Reddit mentions of Double Edge Razor Blade Economy Sample Pack #1-60 Blades

Yup. been doing this for a couple years now, and I'll never go back. I'd also suggest if you're considering going down this road, to pick up a Razor Sampler Pack. The profiles, sharpness, materials, etc. vary from blade to blade, and you'll be much better off in the long run if you find a brand of blade that suits your beard, skin and shaving technique. FWIW, I settled on Feather blades.

Brush

Razor

Razor Sampler

Cream Or Soap puck

That's all you need to start, I prefer the puck soaps, but many guys love the Proraso.

You could also get

Witch Hazel, toner for after shaving

And any aftershave you like, I prefer a splash like classic oldspice but some people like a balm.

Van Der Hagen Premium Shave Set - This is what I bought (I'm a newbie to DE shaving, I've only been doing it for little over a month). It comes with a soap, bowl, and brush that all do the job. I'm assuming this kit is on the much cheaper end of things, but you stated your budget for less fancy things and I think this is something to consider.

Also, here's the variety pack of blades that I bought: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PZEHIK?tag=acleint-20

Hmm.... silence may be difficult to supply. We have 3 kids (7, 4, and 2), so there's very little silence in our house.

I just ordered this set-up: the Edwin Jagger de86bl, Escali badger brush, this sample pack of blades, a styptic pencil for when the kids distract him, samples from Mystic Water and Al's Shaving, and I'm going to give him the link to your book so he can load it on his kindle app.

With all this stuff, I may have to clear a shelf off in the bathroom for him... (As a typical woman, I have about 1,257 different products taking up pretty much all the space available).

Thanks, great advice. I have decided to go with these-

Merker 60 pack Double Edge Razor Blade Economy Sample Pack #1 instead, ill buy them all tomorrow or this evening.

This is an EXCELLENT beginner's set. Razor, Brush, Stand. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but the brush is fantastic (I have entirely switched to this brush, over some other more "fancy" brushes) and the razor is a good weight with a good medium length. Plus, having a tidy stand is bonus points.

This is one type of soap/mug set.

And this is another soap/mug set. I personally prefer this type of bowl. It's also much heavier than it looks (I think it's ceramic). The brush is crap, though.

This is a cheap, good-smelling aftershave. But it's alcohol based, so he might not like it (stings slightly).

This gets you nearly everything for under your budget. The two items I'd say are missing are available at Wal-Mart for less than three dollars combined. You need the pre-shave oil (Shave Secret, $1.50 at my local WalMart) and a styptic pencil ($1.15 at my local WalMart).

Even after these, we're still around the $90 mark, and these items will last for literally years (except the consumables, of course).

There's your complete set, minus blades. The purchase of blades is a rather personal affair, though, and I'd recommend a sampler pack. There are literally dozens of sampler packs available. Here's one. Bear in mind, however, that most people can do three to six full shaves (i.e., the entire face) using ONE blade.

One piece of advice: If you want him to enjoy it, don't skimp on the brush. In my opinion, probably seconded by a majority of wet-shavers, the brush is going to be the single most important deciding factor for a noobie who isn't purchasing these things for himself in determining whether he likes the process or not. There's virtually no doubt that he'll like the results.

Does this help?

So, I've been using a DE for nine or ten months now. I like the ritual of it -- I have a little metal dish that I store my razor in, I replace the blade every other shave, I disassemble the razor and wash it and lay it out to dry on a little towel afterward -- but I also like that it basically takes me the same amount of time as it did with a (shudder) Venus.

But, as a disclaimer, even though I'm fast with it, and even though I only shave my legs once every week or two, I still sometimes think "...ahhh, it'll be a pain in the ass, I don't have time to put it together and clean it afterward and all that," and skip it. Also, because you shouldn't store the razor in the shower -- like I did with my old crappy Gillette -- touch-ups (as in "Oh crap, I missed a spot yesterday!") are more work.

I think a straight razor would have a steeper, longer learning curve, and it's definitely more work to maintain. I'm also not the most steady-handed girl in the world, so I prefer the safety razor for minimal leg-slashing.

For anyone else who's considering it, I got an Edwin Merkur razor ($33) and a variety pack of 60 blades ($18 then, now $22). I'm not even halfway through the pack of blades almost a year in, and the DE gives me a closer, smoother, less irritating shave than cartridge razors ever did.

The razor is a Lord L6 and the stand is a Colonel Ichabod Conk.

The brush and mug were purchased from the local Farmer's Market from a nice lady who makes homemade soaps. The soap is a disc in the mug and it is amazing. It is Bay Rum scent made with all sorts of oils and since I started using it over shave gel to shave with I have no razor burn or irritation. I am excited to do my first wet shave tomorrow!

Also, not pictured is my Pre-shave Oil, Blade Sampler, and Styptic Pencil

My kit consists of-

Soap- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015UWUFM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2

Blade-http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NL0T1G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1

Brush- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WR3QSG

Extra blades- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PZEHIK

I have been wet shaving with a DE since OCT 2013. It was the best decision I have made when it comes to shaving. I will answer your questions from the things that have worked for me. Just know that everything is different for everyone. Once you find something that works stick with it for a while and change little at a time.

1a: Brush/Stand. I purchased this set just to get my feet wet with DE shaving. I liked it, but it was cheap and lacked the adjustability that I wanted. I did keep the brush and stand. I always get a great lather with the brush and it is really soft. It is just as good as when I bought it. I shave everyday that I work.

1b: Handle. I started with the cheap handle that I listed above...it was not adjustable. I wanted an adjustable and bought a Merkur Futur. I love it.

1c: Blades. This is hard to recommend to someone. Get yourself one of many sample packs. Everyone likes different blades. Just try them all out. They are cheap. I chose based on the one that I cut my self with the least while giving be the best shave. Your probably going to cut yourself. It will go away with experience. I settled on the Astra Platinum blades. They are cheap on amazon with prime shipping.

1d: Soap. I am a huge fan of Proraso Shaving Cream. I have tried them all! But they are all I have tried. A tube last me a long time. My routine is to fill up an over sized coffee cup with hot water twice from my Keurig (No hot hot water in the morning due to my apartment) and poor it into the sink. Dunk my brush in the water and shake it off lightly. Put a dime sized blob of cream on the brush and make a lather in the over sized coffee cup.

1e: Pre/After Shave. I do not use any pre shave products. I just use the lather that i make and message it onto my face. Its really hot and frothy. I have tried all of Proraso's after shave products. The only one that I liked was the blue after shave balm. It didn't dry out my face like the others. Since then I have settled on Gillette Series Sensitive Skin After Shave Gel because it leaves my face feeling great, its cheap, and the better half loves the way it smells.

2: In my experience the razor (handle) makes a huge difference. I got to the point where I was not cutting myself at all with my first handle. Then I switched. I can shave quickly and comfortably because I found the setting that I really like (number 3 on the Futur). I also really like the way the blade is put into the handle. The top of the Futur pops off rather than having to unscrew the handle to change blades.

3: I answered this in section 1c.

4: I don't have too much info on this topic. I do know not to store your brush with the bristles in the air when it is wet (a stand will prevent this). Dry your razor off the best you can after use. Rinse a brush out thoroughly after use. I use a new blade each shave.

5: When I first started with a DE I watched a couple of Michael Freedberg's to get me started. Then I just did what was best for me.

The best thing that I can recommend for you is this. Figure out why you want to change to DE shaving. We already know its a better shave than using a cartridge. For me it was to be able to use a new razor blade for every shave and not spending a lot of money for those blades. I try to do this as cheaply as possibly. I had a big initial investment on the handle but it has since paid for itself by not buying cartridges. I found what works for me early on and stuck with it. I can have the same consistent shave everyday in 10 minutes because I have had the same routine for a while now.

From amazon:

Razor

Brush

Blades

Soap

Bowl

Should be about $40.

I would spring for this sampler strictly because when it comes to blades YMMV, if derby doesn't work for you a sampler will give you options. Other than that that's not too bad.

I'm three shaves in with a DE razor.

I got this sample pack of "60" blades for $21 (they sent me 65 blades)

If you notice, it looks like they've subbed out the Lords, for the Pakistani Treet blades. I have no idea if that's good or bad.

If anyone has advice as to what to expect from the various brands, it would be appreciated.