Question/s about head shaving from a relatively new wet shaver

[SpeedyPC]

Hello!

I am the guy who doesn't like the BBS-AS, rather would take the BBS-A or a Game Changer, or the DSCosmetic S9.

I don't headshave, but how the thread suddenly jumped onto the single edge AC blade razors, that suprised me.
I still haven't got a Hawk or Vector yet.

Grab the Vector @Morholt and you'll never be disappointed

 

[Gargravarr]

I'm waiting for someone to chime in saying a Wolfman WR-4 is a good idea.

I took myself off that list, finally saw sense for once. Bad marketing on Wolfman's part, they give you so much time to abandon the purchase. I cannot imagine it being better than (or even as good as) the Vector, still my grail razor.

 

[Morholt]

Grab the Vector @Morholt and you'll never be disappointed

I have already asked some fellow shavers about their Vector. It was on my mind already a while ago and was delayed by other razors and me realizing I don't have AC blades either. They are not quite as readily available.

What is your preference, SB or OC?

I will likely go for steel and polished, no polished titanium finish and the price was a shocker in any case.

 

[Ice09]

Rockwell 6S and the Game Changer .84-P OC see link below

Thanks. Still doing some research. I should have mentioned, I'm pretty tired a lot of days (due to health related issues), so this is a slow process right now.

We have the Rockwell 6S at the same price but with 5 extra assorted blades and two nylon washers.

Thanks a lot. I'm sort of trying to figure out if a double edge razor or a single edge is the best way to go for head shaving. I just got the razor Gargravarr sent me (Yaqi Raster), so I will see how that goes.

Hello!

I am the guy who doesn't like the BBS-AS, rather would take the BBS-A or a Game Changer, or the DSCosmetic S9.

I don't headshave, but how the thread suddenly jumped onto the single edge AC blade razors, that suprised me.
I still haven't got a Hawk or Vector yet.

Thanks for the welcome and also jumping in with your opinion. How would you say the BBS-A compares to the Game Changer .84P OC and the DSCosmetic S9. Would you still go with the latter two over the BBS-A?
Italian Barber are the ones that recommended the BBS AS to me, but if you don't like it, I think I'll take it off the list.

I'm waiting for someone to chime in saying a Wolfman WR-4 is a good idea.

I took myself off that list, finally saw sense for once. Bad marketing on Wolfman's part, they give you so much time to abandon the purchase. I cannot imagine it being better than (or even as good as) the Vector, still my grail razor.

What is the Wolfman WR-4? Is this a new razor?

I have already asked some fellow shavers about their Vector. It was on my mind already a while ago and was delayed by other razors and me realizing I don't have AC blades either. They are not quite as readily available.

What is your preference, SB or OC?

I will likely go for steel and polished, no polished titanium finish and the price was a shocker in any case.

Looks like that Vector really is legit. Any forum I go to, I've never heard anyone say anything but great stuff about it. I haven't looked at the price, though, so I may as well ask - What are we looking at price wise for it?

And where do you guys recommend buying AC blades from? Is there any stores in Australia that have them for decent prices, or should I be looking at ordering from overseas? Also, what AC blades for those of you that have used them, what do you recommend?

 

[Gargravarr]

What is the Wolfman WR-4? Is this a new razor?
...
Looks like that Vector really is legit. Any forum I go to, I've never heard anyone say anything but great stuff about it. I haven't looked at the price, though, so I may as well ask - What are we looking at price wise for it?

The Wolfman WR-4 is very new, I've read of prototypes that have been sent out for review, but haven't heard of them in the wild. It'll be eye-wateringly expensive, and you have to go on a wait list and beg, pretty please, with ice-cream and cherries on top.

The Vector starts at US$200 for the basic machined finish SS version (which is what I have). Very occasionally they turn up second-hand, but I think most people keep them.

 

[Ice09]

Hey guys, just wanted to revisit this. Had some issues with stuff going wrong (water leaking into lounge room overnight damaging/ruining carpet is one thing) and health issues.

What do you guys think of the new Game Changer 1.05? You think that would be too aggressive for head shaving? Also, how about one of their slant razors (L2, L3 etc.)?

I've also still been thinking of trying something like the DSCosmetics S9, but not sure if it would be too mild. Even though I still get nicks and cuts, I think my skin is a bit tough as I recall the doctor saying it was thick/tough when a nurse was trying to put a needle/line or whatever she was trying to do, but couldn't do it, so maybe that is why I'm having trouble getting DFS or BBS with only a few passes. So far, out of all the razors I've used, it takes me tons of passes just to get DFS.

I've also tried the Yaqi Raster for a decent amount of shaves now, and while I'd say it's better than the razors I was using beforehand (I like the AC blades for head shaves), it still takes tons of passes to get DFS or even anywhere close to BBS in certain areas. Good quality shaving soap/cream has made a big difference in getting less cuts/nicks, but still not ending up with a DFS/BBS without doing 6+ passes and taking 45-60 minutes per head shave (just too long). Would a more aggressive razor be what I should be looking at next?

Can anyone advise me on the best places to purchase Artist Club blades? Do we have any stores in AU that sell them, or do I need to look overseas?

 

[Gargravarr]

...
I've also tried the Yaqi Raster for a decent amount of shaves now, and while I'd say it's better than the razors I was using beforehand (I like the AC blades for head shaves), it still takes tons of passes to get DFS or even anywhere close to BBS in certain areas. Good quality shaving soap/cream has made a big difference in getting less cuts/nicks, but still not ending up with a DFS/BBS without doing 6+ passes and taking 45-60 minutes per head shave (just too long). Would a more aggressive razor be what I should be looking at next?

Can anyone advise me on the best places to purchase Artist Club blades? Do we have any stores in AU that sell them, or do I need to look overseas?

Are you doing any prep? It makes a difference even if it's only soaking with hot water in a flannel for a bit. My best suggestion would be to take a bit of time to see if a change of shaving angle helps.

You're on your own with the GC 1.05, but RR probably don't make any bad razors. The RR Lupo razors get a lot of love too.

You've asked about where to buy AC blades before, and the answer's still the same: sellers come and go, your best bet at the moment seems to be Connaught Shaving.

If you're worried that your razor just isn't aggressive enough, you could try a Mühle R41 with a Nacet, Gillette Yellow or BIC.

 

[Chad]

Often technique trump’s equipment. It takes a while to maintain angle, pressure etc with head shaving. People often try to use long sweeping strokes which is the opposite of what de shaving prefers. Just switching blades to a nacet/bic etc is enough to get that extra closeness.

 

[Ice09]

Are you doing any prep? It makes a difference even if it's only soaking with hot water in a flannel for a bit. My best suggestion would be to take a bit of time to see if a change of shaving angle helps.

I just usually wet my head with warm water for a few minutes while soaking the brush in warm water for a couple of minutes before putting a teaspoon of warm water in the shaving soap before loading the brush. I then pour the tiny bit of water from the shaving soap into the bowl and add a few drops of hot water to the shaving bowl and start lathering.

By the way, when I highlight text on this website, if I want to delete or edit something, I can't see the highlight. Is this a setting that needs to be changed somewhere? Anyone know?

You're on your own with the GC 1.05, but RR probably don't make any bad razors. The RR Lupo razors get a lot of love too.

Too aggressive you think? I'm not sure if it's a more aggressive razor I need, or something mild with a more aggressive/sharper razor. I've heard of the Lupo, I might have to look into that.

your best bet at the moment seems to be Connaught Shaving.

Yeah, as mentioned in my PM, I missed that bit. Thanks for telling me again. Prices are great, and I'll likely order from those guys.

If you're worried that your razor just isn't aggressive enough, you could try a Mühle R41 with a Nacet, Gillette Yellow or BIC.

I don't think I've tried any of those blades (maybe the Gillette Yellow - what name do these go by?). I will order the Nacets and BICs, though, as I've definitely never tried them. Are the BICs pretty sharp?
As for the Muhle R41, is this a good/cost effective aggressive razor to try to see if it's something more aggressive would suit me?

Often technique trump’s equipment. It takes a while to maintain angle, pressure etc with head shaving. People often try to use long sweeping strokes which is the opposite of what de shaving prefers. Just switching blades to a nacet/bic etc is enough to get that extra closeness.

I'm just not sure if my technique sucks. I don't think it does, but not really sure. I guess I will try the shorter strokes as that is what I used to do, then I sort of started taking longer ones. Another mention of the BIC blades. What are the characteristics of them? Are they know for sharpness, smoothness, or a bit of a mix between the two?

 

[Razor Burn]

I just usually wet my head with warm water for a few minutes while soaking the brush in warm water for a couple of minutes before putting a teaspoon of warm water in the shaving soap before loading the brush. I then pour the tiny bit of water from the shaving soap into the bowl and add a few drops of hot water to the shaving bowl and start lathering.

By the way, when I highlight text on this website, if I want to delete or edit something, I can't see the highlight. Is this a setting that needs to be changed somewhere? Anyone know?



Too aggressive you think? I'm not sure if it's a more aggressive razor I need, or something mild with a more aggressive/sharper razor. I've heard of the Lupo, I might have to look into that.



Yeah, as mentioned in my PM, I missed that bit. Thanks for telling me again. Prices are great, and I'll likely order from those guys.



I don't think I've tried any of those blades (maybe the Gillette Yellow - what name do these go by?). I will order the Nacets and BICs, though, as I've definitely never tried them. Are the BICs pretty sharp?
As for the Muhle R41, is this a good/cost effective aggressive razor to try to see if it's something more aggressive would suit me?



I'm just not sure if my technique sucks. I don't think it does, but not really sure. I guess I will try the shorter strokes as that is what I used to do, then I sort of started taking longer ones. Another mention of the BIC blades. What are the characteristics of them? Are they know for sharpness, smoothness, or a bit of a mix between the two?

I'll admit it took me a while to nail head shaving as I was chasing BBS and struggled with technique as its difficult getting the optimal angle especially the back as initially I was doing repetitive passes and ending up with nicks and blood letting. Practice makes perfect and ensuring you have slick lather as the noggin is less forgiving than the skin and if its too wet just load a bit more soap until it's just right.

I'd be more inclined pairing a more sharper blade with a mid-aggressive razor and the Gillette Yellow is a great choice as it pairs better with a wider range of razors and is still sharp and smooth, whereas Nacet is sharper yet can shave harsh is certain razors. BIC Chrome is a safe option as they're up there with Feather as super sharp and like wise give you a couple of cracking shaves but at a fraction of the cost so try them before rushing to add an extra 'aggressive' razor.

Don't fall into the trap of chasing razor's with high blade gaps as numbers are very deceiving and you need to also factor in blade exposure as what makes the R41 so 'aggressive' is the exposure so unless you want to fall into the rabbit hole I'd suggest trying some different blades with your current razors and work on technique as you'll be surprised what a blade can do to transform a dud shaver into a wonderful performer and many of us have gone back to using the entry level Merkur 34C or Edwin Jagger DE89 and pairing it with a sharper blade and getting smooth yet comfortable near BBS results that may only last half a day but more enjoyable than using the R41 that is for those days when you have a few days growth and patience not to cut yourself chasing BBS results.

Sadly AC blades are far and between from local merchants and your best bet is Connaught in the UK or searching the Japan market for Schick P30 Prolines that are more expensive than DE blades but that's another rabbit hole so YMMV. Keep us updated with how you go and feel free to PM if you want some sample blades as I have a few Nacet's, Yellow's, BIC's, Wizamet's if you're interested.

 

[Gargravarr]

I don't think I've tried any of those blades (maybe the Gillette Yellow - what name do these go by?). I will order the Nacets and BICs, though, as I've definitely never tried them. Are the BICs pretty sharp?
As for the Muhle R41, is this a good/cost effective aggressive razor to try to see if it's something more aggressive would suit me?

I'm just not sure if my technique sucks. I don't think it does, but not really sure. I guess I will try the shorter strokes as that is what I used to do, then I sort of started taking longer ones. Another mention of the BIC blades. What are the characteristics of them? Are they know for sharpness, smoothness, or a bit of a mix between the two?

Gillette SharpEdge Yellow. One of my top favourite blades, along with the German Wilkie and the Gillette Minora. These two latter blades in particular are plenty sharp and very smooth, and probably an excellent choice until you're assured of your technique.

The R41 is my yardstick for aggressive razors. There are some that are even more so, but R41 has a reputation for being a bit fierce. That said, I used one as my daily driver for about a year until I learnt better.

By that I mean it's better to spend plenty of time without changing too many factors, so you can be pretty sure you're doing everything right before you start experimenting. Just flitting from one razor or blade to another in the hope of hitting some magic combo is a recipe for an uncomfortable shaving rash.

 

[dangerman]

I shave my head 6 days a week typically and like to think I get bbs or close to bbs most of the time. Takes about 7 minutes in the shower with occasional touching up at the same sink.

But I have a dirt little secret that I’m going to share now. I like to think we can be honest here. Please be gentle…

That is a Gillett Blue 2 Plus Pivot. I haven’t had another disposable that’s worked so well. And the cream works for me. Other wise it just takes me too long.

Now I need to go into hiding I guess.

 

[Nanook]

I shave my head 6 days a week typically and like to think I get bbs or close to bbs most of the time. Takes about 7 minutes in the shower with occasional touching up at the same sink.

But I have a dirt little secret that I’m going to share now. I like to think we can be honest here. Please be gentle…

That is a Gillett Blue 2 Plus Pivot. I haven’t had another disposable that’s worked so well. And the cream works for me. Other wise it just takes me too long.

Now I need to go into hiding I guess.

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ice09]

I'll admit it took me a while to nail head shaving as I was chasing BBS and struggled with technique as its difficult getting the optimal angle especially the back as initially I was doing repetitive passes and ending up with nicks and blood letting. Practice makes perfect and ensuring you have slick lather as the noggin is less forgiving than the skin and if its too wet just load a bit more soap until it's just right.

I'd be happy with DFS if it only took 15-10 minutes or so. With the Leaf Thorn, I seem to be able to do a lot of "buffing" (I think that is what it's called) as it's not even CCS level if I don't. I think I have really course hair/stubble unfortunately.

I'd be more inclined pairing a more sharper blade with a mid-aggressive razor and the Gillette Yellow is a great choice as it pairs better with a wider range of razors and is still sharp and smooth, whereas Nacet is sharper yet can shave harsh is certain razors. BIC Chrome is a safe option as they're up there with Feather as super sharp and like wise give you a couple of cracking shaves but at a fraction of the cost so try them before rushing to add an extra 'aggressive' razor.

Yeah, I guess I need to try more blades in my current razors. Having said that, I want to buy a better DE razor as I think think the $20 Schick one I have is a good representation of DE razors, or does price not matter?

This is the one I have https://www.safetyrazors.com.au/products/schick-safety-razor-10-blades I didn't buy it from here, I bought it locally on sale at ALDI a while back to try a DE, but will say that safetyrazors is a great store with great customer service as I have ordered from them before.

Don't fall into the trap of chasing razor's with high blade gaps as numbers are very deceiving and you need to also factor in blade exposure as what makes the R41 so 'aggressive' is the exposure so unless you want to fall into the rabbit hole I'd suggest trying some different blades with your current razors and work on technique as you'll be surprised what a blade can do to transform a dud shaver into a wonderful performer and many of us have gone back to using the entry level Merkur 34C or Edwin Jagger DE89 and pairing it with a sharper blade and getting smooth yet comfortable near BBS results that may only last half a day but more enjoyable than using the R41 that is for those days when you have a few days growth and patience not to cut yourself chasing BBS results.

Right, so razors with high blades gaps don't mean as much? What is the different between blade gaps and exposure. I assume the blade gap is lower on the R41, but the exposure if what makes it aggressive?

Do you think trying an Edwin Jagger DE89 is worth doing over putting better blades in the Schick DE razor I have/linked to above?

I've also starting to learn, chasing BBS is so easy to get caught up in, but like you said, it's pretty much gone 12 hours later, so I am trying to learn not go that far anymore. I guess since I am using more mild razors, it's easier to chase as I'm not getting that deterred with cuts and nicks, but shorter time and DFS or close to BBS is what I'm looking to try to do now. I'm also only now shaving 2-3 days a week. so not getting as much irritation between shaves. If I was shaving 4 to 5 days a week like I want to, I am guessing going for BBS would really start causing irritation.

Sadly AC blades are far and between from local merchants and your best bet is Connaught in the UK or searching the Japan market for Schick P30 Prolines that are more expensive than DE blades but that's another rabbit hole so YMMV. Keep us updated with how you go and feel free to PM if you want some sample blades as I have a few Nacet's, Yellow's, BIC's, Wizamet's if you're interested.

Yeah, Gargravarr mentioned Connaught in the UK (thanks for also telling me), but I haven't ordered from them yet. I sort of stopped using the razor (Yaqi Raster) due to running out of sample blades, and am not sure if that razor is worth spending the money on the AC blades for as I went back to the Leaf Thorn about a month or so ago. I might take you up of the offer to try some of those other blades out. I've been trying to place an order at Vshod (I was sort of set to try and place an order couple of weeks ago), so I could have bought those blades from there, but for whatever reason, I'm not receiving any replies to the emails I've sent as far back as 30th of October (I did have email issues at the start of November with my ISP, but I think they are resolved now as other emails seem to be sent and received OK), so not sure what is going on there. Not sure if Samson is away or busy or what as I asked some questions on offers he gave me a while back that I wanted to take up.

Are the Wizamet's the same as SuperIridium? If so, I've tried them, but they didn't give me a great shave and caused me some nicks/irritation. The BICs sound like a nice blade. I would say pretty much that the Parker Platinum are my current favorites out of the ones I've tried as they seem to be a good balance between sharpness and also being mild/comfortable. The sample Schick blades I got with Schick DE razor were actually the ones that gave me the closest BBS shave, but I couldn't find them for sale anywhere. Can you actually buy them?

Gillette SharpEdge Yellow. One of my top favourite blades, along with the German Wilkie and the Gillette Minora. These two latter blades in particular are plenty sharp and very smooth, and probably an excellent choice until you're assured of your technique.

I haven't tried any of these. I don't think I've tried the SharpEdge yellows, can't remember as I got a few/various samples when I bought some shaving cream, soap, razors (Leaf) from Safetyrazors early last year when I started wet shaving.

The R41 is my yardstick for aggressive razors. There are some that are even more so, but R41 has a reputation for being a bit fierce. That said, I used one as my daily driver for about a year until I learnt better.

Darn, how did that go using it every day? Too much irritation?

By that I mean it's better to spend plenty of time without changing too many factors, so you can be pretty sure you're doing everything right before you start experimenting. Just flitting from one razor or blade to another in the hope of hitting some magic combo is a recipe for an uncomfortable shaving rash.

Right, so are you saying to also stick with the same blade for a while, not just the razor itself?

That is a Gillett Blue 2 Plus Pivot. I haven’t had another disposable that’s worked so well. And the cream works for me. Other wise it just takes me too long.

Now I need to go into hiding I guess.

I was actually thinking of trying the Gillette Skin Guard razor someone mentioned to me a while back (not sure where to buy them). At this point, willing to try anything for a quicker, closer shave.

I shave my head 6 days a week typically and like to think I get bbs or close to bbs most of the time. Takes about 7 minutes in the shower with occasional touching up at the same sink.

But I have a dirt little secret that I’m going to share now. I like to think we can be honest here. Please be gentle…

That's pretty impressive. I think I've given up on BBS as I've learned it really does seem easy to get caught up in that. As mentioned, I was thinking of trying the Skin Guard razor out, but would have never thought of trying something like what you're using.

As for the shaving cream, that is exactly what I used to use when I was face shaving with the Gillette Fusion type of disposable razors. Never thought of even trying that with a head shave.

 

[rbscebu]

@Ice09, I'm wondering why you what a fast shave. Don't you enjoy shaving?

 

[Ice09]

@Ice09, I'm wondering why you what a fast shave. Don't you enjoy shaving?

Hi, Thanks for the reply. It's taking me 45-60 minutes to get DFS/BBS head shave. I don't have the time or energy (I've got health issues I've been trying to fix for a while now and fatigue is one of the symptoms) to take that long each time I do it.

 

[Ice09]

I should have also said, on my days off from work, I have no problem taking my time as I do enjoy it (I always make sure one of my shave days are on one of my days off). It just days were I have to work, don't have the time to take that long.
It was a good question, as I definitely do enjoy it when I have the time.