Reddit mentions of Equinox Professional Straight Edge Razor with 100 Single Edge Derby Blades - Close Shaving Men's Manual Shaver Safety

> holy-shit-shaving-is-expensive territory again

I bought this razor that came with 100 blades. $15 bucks. Blade last me 4-5 shaves (have a long beard, so just for lining and neck) so that is a about 100 blades a year.

Replacement blades are $10 bucks and Cremo shaving cream is like $6.

Pretty cheap and I get a great shave when needed!

Don't buy those store 3, 4, 5 whatever razors for those crazy amounts of money, just buy a decent straight blade. They're so much cheaper, last so much longer and honestly give better results. This is one I got on Amazon and personally use for less than $10

Brush: Stirling 22mm 2-band Tuxedo

Razor: 1954 Gillette SuperSpeed

Blade: Gillette 7 O’clock (Yellow)

Preshave: None. NOT EVEN A HOT SHOWER.

Lather: Arko

Aftershave: Alum. That’s it. Yeah.

Song: Sublime - Santeria

I set out to make this the most unpleasant, scariest shave that I could, within reason. A shave that I would never want to replicate or wish upon the innocent. I’m ready for a little suffering. A little sacrifice. I deserve it.

This shave was awful. Easily the worst one since I started wetshaving back in February. I have never shaved without a hot shower beforehand. In my cartridge/canned goo days, I used to shave in the shower but this morning? None of that shit. My preshave routine was a splash of room temp water and a cold, hard stare in the mirror. The question WHY? bubbled up in my mind. I crammed it back down. There are way too many interpretations and answers to that question. I grabbed my Arko stick that I’ve used twice, ever, because I don’t really like it but one of you assholes told me once that every den needs an Arko stick and also it was like $4 on Amazon. Mmmm. That industrial cleaner lemon scent. But it’s actually not that bad. I’ve possessed worse smelling soaps. Hold on.

I used this little Stirling synth brush. This was probably the least scary part of the shave. The number of brushes I own can be counted on one hand but I tend to gravitate toward slightly bigger knots. I usually use this one for my head shaves. It’s fine but I suppose it’s my least favorite. I used a new yellow 7 O’clock blade. I’ve only tried about a half-dozen different blade brands so far and my limited notes tell me these were my least favorite. I used the ’54 SuperSpeed because it’s the most mild shaver I own and it’s small and really light and the minor germaphobe in me timidly points out that I have no idea where it’s been and I just don’t like it. I’m sending it free to the first person that PM’s me for it.

And but so there I am in my bathroom with my Arko. I realize how ridiculous I feel with a tee-shirt on. I’ve never shaved with a shirt on. I put a towel around my waist and shave that way because my shaves are wet events. Water all over the goddamn place, I need mad towels, yo. I’m in pajama pants and a tee-shirt and I’m cold and my face is cold and I just start grinding that stick on my face. I’ve found that it’s best to go with the grain when using this stick. I get a good layer on and soak my brush in room temp water and start lathering. The lather is fine, nothing great but not as bad as Conk, which I repurposed to bath soap. The lime puck really made my jibblies smell good. The SuperSpeed is mild enough that I can hardly feel the blade at all and I found that I was already buffing spots on the first pass, which I don’t normally do. I finish the first pass and sigh because the worst part of this whole fucking enterprise is about to begin: The Lining Up of The Goatee.

I’ve actually stopped doing this part over the last couple weeks out of sheer frustration. See, when I first started wetshaving, I was also working on a goatee for the first time. And I was having a hard time getting it lined up cleanly but only on one side! That is fucked up to me. That I have no problem at all lining up the left side of my goat but I fuck up the right side on a consistent basis. And I did despair.

But I read on here about a thing called a shavette! Which is actually a brand name, I think. Someone smarter than I am educated me on the nuances but I cannot recall. My memory isn’t that great due to all the weed I smoked in my early twenties, among other things. But I got this shavette. It was mostly pretty miserable. I cut myself on the right side of my goat pretty regularly. Don’t get me wrong, it was lined up beautifully but the scars and wounds didn’t help the look. I used that shavette for several weeks before the lightbulb over my head finally sparkled and sputtered to life. This is not my fault I thought. It must be the tool! My technique is certainly not to blame. My next purchase was this little asshole shavette. After using that a dozen or fifteen times, I can confidently report to you that my technique is shitty and that I will almost definitely cut myself almost every time with any shavette. Those things sit on my shelf now. The other shelf. The one that doesn’t get any light.

I used the Equinox shavette this morning and I cut myself. It sucked. I had to hit it with a styptic pen after I was done with the whole mess because that bitch done kept bleedin’. And I will tell you that it is beyond me. It is fucking beyond me how some of you people do entire, multi-pass shaves with these things. I bet you do it on purpose, too. I bet you even like it, you sickos.

I didn’t even do three passes this morning. I was on 24 hours growth so I only did two. The shavette was bad but the solo-alum aftershave was pretty bad too, for its own reasons. I’ve actually been laying off the alum and using Thayers instead, letting it dry before I apply an alcohol aftershave or balm and I’m really liking it. I wasn’t missing the alum that much. But this morning, I rubbed it on and slapped my cheeks and cleaned up. My face has felt lightly sticky and tight and dry all morning. I will put on lotion when I get to work.

Also, this song sucks and this band sucks. Fight me.

> I set out to make this the most unpleasant, scariest shave that I could, within reason. A shave that I would never want to replicate.

Mission accomplished. This was terrible. But I will be goddamed if I don’t show up to my own theme thread.

Check out a Merkur safety razor (https://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Long-Handled-Safety-Razor/dp/B000NL0T1G) and a sample blade pack from amazon.

Get an inexpensive shaving brush to start with to see how you like it, but eventually drop more money on a nice brush. Spend $10-$15 to start then expect to drop $50+ on a nice pure badger hair brush in a few months. The badger brush that I bought for like $70 I still have with me 4-5 years later (although admittedly I don't shave terribly often). Once you get that pricey brush, get a cheap plastic holder for it as well - keep the bristles pointing down instead of up - after using it leaving them facing upwards allows the water to settle around the base and weaken the glue holding in the bristles, ultimately destroying your expensive brush. Not good.

Check out Proraso soaps in a bowl - more convenient than paste or anything else, I've found. They have multiple types, here's my favorite as it makes my face a little tingly: https://www.amazon.com/Proraso-Shaving-Soap-Refreshing-Toning/dp/B00837YY18

If you prefer your own bowl, Proraso makes a paste and you can get a mug or bowl to mix it in - I found I preferred the ready-to-go stuff as it's faster and makes it more likely I'll shave regularly. :)

Then, after you've done all that and realized it's the best shave you've ever done and it's actually way more fun to shave than you ever thought it'd be, go for a straight razor. Don't do an actual blade, strop, and all that stuff right away. Instead, just go get a disposable straight razor blade holder and some blades: https://www.amazon.com/Equinox-Professional-Straight-Single-Blades/dp/B0118BJ0PA and learn how to use that thing. Then if you're like me and shave once every week or two (super lazy!) you can literally take weeks of beard off in a single pass with a straight razor and a fresh blade. I stopped here, personally, didn't go on to a full straight razor as they're pricey and you need to maintain it (oil, strop, etc) - likely something I'd let slide and ultimately wish I hadn't spent the money on...

Also, get a styptic pencil: https://www.amazon.com/Woltra-Styptic-Pencil-Small-0-25/dp/B000EGIEOE - it stings a bit when you cut yourself but almost immediately stops the bleeding. Unlike cuts/nicks with a multiblade razor, cuts with a safety razor or straight razor are actual "cuts" - and they bleed like cuts. Like, "blood trickling down your face" type cuts. They look worse than they are because you have water on your face and it thins the blood and it runs more, but it bleeds. This will stop that bleeding really fast at the expense of a little more pain right up front. I keep one handy.

I've turned several friends on to at least the safety razor. It's way more fun to shave that way, less expensive, and is better for your skin to boot. If you like a really close shave, too, you can get a better shave overall with a 3-pass technique (I don't do that, personally) as you get better. All sorts of options...

edit: mentioned the brush holder
edit2: styptic pencil

Liners: T-Outliner or Slimline Pro Li. Nothing else is even worth a look.

Adjustable: Wahl 5-Star Seniors (or Sterling -- same motor). Andis Masters. For cordless, the Wahl Magic Clip/Sterling.

Detachable blade: Oster 76 or Oster Model 10. For cordless, Andis Supra or Andis BRG

Shears: For just starting out, Equinox shears on Amazon. $15 and they're great. For much later, there are too many to name. All preference. Have to go somewhere and feel them out.

Straight blade: Same as shears. Any $10 cutthroat with decent reviews will suffice. All depends on if you like the snap lock blade holder (much better, IMO) than the slide in type. I like a natural handle (black or wood), but I've used this one for years (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0118BJ0PA?psc=1) and it's really good. The handle loosens over time, however, and gets annoying. But for $12, you can't really complain.

Good luck and have fun. I never touched a pair of clippers until September of last year. I'm not done with school and making excellent money. Don't let any distractors get in your way. Just focus and do work.

This is the exact thing I use. Take your time though, I lost a bit of skin my first few times. Find a video to help explain the proper angle against your skin. You'll thank yourself.

Exactly that. Get the bulk and a decent line with the clippers. Then, use the straight razor to get a real straight line.

[don't need anything fancy] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0118BJ0PA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_s_it/131-9355265-3438230?ie=UTF8&qid=1527027255&sr=1-1) just make sure you learn how to use it properly or you'll fuck your face up

If you want to invest time learning to sharpen one, and money in straight razors and good hones. Do it, I think you'd be looking at 100 dollars plus.

Personally I have a shavette, it's sharper than is physically possible to get a straight razor since the blade is thinner, also one with a pack of blades that will last you years just cleaning your cheek line is 13 dollars.

https://www.amazon.com/Equinox-Professional-Straight-Single-Blades/dp/B0118BJ0PA/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1494537095&sr=8-4&keywords=shavette

Agreed. I shave daily with a double edge safety razor and I use a straight razor around my mustache. I got it on Amazon for around $10 and it came with 100 blades. Works perfect.

Equinox Professional Straight Edge Razor with 100 Single Edge Derby Blades - Close Shaving Men's Manual Shaver Safety https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0118BJ0PA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_YdWtDb1VY57JD

Equinox Professional Barber Straight Edge Razor Safety with 100 Derby Blades - Close Shaving Men's Manual Shaver - Barber's Favorite https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0118BJ0PA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dVQZxbFMXEM3G

This is what you need. I use Henry cavendish soap with a brush to lather and it has worked wonders. I moved to the straight razor and it is a much better shave

Something like this. I would pair it with some sort of cutting mat as well.