“Shaving the Old Way” - the Review
A few weeks ago I wrote about taking up a new the old way of shaving. I promised myself (and a few others) that I’d sit down and consider how this was working out after I’d gotten the hang of it.
Vulfix Super Badger Brush - This is a basic shaving brush made with real badger hair. I’m still not real clear on the “super” in the moniker but I do know that the bigger the brush the more water it holds and the better it lifts the hair and that badger hair is supposed to be the best (especially if you have sensitive skin). I can’t do a comparison to another brush because this is the first brush I’ve ever used. However, after having used this brush I can testify that using any brush is definitely superior to the alternative.
Proraso Shaving Cream - This is an Italian gem. It’s quite cheap ($9.99 for a tube that looks like it’s going to last me a year) and is wonderfully refreshing when slathered on my face at 6 am. The glycerin and eucalyptus tingle probably makes the Vulfix brush seem even more effective. Very little of the soap is required to work up a good lather and it spreads easily over the skin, leaving the face smoothly at the stroke of the razor.
Merkur Futur Razor - This is the reason I’m glad I waited to write up the review. Impression #1: This is a high quality crafted implement. Impression #2: This is a highly qualified deadly weapon (that I plan to bring in contact with my face at 6 am). It really did take three weeks and three new razors to get the hang of this thing. Now (I think) I’ve passed oddly uneven shaves, large facial wounds and even the questions of whether I’ve made a terrible investment (of course I haven’t). I’ve read, bled, and said this before: this isn’t the kind of tool you drag across your face half asleep. I use setting six on the razor which takes the blade the furthest away from the “safety” and seems to work best for my face (I tried the full gamut of settings in my learning period). My shaves are quite close and, if necessary (though it usually isn’t), I can shave daily without irritation. This razor is light years ahead of my old Mach 3 (though the concept and technology are older) and I’d recommend it to anyone who understands that a little work and adjustment up front yield great rewards in the end.
[EDIT] I should probably also go ahead and plug classicshaving.com again - I’ve been quite impressed with their service.
May 4th, 2005 at 11:01 am
Is that why you looked like you’d been splashed with acid this weekend?
May 4th, 2005 at 11:16 am
Have you started the whitepaper yet?
May 4th, 2005 at 12:37 pm
I would recommend shaving the old fashioned way with two thumbs up. Check out http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6886845/ for the article that changed my life, er shaving routine.
I have been reading the forums on www.shavemyface.com
May 4th, 2005 at 6:10 pm
I use a badger shaving brush from Crabtree & Evelyn and The Art of Shaving shave cream (which you can buy from Nordstrom). I like the Art of Shaving stuff, fairly expensive, but the tub lasts for quite a while and it lathers very nicely. I use a Mach 3 turbo (the vibrating razor). I definitely get less razor bumps than I used to, but still a few (always on my neck). I’ve wondered whether there is room for improvement with a better brush/cream/razor or if I learned better technique, shaved more regularly, or tried an electric
August 14th, 2005 at 2:20 am
Also might want to check out http://www.badgerandblade.com
If you need any help, or have any questions, feel free to post away over there and I - or someone else can post pictures, offer advice/support etc. Any help you may need - lemme know!
-Joel
November 13th, 2005 at 5:48 pm
Just an FYI - a setting of “6″ on that razor is the most aggressive setting. You might want to back it down to a 3 while you get used to it…
November 13th, 2005 at 8:51 pm
Yes it is, Kevin.
6 months later, I’m finally nonchalant about using setting 6 and I have only very rare injuries from the most aggressive setting. I’m still loving it.
January 3rd, 2006 at 1:52 pm
I agree with you. I found the Proasso shaving cream very nice with a vulfix super badger brush. But I can not tear my self away from using my mach 3 razor.
I am researching the whole idea about a saftey razor, because but I hate cutting myself in the morning. It sort of starts your day on a sour note.
Any insight on quality safety razor would be appreciated. thanks
January 3rd, 2006 at 1:57 pm
Greg, the mukur futur is wonderful. My recommendation is for you to start with the most conservative setting and be gentle. This isn’t potscrubbing. Most cartridge razors allow (and require) you to press hard against your face to get a clean shave. A safety razor requires you to exhibit some self control. Be patient - and ask that people you come into contact with to do the same.
Thanks for reading!
October 21st, 2006 at 2:20 am
Check out www.straightrazorplace.com for tips on converting to the really old way of shaving…with a cut throat.
Really, it doesn’t take long to pick up.
The key is a delicate hand, and getting there is a rewarding challenge. I feel like I’m painting hair off of my face when I shave.
lickthefrog
(got here because of some research on GTD Gmail and personal information management)
May 27th, 2007 at 6:44 am
I’ve just bought a futur too. First shave, great!
Second shave: Great!
Third Shave: Walk in from pub at midday, tell myself that a really wonderful idea would be to go and have a shave to try and make myself look somewhat presentable- shaving whilst drunk had never been a problem with my cartridge. Long story short, Don’t shave whilst drunk. My face still hurts.
March 31st, 2008 at 8:04 am
How long does a double edge blade last? How good of a shave will a blade give?
As with a “cut-throat” razor it depends on the sharpness of the blade and the durability/hardness of the steel.
Has anyone looked at the edge of various maker’s double edge blades under a 10 power magnifying glass, or, better yet, a microscope, to see if they can see a difference in the blade edges?
I looked at a Schick, and a Merkur, under a 10X glass. The Merkur, even at only 10X, has a rough edge. The Schick has a much smoother edge.
I checked this out after using one of each blade. The Schick gave me 25 good shaves before it started pulling,
The Merkur blade gave me a worse (it pulled more) shave on the first shave than the Schick did after 25 shaves. (Was the Merkur a counterfeit??)
I used to get 60 good shaves out of the Gillette Blue Blade. Now I am doing good to get 30 out of stainless steel, platinum, etc.
Seems the blade makers are just not putting as good of an edge on their blades just so they will get duller faster.
I have not tried the Feather Blades yet, but have ordered some, as they have a reputation for sharpness.
A person should be able to tell just how long, comparatively, a blade will last just by looking at its edge under a microscope.
The whole thing seems to be a “sting” operation though, as sharp blades could go out for weeks and then start sending out less sharp ones.
April 25th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
people you come into contact with to do the same