Thread: gf's starter package

Why are you going to let your girlfriend have all the fun?
You should get this for YOURSELF!

Looks to be a good starter kit.
I would look at the classifieds here for a razor also. There are MANY GREAT ones that are reasonable priced.

I would want to learn to shave myself in case SWMBO ever got mad at me.

Not sure I want a teed off person with a razor so close to me. Lol

If you don't marry that girl one of us will. WOW!! That is quite a present.

Noxema is a great pre shave that works as well as many others at a fraction of the cost. It is worth trying it. If she is planning to shave people for a living, depending on where you live, she may have to use disposable blade. I think checking first would be diligent.

I would get the straight for me/her and get her the shavette as she may be required to use them for her job....

Like gflight said, may be better for her to use a shavette or feather since she cannot use a straight in a shop.

Regardless of whether it a a shave stick, cream or soap all can be face latheted. Alternatively you can use a mug, bowl or scuttle but are not necessary. You also don't need to buy anything fancy. A coffee mug or small bowl from the cupboard will work just fine. It personal preference. I now face lather or use a plastic take away bowl with a textured interior.

Also keep in mind all you NEED is a razor and soap and brush. The more things you add the more variables you add to the shaves and make it harder to work out what isn't going right for you.

Get her to map your beard so she knows how to shave you and not some general directions that may be completely irrelevant when it comes to you. Everyone is different and she will need to learn to map every one she shaves to get it right. I know a old barber and was amazed at the directions he took to shave me stating how the growth on my neck was changing directions so he did as well.

Maybe get her to start reading here as well. There's may roads leading to a good shave and it will take a bit of practice and the more information the better.

If this is yours (hers) first attempt at stropping I'd advise buying a cheaper one to practice on... Would hate to see you spend good money on a good strop only to shred to pieces as you both learn how to do it properly.

That's the only advice I'd give, The other stuff while unnecessary for a shave, does make the whole experience more fun and ritualistic to some degree Luxurious if you will

But seriously, practice on a cheap strop with a cheap blade (coz while you're learning you may well wreck the blade as well) or learn how to hone real fast

RE point 8, you don't need a fancy scuttle or bowl, any suitably sized container will work, the large wide mouthed coffee cups work well, or any dish of a similar size, about 100-125 mm across and about 50 mm deep seems about right to me.

If you are referring to practice stropping then any razor analogue will work.
From my understanding modern disposable blades are coated to increase the comfort so stropping doesn't work too well. However to get the action then a shavette without a blade will work.
Once you get the pressure and action correct that can be transferred fairly easily.
Using newspaper in a bulldog clip will help you to learn pressure etc. If the paper rips or comes out of the clip you are pressing too hard.

Frank Shaving TWO Sided Leather Canvas Hanging Strop | eBay

You will often see this strop rebranded by Dovo and other brand names and you will pay twice as much for it because it's Dovo... Go figure, excellent badge engineering but you can find it even cheaper than this lsting simply based on which seller you buy it from.

This was my first strop, it's not bad!