Recommendations for first double edged razor purchase
Hello again guys,
I recently posted the obligatory straight razor newbie post - the "look I bought this random razor on eBay without doing any research, isn't it awesome?":rofl2:
Which is not to suggest, of course, that my purchase was in any way ill-advised. On the contrary. I'm taking it to be professionally honed (rather than attempting to butcher it myself) and then it will be a thing of beauty. So there.
However, I thought I might take a more measured approach to purchasing my first DE razor.
Can anyone make any recommendations based on the following information-
- I have a light, sparse, beard. I have very fine blonde head hair, my beard hair is obviously somewhat thicker and darker in colour, but still quite fine, I'd say. Nothing compared to the black thicket-like formation my markedly hirsute brother inherited.
- I have a long, large line of scar tissue running just underneath my chin bone, as well as a few other smaller scars around my neck.
- I get acne periodically. I don't have any geological formations that need navigating or anything, it's just information as to my skin type.
- I do have sensitive skin (whatever that means). If I don't shave every day I tend to get dry skin on my face.
And as far as preferences go -
- I am damn tired of the Mach 3 / mentholated face anaesthetic routine. Something more awesome is called for.
- I'd prefer to blow money on the straight razor business, not the DE. Cheaper is gooder.
- Either new or second-hand is fine. The cheapest new DE I can find is the Merkur Classic for just under 50 bucks shipped. Vintage razors seem to be selling for only ten or fifteen dollars short of that.
I realise that the lathering business is just as important as the razor. I've acquired a bowl of Floris JF soap, and have a brush from whippeddog.com currently on the way across the vast oceans to me now (I'm in Melbourne). My shaving mug is currently a small Asian ceramic bowl that happens to fit my hand nicely. I was thinking of splashing about some epoxy in the bottom of it to create some ridges and texture - I'd guess that the super-smooth ceramic would hinder lathering.
Any suggestions would be gratefully received.