How to make the most of my first DE shave?

[AimlessWanderer]

I have tried doing all three passes, though there are still places where I can't seem to shave it close enough, e. g. a small section of my sideburns. And for sure I have noticed how it grows in all different directions, especially along my jawline!

If you can get close in some areas but not others, that's most likely razor angle. It will improve with practice.

 

[Esox]

I have a 1950s Gillette Super Speed razor, Astra blades, Stirling badger brush, Stirling shave soap, Stirling post shave balm, and alum.

Thats a great start and may be all you ever need.

Are Super Speed razors generally pretty mild?

Gillette SS razors are generally mild yet they can be surprisingly efficient. A general rule of thumb is, the older the Gillette razor, the more efficient. Most Gillette razors have a date code on the bottom of the head such as the H 2 Slim below.

Once you find that, you can look it up here;

US Gillette Dating Information - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/US_Gillette_Dating_Information

H denotes the year. In the case of the razor above, thats 1962. "2" denotes the years quarter. That Slim was made during the second quarter of 1962.

I have tried doing all three passes, though there are still places where I can't seem to shave it close enough, e. g. a small section of my sideburns. And for sure I have noticed how it grows in all different directions, especially along my jawline!

The longer you use that razor, the better you'll become with it. Dont rush it, that only leads to frustration. As you develop your technique, you'll start better understanding your directions of growth and shaving accordingly.

Always keep comfort, both during and after the shave, your #1 priority. Better results will come on their own in their own time.

 

[cmwi11]

Hi Esox, thanks for your reply. Very interesting about the code on the razor! According to the link, mine is a 1957 Flare Tip Super Speed. Made in Q4. Nice to know!

 

[Esox]

Hi Esox, thanks for your reply. Very interesting about the code on the razor! According to the link, mine is a 1957 Flare Tip Super Speed. Made in Q4. Nice to know!

You're welcome.

I learned to shave with my fathers made in England Gillette Flare Tip Rocket that he bought in 1957. Its a great razor. The best blades in it for me were Polsilver SI and Derby Extra.

I wish I was your age again and able to start into all of this. This is the best time the world has ever seen for shaving products. You have a lot to look forward to for many, many years.

The history and progression of razors and models by Gillette is interesting and worth learning about. You're sure in the right place for that.

 

[AllInGoodTime]

Here's my standard advice, in the first four posts of this thread...

The Wanderer's Guide To DE Shaving

Part One I was self taught with a DE razor 25 years ago, and had to figure out a lot of things the hard way. I learned a lot of things over the years, but wish there had been an experienced DE shaver who could have taught me the basics early on. This guide is offered so that you can get to...

www.badgerandblade.com

Good luck, and keep us informed.

Thank you, even after a lot of hours of YouTube videos and reading, I learned a couple things. those four posts are a concise and useful guide. Thanks for taking the time to make them, and for sharing them.

 

[drquantum]

I have tried doing all three passes, though there are still places where I can't seem to shave it close enough, e. g. a small section of my sideburns. And for sure I have noticed how it grows in all different directions, especially along my jawline!

Welcome to the wonderful world of DE shaving! One of the things you'll definitely want to do, and I'd say sooner rather than later, is to map out your hair growth. If, as you note, you've got hair growing in different directions, you may think you're going XTG when in fact you're going ATG (and you definitely want to be sure of when you're doing what). So, check out this video

- it's really helpful - if you're unfamiliar with the concept of beard mapping. I've found it's really helpful to know where my hair is going, as I've got a rather unusual pattern (e.g. basically under my chin it ALL goes from my left ear to my right).