Welcome! I'm a relative newcomer too.
I wondered about that!
I though Gillette might have their hand in the cookie jar of other brands that are subsidiaries (questioned if they made that barbosal cream), but did not do my due diligence on everything I purchased.
Thank you, sir! Granted, the $5 I spent on them probably only added $2.19 to their coffers, but the toxic among us need to band together and starve them of their hate-speech fund.
...because I am not (that) stupid, I'll use them; but I won't buy them again, that's for sure.
I use a Merkur 38C every day--my guess is you'll come to love it. I find it to be a great mid-point razor. By that I mean it's not as mild as some but not nearly as aggressive as others. I've used a few on each side of the equation and kept coming back to the 38C. But it works for me, and your needs may be entirely different.
Putting a Feather in that bad boy is, indeed, manly, I would say! I'd wait until you have your technique down before attempting such a masculine act.
Sage advice; many thanks, sir.
I keep hearing caveats about how sharp they are, so I will use them after I develop a good deal of confidence in my craft, moving the other brands to the top of the queue ahead of the feathers, then.
Is there a blade that stands out as a great go-to for a rookie who shaves nearly daily and who's been shaving with crap all his life?
I saw the same ad, and I'm not sure where the "hate speech" was. Sure, it was oddly preachy for a big corporation... but just keep in mind a substantial number of P&G customers are women with potentially very different perspectives.
Nice kit, Terp.
BTW- If you didn't already know, Astra and Chinese Wilkinson blades are both Gillette products (however, German Wilkinsons are not).
I bet an even larger share of their customers are "women" now, judging from P&G's $8 billion write-down/loss attributed to Gillette since they became woke.
They hate me, my lifestyle, and want to push their gender agenda on America in a disgusting attempt to sell more razors; teaching a 13 year old girl to shave is fine, but giving aforementioned girl testosterone/hormone therapy, chest reconstructive surgeries, and chopping up her whoo-whoo is child abuse.
Sage advice; many thanks, sir.
I keep hearing caveats about how sharp they are, so I will use them after I develop a good deal of confidence in my craft, moving the other brands to the top of the queue ahead of the feathers, then.
Is there a blade that stands out as a great go-to for a rookie who shaves nearly daily and who's been shaving with crap all his life?
The thing about a badger or a boar or a horse brush is that no matter how long you use it, it is going to leave a residual scent of the animal that is highly pronounced at the beginning. In time it fades, but it is always there, and I don't find it a pleasant smell.I have a Merkur 38C HD en route, along with some other accouterments to get me started:
- Taylor of Old Bond Street Shaving Cream Bowl, Sandalwood (wood sounded manly)
- Proraso shaving kit (pre/post cream, shaving cream, aftershave balm)
- Proraso aftershave (not an aftershave guy, but will try it)
- Astra Superior Platinum sample
- Feather Double-Edged sample
- Personna sample
- Wilkerson sample
- Trying some 'Shave secret' oil either pre-shave or a few drops in the cream as I lather it up
Still unsettled on a brush. I also saw a SWEET bowl/scuttle/whatever it is called, so still looking around for something that speaks to me, but I am at least on the path to conversion.
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Maybe you know women who shave their faces, I personally do not know any. So maybe you are right.You know, it's interesting to me how straight-razor shaving is always talked about as the epitome of manliness, and to be fair, shaving old-school with a blade that COULD EASILY KILL YOU, requiring careful skill and respect for the tools, is pretty damn manly.
But I find it to be both very masculine and quite feminine at the same time - after all, you're spending half an hour in the bathroom in a self-care ritual involving hot towels and luxurious skin-care products, that leaves you feeling self-confident and more attractive, with baby-smooth skin.
Call me a heretic if you will, but for me, it's best of both worlds.
Maybe you know women who shave their faces, I personally do not know any. So maybe you are right.
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You know, it's interesting to me how straight-razor shaving is always talked about as the epitome of manliness, and to be fair, shaving old-school with a blade that COULD EASILY KILL YOU, requiring careful skill and respect for the tools, is pretty damn manly.
But I find it to be both very masculine and quite feminine at the same time - after all, you're spending half an hour in the bathroom in a self-care ritual involving hot towels and luxurious skin-care products, that leaves you feeling self-confident and more attractive, with baby-smooth skin.
Call me a heretic if you will, but for me, it's best of both worlds.
The Proraso 'before dinner cocktail'. Nice. Welcome to B&B.I'm new too. welcome to the adventure.
my very first tub of proraso red soap and AS arrived before I went out to dinner last night.
wow.
that sandalwood concoction had lather galore. even on the trip back I could smell both on me.
good luck with the learning.
I believe most of the Badger Hair is coming from China. And I think, but I am not positive, that in China they eat the Badger for food.The thing about a badger or a boar or a horse brush is that no matter how long you use it, it is going to leave a residual scent of the animal that is highly pronounced at the beginning. In time it fades, but it is always there, and I don't find it a pleasant smell.
That's why I prefer synthetic brushes. You can get a decent brush. But if part of the shaving experience is knowing that an animal died for your shave. Then to each his own. While I'm not against using animals for our own use, I don't think it's cool too use a animal solely for it's pelt.
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Sorry you may be misguided on things.The thing about a badger or a boar or a horse brush is that no matter how long you use it, it is going to leave a residual scent of the animal that is highly pronounced at the beginning. In time it fades, but it is always there, and I don't find it a pleasant smell.
That's why I prefer synthetic brushes. You can get a decent brush. But if part of the shaving experience is knowing that an animal died for your shave. Then to each his own. While I'm not against using animals for our own use, I don't think it's cool too use a animal solely for it's pelt.
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Manly? I use a live badger every morning for lathering up. Not sure which of us enjoys it most?
This is mostly a place that just focuses on shaving (with the exception of the barbershop and various clubhouse-oriented sections). Just keep in mind you'll find a variety of political orientations on the forum and a variety of lifestyles.