Tip for my fellow newbies

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11-27-2009, 08:35 AM
tabre

Tip for my fellow newbies

Hey new straight razor shavers I would like to offer a tip that may help you when getting started shaving - it worked for me. Skip to the //-- for the short version. :-P

I started shaving with a straight not too long ago and I bought a Gold Dollar razor and Filly strop set from ruprazor.com to get me started. I also purchased the Van Der Hagen shave soap, brush, and bowl kit from Walmart. Everything together cost me around $70 and it works. Not a bad way to start straight shaving at all. I began to notice, though, that the soap took quite a bit of work to get a good lather going. I tried several techniques and I improved my lather immensely, but it still didn't seem quite as good as it could be. I wanted to try a cream.

Anyways, I was at Bath and Body Works with my wife the other day and I noticed some shave cream by C.O. Bigelow. I took a closer look and noticed some fine print that said something to the effect that it was made by Proraso for C.O. Bigelow. At that point I decided to buy it, knowing from reading posts by other members that Proraso shave cream is great stuff. I went ahead and got the bigger tube with the better price per ounce because I just had a feeling it was going to be good. :-)

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning I got my Van Der Hagen soap and my C.O. Bigelow cream and proceeded to use Mantic's method for creating "Super Lather" as shown in his video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N0C1cLELQo

I have to tell you that this has improved my lather so much that I just can't tell you how worth it it was to buy that cream. Because the lather was so much better, the shave was smoother, less irritating, and actually the best shave I've had yet.

So if you are like me and started with that Van Der Hagen set from Walmart, and you haven't tried a cream yet, you can still keep your low budget and for only $5 or $10 more (depending on the size you buy), you can dramatically improve your shave with some C.O. Bigelow shave cream.

I know this is nothing new for you experienced guys out there, but this worked for me and might help some other new guys.

EDIT: I watched the video again and I didn't realize it before (because I hadn't seen the tube before) but it looks like Mantic actually used a tube of C.O. Bigelow shave cream to create his super lather in his video. Looks like I chose well. :-)
11-27-2009, 02:12 PM
JimmyHAD

Thanks for the tip and the video. Mantic's vids are da bomb. I'll have to pick up a tube of that stuff. I've been using Salter's cream in the tub for the super lather and liking it.
11-27-2009, 02:32 PM
tabre

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Thanks for the tip and the video. Mantic's vids are da bomb. I'll have to pick up a tube of that stuff. I've been using Salter's cream in the tub for the super lather and liking it.

Cool... I'm going to have to check out that Salter's eventually. I can see why this gets to be such a hobby. :-P

EDIT: And yes, Mantics videos are great and I've learned much from him. I wonder how his straight shave experience is going these days...
11-27-2009, 03:55 PM
zib

I like Mantic's videos too. That method's a bit messy. There are better way's to make "uber" lather. Instead of using your sink to heat a bowl, you can use a very small crock pot, some are adjustable. I have one that was made for Potpourri. I use it as a double boiler. I don't know if they make them anymore, but I've seen small ones. That way your sink is free....
You can use any shave soap, a bit of shave cream, 5 drops of Glycerin, and you'll have all the rich creamy lather you can handle....
11-27-2009, 09:17 PM
tabre

Quote:

Originally Posted by zib

I like Mantic's videos too. That method's a bit messy. There are better way's to make "uber" lather. Instead of using your sink to heat a bowl, you can use a very small crock pot, some are adjustable. I have one that was made for Potpourri. I use it as a double boiler. I don't know if they make them anymore, but I've seen small ones. That way your sink is free....
You can use any shave soap, a bit of shave cream, 5 drops of Glycerin, and you'll have all the rich creamy lather you can handle....

Well that seems like an interesting method. It might be worth a try. Actually the worst thing that happened to me using the bowl in the sink method was while I was shaving, water from the sink somehow flowed over the top of the bowl and my soap was in there so it was soaking in there pretty much the whole time I was shaving. I had decided to really take my time and do 3 passes that day and I didn't notice the soap until I was done because I have a seperate lather bowl (which I keep warm in the sink too). The whole cake was total mush by that time and fell apart when I picked it up. LOL Now I keep the soap bowl out of the water and only put the lather bowl in there.
11-28-2009, 01:45 AM
kipper

Quote:

Originally Posted by zib

I like Mantic's videos too. That method's a bit messy. There are better way's to make "uber" lather. Instead of using your sink to heat a bowl, you can use a very small crock pot, some are adjustable. I have one that was made for Potpourri. I use it as a double boiler.

I like that idea, thanks!