TRADITIONAL WET SHAVING: Why did you make the change?

[Cochese2323]

I switched because I stumbled on a "Hobbies" thread in a different forum not related to shaving. The person was talking about how he had sensitive skin and how wet shaving really helped. I too have sensitive skin so I started looking into it and found B&B. The fact the blades are cheaper were just a bonus. Too bad razor, soap and brush acquisition disorder is so expensive!

After doing it for over a year now, my AD has calmed down and I haven't bought any new stuff in a few months. Now I really just enjoy the whole process and the end results

 

[angrybruin]

I was tired of paying $10 or more for 4 Hydro 5 razor blades; tired of the razor burn on my neck; tired of hating shaving.

I broke down and bought a Parker 90R and it's been "Katie bar the door" ever since...soaps, creams, AS, etc. Shaving is fun now and I look forward to selecting a cream or a soap, which Gillette SS to use, what blade/razor combination, the good burn of the AS, the smooth feeling after the witch hazel...I actually FEEL GOOD after I shave.

 

[WhiteWolf]

Why did I start de wet shaving? SWIMBO got me a new cart razor and a supply of carts. When I went to get more the price was outrageous. I''ve been using carts for years, i break put from electric razors. Looked for something better. I love the ritual and concentration of my morning shave, and I'm getting better shaves.

 

[Ducati Scotty]

Never really thought about the price. Though the cost of cartridges seems high to me it was never a deciding factor.

I was frustrated with my Norelco electric always missing one spot or another depending on the day. I decided to get back to blades so I got a Fusion to try it out. It hurt from the first stroke, pulling hairs everywhere. Is this the best razor out there? 'Cause it sucks! I went back to some disposable three blade cartridges I had.

A friend mentioned a shave shop his father ran across in town (AoS) and after looking that up and a few other internet searches I ended up here. Since I love old school stuff I was hooked. I got the cheap VDH set at the grocery and tried making lather, still using the disposable cartridge. Once I got the lathering down I got an EJ DE 89L and I was on my way. No looking back now.

I get a great shave every time, I get to collect shiny sharp things, I get 15 minutes of "me time" every morning, what's not to like? Ok, I do spend a bit more time shaving now but I can spare another ten minutes a day for something this cool and rewarding.

Scott

 

[sterno]

I can't remember how, but I found the mantic59 videos on YouTube, and decided to try it. My father died about a year ago and when I was a kid he used to shave like this, and I wanted to do something that he did. I loved it from the first shave. I loved how it wasn't completely easy (you had to learn and practice), and you had to be intentional about what you were doing. And I love that it gave me some time every morning when I could do something just for myself. Now I get out of bed a lot easier in the morning knowing that I'm going to have this time and a good shave.

 

[toyman]

I switched because I stumbled on a "Hobbies" thread in a different forum not related to shaving. The person was talking about how he had sensitive skin and how wet shaving really helped. I too have sensitive skin so I started looking into it and found B&B. The fact the blades are cheaper were just a bonus. Too bad razor, soap and brush acquisition disorder is so expensive!

After doing it for over a year now, my AD has calmed down and I haven't bought any new stuff in a few months. Now I really just enjoy the whole process and the end results

+1. Found a thread on shaving on the EDC forums which linked me here. Never put any thought or effort into shaving and am at that point in life that trying something out isn't going to create a week of eating spaghetti Once I started reading about techniques and seeing the cool tools (another obsession) I was hooked. My AD has calmed as well, but I did by a dozen razors in my first month! It's part of my morning routine and I do enjoy shaving for the first time in my life.

 

[GarrettReid]

I switched to wet shaving with a cartridge about a year or two ago after reading an article about it online I thought I'd give it a go. Not surprisingly the bowl/brush/soap worked much better than foam/can.

But then I switched to DE about two months ago and signed up on here and things took a turn for the worse...

I now have like 7 things of cream, tons of blades, I'm hunting down a new brush, 6 new bottles of cologne with more on the way and... well you get the idea.

 

[Shutterbug57]

Mine was kind of a perfect storm.

1. I was looking for a way to get a better shave.
2. I had, for a while, been contemplating the price for replacing the blades and goo that were giving me bad shaves.
3. There was an off-topic thread on another forum of which I am a member that talked about traditional shaving and it linked to B&B.
4. I read a bunch, lurked a while and decided to take the plunge.
5. I was out of blades (Fusion) and goo at the same time, so that was the time to take the plunge.

 

[shave/brush]

My father use to use a DE with a brush & soap puck. So I got one when I first got married. I loved it but only used it some-of-the-time. I used an electric mostly just because it was less trouble and faster. But I always enjoyed using my brush & soap puck. I discovered this site in Nov. 2011 and got bit by the RAD bug. Now I just wet shave and I love every minute of it.

 

[buca3152]

i posted here yesterday. Carts always felt like every hair on my face was being pulled out. I hated to shave. Now I love it. Repeating some things said here before. 15 minutes of time for yourself. My oldest razor is a George Wostenholm 8/8 near wedge washington works. That bad boy was forged between 1848 and 1880. Im shaving with something that possibly predates the civil war, and if taken care or can last another 150 years or more. The whole honing lathering stropping is very zen and relaxing.

 

[aaaargh]

I just hate the material waste. One time I went to the store for Mach 3 cartridges, and all I could find were disposable Mach 3 razors, with attached non-removable handle. They were something like $4 apiece, too. That was it, I was done.

 

[Beerhunter]

I started shaving w/ a 3 pc gillette handed down from my grand dad stuck w/ that for years. Slowly moved to the modern gillette. Then one day I was using a stupid disposable bic razor I looked for my old razor found it and was surprise to find that they still made the "old blades" was happy to be back in the DE game. But I digress, short answer ( drum roll ) to SAVE MONEY!!! Ya like that's gonna happen to me.

 

[MikeA]

The chase for a shave that doesn't irritate my skin. My wife bought me starter set from AOS and after using proper prep and getting better but not the shave I was looking for, I turned to Internet. This forum and others introduced the idea that older style technology was actually better than 17 vibrating bladed cartridges with lights Bluetooth etc that s currently being touted as the best. I switched to traditional single blade and haven't regretted it for a second

 

[Lamar]

For me, I have been plagued with an itchy neck after a BBS smooth shave with the mach 3 and stuff. I was already fed up with the prices but didn't know of anything else I could do about the neck. Then I came across a mantic59 video on YouTube and after a lot of research I figured I'd give it a shot. Haven't looked back since. Yeah, I may nick myself every now and then, but at least my neck doesn't itch all day from ingrown hairs (not bad ones like some people may have, but they would make my neck itch all day and night).

 

[wurls]

For me, I was sick and tired of paying what Gillette was charging for carts, and thought to myself that there has to be a better way. I poked around on the internet, and found that traditional DE razors were still being made, and for .15/blade, I thought I'd try it. I knew the initial investment would be steep, but knew that for what I was going to spend on the razor, it would last me a long time.
Also, I wanted to learn a new skill, as shaving with a cart required no technique at all.
I've never looked back to carts.
Oh...I just converted 2 more long time cart users to DE newbies. Awesome!

 

[crackerman]

My dad peaced out when I was 12 so I had no one to teach me how to shave. So every few years I seemed to shift between and electric and razors. I tried the cheap razors that were double bladed up to Mach 3's over time and settled on 4 blade with whatever was on sale at walmart, target, or the grocery store. Combine that with barbasol in a can and I hated shaving. To the point that I would go a whole week since I can get away with it at work. and when I did I would bleed like crazy.

After reading "what do you shave with" threads on my gun and hunting boards I bought the kit at walmart and got hooked!

So in a whopping 2 days I have spent 70 bucks at West Coast shaving on my long road of getting sucked into this!

 

[Jack Russell]

I have always wet shaved, I was given my 1st DE razor & brush when I joined the Army in 1980, I stopped using that razor in favour of other razors early 90's.

Nonetheless I have always used a brush & soap & on occassion canned shaving cream.

Now I am back DEing & using lots of different soaps & blades.

 

[Casca Dura]

I loved how it wasn't completely easy (you had to learn and practice).........

That's it in a nutshell. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. I am sick of the fast food drive through disposable world.

 

[Saltwater Cowboy]

I purchased a Gillette DE (Knack) when i was in Highschool from the grocery store simply because i needed a razor. I would say other then A few curves along the way using other things for a very short time, I have used DE off and on my whole life.

 

[jaredsmith83]

I read an article on The Art of Manliness website about shaving like your grandpa. It reminded me of my dad shaving that way when I was a kid. Then I read about how it can help you save money on your shaving supplies, so I thought hey why not. Plus, I am always interested in things of a vintage nature, so it seemed natural for me to give it a shot. And I do agree with the guys who talk about it being a challenge and learning something that has been forgotten and not commonly practiced anymore. Its been a fun journey so far.