I'm getting into wet shaving next week!

willgoy said:
...But how can I get re-started please? I know HOW to shave but with WHAT is my question. I use a brush and cream or soap, but what about razors and blades?Where to obtain new ones? Which brand of razor? I've heard Merkur mentioned and Weishi(presumably a cheap but not inevitably bad Chinese razor?) anything else? What is this open comb set-up? I should shave every day but leave it 2 days, I don't mind the rough look and it shaves better but my beard is tough and coarse. How about blades please?

Gentlemen, I appreciate your help and suggestions.
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Just some recommendations - the internet world is your oyster and there are many places to get what you need. These are just some ones that I have used that provided good prices and good service.

Razor: I recommend a Merkur HD / Merkur Standard Classic / Merkur Long Handle HD, all good razors - available from Jim at Vintage Blades. He's a reliable guy and you can usually get a free sample or two of creams. If you have any creams you specifically want to try, mention it in the "notes" when you order and if he's got it in the samples he'll send it.

Cream: Taylors is the best value for tub creams, as good as most of the more expensive creams but half the price. If you want (IMHO) the best cream available, check out Castle Forbes. Pricey but oh so luxurious. Also available at Vintage Blades.

Soap: My personal favorite is Tabac in the glass bowl, available at Em's Place. Em also has Speick and Musgo creams in the tube, highly recommended. Also I have her own liquid shave cream in the pump bottle which - while it is a liquid - lathers like you wouldn't believe.

Brushes: You can't go wrong with a Shavemac Finest or a Rooney small super silvertip (style 1, 2 or 3, whichever suits your fancy) which are between $75 and $80. Both are available at Vintage Blades. The Rooneys are also available at Classic Shaving for the same price.

Blades: You'll have to try a bunch to find out what's best for you. West Coast Shaving and Tryphon have good sampler packs. I like the Wilkinsons and Derbys, smooth and not too expensive. You can buy these blades in a 100 pack or 200 pack from various vendors and really save some dough in the long run.

Good luck getting back into DE shaving.
 
Torz, thanks for the detailed info:thumbup:

This is getting as exciting as buying knives:D

The other thing is, that shaving should be an interesting ritual not some unwelcome chore.
 
I've been wet-shaving for about six weeks now. I just took at trip to DC and couldn't bring my safety razor through TSA security, so I went back to my Mach 3 for the trip. I had taken the time to make my way through the Mantic youtube videos to learn how to prep my beard, picked up good shaving soaps, etc. So, while stuck with the M3, I was able to get a really nice shave done with a cartridge razor.

I think it's the prep, not the tool. If you wet your whiskers down well enough and use something with good lubrication that won't dry your face out, you're going to get a decent shave.

While I have no complaints with how the M3 worked for me, I'll be back to the safety razor once I'm back home and don't have to justify my shaving habits to the TSA.

Land of the free and home of the brave, indeed. Happy Independence day.
 
Just FYI, I bring my safety razor in my carry on, and it passes inspection without the blade in it. The blades I keep in checked luggage.

Even if the TSA accidentally drops my blades out of my checked luggage while they're stealing my camera or discman, I can buy halfway-decent personna blades at any Wal-Mart.
 
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