Sold! - after watching this I'm giving it a go -

Skill Magill

Any recommended kits for a complete newby? Full kit, all in one package? I have a need to try something new! My normal routine is to shave after a shower when the bristles are soft, using a mach3 battery operated vibrater jobie, which does the job. However from reading this forum it appears I'm a mug, enlighten me!
€50 or thereabouts is my spend
cheers lads

beardybrewer

Closest I could get was €55 delivered. You won't regret it.

http://www.shaving.ie/products/edwin-jagger-barley-de89ba11.html
http://www.shaving.ie/products/two-of-a-kind-de-blade-sample-pack.html
http://www.shaving.ie/products/omega-13522-value-boar-shaving-brush.html
http://www.shaving.ie/products/proraso-shaving-cream.html

coupon code: boards.ie

Skill Magill

Cheers Newkie, in the bag!

Skill Magill

Jesus, all the blades look the same to me!
Ive got
Astra 2 types : one in a blue packet one in a plain
gillette 7 o clock
persona
feather
and derby in a plastic packet.

So moving away from the mac 3 vibro jobey I have, which blade would you go for first?
And do you tighten the head down tight?

Cheers guys

Skill Magill

I'm gonna try the gillette 7, for obvious reasons.

Skill Magill

Ok, first shave. I don't know why I was expecting it to be difficult with niks all over. I shaved down and up, with no probs but I still feel tiny bristles when I feel my skin.Of course at the mo I'm a bit tentative But for a first attempt using the new equipment, I'm delighted. The proraso cream feels really clean, love it.
Anyway my point being, its easy to start off with a double edge, and theres a reall sense of occassion in the process.
Love the forum lads

hitemfrank

Skill Magill wrote: »

Ok, first shave. I don't know why I was expecting it to be difficult with niks all over. I shaved down and up, with no probs but I still feel tiny bristles when I feel my skin.Of course at the mo I'm a bit tentative But for a first attempt using the new equipment, I'm delighted. The proraso cream feels really clean, love it.
Anyway my point being, its easy to start off with a double edge, and theres a reall sense of occassion in the process.
Love the forum lads

Sounds like you're off to a great start. As you start to try out different blades, you will find some that feel crap. If you find ones like that just move on. They are so cheap that you can just get rid of them and try another blade type.

Also as your first shave went so well don't get down hearted id the nexr obe isn't as good. It does normally take time to get consistent good shaves.

OldRio

Fair play. Most of the blades I use I can get about three shaves on average.
Let the weight of your razor do the work. Take your time and enjoy.

Everyone has their own favourite blade. Leave the feather blade alone for a couple of weeks until you hone your skills a bit more. (Feather is a little sharp but very good)

uncle_sam_ie

I'd say leave the blade sampling until you get your technique down. A lot of the blades I thought at first weren't great turned out to be the ones I like now.

beardybrewer

If it were me I'd bin the Derbys, start with the Astras, then progress to Personnas and 7 'clocks.

As already mentioned, the mantra in wet shaving is let the weight of the razor do the work. It's an easy mistake when seeing a bit of stubble that won't shift to press down but really it's the angle. You probably didn't get as close a shave as you could down to the angle. With practice you'll get it. Take your time and don't change too many things at once so you can tell what's working and what's not. If you find yourself placing another order you might consider an alum block as it gives great feedback on your technique.

Skill Magill

So.. I changed blades and went for the astras, and still feel some stubble after shaving, I ran over it again with my mac 3 vibro joby and was able to take a load more off, think I'll apply a bit of pressure on the razor tomorrow (as i'm putting no pressure on it at the mo) and see if I can get it closer. More importantly I'll change the angle, I'm probably only scratching the surface rather than cutting it.
Cheers lads, I'll gonna get this right if it kills me, so any more advice is welcome...

and just one more thing, can you get the shave as close as a mac 3 or can you get even closer?

beardybrewer

Skill Magill

cheers man, Ill watch them in a bit, but what are your opinions on getting the shave as close as the mac 3?

Gran Hermano

Skill Magill wrote: »

and just one more thing, can you get the shave as close as a mac 3 or can you get even closer?

A good DE shave will feel closer than a Mach 3.

Use short strokes. Reapply lather as needed and between passes.
Shave with the grain then across the grain.

Skill Magill

GH I'll get it down, early days yet! Glad to know you can get it closer than a mach 3.

Antar Bolaeisk

Just don't do what I did, re-assemble it the wrong way around and wonder why the frig it took a thousand or more passes before anything was coming off

Skill Magill

I'm not sold anymore, love the brushes soap etc, but I found it took too long to get a good shave, compared to the mac 3.
After shaving with a D E I could still get more off using the mac 3, so I've given up on it

beardybrewer

Yeah, I really took my time when I first started. It's not really necessary. Really it boils down to whipping up a good lather vs. canned goo which takes a few extra minutes. The razor itself is as fast as a mach3 once you're comfortable with it. For me, the benefits of using a good soap are worth the time. The time of day I shave I'm always caught for time. I manage a shower and shave in 15 minutes.

Insect Overlord

I took off 10 weeks worth of beard with my Merkur a few days ago in a very short time. A Mach 3/Fusion wouldn't have been so quick with the blades getting clogged up!

Skill Magill

Skill Magill wrote: »

I'm not sold anymore, love the brushes soap etc, but I found it took too long to get a good shave, compared to the mac 3.
After shaving with a D E I could still get more off using the mac 3, so I've given up on it

I went back to DE shaving last Christmas, having started on it 40+ years ago but then succumbed to the advertising for twin, triple, quattro etc blades. Apart from the fact that, after a bit of practise, I can get a much better shave with a DE than with a Mach 3, I find that

1. It's so much cheaper (even allowing for the buying of lotions and potions, alum blocks, creams, and a vintage Gillette Super Speed from the year I was born - it was only $50, honest!)
2. My shaves are better because I'm not trying to stretch that "one more shave" out of an expensive Mach 3 or similar blade
3. I really love the "indulgent theatre" of the ritual of lathering and DE shaving, spending a selfish ten or fifteen minutes just on me first thing definitely sets me up for the day!

But then, I'm a funny old devil...

Skill Magill

You can have your "indulgent theatre" with a mac 3 too though.