Allo there!

HIHI!

I am new here.

It is obvious.

Yes.

Well.. I guess this is where I introduce how I came to the glory that is straight razor shaving. Hmmm..... It all began when I was a wee little boy...

Well, not really. Started shaving with your generic cartridge razor, like most people. I took up with a DE Safety Razor a couple years ago, because it was nifty, unique, and VERY cost effective. At that time I had a Mach 3 (which I swear is named for the speed at which your money leaves your wallet), and I was spending $25 for a 10 pack of blades, WAY too often. (I have very sensitive skin, so dull razors really do a number on me.)

I read about the old double edge safety razor when I was finding ways to eliminate razor bumps, and I gave it a try. At $30 for a new Merkur razor, and only $2 for a pack of 10 new blades, it VERY quickly became a financial benefit, too. It was nice to have a new blade for every shave, and the antique boar brush my parents gave me for Christmas was just plain awesome, making me feel just plain cool for having such old fashioned and unique things. (I was a fan of Steampunk, before that became really popular) Due to the financial benefit, I convinced most of my friends to go with a DE razor.

I had wanted a straight razor for quite a while, but the financial investment was just too high, what with the price of a good razor, and strop, and hone, and a good badger brush, and ALL that.

However, it changed when my wife found a straight razor while she was antiquing, that she got for $10 as a curio. However, it turned out it was a vintage 1870's Wade and Butcher, with a 1/4 hollow 3/4in blade with a barber's tip (so it had a lightly rounded tip). Just about the perfect beginner blade! And age was kind to it. It only needed a bit of work to get it shave ready.

I could do this! I took a little time each night for a couple weeks with an old knife hone, and got the nicks out of the edge, and got it "kitchen" sharp, so that all I had to do was take it to a professional sharpener to get it shave ready. (It would have cost a fortune to repair the edge, one of the nicks was 1/16th inch deep). However, for only $25, he's honing it as I speak, and this Thursday, I'll get it back. While I was waiting, I got a decently reviewed inexpensive strop (A Body Toolz 2 piece strop, horsehide and canvas), a decently reveiwed inexpensive brush (An Edwin Jagger Pure Badger Faux Ebony brush), and am reading up on proper technique.

So soon I shall shave with a straight razor! It will be grand!

I plan on making new scales for my razor (The old ones are Cellulose and are damaged), polishing my razor, and getting some good soap and a good scuttle/bowl.

I guess if I had any questions right off the bat, it would be some suggestions for good soap and scuttle/bowl. My new badger brush doesn't seem to be making too much better of a lather than my old boar, even after reading info on how to make a good lather.


What is the viability of using something like Aveeno shave gel (The stuff you're just supposed to rub onto your face, no brush), and using a brush and bowl to make a good lather with? I use a bit more gel than I'd think necessary, but it makes a good, dense, quality lather. When I follow the steps with the soaps I have had (Williams soap, and something I picked up today called "Natural Grooming by Herban Cowboy"), I always end up with very thin lather that doesn't seem to do the job well.

Is it at all bad form to use the "in a can" shave gel and a brush to make a good lather?

I should probably post that particular question to the "soap" forum, but ah well.



Greetings to all!



I am me.

Nice intro.

That W and B will be a great shaver....does it happen to say "Celebrated Hollow" or "For Barbers Only"? That would truly be a great find.

As for your lather....kinda sounds like you have too much water in the brush. If this is so....soak the brush, and then get as much water as you can out of it. Load the soap with a swirling motion, and then add a couple of drops of water at a time until you begin to whip up something thats nice and thick....like whipped cream (the real stuff). FWIW, I've never had any luck with Williams. Do yourself a favour and pick up a jar of Proraso from Walgreens or something. It'll be about 5 bucks. It's easy to lather, not overly thirsty....and has a nice glide to it.

Good luck!

Welcome

Might I ask you what you mean by professional sharpener?

As for soap locally you can find CO bigelow at bath and body, the real shave co at rite aids, kiss my face in the natural section of fred meyer's.

There are plenty of great soaps available from our vendor's here and search to soap section for suggestions.

Hi there,
I'm new to all this too. I feel a nice cream (like Proraso) whipped up with a brush is a must with an old razor, stuff spayed out of a can, for me, just doesn't 'match'...

Thank you all for the replies and tips and whatnot.

Hmm.. Answers in order.

Unfortunately, it doesn't say anything on the blade other than "Wade and Butcher Sheffield", but by the logo style we were able to pinpoint it to the 1870's. It has the Cellulose Faux Ivory scales, which I plan to replace with ebony when I get the chance. And thank you for the tip on where to get Proraso. I couldn't find it at Target, which is where I read it could be found.

Second, by professional sharpener, I'm meaning a guy who owns a cutlery shop that has many different bladed things, has owned said shop for well over a decade, offers some very good sharpening services as one of his primary services. (The actual selling of knives is second in his ads), and himself shaves with straight razors. Said he did it all by hand.

And thank you on the C. O. Bigelow, I shall look into that tomorrow.

and I have to say, yeah... can gel doesn't fit with the image, but it gives the best lather I've been able to get...