Buying mistakes, particularly new DE users

[Macfrommichigan]

Howdy,

I was just thinking 'bout newer shavers and the common purchasing errors one makes at that stage.

Buying 100 or more razor blades of one brand early in the journey is something I would put near the top of the list.

Please add your suggestions.

 

[Hannah's Dad]

For me, it was lack of knowledge which resulted in over-paying for antique store crap. Once I gained knowledge, the antique stores (in my area) lost a sucker.

 

[ryinzana]

I would say don’t overthink things and just enjoy the hobby.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Brushes: If you only have $15 dollars to spend, stay away from badger. There are some very decent synthetic and boar brushes at that price point, but a $15 badger is likely to disappoint.

 

[John Rose]

Too big a brush, like an Omega 10049 Pro. Too floppy and wasteful of soap.

Buying a much more aggressive razor for no other reason than the notion that you've "graduated" or "leveled up".

 

[Iloverootbeer]

I would say don’t overthink things and just enjoy the hobby.

Bingo. There are a million different ways to have a good shave. Part of the fun is finding them.

 

[ryinzana]

Bingo. There are a million different ways to have a good shave. Part of the fun is finding them.

Yep! Kick back and enjoy the RAD... errr ride...

 

[davent]

I'll endorse Mac's 100 blade purchase, my big mistake, worshipped hyped blade at a great price really didn't work very well at all for me. As for other blades, they'll be there to purchase when i need a tuck or two, no point in cluttering up my space with stuff.
dave

 

[DocPapi]

Howdy,

I was just thinking 'bout newer shavers and the common purchasing errors one makes at that stage.

Buying 100 or more razor blades of one brand early in the journey is something I would put near the top of the list.

Please add your suggestions.

May not be a mistake, just delayed effectiveness. My first blade was a Feather, and it tore my face up. Or more accurately, I used it to tear my own face up! So, I set that tuck aside and decided they didn't work for me. It's now been six months, and on a whim I decided to try a Feather again, and it worked beautifully. As your technique gets better, you may find that blades that seemed too sharp weren't, and blades that were dull enough to allow for mistakes are now too dull.

 

[AndyPM1]

Yep! Kick back and enjoy the RAD... errr ride...

Exactly!! I love the fact that there are so many different things to try in this hobby/obsession that it never gets boring and you're never going to lose your house over any bad choices made (well, not just yet, anyway!!).

My latest great discovery is an old Red Tip using a Feather, beautiful shave.

Andy

 

[ajkel64]

I agree with @Macfrommichigan, 100 blade purchases because they were cheap without trying them first. I also agree with @Hannah's Dad, overpaying at antique stores and the usual auction site before I learned a lot more here on the forum.

 

[sugardaddy]

Falling for Vikings Blade hype and paying $40 for a Godfather instead of getting the same razor from Baili for $13.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

 

[johnwick]

Brushes: If you only have $15 dollars to spend, stay away from badger. There are some very decent synthetic and boar brushes at that price point, but a $15 badger is likely to disappoint.

Oh, yes! Too many $10 Escali’s being sold on Amazon with hundreds of five star reviews from folks who simply don’t know any better.

 

[guitarslinger]

Imo, big mistake = buying “mild” razors and blades because you’re a noob. You’re more likely to do more passes with bad technique resulting in compounding levels of more irritation. Go sharp. Go efficient. ESPECIALLY if you’re new.

 

[Earcutter]

Buying a much more aggressive razor for no other reason than the notion that you've "graduated" or "leveled up".

This. And everything that goes with it chasing BBS rather than a comfortable shave. I’m still a victim of that mindset!

When it comes to soaps - buy samples. A lot of samples, and go hog wild lathering! Don’t try and save cash by not using enough soap!

If you get into straights - don’t get into natural stones for at least a year after you’ve learned how to use a synthetic.

 

[apollo11]

Not sticking with a setup for enough time. There is so much variety out there that noobs cannot get a baseline for what works, because nothing has been given enough time.

Pro tip: buy decent to begin with (razor, blades, cream/soap, splash/gel) and change nothing for three months (except blades, but even those should be evaluated by the five pack).

In the beginning the variable is you, so get that solid then play around.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

My suggestion would be to stick with the name brands when starting out. You don't need "the latest and greatest" everyone is reaching about.E EJ, Merkur, Parker, Muhle, etc. are all fine razors at reasonable prices. Omega, Yaqui, etc. brushes work well and won't break the bank. Stirling, Tabac, Porasso, Arko, Taylor of Old Bond Street are well regarded soaps. Blades are more variable. Start with Astra, Derby Merkur, Derby, or other well recognized names.

Then stick with what you've got for at least 30 shaves. The idea is to have decent equipment and to then learn how to use it effectively.

Next get a blade sampler to help find which blades work best for your one-and-only razor and developing technique. Sampling blades should take you through the next 30 shaves and more technique development. By then you should have found a combo that works and you should work on improving it incrementally.

Don't give in to the Acquisition Disorders for at least 6 months. New gear rarely solves "problems" in technique... But it is a great source of fun...

 

[guitarslinger]

I agree with “learning “ a razor or a soap or a brush, but if a blade stops mid stroke on your face and won’t cut , it’s the blade. Try a new one. They are a very personal item, and incredibly cheap. You don’t need to make a Merkur blade work to keep your mancard. Chuck them into the trash when you realize you get exponentially better results with a better blade.

 

[W8lkinUSA]

Wow. Trick question? Or Essay-inspiring?

Once a good soap is found, wait until 75% of it is gone before buying 5 more. Instead just buy one replacement. After six to twelve months, you might find a much better soap that you'd likely stick with despite its price. Now is the time to have a small stock. I purchased 3 Tabac soap and bowls on sale before I discovered Barrister & Mann, which has become my favorite home soap. Tabac stick is my traveling soap though.

After a good razor is found, a 5% improvement could be over priced. I purchased two customized Merkur Progress adjustable razors from Lee's Razors because it looks great and may not be made again (website seems offline now). I settled with the Merkur 39c sledgehammer slant DE razor, but now only use Feather Artist DX SE razor at home while traveling with the Feather Artist Club SE razor.

Razor blades are extremely subjective, so spend more to experiment with sufficient variety before committing to a large package. Only the Personna Med, Kai, Feather, and Voskhod DE blades work in that order; I purchased 100 Feather to split with a coworker and another 20+ of the other three blades. Only to end up using Feather Professional SE blades at home and Feather Proguard SE blades for traveling.

Brushes vary between classes. One from each class should yield a suitable brush for each person. My Simpson Wee Scot Best is my favorite, but will use my Simpson Special Pure at home until I decide to upgrade to Special Best. The Wee Scot will only be for fun due to size and patience with miniatures. The Omega Mixed Midget is nice, but is only used for traveling.

As life improves, so does consumables. Thankfully, the wet-shaving market seems strong enough for patience. Smaller shops may close sooner since retirees' hobbies of product creation had its limitations.

All in all, it's a hobby when seeking perfection. Unless your whiskers are easier going than mine, wet-shaving could be expensive while finding suitable items. My father probably uses the cheapest things that he found at the brick and mortars. Just don't get it, but his face might be like leather from working outdoors all his life.

Peace.

 

[Heron]

I'd actually say that buying blade samplers when starting is worse than buying 100 of the same brand. The fewer variables when starting out, the better.