Thread: first Safety Razor shave this morning....Love it

I picked up a straight razor a few months ago and could never really get the hang of it, I'd do the right side of my face with the straight and have to do the left with my cartridge razor so I put it aside for another day. I recently ran out of blades for my cartridge and decided that rather then buying the ridiculously over priced replacements I decided to look at safety razors and see what I could find. Well In the classified section here I found a first quarter of 1961 Gillette razor for a nominal price and decided to go for it, I then went to walmart to find some cheap blades (wilkinson swords) and set about shaving. I soaked my brush in hot water before my shower, got out made my later, lathered up, checked some email, went back to get to shaving. I had the razor set at 1 to begin with but after a pass I realized that it was too low so I bumped it to two and ended up at 4 by the end of the shave. Really enjoy it

keep it up. I have a DE I use from time to time, but I picked it up after my I started getting straights. I like the wilkinson blades, they do better for me than the drug store brand readily available here.

Glad you're liking it. I enjoy shaving with a DE too, though like bondpunk I was shaving with a SR before using a DE for the first time. Just be aware that if you think you're safe from AD's by using a safety razor, think again...

Nothing wrong with using a safety razor...Wimp


Mick

Originally Posted by MickR

Nothing wrong with using a safety razor...Wimp


Mick

a man has to know is limitations

Man i use my safety razor when i don't have time to get a nice long drawn out shave from my straights. But is is still way nicer then those darn throw away razors. From my limited experience with DE, the CVS or Walgreens blades just eat up my face, and just seems like i only get 1 decent shave out of them so i just bought some Feather blades and it is like night and day try those out they do a real nice job on the face.

opps double post

I have a couple DEs in rhe rotation,,, 59 Fatboy, 62.Slim, GEM, And an ipArmy issue gillette from WWI. I like them also from time to time. To ne honest, I probably get a better shave from a DE.. I just have been using a straight for so long I can't stop...Nor would I want to...

When I took up SR shaving, I never thought I'd be using a DE. A fellow member here told me about the Edwin Jagger 89L and I purchased one. I was quite cautious at first but I became comfortable with the razor after a short time. I am trying different blades from a bunch of samples that came with the razor. I use the DE on weekends and during the week when I SR shave, I use the DE for clean up.

I used to do the same thing with the straights, that is, I'd clean it up around the mustache with the DE. The reason being is that, when I began shaving with the straight, I had a stash. And I became used to skipping that area. Then I shaved it off and about half time I would shave I would nick myself somewhere around the mouth area. Then I tried a smaller straight, which seemed to work well enough. However, I finally tired of the additional cleanup and said enough is enough, I am going to do this start to finish with one razor - and I did. It seems to me, we start out without enough tools, then we overcompensate by adding to the bunch, then trim it down as the skill improves. My next hurdle would be to do this without a mirror (only kidding, I'm not that daring or stupid [not yet anyway]). Just my thoughts.