Wet Shavers...

[Motowoodman71]

How many of you like wet shaving and what products do you use?

I love the henson m razor and making my own shave cream.

Soaps I like: are proarso, Sterling, TOBS, Cella, Razorock.

Blades I like: feather, astra, Gillette - 7'oclock, silver blue, platinum

I like synthetic brushes the best.

 

[Doodski]

I use a quality hair clipper most days and leave a 5 o'clock shadow and save the expense on those Fusion 5 blade razors that can add up $ after shaving every morning. For wet shaving I only use the 5 blade Fusion stuff. I have used a 3 blade and I have used a 2 blade years ago and it was a massacre to my face. It was bleeding all over and was horrible. The 5 blade Fusion stuff is amazing and I can't say enough good things about them. I was told by a Indo guy I knew with a very very thick beard that dulls a good 5 blade very rapidly that he gets diamond blades. I'm not sure if he was pulling my chain but he seemed to be pretty serious about them being used. I use Gillette Foamy in the aerosol can and tried other brands but they seemed to loose pressure in the can rapidly and then the cans went flat and did not operate properly. The Gillette Foamy is a bit strong in the acid that is used to soften the beard before shaving but if I apply the Foamy and then quickly shave and don't waste time my skin does not get seared from the acid and not dried out too.

 

[GD Fan]

For many years now I've shaved with a mug and brush. Have stuck with Ichabod Conk bay rum shaving soap pretty much the whole time. A couple years ago my brush needed replacing and I got a Parker badger bristle - probably because it was available on Amazon and rated well.

The blades are a problem. I had only used Gillette Sensor 3 cartridges. But they were discontinued and all disappeared before I was even aware! My inventory is rapidly nearing zero and I am sadly at a loss.

 

[Soniclife]

Proraso green soap, Omega Pro 48 boar brush.
EJ DE89 Razor, Astra platinum blades.
Proraso green aftershave.

Once you find the products that work for you double edge shaving is simple, effective and so cheap. The price of cartridge blades boggles my mind.

 

[Soniclife]

The blades are a problem. I had only used Gillette Sensor 3 cartridges. But they were discontinued and all disappeared before I was even aware! My inventory is rapidly nearing zero and I am sadly at a loss.

Look into double edged razors and blades, whole world of choice, slightly more technique required but really not that hard to master.

 

[wingless]

I've been using a Merkur slant and astra blades for quite some time now. The first shave with the astras always seems a little rough, but the next few are smooth. The Merkur slant was the only razor I tried that would just mow through my facial hair after a week of no shaving. It is an aggressive razor that requires some getting used to. I've let a few friends try it and it is too much for them.

I sometimes use my badger brush and some soap I picked up at a small soap shop in Wisconsin years ago. I think the store was the Soap Opera. Most of the time I just use Barbasol original shave cream. I did like using the proraso shave cream the few times I had it on hand.

 

[Motowoodman71]

I use a quality hair clipper most days and leave a 5 o'clock shadow and save the expense on those Fusion 5 blade razors that can add up $ after shaving every morning. For wet shaving I only use the 5 blade Fusion stuff. I have used a 3 blade and I have used a 2 blade years ago and it was a massacre to my face. It was bleeding all over and was horrible. The 5 blade Fusion stuff is amazing and I can't say enough good things about them. I was told by a Indo guy I knew with a very very thick beard that dulls a good 5 blade very rapidly that he gets diamond blades. I'm not sure if he was pulling my chain but he seemed to be pretty serious about them being used. I use Gillette Foamy in the aerosol can and tried other brands but they seemed to loose pressure in the can rapidly and then the cans went flat and did not operate properly. The Gillette Foamy is a bit strong in the acid that is used to soften the beard before shaving but if I apply the Foamy and then quickly shave and don't waste time my skin does not get seared from the acid and not dried out too.

I use to be a foam can guy and now making my own is so much better with all kinds of great scents.

 

[Motowoodman71]

For many years now I've shaved with a mug and brush. Have stuck with Ichabod Conk bay rum shaving soap pretty much the whole time. A couple years ago my brush needed replacing and I got a Parker badger bristle - probably because it was available on Amazon and rated well.

The blades are a problem. I had only used Gillette Sensor 3 cartridges. But they were discontinued and all disappeared before I was even aware! My inventory is rapidly nearing zero and I am sadly at a loss.

I used to use cartridges but found de so much more satisfying, should give de razors a chance especially with a henson razor as it gives me a much closer and satisfying shave.

 

[Motowoodman71]

I've been using a Merkur slant and astra blades for quite some time now. The first shave with the astras always seems a little rough, but the next few are smooth. The Merkur slant was the only razor I tried that would just mow through my facial hair after a week of no shaving. It is an aggressive razor that requires some getting used to. I've let a few friends try it and it is too much for them.

I sometimes use my badger brush and some soap I picked up at a small soap shop in Wisconsin years ago. I think the store was the Soap Opera. Most of the time I just use Barbasol original shave cream. I did like using the proraso shave cream the few times I had it on hand.

Ya, I don't like aggressive razors, i found with the henson i rarely nic myself; I do have a couple older gillette de razors one is adjustable and the other is a blue tip which is mild.

You should give feather, gillette platinum & silver blue a try, astras have been good for me too.

 

[Doodski]

I use to be a foam can guy and now making my own is so much better with all kinds of great scents.

That is a very good idea. I would like to try some of the classics like sandalwood and other old classics that I saw recently when I changed my bath body wash from Nivia for Men CoolKick to a Tea Tree Oil with Mint body wash that 100% totally and completely eliminated skin itchiness that I had before using the new Tea Tree Oil Body Wash. I will be test driving some of the stuff you use and getting some interesting scents like you say is nice.

 

[AaronJ]

Love wet shave. I use a Dovo straight razor with Jack Black Beard Lube. I am never going back to foam because I want to see what the hell I’m doing, and to be honest I could never get it to work as well as the beard lube. Any reasonable opportunity to limit single/low-use waste products is one I try to take. I’ve had the straight razor for about 7 years and sharpen it myself when needed.

 

[Motowoodman71]

Love wet shave. I use a Dovo straight razor with Jack Black Beard Lube. I am never going back to foam because I want to see what the hell I’m doing, and to be honest I could never get it to work as well as the beard lube. Any reasonable opportunity to limit single/low-use waste products is one I try to take. I’ve had the straight razor for about 7 years and sharpen it myself when needed.

I've never used a straight razor, they look intimidating.

 

[xanalog]

For many years now I've shaved with a mug and brush. Have stuck with Ichabod Conk bay rum shaving soap pretty much the whole time. A couple years ago my brush needed replacing and I got a Parker badger bristle - ...
The blades are a problem. I had only used Gillette Sensor 3 cartridges. But they were discontinued and all disappeared before I was even aware! My inventory is rapidly nearing zero and I am sadly at a loss.

I used to use the ColonelConks shaving soap, until it stopped lathering, some stating that Conk removed the glycerides...
I have been using Gillette Mach3s, for decades, along with a badger-brush, in the shower.
Castile (olive oil) soap has replaced all the chemicals in my shower and even works great as shaving soap, as well as shampoo/conditioner.

When it was time to replace my badger brush:
I ran across some very high-end 'banded' badger-bristle brushes, along with some very cool and decorative handles in a variety of diameters that make them interchangeable and replaceable. (26mm brush+handle@$40)
I also came across clones of Mach3s. (@1/4 the price)
And I added some knock-off, replacement OralB (Braun) eTooth-brushes to my $60 aliexpress order.
Zero complaints.

 

[Motowoodman71]

I used to use the ColonelConks shaving soap, until it stopped lathering, some stating that Conk removed the glycerides...
I have been using Gillette Mach3s, for decades, along with a badger-brush, in the shower.
Castile (olive oil) soap has replaced all the chemicals in my shower and even works great as shaving soap, as well as shampoo/conditioner.

When it was time to replace my badger brush:
I ran across some very high-end 'banded' badger-bristle brushes, along with some very cool and decorative handles in a variety of diameters that make them interchangeable and replaceable. (26mm brush+handle@$40)
I also came across clones of Mach3s. (@1/4 the price)
And I added some knock-off, replacement OralB (Braun) eTooth-brushes to my $60 aliexpress order.
Zero complaints.

I like Yaqi brushes, I got one badger and two synthetic.

 

[GD Fan]

How many of you like wet shaving and what products do you use?

I love the henson m razor and making my own shave cream.

Soaps I like: are proarso, Sterling, TOBS, Cella, Razorock.

Blades I like: feather, astra, Gillette - 7'oclock, silver blue, platinum

I like synthetic brushes the best.

Just ordered the Proraso shave soap based on the recommendations on this thread. Thanks for the advice, looking forward to trying it.

 

[xanalog]

I like Yaqi brushes, I got one badger and two synthetic.

I was sorry I traded (down) my old badger for a synthetic...

So, I replaced the synthetic (on the left) for a new badger brush (on the right).
Happy!

 

[wingless]

Ya, I don't like aggressive razors, i found with the henson i rarely nic myself; I do have a couple older gillette de razors one is adjustable and the other is a blue tip which is mild.

You should give feather, gillette platinum & silver blue a try, astras have been good for me too.

Feathers were my favorite blades by a long shot, but they were quite a bit more expensive than the Astras back when I bought the last 200. Now that I am not required to shave daily anymore I would probably go back to them when my supply of Astras is consumed. I think I still have around 75 left. I take that back, I just looked up how much more the Feathers cost than the Astras.

 

[iamsms]

Finally, somewhere I can comment!

I have been using traditional wetshaving methods (Double edge razors, straight razors, artist club razors, brush, soap etc) for 11 years now. My favorite razors are - merkur 34c, wolfman wr2, bbs-1, blackland blackbird, razorock goat (which is a copy of 34c). Soaps - barrister and mann, santa maria novella, declaration grooming etc. Brushes - declaration grooming, plisson. I also love my ralf aust straight razors.

For blades, I really like vintage wilkinson sword light brigade blades ( also known as chromium xcn), for modern blades, i would say rapira and feather. wizamets are nice too.

Also, I do have a decent collection of vintage Gillettes (about 25 ish, iirc). My favorites would be post war Tech, american red tip, and british third gen aristocrats.

 

[pablolie]

I mostly use a Panasonic ES-8103S (now called the Arc3) - it's been a trooper for 10 years and still going strong, and you can use it wet or dry and it gives a very competent close shave. I don't like those electric shavers with 5 or 6 different blades because they are not accurate enough unless you want to shave everything off.

I still keep Gillette 2 blades for those baby cheek days - again, I know 3+ blade systems claim superiority but they (a) clog and (b) are too wide to be accurate. 2 blades is the max I'll use for a wet shave.

 

[Jmudrick]

After experimenting with a couple hundred razors I gave that up and settled happily with my favorite, 1945 issue Shake Sharp with stacked BIC blades. Nothing better for me.