Old fashioned shaving & grooming

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I use a pitbull shaver for my head, but I use an old school safety razor on my face. I like the way it feels.
 
OutInTheRain said:
I use a brush and shaving soap. A thing of Proraso will last you over a year, even if you are shaving every morning. For razers it depends on how fast you shave. A safety razer if you take your time. Low end cartridge razer if you want to be shaving for less than 10 seconds.
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I picked up some Proraso, but I feel like a retard for not knowing how to use it. I figured out soft shaving soaps well enough (switched to a safety razor a few months ago, got my brush and bowl and all), but after that I figured I'd try this brand.

It's a very hard soap and I don't know how I'm meant to lather it up, it seems to aggressively retain its form even as I work it in the bowl with the brush and hot water. Do I just have to work it for much longer until it completely wears away, or what? Also, how much do you tend to use?
 
I just shave in the shower under the water with no shaving cream.

Somehow it makes the disposable cartridges last a lot longer. I’m been on the same mega pack of Mach 3s from Costco for like 8 years.
 
About 10 years ago I just said fuck it and let my beard grow. I started shaving when I was 12 and I have a really thick, dark beard.

Back when I used to shave every day, I tried every method of shaving short of a straight razor.

Electric razor was quick and easy, but I had a five o'clock shadow by noon.

I tried a safety razor with a brush and shaving soap, two blade disposable razors, 3-blade cartridges, 4-blade cartridges, and 5-blade cartridges. I tried custom shaving soap with a brush, foam from a can, and gel.

The best, closest shave I ever got was from a disposable two-blade razor with Edge gel from a can.

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They cost about $10 for a pack of 12 and I usually got 3-4 shaves out of them before replacing. YMMV.
 
clever handle said:
I picked up some Proraso, but I feel like a retard for not knowing how to use it. I figured out soft shaving soaps well enough (switched to a safety razor a few months ago, got my brush and bowl and all), but after that I figured I'd try this brand.

It's a very hard soap and I don't know how I'm meant to lather it up, it seems to aggressively retain its form even as I work it in the bowl with the brush and hot water. Do I just have to work it for much longer until it completely wears away, or what? Also, how much do you tend to use?
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Proraso sells in a tube, by the way. They have four different types of shaving cream.
 
I use a safety razor w/ brush because I didn't like how my electric razor always left a little stubble behind and frequently pulled hair.

My only issue is that I frequently get razor burn or niks on my neck. Any tips on preventing that? I assume it's a skill issue.
 
clever handle said:
I picked up some Proraso, but I feel like a retard for not knowing how to use it. I figured out soft shaving soaps well enough (switched to a safety razor a few months ago, got my brush and bowl and all), but after that I figured I'd try this brand.

It's a very hard soap and I don't know how I'm meant to lather it up, it seems to aggressively retain its form even as I work it in the bowl with the brush and hot water. Do I just have to work it for much longer until it completely wears away, or what? Also, how much do you tend to use?
Click to expand...
Just get your brush soaked with hot water, squeeze out the access and swirl. The brush will pick up the soap. It's not gonna sit as a thick layer on your face like a Gillette commercial. If you're expecting a lot, you're not gonna get it.
 
Started out with a gifted gilette, got pissed when the prices went up and then they started with the whole five blade thing so I decided nope. Then I went for the bic disposables but they require some technique and patience and aren't all that cheap since they wear out quick. Tumbled down into the straight razor swamp and got various used old straight razors which I learned to sharpen and actually got a good - if time consuming shave. Started with a boar brush, went on to badger and messed with different soaps and creams. Got an old gilette safety razor and used that for a few years and realized shampoo is one of the better ways of lubricating the skin. Got Lidls old 2-blade system and bought like a ten year supply of them. When I finally ran out I thought I would get an expensive safety razor and settled on some ultra fine tolerance $100+ one and have been using that since. It's not that big of a difference from the used 60s gilette one but enough of one that I didn't go back to the 2-blade systems yet.

All the different razors have different pros and cons.

Straight razor: Best shave, but you really need to pre soak the beard and it is time consuming and requires learning and technique. Not something you do in five minutes while hung over. Doesn't care about hair length and never gets gummed up. If done right it's the most gentle to the skin.

Safety razor: second best shave but time consuming and requires pre soak. Doesn't care much about hair length
The gilette would get gummed up if you didn't rinse it enough but the fancy modern one is much better. The second most gentle to the skin.

2/3 blade systems, easiest to work with, can dry shave if you missed a spot but fucks up the skin and if you have a longer stubble it gets gummed up instantly. Close shave.

Bic disposables (one blade): sort of in between 3-blade and a safety razor with the cons of both with the only upside being less skin irritation than a 3-blade.

Brushes: Boar is fine, a bit prickly, badger is softer and gives a slightly better foam. Get a nice shaving cream and skip the soaps. Use the stand and make sure it dries out between uses.

Shaving creams/soaps/foam/gels: I haven't found a shaving soap that is better than spray gel but the expensive british shaving cream had the nicest scent and glide of the bunch.

Blades: feather is the sharpest I've tried. They are almost too sharp the first two shaves. Merkur and wilkinson sword are nice. Old stock gilette sucked. Got some cheap indian made ones of a brand I can't remember before I knew their stance on pooing in the loo. They're OK. Overall I think I prefer Merkur but I bought then like 15 years ago and I think they were expensive. I currently use feather.

Water based lube is awesome but will attract jokes and is expensive for what it is. I usually use shampoo or nice moisturizing hand made bar soap these days. The foam is pointless. Some shampoos are better than others. Soak, slap some shampoo on there and go. I have not tried shampoo with a straight razor but lube worked fine.

If I started out today with what I know know I would probably have gone to the barber just to experience how close a shave can actually get and then gotten one of the nicer safety razors and skipped the brushes. Over time most of my shaving has been done with cheap 2/3-blade systems. If traveling I just get some disposable two blade still. It's nice having straight razors as a backup in case there are supply shocks or the economy goes to hell.

If you're looking to save money you can't fuck around buying new stuff or getting something you'll stop using in a year. Make your choice and stick with it. I went the used route so I probably spent less on equipment than what a new straight razor and badger brush would cost not counting the fancy safety razor.

Shaving is not really a hobby, don't treat it as such.
 
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Catgirl Tyranid said:
I use a safety razor w/ brush because I didn't like how my electric razor always left a little stubble behind and frequently pulled hair.

My only issue is that I frequently get razor burn or niks on my neck. Any tips on preventing that? I assume it's a skill issue.
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A styptic pencil, styptic matches, styptic gel, or an alum block/stick. Clubman-Pinaud (American), Proraso (Italian), and Osma (France) do these. The alum stick/block can be also be used for aftershave, facial toner, deodorant, razor burn, and odor removal.
 
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None of you are autistic enough to have an actual straight razor? I don’t really recommend it tbh. It turns shaving into an entire hobby and then you have to decide if you’re also going to add on the hobby of knife sharpening. I just stopped shaving.
 
Gregis said:
None of you are autistic enough to have an actual straight razor? I don’t really recommend it tbh. It turns shaving into an entire hobby and then you have to decide if you’re also going to add on the hobby of knife sharpening. I just stopped shaving.
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There's disposable straight razors, which is good if you don't want to sharpen. I use cartridges, but I want to switch to safety razor so I don't get bad razor burn.
 
I've been using a safety razor for well over a decade now. I don't do the badger brush and a bowl shit anymore, I just squirt some proraso into my hand and lather it up that way.
 
REGENDarySumanai said:
A styptic pencil, styptic matches, styptic gel, or an alum block/stick. Clubman-Pinaud (American), Proraso (Italian), and Osma (France) do these. The alum stick/block can be also be used for aftershave, facial toner, deodorant, razor burn, and odor removal.
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All of these things have skin irritation as a side effect which is what I'm trying to prevent here.
 
I use a safety razor that my ex-girlfriend bought me about 20 years ago (a Gillette, because I remember being pissed that she bought that brand) with Feather blades.
Every 2-3 days I shave my face and head after a shower. I don't try to skimp on blades, so I go through about 100 a year (costs me less than $40aud).
I used to buy various shaving soaps, but now I just use an unscented Sorbolene moisturiser instead.
 
Where do you dispose of the razor blades? Should I go old school and make a hole in the wall?
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