Reddit mentions of Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving - Fifth Edition: Shaving Made Enjoyable

The one-word answer is "practice," but more helpfully: Do you prep well: shave after showering, wash your beard at the sink with a good pre-shave soap, and take your time lathering, paying close attention to your neck. You want the stubble fully softened.

Then shave with a blade that's good for you. (See this post for more blade information.) Focus on keeping the leading edge of the cap, just behind the blade's cutting edge, in contact with the skin, but not pressing the skin hard enough to indent it: just touching the skin. Let the guard go where it will---just ignore it. (Some try to get a good blade angle by making sure the guard is always touching their skin and thus often get too steep a blade angle.) The guard will be there if it's needed, so you don't have to think about it.

For now shave only with the grain, rinse, relather, and shave across the grain. It's important to know the direction of your beard's grain, obviously; this interactive diagram will help.

After the final rinse, glide the alum block over your wet beard and let it sit while you clean up and put stuff away, then rinse, dry, and apply aftershave.

You can find much more detail in my introductory guide; the reader reviews will let you decide whether you think it would help you.

I use one of the methods listed in LeisureGuy's Book - specifically the metal can method.

I took a can of condensed milk, and used a church key to poke two triangle-shaped holes in the lid. I used those to drain and then rinse the can out. I then took my dremel and cut a slit in the side of the can about the width of a DE blade.

I like this method for a few reasons:

• It is not easily opened
  
• It is metal, just like the blades for ease of recycling
  
• It holds a crapton of blades
  
• It is cheap
  
• I got a block of fudge out of it (my wife used the condensed milk)

My $.02 (For ease of use everything is linked to Amazon, prices will vary)

Razor: Merkur 180, $32

Brush: Escali 100% Pure Badger, $14

Shaving Cream: Proraso, $11

Blades: Sampler Pack, $20

And then that leaves ~$20 to play with to buy a a nice book on shaving, or a shaving stand, or some aftershave

From the right-hand side sidebar ----->>>

• OFFICIAL 2011 Holiday kit recommendation $50 and less - Double edge.
  
• OFFICIAL 2011 Holiday kit recommendation $100 - Double edge
  
• OFFICIAL 2011 Holiday kit recommendation $200 cap - Double edge
  
  If you've not seen, take a look at these couple of posts from cathartica:
  
  
• The Cheapest Kit Components that are Still Good. Compiled from an earlier post.
  
• Unofficial Wicked_Edge "DO NOT BUY" list.
  
  Also if you've not seen, take a look at this post: Recommendations for a birthday gift?
  
  Below is taken from that same post (edited to read more "general")...
  
  For what it's worth, listed below is my suggested "DE Starter Kit" (links to vendors are only there to help you see the item mentioned, not a recommendation of the vendor one-way or the other):
  
  
• Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving - Fifth Edition: Shaving Made Enjoyable
  
• Pre-shave soap:
  
  • Get Ready! 5 Pre-Shave Soaps That Really Work
    
  • Surprisingly good pre-shave soap, $1.89 at Whole Foods
    
  • Help keep overall cost down, pick up one of the following bars of soap, easy to pick up at local shops:
    
    • Clearly Natural - Glycerine (Unscented)
      
    • Dr. Bronner - Baby Mild (Unscented)
      
    • Neutrogena Facial Cleansing (Fragrance Free)
      
    • Whole Foods 365 Vegetable Glycerine (Unscented)
      
• Shaving brush:
  
  • Omega 11047 Mixed Badger/Boar Loft - Mighty Midget
    
  • Omega 40033 Boar - Mighty Midget
    
  • Omega 50068 Boar - Bambino
    
  • Vie-Long - 12705 Horse Hair
    
  • If budget allows:
    
    • Frank Shaving - Badger Hair
      
    • Lijun Shaving - Badger Hair
      
    • Simpsons Wee Scot - Best Badger
      
    • Vie-Long - 13061 Horse Hair
      
• Edwin Jagger DE8... razor (or MÜHLE equivalents)
  
• 4 to 6 packs of blades, each pack a different brand, or a "small to mid" sample pack - you really need 2 blades (minimum) of each type to carryout a fair test... eg
  
  • The Wise Fools DE Sampler Pack (6 brands/36 blades)
    
  • The Elite Eight Sampler (8 Brands/45 blades)
    
  • BullGoose MVP Blade Sample Pack 40 Blades
    
• Shaving cream or soap:
  
  • J.M. Fraser's Original Shaving Cream
    
  • Arko Shave Stick
    
  • Figaro Shave Soap
    
  • Palmolive Classic Shave Stick
    
  • Speick Shave Stick
    
  • Or pick up a handful of cream and soap samples from Garry's Sample Shop
    
• Post-shave:
  
  • My Nik Is Sealed or Pacific Shaving Company Nick Stick
    
  • Alum Block
    
  • Help keep overall cost down, pick up a bottle of Nivea for Men Sensitive Post Shave Balm (alcohol free) or Thayers Witch Hazel (alcohol free), both are "relatively" cheap, easy to pick up at a local shop, and receive their fair share of positive recommendations here on Wicked_Edge. On the other hand, if you wish to try something a little different, go here and look at some alternatives, again easy to pick up at local shops.
    
    Except for an Alum block and (maybe) "Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving..." book I would argue everything else listed is essential for someone starting out in DE wetshaving (if they wish to have the best possible experience with the least amount of kit). That said:
    
    
• I'd recommend anyone at least try an Alum block. I wouldn't be without one now...
  
• I believe a strong case could be made for the book to be considered essential for someone starting out, as it helps clear up a lot! of questions, misconceptions people can have about DE wetshaving.
  
  Keep in mind there are cheaper, but still recognised good pieces of DE kit available eg If money is tight, consider swapping out the Edwin Jagger razor for the cheaper Lord L6 razor.
  
  With the above "DE Starter Kit" I've tired my best to present (very) good quality products that fall within/under "reasonable" prices.
  
  Good luck, and I hope the above helps a little...
  
  Edit: Fixed formatting.

FYI, your link is broken.

What's on your list of shaving supplies(brand names help)? Razor, blades, brush, soaps, creams

I am no expert on any of this but I'm happy to share what works for me. Here's my process for a wet shave. It takes me anywhere between 8-15 min:

• Shower, soak brush
  
  
• After shower wash face with MRGLO
  
  
• Put pre-shave cream on face and neck then apply a hot wet towel on my face and neck, leave on for 1-3 min. OR Whip up lather, put first layer of lather on face, then cover face and neck with hot towel, leave on for 1-3 min.
  
  
• Wipe off face, then apply lather
  
  
• Shave using short strokes WTG(with the grain), making sure to only shave over places with lather.
  
  
• Re-lather, shave using short strokes XTG(across the grain), making sure to only shave over places with lather.
  
  
• Re-lather, shave using short strokes ATG(against the grain), making sure to only shave over places with lather. OR shave using short strokes XTG(across the grain), making sure to only shave over places with lather. Some places on your face and neck just won't like ATG shaves. It's better to look presentable with a little stubble than to have red bumps of hell fire(in-grown hairs, hamburger neck, irritations) on your face and neck.
  
  
• Rinse off face and neck with cool water then apply an alum block. After the alum has dried completely rinse off with cold water.
  
  
• Apply post-shave products like witch hazel, aftershave, creams or oils.
  
  Things to think about: Get a blade sampler pack - you'll experience a different shave with different brands. Find one you like and stick with it. Study the direction of hair growth on your face and neck. Become confident with it so when you're shaving you know when you're shaving WTG, XTG or ATG. There's no need to press the razor against the skin, let the weight of the razor do the work. Locking the wrist will help. Pick up Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving for a convenient reference in the home.
  
  Learn by watching videos on youtube by mantic59, here's his Ten Minute Traditional Wet Shave and of course betelgeux a.k.a theshockwav's videos, here's his Shaving soap - a brief look.
  
  If you have questions or concerns /r/wicked_edge is here to help. Shave well, sir.

You should buy this book. It is not expensive and answers all of your questions.

Does it offend you if I tell you I bought your book and it's my current bathroom reading material? I figure it's a good place since that's where I will be putting all that knowledge to use. I've been wetshaving for a few years now but as you put it in the opening chapters I just go by what I picked up here and there and never sat down and really read a nice, condensed, edited source. If it helps I will probably be buying a few more for Christmas gifts this year!

[shameless plug for Leisureguy's book, r/wicked_edge is referenced in it!]

Blade sampler packs are available from:

• BullGoose Shaving Supplies (in the US)
• Connaught Shaving (in the UK)
• Details for Men (in the US)
• Em’s Place (in the US)
• Fendrihan (in Canada)
• Italian Barber (in Canada)
• Kinetic Blue (in Australia)
• Razor Blades & More (in the US)
• Royal Shave (in the US)
• Shave Nation (in the US)
• Shave Shed (in Australia)
• Shaving.ie (in Ireland)
• Shoebox Shaveshop (in the US)
• Traditional Shaving Supplies (in Ireland)
• West Coast Shaving (in the US)
• Via Amazon.com
• Via eBay.com

Variety is the key here 2-5 of each with at least 10 different brands. And buy this book

Read this and consider buying this book.

You can use your cartridge blade just fine to start wetshaving. It's probably easier because you don't have to learn and research about DEs or straights along with wetshaving all at once.

Mantic59's Videos are very good for starting. Wetshaving seems to be more about softening the beard and using soaps and techniques that don't harm your face quite so much as traditional gels and "pushing" on your razor.

All you really need to start is a brush and soap. A bowl can be handy to learn how to lather as well. The Van Der Hagen's Premium set (at a lot of Walmarts and Walgreens) works fairly well, although I would probably get a better brush as those are hit-or-miss. Transitioning to a safety razor or straight edge (think Sweeney Todd) is a bit more difficult (and expensive in the short term, cheaper long-term) since you need to learn new techniques. I'm still learning how to use a DE and it's like learning how to shave all over again (at 26).

This book by Leisureguy is a great reference tool for techniques, products and most other questions you might have. There are tons of threads here about which soaps, brushes, blades and razors are well-liked.

Let the community here know if you have any other questions, I've found them to be pretty awesome and supportive.

$50 kits we put together and $100 kits. These are not definitive, but are to give you an idea of what to look for.

I've not dealt directly with Art of Shaving but this community does not suffer fools and I've never heard them in a bad light. Their prices are a little high but not bad. And if you don't need to pay shipping that's an equalizer.

Assuming that he hasn't beaten me to the punch - Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving - Shaving Made Enjoyable is a great guide.

And of course Mantic59 aka Shave Tutor has a huge assortment of how to videos available for free.

There's also /r/wicked_edge itself and it's madman founder. I'm a straight razor primary shaver but I try to make some general videos as well as the oddball stuff.
Brut isn't a problem in my opinion, if it works for him - great.

As for an easy lathering, that's practice more than anything else.

> is the effort of learning the process not worth a gift?

This is a concern, but there are some things you can do about it.

1. Right after the gift, make sure he watches some of Mantic59's videos.
   
   
2. Include Leisureguy's book.
   
   
3. Huge variety in the blade sampler.
   
   
   Is he having problems with his current shaving routine?

I highly recommend getting a copy of Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving, it's awesome and basically the bible of wet shaving, and he also is a big time Redditor as well so if you ask questions there's a big chance you'll get it answered by him. Here's a link!

Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving - Fifth Edition: Shaving Made Enjoyable
Only about $10 on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1463595344/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=sr_1_1&qid=1316787624&sr=8-1


Excellent book that is a fun read. This forum is honored to have him as an expert contributor. I feel anyone starting should have it.

I'm not showering praise since he is a contributor. Long before wicked edge has been here, I have purchased and lent many copies, over the years.

Posted a list I'd gathered(Mostly from stalking Leisureguy!) a few weeks back, kept a copy of it saved locally and have been updating it as I go. Here's what I have so far!

First off, of course, Leisureguy's book

http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1463595344 - Leisureguy's "complete beginner's guide to traditional wetshaving"

Special mentions

http://sampleshop.blogspot.com/ - Garry's Sample Shop. Order small samples for cheap, MANY products to choose from! Try it before you buy a full tub/tube/bottle/box of something!

WTB/WTS/WTT

http://www.reddit.com/r/Shave_Bazaar/

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forumdisplay.php/11-Shaving-Mall-Buy-Sell-Trade

http://razorandstone.com/Phopost/pp-classifieds42/

http://straightrazorplace.com/classifieds/

General shops

http://www.whippeddog.com/ - The Sight Unseen deal is one of the cheapest ways to get a shave-ready SR

http://connaughtshaving.com/ - Has some great samples!

http://razoremporium.com/ - Also offers razor replating in all of the common finishes

http://www.westcoastshaving.com/

http://www.italianbarber.com/ - Run by Reddit's very own ItalianBarber

http://www.amazon.com/

http://www.ebay.com/

http://www.etsy.com/ Mainly soaps and aftershaves, although you can sometimes find a vintage razor.

http://www.starshaving.com/

http://www.fendrihan.com/

http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/

http://shoeboxshaveshop.com/

http://giftsandcare.com/

http://www.detailsformen.com/

http://emsplace.com/

http://www.kineticblue.com.au/

http://www.leesrazors.com/

http://www.razorbladesandmore.com/

http://www.razorsdirect.com/

http://www.royalshave.com/

http://shavenation.com/

http://www.theshaveshed.com.au/ - AU only?

http://www.shaving.ie/

http://www.straightrazordesigns.com/

http://www.traditionalshaving.com/

http://www.shaveplace.com/

http://www.truefittandhill.com/

http://www.truefittandhill.co.uk/

http://www.shaving-soap.net/

http://shop.bestshave.net/

http://vintagebladesllc.com/

http://theshaveden.com/store/

http://www.qedusa.com/

http://mamabearssoaps.com/

http://kellsoriginal.com/

http://alsshaving.com/

http://www.therazorshop.com/

http://shave-shack.com.au/

http://www.mensbiz.com.au

http://shavetools.com/

http://www.nashvilleknifeshop.com/

http://pureman.com.au/

Brushes

Frank Shaving

Lijun Shaving

Soaps

http://www.scottishfinesoaps.com/

http://queencharlottesoaps.com/

http://www.honeybeesoaps.net/catalog.php/HoneybeeSoaps/ct22125/Shaving_Soap

Aftershave

http://www.captainschoicestore.com/ - Only offers Captain's Choice Bay Rum

http://www.thayers.com/ - Witch Hazel

Miscellaneous

General info about anything face-care related, run by our very own mantic59

Differences between straights and DE blades

Cleaning a DE

Distilled water shave. Try it if your lather sucks

The cheapest kit components that are actually good

The Wilkinson is a real bargain and actually quite good (and a good choice for a beginner). Bruce Everiss had it reviewed here

http://www.bruceonshaving.com/2010/12/03/wilkinson-sword-classic-de-razor/

Palmolive soap is an even better bargain, as it is not only cheap, but one of the best shaving soaps there is. Not a luxury product, but a really good soap that easily gives very fine lather.

Of course: You won't have any luck without a brush. Boar will do nicely.

More information:

http://www.bruceonshaving.com/2010/12/09/a-beginners-guide-to-traditional-shaving-kit/

Or, of course, in THE book:

http://www.amazon.de/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Edition/dp/1463595344/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337906403&sr=8-1

Get Leisureguy's book and read it before you go buying anything. http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1463595344

Here is my recommendation:

Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89 $29.60 I have this and love it.

Blades:This sampler pack $25.00. The reason for a sampler is one of the main tenents of Wicked_Edge- YMMV(you mileage may vary), the blades that come with the razor may not be the right ones for you, blades treat everyone differently, what works for me might not work for you. A sampler gives you a bunch of blades to test to find what one is right for your face.

Soap:TOBS Sandalwood and bowl I also have this and love it. $20.00

Brush:This Omega boar $16.00

All of this comes out to $90.00 which should come to $100 shipped(hopefully).

I would also recommend you buy the following if you are able:

Alum block $9.50 This is an after shave treatment, you rub it on your wet face it is a mild antibacterial and closes your pores, helps keep ingrowns and pimples down.

Styptic pencil/rollerball $4.95 I have this one and it does fine. This is for when you nick your face, you rub it on the nick and it stops the bleeding very fast.

And Leisureguy's book $12.95 This is a guide to wet shaving wit ha DE razor, it has a wealth of information and will help you immensely.

Well, he did write the book on the subject

Mainly it's the design of the head of the razor. When you start researching DE razors you will, most likely, come across people describing them in terms of aggressiveness.

Different razors hold the blade differently by angling and exposing the blade in their own ways. From what I hear, the DE89 is very mild in terms of aggressiveness and is very forgiving to novices who are learning proper blade angle when learning. This is in comparison to say a Slant Bar razor which, with improper technique, will cut you without hesitation.

Also, keep in mind that DE shaving is very personalized and what works for one, may not work for another. Blade choice is an obvious example, with DE razors you can choose from many many different makes of razor blades. Some will work for you and some won't; even further, some will work for a particular razor and some won't. It is always recommended to purchase a sample pack of blades with your first razor.

Please check out this book Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving. The author is a redditor and he regularly comments and gives advice on r/wicked_edge. Also, check out Mantic59's youtube channel. He's made introduction videos on wet shaving and often contributes to r/wicked_edge too.

Good luck.

An excellent resource for you as a beginner would be Leisureguy's book -- this has a ton of great material, and is a part of the beginner kit I include in gifts.

The proraso in cream and soap you have in step 1 & 2 serve the same purpose. They're redundant, If you want to try the difference between soaps and creams I would suggest starting with just one for now, then venture into different options that can be sampled at places like Garry's Sample Shop. I'm going to have to throw a vote out there for the EJ, it's just a very smooth razor to use. The "what do I need X" for thread you would like is mostly answered in the Wiki FAQ to the right of the page, you just need to read through the info but it has most of the answers. As far as witch hazel, I just switched from the drugs store stuff to a bottle of Thayers lavender...the smell alone made it worth it, but if you need to save someone, start out with a bottle of drug store brand stuff, it helps sooth your face after the shave. You should also pick up Leisureguy's book, it will answer those questions plus help you with technique, and even different kinds of razors and brushes once you get to the point you want to experiment. Enjoy.

Edit: someone else's post reminded me. check out Mantic59 on youtube, his videos helped me a lot when I got started. Reading how to do something vs. actually watching how to do something are completely different.

The pre shave cream you use your hands to rub into your beard. A little bit goes a long way, so I personally just touch my fingertip to it and rub it into my beard a section at a time.

As far as the shave cream goes... it depends. Shave creams aren't lathered in the bowl they come in (as far as I know. Never seen anyone do it that way.) Some people like to put the cream on their brush, and build the lather on their face. Personally, I like putting the shave cream into a separate mug and building the lather there before putting on my face. Some people even like rubbing the shave cream into their beard before they start lathering.

Shave soaps are similar. You can rub the soap on your face and build the lather there. You can build the lather in the mug the soap is in. You can load the brush with soap and build the lather in another mug. You can even build the lather on your hand if you feel like it.

You need to experiment and see what works best for you. One term you'll see bandied about here is YMMV. It stands for your milage may vary. What works for me doesn't mean it will work for you. It might, but it might not.

A couple of things I recommend. If you haven't already picked up a blade sampler pack, do so. Not all blades are created equally, and everyone has different blades that they prefer over others. Again, YMMV. Watch some of Mantic59's videos. He's around here sometimes and has a lot of information to share. And lastly, pick up Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving. I can't begin to tell you the number of times I've referenced it since I picked up this habit. He's also around here giving out advice. And second lastly, welcome :)

I recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1463595344/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323907422&sr=8-1

Awesome! Watch out for those Feather blades. They're some super sharp mofos.

A couple of recommendations for those new to classical wet shaving:

Watch these videos. At least watch the introduction and basic "how to" ones. Other guys here like betelgeux and psywiped have some very good videos as well. Simply look through their submissions.

A lot of guys have found this book very helpful. Leisureguy is also a frequent contributer here, and is a wealth of knowledge.

If you can, make of video of your first shave for us. It'll be a great tool to maybe point of how you can make your shave even better.

Good luck!

Merkur 23c

H.I.S. Brush

Proraso

Blade Sampler

Book

$96.97

Styptic pencil for $1 from grocery store shaving area and bowl from the kitchen. gtg

So much better. I switched to a safety razor a few months ago and I'm never going back. I get a much closer shave with way less irritation. It takes more time and concentration than cartridge razors, but it's just so much better. I've always enjoyed a good shave, but now I look forward to it. I've actually converted my roommates this past month as well

The blades themselves are incredibly cheap as well. My old proglide would cost me about $4.00 a razor, but these blades cost around $0.09-$0.40 each when you buy them in bulk. Using them also substantially reduces the waste your shaving creates.

The best way I ever heard it explained to me was this: the basic principle behind cartridge razors is that the pressure is distributed across the multiple blades to reduce irritation. But the first blade takes most of the lather, so you end up dragging four more dry blades across your face. This leads to more irritation and an overall lower quality shave.

Here's a decent article that goes into more detail about it. You should also check out the sidebar, particularly the FAQ. Once you decide to make the plunge (and by god, you better) you should check out youtuber mantic59's instructional videos. Fellow redditor and wetshaving extraordinaire Leisureguy also wrote a book on the subject that you can get on Amazon.

• [Leisureguy's Book] (http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1463595344/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344266111&sr=8-1&keywords=leisureguy%27s+guide+to+gourmet+shaving)
  
• [blade sampler] (http://www.amazon.com/FEATHER-Oclock-BLUEBIRD-Blade-Sampler/dp/B007OL72B8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344266194&sr=8-1&keywords=blade+sampler)
  
• [proraso pre shave] (http://www.amazon.com/Proraso-Shave-Eucalyptus-Menthol-Formulation/dp/B0082BYLS6/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1344266245&sr=1-1&keywords=proraso+pre+shave)
  
• [proraso shaving cream] (http://www.amazon.com/Proraso-Shaving-Eucalyptus-Menthol-Formulation/dp/B00837ZOI0/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1344266303&sr=1-1&keywords=proraso)
  
• [vdh starter] (http://www.amazon.com/Van-Der-Hagen-Premium-Shave/dp/B001A3HPT0/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1344266347&sr=1-1&keywords=van+der+hagen)
  

Leisureguy is humble. This is his book on Amazon.

I recently switched from an electric as well. I recommend buying Leisureguy's book and watching Mantic59's videos.

As for equipment to start with, what's your budget? There are some good holiday gift threads over on the sidebar for various budgets, and I'm sure if you let people know what you want to spend to get started, you'll get plenty of suggestions.