goodness me where to start?

T

toastie

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9
well im looking at starting with my first DE razor and was wondering if some nice person could help? this is what i am thinking of getting and am looking for advice please
the razor
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/merkur33c.html
or this im not sure what the difference is but these seem to be the 2 that crop up most often for a beginner or is there something more suitable? although this is out of stock
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/merkur34c.html

a sampler pack
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/popular.html

the brush just because i like the look of it
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/10275.html

the soap
have seen this recommended in a couple of different places and i assume i can use the bowl for my lather and put the soap back in once i have cleaned up
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/mitchellsbowl.html

i was going to order it all from the same site for ease and because the prices looked ok
so does this look like a good starter set? if not could you point me in the right direction please

many thanks in advance
 
The 34C is the heavier razor, and it depends on personal choice whether to use a light or heavy razor. A heavy razor only needs a light pressure when shaving, and this is due to the natural weight.

I recently ordered the standard blade sample pack from Connaught. Generally sample packs are a good way to find out what is suitable, but it is also worth trying out high street brands as well such as Wilkinson Sword Classic (available from Boots, Wilkinsons), Superdrug (these are Korean made Dorco 301), and Personna (Israel, available in ASDA).
 
thanks for the reply tim
so would the lighter one be a good start as i could control the pressure better applying more if needed as apposed to the heavy one bearing in mind i am a complete beginner? what about the rest of the kit?
 
I don't use shaving soaps as I get irritation from them so I use cream. Omega make good brushes, and I have the Syntex 96005 synthetic white bristle (albino badger effect). Boar bristle, which your brush is, is quite stiff to begin with but does 'break in' after a while, but can take a while to dry out though. It works well with soaps apparently. I have a Men U boar brush which has quite a bit of heft to it when lathering.

As for the bowl, it looks good, nice thick and heavy looking. I use a lidded ramekin pot. I soak the pot and lid in hot water, then use the upside lid as a shaving bowl while it is placed on top of the ramekin pot which is filled with hot water.

A lighter razor could tempt you to apply pressure, but then they are easier to control. But again it is down to personal preference. I prefer heavier razors as I like to feel something substantial in my hand, and I think heavier razors work better with heavier textured shaving cream. I did inadvertently have a light foamy texture a couple of days ago and it did not feel right at all - so bring it on thick!
 
Connaught's an excellent choice for quality and price. Before I buy I would read through the past topic sections and see what razors are the most popular and which ones are brought up over and over again. I'd say those are the ones best to start with.
 
I would recommend the HD 34, both are good starter choices.

Brush will be fine. Will need a week or so to break in - The bristle tips flag - split into two or three. This is a good thing and only happens with boar brushes.

Blades sampler - great idea.

I would leave the MWF for now & nip down to your local supermarket/chemist & buy a tube of Palmolive cream & a stick of Palmolice soap. Both very good products at a great price. You will soon be looking at buying other creams/soaps - trust me.

As suggested, do a bit of reading on here for technique, lather making.......

Enjoy the ride.
 
Hi
well its a matter of buy and try.
When you have 18 razors, 20 soaps and 30 or so blades to try you can REALLY make a choice!
I've had that brush, nice.
I have a merkur 1904, also nice (actually very good results). Also from Connought (good prices good service)
Palmolive in a tube from Wilkos is very good VFM as fozz says.
So dive in and enjoy!!
Cheers,
TB
 
Connaught are a gr8 firm with whom to deal, Paul is a member here on TSR & if you want any detailed advice or comments on items he stocks he's very helpful if you drop him an Email.
All the Merkurs are really sturdy examples of fine German engineering & whichever you decide to buy can always be sold or traded on if you decide to change in the future.
Really good advice to get the PalmOlive shaving stick as most of us find that it performs way above its weight for all it costs. It also works well for face lathering.
Apart from that ...................... just enjoy the next few weeks of taking your time & treating yourself to one of the most luxurious ways of pampering yourself which is still legal.

JohnnyO. \:icon_razz:
 
The 34C was my first razor, it's a great choice and one I use as a benchmark for others. I dare you to try and get ONLY one of everything. I am only into 3 months of DE shaving and I have 4 razors already. My other passion is EDT's but this is getting a lot more expensive than a few razors.
 
Welcome - some superb advice has been given so far - all I will add is watch the Youtube videos from mantic59 (Mark Herro) who is one of our American members. They got me into DE shaving almost exactly a year ago.
 
Having started just recently I'd suggest to start with an EJ or Muhle, rather than a Merkur, their heads are more forgiving. Edwin Jagger DE89 for example, you can pick from plain, through lined to ebony/ivory handles, and maybe even more. They are reasonable priced and well constructed.
Practically Muhles are identical to EJs so here's your razor.
As per the blades, go for the sampler pack then you'll find the best for you.
Brushes, well, it's really just the question of you budget but if you don't mind 30 GBP this is told to be awesome but this does the same job just as well.

Andybaldybilly said:
The 34C was my first razor, it's a great choice and one I use as a benchmark for others. I dare you to try and get ONLY one of everything. I am only into 3 months of DE shaving and I have 4 razors already. My other passion is EDT's but this is getting a lot more expensive than a few razors.
Click to expand...

mark his words! :icon_razz::icon_razz::icon_razz:
 
An EJ, Muhle, or 34C will be an excellent starter razor _ I had a 34c to start with.

Agree with Fozz, avoid MWF for now, some people do find it tricky to lather. Initially, you cannot go wrong with palmolive stick or cream. I would also recommend an alum block , just in case you get any cuts, weepers.
 
Muhle....DON'T be tempted by the R41 open comb to start with......Go for the R89 its far kinder....

Merkur or Edwin Jagger....both good razors

Vintage Gillette Tech....I just got one of these and its a beautiful mild razor..but still gives a close shave....
 
All above advice is good. There are also a few threads on here to get your name on a list if those trying a particularrazir or selection of blades for a week (for free ) before moving it on to the next person. This might be an option at some stage for you. There are also occasionally freebies on the forum - keep an eye out.

If there is a particular blade you want send me a PM and I'll send you out a couple for free or something similar if I don't have any
 
GOLDCREST said:
Muhle....DON'T be tempted by the R41 open comb to start with......Go for the R89 its far kinder....

Merkur or Edwin Jagger....both good razors

Vintage Gillette Tech....I just got one of these and its a beautiful mild razor..but still gives a close shave....
Click to expand...

I agree about the R41 to start, but once you get a bit of a experience, put a Feather in it for a great shave.
 
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