WTT : Double Edge blades

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akg7091

Forerunner
I was wondering if there is any wet shaving enthusiast on the forums. I recently got 100 Derby and 75 Astra platinum DE blades and want to trade with someone who has any of the following :

Iridium
Swedes
Merkurs
Feather ( 1.5 : 1 trade ratio as feathers are expensive )
Kai
Personna Red

I will be posting pics of the blade packing when I reach home this saturday, but I request the mods to not lock this thread as the value of items is really really small and it is meant only to find someone with shared interest.
Not really interested in a sale, only a trade
 
Looking forward to your pics but sorry to say i dont have any that you may be interested in.

My latest acquisition is a Edwin Jagger best badger brush.
 
^^ How much did the brush cost you. Does a brush really make that much of a difference ? I am asking because I have always used just my fingers to create lather directly on my face.
 
akg7091 said:
^^ How much did the brush cost you.
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$40 from here. Recommended as VFM on the shaving boards for a badger brush which can go upto as high as ten times that amount.

akg7091 said:
Does a brush really make that much of a difference ?
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Depends what you compare it with..

Let's go with the std Rs.50 Gillette synthetic brush you get here. The EJ is 40 times more.

It makes a very thick lather, by thick i mean consistancy rather than quantity because there are at least 3-5 times more bristles in it than the $1 gillette. More bristles means it holds more water and it makes a better lather.

Note that it isn't necessarily faster than the humble gillette, it just makes it thicker. The idea is to create a cushion between yourself & the blade, it does not need to be inches thick, it just needs to give a good enough cushion when compressed under a blade.

Does it make a difference, i would like to think so. It feels nice :)

akg7091 said:
I am asking because I have always used just my fingers to create lather directly on my face.
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I find that curious, can you explain some more ?

How do you work up a lather with just your fingers that too directly on your face cos when i used to do it this way all i ended up doing was smearing the cream evenly over my face with not much lather at all. I'm assuming you are using a shaving cream out of a tube rather than some brushless gel.

Nag1010 said:
A brush is little use with foam but makes a big difference otherwise (gel, cream or cake).
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Are you aware of any other brands of shaving soap (or cake) other than Godrej here ?
 
There are certainly cheap brushes that can do a good job, the problem is over here there isn't much choice when it comes to brushes, they all avg out at about Rs.50-100 which is in the $1-2 range. Have you seen more expensive shaving brushes than that over here, because i've not ?

There are synthetics that go for ten times that much that will do a much better job.

As for doing the same thing, the simple answer is no. The companies that make these products typically english ones have been in the business for cpl hundred of years now.
 
I am using nivea's canned gel which is super smooth. Much better than any cream or gel i have used in my life.
 
akg7091 said:
I am using nivea's canned gel which is super smooth. Much better than any cream or gel i have used in my life.
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Heh, thats a brushless gel isn't it. Of course you don't need a brush :P

Oh and the smooth (actually slippery) is because they use artifical lubricants. If you want to have the same with your normal shaving creams just stick a little glycerin based lubricant in it.

So how many choices of brushless gel do you have then ? 2 - 3
Shaving foams ? 2 - 4

DIY + brush ? 13+ with domestic and five times more if you go with foreign stuff.

So you can see which option gives the better variety. The variety here being mostly in terms of fragrances (more natural smelling than chemical like) and richer ingredients.
 
Is there any good branded razor available locally.I'm tired of the duplicate Gillette vectors available in the market so much so that I've considered going old school and get on of them razors which saloon guys use.
 
Arun1 said:
I'm tired of the duplicate Gillette vectors available in the market so much so..
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They are not duplicates they are just very cheaply made in China. The idea is to hook you to the idea of multiple blade razors but not so you stick with it but think if 2 blades is good maybe 3 or more is better ;)

Arun1 said:
that I've considered going old school and get on of them razors which saloon guys use.
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A very bad idea at the moment given there is very little forgiveness with a cutthroat blade compared to the vector you are using. Talk about going from a two-wheeler with training wheels to a unicycle (!).

It would be better to become competent with a DE razor first, you can get just as good a shave with it, after all the blades used by the barbers in their shavettes are the same.

Arun1 said:
Is there any good branded razor available locally.
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Try a DE, gilette 7 o'clock. Think the razor+blade goes for Rs.70+

Slightly different technique with it, apply very little pressure unlike pressing down with the vector.

Otherwise talk to your dad & uncles, (older the better) for some tips & pointers.
 
[OT]
Just a little heads up for those planning to make the jump.

I jumped onto the DE bandwagon recently... and its been a relief.

I've used the Gillette Sensor Excel, Gillette Mach3, Gillette Mach3 Turbo, Gillette Fusion; in that order since I started shaving. None of these has ever given me as comfortable a shave as my new DE does. While I could manage a super close shave with them, the multiple blades running on my cheeks/neck played havoc with my skin. I always used to get rashes a day or two after shaving. So much so that I used to shave very infrequently, once in a week or two.

Since I started using my DE, I now average a shave every 2-3 days and have pretty much stopped getting rashes on my skin.

My basic beginner setup:
Merkur HD Razor
Omega Pro Boar Brush
Persona Red, Derby, Merkur & Astra Blades
TOBS Avocado Cream.

While the entry cost is a little high for getting into DE shaving, the price to stick around is super low since the only major expense in the future is going to be blades (We aren't talking about upgrades here :P). In comparison, Gillette mints money on its blades and turns out to be super expensive in the long run.

I was a little apprehensive initially about butchering my face. It hasn't been all that bad though. While I still manage a few nicks and cuts, it isn't something disfiguring.
[OT]

If anyone is looking to get a brush+cream & ditch gel/foam, Godrej Shaving Creams are very highly regarded, even internationally.

@OP, The Merkur blades are actually pretty bad. Atleast from personal experience. My razor came with a couple and they tarnish/get dulled very easily within 2-3 shaves. In comparison, my Persona's and Astra's usually last for 4-5 shaves.

Also, to those looking to buy any equipment, ebay is a super resource with a lot of sellers shipping internationally.
 
Someone told me that shaving cream later causes the greenish skin of the shaved area.. (saw some gore indians with green skin too)

Is it so??

Also, I did used Gillette Shaving foam earlier... felt like excessive leather..
 
akg7091 said:
I am using nivea's canned gel which is super smooth. Much better than any cream or gel i have used in my life.
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One of the best shaving gels I've seen is Edge Shaving Gel. It produces very good lather as compared to the Gilette shaving gels that I've tried.

You won't get in your regular supermarkets though. In Blore' there are small shops that stock imported goods along Brigade road, Commercial street Arihant plaza etc. where you can get it.

I've given up on the Gilette gels. I find the foams better. Have bought 3 cans of Gilette lime, menthol and regular shaving foam (the ones with the flat lid that cost Rs 120/- or so and NOT the curved lid ones which are too expensive for me) and I find them very nice. Pity that you don't get these anywhere these days except for the regular which I see in some store now and then.

I want to try the Nivea gel that you've mentioned. Any specific variant that I need to look out for?
 
stalker said:
None of these has ever given me as comfortable a shave as my new DE does. While I could manage a super close shave with them, the multiple blades running on my cheeks/neck played havoc with my skin. I always used to get rashes a day or two after shaving. So much so that I used to shave very infrequently, once in a week or two.

Since I started using my DE, I now average a shave every 2-3 days and have pretty much stopped getting rashes on my skin.
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This is a very common reason given by ppl to switch to DE shaving. Personally i had no probs with the multi-blade systems at all, its just that i accidentally tried out a DE and was surprised at how close the shave was. The surprise being how could one blade be enough after being conditioned into thinking the norm was always 2, 3 or more.

stalker said:
My basic beginner setup:
Merkur HD Razor
Omega Pro Boar Brush
Persona Red, Derby, Merkur & Astra Blades
TOBS Avocado Cream.
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Boar brushes have their adherents and do a good job, they are much cheaper than badger ones.

stalker said:
@OP, The Merkur blades are actually pretty bad. Atleast from personal experience. My razor came with a couple and they tarnish/get dulled very easily within 2-3 shaves. In comparison, my Persona's and Astra's usually last for 4-5 shaves.
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Given you're in the US have you had a chance to try out the Pakistani 'Treet' blades. I hear they are pretty good but since they are carbon steel instead of stainless that they need to be left either in spirit or oil to keep moisture out or they will rust.

Other thing is i notice you're not so much into feathers.

stalker said:
Also, to those looking to buy any equipment, ebay is a super resource with a lot of sellers shipping internationally.
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Good source to pick up second hand razors that can be sterilised for use. The old razors were built to last for generations. I prefer the older gillette TTO with the silo doors, so much easier to use than twisting the top off as with the merkurs.

When are you getting into adjustables ?
 
My Feathers and Russian 7 O'Clocks are going no where. :P

Bought a sampler package which had Derby blades in them, didn't like them too much.
 
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