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Fellas, what do you use to shave with each morning?

For years, I was using the Gillette fusion and old style Barbasol shave foam in a can. It was ok but I found I never really got a good close shave no matter how I tried.  And then I remembered my dad's old Gillette DE razor (the metal one with the butterfly top that opens up and you drop a blade in).  I searched and searched for it but I havent found it.  

Switching from a cheap disposable razor to double edged safety razor is like upgrading from a Pinto to a Mercedes. A safety razor is a machine. It’s nice holding a piece of heavy, sturdy metal in your hand while you’re shaving as opposed to a piece of cheap-o plastic.  If you can find one your dad or grandpa used, use that one!  Just coz its old doesnt mean its not any good.  Just clean that sucker up in boiling water or vinegar and its as good as new!  

I cant find my dad's though so I bought a brand new one.  They dont make em here in the USA anymore so I went online in search to see if they were a thing of the past.  They do make em...in Germany and in India.  Seems people in England and other parts of the world still care for the manly art of shaving and many like to do things the old fashioned way.  In fact, some of the better shops devoted to men's grooming are in London.  And some of the best razors are by Merkur, in Germany.  Well, you fellas that know me know that I'm as old school as it gets, so I bought a new Parker DE razor from an importer here in the states.  It's from India (about $28) but its a beaut!

I didnt have a brush yet (and cant find em here locally), so I used a bar of triple milled (goat's milk) soap from Canada that I already had.  I was extremely careful using the razor and managed to get through the shave without carving my face up like a side of beef.

Fellas....its absolutely the closest best shave I have every had in my life! You know how usually after a shave you can still feel a little stubble on your face.  Not with this little gem!  Smooth as glass.  The first few times I used it I had a tiny bit of razor burn, but I have since learned to use a very light touch...letting only the weight of the razor do the work, instead of pressing in with my hand (like I did with the old modern one).

If you’re like the average guy, you’ve probably been getting your shaving cream from a can. This blue/green, chemically laced goop does nothing for your face and smells like a hospital. Traditional shave creams and soaps on the other hand are full of natural ingredients that nourish your face and leave you smelling absolutely manly. While these high quality creams and soaps may cost more than the can stuff, just a dab will create enough lather for you to lather up twice.

If you’ve never used a brush during shaving, you’re in for a treat. A brush helps hydrate the shaving cream in order to form a thick rich shaving lather. Using a brush to lather up helps get the shaving cream up under each whisker which results in better, smoother shaves. Plus, it just feels nice on your face to lather up with a brush.

Brushes are made out of two types of animal hair: boar and badger. Boar bristles are stiffer than badger bristles and hold less water. Boar hair brushes are also cheaper.  If you really want to have a nice shaving experience, splurge and buy a badger hair brush. Badger brushes create more lather and it feels a lot nicer on your face.  

I have since ordered a new brush (badger...supposed to be nicer than the cheaper boar) as well as a shaving dish and soap from Caswell-Massey.  It should arrive in a few days.  Caswell-Massey btw, was around in George Washington's day and he was a customer.  Other fine retailers are Taylor of London, and Truefit and Hill (also of London).

So what do you use?  Have you guys ever tried a DE twist-to-open safety razor to shave with?  If you ever try one, I bet youll never go back to your old razor.

Here's a fun link that I found too:   http://artofmanliness.com/
There are tons of fun articles here...things your dad might have taught you over the years.  Have fun!

=)

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Are some shops in london (around carnaby st I think) where you can get all that old-time kit, and isn't too expensive - is even one or two shops exclusively for stuff like old-style straight razors etc....

Then again, when it comes to shaving I'm lazy, I have a beard and the bit around the beard I just trim with an electric razor :-)  

If you haven't tried it, you should find a barber that does a proper old-school hot towel shave, is a bit pricey but is worth it - is more an experience than a grooming session! Last time I went clean-shaven (just before Movember so I could grow the moustache back) I did that, is pretty good stuff.  

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Originally Posted by Kieran Colfer:
Last time I went clean-shaven (just before Movember so I could grow the moustache back)

And by Movember I'm not mis-spelling the month here, I'm talking about [url]http://ww.movember.com/[url], where you grow a mustache for charity for the month of November to raise money for testicular cancer research.

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REAL old fashioned barber shops are as scarce as hen's teeth around here.  I do use one, with the old timey barber chair, but it aint the same.  No Clubman Bay rum, or talc or anything like that.  And I'm scared of straight razors.  Lol!

Looking for my order to arrive Saturday.  

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I've noticed online and in this other forum I frequent that the really nicer soaps and shaving gear seem to come from London.  Taylor of old Bond.  Edwin Jagger (which I'm not sure if it's pronounced like Mick Jagger's name or if it's pronounce like Yeager).   Truefitt & Hill.

I've seen a soap called Essence of Scotland.  Are there any nice shaving mugs and soaps manufactured in Ireland?

There are only a couple of nicer soaps and the like manufactured here in the States.  Caswell-Massey is one.  

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Originally Posted by Dennis Young:

Are there any nice shaving mugs and soaps manufactured in Ireland?

Off the top of my head, I wouldn't know. I could look for you, bnut chances are I'd be doing the same google searching you'd be doing.. :-P

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You know Dennis, I use a Fusion razor. I get burn no matter what I use, but it is much less with the Fusion and Nivea's shave cream. I am gonna take your advice on this one. I'll let you know how it turns out. I do wanna know however if you have ever seen one of the electric versions of those old safety razors??? I have seen some old advertisements for them and wonder just how good they are.

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hi Mark!  I used the Gillette Fusion for years and really liked it.  I especially liked that little single blade on top that allows me to trim around my mustache.  In fact, I still use it for that.

But since I began using the old style double edge safety razor like my dad had back in the early 60s, the diffeence has been night and day!

I dont think Gillette makes the DE razors anymore.  So I bought a 'Parker' on the internet.  I've tried different soaps too.  The Caswell-Massey American made shaving soap smells ok, but it sucks soooooo bad.  It doersnt lather well and after shaving one side of mty face, I find the other side has dried up and virtually disappeared!!!!

So I bought an English shaving soap based on some recommendations I found at the Artofshaving.com
the took a poll and the 2 most popular seemed to be Mitchell Woolfat soap and D.R. Harris of London.  I bought the D.R. Harris and so far it outperforms the Caswell MAssey in all ways.  the difference between them is like the difference between a bad highschool football team and the NFL.  Lol!

Also, believe it or not, my favorite aftershaves are cheap cheap cheap.  Many recommended Old Spice, as well as Clubman Aftershave.  I have both and use both, but Old Spice is my favorite.  I also like English Leather aftershave (I never use cologne).

Be carefull using the DE razor though.  If not, you may wind up carving your face up like a roast.  Lol!  But the smoothness is like glass.

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i just use the disposables. one shave, one razor. works for me, but then again, i'm sort of like miles. usually only shave once a week, when my wife starts fussing at me about it.

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I used to swear by disposables, but I'll never go back now.