I've given away a lot. I've been splurging a bit more the past 6 months or so since starting the YouTube channel.How lovely, sir!And no wonder! Considering you are forum member since 2014, i admire your minimalistic approach on the matter!
What was the biggest shaving game changer for you personally?
- Thread starter Barbarossa
- Start date
My wife set up the main area, so I can't take credit. I love the Captain's Choice Copper Bowl. It's turned me into a bowl latherer. I was lucky enough to win the Captain's Christmas giveaway a couple of years ago and that's what I used my winnings to get. Absolutely zero regrets.
I can imagine. Only if someone is always in GRUME might stop buying in this forum. Oh, you have a channel too?! There is another gentleman in the forum with channel too! I will have to take a look at yours too! Happy shaves, sir!
Attitude. Deciding to embrace shaving and then the discovery process began.
I agree that the technique is vital but there I never realized a game changer but a learning curve with varying steepness.
A game changer for me was the Rockwell 6S that I brought home from a business trip to the US. Its weight made the difference for me compared to my first DE being a Merkur 23C. I was never tempted to buy another razor since then although I am starting to think about a Rex Ambassador as my third DE.
A game changer for me was the Rockwell 6S that I brought home from a business trip to the US. Its weight made the difference for me compared to my first DE being a Merkur 23C. I was never tempted to buy another razor since then although I am starting to think about a Rex Ambassador as my third DE.
I have two game changers:
1. Using the same razor/blade combination. Consistency with equipment helped me dial in my technique and efficiency. My theory, which someone upthread touched on, is that each blade and razor has an optimum working angle that I don't need to play with every time I shave. I turn to my collection of soaps for variety, and every once in a while will use a different synthetic brush.
2. Shaving every 24-36 hours. I think shorter stubble is more forgiving with respect to shaving with the grain, which is important for those of us with challenging grain patterns (for me, an area on my neck has growth in every damn direction). Also, shaving within this window gives me consistently excellent shaves after two passes.
1. Using the same razor/blade combination. Consistency with equipment helped me dial in my technique and efficiency. My theory, which someone upthread touched on, is that each blade and razor has an optimum working angle that I don't need to play with every time I shave. I turn to my collection of soaps for variety, and every once in a while will use a different synthetic brush.
2. Shaving every 24-36 hours. I think shorter stubble is more forgiving with respect to shaving with the grain, which is important for those of us with challenging grain patterns (for me, an area on my neck has growth in every damn direction). Also, shaving within this window gives me consistently excellent shaves after two passes.
Lather without bubbles = slow hydration, heavy load meant slick skin and a leap in results.
I see foamy lather shots frequently and wish I could politely intercede. This one paradigm shift changed my shaves dramatically.
45 years of whisker removal
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
I see foamy lather shots frequently and wish I could politely intercede. This one paradigm shift changed my shaves dramatically.
45 years of whisker removal
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
I have a rockwell 6c and dont touch it anymore after getting my Rex ambassador. I dont even wanna reach for my polished timeless as my rex ambassador is my favorite.
- Fayiz D.
I don't think I've had any greater gamechangers than my first brush, first cream, and first aftershave, plus starting to learn wetshaving technique. Before I started wetshaving, shaving was incredibly painful for me, first with electrics, then with cart & goo. Wetshaving actually saves me time when you factor in the 30 or so minutes I used to lay in bed dreading shaving until I finally forced myself to do it. Doing a proper lather with a real brush & cream and doing a proper three-pass shave with no pressure -- even with a cart at first -- just floored me, since it was the first time shaving didn't hurt. And then, when I used aftershave for the first time at the end of that shave, I was floored again -- I never realized how good an aftershave could feel. There were other major points, like discovering that I needed a sharp blade or finally figuring out that my skin is allergic to avocado oil and rosemary oil, but nothing compares to that first time.
Letting the soap or lather soak into the bristles for at last 2 minutes and preferably 3. When I first started with a DE, and back in the '80s and '90s with a cartridge razor, I applied the cream (usually a Barbasol foam) and began to shave right away. It was a recipe for irritation. Now, I wait 3 minutes (it seems a long time, but there are bathroom chores that can be done during that time), and only then do I wield the razor.
I've been wet shaving since I first started but used carts for years. First game changer was when I decided to leave carts for DE's. I wasn't happy with the results carts were giving me and figured they were like a lot of things and were dumbed down enough that most people, with minimal effort, could get an acceptable result but all most no one could get a really good result. I was right on that one.
The second was here just recently. After using DE's for years and being very happy I decided to give straights a go. That effort is still underway and I'm climbing that learning curve but man-o-man have straights upped my DE game. Really learning skin stretching and all the other things that you really really have to do with straights that you can give lip service to with DE's totally changed things when I really applied them to DE's.
The second was here just recently. After using DE's for years and being very happy I decided to give straights a go. That effort is still underway and I'm climbing that learning curve but man-o-man have straights upped my DE game. Really learning skin stretching and all the other things that you really really have to do with straights that you can give lip service to with DE's totally changed things when I really applied them to DE's.
Been there with you, ERR. Though I used an electric in those days and only occasionally a cartridge.My biggest game changer was quitting drinking. Once my hands stopped shaking and I could hold the razor there was no stopping me. I once firmly believed that alcohol was my only friend, and helped me to deal with life's problems. Now I have no problems and it turns out I have a lot more friends, some of them are right here at B&B.
The game changer for me was retiring and finding B&B forums.
jackgoldman123
Boring and predictable
When SWMBO said 50 soaps were too many and I needed to quickly:
1) get rid of 40 soaps
2) decide which 10 to keep
1) get rid of 40 soaps
2) decide which 10 to keep
Mine was discovering Badger & Blade. I had "rescued" my childhood razors when my mom downsized from the family home into a condo (a 57 Tech and a 69 Super). I bought some drug store blades and tried to relearn to shave with a DE again. I was getting mediocre shaves until I stumbled upon this wonderful site and the rest is history. Great shaves are routine for me thanks to the advice and information found on Badger & Blade. If you haven't become a contributor yet, you should really consider it. Keep B&B going!
Switching to premium blades. For me, cheap blades are false economy. Good blades shave better and last longer.
Learning how to make good lather. That and not changing too many variables at once.
Leaving the brush out of the equation. After years of brush lathering, I started face lathering with my hand in lieu of a brush. Everything clicked into place. I still brush lather a few times a week because I love the process, but hand lathering always gives me my best results. Go figure.
As many have said, finally getting the hang of building decent lather. And learning how to ride the cap during an ATG pass.
shavefan
I’m not a fan
I started shaving in the 80's so I was used to canned foam/gel and cartridge blades, practically my whole shaving life. The first game changer for me was in 1999 when I tried the Gillette Mach 3. Holy heck that was a quantum leap in cartridge performance! I happily used the Mach 3 and foam/gel until around 2012 at which point I decided to look into all this traditional DE and brush stuff the interwebs was going on about. Down the rabbit hole I went. . .
When it comes to traditional wet shaving, the biggest game changer for me is the soaps/creams and learning how to make lather with a brush. Such a step up from the canned stuff! Admittedly I still use my Mach 3 from time to time. Even better with these nice soaps and creams.
When it comes to traditional wet shaving, the biggest game changer for me is the soaps/creams and learning how to make lather with a brush. Such a step up from the canned stuff! Admittedly I still use my Mach 3 from time to time. Even better with these nice soaps and creams.
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