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My Journey - So Far

So I'm only a couple of months into wet shaving. I'm coming up on the Big 7-0 birthday in a few months, which just goes to show it's never too late to learn something new.
Or old, as the case may be.
I've posted before that my memory of my early shaves is just non-existent. The Gillette Trac II came out the year I graduated high school, 1971. I have no recollection of shaving before that or when I tried my first cartridge razor. Like most guys, I just accepted that the latest 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-blade cartridge was the best way to shave. But as the years went by, particularly the last five or so, I became increasingly disgusted with both prices and performance. I'm retired now, so the quick "gotta shave in a hurry and get to work!" days are gone. I can take as long as I want or need. And so eventually, tired of expensive, mediocre cartridge razors (where there is no commonality between competing brands), horribly disappointed in every electric razor I'd ever bought and used, I turned to what my father and his father before him used: safety razors with DE blades.
Being careful by nature, I didn't want to jump in too fast or too hard, so I spent a modest sum ($13.00, if memory serves) on a Van Der Hagen TTO razor, which included 5 blades, and a tub of Proraso Green and some cheap Gillette Gel aftershave.

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But once I tried it and liked loved it, it was on to another: an Edwin Jagger DE89. When I'm in Full Immersion Mode, I read and watch videos voraciously, so I learned what shavers liked and for what reasons.

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In the meantime, I was acquiring blades. Lots of blades. Because for reasonable prices, you can purchase sample packs of razor blades from all over the world. It fascinated me. And also allowed me find blades I really like.

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But, then, why not an adjustable razor? Doesn't that make sense? Who wants only one setting, for heaven's sake?
How about a Rockwell 6C with SIX different settings??

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Of course, razors and blades are only part of the equation. I wanted to try different brushes (I was generously gifted one and bought one) and soaps. So I bought some Cremo. Two scents so far: Original and Bourbon Vanilla. And then two Stirling soaps, Margaritas In The Arctic and Bay Rum and even a tube of Palmolive Classic.

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And then (for now, at least), just one more razor. Because as good as Zamak is, isn't stainless steel better? Of course! So why not a Razorock Game Changer? Heck, yeah!

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And so here I am, a couple of months in. I actually look forward to shaving every day instead of dreading it. And I get the best shaves of my life. I have 4 razors, over 160 blades, six soaps, two brushes, a couple of shave mugs/bowls and I'm done. No more purchases.
Really!
I swear!
 
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Fun read to about your journey! Thanks for sharing with us! 😃

You’ve got some awesome razors! Love my Gamechanger 68-P! Best of luck with your journey, as you know by now, the folks here at B&B are among the best on the interwebs! Ask any question you might have and you’re bound to get loads of help! 🤙
 
Fun read to about your journey! Thanks for sharing with us! 😃

You’ve got some awesome razors! Love my Gamechanger 68-P! Best of luck with your journey, as you know by now, the folks here at B&B are among the best on the interwebs! Ask any question you might have and you’re bound to get loads of help! 🤙
Thanks, I appreciate it!
I've learned tons of things here. I've got my brother-in-law wanting to try wet shaving (he's got a starter kit I put together for him).
Used the Game Changer 68-P this morning. Sweet razor!
 
Lessons learned so far on my journey ...

1) There is literally no comparison between DE safety razor shaves and cartridge razor shaves. The DE shave is so far superior, it's laughable. Why did it take me this long to make the switch? Why didn't I do this decades ago???

2) Yes, there are differences between blades/razors/soaps/faces so indeed, as the saying goes, YMMV. Example: almost everyone loves the Voskhod. I wanted to like the like the Voskhod. But the Voskhod doesn't particularly like me; I seem to battle some irritation. I've got a few more blades left and I'll try them again but so far, to my disappointment, they're not working terribly well for me (same with the Gillette Silver Blue).
Without question, the blades I've found work best for me are Astra SP's, Derby Extras, Gillette Nacets, Wizamet Iridium Supers & Bolzano Superinoxes. I could live with any of them on a daily bases. As it is, the two I've stocked up the most on are Derbys and Astras, both of which are good bargains.

3) I've tried 4 subsets of soaps/shaving creams: a) Proraso Green b) Stirling Soap (Bay Rum and Margaritas In The Arctic) and c) Cremo (Original, Bourbon Vanilla & Refreshing Mint) and d) Palmolive Classic. The latter is my least favorite both in terms of scent and effectiveness. It just seems to lack the slipperiness the others have. I love the Proraso; it lathers pretty well and the scent, while mild, is my second favorite. Favorite? Cremo Bourbon Vanilla, perhaps not surprising given my affection for bourbon. Without question, the biggest surprise on my journey so far is my affinity for Cremo, which I tried on a whim and now, frankly, deem as my favorite among the whole group. Yes, I wish from an aesthetic standpoint it lathered (I understand they do offer a lathering cream but this isn't it) but it's so slick the blade just glides as if on ball bearings. Among the best shaves I've had since switching over to wet shaving have come with Cremo. I know it's a somewhat non-traditional choice, but it's affordable and works for me. Having said that, I still love whipping up a nice lather with one of the traditional soaps as much as the next guy but, wow, Cremo just plain rocks.

4) I now have four razors: my original Van Der Hagen TTO, an Edwin Jagger DE89, a Rockwell 6C Gunmetal Chrome and a Razorock Game Changer 68-P. I use the VDH less and less, gravitating towards the slightly more aggressive but still smooth razors, although its Twist To Open design is always appreciated. But the other three are just so excellent ... I think I've chosen well, thanks in large part to the more experienced voices here on B&B. I appreciate the input and opinions I've gotten here so much.

More as time/learning allows ...
 
@Lockback thanks for starting your thread, I enjoy hearing about your journey! The GameChangers are truly satisfying to use. Do you foresee an interest in trying any triple-milled soaps? You might find them a little more challenging to lather, but I have preferred their performance over creams. In any case, look forward to reading more from you!
 
You’re journey starting off, kind of reminds me of my experience. I have or have used a lot of those items that you mentioned.

Glad to hear that you are enjoying it so much. That you are sharing it with us here.

Hope you continue to do so😃
 
@Lockback thanks for starting your thread, I enjoy hearing about your journey! The GameChangers are truly satisfying to use. Do you foresee an interest in trying any triple-milled soaps? You might find them a little more challenging to lather, but I have preferred their performance over creams. In any case, look forward to reading more from you!
Oh, I wouldn't be surprised if I try a triple-milled soap at some point. I'm game to try most things shaving ... I just need to work my way through some of the things I've already got first!
 
Despite my repeated protestations to the contrary, I did add another razor to my little arsenal today: a Vikings Blade Emperor Meiji adjustable.
I've been curious about this razor for some time. Reading reviews, I realize they're mixed but, hey, it's worth a shot and I love the looks of the thing. I'll probably break it in tomorrow although I have a home project to work on ...

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A couple of quick notes ...
I now have five razors: a Razorock Game Changer 68-P, a Rockwell 6C, a Van Der Hagen TTO, an Edwin Jagger DE89 and a Vikings Blade Emperor Meiji. Two favorites have emerged: the Rockwell 6C and the GC. They just work for me. The Meiji is still taking some getting used to. Before I began wet shaving, I would have figured I'd like heavy razors better than light ones but in fact it hasn't worked out that way and the Emperor is the size and weight of a '58 Buick. But I'm adjust to it. The VDH and EJ are both terrific; mild razors that get the job done nicely.​
The soap/shave cream hunt has been interesting. I first bought some Proraso Green and it's one of my favorites. I added two Stirling soaps, Margaritas In The Arctic and Bay Rum as well as a tube of Palmolive Classic. While I like the Stirling soaps, I haven't mastered lathering them yet. I'm inconsistent with it. I'm not a huge fan of the Bay Rum scent but really dislike the Palmolive Classic scent. On a whim, I bought a tube of Cremo Classic and it was love at first shave. It doesn't lather but the blade glides over it like a skater on a rink so I bought two more tubes of it in Bourbon Vanilla and Refreshing Mint and, to be honest, it's my favorite shave cream, the one I find myself using the most.​
Regarding blades, I liked Derby Extras and Astra SP's from early on and have ordered supplies of both, but also have bought several sampler packs. I think I have a total of 20 different brands and I've tried a number of them. I haven't found a terrible blade yet and have discovered some great ones (Bolzano Superinox, Gillette Nacet, Wizamet Super Iridium). But for every day shaves, I like both the Derby and Astra.​
More later ...
 
Your journal reminds me of myself. I just got into this wet shaving a couple of months ago having been an electric shaver since teenage years. I really never got into the whole cartridge shaving thing. For me it was just about getting it done and out. As I have been getting older(50) I have discovered that I want to enjoy and slow down more. Life is too fast as is. another change I've done is to go over completely to fountain pen writing, writing much more as well. Enjoying that tremendously. My cursive writing has never been better. Of course that was another rabbit hole I fully jumped into, but that is another story..

My shaving journey began when I picked up a KCG razor and some Cremo Heritage at Wally world on a whim. I could not tell you why I did it, but I guess some aspects of me wanted to slow down a bit, again. then I started that rabbit hole. I put in an order from Italian Barber for razors and soaps and brushes. Blade sample kits etc.... Now I am just enjoying the whole thing and I have brought one of my friends down in the rabbit hole with me as well. It is all good......
-Boris
 
Your journal reminds me of myself. I just got into this wet shaving a couple of months ago having been an electric shaver since teenage years. I really never got into the whole cartridge shaving thing. For me it was just about getting it done and out. As I have been getting older(50) I have discovered that I want to enjoy and slow down more. Life is too fast as is. another change I've done is to go over completely to fountain pen writing, writing much more as well. Enjoying that tremendously. My cursive writing has never been better. Of course that was another rabbit hole I fully jumped into, but that is another story..

My shaving journey began when I picked up a KCG razor and some Cremo Heritage at Wally world on a whim. I could not tell you why I did it, but I guess some aspects of me wanted to slow down a bit, again. then I started that rabbit hole. I put in an order from Italian Barber for razors and soaps and brushes. Blade sample kits etc.... Now I am just enjoying the whole thing and I have brought one of my friends down in the rabbit hole with me as well. It is all good......
-Boris
Boris,
I'm really enjoying the journey and, as you said, the desire to take my time and slow down was one of the main reasons. The other was to save money which, of course, didn't turn out quite the way I had planned. :001_unsur:biggrin1:
I've got more razors and blades than I could possibly need but it's fun and a relatively inexpensive hobby that's not as dangerous as some of the other ones I've had. :thumbsup:
 
Boris,
I'm really enjoying the journey and, as you said, the desire to take my time and slow down was one of the main reasons. The other was to save money which, of course, didn't turn out quite the way I had planned. :001_unsur:biggrin1:
I've got more razors and blades than I could possibly need but it's fun and a relatively inexpensive hobby that's not as dangerous as some of the other ones I've had. :thumbsup:
Yes it is a pretty harmless addiction compared to others and like you said, it is not that expensive. I think that my fountain pen hobby has slowed down because of this and that is probably a good thing, since that can get very expensive in a hurry if you are not careful(everyone should have a Visconti Homo Sapiens right? Just kidding I could not make myself to get one...). I am well on my way to a lifetime supply of shaving items and I guess I will have to amend my will to include that as well.

Talk about a bit more dangerous hobbies. I used to ride motorcycle and I enjoyed that greatly. It was great to go out for rides with my friends and such, but I hung up the helmet for two reasons. First, my motorcycle sat unused many times for long periods, taking up room and second people in traffic does not pay attention to you on a motorcycle. I am not concerned about me having an accident because of me, but other people. Especially with the traffic around here where I live.
-Boris
 
Great choice going with a Game Changer. The only razor I like more than the Game Changer is the Feather AS-D2, and that's only by a small margin.
 
Doesn’t the Meji have two different sides? One more aggressive than the other? The scalloped side might be more forward than the solid bar side. This may contribute to you still having to dial in this razor (next to the weight issue you mentioned).

Enjoy!

Guido
 
Yes it is a pretty harmless addiction compared to others and like you said, it is not that expensive. I think that my fountain pen hobby has slowed down because of this and that is probably a good thing, since that can get very expensive in a hurry if you are not careful(everyone should have a Visconti Homo Sapiens right? Just kidding I could not make myself to get one...). I am well on my way to a lifetime supply of shaving items and I guess I will have to amend my will to include that as well.

Talk about a bit more dangerous hobbies. I used to ride motorcycle and I enjoyed that greatly. It was great to go out for rides with my friends and such, but I hung up the helmet for two reasons. First, my motorcycle sat unused many times for long periods, taking up room and second people in traffic does not pay attention to you on a motorcycle. I am not concerned about me having an accident because of me, but other people. Especially with the traffic around here where I live.
-Boris
I've been riding motorcycles for 45 years and still have one, a Yamaha FJR1300 sport-touring bike. Really fast and smooth. But I got COVID a couple of years ago and have never totally recovered. It's pretty much sat in the garage the last couple of years. My sense of balance isn't what it used to be and a few months away from 70 years old, I no longer have the sense of adventure I once did. I plan on selling the bike this Spring and finally letting go over one of my great passions. I've traveled a lot of states on motorcycles over the years and have tons of great memories but the time has come to pursue other things.
Today I ordered another electric guitar, which has become one of my passions the last few years. It's a lot safer than riding a motorcycle. :wink:
 
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