What do you wish you tried earlier in wet shaving journey
- Thread starter Scorpio93
- Start Date
- Messages
- 1,440
- Location
- North Wales
I wish I'd joined TSR earlier - when I got my first safety razor last Summer!
Actually,scrap that. Waiting a few months meant I could afford Christmas for the kids in December
Actually,scrap that. Waiting a few months meant I could afford Christmas for the kids in December
- Messages
- 1,995
That I had used a DE 30 years earlier. 30 years of itchy weeping spots cured within about a week of using a DE.
I used a 2 or 3 blade cart all that time thinking they were the best and I would have to live with crap shaves.
Moving to a DE was a godsend.
Found a twin blade cart in the cupboard a few months back and I thought I would give it a bash,
Took my neck a week to recover.
My family and friends even noticed my neck was clear after a couple of weeks of using a DE.
I used a 2 or 3 blade cart all that time thinking they were the best and I would have to live with crap shaves.
Moving to a DE was a godsend.
Found a twin blade cart in the cupboard a few months back and I thought I would give it a bash,
Took my neck a week to recover.
My family and friends even noticed my neck was clear after a couple of weeks of using a DE.
- Messages
- 15,872
- Location
- Halifax, Republic of Yorkshire
I would like to say the 1912, but I did actually find it pretty early on and switched within the year of finding traditional shaving.
I'll say boar brushes, then ...
When I came to traditional shaving, I actually had a boar brush! It was the Wilkinson Sword thing from the supermarket, which I never really appreciated how to use and ditched it when it didn't look or behave like those lovely badger brushes I saw you all using. I binned it and bought a badger brush, which I promptly hated! I really did not get on with badger. I moved to synthetic (Kent Infinity for about a year before stumping up for a Muhle Silvertip Fibre, as that was pretty much there was at the time) and kept that way for a good while ... until I kept reading about how super-soft a well worn in boar was. Intrigued, I tried the Omega 98 and immediately liked it! They break in almost immediately, and I found the smell actually quite alluring (as did my cats).
I probably would not have taken in all manner of vintage handles to re-knot (with synthetic), something I really enjoyed, but yes ... I wish I'd found that I like boar earlier on.
I'll say boar brushes, then ...
When I came to traditional shaving, I actually had a boar brush! It was the Wilkinson Sword thing from the supermarket, which I never really appreciated how to use and ditched it when it didn't look or behave like those lovely badger brushes I saw you all using. I binned it and bought a badger brush, which I promptly hated! I really did not get on with badger. I moved to synthetic (Kent Infinity for about a year before stumping up for a Muhle Silvertip Fibre, as that was pretty much there was at the time) and kept that way for a good while ... until I kept reading about how super-soft a well worn in boar was. Intrigued, I tried the Omega 98 and immediately liked it! They break in almost immediately, and I found the smell actually quite alluring (as did my cats).
I probably would not have taken in all manner of vintage handles to re-knot (with synthetic), something I really enjoyed, but yes ... I wish I'd found that I like boar earlier on.
Last edited:
Merkurologist
LeJog 2022 Finisher
- Messages
- 1,053
I wish I bought the Feather AC SS that was on BST some years ago, it took me probably at least 5 years to put that right.
- Messages
- 17,589
- Location
- Sunny Cornwall
I wish I had tried to enable more people than I did, at one point I was very good at it!
It makes spending £Â£ on a razor easier if you can enable someone else to do the same thing, these days I am more likely to be enabled myself than to be the enabler!!
Paul.
It makes spending £Â£ on a razor easier if you can enable someone else to do the same thing, these days I am more likely to be enabled myself than to be the enabler!!
Paul.
- Messages
- 501
Shaving with proper soap and brush.
I shaved with DE razors for 25+ years, since day two (on day one I've lost a Sensor cartridge in the sink and immediately switched in frustration). However, I always used that canned goo. Occasionally some great shaves happened with plain shower soaps and I thought it happened accidentally. Now, around 2 years ago I decided to try 'real' shaving soaps. And bam!
I shaved with DE razors for 25+ years, since day two (on day one I've lost a Sensor cartridge in the sink and immediately switched in frustration). However, I always used that canned goo. Occasionally some great shaves happened with plain shower soaps and I thought it happened accidentally. Now, around 2 years ago I decided to try 'real' shaving soaps. And bam!
Last edited:
- Messages
- 3,168
- Location
- Sunderland
"What do you wish you tried earlier in wet shaving journey"
A bit self restraint would not have gone amiss.
Absolutely useless.
Straight down the rabbit hole and checked out all its chambers and tunnels, added to the auld FOMO & enabling, expanded the collection quite rapidly.
My advice, take your time.
Ask the mundane question
"Do I really NEED it - or do I just want it"
Then listen to your own answer.
T
PS I should take my own advice
A bit self restraint would not have gone amiss.
Absolutely useless.
Straight down the rabbit hole and checked out all its chambers and tunnels, added to the auld FOMO & enabling, expanded the collection quite rapidly.
My advice, take your time.
Ask the mundane question
"Do I really NEED it - or do I just want it"
Then listen to your own answer.
T
PS I should take my own advice
- Messages
- 1,440
- Location
- North Wales
Me on TSR Forum in 2023 - "That @Tony'schin bloke was talking sense back in '21. Ooooh look, another new soap......""What do you wish you tried earlier in wet shaving journey"
A bit self restraint would not have gone amiss.
Absolutely useless.
Straight down the rabbit hole and checked out all its chambers and tunnels, added to the auld FOMO & enabling, expanded the collection quite rapidly.
My advice, take your time.
Ask the mundane question
"Do I really NEED it - or do I just want it"
Then listen to your own answer.
T
PS I should take my own advice
- Messages
- 602
- Location
- North Wales
Looking back I wish I'd have got into straight razor shaving. Last year I bought a Feather AC SS Folding and absolutely love the shaves I get with it. I've really bought into the system and have enough Schick Proline blades to see me out (I have a Blackland Vector too). I do however drool over some of the straight razors in the SOTD photos and it does tempt me now and again.