Wet shaving!

We had a pretty sweet thread on wet shaving at CS.. we're long overdue to have one here!

I've been (exclusively) wet shaving for about eight years. What I love most about it is that I'm still learning about more effective ways with my razor, blades, and prep even now. I never got too deep into the hobbyist side of it, though.. did a ton of research back when I started, got some gear, and just focused on getting good at shaving. I'm still using the same razor I bought when starting out.. but I've sampled a modest amount of prep and blades. My Den:

-Parker 99R DE razor.
-Polsilver Iridium blades.
-Omega badger hair brush.
-Proraso (eucalyptus) soap.
-Col. Conk sandalwood soap.
-Shave Secret pre/post shave oil.

Today, I ordered the just released Parker Variant razor. I was on the verge of getting the famed Edwin Jagger DE89Lbl, but a well-designed (and superbly priced) adjustable just seems too good to pass up. I'm long overdue to get some new soaps/creams to try.. so your recco's are appreciated.

So.. let's discuss! What are your favorite (and not so favorite) razors, blades, prep wares, and tips for getting a badass shave?

 

Feather 800-1B
Derby Extra or Feather Yellows or Blacks.

Never really got too far into this. The Feather handle might be listed as an entry level classic, but the imprecision in blade positioning seems to result in certain blades working better on one side versus the other. The popular German blades just don't work well at all with this handle.

 

My daily shave is with this:

Muhle "Stylo" Safety Razor (Thuja Wood)

Can't say it shaves any better than the standard Muhle R89, which I also have, but it is awfully pretty.

Also like the Murkur Futura ... and the Feather (regardless of handle/head I do like their blades).

Promised myself I'd graduate to a straight-razor this year ... we'll see ...

 

Mergress razor, which is custom made from Merkur Progress. Astra SP blades. Using Nivea gel instead of soap (don't flame ). Smooth sailing for the last two years and counting.

 

I'm a Feather AS-D2 fan (w/ Feather blades, Muhle synthetic brush, and Taylor of old bond street or Col. Conk soaps), haven't found anything yet that competes. My skin is pretty rough so aggressive razors don't play well (Merkur Futur and most Ikon razors tear me up), and the AS-D2 is the perfect balance between efficiency and mildness.

For those that travel a lot, get some Gillette Guard disposables. They're fantastic.

 

Still on my starter set of Parker 96R and Derby Extra blades. Swapped to some Neutrogena shaving lotion due to drag and dryness from the original soap I had.

 

When at home my current go to razor is the SS Mongoose that takes Feather Pro blades, it's like a super Schick injector, and I mow my melon with a Schick type-O injector

At work or on the road, a Schick type-N injector for face and melon.

Old DE favorites in the stable include:
-Gillette Fat Boy adjustable
-Gillette President
-Merkur Mergress
-Gillette 4 piece Rocket travel razor

Blades:
-Gillette 7 o'clock yellow (Russia)
-Super Iridium
-Feather

Creams:
-JM Fraser
-Palmolive
-Palmolive menthol (summer)

Soap:
-Cella
-La Toya shave stick
-Palmolive shave stick

I have a few small Omega silver tip travel brushes that serve me well.

I really like the quality and craftsmanship of the vintage Gillette's, but the Schick injector/Mongoose can't be beat for a quick and easy close shave.

 

Cream:
BARBASOL. The original is the best and smells the best. Yellow strip with lanolin is super moisturizing but, a bit too slightly moisturizing but it has this cheap cologne smell to it while the original Barbasol smells like victory.

The white canned foams actually just force the soap through a sieve and aren't any worse for you than almost all shaping soaps. I would say that canned foam > canned whipped cream when compared to the handmade stuff.

Razors:
Bic Sensitive. These shave like old Schitck injectors (same angle) but not as good. Three pass shave is a must with these though.
Wilkinson Sword Classic. My absolute favorite. Mild feel on face yet super efficient for less than 10 bucks. Use a sharp blade like a Feather and have at it. Vintage razor level greatness. I need to buy another one.
Feather Popular. Good but not great twist to open. 10 bucks though.
Feather AS-D2 (similar performance as the popular but 15x the price. A bit smoother and better balanced though. A bit too mild. If you have typical Asian lack of facial hair, this is the endgame. If you're from the other hairier races of humanity like me or Toshiro Mifune, this isn't worth it.

 

I would like to add, I waited 10 months for a Plisson silver tip brush... and it sucked big time, lost so many hairs within the first year, it was a sad joke, and went into hiding back in it's box for eternity.

 

Merkur Long Handle, Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream, Derby Blades

 

I use a Feather ASD2 with Feather blades along with a vintage Wade & Butcher straight razor.

I've got a cheapo RazoRock Plissoft as my everyday and I've got a huge 32mm extra sense High Mountain White Badger in a custom turned stainless handle which is an absolute soap killer.

For soaps/creams I'm back and forth between Barrister & Man Leviathan or Jermyn Street cream.

Aftershave is either B&M Leviathan or Lavanille.

 

Cold water and feather. i am too lazy to hone and strop, but this is more than sharp enough for most people.

 

I have a lot of acne scars and some chin scars from injuries and removed pre-melonomas (use sunscreen fellow daywalkers) that make hyper aggressive razors hurt like hell. I can barely do a straight razor and the crazy slant designs are way too much.

Yeah that cheap plastic razor for the Indian market is the best one Gilette makes despite being cheap plastic crap. It would be even better without the pivoting head. Multi-bladed crap is that bad.

 

Brush: Simpson Chubby 1 Super

It's soft, but it's a just bit of a lather hog. I would have bought a Classic or a Duke instead, if Simpson had made either with super grade hair.

Razor: Merkur Progress

Blade: usually Personna Med Prep, sometimes Polsilver or Feather

Cream: Taylor of Old Bond Street Organic

Aftershave: a thin layer of Benton aloe gel from Korea



Looking forward to this, in the Spring:

 

i used a Merkur 1942, since it was cheap, for quite a few years, along with barbasol, then a year and a half ago or so the threads on that broke from corrosion ( i didnt take very good care of my razor).

So i graduated to a Feather AS-D2, which i absolutely love. I wasnt sure how much better it would be, but from the moment i opened the package I knew i was ok with how much money i spent on it. The craftsmanship on it is impeccable and once I started shaving with it, it got a closer and somehow also less irritating shave. the feather blades fit in this razor absolutely perfectly with basically no wobble or lack of precision in the seating at all.

Been using Feather platinum blades since the beginning, nothing else Ive tried works nearly as well.

I also dont really do the whole "process" part of shaving, I have no brush or anything like that, I did finally graduate to a better cream though, started using some Dermalogica shave cream.

 

Philishave man here, so not much to say on the array of fancy blades, brushes and non-disposable safety razors.

I look on, as I do at the paraphernalia involved with coffee making or wine drinking, sometimes wishing that I indulged, if only for the gadgetry.

Somehow, when hair first sprouted on my face, it was an electric shaver that I picked up, and I continued that way for the next decades. Used to be Braun (which I still suspect is better) then changed to Philips. I have had my philishave so long, I can't even remember how long! maybe fifteen to twenty years. I have just had the rechargeable battery replaced at a cost of 1,400 Indian Rupees.

An absolute no to aftershaves: I like to smell of me!

One result of an electric-shaving lifetime is (apart from not having the knack anyway) skin that is too soft to happily take a blade: I find blade shaving very uncomfortable.

 

Edwin Jagger double edge
Derby blades

Went for the Edwin Jagger as it's manufactured 30 miles from where I live.