Safety Razors

MadsL

evercloserunion wrote: »

I've been using this stuff recently; Monsavon shaving soap from France. Over in France it's pretty cheap and commonly available. However, it's the nicest soap I've used yet; gives a very good lather with no hassle, and smells amazing. I doubt you'd have much look getting it over here though.

Monsavon is amazing, love that soap.

hitemfrank

That's a soap I've wanted to try out. Just need to wait for someone I know to go to France and bring back a caseful

MadsL

https://www.frenchclick.co.uk/p-4448-monsavon-lait-bol-raser-125gr.aspx

Group buy needed - Fifteen quid flat delivery up to 30kg.

hitemfrank

I really wish it was available online without having to pay the crazy shipping prices.

Gran Hermano

I think I paid around the €2.50 mark for a bowl on Monsavon when last in France.
A bargain at the price and one I make sure I have on my shopping list whenever over.
It's like the Palmolive stick - great, especially at the price.

I also had a trawl online yesterday but couldnt see anywhere with a decent price
including shipping. Another option is http://www.ar-soap.com/ a triple pack aint too bad but the price for one bowl is crazy.

Drakus

Looks like about €14 for 1 x Bol à Raser Shaving Soap delivered. Anyone bought from these before, a website selling 2 products?

Gran Hermano

Drakus wrote: »

Looks like about €14 for 1 x Bol à Raser Shaving Soap delivered. Anyone bought from these before, a website selling 2 products?

No way is it worth 14 euro a tub, it is a cheap but effective soap.
It'd be like pay a tenner for a Palmolive soap stick.

For that price I'd be looking at a superior French soap by Provence Sante
http://www.provencesante.fr/?p=produit&PS=57ffbf73051d1b95e00e77000765434d&idCat=4

curiosity

MadsL wrote: »

https://www.frenchclick.co.uk/p-4448-monsavon-lait-bol-raser-125gr.aspx

Group buy needed - Fifteen quid flat delivery up to 30kg.

I think that's Nothern Ireland. Just as well, 30 kgs of soap would be over 200 pieces!

https://www.frenchclick.co.uk/t-InternationalShipping.aspx

Zone 1 (1-5 Working Days)
Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Republic of Ireland
£0-50 = £15.00
£50-100 = £7.50
£100+ = FREE

hitemfrank

curiosity wrote: »

I think that's Nothern Ireland. Just as well, 30 kgs of soap would be over 200 pieces!

https://www.frenchclick.co.uk/t-InternationalShipping.aspx

Zone 1 (1-5 Working Days)
Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Republic of Ireland
£0-50 = £15.00
£50-100 = £7.50
£100+ = FREE

He would have been looking at the US prices - he's in New Mexico. He must have already forgotten about us folk in Ireland


With the Zone 1 prices, if you ordered 5 soaps it would work out at a bit under €7 per soap. Not too bad really (if you want 5 soaps that is )

curiosity

hitemfrank wrote: »

He would have been looking at the US prices - he's in New Mexico. He must have already forgotten about us folk in Ireland


With the Zone 1 prices, if you ordered 5 soaps it would work out at a bit under €7 per soap. Not too bad really (if you want 5 soaps that is )

Only 37 more for free shipping.

hitemfrank

curiosity wrote: »

Only 37 more for free shipping.

Well that's a bargain then

CrowdedHouse

Reminded by these recent posts I dug out my tub of Monsavon this morning.

To me it's a reasonable soap,(face) lathers well, has a pleasant enough scent and even though it worked grand for me this morning I get the feeling the lube factor isn't the best.It certainly wouldn't be in the MWF, Tabac or even Palmolive stick category.

If you could get it locally for 2.50 it would be fine for a change but I wouldn't go to any great lengths to get it.....my 2c...

Amalgam

Arr, I think I got one or two of you plugged into Monsavon, my memory is hazy.

Cheap to buy, but a nightmare to post out to fellow boardsies.. (non-machinable and over 100 grammes.. €€€)

Gran Hermano, €2.50? Even that price is a bit steep, the Hypermarkets have it about €1.20 - €1.60.

It's all I use. They've changed the make up of the product in the last 3 years or so, it used to be slightly pink and very suet like on the face, with a distinct lack of soapiness, sadly, that has changed, whiter now, with a lessened tallow sensation.

Edit: Just to say, Monsavon was\is a huge brand in France, with a product lineage going all the way back to the 1920s, including gels, soaps and various washing products, household, clothing etc..

lafors

So tried all the different types of blades in the starter sample pack found they were all ok until I used the feathers then the rest were just no good anymore.
Used most of them now so I've ordered up a 100 pack of feathers.
The Proraso sensitive shaving soap I got originally is the business, smells good, lathers well (with my muhle boar hair brush) and I haven't had any burn or spots since.

SO much better than a Fusion power or whatever they call it now a days

beardybrewer

Sweet, sounds like you've seen the light. Feathers have grown on me but don't shave sleepy! Also check out Gillette 7 o'clock yellows, similar performance but not as deadly.

willietherock

Thinking of buying my first safety razor. Standard Muhle R89 and feather razor blades. Few Q's
1. will the bog standard shaving cream/foam from a can do adequately? Recommend some cheapish creams/foams/ soaps if not. if I do go down that route anything else other than bowl/brush required.

2. shaving 3/4 time week, what sort of lifespan will I get out of a DE blade?

Thx.

source

willietherock wrote: »

Thinking of buying my first safety razor. Standard Muhle R89 and feather razor blades. Few Q's
1. will the bog standard shaving cream/foam from a can do adequately? Recommend some cheapish creams/foams/ soaps if not. if I do go down that route anything else other than bowl/brush required.

2. shaving 3/4 time week, what sort of lifespan will I get out of a DE blade?

Thx.

First, welcome to DE shaving.

Second, get a sample pack of blades, there will be feathers in them. I would urge caution if you're only starting DE shaving and thinking of using feathers.

Get some proraso cream, really cheap and lasts ages, also really good lather. Cheap brush and any mug/bowl and you're laughing.

Most blades will last around 5 shaves. Depending on the blade, and your facial hair.

PickledLime

willietherock wrote: »

Thinking of buying my first safety razor. Standard Muhle R89 and feather razor blades. Few Q's
1. will the bog standard shaving cream/foam from a can do adequately? Recommend some cheapish creams/foams/ soaps if not. if I do go down that route anything else other than bowl/brush required.

2. shaving 3/4 time week, what sort of lifespan will I get out of a DE blade?

Thx.

I've the Muhle R89 and it's a beauty (bought from shaving.ie, top class service)

I've tried the goop from a can with my safety razor as i had some knocking about and was curious. Did half my face, wasn't great, cleaned off, relathered with some bog standard Palmolive and had a much better shave. Speaking of, that Palmolive cream is great - i don't have to worry about running out as it's readily available for about €1.60 (i'm in the NW, so if i forget to pick up some nice stuff online i'm never stuck for a decent, cheap alternative).

This is the stuff:


I actually only use a blade once, but i do only shave once a fortnight or so (I've 5 weeks of beard that needs to go right now, my last two Feathers are gonna get a serious work out!) and it's a personal choice for me.

Amalgam

Oxfam, Dun Laoghaire, South County Dublin. Form an orderly Q..

MadsL

Can see this in a episode.

Podge: Do you use my brush to do round your nads, ya fecker!!!

evercloserunion

Hey all, just wondering, what are the main advantages of a shaving bowl? There seems to be a big market in them and they seem to be part of the essential wetshaving kit but I have been using a bowl I had lying around that is slightly smaller than the type you would normally use for breakfast cereal etc and it works fine for me. So I don't really see the point in buying one, but I am going to be ordering a stand and maybe a few other bits and pieces from shaving.ie soon so I thought I'd ask here to see if it was worth throwing one in.

Do you use one? What are the advantages over a normal bowl or mug? And how does the quality improve as the price gets higher?

Thanks!

evercloserunion

Hey all, just wondering, what are the main advantages of a shaving bowl? There seems to be a big market in them and they seem to be part of the essential wetshaving kit but I have been using a bowl I had lying around that is slightly smaller than the type you would normally use for breakfast cereal etc and it works fine for me. So I don't really see the point in buying one, but I am going to be ordering a stand and maybe a few other bits and pieces from shaving.ie soon so I thought I'd ask here to see if it was worth throwing one in.

Do you use one? What are the advantages over a normal bowl or mug? And how does the quality improve as the price gets higher?

Thanks!

Gran Hermano

I'd put a lot of it down to personal choice; some people face lather and don't use a bowl at all.
A good ceramic bowl will retain heat and help keep the lather warm and a bowl with ridges or rough inside will create lather easier than a smooth glazed bowl.

I use a bowl like http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Home-Made-Traditional-Stoneware/dp/B000YJD7PC/ref=pd_sim_kh_3 for creams and soft Italian soaps where you can pinch off a small amount and lather in a bowl. It is cheap bowl and has lasted a umber of years. It is a thick bowl, holds heat well and has yet to chip. Plus if I drop it it is only a couple of quid to replace.

For travel I have a small metal bowl or I'll use a soap in a tub like Cella and just lather In the tub.
With soap sticks I hand lather.

Shaving bowls and scuttles are not something I'll spend mad money on - there is enough other gear worthwhile.

Michael G

Gran Hermano wrote: »

I'd put a lot of it down to personal choice; some people face lather and don't use a bowl at all.
A good ceramic bowl will retain heat and help keep the lather warm and a bowl with ridges or rough inside will create lather easier than a smooth glazed bowl.

I use a bowl like http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Home-Made-Traditional-Stoneware/dp/B000YJD7PC/ref=pd_sim_kh_3 for creams and soft Italian soaps where you can pinch off a small amount and lather in a bowl. It is cheap bowl and has lasted a umber of years. It is a thick bowl, holds heat well and has yet to chip. Plus if I drop it it is only a couple of quid to replace.

For travel I have a small metal bowl or I'll use a soap in a tub like Cella and just lather In the tub.
With soap sticks I hand lather.

Shaving bowls and scuttles are not something I'll spend mad money on - there is enough other gear worthwhile.

Agree. I lather soap (Mitchell or Proraso) in the bowls they came in, and creams in a Denby cappuccino cup that I found cheap in a sale. I have a chrome Muhle bowl for travelling but it is just a novelty really.

Uriel.

I got a ceramic scuttle made for me about a year /18 months ago. Has the usual chamber for hot water and is ridged /grooved at the bottom for helping with lather forming. I didn't pay crazy money for it, (I think) around 50euro maybe less, can't really remember.

Money well spent, I love it and apart from its great functionality, it looks well.

However almost everything with wet shaving comes down to personal preference tbh

snollup

Just wondering what the advantages of the more expensive DE razors are? I currently use a Muhle R106. Are there any benefits to be had by using higher end razors?

Cheers,
S

Gran Hermano

snollup wrote: »

Just wondering what the advantages of the more expensive DE razors are? I currently use a Muhle R106. Are there any benefits to be had by using higher end razors?

Cheers,
S

Will a €200 razor perform 10 times better than a €20 razor?
No

Will a €200 razor last 10 times longer than a €20 razor?
No

As long as you aren't comparing a cheap plastic/metal sub €10-15 razor there is not a lot in it. The more expensive razors may be made from stainless steel or have an expensive metal coating but what you're paying or is looks and to craftsmanship. Some razors are more expensive because they are adjustable and you're paying for the mechanics and research.

Cheap razors can have issues with plating, even blade gap and poor quality control.

Muhle razors are nicely designed and have good quality control. If your happy with the shave, stick with it. If you're looking for something new and shiny or just to try something different, let us know.

run_Forrest_run

if it comes in a tube (cream) I use a bowl to lather. If it comes in a puck or tub (soap) I face lather, seems to work for me.

bahoonies

I've tried every type of razor from cut throat to multi-blade and highly recommend the DE type razor. It gives a far better shave than the modern disposable razors provided you know how to use it correctly. You need good quality shaving cream, a small shaving bowl to mix it and a decent shaving brush. I've tried many brands of shaving cream but find that the Body Shop maca root shave cream is particularly good. Rather than spend ages telling you exactly how to mix your shaving cream to the right consistency and how to use the razor I strongly recommend that you watch this video and subscribe to the chap who made it and lots more excellent shaving videos. I think you'll find that shaving with a double edged razor becomes a pleasurable rite rather than the usual chore we have to endure when we look at that stubbly face in the bathroom mirror.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjhIy9rgWQU&feature=share&list=PL2DB6D82F52BA7608

howamidifferent

Maybe a stupid question but when using the prorasso pre and post shaving balm, should you wash it off before applying lather when starting the shave or apply lather over it? Also when done shaving, I found that applying it makes the face dry out all white. Should it be washed off afterwards or was I just using too much?