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when did you start 'wet shaving' and what did you use?

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I can’t seem to find what year “Artist Club” razor blades were released. I’m on my phone and I’m used to a laptop so after a few tries, I thought I’d ask here. Since I really didn’t start traditional wet shaving until Feb. of last year and started with the ESC Claymore Evolution, an AC razor, would an AC razor even qualify for “traditional”? <eg>
 
I started in February of 2015 with a starter kit from Maggard Razors. It came with a Parker 22r TTO razor, Omega 13564 boar brush, a tub of their London Barbershop soap (made by Through the Fire Fine Craft), and I think Derby Extra or Astra SP blades. Needless to say I've come a long way since then, but it was a nice start to get away from the Mach 3 and Barbasol foam I was using for the previous ~20 years.
 
Think I stared shaving at 17, Wet shave or electric was the only options.

Never got great shave with electric, one thing electrics did for me was did great job of making beard give me ingrown hairs.

Got good at pulling the ingrown. Think my personal record was one pulled hair almost 3/8” long.

Hurt like the hot place HE**.👎
 
I may have answered this already. I was a junior in high school and my best friend turns around at the bus stop and asks me when I'm gonna shave. That day after I went home I smeared a little Noxzema cream on my face and couldn't believe how smooth it was. I week later my dad asked my if I've been using his razor and I said yes. He then told me to buy my own. This was probably 1969 just before I started driving.
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
Can’t remember when I started with cartridges and disposables, but got Bic Sensitive and Bic Twin Select Sensitive Skin disposables late 2019 to prepare for using DE razors and had my first DE shave on January 10 2020 using a Mühle 2013-R1 head on a Maggards MR-3 handle with a Feather Hi-Stainless blade using “lather” whipped up from an Irish Spring soap bar and a nylon bath scrubby.

Aggression-wise, the Bic Twin Select Sensitive Skin disposable was on another plain above the R41. At least when I misused both razors
 
I started shaving at all as a teen, using a (ptooey!) Remington electric razor.

I quickly moved from that to a Wilkinson Sword branded cartridge razor. Despite my father's fears that I'd wind up w/a rather bloody face, I did OK. I stayed with various brands of cartridge razors through my 40s, finally settling on Harry's as providing the best combination of quality + value that I'd encountered.

It was at 50 or so that I decided, purely out of curiousity, to try "traditional wet shaving," + bought my first safety razor + blades. Since I wasn't aware of the ocean of vintage razors out there, I did a little research + bought a Vikings Blade Chieftain Jr.

IMG_20230423_120401.jpg


I eventually supplemented this w/a 1947 Super Speed + a variety pack, + away I went...

-Z
 
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I started shaving when I started highschool at 15 (1989). Not that I needed to but just because...

Started with Mach 3 and canned foamy. Probably the drugstore in-house brand which is/was LIFE brand in rural Ontario.

I discovered DE with brushes and nice soaps in 2021 and started using them at the start of 2022. Cant imagine going back.
 
I believe at age 16. A free M3 in the mail from Gillette. Used that until I joined the USN. Due to the fact you always have to be inspection ready. Had to shave ATG until I got to my first ship in San Diego.

Quickly, I could afford an electric razor. Used that for the remainder of my enlistment and two 1 year extensions.

Discharge honorably. About 2 years later. Found an AOS store. Got my first DE. Even with all the different blades, razors and soaps. Actually still saving money, used for the wife and two kids.
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2000 I tore my face up with Wilkinson Sword Quattro for the last time. I'd absolutely had it with paying silly money for multi-blade cartridges that were blunt to start with.

I ordered an Edwin Jagger DE89, 100 Derby Extra blades, a tub of TOBS Lemon and Lime shaving cream, and Omega brush. I've never looked back since.

It was never about saving money with me, it was always the comfort. I'm deep down the rabbit hole these days with a large collection of razors 'just because'. What was once a chore is now a hobby.
 
Late 80s. I used the Gillette Mach 3 for a long time. I sometimes used a Bic disposable. My last cartridge razor was a Wilkinson Sword Quattro about 12/13 years ago. I got horrible shaves with that and then decided to change over to DE razors. Since then it's been a downward spiral down a rabbit hole with numerous de's now in regular use.
 
I started shaving when I started highschool at 15 (1989). Not that I needed to but just because...

Started with Mach 3 and canned foamy. Probably the drugstore in-house brand which is/was LIFE brand in rural Ontario.

I discovered DE with brushes and nice soaps in 2021 and started using them at the start of 2022. Cant imagine going back.

Late 80s. I used the Gillette Mach 3 for a long time. I sometimes used a Bic disposable. My last cartridge razor was a Wilkinson Sword Quattro about 12/13 years ago. I got horrible shaves with that and then decided to change over to DE razors. Since then it's been a downward spiral down a rabbit hole with numerous de's now in regular use.

But the Mach 3 didn't come out until 1998. And Gillette spent $750 million to develop it 😳


See link in posted thread as well.
 
I started around 2005 or 2006. I could only shave comfortably every 3 days with a cart razor, otherwise I'd get terrible, bloody irritation on my neck. Interestingly the vibrating Mach 3 razor worked better than the non-vibrating version. 🤷‍♂️

First couple razors were Merkurs, a 34c and futur. Got terrible shaves from both using TOBS cream. After a while, I purchased a vintage Super Speed and got excellent shaves. It was so easy to use. I wish I'd have held on to my Super Speed.
 
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