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

Sentiment score: 31
Reddit mentions: 30

We found 30 Reddit mentions of Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving: Shaving Made Enjoyable. Here are the top ones.

Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving: Shaving Made Enjoyable
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Found 30 comments on Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving: Shaving Made Enjoyable:

u/Leisureguy · 92 pointsr/wicked_edge

Here are the basic advantages:

CARE OF SKIN - DE shaving, using lather, a good razor and blade, and good technique, is much kinder to your skin that the 5-blade, tug-and-cut scraping action of a Fusion. More details on request, but many guys have commented on how much their skin/acne/ingrowns have improved since making the switch.

QUALITY OF SHAVE - This will probably not be new information, but advertisements often do not provide reliable information. (Note the obvious conflict of interest, for example.) Quite frequently, guys who have made the switch find that their shaves are much better, an observation reinforced by the comments from significant other, children, and/or grandchildren that their face is not so scratchy as it used to be.

COST OF SHAVE - My blades cost 9¢ each and last a week. For $4.50, I get a year's worth of shaves. How much do you spend on Fusion cartridges in a year? Shaving soap and cream are also much less expensive than canned foam, besides being better, more fragrant, and more pleasurable.

QUALITY OF LIFE - DE shaving improves one's quality of life. Specifically:

Environmental benefits - These are obvious: much less landfill fodder and many fewer noxious chemicals involved in traditional shaving.

Personal benefits - This was the clincher for me: shaving went from a tedious, boring, hateful chore to a real pleasure, something I look forward to each morning and truly enjoy. It makes a significant psychological difference to begin the day with taking care of yourself while doing something you enjoy rather than hurrying through something you hate.

FWIW, I wrote a comprehensive introduction to DE shaving that answers these and many other questions. You can get much of the same info on the Internet (but not all, I believe), but the book provides an organized and consistent introduction and discusses the many choices and tradeoffs in equipment, supplies, and techniques. Check out the reader reviews to see whether you think it would help you.

The doubled edged safety razor in general costs substantially less than a staight razor. Indeed, the Silvertone razor is less than $3 and gives quite a good shave. (Check out this sub-$50 beginner kit for some specific recommendations). Of course, with a DE razor you have to buy blades (read this post on blades---they're not wh¢at you expect), but blades are cheap. I mainly use a brand that cost 9¢ per blade, which lasts about a week: around $4.50/year for the blades.

The problems with multiblade cartridges:

a. Expensive, so guys try to stretch their life, which means a lot of time they're shaving with a dull set of blades.

b. Effort: even if the blades are sharp, it requires some force to push (say) 5 blades through the stubble: cutting 5 blades' worth of stubble at a time means you encounter a lot of resistance. When cutting with a single blade, you find MUCH less resistance. (To minimize resistance the most, one would use a slant-bar razor, but I would recommend that as a second razor, once your technique is good.)

c. Pressure: when you're putting that much effort into cutting, you tend to press the cartridge against the skin, scraping away. That's why so many guys believe that they have "sensitive skin". Most of them don't: they have damaged skin. (Of course, some guys really do have sensitive skin, sometimes to the point of requiring medical intervention. But for most, the issue is damage rather than sensitivity.)

Take a look at my guide for more information and detail, if you think the read reviews warrant it. And when you start, avoid the four most common mistakes cartridge shavers make when switching to a DE razor.

Hope this helps.

u/Papander · 18 pointsr/wicked_edge

Don't know what that soap is, and if it will work as an shaving soap. The brush looks to be a used boar brush, kind of beat up, but perhaps it's still usable. Below are some information links:

In general Mantic59 and Geofatboy have good videos on youtube. There is also a book written by Leisureguy, it is available in all amazon sites.

u/jbisinla · 7 pointsr/wicked_edge

There is nothing wrong with the Sodial / Silver Tone / etc. razors that go for $5 or less online.

Many folks find that they're pretty good shavers, as most of them are based on the Gillette Tech, which is a classic mild razor design.

For more money, you get better quality finish, and generally a little more heft, and you may/may not get a better shave.

Unfortunately, unless you step up to a stainless razor, you're not likely to get additional durability, and if you have a tendency to drop things, you may find it easier to shrug off a broken $5 razor than a broken $35 razor.

I'd hang on to the razor you've got until you know where it's inadequacies are, and what razor will better meet your needs.

Canned goo gets a bad rap on this board, but it's used by millions, so it must have something going for it.

I would try a brush and a good shaving soap and learn how to build a nice thick creamy lather, as you may find your face feels better when using that.

The FAQ on the side bar may have some good info for you, but the short version is:

Use a good blade (buy a blade sampler if you haven't already).

Use a good soap and brush and learn how to make lather.

Learn how to map the grain of your beard (which way your whiskers grown on any given part of your face)

Learn the 3 pass shave (Shave with the grain (WTG), rinse and relather, shave across the grain (XTG), rinse and relather, and if you're not prone to ingrown hairs, shave against the grain (ATG), and after that, your face should be pretty smooth.)

/u/leisureguy wrote the book on Gourmet Shaving, so if you need more info, that might be worth picking up. Or just ask us more specific questions.

Good luck!

u/RaggedClaws · 7 pointsr/shaving

Assume that everything you know about shaving is wrong and start over. Here is one way to solve it; that book will have everything you need to know and was written by fellow Redditor /u/leisureguy

Here are some basics:

  • Map the direction your whiskers grow in the different areas of your face - this is called the "grain".

  • Think of shaving as "beard reduction"; gradually removing whiskers as opposed to taking it all off in one pass. Three passes with one blade instead of one pass with three blades.

  • Shave after your shower when your face is clean and hydrated; no drying just step out and start lathering

  • Get a proper shave cream, nothing canned; brush-less creams good, brush and lathering cream better (the brushing lifts the hairs and surrounds them in lather)

  • Get a single cutting edge blade; Bic Metal, Bic Sensitive, or Gillette Guard - no "lift and cut" multi blades which are bad for your skin and a total rip off in price.

  • Add an alum block to your routine; dirt cheap and lasts for ages. Alum is an astringent with antiseptic and styptic qualities.

  • Consider a pre-shave treatment or pre-shave oil

    This is what you're aiming for: out of shower, lather face, shave one pass in the direction of growth of your whiskers ie with-the-grain (use short strokes to make sure you stay with it), re-lather, shave second pass at 90 degrees to the growth ie across-the-grain, re-lather, shave third pass opposite direction of growth ie against-the-grain, rinse, glide alum block over wet face, leave for one minute, rinse, pat dry with clean towel, apply after shave balm.

    Shave with-the-grain only at first, it won't be close but stay with it until you can do it without irritation. Then, when you are comfortable, add the across-the-grain pass. Stick with that until you are comfortable and then try the against-the-grain. If against-the-grain gives you irritation (it does for many, especially with curly hair) then try a third pass across-the-grain in the opposite direction of the first. I suggest you do not attempt a multi-pass shave with multi-blade razor.

    These are the techniques associated with old-school wet shaving and double edge safety and straight razors. To learn more or to try a double edge razor (requires additional technique re pressure and angle) instead of the disposables, visit the forum/wiki at /r/Wet_Shavers listed here in the sidebar.
u/Greyzer · 6 pointsr/wicked_edge

Here's an excellent guide written by /u/Leisureguy

u/TheHandleBar · 5 pointsr/wicked_edge

That, and he literally wrote the book on "Gourmet Shaving".
http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1477436804

u/justateburrito · 5 pointsr/wicked_edge

/u/Leisureguy literally wrote the beginners guide and it sounds like what you're looking for.

You'll also want to check out Mantic59 on youtube, he has great instructional videos.

u/arbarnes · 4 pointsr/wicked_edge

If you use proper technique, a good DE razor with a sharp blade is not going to glide right over whiskers. It won't remove them completely on the first pass, but it should reduce them substantially. In order to get a good shave, though, you're going to require multiple passes. First you shave with the grain, then across the grain, then against the grain.

Spend some time in the FAQs on the sidebar, browsing this subreddit, watching videos (I like mantic59's Youtube channel), and/or reading books such as this one. If you decide to try DE shaving again, the folks here are more than happy to provide helpful tips.

u/dsac · 4 pointsr/LifeProTips

for you LPT'ers that don't know, this guy knows his shaving.

u/jacobedenfield · 4 pointsr/wicked_edge

Here's a link to purchase it on Amazon. There's also a Kindle edition.

u/DTDTD · 4 pointsr/wicked_edge

Here's my suggestion.

Get a slant head razor.

Use Feather blades. They're the sharpest you can get.

Stop using canned shave cream, get a real shaving soap and a decent brush.

Also get some Mr GLO soap and use it before you shave. Lather it onto your beard and let it soak in for two and a half minutes, then rinse and apply your lather. This makes your beard as soft as it's gonna get.

Shave with the grain, re-lather, shave across the grain, re-lather, shave against the grain.

Read this book and go to this website.

Hope this helps.

u/NoHelmet · 4 pointsr/Wet_Shavers

Graham's Guide isn't bad

Obviously this is the gold standard, but it's more of a follow up text to someone who's decided to fully take the leap.

Aside from that... Pull them into the bathroom with you and show them.

u/[deleted] · 3 pointsr/wicked_edge

You need to do most of the leg work for learning the basics. Just read a lot of the threads on here, check the wiki like medra said, search through badger & blade's wiki as well. This is the most consolidated guide there is on wetshaving. It's written for saftey razors, but most of the material is applicable to straights as well.

u/DjKronas · 3 pointsr/wicked_edge

Read Leisureguys book, some great tips on the do's and don'ts in it

u/grimbrotherv · 3 pointsr/everymanshouldknow

It also depends on if your face can handle going against the grain or not. Personally, my face hates me when I go against the grain. But as with all things shaving, your mileage may vary. Like Numl0k says, head over to /r/wicked_edge and they can answer pretty much every noob question you have.

edit:
I felt like i should also plug leisureguys book as well. Its full of helpful information and I recommend it to anyone who shaves.
Leisureguys Guide to Gourmet Shaving
http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1477436804

u/LinearSimcon · 3 pointsr/wicked_edge

Wait, you already know that you need everything? That could be quite the expensive venture...

Checking the sidebar should net you a few kit suggestions, all depending on how much you're willing to spend.

When it comes to technique and more about shaving, there's always Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving, Other sources, but perhaps you should read slightly more about the subject before even deciding on buying it.

Wet shaving is nice, but if your current way works and you're happy about it... There isn't necessarily anything wrong with it.

You could watch Mantic59 introduction to wetshaving, should be plenty of other videos by Mantic59 that will provide a good and solid introduction for you :).

u/boostdd · 3 pointsr/wicked_edge

One thing you will learn quickly is that the Wet Shaving community is full of fantastic people. Dont hesitate to ask questions here and /r/Wet_Shavers. Also check out /r/shaveoftheday for product and photo ideas.

Here's some more info on the products I suggested...

TOBS Jermyn Street shaving cream is a modern fern scent, everyone tends to love and I still use it from time to time. It's very easy to lather and provides great performance. I quickly fell in love with it and purchased the matching aftershave (not cheap).

Clubman Pinaud might not be the perfect match for Jermyn street but it's the quintessential classic barbershop scent. I immediately was taken back to my childhood when I would go with my father to get a hair cut at the local barbershop. It's some damn good stuff, plus it's cheap as dirt. You can purchase it from your local Sally's Beautiful Supply store for about the same price, they also have the bigger bottle for just a couple bucks more.

Brushes can be a tricky subject. There are several grades of badger hairs, silvertip generally being the best. A good silvertip brush generally will cost you $60-100 and upwards (I once owned a $330 silvertip brush). Whipped Dog is doing gods work by offering you a no-fills best bang for the buck brush that will last you a very long time.

Other options are boar brushes, one of the more popular brushes which is my personally favorite boar is the Semogue 830, which is $24.

Synthetic brush are really gaining popularity these days, before they were mainly for the animal lovers but now they're really kicking ass as far as performance goes. I think the most popular is the L'Occitane Plisson brush. The prices on these were just slashed in half so it's a great buy for sure. The only downside is that eventually the knot will come apart from the handle but it's an easy fix. It's super duper soft and creates a love lather. I have two of these brushes but I also just got a Muhle 35K 256 (in the photo) and I'm seriously blown away by this brush.

/u/Leisureguy has a great book on wet shaving. I highly recommend it!

u/baileysinashoe · 2 pointsr/wicked_edge

Nice kit! I recommend starting with the Astras or the Gillettes. Also, grab this book; it's helped me enormously and the author is a frequent contributor here.

u/PsychoI3oy · 2 pointsr/howto

a little of column A, a little of column B

http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1477436804

I haven't read the book but I've read enough copypasta from the guy to get the gist of it.

u/chiseledface · 2 pointsr/wicked_edge

Book - $11

Razor - $28

Brush - $7

Aftershave - $6

Soap - $7

Blades - $13 /100

Alum - $6

Box - $8


That is the setup OP has except a generally more popular aftershave scent, a different brush, and a block of alum that I find a little easier to use.

This is about $75 per person.

Edit: Personally I would probably go with /u/papander 's suggestion of Maggards. It is not what OP did, but Maggard's is a top notch retailer with really good product. For even less hassle just grab as many starter kits as you like, and add aftershave from walmart. You can't go wrong with any selection on the drop down lists as Maggards does not sell junk.

u/lostnprocrastination · 2 pointsr/wicked_edge

Like /u/Willin2learn said, the info is all there. It can be quite daunting jumping into this stuff. I came here a year ago and literally scoured the sidebar and YouTube videos until I figured what was for me. Don't get me wrong, it is a lot of information, but if you just take your time, you can do it. I managed to get a lot of really, really nice stuff right off the bat based on the information already here.... A vintage Fatboy, soaps from Sterling and B&M, a Thater brush, a badass stand from /u/whiskeyrow, a Dirty Bird Pottery shave bowl, etc. etc. So... if I can do it, you can do it :)

To start skimming through some of your questions.... I see you are having issues with technique and lather to start off with. Honestly, nobody can help you here unless you invite us to your place... Just take your time and practice, check out some YouTube videos and just practice building lathers. Load up a nice bit of soap on a brush and lather and lather and lather and add water and add water and add water until is just fucking breaks down. THEN you will see when your particular cream, soap, or croap breaks down, just don't be lazy and keep an open mind. Hell, when I started you know what I'd do? I'd take a puck of something "harder" to lather, something like Wool Fat, and I'd hit the jacuzzi or the tub and I'd just chill sitting back soaking with a drink, and I'd just build lather after lather after lather. Not to give you a lowball here, but this seems like laziness, we can't teach you how to lather, you need to put in the time.

If your cream is hardening on your face, needs water and proper lather (See above).

Your post shave is fine, I don't like alcohol based post shave stuff, my real go-to is dirty cheap stuff from Thayers. I also use some other stuff, mostly Castle Forbes Lime a/s. I have a recipe for a CF Lime clone if you want it, I got it from /u/leisureguy and it's good stuff. You may also want to pick up his book.

List of items you need... this is basic shit man, haha. Razor, Brush, Soap, Water, willingness to learn and do your own due diligence. I can't hold hands.

Step by step guide..... dude, they are all around, put in some work. Hit up the sidebar again or YouTube

That's enough typing for me, I've been on the slopes snowboarding all day and I need to relax, grab a shower and a beer.... you have this. Happy New Years.

u/RawbHaze · 2 pointsr/wicked_edge

Allow me to pimp his book for him as it's full of good info. I first read it cover-to-cover and now use it for quick referencing.


Available on Amazon

u/Kilsimiv · 2 pointsr/wicked_edge

This will help you put what you need to into words

u/mmosh · 2 pointsr/wicked_edge

Someone asked this same question a week or so ago. I was unable to find anything in a poster form. You can get Leisureguy's Book "Guide to Gourmet Shaving".

There's also this infographic I was able to find, but it's not really a how-to guide. I should sit down and make one with the collected knowledge of this sub.

u/OFJehuty · 2 pointsr/wicked_edge

For reading, there is a book by LeisureGuy. If reading a book doesn't suit you, and you're looking outside of the sub, there are lots of places, google will help with that. I would watch some Youtube videos.

If you're looking for something like a straight razor but cheaper, I would say grab a Parker Shavette. They take 1/2 of a double-edged razor blade, so you wont have to worry about the normal maintenance of an actual straight razor (also if you ever get a DE razor you only have to get one kind of blade). Its funny you mention your neckline, because I own a shavette and I got it specifically for my neckline. Much easier to see where Im cutting.

For creams and soaps...There are so many, its all personal taste. I personally lean toward hard soaps, but I own lots of soft soaps, and a couple creams. Ill throw some stuff out that I like. Barrister & Mann makes some of the best soap around. The owners also come on this sub, which is nice. Arko is cheap and awesome, some people dont like the scent, because it smells like soap. Mitchell's Wool Fat is excellent, and has a pretty big following. Also smells of soap, but a very soft scent. RazoRock is also an amazing soap. I specifically recommend the Moroccan Secret because the smell is divine. Here is the wiki link for the Artisan soap makers.

You'll need a brush. Im not comfortable recommending any specifically because the best brush I have is a relatively cheap badger brush, but I see people recommend Whipped Dog a lot, so he must do some fine work.

Im pretty low-tier when it comes to overall knowledge on this stuff, but Im sure you'll get someone in here who is very knowledgeable (most people on here seem to be) and will be able to help you more.