So I wanted to start a thread about my journey into wet shaving for anyone else starting out or at the very least to document my journey. I had never shaved with anything other than a cartridge razor until about a month ago. I found the wet shaving world from following a link to the one blade razor and doing some research from there. Found a world I didn't know existed. An boy oh boy is it a rabbit hole.
So from some recommendations I started with a Edwin Jagger DE89 and a Mamba .70. I ordered some Stirling soap. With great trepidation and careful preparation I did my first wet shave with an Astra SP in the DE89 and a Plissoft Bruce brush. It was quite an experience. Lost some blood, but the whole experience was great, the shave felt good after about an hour and i was hooked. As guys I think we shy away from enjoying the process of hygiene for the most part and look at shaving as a chore to do as fast and efficiently as possible. Thats a mistake I feel now.
I didn't mesh well with the DE89. I didn't like the handle and I just couldn't gel with it. I tried Astra SP, Gillette 7 o clock yellows and Gillette Silver Blue. I didn't care for the brush either. So I did one of the cardinal sins and switched it up about a week in. I tried the Mamba with a 70/30 badger boar blend brush. The brush is heaven for me. And the razor, while it felt much smoother and more effortless, the shave was inferior. Barely a DFS, nowhere near a BBS. It got to where I would use a lot of pressure and a lot of passes and buffing to get a decent shave leading to blood and lots of discomfort. I think it was a combo of a mild razor and a very specific angle it required. I started to get disheartened. Thinking it would be comfort or efficiency, never both.
Fast forward to finding a good deal on a Rex Envoy. That was the best shave of my short career. It was effortless, intuitive, smooth, and insanely efficient. I used a Gillette Silver Blue razor. 3 pass and it was my first ever true BBS. And I didnt even try. I used zero pressure, payed attention to what I was doing, and enjoyed it. What a razor. Best shave of my life without a doubt. Zero blood, no irritation, and a smooth face.
I guess what I have learned so far is there is no "best razor" for you. I read that so many times to begin with but I did not understand it until now. Not saying the DE89 is a bad razor, I learned a lot from it and what I wanted from a razor. But it wasn't for me. And I had to experience it to understand. Nothing I read could tell me what using it told me. The same goes for brushes. I didn't know what I like until I experience it for myself. A variety of brushes can be had for not a ton of money. Try them. You will quickly learn what you like. I quickly learned what i like. Backbone and scrub. Some of my cheapest brushes are my favorite. And I'm sorry but for me, nothing artificial can replace real hair, at least not yet. Just my opinion.
I also thought I would for sure bowl lather. Not any more. I had to experience it. I can get a perfect lather in the bowl, but the quality of the shave for me is not the same as when I face lather. I may not get the perfect lather consistency every time, but the process of scrubbing the soap on your face adds to the experience, the scent, but most importantly, for me anyway, the smoothness and efficiency of the shave in general. Again, I had to experience it myself to know what I liked. I read everything I could get my hands on. Got some excellent advice from someone I met here, who I now consider a friend @Chan Eil Whiskers . But nothing anyone could say replaced figuring it out for myself. And I think thats part of the fun. Well, most of the fun lol.
Im just beginning, but I am figuring out what I like and I think everyone should experience that. Yes there are some universal truths and some great starting points that are accepted. But I look forward to keeping this log for myself and for others as I move along in my journey. Maybe it will be helpful for someone, maybe not. But either way I hope to pay back some of the time and help I was given by a great group of guys here.
So from some recommendations I started with a Edwin Jagger DE89 and a Mamba .70. I ordered some Stirling soap. With great trepidation and careful preparation I did my first wet shave with an Astra SP in the DE89 and a Plissoft Bruce brush. It was quite an experience. Lost some blood, but the whole experience was great, the shave felt good after about an hour and i was hooked. As guys I think we shy away from enjoying the process of hygiene for the most part and look at shaving as a chore to do as fast and efficiently as possible. Thats a mistake I feel now.
I didn't mesh well with the DE89. I didn't like the handle and I just couldn't gel with it. I tried Astra SP, Gillette 7 o clock yellows and Gillette Silver Blue. I didn't care for the brush either. So I did one of the cardinal sins and switched it up about a week in. I tried the Mamba with a 70/30 badger boar blend brush. The brush is heaven for me. And the razor, while it felt much smoother and more effortless, the shave was inferior. Barely a DFS, nowhere near a BBS. It got to where I would use a lot of pressure and a lot of passes and buffing to get a decent shave leading to blood and lots of discomfort. I think it was a combo of a mild razor and a very specific angle it required. I started to get disheartened. Thinking it would be comfort or efficiency, never both.
Fast forward to finding a good deal on a Rex Envoy. That was the best shave of my short career. It was effortless, intuitive, smooth, and insanely efficient. I used a Gillette Silver Blue razor. 3 pass and it was my first ever true BBS. And I didnt even try. I used zero pressure, payed attention to what I was doing, and enjoyed it. What a razor. Best shave of my life without a doubt. Zero blood, no irritation, and a smooth face.
I guess what I have learned so far is there is no "best razor" for you. I read that so many times to begin with but I did not understand it until now. Not saying the DE89 is a bad razor, I learned a lot from it and what I wanted from a razor. But it wasn't for me. And I had to experience it to understand. Nothing I read could tell me what using it told me. The same goes for brushes. I didn't know what I like until I experience it for myself. A variety of brushes can be had for not a ton of money. Try them. You will quickly learn what you like. I quickly learned what i like. Backbone and scrub. Some of my cheapest brushes are my favorite. And I'm sorry but for me, nothing artificial can replace real hair, at least not yet. Just my opinion.
I also thought I would for sure bowl lather. Not any more. I had to experience it. I can get a perfect lather in the bowl, but the quality of the shave for me is not the same as when I face lather. I may not get the perfect lather consistency every time, but the process of scrubbing the soap on your face adds to the experience, the scent, but most importantly, for me anyway, the smoothness and efficiency of the shave in general. Again, I had to experience it myself to know what I liked. I read everything I could get my hands on. Got some excellent advice from someone I met here, who I now consider a friend @Chan Eil Whiskers . But nothing anyone could say replaced figuring it out for myself. And I think thats part of the fun. Well, most of the fun lol.
Im just beginning, but I am figuring out what I like and I think everyone should experience that. Yes there are some universal truths and some great starting points that are accepted. But I look forward to keeping this log for myself and for others as I move along in my journey. Maybe it will be helpful for someone, maybe not. But either way I hope to pay back some of the time and help I was given by a great group of guys here.
Sexy razor..
