the art of shaving (your face)

[corko]

Mongoose razor......single edge blades

[ericpmoss]

Just because *someone* here will get as excited about this as the guy presenting... The fun stuff starts around 6:30.

Dr. Matt's Straight Razor Products

[11.4]

Always looking for the better shaving cream. Has anyone tried Cremo? It was on sale for $4 a tube at Target but it's super-slick, washes off instantly with no residue, and it's slick as chickenshit. It outperforms Kiss My Face and some of the other ultra-slick formulations. A tiny bit, the size of a Tylenol caplet, will do a bristly face plus a scalp.

[Too Tall]

Always looking for the better shaving cream. Has anyone tried Cremo? It was on sale for $4 a tube at Target but it's super-slick, washes off instantly with no residue, and it's slick as chickenshit. It outperforms Kiss My Face and some of the other ultra-slick formulations. A tiny bit, the size of a Tylenol caplet, will do a bristly face plus a scalp.

I can't do better than Kiss my face shaving creme (no scent).

[Powerfibers]

I use a Merkur with Persona or Feather blades. Lately, having used Proraso for a long time, I am now in love with Shave Secret oil. Alone or under a nice creme, it is a keeper.

[fastupslowdown]

Gillette Razor, Gillette shaving cream and olive olivella face and body liquid soap as a pre-shave. the olive oil helps soften up the skin better than any pre-shaving product or bar soap. -Mike G

[spopepro]

For those of you interested in such things, Lee's Razors has just gotten into stock a few Mergress safety razors. These are basically Mercur razors with a custom threaded insert and end knob. They take a good razor and give it a precision adjustment and much better weight. My preference is the XL, but that's definitely a personal matter. The Mergress razors rarely come available -- they're a short batch run done by a machinist who makes a hundred or so at a time and then doesn't bother for a couple years. If you read the shaving forums, these are legendary. Lee's Safety Razors | Merkur Razors, Shaving Brushes, Shave Creams, Soap, Jagger, Taylor. It's a great site anyway with interesting shaving supplies you don't find elsewhere.

A long time later, I finally broke down and got a Mergress XL (which is totally the right choice). It appears that Bullgoose Shaving is now handling the distribution for Mer (and they are good people--great about putting together blade sample packs). Totally worth it--should have pulled the trigger a long time ago.

Something I didn't fully appreciate was the ability to adjust for different parts of my face. I used to use an old super speed, and was always happy with the shave I got on my upper lip, but not totally happy everywhere else. Dialed in the Mergress at 3.5 which is perfect for my face... but hacks up my upper lip like something fierce. So now I just dial it back to 2.5 for my upper lip at the end and I get something 98% of the way to a straight razor with little irritation and no nicks. Nearly perfect.

Thanks for the tip.

[Blue Jays]

"...A long time later, I finally broke down and got a Mergress XL (which is totally the right choice). It appears that Bullgoose Shaving is now handling the distribution for Mer (and they are good people--great about putting together blade sample packs)..."

Spoke with their excellent customer service today.
They guided me to a Mergress with standard stainless adjustment knob plus wide variety of blades.
They explained the advantages and disadvantages of each double-edged blade and soaps available, too.
Eager to see how shiny my legs look after the shipment arrives next week.

[11.4]

I can't do better than Kiss my face shaving creme (no scent).

Open your mind, Josh. And your pores. I used Kiss My Face for years, sometimes mixing it with a light foamy high end soap. But this stuff is slicker'n goose ... and gives a slick shave with very nice wash-off. I'm now seeing it in all kinds of flavored and unflavored varieties.

[j44ke]

I just checked on Amazon for Cremo and I found this.



A giant back shaver. Amazon is often a wondrous natural history museum.

[11.4]

I just checked on Amazon for Cremo and I found this.

As the tube says, less is better. Use the line that the tube squeezes out, and use about 15 mm of it. It looks like far too little, but it goes a long way. It doesn't foam, it just coats the hair and skin, not unlike KissMyFace. I got the mint version and like it.

[Too Tall]

Open your mind, Josh. And your pores. I used Kiss My Face for years, sometimes mixing it with a light foamy high end soap. But this stuff is slicker'n goose ... and gives a slick shave with very nice wash-off. I'm now seeing it in all kinds of flavored and unflavored varieties.

Scents make me batsh!t. I literally have to walk away if someone is wearing Axe.

[11.4]

Scents make me batsh!t. I literally have to walk away if someone is wearing Axe.

That's a fragrance I'd have to walk away from too. I'll have to remember not to wear patchouli if I'm around you.

Cremo does come unscented. Resistance is futile.

[BShow]

A long time later, I finally broke down and got a Mergress XL (which is totally the right choice). It appears that Bullgoose Shaving is now handling the distribution for Mer (and they are good people--great about putting together blade sample packs). Totally worth it--should have pulled the trigger a long time ago.

Something I didn't fully appreciate was the ability to adjust for different parts of my face. I used to use an old super speed, and was always happy with the shave I got on my upper lip, but not totally happy everywhere else. Dialed in the Mergress at 3.5 which is perfect for my face... but hacks up my upper lip like something fierce. So now I just dial it back to 2.5 for my upper lip at the end and I get something 98% of the way to a straight razor with little irritation and no nicks. Nearly perfect.

Thanks for the tip.

I've been half tempted to try a new DE razor lately and have been considering a Merkur adjustable and then stumbled upon the Mergress - which looks awesome. Not sure I can justify $125 though, to try something new. The couple I have aren't great, but for the three times a week that I shave my neck and clean up my short beard, they do work.

[11.4]

I've been half tempted to try a new DE razor lately and have been considering a Merkur adjustable and then stumbled upon the Mergress - which looks awesome. Not sure I can justify $125 though, to try something new. The couple I have aren't great, but for the three times a week that I shave my neck and clean up my short beard, they do work.

One can make one's way through life with a bad razor. It isn't the end of the world. Rambo shaved with his oversized combat knife. Getting a razor like the Mergress makes you get better at shaving. It's not about the razor as much as your own skill. (Not unlike cycling.) You shouldn't feel shamed to get a Mergress over a disposable Bic. But the Mergress lets you adjust for different hair textures and patterns and different skin under the hair, so you're able to progress more easily. You can also get a couple straight razors and a strop and do even better, but again, it's the personal skill that's really the limitation at this point.

[HorsCat]

Cremo is the bees knees. You won't find better at this price point. A tube lasts me around 6 months. Variety is the spice of life so I picked up a few Kiehl's samples recently. They're nice, but at 3x the cost of Cremo, there is no justifying it.

[Too Tall]

Cremo is the bees knees. You won't find better at this price point. A tube lasts me around 6 months. Variety is the spice of life so I picked up a few Kiehl's samples recently. They're nice, but at 3x the cost of Cremo, there is no justifying it.

Ahh I did not see Cremo in unscented at first. I'll give that a shot. Thanks :)

[xjoex]

I have eschewed all of your tinctures and folk remedies to tackle to shaving problems with science! In February I picked up a Braun 790c electric shaver with sanitizing cradle (it sprays rubbing alcohol on the blades). Not a single ingrown hair or razor burn since.

Call me a believer.

That said, I firmly believe it has enough processing power to rise up during the robot revolution and attack me in my sleep.

-Joe

[59Bassman]

I've not had the same issues with ingrown hairs since I started using a brush and safety razor. My daily driver is an Above the Tie R1 Atlas stainless razor, made by some folks a bit over an hour from me. Weekend razor is a vintage Gillette Fatboy that was given to me by my wife's best friend.

I tend to like creams, but soaps are fine, too. My go-to is Bigelow cream from Bath and Body Works, which is just Prorasso cream rebranded. I also use the Pacific Shaving Company caffeinated shave cream a lot. Brush is a synthetic Whipped Dog.

It takes a bit longer than the old Gillette Mach 3 did, but my face is better for it.

[Too Tall]

That Atlas looks great. I use something similar. Feather makes a SS DE Feather AS-D2 Stainless Safety Razor

I've not had the same issues with ingrown hairs since I started using a brush and safety razor. My daily driver is an Above the Tie R1 Atlas stainless razor, made by some folks a bit over an hour from me. Weekend razor is a vintage Gillette Fatboy that was given to me by my wife's best friend.

I tend to like creams, but soaps are fine, too. My go-to is Bigelow cream from Bath and Body Works, which is just Prorasso cream rebranded. I also use the Pacific Shaving Company caffeinated shave cream a lot. Brush is a synthetic Whipped Dog.

It takes a bit longer than the old Gillette Mach 3 did, but my face is better for it.