Thread: Hello

New to forum. I found it looking for shaving soaps to try. While I am not new to DE shaving, it has been a very long time. I started shaving with a DE razor, Gillette - don't really know which model, around mid 60's. Yeh, I'm an old fart! Tried multitude of shave foams etc, that came in a can. Discovered soaps and brushes and that helped. Eventually went to multblade razors simply because they didn't irritate my face so much. Over the years, I progressed to better shave soaps and brushes. My current search was for soaps to try something different. Current razor is a Gillette 3-blade. When I stumbled upon this forum. I was getting tired of the price of the blades, about $2.50 each. Even though they last for about 2 weeks (I have a full beard, but still shave what I consider to be the most sensitive part of the face the neck) the price gets up there. I decided to order an EJ 89L razor and blade sampler. The total cost of this is still less than the cost of my old blades for the remainder of the year. Will keep posted. My new razor and blades should be in this week.

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It sounds like you just need a little time in the saddle to get back up to speed. I'm sure the information here will help to bring it all back as painlessly as possible. I'm new to the scene, but I get the impression that good soaps and cremes have not changed much in the last 50 years. Why fix something that works fine? One of my favorite memories is lathering up with my father and using our safety razors! Mine was real safe, no blade but I would not have traded that for anything.

Enjoy!

welcome.

If you are still in the hunt for shave soaps, if you haven't already, try Mitchells Wool Fat. I have about 15 or more shave soaps in my possession. But, that's the one I shave with more than any of the others. If interested in a sample, PM me.

I received my razor, blade samples and soap samples last week and have completed my first full week back, after 30-35 years to a DE razor. First of all the EJ razor is much better than the old Gillette I used to use. I had discovered brush and mug shaving years ago. I did find out that I had developed a technique of brush use that worked with a Mach 3 razor. This was not quite optimal for a DE. My best shave this past week was with a DORCO blade and the Institute Karite shave soap. I managed to work up a very thick lather that was perfect. I also tried Mitchel's Wool Fat (thanks Larry). This was very good, but not as good as the IK. I think it was a blade issue. I was using the DORCO with the IK. I had a 7:00 (green box) in for the MWF and I did not really like the 7:00 blade. It is the only one I have felt a pull with. I plan on trying again with a different blade. It is very apparent that the lather is a key element in obtaining a good shave. What works with a cartridge razor does not necessarily work with a DE. I really like the concept that I am to a great deal responsible for the quality of shave I get from this. I used to smoke a pipe years ago. It was similar. The quality of the smoke was dependent on the quality of the pipe and the tobacco, but after that, it was the skill one had in packing, lighting and tamping the pipe and tobacco.

I am probably going to order a puck of the MFW.

BTW. Today I went into an old local pharmacy and they had two pucks of the old Williams shave soap. Picked them up.

Happy Shaving,

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