New to Safety Razor Questions!

[RayClem]

I would not recommend buying 100 blades until you know that a certain blade works for you. So buying a sampler, like the Top Ten from TryABlade.com. Ebay and Amazon also have samplers.

blades are super subjective and one person's favorite might be your least favorite.

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+1
Yes, purchase a sampler pack with blades ranging from mild (VDH, Derby Extra, Merkur) to very sharp (Feather).

The VDH TTO razor is one of the mildest razors you can purchase. And the VDH ice tempered blades are one of the mildest blades you can purchase. That is a good combination for a new shaver just learning how to use a DE, but it is not optimal for a great shave. The optimal blade for you depends no only on the razor you use, but also on the toughness of your beard and the sensitivity of your skin.

One of the posts above recommended Astra SP blades. For many people they work quite well, but for me, the blades are barely sharp enough to slice through my coarse beard and they feel rough on my sensitive skin. I cannot get a close, comfortable shave with Astra SP, however, the similarly priced Astra SS blades do work for me.

The only way you can find out what works best for you is to try a lot of different blades.

 

[China shaver]

Really? That’s awesome! So if you shave once a day and the blades are say $10 for 100, that means you’ve got almost a DECADE of shaving for $10???

Can this really be true??? Even at 4-5 shaves per blade, as another person mentioned, the savings over the Gillette cartridges are extreme. Very cool!! Not to mention doing this as just a fun retro hobby type thing as I’m very in to old fashioned type stuff!

Be careful - what seems like a hobby for now can fast turn into the entrance to the dreaded rabbit hole, I know, I've fallen down it myself.
However, welcome to B&B - and enjoy the ride, what you've started off with is fine for now, though +1 on the advice on the blade samplers, cheaper soaps, shaving creams and brushes

 

[BigJ]

Congratulations on the first shave!!

I suggest you read through the Wiki and watch a few videos.

 

[GaryTha]

+1
Yes, purchase a sampler pack with blades ranging from mild (VDH, Derby Extra, Merkur) to very sharp (Feather).

The VDH TTO razor is one of the mildest razors you can purchase. And the VDH ice tempered blades are one of the mildest blades you can purchase. That is a good combination for a new shaver just learning how to use a DE, but it is not optimal for a great shave. The optimal blade for you depends no only on the razor you use, but also on the toughness of your beard and the sensitivity of your skin.

One of the posts above recommended Astra SP blades. For many people they work quite well, but for me, the blades are barely sharp enough to slice through my coarse beard and they feel rough on my sensitive skin. I cannot get a close, comfortable shave with Astra SP, however, the similarly priced Astra SS blades do work for me.

The only way you can find out what works best for you is to try a lot of different blades.

I didn't make Astra SP recommendation in a vacuum. The OP mentioned he was able to shave his whiskers with the Van der Hagen blades without drawing blood. This is good news for him. It means he is in a large average group of shavers.

The Van Der Hagen razor has a shallow shaving angle of 24 degrees. Maybe 22 degrees while riding the top cap a bit. This means the whiskers will be cut as if with a knife instead of hoed off with a larger shaving angle. It also means he can shave closely with virtually zero pressure. The blade doesn't have excessive exposure like a more aggressive razor might, so if he gets outside the optimum parameters, the blade will lift off the face. The chances are high that if he uses Astra SP blades or any of about eight other popular blades in the same sharpness range, he can achieve near perfection. A sample pack would contain useless blades outside this sharpness range. As he goes through the sample pack, which could take 300 shaves, any perception of an improved shave may be a result of experience instead of a better blade.

Sooner or later, people are going to suggest other razors that may work as well with practice, but they will cost money he doesn't need to spend. He may find himself with seven or eight different razors that don't give a better shave. There are many soaps that will work well, but with practice, most will work about the same as a puck of Williams. Many people get addicted to trying different soaps to get a better shave or better scent and end up with ten or fifteen soaps, or in one case 200 soaps, in the first few months.

He said, "I’m looking for a cheaper yet retro and 'old school' method of shaving the hairs from my face." If a person wants old school, they need to imitate the conditions. I'm 66. My old school included a sink with no cabinets underneath. There was a small three-shelf medicine cabinet with a mirror that was shared by the husband and wife. In other words, there was no place to store a bunch of options. One razor, one type of blade, one soap and one brush was the norm. Many used Gillette Foamy or Barbasol instead of a brush.

Addictions can be incredibly expensive. It's easy to sink thousands into variety. Remember, the cost/shave is the total amount spent/number of shaves.

 

[Copierguy]

Welcome to B&B.
As your technique and hardware improve, you may find you need Bacardi Superior to achieve the same results. Enjoy your journey.

 

[Boghopper]

The best advice so far is lay off the Rolling Rock.

 

[lancre]

Friends, this afternoon I was at Wal-Mart and was at the shaving aisle wanting to buy a Gillette Fusion razor after having lost my original. Well I hit the stupid call button for employees to come and unlock the case so I can get a razor. Well... about 15 minutes pass after hitting the button many times. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a silver Van Der Hagen safety razor sitting there.

Fed up, I snatch the safety razor and a few hours later find myself, nearly drunk off a case of Rolling Rock beer, staring at myself in nudity in my mirror with the safety razor in hand and a can of shaving cream nearby.

I shave.

The YouTube video said to use a 30° cant to the razor and I do my best. By the grace of the maker, my first pass results in no blood! I am thrilled. Yet, some hairs remain. A second pass results in no blood also!! Just a few razor bumps, but a mostly smooth face!!! . So maybe I’m not so bad at it?? Does the maker know?!

Regardless, improvement is needed to say the least. Friends, should I even be using Gillette aerosol shaving cream with this type of classic razor?? If not, what should I use?? Badger’s hairs brushes and shave powder?? I’ve no clue!!

And as for blades?? I’ve read the Solingen, Germany made Van Der Haven blades that come with this handle actually are not very good?? What are some better blades?? Some that are hopefully affordable!?!?

I’m frantic, yet addicted!! I just need guidance... and hopefully I’m looking for a cheaper yet retro and “old school” method of shaving the hairs from my face.

Please, HELP ME GUYS!!!

First off, Welcome aboard!

Looking at your questions, let's start with "technique trumps tools". If you're happy with your initial results, stick with that stuff for the first month or so while you train your muscle memory and work on optimizing your technique. Hold off on buying a lot of new stuff until you feel a desire to branch out. If your technique is good, you can shave with almost anything; if your technique is poor, new hardware won't be a lot of help.

You've already looked at instructional videos, that's good. Don't think in terms of a specific angle for the razor. That will differ a bit depending on the razor, the blade, or your face. To find the right angle for you, start with the handle perpendicular to your face and tilt it as you shave until you hear and feel the blade start cutting your whiskers. That will be the angle you want to maintain.

Soaps:
You have a can of aerosol cream? Use that first. Change only one thing at a time. For soaps, you can usually find the VDH soaps at a local Walmart or drugstore. If you're willing to order online, Maggardrazors.com has a TON of samples to try. The samples from Stirlingsoaps.com (of Stirling soaps) are larger. Really, though, soap is a lubricant. If it's slick enough and you like the scent, go for it.

Brushes: You can build a lather with just your hands, but most of us here enjoy the feel of a brush.

Top quality badgers can great, but they'll cost you. Cheap badgers from Amazon will rip your face up. They're cheap because the tips have been clipped to get the desired brush shape. Think about the difference in the way your fingernails feel before and after clipping.

Good boars by Omega or Semogue can be had for $10-30.00. Boars take a while to break in. 20-50 shaves. They'll be OK to start, and just get better as they break in. Have patience. To this day, my favorite brush is a Semogue 830 boar.

While I prefer boars and badgers, I recommend starting with a synthetic from Maggard, Stirling or West Coast Shaving. Good synthetics can start around $10.00. Very soft tips. Great as a starter brush. No break in.

Blades:
Nothing is more YMMV than blades. None of us has your face. Try a variety of blades before you buy 100 of any of them. Get samplers from any of the vendors I mentioned above, or from Amazon, or especially from Tryablade.com.

You'll get a lot of opinions here regarding all of these products. Ask for a recommendation, and you'll get 20 replies with 50 different opinions. What counts is how these tools feel to you.

 

[lancre]

Very easy for me to get 30 shaves from a blade

Really? That’s awesome! So if you shave once a day and the blades are say $10 for 100, that means you’ve got almost a DECADE of shaving for $10???

Can this really be true??? Even at 4-5 shaves per blade, as another person mentioned, the savings over the Gillette cartridges are extreme. Very cool!! Not to mention doing this as just a fun retro hobby type thing as I’m very in to old fashioned type stuff!

The most I've ever gotten out of a single blade is 48 shaves. Over my first three years of daily DE shaving, I've used 218 blades. That's an average of 5 shaves per blade, or about 73 blades per year. At $0.10 per blade, that's an average of $0.02 per shave.

 

[lancre]

Be careful - what seems like a hobby for now can fast turn into the entrance to the dreaded rabbit hole, I know, I've fallen down it myself.

LOL! Based on your username and avatar, it look like the rabbit hole was so deep you came out on the other side of the globe!

 

[glm38]

You lucked into a really good razor on your first try. The van der Hagen was my first safety razor too. I didn't like the vdh blades. They worked but just weren't very smooth for me.

Nice job on getting the sampler pack. I wish I had done that initially.

Keep in mind not everyone gets 30 shaves per blade. I can but 15 works best for me. Some guys toss their blades every shave. Even doing that you are $$ ahead vs the multi blade monstrosities. Play around and see what works for you.

You are off to a great start. Shaving cream is fine. But you'll probably eventually want to try a brush and cream or soap.

 

[China shaver]

LOL! Based on your username and avatar, it look like the rabbit hole was so deep you came out on the other side of the globe!

Indeed I did

 

[Panzerschwein]

Friends, thanks to ALL OF YOU for the recommendations, tips, and help. This is an entirely new world to me! My razor blade sample pack arrived today from Amazon:

So many pretty colors!! Lol. I decided to try with Astra Superior Platinum and the results were really good!! It took over twenty minutes to do two shaves, and I did my very best to follow all tips and directions. I also used the alum block that came with the razor sampler, stings but in a good way felt real nice!! Overall right now my face is way smoother than it got with even a new Gillette Fusion Mk whatever cartridge!! I have a little razor burn around my lower neck area but it’s not too bad at all really, no worse than the Gillette Fusion really.

So far I am extremely happy and am never looking back to those ridiculous overpriced Gillette cartridges. This is way more satisfying and interesting and the cost savings is icing on the cake! Thanks again to everyone and looking forward to learning so much more!!

-Panzerschwein (Armored Pig in German, it’s the name German settlers in Texas gave to armadillos)

 

[razorboi]

Friends, thanks to ALL OF YOU for the recommendations, tips, and help. This is an entirely new world to me! My razor blade sample pack arrived today from Amazon:

So many pretty colors!! Lol. I decided to try with Astra Superior Platinum and the results were really good!! It took over twenty minutes to do two shaves, and I did my very best to follow all tips and directions. I also used the alum block that came with the razor sampler, stings but in a good way felt real nice!! Overall right now my face is way smoother than it got with even a new Gillette Fusion Mk whatever cartridge!! I have a little razor burn around my lower neck area but it’s not too bad at all really, no worse than the Gillette Fusion really.

So far I am extremely happy and am never looking back to those ridiculous overpriced Gillette cartridges. This is way more satisfying and interesting and the cost savings is icing on the cake! Thanks again to everyone and looking forward to learning so much more!!

-Panzerschwein (Armored Pig in German, it’s the name German settlers in Texas gave to armadillos)

Nice start.
Next you'll want to nix the Foamy. It's your Achille's heel at this point.
It's full of air, dries out quickly, and doesn't provide much cushion or moisture.
Starter brushes are so cheap, there's no excuse for not diving in and exploring the brave new world of shaving soaps and creams. Synthetic brushes are cheap, but pure badge brushes are really not much more expensive and many adore their softer texture. Best badger is the next step up in quality and cost and super badger or silver-tip badger brushes are an expensive luxury item. Boar brushes are a different feel, firmer, many swear by them. You'll just have to try them to find out what you like.
If you want to see all that is out there, I suggest you peruse such supplier web-sites as Bullgoose, Classic Shaving, Fendrihan, Maggard's, RoyalShave, ShaveNation and West Coast Shaving. And there are others.
Happy trails!
ps Is that a Rolling Rock I see in your photo? Tutt-tutt.
No worries. You'll be on cigars and single-malts soon enough!

 

[GaryTha]

Now that you found a blade that works well, there is no reason to test more blades. Try using the same blade for ten shaves. You can order 100 for about $7.50 delivered.

A little tip on the Foamy. Use enough so your fingers have some foam left on them. The skin on the fingers shouldn't come in contact with foam on the face. Think of it like ketchup left in the bottle that allows the ketchup to flow out smoothly.

There are some things you can learn now that will make your transition to a brush easier. The first is developing a stroke pattern for your shaving. There is a saying the Blue Angels use: "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, fast is deadly." The way to speed up your shave is to move deliberately instead of quickly. You can practice without a blade. For instance, I use long vertical strokes from the top of my cheek all the way to the bottom of my neck. It took some practice to go over my jawline while maintaining the proper razor position. Others like short strokes. Either way works. Rinse the razor frequently.

Try rinsing your face with water after the first pass and only use water for the second and third pass. Rest part of the top plate on your face when you do this.

Don't time your shaves. They will get faster when you are ready.

Back to the reason I recommend buying 100 Astra SP's now. Each blade will have its own nuances. The method you use for the Astra SP may not work as well for the other blades, especially the duller ones.

 

[razorboi]

Now that you found a blade that works well, there is no reason to test more blades. Try using the same blade for ten shaves. You can order 100 for about $7.50 delivered.

Try rinsing your face with water after the first pass and only use water for the second and third pass. Rest part of the top plate on your face when you do this.

Guten tag, Panzerschwein:
Whether you have an interest in trying out more brands of blades is entirely a matter for you. But at your stage, I would not advocate you buy 100 of anything!
Blade brands do have their individuality, but there's also a lot of silly ju-ju in these forums over blades. Take all blade brand comments as "opinion."
Furthermore, and with all due respect to GaryTha, I cannot agree that using only water on a second and third pass is advisable. Many of us do, in haste, even though we have a brush-full of lather at hand, but you're just inviting trouble, nicks, cuts, irritation... It only takes a few seconds to re-lather, and it's worth it!

 

[GaryTha]

Guten tag, Panzerschwein:
Whether you have an interest in trying out more brands of blades is entirely a matter for you. But at your stage, I would not advocate you buy 100 of anything!
Blade brands do have their individuality, but there's also a lot of silly ju-ju in these forums over blades. Take all blade brand comments as "opinion."
Furthermore, and with all due respect to GaryTha, I cannot agree that using only water on a second and third pass is advisable. Many of us do, in haste, even though we have a brush-full of lather at hand, but you're just inviting trouble, nicks, cuts, irritation... It only takes a few seconds to re-lather, and it's worth it!

One of my goals is to get @Panzerschwein to the point where he can get great shaves without acquiring an addiction. Once acquired, few people recover.

I agree there's a lot of "silly ju-ju" over blades. It gets worse when you consider the blade is part of a shaving system including any pre-shaves, the razor, the brush, the soap, and any aftershaves. YMMV rules, and there is no point in making any recommendations.

@Panzerschwein's situation is unique to me. I almost exclusively use the same razor. I've used Gillette Foamy for many shaves. Except for improvements based on technique, he is achieving similar results.

There is a group of blades people put in the same class as the Astra SP. There is no reason to try the other blades now. There is also no reason to try a sharper or duller blade. He already tried a duller blade with the Van der Hagen and likes the Astra SP better. He still gets irritation, so going sharper carries risk.

Recall I didn't only say try water on the second and third pass. I suggested riding the top cap while doing so. It will be difficult to nick himself while doing this. Foamy provides more cushion than soaps will if mixed with a bit too much water. Learning to shave safely with only water will prepare him for a slicker soap. All I can say is try it yourself and see what happens.

 

[razorboi]

One of my goals is to get @Panzerschwein to the point where he can get great shaves without acquiring an addiction. Once acquired, few people recover.

I agree there's a lot of "silly ju-ju" over blades. It gets worse when you consider the blade is part of a shaving system including any pre-shaves, the razor, the brush, the soap, and any aftershaves. YMMV rules, and there is no point in making any recommendations.

@Panzerschwein's situation is unique to me. I almost exclusively use the same razor. I've used Gillette Foamy for many shaves. Except for improvements based on technique, he is achieving similar results.

There is a group of blades people put in the same class as the Astra SP. There is no reason to try the other blades now. There is also no reason to try a sharper or duller blade. He already tried a duller blade with the Van der Hagen and likes the Astra SP better. He still gets irritation, so going sharper carries risk.

Recall I didn't only say try water on the second and third pass. I suggested riding the top cap while doing so. It will be difficult to nick himself while doing this. Foamy provides more cushion than soaps will if mixed with a bit too much water. Learning to shave safely with only water will prepare him for a slicker soap. All I can say is try it yourself and see what happens.

You are very thoughtful in trying to prevent Panzerschwein from falling victim to an intractable acquisition disorder.
Perhaps I was reckless in suggesting he try out different brushes, soaps and creams. We should all be mindful that very often Newbies can't see the forest for the trees and don't realise they've succumbed to an addiction until it's too late.
Nevertheless, I believe there is hope for Panzerschwein yet. He appears still quite lucid and rational, except for the inexplicable Rolling Rock thing!
ps. I will try your "riding the top cap" naked-on-water advice, and report back on the experience. Naturally, my Super Speed may produce results that are at odds with yours, but I'll load with Atras and start with Foamy to reduce the variables...

 

[GaryTha]

You are very thoughtful in trying to prevent Panzerschwein from falling victim to an intractable acquisition disorder.
Perhaps I was reckless in suggesting he try out different brushes, soaps and creams. We should all be mindful that very often Newbies can't see the forest for the trees and don't realise they've succumbed to an addiction until it's too late.
Nevertheless, I believe there is hope for Panzerschwein yet. He appears still quite lucid and rational, except for the inexplicable Rolling Rock thing!
ps. I will try your "riding the top cap" naked-on-water advice, and report back on the experience. Naturally, my Super Speed may produce results that are at odds with yours, but I'll load with Astras and start with Foamy to reduce the variables...

The Gillette Super Speed looks very much like the Van der Hagen. I found it amusing that this one comes with Astra blades.

Strive for a Damn Comfortable Shave (DCS). Nicks appear worse than a few stray whiskers.

 

[GaryTha]

Yesterday, I heard an interesting podcast on NPR. Sex Without Intimacy: No Dating, No Relationships. I often borrow language and allegories from one subject and apply them to another. I suggest reading the article or better yet, listening to the podcast before continuing.

Some people spend their youth looking for one night stands with zero commitment. When it comes time to settle down, they don't know how to form a deep relationship. Others marry the first person who comes along, and this usually ends up in disaster.

Recommending a sampler pack without giving a direction is like telling someone to have a series of one night stands. My recommending buying 100 blades might be like marrying the first date with possibilities. There is a better way.

At Double Edge Samplers you can build your own sampler pack. Someone like @razorboi, who has tried many blades, can pick the blades from the sampler pack @Panzerschwein bought to point out the ones most like the Astra SP. There are likely four or five choices worth trying.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Friends, been shaving with my VDH razor for a few days now. I’ve tried the Astra Platinums, they works very nicely indeed. This morn, I tried Feather brand blades... and for ME, it seems I favor the Astras. But I’ll try the Feather tomorrow morning when my whiskers have obtained rejuvenation. I am in the military so whiskers are sorely frowned upon!! It’s been a very interesting change in my ritual the past few days. I DIG it, and don’t see myself buying another cartridge pack anytime soon!!

Now I am drawn to researching the “old school” soaps and creams, mugs, badger and boar brushes, etc. etc.!!

Another new convert to the ranks I suppose!! Thanks for having me gang!!