Complete Noob!

Alright. Im getting really tired of walking around with my neck looking like I went at it with a chain saw. I literally know almost nothing about shaving. Iv been shaving for about three years and it was okay at first. Just using a fusion and some shaving gel. But now that iv got actual facial hair its not going so well. Iv tried different razors and different gels but nothing seems to work. thus im going with i dont know how to shave. I didnt grow up with a father figure so i had to teach myself. So now im tired of it and want advice from the guys who actually take this really seriously. I need help. i need tips. And i need the expierience that i dont have. If a straight razor or double edge means no more razor burn or acne ill definatley rock it old school.

Zach, Welcome to SRP

If you need help, and you need tips the good news is that you're in the very best place. Straight razors and DE's can be the best way forward provided that you take the time to learn how to use them properly. No its not rocket science but it does require patience and practice.
Ask as many questions as you want as there are many here who will help you on your way to solving your shaving dilemma

Thanks Edge, it means alot. I know its not rocket science but i want to fix whatever im doing wrong. With the research iv done over the past few days has led me to the conclusion that im not using correct technique; i usually just shave with the grain with short strokes; that shaving gel is inferior to shaving soap and can inflame the burn, and that overall straight shaving and double edge razors are better for you and better than the store bought crap. Iv gone to my barber, shes been cutting my hair my whole life and when i asked about it she was shocked. She hadnt shaved anyone in like 30 years and that its barely done professionaly anymore. I just want to know how, why, and whether or not it will fix my face. If you and the other vets can help fix my problem itd be great.

I suggest you consider a DE razor and some shaving soap with a brush. You can do a little research and get a DE that is not too aggressive and likely get a very comfortable shave. Benefits? 1) High water content in the soap is better for your skin than gels and foams 2) A single blade running over your face is easier on the skin than 5 in a row

Make sure you do two passes so the DE never runs over skin on its own. Give yourself about a month to learn and then expect some substatial improvement.

Ok lets see. You say that your fusion and store gel causes you irritation, well a single blade DE or straight will probably cause less once you can use them. I dont expect it will be a cure for acne directly, but you will be using better products on your skin and these may prove beneficial. The DE is going to be the cheaper and easier of the two options so have a look round, you will also need some PROPER soap and a brush but these dont have to be expensive - just good. With a straight you'll be needing a strop and a hone of sorts as well and learning the straight is a bit harder. Sorry Im not trying to put you off but the DE might prove to be the quickest way to get away from the demon fusion.
Good luck

The first thing, probably, is to pick up a brush and some real shaving soap. Check out some local drug stores and you'll probably find those items rather easily.

Learn to make a good lather with a brush and (after a shower) scrub it into your face with circular motions. This kinda sets up the whiskers, hydrates them and makes them ready to be cut.

Using a new blade in whatever razor you're using, make light strokes with almost no pressure. A new blade should wipe those hairs away instantly. Razor burn is almost always due to too much pressure... as the other guys have mentioned the fewer blades the better.

Start with only a 'with the grain' shave - with a feather light touch - and see if that helps.

A real shaving soap has ingredients that 'cushion' the blade... it also has ingredients that stick around on the skin after the shave which will help heal any boo-boos and moisturise the skin.

I doubt if the act of shaving will cure acne - those miracle acne potions around these days will do that - but the act of lathering up will clean your face and doing that every day couldn't hurt even if you don't shave every day.

Keep us posted.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Its nice to know their is a community that takes this stuff seriously. The only reason i mention the acne is that i only ever break out really bad after i shave. It gives me a uniform nastiness all across my face and neck with the burn. Thought the gel might have had something to do with it. Now when using a double edge, which type is best for the beginners and why....? Maybe an ignorant question but i prefer hands on info to the usual research info.

Zach,
The shave gels and foam in aerosols really dont do the job that they are supposed to (ie they dont hydrate or soften the whiskers before you shave) so the soap and brush will be key. I only have one DE (a cheap Wilkinson Sword Classic) which I have only used 2 or 3 times since Ive had it. Not because its no good just I prefer to use my straight. Hopefully someone will chime in with a recommendation but in all honesty, get what you can afford along with the brush and soap and you should be good to go.
Good luck

Hey Zack...I'm new to straight razor shaving, but find it relaxing , challenging, and rewarding. I agree with the fellows on here about using a good DE razor and a good soap and brush to start shaving with. I went and checked out numerous videos on you tube on shaving with both the straight razor and a DE razor to help educate me and learn. Some are good to excellent and can be very helpful. Try looking up numerous videos to learn some of the techniques and reviews you are looking for. Hope this helps.

Rick

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Originally Posted by tonycraigo

The first thing, probably, is to pick up a brush and some real shaving soap. Check out some local drug stores and you'll probably find those items rather easily.

Learn to make a good lather with a brush and (after a shower) scrub it into your face with circular motions. This kinda sets up the whiskers, hydrates them and makes them ready to be cut.

Using a new blade in whatever razor you're using, make light strokes with almost no pressure. A new blade should wipe those hairs away instantly. Razor burn is almost always due to too much pressure... as the other guys have mentioned the fewer blades the better.

Start with only a 'with the grain' shave - with a feather light touch - and see if that helps.

A real shaving soap has ingredients that 'cushion' the blade... it also has ingredients that stick around on the skin after the shave which will help heal any boo-boos and moisturise the skin.

I doubt if the act of shaving will cure acne - those miracle acne potions around these days will do that - but the act of lathering up will clean your face and doing that every day couldn't hurt even if you don't shave every day.

Keep us posted.

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Great advice there from Tony.

Find your local Walgreens. They have the VDH Shave set on for 7.99 right now. That will give you a Brush, a puck of soap and a bowl to lather in. nothing fancy but your investment will be less that a pack of cartidges for you MACH 3 or Fushion.

Van Der Hagen*Shave Set | Walgreens

One of the things you will get from following Tony's advice is a better understanding of the process and time it takes to properly prep and shave. Take the time to enjoy the process. making a good lather, proper beard prep, learning the growth patterns of the hair on your face.

Pre shave prep is critical for DE and Straight shaving. It also improves shaving with a cartridge.

So get your kit and do this.

put your brush in your bowl with the hottest tap water and let soak, I also soak my puck
Take a Hot shower
drain water from bowl and puck, shake excess water from brush and rub brush 10-20 circles over soap
Now in your drained bowl just whip a lather for 2-3 minutes. depending on how hard the water is, the brush and soap will depend on if you just whip circles or beat or what works best so you will have to play around
Now like Tony said lather circles all over your face. finishing off with some smoothing strokes.
Now take a small hand towl or face cloth and soak in hot tap water and ring out.
after 2 minutes drape the towel over your face leaving a spot for your nose to breath. Trust me breathing through a wet towel not as easy as it sounds.
Once towel is cool remove and apply more lather in circular motion then smooth out

Now begin to shave.

I have enjoyed reading this thread
Picked up some things I was doing wrong making up the shaving soap lather
Will be trying it on my next shave

cheers for now

Important to note that the VDH kit has a meager boar at best, really not a good enough brush for a wet shaving makeover.

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Originally Posted by AxelH

Important to note that the VDH kit has a meager boar at best, really not a good enough brush for a wet shaving makeover.

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For 8 dollars it's way better than the 50 year old brush of Dad's I was using, whips up a servicable lather with the puck of Williams I have in the tea cup and has made for some great shaves.

For a young fellow moving up from gelgoop a real soap, a real brush and few tips might make all the difference. After we get him actually enjoying a shave he can explore the vast world of dumping lots of cash into the shaving experience.

:)

Of course, there are much better brushes, but it is a brush, it does work, and it doesn't break the bank.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tonycraigo

For 8 dollars it's way better than the 50 year old brush of Dad's I was using, whips up a servicable lather with the puck of Williams I have in the tea cup and has made for some great shaves.

For a young fellow moving up from gelgoop a real soap, a real brush and few tips might make all the difference. After we get him actually enjoying a shave he can explore the vast world of dumping lots of cash into the shaving experience.

:)

Of course, there are much better brushes, but it is a brush, it does work, and it doesn't break the bank.

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I agree. There is no need for a young fellow to feel that he needs to drop a wack of cash to at least get his feet wet. My personal feeling is in order to stick with this you need to commit to your shaves taking longer than 90 seconds. Until that decision has been made why suggest spending more than needed. Maybe because I am a father of a broke ass college kid and I know the struggles they can face. $30.00 can be a difference between eating and going hungry for a week for some of these kids.

Get your feet wet for 8 bucks. If you like it and want to stick with it and can afford some nicer luxury brushes, soaps and razors you will have a ton of choices ahead of you. If your on a budget that works too. There really is something for everyone in this

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Originally Posted by AxelH

Important to note that the VDH kit has a meager boar at best, really not a good enough brush for a wet shaving makeover.

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I own scads of razors and some vintage brushes for display, but have been using the same Wallygreens brush for 11 years. Yes, every day! Cheep plastic green handle! Thing works the lather up and in super! Drys to a fluff fast! I lose a hair out of it a week, maybe! I do not like Badger hair brushes as they are too soft. Less brushes, more razors! JMHO
Maybe someone will feel sorry for me and send me some boar brushes?:w

[QUOTE=Edgeof40;789642]Zach,
The shave gels and foam in aerosols really dont do the job that they are supposed to (ie they dont hydrate or soften the whiskers before you shave) so the soap and brush will be key.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

AH HA! That's the reason why my lather with this canned shave gel dried out too quick. I couldn't explain it but I knew it wouldn't hold water very well. It held the GEL well enough, but dried out too quick LOL. 'Twas a good learning experience for me to discover what works and what doesn't.

PondRacer

Besides the basic equipment make sure you stretch your skin, it helps a lot

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I suggest you consider a DE razor and some shaving soap with a brush.

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That's what I was thinking. Straight-razor shaving has a steep learning curve; you'll get similar results with a DE (safety) razor, faster, with less
education.

DE razors range from "mild" to "aggressive", depending on how much of the blade is exposed.[*] I only have two DE razors:

. . . a Weishi (from China, about $12 on eBay) is very mild. It works well with a Feather blade (which is very sharp).

. . . a Gillette "Tech" (US-made, 3-piece, I paid $5 in an antique store). It's not as mild as the Weishi, but it's still considered
. . . a fairly mild razor. Works nicely with Feather blades _if you're careful_; works nicely with other blades.

There are lots of old Gillette razors in antique stores / junk shops. Most people find that most of them are OK. Many are adjustable -- from "mild" to "aggressive" in a single razor. There are lots of reviews on this website.

If you want to spend more money, I'm sure other people will chime in!

charles




Charles
[*] The "Badger and Blade" ratings rely on throat width, which isn't exactly the same thing. But the idea is clear, I hope.

These are some great tips to get you started. I would also start off with the cheap kit to see if this is something that you are going to want to continue. I first began with DE before straight razor for some of the same reasons. I had terrible irritation from the multi blade and drying out from the aerosol. Like others said, it will take a little time to get used to so give yourself some time and be patient. Also, if you are a visual person like me, Mantic has some good videos on youtube. Best of luck!

You've come to the right place to start your life-long shaving bliss Zack!

First thing - stay away from the multi-bladed razors, and the canned shaving goo, and always make sure to moisturise your skin properly after shaving.

Use a good cream/lotion after shaving. (If you're on a budget, even a little aqueous cream will be better than nothing) As a matter of interest, you can even use aqueous cream as a shaving prep to your skin, then rinse it off before you shave with a good shaving cream / shaving soap lathered up with a brush.

I've posted a video here, but have a look at the other videos about lathering and shaving on youtube that "Mantic59" has posted. You will learn a lot from them, they are great to use as a learning tool.

Spend some time and watch this video, it will be worth a lot for you - YouTube - ‪How To Build And Apply Traditional Shaving Lather‬‏

It will probably be more rewarding for you to start with a DE, and then progress to straight razors if it interests you.

Whatever you decide, have fun!

Welcome to SRP!

Another good video for you -

YouTube - ‪Introduction To Single Blade Shaving (Pt. 1)‬‏

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Originally Posted by leadingedge

Another good video for you -

YouTube - ‪Introduction To Single Blade Shaving (Pt. 1)‬‏

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This may be a bit off topic....but...Is that a David Firth dancing Badger in your sig?!?!?!?!?!!!! I want one.

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Originally Posted by holeHeartless

This may be a bit off topic....but...Is that a David Firth dancing Badger in your sig?!?!?!?!?!!!! I want one.

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Nice, isn't it? There are some interesting badgers on-line doing all forms of stuff that you'll find on the ww web. Hope you find a nice one!

Zack - FWIW, I found that changing from a Mach 5 Fusion Power, yada, yada, yada to a 100 year old straight just about cured all the bumps and irritation I was getting on my neck. I'm sure the prep and "real" lather helped as much as the blade, but it is really nice that even if I use a little too much pressure and get razor burn, I'm not going to look like I'm breaking out in hives on my neck now! I hope you have the same experience.

BTW, just out of curiosity, do you have a heavy, thick, or curly beard? Are you African American? These things may have an effect on your need for certain prep, shaving techniques, etc. Being of Irish/Welsh descent, I am pasty white with a rather fine/thin beard :D