Returning to a 'trad' DE shave

[Exapno]

I've been building up to this for quite a while and have finally bitten the bullet, even though my den is incomplete. I'm a night shaver by choice.



Razor: Schick Krona
Blade: Gillette Platinum "Swede"
Cream: Soylent Green Corporation 'non-animal tallow' gel
Brush: None, my fingers...
ASB: Aloe Vera Gel (99.9%)

My first DE shave in almost five years and although I have plenty of room for improvement, I'm pleased with the results. It's the first time I've used the Krona and I really like it. It should be every noob DE's razor as the handle length, light weight and mild shave make it a perfect transitional razor from cartridges. I'll be trying a few new blades eventually but to celebrate my return I went with one of the very few Swedes that I still have and they didn't disappoint. I used a pre-shave oil which I don't think makes any difference at all, once I've used it up I won't be buying anymore.

The ASB is what I had lying around and although it's not actually an ASB as such it works quite well. Until I have a new brush (I'm getting a synthetic) and cream I'm falling back on a gel I've used since my last foray into DE shaving when I returned to a Sensor. This gel from the Soylent Corporation claims to use a tallow derived from a non animal source. Wait a minute... NO... Soylent Green is people... SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!

Not really, it's King of Shaves Alpha Gel. It doesn't dry my skin out and it kind of works. Once funds permit I'll be getting some Nancy Boy replenishing which is the only cream I ever bought where I finished the tub off. I'd like to try their ASB too.

It's good to be back.

Although I will only use synthetic brushes, I will accept badger in this form...



...and very nice it was too. I drank it after the shave of course.

 

[rebos]

That beer looks heavenly . . .

What prompted you to want to try out DE again? Nice choice, by the way. Sounds like you had a pleasant shave.

 

[Exapno]

My first foray into DE shaving wasn't a great success. I eventually gave up thinking that I might return to it at some point and started using a sensor again. At the time, even my wife remarked that I should have stuck with it as my skin seemed to be in better condition using a DE blade. After returning to using the sensor I started to apply the things I'd learned from various forums and started to get better shaves. I finally got to the point where I got presentable shaves with much less irritation. In the intervening years, the price of cartridge razors has risen even higher. Shaving with a DE is cheaper, if you discount the fact that we all go a bit mad and buy far too many razors, brushes, creams & soaps etc. Shaving with a DE can and should be less expensive in the long run. You have more choice to find a blade that suits your skin and technique. The razors themselves are an investment too. Also, I'm fairly ecologically minded and DE shaving is better for the environment.

Apart from cost though, the main reason I've returned is that DE shaving is just much more enjoyable.

 

[Exapno]

The beer was heavenly by the way, although at 5.7% it was a little stronger than I'm used to

 

[Mick]

Welcome back to the fold.

Wise move to wait until after your shave to have a cold one. Drunk shaving can be hazardous to your safety (trust me..... I know)