Yet another new guy Shave kit recommendation

[bigjohn-89]

so i have yet to have my 1st DE shave. Im ready to jump in. I know Gary has an awesome kit for $30 but im looking to get a badger brush off the rip. If he had a badger option I would be all over it. My Question to you guys is this. I have 75-100$ to start my shaving fund with. i dont know how much info you really need besides im looking for a medium sized brush as I am a big gut with big hands and a big face. im not partial to any razor style or anything either. I know everything is just about personal preferance but i read somewhere not to start too high up as the learning curve is much steeper. Is that comparable to starting to learn golf playing with blades versus cavity backs? I want to start off with good quality stuff but dont want to make it harder on myself either. looking for what you would buy to start with? Im definitely going to be a DE shaver no matter. any and all info is appreciated. There is just a lot of info to learn with no knowledge. I apologize in advance for not using search as much as I probably could have. Thanks in advance!!

Big John

 

[InfernoOrangeSS]

Just curious as to why you're set on a DE? You should get a SE to start with. Much easier learning curve, and when you really get into proper shaving you will eventually learn how wonderful they are. I would suggest starting with an Ever-Ready 1912 version, (or the GEM 1912.) You can pick a very nice one up and a minimal cost still. This leaves more money for other things, like a better brush. As I said, the learning curve is much more easy with them as well. If you're totally set on a DE, then I recommend starting with a vintage Gillette SuperSpeed.
Good luck with your endevor and welcome to B&B!!

 

[Invicta]

Looking at the background you have provided, I would suggest a Merkur 38C razor, Semogue 830 boar brush, a blade sampler pack and a shave soap stick of your choice and you have a good start with the DE experience.
The razor has a long handle and good weight. The brush has a large knot and ideal for a large face. I would suggest face lathering at this point even though I don't face lather these days but it is good method with a shave soap stick. If you get the supplies from a single vendor you will probably get free shipping. There are a myriad of alternatives but that would be my suggestion. Just my two penneth.

 

[Mason_07]

I started my DE wet shaving journey a couple of months ago. My first razor was the EJ DE89. I went with a Parker brush which has been fine overall, although i'm now at the point where i'm curious about upgrading to something like a Simpson (better brush, but at 3x the cost). What i'd say made a huge difference for me was the shave soap / cream. I started with a Col Conk puck, but had a real hard time building a good lather with it. I ended up getting a tub of TOBS Sandalwood shave cream, and the difference was night and day. The lather built quickly / easily, and the sandalwood smell is amazing! I just splurged and added a tub of Truefitt & Hill 1805 due to the many positive recommendations from people here on the site, and had my first shave with it last night. The lather was a bit thicker than the TOBS, and my face did feel a bit more hydrated afterwards. Whether or not it's worth 2x the cost is something i'll have to decide on in time. Another thing which instantly made my shaves more comfortable was adding a pre-shave oil before lathering. It seems to add an extra layer of protection to your skin and makes the blade simply glide like it's on ice. For me, it's become a valuable part of my prep. I went with the AOS Sandalwood oil, but it's definitely pricey. From other reviews i've read, you can do as with with a cheaper option like Shave Secret.
Back to razors, a B&B member was selling a NIB Merkur 34C HD earlier this week for a good deal. I picked it up, and it arrived a couple of days ago and I gave it a try. Overall, very nice shave. It was very *close* to the EJ DE89, but I felt it wasn't quite as at the level. My personal recommendation would be to start with the EJ DE89. I think it's a great top-notch razor.

 

[bigjohn-89]

Thanks for the reply guys. I was leaning EJ DE89 already. This may have been the post that puts me over the top. Lol

 

[Tannhauser]

I can't really advise you too much on the brush. My first brush was an Escali brush from Amazon, but it was too rough for me. I now have a SOC and a Rooney 3/1 for my brushes, and both are amazing.
Anyway, if you've got $100 as your upper limit for your full kit, here are my suggestions, and I'll use the prices from West Coast Shaving's website as a guide.
Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89L, $38 (also me current razor)
Blades: DE Blade Sampler Pack, $10.50
Soaps/Creams: Pretty much any Razorock will be an excellent value, pick one or two that sound like it may be a good scent for you, $6-$15, alternatively, check out Garry's Sample Shop
Aftershave: You may already have one, but an excellent cheap one is Aqua Velva Ice Blue (WCS doesn't have it, but any grocery store or drugstore will), $5

That still leaves $30-$40 for a brush.

And don't forget the $2 Wal-Mart salsa bowl for your lathering bowl, if you're a bowl latherer like me.

 

[bigjohn-89]

thanks for the salsa bowl recommendation. I was wondering what i was going to use!!!

 

[InfernoOrangeSS]

thanks for the salsa bowl recommendation. I was wondering what i was going to use!!!

Go to PetSmart and pick up a SS cat bowl. They're like $3 and have a rubber ring around the bottom that prevents sliding. They make great lathering bowls.

 

[Wingnut]

So, you're a big guy with big hands looking for a big brush, huh? I know that you're considering a badger, but could I persuade you to try a boar perhaps?

Consider this--The Omega Pro 49:



This is a honkin' big brush with a honkin' big handle, chock full of boar bristles that, once they're broken in and the tips split, rivals my silvertip badgers for softness of tips, yet has backbone enough to chew into even the hardest soaps. Cost, you ask? You can get one from our B&B supporting vendors for less than $10.00, and it'll be the best $10.00 you'll ever spend on shaving stuff!

 

[bigjohn-89]

So, you're a big guy with big hands looking for a big brush, huh? I know that you're considering a badger, but could I persuade you to try a boar perhaps?

Consider this--The Omega Pro 49:

View attachment 318825

This is a honkin' big brush with a honkin' big handle, chock full of boar bristles that, once they're broken in and the tips split, rivals my silvertip badgers for softness of tips, yet has backbone enough to chew into even the hardest soaps. Cost, you ask? You can get one from our B&B supporting vendors for less than $10.00, and it'll be the best $10.00 you'll ever spend on shaving stuff!

How long do boar brushes take to break in? Is it actual Time or amount of use? Im fine with a boar brush possibly but just dont want to have to go through the break in period. Thats the main reason I lean badger. Not to mention the badger helps the lather work up quicker.

 

[Wingnut]

Boars do require a break-in period, but it's neither as long nor as difficult as it sounds like you think it might be. The break-in period is based on wet/dry cycles, not clock time. When I got my Pro 49, I shampooed it a couple of times, then lathered it a couple of times, letting it dry out fully after each. In less than a week, the tips had begun to split, and it's only gotten better and better ever since.

However, it's not like the brush was very scritchy and unuseable right out of the box. I think I started shaving with it about 2 days after I bought it, and while it wasn't pillowy-soft, it was certainly useable. After a week it was fine, and after a month it was heavenly (and has been for the 2+ years since). If you search the brush forum, there are quite a lot of threads talking about the best way to break in a boar brush, how long it takes, etc.

Interestingly, my boar actually produces a BETTER lather than any of my silvertips on everything except soft creams. My badgers, while very soft and luxurious, tend to be lather hogs--they make great lather, but getting it out of the brush and onto your face can at times be difficult. Not so with my boar. I am a face-latherer, so if you're not, those observations might differ.

BTW, I'm not trying to force you into anything that you don't want to do--I'm just relaying my experiences. After using nothing but silvertip badger brushes for over 30 years, I tried a boar and I found that I actually liked it very much. I've got brushes costing over $100, but if you told me tomorrow I could only shave with my Omega 49, I'd be just fine with that. But hey, it's your face, your money, and your choice. As we always say, YMMV...

Good luck, and by all means keep us posted on your search and decision.

 

[LarryDarrell]

welcome to B&B, you'll find this a friendly and helpful place.
There is a lot to get the hang of starting with DE. The EJ 89 is an excelent razor, not just a good 'starter' but a good all round performer.
I also agree with wingnut on the Pro49 brush, it doesn't take long to break in, and it produces lots of lather fast. If your set on a badger, the Edwin Jagger Best Badger is a solid performer. Getting a good lather constently lets you focus on shaving and good technique. There are creams that lather easily and are widely available; Art of Shaving in various flavours or Proraso work well.

 

[Porp]

I'm new to this as well. I have a rather large den for a newbie and if I had to pick my starter set again, with your budget here is what I would go with:

40s SuperSpeed user grade $15
TOBS cream, avacado Has an amazing scent and lathers very easily. $14
omega 10049 $10
Astra SP or 7 O'clock black (forgiving and smooth) $3 per box
Alum block, any brand,they are all the same $8
Nivea sensitive balm, or pinaud clubman. $6

 

[bigjohn-89]

ok after researching a little more i see SE is different from straight razor. I assumed those were interchangeable terms. so whats the biggest difference in SE and DE?

 

[MFNEWYEARAMDG]

I have the Ej DE89 and I really like it. I also have a Parker 22R (TTO) and don't like it as much. I think the Parker is $10 less than the DE89, but the $10 more makes all of the difference. Do not get a TTO razor for your first one... unless it is a vintage gillette of course. The TTO tend to allow the blade to sit off center and so you will get a more aggressive shave on one side and less on the other (YMMV).

My 2 cents.

 

[Wingnut]

ok after researching a little more i see SE is different from straight razor. I assumed those were interchangeable terms. so whats the biggest difference in SE and DE?

John, there are quite a few similarities and lots of differences between DE and SE shaving systems, but the overall concept is very similar. Both are "safety razors", i.e. they have a handle at 90 degrees to the cutting edge and use a guard bar or open comb to limit the amount of blade exposure and possible injury potential during shaving.

Actually, the very first safety razors were SE razors, invented in the late 1800's. It wasn't until King C. Gillette and his company invented DE razors and blades around the turn of the twentieth century in Boston that there were any viable shaving options besides SE razors and straight razors. They are both based on the "keep the razor and throw away the blade when it gets dull" paradigm, unlike a straight razor. I'll try to list what differences I can think of below, but I'm sure it'll be far from comprehensive and others will be along to add to it:


First, a DE blade has a cutting edge on two (duh!) sides, while a single edge blade has only one cutting edge. The other side is reinforced with a spine (think box-cutter blade and you'll know what a SE blade looks like.)

A DE razor bends the relatively thin blade to create tension and rigidity for the shave, while the SE razor (because the SE blade is thicker and more rigid) does not need to do this--it merely clamps the blade onto the handle.

The proper angle used for SE shaving is much shallower than that used in a DE--the top plate of a SE razor should be flush or just above the skin while shaving instead of approximately 30 degrees off the skin when using a DE razor.

SE blades are slightly more costly (approximately 2-3 times the cost of a mid-grade DE blade--$0.25 - $0.50 per blade.)

SE blades tend to last longer than DE blades for most folks (I get 3-4 DE shaves from a blade but can go longer than a week on a single SE blade easily.)

Vintage SE razors tend to be less expensive to purchase than vintage (especially Gillette) DE razors.

While there are current-production makers of DE razors, there are none for SE razors (with the exception of the Cobra Classic, which is a completely different take on SE shaving that I won't get into here), thus virtually all SE razors for sale will be vintage.


That covers the major similarities and differences between DE and SE systems--at least off of the top of my head. A subset of SE razors are injectors, which is a whole 'nuther ball of wax that I also won't get into. If you're interested in what SE razors look like and how to shave with one, there is a subforum dedicated to SE shaving in the Safety Razor forum with lots of pictures and information. You can also find info in our wiki. Hope that clears things up a bit for you!