Hello all, I've been reading this forum so much since I started my DE journey that I thought I ought to join.
I actually keep a short beard, but I use the DE to shave my neck and head. I'll share my limited experience as anyone who bases their purchases on Google research may wind up looking at a similar purchase.
Razor: I started with an Edwin Jagger DE89L (lined for a little extra grip). I have nothing to compare it to yet but have no complaints. It has a nice weight to it and I quickly adapted to letting the razor weight do the work rather than putting pressure down. I went a little overboard on ebay and have several vintage Gillettes on the way. I'm most excited for the Gillette Slim adjustable. I suspect a Super Speed (also in the mail) would make a better starter than the Edwin Jagger, and at 1/3 the cost. Hopefully someone else can weigh in on this.
Blades: the DE89 came with Derby-Extra blades, which I thought were truly turrible. I quickly dropped them in favor of Feathers, which I would recommend even for a newbie. I was hesitant to jump straight to using a blade regarded by most to be the sharpest on the market, but the nicks have been few and the irritation/burn has pretty much been non-existent. Next on my list to try are the Polsilver Super Iridiums, and perhaps some Gillette Silver Blues for when I'm wanting a milder shave (might be great for the head shaves).
Soaps: Col Conk's Bay Rum, Arko shave stick, and Taylor of Old Bond Street Coconut.
-Col Conk: Cheap, melts to fit the bowl, and lathers quickly. Maybe I haven't found the right lather consistency but I find this to be a so-so shave soap.
-Arko: I know this is one of those love it/hate it soaps. I for one love it. It's super slick, I actually like the smell (it feels classic to me), and being able to work up a great lather on my face is really convenient.
-TOBS Coconut: haven't used it enough to judge, but it smells heavenly. I'll probably use Arko as my daily but TOBS for a special event. It's a bit expensive (everything is when compared to Arko), but we all deserve a taste of the finer things once in awhile.
Aftershaves: Pinaud Bay Rum, Pinaud Classic Vanilla, Baxter of California Shave Balm.
-Pinauds: I love the Vanilla scent, but if I use Conk Bay Rum soap I match the scent in aftershave. This is alcohol based so it'll burn a smidge, but if you apply it with the grain you'll barely feel it. One time I put it on my head after a shave and thought I was going to die. For my head I usually use...
-Baxter of California: this stuff is great. I actually found it before I started wet shaving, and after I started head shaving. My scalp tends to dry out, and Baxter does a great job of moisturizing it so I don't get flakey skin later. It also delivers a cooling sensation that feels great after a shave, and is particularly kind to nicks and irritation.
Brushes: AoS mini badger and Omega Boar. I wouldn't bother with anything from Art of Shaving. For the price of the starter pack you can get better full-size products (Conk is 5 bucks, Arko is less). Boar brushes take longer to break in but you can get a high-loft Omega for 8 bucks.
Overall, I'm loving it so far, and I'm very thankful for the many in depth reviews from the experienced members on here. I hope my own little review helps some newbies. When "YMMV" shows up in every other post, you have to wonder if you're going to enjoy the same products as a 10-year veteran. In the case of Feathers at least, it seems the answer is "Yes, you will. Buy them already, and melt the Derby Extras down to create a spare shave bowl that you won't need because you can apply Arko directly."
Cheers,
SwiftSteele
Arko Brotherhood Initiate
I actually keep a short beard, but I use the DE to shave my neck and head. I'll share my limited experience as anyone who bases their purchases on Google research may wind up looking at a similar purchase.
Razor: I started with an Edwin Jagger DE89L (lined for a little extra grip). I have nothing to compare it to yet but have no complaints. It has a nice weight to it and I quickly adapted to letting the razor weight do the work rather than putting pressure down. I went a little overboard on ebay and have several vintage Gillettes on the way. I'm most excited for the Gillette Slim adjustable. I suspect a Super Speed (also in the mail) would make a better starter than the Edwin Jagger, and at 1/3 the cost. Hopefully someone else can weigh in on this.
Blades: the DE89 came with Derby-Extra blades, which I thought were truly turrible. I quickly dropped them in favor of Feathers, which I would recommend even for a newbie. I was hesitant to jump straight to using a blade regarded by most to be the sharpest on the market, but the nicks have been few and the irritation/burn has pretty much been non-existent. Next on my list to try are the Polsilver Super Iridiums, and perhaps some Gillette Silver Blues for when I'm wanting a milder shave (might be great for the head shaves).
Soaps: Col Conk's Bay Rum, Arko shave stick, and Taylor of Old Bond Street Coconut.
-Col Conk: Cheap, melts to fit the bowl, and lathers quickly. Maybe I haven't found the right lather consistency but I find this to be a so-so shave soap.
-Arko: I know this is one of those love it/hate it soaps. I for one love it. It's super slick, I actually like the smell (it feels classic to me), and being able to work up a great lather on my face is really convenient.
-TOBS Coconut: haven't used it enough to judge, but it smells heavenly. I'll probably use Arko as my daily but TOBS for a special event. It's a bit expensive (everything is when compared to Arko), but we all deserve a taste of the finer things once in awhile.
Aftershaves: Pinaud Bay Rum, Pinaud Classic Vanilla, Baxter of California Shave Balm.
-Pinauds: I love the Vanilla scent, but if I use Conk Bay Rum soap I match the scent in aftershave. This is alcohol based so it'll burn a smidge, but if you apply it with the grain you'll barely feel it. One time I put it on my head after a shave and thought I was going to die. For my head I usually use...
-Baxter of California: this stuff is great. I actually found it before I started wet shaving, and after I started head shaving. My scalp tends to dry out, and Baxter does a great job of moisturizing it so I don't get flakey skin later. It also delivers a cooling sensation that feels great after a shave, and is particularly kind to nicks and irritation.
Brushes: AoS mini badger and Omega Boar. I wouldn't bother with anything from Art of Shaving. For the price of the starter pack you can get better full-size products (Conk is 5 bucks, Arko is less). Boar brushes take longer to break in but you can get a high-loft Omega for 8 bucks.
Overall, I'm loving it so far, and I'm very thankful for the many in depth reviews from the experienced members on here. I hope my own little review helps some newbies. When "YMMV" shows up in every other post, you have to wonder if you're going to enjoy the same products as a 10-year veteran. In the case of Feathers at least, it seems the answer is "Yes, you will. Buy them already, and melt the Derby Extras down to create a spare shave bowl that you won't need because you can apply Arko directly."
Cheers,
SwiftSteele
Arko Brotherhood Initiate
SwiftSteele Check-in and Product Review
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