have been very generous of everyone! You're all being very kind to me, and I appreciate it.Ask questions and we are very willing to help out a fellow wet shaver.
Delicately repeating a shaving stroke without lifting the razor’s head off the skin—sort of scrubbing, if you will. Would be perhaps an “advanced” move. Been DE shaving for nearly 12 years and I don’t find myself doing it too frequently these days.By the way, what is "buffing"