Thread: Where the hell...

Hello all, I'm new(ish) to posting but I've been reading the forum for a while now and I've been shaving with a de for about 6 weeks now. So far all I have is a Gillette shaver (I think it's a 60's knack, it has "M3" stamped on the bottom" and a gift set from the AoS store. I'd like to start trying other brands but I have no idea where to find stuff. There's a RiteAid near me, but all they have is the VDH soap. Anyone from California know any good places in the San Francisco Bay Area where I can pick stuff up like razors, blades, soaps, aftershaves, strops, etc.? I live in the East Bay but I'm willing to travel a little bit. I know there are plenty of places online to get stuff but I'd like to find a local place to shop. Thanks.

Well most of us are straight razor shavers. I would check at The Shave Den those guys are all about DE razors with a classified section.

Originally Posted by sammy

Anyone from California know any good places in the San Francisco Bay Area where I can pick stuff up like razors, blades, soaps, aftershaves, strops, etc.? I live in the East Bay but I'm willing to travel a little bit. I know there are plenty of places online to get stuff but I'd like to find a local place to shop.

Believe it or not, barber shops might be a place to check for soaps & aftershaves. You can often find Williams soap at Wal-Mart. Check your local grocery stores, as you can sometimes find an occasional puck of soap, aftershave and sometimes DE blades. You might also look to see if you can find a barber supply store -- there's one here in Oklahoma City, and the owner is more than happy to talk your ear off about straights.

Check this razor on the classifieds here on SRP.
DE Razors - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

While you can probably locate some stuff in brick and mortar shops you will find a greater selection in e-stores like straight razor designs and others that advertise on this site and in the classified section. Also check the reviews forum and others that are directed towards you desires.

Some larger Walgreens stores have a pretty good selection of soaps and various old time aftershaves.

Thanks a lot everyone, I really appreciate all the help. I'm not really looking for anything in particular, just a dependable local place to pick stuff up and hold it while I browse. I already know that somethings I'm going to have to go to the internets for, but I'm just old fashioned.

shaving supplies in north sf bay area/sf proper? - Badger & Blade

This is a thread on people in the SF bay area who are listing places they have different items like soap/blades/creams.

Good luck!

now if only they had a high desert thread <sigh>

Hay sammy, what gunner is saying is 100% correct. However, I visit both forums farely regularly and I have been gathering information over a few years and will continue to gather information for years to come on this subject but I am happy to let you know what I have gathered at this point.

You should start in your local drugstores and explor what they have to offer. I dont have any wallgreens so I will not speak to what they have, but I do have CVS and Rite Aid which have some basic stuff.

In CVS you will find Williams soap (made by Combe) and some basic boar hair brushes.

Ride Aid will have Van Der Hagen soap.

Other than this you will need to look for antique shops in your area.
San Fransico Antique and Design Mall
701 Bayshore Blvd
415-656-3530
Dealer 101 looks like a good bet
28 looks like its displaying a razor case
816 also looks like a good bet
448 looks pretty good

Timeless Treasures
2176 Sutter Street
415-775-8366
this on also looks like a likely supplier.

These antique shop should be able to get you some of the razors that you will need to get the job done. They should have a fairly good selection of straight razors.

I would recommend going on-line for the upgraded brush you will need at Shaving Brushes.

Then also go on ver to Connaught's blade selection, you will probably find some ARSCO in your area's drug stores but not much more.

In summary:

razors - antique shops
Brush - on-line at Shaving Brushes
Soaps and Creams - local drugstores then connaughtshaving
blades - connaughtshaving