Thread: Let's consolidate product recommendations

All of us enjoy passing on our hard-won wisdom. Technical instruction is widely available. There's a lot of YMMV in terms of products, however.

So let's imagine Joe, 18 years old, a thoughtful young man who wants to get into straights and is willing to put his current "hobby" savings into it -- say, $100 - $200. He needs the cheapest, but serviceable, choices

Then there's Jim, a newly retired exec who wants to enjoy life, and after stumbling onto this thread has been misled into believing that straight shaving would be fun, relaxing and fulfilling. He wants the best of everything, and can afford it.

What would you recommend? I'll offer my suggestions, but would be very interested in what others would tell these two chaps.

Razor for Joe: The cheapest new Dovo he can find already honed. Wapis, I understand, are getting hard to find, and many of the restos have a little too much "character" (read: they are finicky), in my experience. Right now the best shaving razor in my rotation is the cheapest one I ever bought, a Best.

Razor for Jim: Whatever custom appeals to him in terms of style and maker.

Soap for Joe: Easy. Omega soap. Cheap, and tolerates almost any combination with water to make a beautiful lather. Rewet, and it comes back just as it ever was. Easier to use than the creams. Great for a noob.

Cream for Jim: T&H Ultimate. (Unless I get really p.o.'d with Jim for being rich and retired and having a better razor than I do. Then: MWF. That'll teach him).

Strop for Joe: Newspaper over a clipboard.

Strop(s) for Jim: Call TM and ask for one of everything.

Oil/Preshave for Joe: Olive oil, unless he wants to splurge a little. Then, J.R. Watkins Aloe and Green Tea Dry Oil Body Mist. Ideal, in my opinion. Available at WalMart -- 4oz spray for $5 (you have to endure going into the ladies' lotion aisle, however).

Oil/Preshave for Jim: Easy. Castle and Forbes "Le Pre-Rasage." Why should I be the only jerk who paid $40 for this stuff?

Brush for Joe: Again, easy. VDH boar.

Brush for Jim: The biggest, most expensive Rooney he can find. Maybe with enough bristles he can actually get a lather going on that MWF.

Balm for Joe: Nivea extra sensitive,

Balm for Jim: AOS.

Aftershave/cologne for Joe: Aramis.

Aftershave/cologne for Jim: Order a Penhaligon sampler and pick your favorite. (By the way, Jim, I know you are grateful for this advice, and please note the Blenheim can be found in 500ml bottles, and my address is...)

O.K., those are my ideas. I'm sure similar threads are out there, but products come and go and we're always making new discoveries (I found the Watkins oil a couple months ago and been trying to get the word out ever since), so let's put them in one place all newbies -- both well-heeled and not -- can find our suggestions.

Well I have a swell idea. If you guys have products you either like or dislike do a review in the reviews forum. That way Joel can check out the reviews forum and see in short order what products he should consider.

The idea is nice but prices, availability, and even quality changes over time. Current reviews are nice to refer to, and the chat room is a good place to get immediate recommendations if one for some reason does not want to research it in the forums

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Well I have a swell idea. If you guys have products you either like or dislike do a review in the reviews forum. That way Joel can check out the reviews forum and see in short order what products he should consider.

Who's Joel?

i pretty much am joe lol so heres my 2 cents...
i agree with the dovo "Best Quality" suggestion above and also the Van Der Hagen brush/soap/bowl package is great for the money as for a strop, find a quality site/dealer and buy the one that fits ur budget.

Hummmmm! I know this is all in fun, but Arimus A/S - Cologne for Joe? Good stuff, but about $50.00 or so the last time I looked. How about Clubman @ about $6.00 or so???

I like that "bang-fer-the-buck" much better for a college fellow!

Steve

Originally Posted by zepplin

Hummmmm! I know this is all in fun, but Arimus A/S - Cologne for Joe? Good stuff, but about $50.00 or so the last time I looked. How about Clubman @ about $6.00 or so???

I like that "bang-fer-the-buck" much better for a college fellow!

Steve

Aramis AS is $20 (4 oz) here at WallyWorld.

Anyway, yours may be the better choice. I've never tried it. That's what this thread is about!

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Well I have a swell idea. If you guys have products you either like or dislike do a review in the reviews forum. That way Joel can check out the reviews forum and see in short order what products he should consider.

All it takes is a slight modification to the review software setup, so that the reviews can be ordered by price and rating.

Or, in the case of Joel Random, "price, descending" would do.

That said, I doubt that this thread will lead to meaningful results, i.e. ones that can be generalised. Skin care in particular is a matter of personal compatibility. I would rather eat dry bread than torture my skin with something from WalMart. Maybe that is why they went belly up in Germany...

I concur with putting product information in the reviews section. As far as recommendations go, much of what you have there is personal choice. Scents, use of creams versus soaps, aftershaves, etc., become a matter of personal tastes and choices. Buy quality first, the rest of it will work itself out for you.

Well I'm a newb... but I don't see what the new Dovo's have going for them over a nice vintage from the classifieds. Seems like a lot of people complain about the quality of the new Dovo grinds, while with a good vintage blade you are picking from the best of the industry in its flourish. For the price of a new Dovo you can get at least two shave ready vintage blades... So I would definitely steer Joe towards a vintage blade...

I also don't see the point of recommending boar hair for people when a badger hair can be had for under $15...

Cheers,

- HJ

Originally Posted by HungeJ0e

Well I'm a newb... but I don't see what the new Dovo's have going for them over a nice vintage from the classifieds.

They are new, and some people like that. They are also excellent razors, and some people like that, too. And if you buy from a reputable source, they come with a warranty.

Originally Posted by HungeJ0e

Seems like a lot of people complain about the quality of the new Dovo grinds, [...] So I would definitely steer Joe towards a vintage blade...

Some people used to complain, and over in another forum some people still do. I have seen over 300 Dovos in the last 12 months, and I can tell you that less than 2% were "faulty", and none of them could not be made shave ready within a reasonable amount of time by a skilled honer. Dovo used to have QA problems until approx. 3 years ago, and it may well be that overseas vendors still have old stock. But I would definitly not definitly steer Joe towards a vintage blade. It is a viable alternative, but only if it is below USD 80 in mint condition and shave ready. Because that is what you get from SRD, for starters.