Thread: Some questions for younger shavers

I am 47, I remember that cartridge razors were already around when I started. I had seen my father getting lots of cuts and nicks with his DE so when I was 18 (late puberty) I asked and got an electric razor for my birthday. I never liked it and switched to a DE that I did not like either. Then I inherited my mother's uncle's straights and started messing about with them at university. There was not much information on straights available, my hairdresser who had been a barber before WW 2 said I was a fool trying to shave with straights so I never really got it right but used them on and off with a cartridge razor. Till I found SRP, and now I use straights exclusively. I nver owned a Fusion, Mach 3 or whatever fancy stuff that's around nowadays.

I'm 28 now - I started shaving at 13 - my father bought me a Gillette Excel "Starter kit" that had the foam gel, the razor, and the blades. I used that for a good long while - when I was 19 I switched, very briefly, to an electric (el cheapo), and then back to a cartrige razor (which, by this time was the Wilkinson 3 blade thingy). I hated the razor, and the shave, so I switched to a Gillette Atra / Trac II along with a brush and soap - and used that up until last year. I was always interested in straight razors, and one of our friends bought and was using a feather - he really got me into it in July - that's when I found SRP and lurked for a long while before signing up, and getting my first shave ready razor...haven't looked back since, and love every second of it!

Mark

19, started on the sensor excel as it was what my dad had laying around. ended up (like so many others) going to the mach 3. fed up with the cartridge costs i picked up a DE on Ebay (gillette superspeed). that was about 9 months ago. then i found this site. two weeks ago my first straight (genco 5/8) arrived and its been love at first shave.

turning 31. started with the schick safety razor system. The one where the replacement cartridge had the spike thing to push in the blades.

38 (hope it's ok for an old guy to chip in here). Started with my Dad's disposibles in the 80s. Never really liked them. When I moved out at 19 I bought a Trac II. Really liked the fact that it had more heft than the plastic disposibles. At some point the 'plus' blades came along with the slimy strip on them. Always had mixed feeling about them. At some point I bought a very cheap brush and some Body SHop soap. I never really got a good lather and I hated the smell so after a while I went back to the canned foam or gel. Interestingly I always 'wet' shaved insofar as I would warm my face with a facecloth and then splash on water before the foam. That's the way my dad taught me, though he was a Bic disposible guy since I could remember.

Eventually, just a couple years ago, it got hard to find the Trac II blades so I was forced to buy the Mach III. I thought it was a better shave on the open areas but it didn't do the tight spots well. Also I didn't like the 'wiping' sensation. Anyhow, as with most others here I found the price of blades to be highway robbery. I found some knock-off Trac II blades at a big gorcery store but they weren't as good. Went back to Mach III but alway felt ripped off. Once day I stumbled onto a blog about 'wet shaving' and the rest is really history. I asked for a DE for my birthday but my wife misunderstood and bought me a shavette instead. It's been about 3 months and I now have 3 real straights, a TM strop, a 3k/8k stone and a Chinese 12k. I now love shaving and as far as I'm concerned there's no going back.

24, started at 16 with a Mach 3 and that awful stuff they call gel

Went to the fusion when it came out. Made the switch to a DE and a proper brush and shave soap about a year ago and was amazed at the comfort and closeness. Mainly switched just because the replacement cartridges for the fusion are outrageously priced.

Str8 shaving for about 2 months now a finally getting some great shaves with the added bonus of restoring my own

As a side note that gel stuff has to be the worst concoction imaginable. Makes me mad just thinking about wasting 4 or 5 years with that junk!

I started when I was 15 on a Mach 3 turbo and a can of cream. The following birthday my uncle introduced me to the great world of wet shaving with a Feather Tech DE and a cheap boar brush. He also got me a Merkur HD, a Gillete Tech, and various MB soaps. Now I'm 17 and use straights I also have the ability to say at most places that I'm the only 17 year old who shaves with a staight

Kevin

20 now

Started shaving at 14 with a sensor excel that my grandfather got me for my birthday along with a puck of Van Der Hagen soap (still one of my favorites, its nice and cheap) and a crap boar brush. I used that up untill I joined the army and when all I could find at the px was mach 3s I converted. After a year and a half with that crap I found srp by accident, and after reading a few things I thought it sounded cool. So I oredered a shavette and have been using that up untill a week or so ago when I bought a straight from Mr. Rup. Just waiting on it to come in so I can have my first real straight shave.


P.s. (I fixed the strop thanks for everyones help.)

Originally Posted by McShaverson

I started when I was 15 on a Mach 3 turbo and a can of cream. The following birthday my uncle introduced me to the great world of wet shaving with a Feather Tech DE and a cheap boar brush. He also got me a Merkur HD, a Gillete Tech, and various MB soaps. Now I'm 17 and use straights I also have the ability to say at most places that I'm the only 17 year old who shaves with a staight

Very cool Kevin! You're the only 17 year old I know who's using a SE.