How did you discover DE shaving?

[chrismikehead]

I started out on the Sensor as a teenager, and progressed through the various Gillette carts. I also had a few electrics, and would go a year or so on those before going back to the carts.

A few years ago, I noticed my brother-in-law had a brush and soap bowl (the famous VDH kit) with him at my parents house for the holidays. I asked him about it, but didn't think too much of it. About a year later, with my shaving routine producing declining results, I asked him about the brush again, and began looking around the web. I found mantic's videos, then B&B, and started down the traditional wet shaving road. Now I have returned the favor to my bro-in-law, gifting a couple of Arko sticks, and loaning him a flare-tip SS to try out.

 

[amishmotorboat]

I discovered it in the bathroom cabinet at my parents' house growing up.
My dad had a super adjustable and a pack of blades in there. My mom had disposables, and cartridges were around, but that super A just screamed cool.
I wasn't really wet shaving at first. I was terrified of cutting myself and really wanted to see my skin so I used no lather at first. Short fast strokes so it doesn't hurt. Then came the courage to use the cream. Barbasol in a can.
Then for my birthday they got me a cart. I think it was a sensor. Had a schick at one point too, maybe that was it.
When the machIII came around I got one of those, and quickly got tired of paying for blades. They were still sharp but I couldn't cut anything with those clogged up pieces of garbage.
My dad had long since moved on to an electric, so one year when my parents asked what I wanted for Christmas I mentioned that old super adjustable in the bathroom. I've since given it back, as I have my own birth year SA, and my dad started showing an interest in wetshaving again.

 

[Bejaar]

I think I fall in line with most of us unsatisfied with the mass marketed blades on a plastic stick. For the most part I avoided shaving with a passion and would reluctantly shave once every 3 weeks or so, although I liked the feeling of being freshly shaved. It wasn't until this summer after working on a project at work, that I discovered what my father had been known when he was my age. Growing up he kept a DE in the house and I remember playing with it (no blade of course) fondly watching it open and close as I twisted the base of the handle. Not until I began my research was I able to recall the nostalgic memories. Once I discovered BB and realized that DE razors were still being sold, I was hooked. Since I've been using this format, I've bought various soaps, blades, aftershaves and look forward to each shave. In fact, I shave every other day with no hesitation. This has truly become an experience that I only wish to pass on to others (in fact I'm in the process of converting a friend) so that they have an opportunity to discover a hidden art.

 

[_JP_]

I grew up in the time that existed right before cartridges were introduced. So I had been exposed to DEs, injectors, and single edged razors back when I was a wee shaver.

 

[mcorrea]

In my case, I was in MIA for a meeting in the Admirals Club. They had AOS sample freebies. A consultant that was with us recommended it, he took a bunch of samples. I took one and tried it. I live in Uruguay so after trying the stuff I started looking for a way to mail order it and I bumped into wetshaving sites. Then I went looking for a DE razor and I was hooked.

 

[will78]

I started shaving at 15 with plastic disposables, later moving onto cartridges. I think my first cartridge razor was probably a sensor excel. Every birthday or Christmas I would be bought the latest offering by Gillette or Wilkinson Sword. My problem, however, was that when it came time to buy new cartridges I was rarely able to afford to, and most of the time ended up using disposables until my next paycheque!

I like to do whatever I can to help the environment and I try to use as little as possible of anything and as basic technology as possible. I also think much of what was done in the past is better than what is done now.

It was a youtube video that inspired me to start shaving with a double edge at the age of 32, after 18 years of disposable/cartridge shaving. It was not, however a video about shaving but one about languages! This is a wonderfully presented video, however and is the reason I shave with a DE razor today:

 

[Island Dreamer]

It's all that was available when I started shaving in the 60's besides straights. I think Shick injector razors were out then too as I recall having one at some point. But my dad used some sort of TTO Gillette and when the time came for me to start shaving, that's what I was given. I tried carts and electrics over the years but always returned to a Gillette razor. I did used canned foam for a lot of years and the gels too because Williams was something I didn't care for even when it was what people claim was the good stuff. I think I used Colgate and OS pucks too over the years but I honestly can't remember. Now, thanks to the internet I've gotten into the English creams and Italian soaps, better brushes, and all the stuff we never needed once upon a time.

 

[turbo tom]

I was 18 and fresh out of boot camp in Orlando, FL. In high school I shaved a couple times a week with a cart or disposable...not sure what. But when I had to shave everyday and pay for the razors myself, I started paying attention! While fretting over the price of everything in a local drugstore, I noticed the low price of DE blades and the reasonable cost of a Gillette Black Handled Super Speed. That was late 86 or early 87 and I used that same razor until switching to a Wahl electric in 99. Switched back to that same SS last fall.

 

[YYC.futur]

For me I came back to what I knew. My dad always used a safety razor (Superspeed ) until he passed away in 1999. I lived in the big city and would bring him packages of blades and soap for him when I visited. He lived in a small town and cartridge razors were the norm by then. I briefly shaved with a safety in my early teens and did the full circle including a couple electrics.
One day I had come back from Costco and was really annoyed at the prices I was paying for the Fusion blades. Next day on got on the computer and found various wet shaving sites, and I have been here for about 5 months. Much happier than I was.

 

[CGW409]

I'd noticed several NOS safety razors at a army surplus store I frequent and thought they might be nice to have but thought do they still even make blades anymore.
The week before Christmas the Chicago Tribune's Sunday business section had an article about the resurgence of "old school" shaving that mentioned Mantic59 and AOS and so on Christmas eve I purchased my army surplus "mystery razor" (turns out to be an unmarked 1980 Gillette British aluminum Tech) with a box of 40's vintage Dot blades and the rest is history.

 

[dymaxion]

I shaved my goatee off. That was when I discovered that the mach 3 I was using would not cut through the whiskers on my chin.

Around that time I also discovered Imperial Shaving in Medina, OH. I don't think I would have taken the plunge to a DE had it
not been for the owner of that shop. He patiently explained the differences in razors and I felt safe in purchasing my new razor
from him.

Later I discovered this site which lead me even deeper into wet shaving.

 

[IronHammer]

This is going to sound incredibly silly, but I will share it, because it may encourage some young fellow to ask that old wet-shaver how he gets such great shaves...

Here goes (sorry this is so long):

I was always envious of my wife's uncle when he came to visit. He would emerge from the bathroom each morning with perfectly combed hair, an impossibly smooth face and a wonderfully masculine aftershave wafting from him. He's the Dapper Don (John Gotti), I would say to myself. I wanted great shaves like that but I was convinced I had terribly sensitive skin. I could never get a decent shave without tearing my face to shreds. I didn't have the guts to ask him how he got such great shaves because I figured my own face was a lost cause. So I would sigh, cave in and go back to mindlessly shaving my face each morning with my electric shaver.

I cared little for the crappy shave it gave me but it was quick and simple and I didn't get much irritation from it. I used that stupid thing for 10 years. Then, a couple of years ago I lost the damned thing! In total frustration, I decided I was not going to pay $70 to $100 for another electric shaver and started looking at cartridges. I was blown away by the prices for cartridges, too! Then, one day, while in an antique shop, I was admiring the tooling of a crusty old Gillette red-tip razor when the gears started turning in my head. The thought hit me like a two-ton heavy thing....if millions of men used these things everyday, then why couldn't I? Even men with very sensitive skin, I reasoned, used DE razors back in the 40's and 50's! If they could manage to shave everyday with a DE razor, then I would too. Then, I suddenly realized, it must be my technique!

After noticing they sold double edge blades at my local Wal-Mart for just $1.87 for a pack of 10 blades I went back and bought that old Gillette and started researching DE shaving. I, too, found the Art of Manliness article, which goaded the nostalgic antiquarian in me even more. Then I found B&B and soon I was firmly in the clutches of this wonderful website!

Now, I shave every day with different classic DE razors each day and I get amazing, BBS shaves with very little, if any, irritation! Even better, I have realized my silly little dream...I have become the Dapper Don and I LOVE it!

 

[bhorn]

My first shave was with my father's DE. The razor skated sideways when I tried to shave under my lower lip. So when I got my own razor I got a Trac-2. Did an okay job for a couple of decades then broke. Couldn't find the Trac-2 in stores anymore so I bought the current thing then, a 3 blade razor. Tried several 3 and 4 blade razors but found I couldn't get the area under my nose very well anymore so started looking for single or double bladed razors. The only thing I could find in stores were 2 blade disposables. Tried one and it just bounced off the wire brush on my chin without cutting. The multi-blades also seemed to get more and more expensive over the years so I wen searching for something cheaper and slimmer and somehow found B&B.

 

[strohman]

I grew up using Gillette disposable razors, and had tried cartridges and electrics, but was never truly happy. I saw a news story on Yahoo! about Pasteur's Pharmacy and how many men had gone back to safety razors for the superior shave and cheap blades. I looked online and found Classic Shaving. I gave them a call and asked what were the benefits of wet shaving. I got lucky and spoke to a very knowledgeable person who gave me some great info. I kept searching online and found B&B. I did a lot of reading until I was finally ready to make a purchase.

I started with a Merkur Barberpole, Tweezerman brush, and some C.O Bigelow cream. This July will make 2 years and since then I have tried so many different razors, creams/soaps, blades, etc and I still have so much that I want to try!

I got lucky by seeing that story on Yahoo, but I"m sure that there are more people who would happily switch if they only knew about the benefits of wet shaving!

 

[lbkindy]

I have enjoyed good creams off and on for the last 25 years. Last summer my brother gave me a puck of soap and a cheap brush so I gave it a go. Since I have a generalized AD when I pick something new up I started doing research. I found B&B, Mantic59, Shavenation etc... and started learning as much as I could. Got some VDH soap for Christmas, bought a Parker Silvertip brush soon after that, discovered some Bigelow cream at the mall, ordered a EJ89 Barley, some GFT cream, and another brush from Lee's a few weeks ago and I am now off and running. I am contemplating my next purchase: a blade sampler pack and maybe an IKON razor - I like the way they look.

 

[phenix78_99]

I got tired of the irritation from a Mach 3 and gillete foam daily, and while looking for solutions found an article on wetshaving. I bought a Vulfix brush, a Merkur 34C, and a tub of TOBS avocado...and was hooked.

 

[lpe492]

In January, I stumbled across an article on WiseBread.com on how to save money with wet shaving.

www.wisebread.com/save-money-with-a-classic-wet-shave

Then my OCD kicked in and I researched more, found B&B, and now I'm hooked. I'm happy to spend more money vs. carts with the inevitable AD's, especially when a razor can last generations. Even the luxury soap or AS products really aren't that expensive per shave, compared to the amount you could spend just on a fancy shampoo (e.g. Crew).

I am very interested in getting some vintage razors, and shaving with something that is older than me.

Cheers,
Jeff

 

[jrocker]

I was always interested in it but never could pull the trigger. I'd always admire the shave set at CVS but couldn't part with the $15. One day I walked in and it was close out at $3.00 so I picked it up. I went to a antique store and bought a razor for a few dollars.

 

[ProphetNoir]

I read the Corey Greenberg article from his appearance on the Today show while searching the web for an electric shaver. I had worn a beard for 30 years because of sensitive skin and ingrown hair issues. I was looking for that one last try at maintaining a clean shaved face. Corey had one thing in the article that convinced me; he said that black men should shave with DE razors because the multi-bladed cartridges were a primary cause of ingrown hairs.
From that article I came here to Badger and Blade and started reading about proper lather building, blade angle, post-shave skin care, and above all PATIENCE. I drank the kool-aid and ordered a bunch of Edwin Jagger gear from The English Shaving Co. and the rest is history.
Five years later and I am still learning something new all the time. I still get the occasional ingrown hair, but my shaves are 10,000% better now than they ever were.

 

[hotreds]

Reading about it on Cigar Asylum, and being totally fed up with my electric shaves. I kept trying new electrics when little did I realize that a DE and some nice lather wins EVERY time!