Well guys, I just wrote up a lengthy 1rst shave post but when I went to post it I got a token expired msg and then it all disappeared. 
Here we go again, though a little more brief.
I haven't tried a d/e razor since about 26 years ago when I was a clueless teen.
Like most of you guys here I've had it with expensive cartridges or cheap disposables. I started thinking about using a single or d/e razor and found this place. With lots of information generously provided by you guys here over the years I sifted thru pages and finally felt prepared to take the plunge. I had an ancient Old Spice brush but yesterday when I went to inspect it it basically shed a quarter of its hairs while cleaning so time for a new brush! I didn't want to wait for an online purchase to arrive so I started searching here and local stores. I stopped into an Evelyn & Crabtree last night. They have Kingsley brushes, models 8003 and 8012, along with some brand IIRC Il Creppo(?). Curiously, they had none of the brushes listed on their site. A quick Web search revealed some good reviews on the Kingsley 8003 so I picked it up for roughly $26.
I'm very happy with the results of my first d/e shave. Here's my setup: 1963 Gillette Super Speed with an Astra Super Premium blade, Headslick shaving cream, the Kingsley 8003 brush, and used my Uncle's old steel canteen cup for a lather bowl. The cup is from 1945 and had wound its way thru New Guinea and the Phillippines with him in WWII. I cannot believe how much lather I was able to obtain from just a nickel-sized dollop of Headslick and a few drops of hot water and my new Kingsley brush. I'm new to brushes but I think I'll be happy with this brush for a good while. It's soft with just enough backbone. It whipped up and held a lot of lather. Overall I'm really happy with my first d/e wet shave. I made sure I wasn't going back over the same spot in short successions. I went with, across, then against the hair. Only 2 weepers!
My neck is usually very irritated after using my Mach3 but I think it was the products and technique used because I've got only very minor irritation. I still applied some Nivea Sensitive Post-Shave Balm. My neck and face feel great. My Mach3 has been happily thrown into my desk drawer. 
Another convert, guys. Thanks for all the info you guys have posted over the years to arm and enable a newbie like myself to perform a proper shave. You've done well! 
Here we go again, though a little more brief. I haven't tried a d/e razor since about 26 years ago when I was a clueless teen.
Like most of you guys here I've had it with expensive cartridges or cheap disposables. I started thinking about using a single or d/e razor and found this place. With lots of information generously provided by you guys here over the years I sifted thru pages and finally felt prepared to take the plunge. I had an ancient Old Spice brush but yesterday when I went to inspect it it basically shed a quarter of its hairs while cleaning so time for a new brush! I didn't want to wait for an online purchase to arrive so I started searching here and local stores. I stopped into an Evelyn & Crabtree last night. They have Kingsley brushes, models 8003 and 8012, along with some brand IIRC Il Creppo(?). Curiously, they had none of the brushes listed on their site. A quick Web search revealed some good reviews on the Kingsley 8003 so I picked it up for roughly $26. I'm very happy with the results of my first d/e shave. Here's my setup: 1963 Gillette Super Speed with an Astra Super Premium blade, Headslick shaving cream, the Kingsley 8003 brush, and used my Uncle's old steel canteen cup for a lather bowl. The cup is from 1945 and had wound its way thru New Guinea and the Phillippines with him in WWII. I cannot believe how much lather I was able to obtain from just a nickel-sized dollop of Headslick and a few drops of hot water and my new Kingsley brush. I'm new to brushes but I think I'll be happy with this brush for a good while. It's soft with just enough backbone. It whipped up and held a lot of lather. Overall I'm really happy with my first d/e wet shave. I made sure I wasn't going back over the same spot in short successions. I went with, across, then against the hair. Only 2 weepers!
My neck is usually very irritated after using my Mach3 but I think it was the products and technique used because I've got only very minor irritation. I still applied some Nivea Sensitive Post-Shave Balm. My neck and face feel great. My Mach3 has been happily thrown into my desk drawer. Another convert, guys. Thanks for all the info you guys have posted over the years to arm and enable a newbie like myself to perform a proper shave. You've done well!
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