Shaving

[Ken B]

We don't have a shaving thread, so I thought I'd start one.

[Gurn Blanston]

I've been through everything on the list (including straight razor, which my grandfather started me on when I was 16), never really been happy. The banana really sucked!   Now, I use one that isn't on the list, at least not as such. I joined Harry's Shave Club (like Dollar Shave Club but different source for the blades) about 2 years ago. I am relatively satisfied, my beard is death on blades and these are cheap enough that if I only get 2 or 3 shaves out of one it doesn't hurt as bad as it did when I just got that from Gillette or Schick which cost 5X more.

I was fairly happy for the 30 or so years I had a full beard, but when that became stylish, it had to go.

[Sergeant Rock]

Haven't shaved since I retired from the Army 25 years ago. I keep the fur under control with scissors.

Sarge

[Ken B]

I've been through everything on the list (including straight razor, which my grandfather started me on when I was 16), never really been happy. The banana really sucked!   Now, I use one that isn't on the list, at least not as such. I joined Harry's Shave Club (like Dollar Shave Club but different source for the blades) about 2 years ago. I am relatively satisfied, my beard is death on blades and these are cheap enough that if I only get 2 or 3 shaves out of one it doesn't hurt as bad as it did when I just got that from Gillette or Schick which cost 5X more.

I was fairly happy for the 30 or so years I had a full beard, but when that became stylish, it had to go.

Yeah. I have had a beard for about 40 years, except for two brief moments when I shaved it off, once due to accidental trimming forgetting to put the guard on. It was very unusual way back when but is as you say depressingly fashionable now. However I console myself that I am the trendsetter! One day most of them will be old, fat, and bald, thus proving me right.

For neck and scalp I use a double edge. Much better than electrics with a beard, and vastly cheaper than disposables. Cooler too! 

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Electric hands down. No hassle, no mess, no cuts, low cost (~40 per year for new cutter block and foil). I bought a Braun (~$80) ten years ago, and it has worked flawlessly ever since. As far as the environment, the amount of electricity is negligible, and I more than compensate for my lifestyle by choosing to be child free!!      . My friend with two kids is a self-proclaimed environmentalist and we both loathe SUVs, but I told her that I could drive a different SUX 6000 SUV every day of the week and still not harm the environment as much as even one of her snowflakes in their $5000/mo Montessori pre-schools!. 

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Where's the wax option?

[Autumn Leaves]

I've had a beard for a few years now and can't remember the last time I had a "clean" shave with a razor.
I have one of those electric home hair-cutting appliances and use it to trim the beard when it gets too unruly:



^More or less what I use .

[vandermolen]

The sand-paper was ineffective and left a scratchy sensation so I now use a straight razor with disposable blades. Was ordered to shave my beard and moustache off years ago.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

The sand-paper was ineffective and left a scratchy sensation so I now use a straight razor with disposable blades. Was ordered to shave my beard and moustache off years ago.

I guess your avatar picture is a little out of date then?

[NikF]

Double edge blades. The scars on my face make some parts a little tricky. And I have a chin dimple that needs negotiated, but it also serves to slow things down like a speed bump on the road.

Over the years I think I've only gone without a shave a couple of times. This is because my grandfather had cancer and the last time I saw him alive was during the visiting hours one evening at the hospital. I left him and my grandmother to talk alone for the last ten minutes or so and when they finished he was plugging in his ancient electric shaver. He looked up and waved at me and started to shave. When we got outside I could see him through a window, mirror in one hand, shaver in the other as he was just finishing his shave. The next day we were told he'd died during the early hours of the morning. If he was able to shave every day then I can too.

Once every three weeks I use electric clippers to shave my head. It leaves the length of the hair almost like a five o'clock shadow - changed days indeed since my younger years, when every Friday afternoon in anticipation for the weekend I'd have it trimmed by a hairdresser we worked with.

Sometimes my ex used to watch silently, all serious little face and cat eyes as I shaved. Occasionally she'd ask "Can I shave you?" and then pout at my usual refusal. The compromise was her settling for climbing into the shower with me and allowing her to using a pumice stone to shave away the callouses on my hands. As she did this I'd sometimes sing 'I loves you, Porgy'. ( )

TL;DR, double edged blades, shaving soap and brush, no preshave or aftershave. Styptic pencil only as a last resort.

e: and no whining when using the styptic pencil.

[Jo498]

double edge since ca. 2004. Before that I used disposables like sensor excel or whatnot but I found them too expensive, became confused because there were always "slightly improved" new types of blades. I have about three holders/handles from that time because out of confusion I bought wrong blades or hoped that the new/different ones would be better. Old fashioned double edge is superior in every way for me. Especially the "bouncy" ones were crap for me; a ridiculous idea if you ask me. Also the double/triple blades are bad if one shaves only 2-3 times a week because longer hairs get trapped in between the blades.

Even earlier as a teenager until my early 20s I used electric but this was probably not a good one inherited from some uncle (my father wore a beard) and did not like it. I never wanted to spend the money to find out how good more recent electric shavers are.
(My beard is an odd mix of coarse and finer hairs and the electric shavers I tried never did well with the combination and usually left me with a poor shave AND irritated skin whereas even with a bad wet shave I usually manage to get only one of both.
I am also in principle against doing something with a power tool that can be done as good or better with a tool that does not need electricity.

I'd try "Schick injector" or a similar system because they apparently are even easier than double edged blades but they are not common anymore so I cannot be bothered to acquire the tools.

I'd love to try a straight razor (and I own one) but I have a) poor eyesight but don't want to wear glasses when shaving, b) am not that great with my hands, so both the actual shaving process as well as stropping, honing and general razor care would be daunting for me.
(Accidently I yesterday watched a youtube vid "Nick shaves" where a guy is shaving a month's growth with a straight razor and it is really a superior instrument in that it can both perform a standard daily shave but also literally "take off a beard". And supposedly barbers also use it for haircuts - but it is probably not an accident that until safety razors were invented many men did not shave themselves if they could afford it.)

[Karl Henning]

Oh, I was thinking . . .

[Ken B]

I've had a beard for a few years now and can't remember the last time I had a "clean" shave with a razor.
I have one of those electric home hair-cutting appliances and use it to trim the beard when it gets too unruly:



^More or less what I use .

I have that exact set. But it doesn't help with the skull part much! Or the neck.

I am surprised to see DE in the lead. I guess I shouldn't be; GMGers are a cool bunch. 

[Florestan]

Electric since 1998. Never ever looked back to blades, never ever had a beard or a moustache, never ever seriously considered growing one.

[Ken B]

Electric since 1998. Never ever looked back to blades, never ever had a beard or a moustache, never ever seriously considered growing one.

Wise; Romanians should not be around sharp blades.

[Autumn Leaves]

I have that exact set. But it doesn't help with the skull part much! Or the neck.

I use the tool, without a foil for trimming the hair on my neck - the stubble left by the hair-trimmer is the equivalent of a couple of days growth so I just leave it like that (I was always cutting myself when I used to clean shave my neck line) .

[vandermolen]

I guess your avatar picture is a little out of date then?

[Draško]

I just noticed that my current shaving kit is perfectly multi-kulti. That's Czech razor, Russian blades, Italian brush, Romanian shaving cream and Serbian after shave! 

[Ken B]

I just noticed that my current shaving kit is perfectly multi-kulti. That's Czech razor, Russian blades, Italian brush, Romanian shaving cream and Serbian after shave! 

Sputnik is a nice blade. Most of the Gillette blades are made in Russia, in St Pete's. I like the Silver Blue. The Polsilver is made in the same factory.

[Draško]

Sputnik is a nice blade. Most of the Gillette blades are made in Russia, in St Pete's. I like the Silver Blue. The Polsilver is made in the same factory.

It is. Polsilver is superb, my favorite blade. Can't find it locally lately though.