[LFF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephonovich Actually, yeah, I've been thinking about getting one after reading the rave reviews. Get paid this Friday... hmm... Oh, quick question: what do you guys use for aftershave? Currently I use a Gillette something or other. Aloe, menthol, and some other stuff. Feels pretty good. No alcohol, anyway.

Get one - you won't regret it. As for aftershave, use something with very little or no alcohol. No alcohol is prefered. I suggest you use moisturizing cream. It leaves your skin hydrated and very smooth. Nivea or Ponds works very nice. It may sound gay but the ladies I have been with have never said anything negative about my shaving.

After you apply the cream then you can put a squirt of your favorite aftershave lotion on. I always put it around, not on, the parts I have shaved. Make an outline of your shaving area. This will prevent that burning sensation as well as leaving your skin smelling nice and keep it from drying out.

 

[LFF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephonovich Meh. We have soap and brush. Not enough lather. Feels good, and looks cool, but no lubrication. I like canned. Unless there's some super stuff I'm unaware of.

What soap are you using? Is your brush at least a pure bristle brush?

 

[Born2bwire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFF Well, after waiting about 2.5 weeks I finally got this through the mail:

Man, I love the look of the Futur.

I finally got my gear yesterday. You know what surprises me, how tiny the razor is. I am so used to the long handles of the cartridge razors that the size of the Merkur Progress took me aback. I saw the tiny box that it came in and thought, "What is this? Some assembly required?" I need to get back into the swing of shaving with a blade (been using an electric the past few months to reduce irritation) and get some technique down before I pass judgement on the razor. But I am a little dissapointed with the Taylor's cream. It feels like it's just drying out my face and has a not too pleasant burning sensation upon application. I wonder if this has to do with the "reformulations" that SMF posters have been complaining about.

 

[Stephonovich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFF What soap are you using? Is your brush at least a pure bristle brush?

No idea. Bought from a local soap company; Appalachian Soaps. Natural something or other; looks to have maybe bits of oatmeal in it. (I love oatmeal soap) The brush is indeed real bristle, I can tell that much.

 

[LFF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Born2bwire But I am a little dissapointed with the Taylor's cream. It feels like it's just drying out my face and has a not too pleasant burning sensation upon application. I wonder if this has to do with the "reformulations" that SMF posters have been complaining about.

Try using this cream:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...=UTF8&v=glance

A tiny bit goes a very long way. It feels cool when you put it on and the fragrance is not strong and very pleasant. I got two compliments today from classmates (girls) telling me that I smelled good today. I didn't even use my lotion or cologne.

 

[LFF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephonovich No idea. Bought from a local soap company; Appalachian Soaps. Natural something or other; looks to have maybe bits of oatmeal in it. (I love oatmeal soap) The brush is indeed real bristle, I can tell that much.

Cool. Your brush seems good. Look at the cream I posted above. You can also find a soap called Burmuda Shave or something like that (comes in a little red box and costs about $1.25) at your local supermarket. Like the cream above, a little will go a long way. I have been using Burmuda Shave for a while and it provides a frictionless shave even with a Mach 3. I would still get a little razor burn but not as much as when I used the can stuff.

 

[xand1x]

Hmm i'm a bit skeptical of the fusion. My mach 3 is already really close, and I use a Shick FX Diamond 2 blade razor to sculpt my beard. I don't wanna run the risk of cutting myself up with 5 blades

! Someone should do a fusion review haha.

 

[Stephonovich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFF Cool. Your brush seems good. Look at the cream I posted above. You can also find a soap called Burmuda Shave or something like that (comes in a little red box and costs about $1.25) at your local supermarket. Like the cream above, a little will go a long way. I have been using Burmuda Shave for a while and it provides a frictionless shave even with a Mach 3. I would still get a little razor burn but not as much as when I used the can stuff.

Shall pick some up next time I'm out. Even I can afford that

As to the brush, though... one thing mine did is shed a lot of bristles when I first started using it. Is this indicative of poor quality? It's a wood handle, if that means anything. The rest seem to stay on fine, but it lost a fair amount at first. Still plenty there.

 

[Born2bwire]

Once I run through the Taylor's I'll look at T&H. Wonder if they have a storefront in Chicago, know they have a barbershop up there. The other one I was thinking about is the Prosaro.

EDIT: Another soap that you should be able to find easily is Williams or Surrey. I tried the Surrey a while ago and did not like it as much as the Williams (but they're both dirt cheap) but I did not try their glycerin version. I would suspect that I would like the Surrey glycerin soap. You can find both of them at Walgreen's.

EDIT EDIT: Ouch, $60 for the Futur? Classicshaving and QED really have much better prices on the Merkur products.

 

[LFF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephonovich Shall pick some up next time I'm out. Even I can afford that As to the brush, though... one thing mine did is shed a lot of bristles when I first started using it. Is this indicative of poor quality? It's a wood handle, if that means anything. The rest seem to stay on fine, but it lost a fair amount at first. Still plenty there.

Might be a quality thing. Mine has never shed a single bristle (mine is made out of tusk ivory I think). Some brushes are hand made though, so maybe a few bristles can get a loose during shipping or something like that. As long as you have a fair amount to whip up a good lather then you'll be fine.

 

[LFF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Born2bwire Once I run through the Taylor's I'll look at T&H. Wonder if they have a storefront in Chicago, know they have a barbarshop up there. The other one I was thinking about is the Prosaro. EDIT: Another soap that you should be able to find easily is Williams or Surrey. I tried the Surrey a while ago and did not like it as much as the Williams (but they're both dirt cheap) but I did not try their glycerin version. I would suspect that I would like the Surrey glycerin soap. You can find both of them at Walgreen's. EDIT EDIT: Ouch, $60 for the Futur? Classicshaving and QED really have much better prices on the Merkur products.

I have heard good things about Prosaro but I have never tried it. I will try the other ones out since they sound very affordable (must be if they are at Walgreen's).

As for the Futur, $60.00 is a bit steep but I would gladly pay $100.00 for it. It is worth every single penny. You can tell it is quality as soon as you feel how hefty it is. The finish is also very nice.

 

[Omnis]

I got the fusion power and I love it. It's probably the first time I've ever shaved totally smooth without even feeling as if I had shaved at all. It just glides along and takes everything with it.

I'll have to see how things progress as the blades gradually get duller, though. Haha. Hopefully the experience of that first shave will be prolonged for several shaves in the future.

 

[LFF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omnis I got the fusion power and I love it. It's probably the first time I've ever shaved totally smooth without even feeling as if I had shaved at all. It just glides along and takes everything with it. I'll have to see how things progress as the blades gradually get duller, though. Haha. Hopefully the experience of that first shave will be prolonged for several shaves in the future.

That's good to hear. That is how my Mach 3 started out. I guess as you get older and the more you shave the harder it is to get that baby smooth finish without getting razor burn. I was really happy with my Mach 3 until I turned about 19. I tried other razors but they always gave me more razor burn or nicks. So I continued using the Mach 3. I then moved on to using a brush and that helped a lot more. About 2 months ago I started getting pissed that the razors were so expensive so then I started looking for alternatives and found the Futur.

As I said before - I couldn't be happier.

 

[AdamWill]

I don't understand how you cut yourself shaving. I started off shaving with my dad's horrible throwaway Bics, now I use an old mach 3, I shave dry without looking at a mirror and always have, and I never, ever cut myself. do I have the 'natural shaver gene'? dunno.

 

[ricardo diaz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamWill I don't understand how you cut yourself shaving. I started off shaving with my dad's horrible throwaway Bics, now I use an old mach 3, I shave dry without looking at a mirror and always have, and I never, ever cut myself. do I have the 'natural shaver gene'? dunno.

Pimples?
Bumps in the skin that get in the way?
Accidently moving the blade in a sideways motion and having the blade run across your skin?

It happens.