BLUFReally, not a big deal to make the switch. Plenty of helpful videos and web sites. Stick with what works for lots of folks, with minor allowances for a new user (fixed blade, guard) and your particularities (long handle for my meat hooks).
WHYIt has been a while since I was the ideal customer for "Big Razor(1)." Started using bar soap instead of shaving cream from a can in college and a wash cloth to simulate a brush action at times. Said buh-bye to cartridge razors when they went to three blades and the cartridges got unwieldy on my face.
Been happy buying Gillette Good News disposables from Sams/Costco for years. Hard to beat the price relative to the cartridge deals. I liked the Good News because the double razor head did not pivot, have a slime strip, or a rubber dealie. Well, now they no longer stock those, but the more expensive triple blade + slime + rubber disposables. The cost is greater, the size of the head is cumbersome, and the pivoty action does not allow me to shave in some spots.
Finally said to heck with it all. I am not going to pay more for a razor that doesn't do as good a job.
WHATDecided to run with a Double Edged Safety Razor & gear. Looked like I can get as good a shave for less money after the initial cost of the gear (Razor, brush, soap tub). And that I might be able to get a really good shave more often or on a regular basis. With the double/triple blade deals, I would get ingrown hairs and/or razor burn if I went at it both with and against the grain too often.
The youtubers who put out the neat DESR and straight razor videos are awfully helpful, as are the product reviewers on Amazon. Some seem to turn it into too long a ritual for my taste, what with the multitude of steps. Yeah, my number one objective is to knock the whiskers off my face. I have thus far treated such how-to videos as a cafeteria rather than a 9-course meal.
I did some research on the various razors, blades, brushes, soaps, & such. Below is what I ordered, all off Amazon in one go (Prime second day free shipping FTW!).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NL0T1G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor
Model 180
$35
This razor get 4.6/5 stars with 2500 reviews. I am thinking it does what it is supposed to do. And that would be:
1. Accommodate larger hands.
2. Guard.
3. Otherwise perform as a DESRs.
Merkur is pretty popular for making DESR. Lots of mentions all over the place.
The guard deal (channel-looking thingy that compresses the blade between handle and head) is sort of a set of training wheels for those who use DESR. It forces the user to engage the face at a particular angle or more and prevents an overly aggressive angle. Likely saves lots of blood for new users such as myself. I can see myself getting a guard-less DESR in the future after I have developed muscle memory with this razor. Or maybe one of the adjustable blade angle razors. The longer handle works well for my hands.
Happy as a clam with it thus far. Nice weighty thing made from metal.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LDYFGFQ/ref=ox_ya_os_product_refresh_T1Nondescript starter badger shaving brush.
$12
4.7/5 stars with only 35 reviews. Pretty much does what it says, but is not as nice as the high dollar brushes. It works and was cheap. Relative to its nearest competitor, this one won out with me due to the wooden handle and the other brush's plastic handle was reported to bust when dropped.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00837YY18/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1Proraso Shaving Soap, Eucalyptus & Menthol, 5.2 oz (150 ml), New Formulation
$9
4.6/5 stars with 1000 reviews. Saw this mentioned lots of places online. Not sure if it works better than bar soap for the shave, but ought to not dry out my skin when the weather turns dry & cold. The menthol is nice. This lasted users from 3-12 months. It works and I have no complaints.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0076ZW0ZU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=125 Different Blade Sampler
$15.25
Did not care about the rating but looked at what blades were included. It had most of the blades with which folk had good results. Some are known duds and may only be used once for a "with grain" pass or tossed with prejudice. The Paki blades, for instance. No wonder they wear beards and are an angry lot. Some DESR users use a blade once & toss, others for 3-4 days, others up to two weeks. I was able to get a week out of the old Gillette super triple slime strip special disposables, with the last shave or two getting "tuggy." I will use/rate these against that standard, as well as against each other. I am keeping an index card and pencil in the medicine cabinet to record my impressions.
I am two weeks into it and have two data points.
Merkur SuperCame with the razor. Merkur has a good rep for its razors, a middling to poor rep for its blades. This blade was able to replicate the Gillette super triple slime strip special disposable end result. Maybe a little more tuggy at the end. No way was I going to do two passes with one against the grain at the end of the week.
Gillette Silver BlueSuperior to the Merkur above. Non-tuggy all week long and I easily surpassed Gillette super triple slime strip special disposable end results even with one pass. Did not try going against the grain the last two days due to time constraints.
Next up is Gillete 7O'Clock. Then (in no particular order) Derby, Feather, other Gillettes, and maybe others. I'll update as I go for those interested.
HOWPlenty of how-to videos and web pages. Lots of new DESR user horror stories of blood and pain.
My intro has been mostly drama-free. First shave I was able to duplicate my Gillette super triple slime strip special disposable results in the mirror. This was a bit of an unequal match since I used to always shave in the shower, without a mirror. Been doing so for decades. I figured visual cues might help in the DESR learning process. The whole mirror thing didn't last long for one-pass with-grain shaves. Matter of fact, that was the only time I used a mirror for such. Then I tried a two-pass, second vs grain shave and it went well until I stepped out of the shower and saw my face. Oops. Yeah, that low skin-color mole near my sideburn that the disposable slid over no problem? Not so much against the grain with a DESR. All in all, I have had four nicks in two weeks of shaving with a DESR. That is about 52x my nick rate for the disposables. But, I now can go with or against the grain, no matter, in the shower without a mirror. Hopefully, the nick rate will come down. Were I to stand in front of a mirror, I could nearly guarantee no-nick shaving with a DESR.
Oh, my SOP thus far is:
1. Wash entire head with bar soap in shower.
2. Use Poroso and brush to work up lather in my hand.
3. Apply lather with brush to my face.
4. Shave with grain.
[If going for two passes]
5. Apply lather again.
6. Shave against grain.
7. Hose off head and complete shower.
No pre/post shave ablutions or such. I figure if I need them, I am doing something wrong since I did not need them before.
Really, not a big deal to make the switch. Plenty of helpful videos and web sites. Stick with what works for lots of folks, with minor allowances for a new user (fixed blade, guard) and your particularities (long handle for my meat hooks).
(1) A jesting term for Gillette, Schick, and the shaving cream folks.
