Straight Razor vs DE razor - Page 2

I am looking to initiate myself with DE safety razors; opting for EJ over Merkur.  It will be paired with a entry level badger hair brush.  I still have a couple remaining questions.  If it impacts suggestions, I opt for a clean shave daily.

 

Is it optimal to purchase a blade sampler to find which blade I prefer? (i.e. http://www.amazon.com/Double-Safety-Razor-Blade-Variety/dp/B0038KA5RC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1357505855&sr=8-2&keywords=safety+razor+blades+sampler)

 

Any suggested creams/soaps?  From what I've read, it appears SE is often paired with soap and DE with cream.

Edited by ellsbebc - 1/6/13 at 1:33pm

 

Not sure which EJ you were looking at but I got a cheaper(Parker I think) DE earlier last year along with a few Straights and though I had some good success with the straights it takes a lot longer to shave and I still havent practiced with the Straight enough to get a better shave then my new Merkur DE( http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Merkur-Progress-Adjustable-Safety-Razor-w-Case_p_54.html )
  The Progress is really nice because it allows you to change the aggressiveness of the blade, my face is sensitive so I can leave it at 1-3 and come away with a nickless face and little to no razor burn :)  So not trying to push you away from the EJ but check the Merkur Progress out :)

  Sample packs are definitely the way to go since each persons face will agree with different blades, I would check this pack out http://www.royalshave.com/p/409-025-00/sample-pack-double-edge-razor-blades.html  Since the one you inquired about didnt have the Derby blades which are very popular especially for sensitive skinned fellows(or ladies) if i remember correctly. 

  Creams vs Soaps?  I actually used a body polish and had MUCH better results, there is a company that is based out of the economic development center that has body products and I traded one of the employees some of my photographs for a bunch of the polish haha.  It can be found here http://www.trilliumorganics.com/Sea_Salt_Scrubs_s/1864.htm  And if you are interested I would love to send a small sample container for a very small price :)  Basically its oil(which is the shave barrier), salt(which is good for cleansing nicks since its a natural astringent) and some other stuff that is good for the skin.
 

  As for brushes I would check out http://whippeddog.com/products/find/brushes-knots since you can get some MUCH nicer brushes for a steal of a price :)

  @ the OP's question

  DE gives me a better shave but I think that it is because I am not that skilled yet with a Straight blade...  When I get a good shave with my straight it is VERY nice, but that doesnt happen as often as it does with the DE so I tend to go with the DE :)


 @ anyone interested in starting Straight Blade shaving, if you are interested in starting up I have a couple razors I wouldnt mine selling so if you want to get into it for a decent rate $65ish for a razor, I wouldnt mind parting with them :)

 

  anyway this is my first post!  Keep it clean and nick free guys!

Get Mike's Natural Soap, my favorite is the bay rum. Yes get a blade sampler.

This is what I have learned:

1. Go with an aggressive razor, don't waste your time with the mild ones. Yes, you may cut yourself more, but you'll learn quickly and you'll be able to get a better shave in the long run. It also means that if you have sensitive skin you'll only need to do one pass, rather than multiple passes with a milder razor.

2. Likewise, go with a sharp blade. Feather is a good choice. Astra are slightly milder but also quite smooth. Get one of these two and don't worry about a sampler pack.

3. Soaps are better than creams. The important thing about lather is getting the blade to glide, and soaps are far better at this than creams. Moreover, the soaps that contain tallow and glycerine are the best for this. Triple Milled vegetable soaps are overrated.

If you want a cheap soap that is very easy to lather, get a Speick shaving stick, wet it, rub it directly on your face against the grain, and use a wet brush to lather.

If you do want to try a tube instead of a bar I'm personally a fan off proraso.

It means that you can order a 100 at a time and be set for a year or two. it's not difficult to buy over the internet and west coast shaving is top notch, as is bull goose. Also, Walmart and CVS carries DE blades.

I use a DE during the week and a straight on the weekend when I have more time to shave.

to Patrick: did you find the DE to be an improvement over cartridge razors with regard to ingrowns?

 

I don't know that I would agree with this. I started with puck of D.R. Harris Lavendar and a puck of Stroppe Shop Black Tie tallow. I have hard water so I knew lathering was going to be difficult no matter what, however after multiple different attempts including a distilled water shave I still prefer the lather I get from a mixture of TOBS Avocado and Pre de Provence's Shea butter cream. Soap vs cream has a lot to do with the water you have as well as skin type more than soap is better than cream.

 

That said soaps will last you a lot longer than cream. I shave about 3 times a week with my straight and seem to go through one tub of TOBS every 5 months vs my soaps that it took a year of shaving to even make a noticeable dent in them. My recommendation for newbies is get a puck of soap and a 75ml tube of cream, shave with both and see what yo like better. 

Yes, in short. I also go against a lot of the die hard badger and blade groupthink. Multiblade cartridge always cuts too short and there aren't many that are actually sharper than a good feather blade. I swear by my Lush Prince shaving cream too. Anything that could possibly be good for your skin is in the stuff. It takes a bit to get used to using it because it doesn't foam, but I am a lifer with it. Also, FWIW I only shave once with a blade before I change it. Fresh shave, fresh blade. Some people might gawk at this, but then again a sharp blade is the #1 to a good shave. Also, I don't shave every day so that makes a difference as well. Every other day for me.

That's exactly what B&B thinks...they hate multiblades and love a sharp feather blade!

They also love this ritualistic soaping up a bowl and shaving with that. I on the other hand thing it is a bunch of hoo-ha compared with modern shaving creams. Just because something is old doesn't make it better.

it certainly is a weird place, but I have found the traditional style soaps to be much better on my skin and easier to shave with.

I shave every day, but go against orthodoxy by only doing one pass, with the grain. Sure I don't get "baby butt smooth" (jesus did I mention that place is weird?) but I also don't get ingrown hairs, the cause of which is cutting one's hair too short so that it grows beneath the surface.

I think for most people the safety razor is the gateway drug to the straight. Im thinking about picking one up, my only concern is that i have never been particularly good at sharpening anything.

True and vice versa! I find that I get a much better shave with badger brush and Gillette DE razor than when I used Keihl's or Zirh and a multi cartridge razor. And I really enjoy using Acqua di Parma and Santa Maria Novella shave cream.

Nothing better in my mind than a good old fashioned straight razor shave. I've used DEs and straights alternately over the past few years....I've solidy come down on the side of straights. With a little practice, a little patience, and a little care, you'll never shave with anything else. Yes, you'll cut yourself a few times, to be sure, but you will also gain more control a better shave, and ultimately feel cleaner and more together to start your day.