Mail Call, POLL, and Special Interest Stories for 9.18.2017 B&B Radio Show

[Guestabc]

Hello B&B Radio Listeners. If you have questions for us, comments on our poll question, or have a special interest story about something, someone, or a thread here at B&B let us know for the next show.
"G-48"
Poll will be open till Saturday, as well as this thread. Thanks in advance for you contributions, and thanks for being members of Badger and Blade!

We appreciate you helping us build content and discussion

 

[RedsFan75]

I need 2 choices, cartridge price dance and I was also tired of razor burn.

 

[Guestabc]

I need 2 choices, cartridge price dance and I was also tired of razor burn.

There you go Harold, if you want to amend and comment

 

[NurseDave]

I picked I wanted a better shave, but cart price is part of that. I was in the camp of stretching the use of a cart far past when I should have because they cost so much. I was hoping the switch to DE would be cheaper and help with my razor burn. While then I could shave every other day at the most. Now I shave every day and have no razor burn at all.

 

[DocHoliday0831]

Carts were too expensive, I thought my skin would feel better, and I'm a fairly nostalgic guy so doing stuff this way just makes sense.

 

[clyde72]

After many years of shaving with a Braun Series 7 electric razor I decided to make the move back to shaving with a razor. I cringed at the thought of having to buy cartridges and I had been seeing these Dollar Shave Club ads. While researching it Harry's came to my attention and the the general consensus was it was better quality so I decided to order their starter kit. As I was researching I kept seeing references to "Wet Shaving" and "Traditional Wet Shaving". I wondered what they were referring to. I also keep getting directed to this forum called Badger & Blade.
I did some more research and learned that was the way my dad, grandad, great-grandad, great-great-grandad, etc... shaved and that it was the way to get the best shave possible. I decided to got with a Double Edge Razor. I thought I would definitely save some money as 10¢-30¢ a blade was sure less than $2.00 - $2.50 per cartridge. Well turns out I was wrong about that assumption. However I was right about the shave. Now I've started down the Straight Razor path....we'll see where that leads too.
I also thought that I would shave time, as I remembered squirting some goo in my hand, rubbing it on my face, and a few swipes of the razor later I was done. Well I was wrong about that too.
I do thoroughly enjoy my shaves now though, versus something that I had to do in the past. It has become a hobby and I have made some new friends because of it.

Sorry for the long story Dave, but it is what it is.

 

[Guestabc]

After many years of shaving with a Braun Series 7 electric razor I decided to make the move back to shaving with a razor. I cringed at the thought of having to buy cartridges and I had been seeing these Dollar Shave Club ads. While researching it Harry's came to my attention and the the general consensus was it was better quality so I decided to order their starter kit. As I was researching I kept seeing references to "Wet Shaving" and "Traditional Wet Shaving". I wondered what they were referring to. I also keep getting directed to this forum called Badger & Blade.
I did some more research and learned that was the way my dad, grandad, great-grandad, great-great-grandad, etc... shaved and that it was the way to get the best shave possible. I decided to got with a Double Edge Razor. I thought I would definitely save some money as 10¢-30¢ a blade was sure less than $2.00 - $2.50 per cartridge. Well turns out I was wrong about that assumption. However I was right about the shave. Now I've started down the Straight Razor path....we'll see where that leads too.
I also thought that I would shave time, as I remembered squirting some goo in my hand, rubbing it on my face, and a few swipes of the razor later I was done. Well I was wrong about that too.
I do thoroughly enjoy my shaves now though, versus something that I had to do in the past. It has become a hobby and I have made some new friends because of it.

Sorry for the long story Dave, but it is what it is.

That is exactly what we are looking for Thank you!

 

[sfeile]

I'm not sure what to pick.
I started with carts in high-school and hated them, but that was my only option. When I got out on my own after graduating I eventually tried an electric. Hated that too. Both methods really irritated my face.
When I was about 35 (I'll be 45 next month) I was wandering around an antique shop and saw a Henkles straight razor like new for $10. Being a bit of a knife nut, I knew the name so I purchased it.

I took it home and "honed" it not knowing the difference between honing a razor and sharpening a knife. Let's just leave it at "that didn't go well". So in the cabinet it went to stay for a while.
About the same time, I had bought a Vanderhaugen gift set with that little blue bowl, a boar brush, and puck of soap. I later found out that I didn't know how to make a good lather either, but I still enjoyed it more than the stuff in a can.

July of 2014, I ran out of soap again, but couldn't find any locally. So I started looking on the web and Mystic Waters got my attention. Being a small house run business, I searched for a few reviews and happened across this site.
I ordered some soap from Michelle, and signed up here. My first week in I won a PIF for my first ever DE razor.
Shortly after that, I got some good help and figured out how to hone my straight properly.

A little over 3 years later I'm at 2 cremes, 7 aftershaves, 31 soaps, 19 brushes, 19 DEs, 14 SEs, and 19 straights. (And thankfully a supportive Mrs.)
Thanks to this site and the helpful and generous people here, I have many choices of enjoyable ways to shave.
So I guess a little bit of curiosity, and a little luck got me into this hobby. The enjoyment of it, and great place to share it with friends I've made has kept me in it.

 

[Guestabc]

Thanks Shawn

 

[sandstone]

Two things; first it was the escalating price of multi blade cartridges, and secondly because it seemed like a great opportunity to try something different and have fun with it. I am well satisfied on both counts!

 

[Guestabc]

Thanks Phil

 

[troy]

When the little motor in my Mach 3 stopped working, I thought it was time to look for the next latest and greatest razor for a replacement. While doing some research I discovered people were actually going back to the old school DE razors and even using straight razors. I've always been interested in old tools and knives, so this seemed like it was worth a try at least. I even kept hearing rumors of saving money so win win.

I couldn't decide what razor to get so I finally just went with the cheapest half DE shavette I could find on Amazon and a sample pack of blades. I got the cheap VDH deluxe soap and boar brush kit from my local Walgreens, and hit the antique shop looking for a DE razor. There was one in the store, I didn't know what it was, but for $2.50 I new it was going to be my first DE. When I got it home I was pretty excited to find out I had a Gillette Fatboy. I've been hitting the Antique shops and flea markets ever since.

 

[Blaidth]

For years I was shaving with electrics, which was great at first. But for some reason I would always have some irritation, even when cleaning and changing blades in the shaver on a regular schedule. I also would get an ingrown hair on my neck that always bugged me. Kept hearing the advertisements about Harry's and started to look into it, but found a website talking about DE shaving. Looked up some more and fell down the rabbit hole. At least it led me to a wonderful world of scents and awesome shaves!

 

[cvargo]

I have a friend (I know insert joke here.) Who shaves this way and had me convinced I would save money. I mean he used a Muhle r88 I think, persona blades, and a tub of AOS cream it would last him 5 months. So I figured hell I can do that too, I mean those darn Fusion cartridges are EXPENSIVE. Well I'm a collector by nature... once I realized how massive this hobby was and it has grown since I started in 2014 I was suckered in. I mean I do have a coin collection that is massive, I have over 700 blu-ray movies, model cars, receipts back to 2007, and now I have enough soap that my GREAT GREAT GREAT Grandchildren will never have to buy shave soap, enough blades that my GREAT X8 will never have to buy more. So yup i'm saving money LOL!

 

[G.W.]

My first shaves were with a single-blade disposable and an electric razor. For what passed as beard growth at that time, those were sufficient tools. As I got older, moved into carts. Terrible, terrible, terrible. Just left a path of rash and ingrown hairs on my neck. I would, maybe, shave once a week. Tried electrics again, and those were no better. Alternated back and forth for many years, never finding a good solution. Finally I just started using trimmers and keeping a "groomed stubble" look that I didn't like, but it was better than the alternative.
Once I learned that DE razors (I remembered my dad's from when I was a kid) was still a thing people used, I decided to give it a shot. It was a success story right from the very first shave. And here I am!

 

[Guestabc]

Thanks Guys for all the contributions and Poll Participation