re: Someone build me a perfect safety razor starter kit

Good to see Feather blades recommended here, nothing else compares.

Let me be clear, the only purpose of soap/cream is to bind water to your face. Of all the things to worry about, cream is the least important.

Want a perfect safety razor shave? Let conditioner sit on your face for the duration of a shower. Doesn't matter what you use once you go to shave after that, and it's much cheaper than pre shave anything.

The smells of great products are the only reason to buy.

Indeed, learning the dynamics of your face is a big part. I shave 4 difference directions depending on where I'm shaving in order to go with or across the grain. I never shave against the grain

Merkur 37C, Feather blades, TOOBS Sandalwood, scuttle and badger brush. I shave after showering every morning and this setup works best for me. You need to learn to use a DE razor before going with the slant bar on the 37C though. If not, the bathroom will look like the shower scene in Psycho... Which reminds me of two important words: styptic pencil.

quote:

---

Real men don't shave

eta: except for their nuts

---

I am about to start the hunting season beard. Paige could eat off deez nuts though. They are smooth as a pole dancer's taint.

Experiment with blades. Experiment with shaving soap, cream and/or oils.

Experiment with after shave balm.

But start with a safety razor that is pre-set to the proper angle as the gentlemen above suggested. The ones that are adjustable, or slanted are not for beginners. I'm probably not using the correct terms, but what you purchased is perfect to start with. You insert blade, tighten, and it is automatically at the correct angle, unless you shave incorrectly. Which again, is something that is a learning process. Especially, for me at least, around the corners of my cheeks, adam's apple, etc. The face is the easy part.

I think probably a straight razor is actually easier on the hard to get areas, and I can see me going to a straight razor eventually. Probably not one that requires a strop, but one with replaceable blades.

The Feather blades everyone is talking about are the second sharpest from my understanding. The Feather blades used in a replaceable straight razor are #1.

I can tell the blades are quality, because I can shave with the grain, against the grain, side to side, with absolutely no issues.

So to me, #1 is preparation and products, #2 is blade. #3 is a longer term learning process of the safety razor, and that's where I'm at currently.

Feather are the best IMO if sharpness with smoothness combo? It is the best consistently. Others you will hear are Kai and Bolzano.

I found them both to be sharp but not as smooth. Bolzano being ok but not worth the time and extra$$ needed to locate and buy them. Kai are even more expensive.

Derbys were mentioned. They are weird for me. I do not like them. EXCEPT in my EJ 89

Then they are very smooth. All my other razors, not so much.

Reminds me I need to buy some. They get some hate on a lot of boards. I love them, but only in one of my razors.

Blades that I find to be crap....

Dorco. Feels like a steak knife. They cut, but they hurt.

Sharks. Many love them. I hate them. Just rough. They tug too.

Treet carbons. Not worth the trouble. The shave is not good enough to deal with the blade and its rust issues. Cool if you want to feel older school.

I'm not brave enough to go older school. I have some Gillette Thins in a blade holder with a Richwood from 1921. The blades aren't that old but the set is. I don't know how old the blades are. They've probably been in that holder untouched since Kennedy. But I'm still too scared.

quote:

---

Curious about two things. The whipping of the cream in a bowl. What are the advantages? And for those that have done this for a while, do you get to the point where you can't feel any stubble at all, even in the difficult areas?

---

No. I can always feel a little against grain stubble under my jaw. And right side of Adam's apple. I'd have to shear off my Adam's apple to get it smooth.

Mug lather to me makes more and keeps the lather warmer and more consistent. It dries and cools just sitting in a brush on the sink. But a tab of hot water and re working lather for a second probably does the same thing.

A mug just keeps it contained. As you probably already know the better soaps make a ton of lather. That shite gets everywhere. And it's not like it's rinsing right off your hand either. It takes a couple seconds and then towel dry.

quote:

---

quote:

Curious about two things. The whipping of the cream in a bowl. What are the advantages? And for those that have done this for a while, do you get to the point where you can't feel any stubble at all, even in the difficult areas?


No. I can always feel a little against grain stubble under my jaw. And right side of Adam's apple. I'd have to shear off my Adam's apple to get it smooth.

Mug lather to me makes more and keeps the lather warmer and more consistent. It dries and cools just sitting in a brush on the sink. But a tab of hot water and re working lather for a second probably does the same thing.

A mug just keeps it contained. As you probably already know the better soaps make a ton of lather. That shite gets everywhere. And it's not like it's rinsing right off your hand either. It takes a couple seconds and then towel dry.

---

Thank you good sir.

Gotcha thanks.

I'm about to do the face arms chest shave w my dollar club razor and dove for men shaving cream. Key to shaving is to wet face a bit first then apply cream