n00b Check in... Where do I start?

[GNR]

Welcome to Badger & Blade!

You definitely found the right place. There are great and knowledgeable folks here.

Please let us know where you are located. I’m can send some razors, a brush or two, blades, and some traditional shaving cream to start with.

If you are not in the U.S. we’ll have to split shipping costs.

Read the Wiki pages…technique trumps gear.

Have fun!

Semper Fidelis,

Tim

 

[dmshaver]

Welcome to B & B, enjoy!

 

[Submariner]

Welcome to B&B, Doug. It's not as intimidating to get going as one might think. You need a razor, some blades, a brush and some soap. There are plenty of starter sets to get you going. Key: Take your time and enjoy the shave.

 

[MonsieurBishop]

Welcome Doug!

There’s a wide range of options that you can choose from when starting.

DE/muhle 89 series or merkur 34c are both well reviewed over here for starters. A merkur progress would be a nice adjustable if that’s your thing.

You can choose the vintage path and pick up a tech on eBay. Wonderful razor. Cheap too.

An omega boar or a Razorock synthetic would be my recommendation for a brush.

An arko stick, a proraso or Palmolive and you’re set for the soap/cream.

Pick up a blade sample and enjoy the ride.

Oh, don’t forget the aftershave. I’d start with the classics. Clubman, aqua velva, skin bracer.

Are you in the USA?

Hi and welcome to B&B Doug. My advice would be not to go spending large amounts of money, at the start. The razors @Alex Jr mentioned are a good starting point, they won't cost you much but are still good razors.

Soaps are the same. I can get wonderful lathers with Proraso, Speick and Arko!. There's a reason why these soaps have been around for so long they work.

For a brush I would go with a synthetic. You can pick up a good for around £20. There's no break in period and will work well straight away.

As for blades I wouldn't go buying 100 of any of them. Have a read on here and see which ones are the most popular with people. Make yourself a list and go to The Razor Blade Club and order a sample pack. You can make your own choices for what ever ones you decide. Don't buy a single blade of each but rather buy a tuck of each blade you choose. The tucks usually have 5 to 10 blades in them, it's better to use the same blade a few times to see if they are OK for your face.

Read the threads on here about prep and technic. You'll learn far more on here than you ever will on YouTube.

And lastly. Have fun and enjoy the journey .

Ok, looks like the stack of advice I got right off the bat is what I'm going to shoot for. I must say, I'm quite impressed with the immediate and helpful responses - so thanks to all of you!

I'll get myself the razor and brush recommendations, and then give it a go. Will also take the advice of reading the Wiki and explore around here a little more for some tips.

Welcome to B & B, enjoy!

I love the kind welcome, very nice vibe to this forum - not so many are so accepting of the n00bs. .

Thanks to all of you, this is an exciting journey I'm looking forwards to taking!

Oh - a few people asked me if I'm in the USA - any reason why? I'm in Canada for reference, in the wonderful city of Montreal.

 

[Dave himself]

Ok, looks like the stack of advice I got right off the bat is what I'm going to shoot for. I must say, I'm quite impressed with the immediate and helpful responses - so thanks to all of you!

I'll get myself the razor and brush recommendations, and then give it a go. Will also take the advice of reading the Wiki and explore around here a little more for some tips.



I love the kind welcome, very nice vibe to this forum - not so many are so accepting of the n00bs. .

Thanks to all of you, this is an exciting journey I'm looking forwards to taking!

Oh - a few people asked me if I'm in the USA - any reason why? I'm in Canada for reference, in the wonderful city of Montreal.

Members here will often ask where your based to point you in the right direction for the best deals from different online vendors. The best place to get a blade sample is from on here @dmshaver should be able to sort you out.

 

[Leverspro]

Another Canadian!
Welcome.
Italian Barber and Top of the Chain are two good Canadian vendors. Maggards also works pretty good for us as they use an alternate international shipper that is very reasonable. And, of course you're in the country of both Wolfman and Karve razors.

 

[MonsieurBishop]

Members here will often ask where your based to point you in the right direction for the best deals from different online vendors. The best place to get a blade sample is from on here @dmshaver should be able to sort you out.

Ah, got it!

Another Canadian!
Welcome.
Italian Barber and Top of the Chain are two good Canadian vendors. Maggards also works pretty good for us as they use an alternate international shipper that is very reasonable. And, of course you're in the country of both Wolfman and Karve razors.

Hows it goin' bud?

Nice, I'll check all that out too.

 

[Old Hippie]

Welcome, Doug! ...from the North Thompson Valley north of Kamloops BC.

Every time you think of a question...

"Are there any unscented tallow soaps?"
"What's the community think of X razor?"
"How do I...?"
"Where can I find a decent...?"

...then drop in here and hit the search function. Ask around. Read. Try stuff.

And ask questions!

O.H.

 

[cryhavoc]

Welcome to B&B!

 

[wes1953]

Welcome to B&B!

 

[ButterfaceX]

Welcome...Welcome Doug!
For your shave journey..
You will be the master of the tool...and it is more that just the shave.....think of as "face management"....
Be smart, methodical, patience, consistent, be open, do the the best for you, no two faces are alike....enjoy and have fun.....
And take it:

 

[catchacoolbreeze]

First you need to get the gear. Research and take the best guess in your budget that you can get. You will need 1) DE razor, 2) sample pack of blades, 3) shave brush (a synthetic is easiest to use for a beginner), 4) shave soap (I would research something easy to lather). You gotta take the plunge and just do it. Don't fret on what to get so much - I recommend affordable options. This hole thing should be no more than $100.

Once you get that stuff- research how to use it and techniques. Then you will have a point of reference. Then come back and post how you want your gear to improve and that is where the rabbit hole begins.

 

[BanjoDadPDX]

Just listened to a Wet Shaving Talk podcast episode where Joe recommends starting with a DE razor for at least a couple months before venturing into straight razors. You will learn how to lather and discover your bears growth direction. I wholeheartedly agree with this advice.

 

[ButterfaceX]

Everyone is different and takes their own path..
My dad taught me at 16 (now 66) how to shave with a SR. Years later I trying DE's. My dads point of reference was like learning how to drive, back it the day. Learn on a Standard then transition to an automatic.
I learn so much from starting with SR. The technique has to me much more methodical & precise. He also raised my awareness not only to face mapping but understanding changes in thickness and density(as we get older) . Plus all around face care and best practices around shaving. Proper prep, during, post....and general care.

BFX
"Be true to yourself, stay focused and stay you, take advice from other folks, use what you can, but never mind what is not for you. For the most part, trust yourself and believe in what you are doing." - M.S.

 

[ttyndall]

Welcome to B&B

 

[euro]

I've gone as far as "I want to shave with a real razor, and stop using my Gillette one. I hit Google to search for what the real deal is, found this place.

Decided to just post a thread and outright ask... where do I start?

Oh and Hi! I'm Doug.

By buying all the shaving supplies recommended here and send them to me!

Razor: Many have mentioned the Merkur 34C HD which is a good razor but I think a Merkur Progress is better since it's an adjustable razor. I have both razors and I really can recommend the Merkur Progress, on it's lowest setting it's super mild just like the Merkur 34C HD and if you need anything more aggressive you just dial in the setting.
Blades: What works for me might not work for you. So get a couple sample packs of blades and test them out. You really can't go wrong with the Astra SP so my recommendation is to start with an Astra SP blade till you get the hang of it. My favorite blades are the Feathers, Permasharp and Astra SP's.
Soap: I would avoid hard soaps in the beginning and stick to creams because they're easy to lather. You really can't go wrong with the Proraso cream. If you can get the Palmolive cream then get that one instead, Palmolive is super easy to lather and it smells nice. It's also much cheaper than the Proraso, it costs 1.50 euro per tube here.
Brush: Semogue has some nice and cheap brushes. No need to spend 50+ euro on a brush. I got a cheap 20 euro Semogue brush and I have been using it for more than 10 years.
Bowl: Any ceramic bowl would do the job, you can use a plastic one too. No need to spend a lot of cash on the bowl. I got a cool copper bowl from a dollar store and I have been using it for ages now.
Aftershave: This is a though one because YMMV. Proraso Green AS smells very nice, the Red one is great too. Pinaud Clubman has some great AS too.
Pre-shave oil: There are so many products but believe me when I say this, nothing beats olive oil especially if you never shaved with a DE razor and you don't know how to make the lather properly the olive oil is a must. It will add that extra slickness and your face will feel super smooth after the shave. You can use vegetable or soy oil too.

 

[Chef455]

Welcome to B&B, Doug! Sound and simple advice above so I'll not clutter your thread further. I will add that once you've begun your DE razor journey it is helpful to post your experiences here on the forums. Either in a diary or another appropriate thread. Plus we like to read about our new members' experiences!

 

[Gaspare]

Hi Doug,

As you see, you are getting plenty of replies. These wonderful people know a hell of a lot of shaving and anything related to it. They are kind and very helpful.
Follow their advice and you’ll be alright!

The spirit of the community over here is absolutely unbelieveable.