Mentored Shave #3 - Next!!

MadsL

Who's next?

hitemfrank

So nobody has stepped forward yet. In that case I'm going to nominate someone.

Mr Velo was asking about advice on a starter set up in the shaving.ie thread last nigth. How about we send him one for 'The Mentored Shave #3'?

Cabaal

Have to also agree with the suggestion of Mr Velo,
He's interested, just starting off and spending money on stuff you don't know about is daunting as hell.

hitemfrank

I suppose we need to figure out what we have and what we need to get for the kit.

MadsL

Happy with that Mr Velo? Are you willing to post the intimate details of your first DE experiences, in exchange for a boatload of start-up gear and advice courtesy of FH&H posters + the generosity of shaving.ie and others?

Can I get an Amen?

hitemfrank

I'll donate my Merkur 34c for this along with my usual donations of blades. I don't use it often at all anymore so I'll hapily donate it if a razor is needed.

It does have a slight ding to the top of the head (it doesn't affect the shave) but it'll be free so I want to hear no complaining.

MadsL

Thanks for the donation HitemFrank, that's very kind. However, mods stipulated that all equipment should be new.

What I'm going to ask is the former mentees to donate a new Merkur to the mentoring program. This will go to the next volunteer - at the end of the mentoring they will keep the razor and buy a new one for the next person. Then the equipment is always new and unused.

I have a box full of goodies donated by posters and shaving.ie; brush, soap, blades, styptics, pre-post shave all sorted.

Are the previous two happy with the performance of the razor or should we change models?

Smokeyskelton

As a former mentee I'm happy to chip in a new razor for mentee number 3. Just let me know.

I was happy with the razor previously chosen, and would be happy enough to keep with that one.

Mr Velo

MadsL wrote: »

Happy with that Mr Velo? Are you willing to post the intimate details of your first DE experiences, in exchange for a boatload of start-up gear and advice courtesy of FH&H posters + the generosity of shaving.ie and others?

Can I get an Amen?

Amen brother....

Just need to know exactly what i need to do after the 6 weeks. Buy a new razor for #4 and ship the stuff off to them?

Buford T Justice

MadsL wrote: »

Are the previous two happy with the performance of the razor or should we change models?

Happy to fork out for a new razor for the mentee, after all, I wouldn't be shaving properly if it wasn't for you lot.

I'm happy with the razor yes, but I was thinking of getting myself a fancier one. One where you open the razor from the bottom of the handle rather than unscrewing the head... that's all really. Other than that, its a great one

P.S. What would be a good one for what I'm after?

MadsL

Mr Velo wrote: »

Amen brother....

Just need to know exactly what i need to do after the 6 weeks. Buy a new razor for #4 and ship the stuff off to them?

Great stuff - after 6 weeks just get a razor from Chris and ship to Mentee #4(or 5)

PM me your address and we will get the ball rolling

oscarBravo

Buford T Justice wrote: »

I'm happy with the razor yes, but I was thinking of getting myself a fancier one. One where you open the razor from the bottom of the handle rather than unscrewing the head... that's all really.

My first DE razor (apart from the old plastic Wilkinson Sword) was a TTO (twist to open) Parker like you describe. It was a good razor, but I find the Jagger I'm using now gives a nicer shave.

MadsL

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gillette-Patent-New-all-metal-Weishi-double-edge-razor-/330627099570?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cfae92bb2



Weishi are cheap and are basically a knockoff/remake of old gillettes. They get good reviews.

Alternatively a vintage Gillette TTO will run about €20-€60 depending on condition, age and the like.

I bought my daughter a 1965 TTO Lady Gillette and she loves it!! But I could imagine shaving with it if you like a long handle.




Shaving.ie have a fully adjustable Merkur however at not much money....

http://www.shaving.ie/products/Merkur-Progress-Long-Handle-510001.html

Mr Velo

MadsL wrote: »

Great stuff - after 6 weeks just get a razor from Chris and ship to Mentee #4(or 5)

PM me your address and we will get the ball rolling

PM sent....

hitemfrank

MadsL wrote: »

Speaking of cheap Gillette knock offs, have you seen the Parker 29L? It has more than slight resemblance to the Lady Gillette.

Mr Velo

Looking forward to this now.
Been preparing by using a TOBS Avacado Cream, Kent Brush and the old Gillette Fusion Power Proglide.
Not at all the same i know - but i've been doing 2 passes instead of the usual 1 - think it's definitely a better shave - and the smell of the Avacado Cream is pretty good.

Anyways - will be looking forward (with nervous trepidation) to trying with the Mentoring goods and see what all you guys have been raving about

Mr Velo

Is this still going ahead guys??

hitemfrank

Did you send Madsl a PM with your address? He seemed to be taking the lead on this so I thought he would have sent you some stuff if you sent him your address.

He is in the process of moving though so that could have delayed things.

Mr Velo

hitemfrank wrote: »

Did you send Madsl a PM with your address? He seemed to be taking the lead on this so I thought he would have sent you some stuff if you sent him your address.

He is in the process of moving though so that could have delayed things.

Hi hitemfrank,

Yeah I did, and I contacted him late last week. He did mention about moving etc, so that's obviously delaying things.
Don't want to put added pressure on him by having to send me this stuff - maybe i should just go and buy my own at this juncture??

hitemfrank

edit; I just noticed your post where you mentioned you have a cream and brush so most of my original post is useless.

So you just need a razor and some blades?

Mr Velo

Yeah just a razor and blades.
I got some cream from shaving.ie - and have had a brush for a good while.

What exactly is a shaving stick used for?

hitemfrank

A shave stick is just a shave soap but in a different configuration. It is pretty mych just a cylinder of soap that you rub on your wet face to get soap on it, instead of rubbing the brush on the soap and then onto your face.

Here is a thread about using a shave stick that shows the different ways they can be used.

And here is a comprehensive guide to making lather.

MadsL

Velo - I'm off to the post office tomorrow with a package for you.

Sorry to all who are waiting for stuff from me, customs forms and visas had me buried for a while - this emigrating stuff is hard work!!

I'm trying to catch up now...

Mr Velo

MadsL wrote: »

Velo - I'm off to the post office tomorrow with a package for you.

Sorry to all who are waiting for stuff from me, customs forms and visas had me buried for a while - this emigrating stuff is hard work!!

I'm trying to catch up now...

Many thanks MadsL - appreciate you taking the time mate

Mr Velo

Ok guys, so i'm good to go.
Received a package from MadSL on Thursday last - containing Proraso Soap, Palmolive Shaving stick, Brush, Blades, Erasmic Shaving Cream, Styptic Pencils.

Today i received directly from Chris at Shaving.ie - a Edwin Jagger DE87 Ivory Razor, and 3 sample Edwin Jagger packs (Pre-shave cream, Shaving Cream, After shave cream).

Thanks to MadSL for taking care of this - not easy with preparing himself for emigration - appreciate the effort.

Will post back with findings. One thing i may have to get is some pre-shave stuff? I generally just wet my face but it would appear that most DE Shavers use some form of pre-shave lotion etc.

hitemfrank

I find pre-shave lotions are not really necessary for me as I let the lather sit on my face for a few minutes while stropping my straight razor.

Just wash your face before you shave, let the lather sit for a bit and then relather and you should be fine.

Mr Velo

Ok - so 2 DE Shaves in - quite impressed thusfar.

Shave number 1 took place on Monday night. 3 days growth so quite stubbly and in need of a shave.
Started by using some Edwin Jagger pre-shave lotion (sample from Shaving.ie) - really nice cool minty feeling on the face.
Whilst this was working it's magic, i steeped the brush and the razor in a bowl of hot water.
Used a Gillette 7 o'clock blade in the Edwin Jagger DE87 to start with.
After brush was nice and warm, mixed up some Taylors of Old Bond Street Shaving Cream (avacado) - got a real good lather going after about 90 seconds of whisking and adding a little water as needed. Got that lathered onto my face and was then ready to go.... NERVOUS!!!

Whilst i was nervous starting off - i have to say i got used to the new shaving technique pretty quickly.... really nice. Love the heavier razor. Got through the first pass with one minor nick just under the nose - nothing major.

Rinsed with hot water and then lathered on some more TOBS for pass 2. This time i did a half ATG, half across TG - but this was where the i really felt the magic occur. Very smooth. Found it a bit tough around the chin area, and i didn't really do a great job from chin up to the bottom lip.

Rinsed again and after feeling my face found a little bit of grain under both my jawbones down the neck area. Lathered some more cream on there and did another across TG pass there and was left with a fair sting afterwards.

I did get a rather nasty nick on the LHS of my mouth on pass number 2 - totally my own fault, rushing it a bit and not remembering what i had in my hands Had to use a Styptic match on this one - and wow did that sting at first - but absolutely magic how it cleans up those nicks. Fantastic.

I used another sample after shave lotion - Edwin Jagger Sandalwood after rinsing with first hot, then cold water. About 15 minutes afterwards, my neck was really stinging and my face felt quite hot. Splashed some Loreal post shave cooling gel on and it felt better after that. Neck was still a bit "itchy" for the rest of the night - but a right smooth finish that i hadn't felt before.


Shave no. 2 took place this morning.....

Again i stuck with the 7 o'clock gillette blade from shave no. 1 - but this time i used the Proraso Shaving Soap.
Again I used the preshave lotion sample and then lathered on the soap. Definitely doesn't smell as nice as the TOBS - but i can see that a bowl of this stuff would last quite a while in comparison to the 75cl tub of TOBS that I had purchased. Lathers up really well with very little soap.

In terms of the shave - it went very well. First pass was WTG - one minor nick where there was a mini scab from Shave no. 1. Face still felt a bit rough after first pass. 2nd pass however cleared that roughness right up. Again i was left with a bit of roughness in the neck area below the jawbone. Lathered some more soap on there and did another pass - got the job done but it came out rather red after i lashed on the aftershave lotion (after rinsing etc).

The redness calmed down after 20 minutes or so. This mornings shave was definitely smoother than Monday night. I can even feel the smoothness right now - no stubble breaking through as of yet.

So, so far so good. Really happy to have got into this DE shaving mullarkey. Thanks to MadsL for getting me sorted with the kit. Next thing now will be to experiment with different blades.

hitemfrank

Good to hear it's going well so far Mr Velo.

PM me your address and I'll send you some blades tomorrow. Let me know what blades you have too.

Mr Velo

hitemfrank wrote: »

Good to hear it's going well so far Mr Velo.

PM me your address and I'll send you some blades tomorrow. Let me know what blades you have too.

Thanks Hitemfrank,

PM sent.

MadsL

So two + weeks into shaving. How are we doing? Any issues? Problem areas?

Let us know if we can help.

I just had my worst shave ever using my cut down shave kit (everything else on a ship) I have no preshave stuff and my two straights are badly in need of a trip to my honing stones...got to spend some time on them today..

hitemfrank

Nice to hear it's goning well for you so far in America MadsL

Mr Velo

Sorry for the lack of updates folks.
Won't go into too much detail - but have to say i have taken to this DE shaving like a duck to water.
Takes me quite a while - sometimes almost 30 minutes from start to finish, preparation etc, but absolutely well worth it.

hitmfrank, thank you for sending on the extra blades. Have tried out a number of them. Have to say - so far i'm just loving the Derby blades which actually came with the Edwin Jagger. Have used one twice now - unreal close shave and no nicks amazingly (of course taking my time shaving might help in that line).

Will probably just go buy 100 of those Derby blades on shaving.ie as they are fantastic value, and for the shave they give... well - some saving in a year (comparing with the Gillette Fusion blades).

So - so far so good. I tend to use a WTG, then an ATG and another ATG/AcrossTG passes.

In terms of creams/soaps, i find the Erasmic Shaving Cream to be damn good for getting a lot of lather out of a little bit, certainly more than the TOBS. However, the TOBS smells a LOT better. Erasmic initially smells like that old toothpaste (Euthymol).
Love the Proraso shaving soap too. Fantastic stuff. Amazing how much lather you can get from a little of it.

So, i don't know if there's any other tips you guys can give me. I just love the whole shaving thing now - a bit of "me" time. Of course the Missus gives me some grief about the extra shaving time - even my Dad got in on the act yesterday morning ("i've used DE razors and never took that long") - ha, i'll bet he didn't do 3 passes though

hitemfrank

Good to hear it's going so well. Another successful convert.

Unregistered.

Been browsing the forums for a few weeks. would anybody like to help me move from my Gillette to a DE? So many questions!

hitemfrank

Sure, I'll start a thread for new people wondering about DE shaving.

Ask any questionss in there and I'm sure people will try help out.

Here is the link to said thread.