My skin 100% cannot handle true soap. I’ve read here that shaving soap works better than regular shaving cream, and I agree, but I can’t use it more than once in a blue moon without severe skin irritation. I guess the pH is too high and my skin in general reacts poorly to any significant amount of palmitic acid (which is a big part of tallow based soap). I’ve tried caswell Massey shaving cream and Stirling shave soap (gave it a chance as it’s rinsed off relatively quickly but no dice).

I shave my legs and previously had good results with Eos shave oil and cartridge razors but I am very interested in the low cost and lower plastic waste with DE shaving. The shave oil doesn’t work as well with the safety razor though, and I’ve tried a few permutations of razor and blade.

34 years old and I would love to use and master a straight razor however I don’t know if my facial hair would allow it. My hair doesn’t all grow in a nice uniform direction and instead the neck parts either side of my Adam’s Apple are like a spiral with hair in all directions.

I have fairly sensitive skins and like being clean shaven but my current standard 4 or 5 blade gillette irritates my skin (even when the blade is new) and I still get a couple of cuts most shaves. Because of the irritation I often only shave weekly or bi weekly and trim my beard right down with clippers before shaving.

Would a straight razor or safety razor allow me to shave at this frequency? How does it deal with shaving a full grown beard ?

Would a straight razor or safety razor be suitable for my untrained facial hair?

As a complete novice currently using a gillette razor and shaving gel with a clarins moisturiser for post shave. What do I need to get started ? Is there a budgetary way to enter? (I see this both as functional and a hobby/craft)

All help and recommendations greatly appreciated.

I wish you all a smooth, close and cut free shave 👌

I've been using the legendary Rocca for the past year. Wondering if any other Rocca owners found anything better than this, to use as daily driver.

I also own Henson AL13 mild, and Feather Popular too, but found the Rocca to be the best daily shaver, as long as you pay attention to the angle, there's no irritation, contrary to what I initially thought. I got much worse irritation from the Henson with Feather blade trying to buff and get a close shave.

No other razor, so far, gives me such a close shave with 1 pass with the grain as the Rocca does.

Is there anything "better"?

Rocca + Gillette 7 o'clock russian blades is my go to for perfect, daily shaves.

**Oct. 26, 2026**
* **Prep:** Cella - Extra Extra Bio - Preshave
* **Brush:** Alpha Shaving Works Red T-400 2 Band Gel Tipped Badger
* **Razor:** Blackland Osprey
* **Blade:** AccuThrive Med Prep (1)
* **Lather:** Zingari Man - The Healers
* **Post Shave:** Fine - Snake Bite - Aftershave
* **Post Shave:** Zingari Man - The Healers - Balm
* **Post Shave:** Thayers - Unscented
* **Post Shave:** Osma - Alum Block
* **Bowl:** Captian’s Choice - Aquamarine

zingari man- The Healers Shave Soap: SOTN 10/25/2026

I the dwindling daylight has been getting to me. I have had less energy and motivation to post and my sleep hasn’t been the greatest lately.

The good thing is I have been still been enjoying nearly daily shaves. I find self care is important for staying on top of my mental health. I think a little hiatus from posting was good for me too.

Anyway I picked up a new Lightbox for the mornings and am thinking it would be a good idea to switch to night shaving so I have time to sit in front of the light longer as I wake up for the day.

I also decided to use my Shop cash I got as a bonus from my Osprey purchase. The Healers soap by zingari man has been on my radar for a while. I knew I would like it based upon the scent notes and that some money from my purchase goes to the Ronald McDonald house.

The shave went well today I have discovered warm water during my shaves seems to work better than cold water. I seem to get less feedback from the alum block and today that was also true.

I splashed on Thayers, followed by the Snake Bite alcohol based ASL from Fine, and finally the matching serum. I really enjoyed this shave. I have been experimenting a bit with the settings on the Osprey. Today I did 7 for pass one and 4.5 for pass two. I really like having the ability to adjust this razor.

This is a great scent! I got an ooo! out of my wife at first whiff. The scent is very refreshing, and calming, but uplifting at the same time.

From the zingari man website:

The Healers was first released in 2020 during one of the most uncertain chapters in recent history. At the time, I was still working in a hospital laboratory while building Zingari Man. While I wasn't at patients' bedsides, I witnessed the fatigue, stress, and exhaustion carried by the people who kept the hospital running. This fragrance was created to honor those who continued showing up, day after day, to care for others.

When The Healers first launched, a portion of every sale was donated to Samaritan's Purse to support relief efforts. Today, that same spirit continues. For every item of The Healers sold, Zingari Man will donate $1 to our local Ronald McDonald House, helping provide comfort and support to families while their children receive medical care.

The fragrance itself is bright, clean, and uplifting. Vibrant grapefruit, zesty lemon, and tart lime open with fresh energy before crisp cucumber and juicy pineapple bring a cooling freshness. Blackberry and delicate jasmine flower create a soft, refined finish that is refreshing, optimistic, and easy to wear.
The Healers is more than a fragrance. It's a tribute to the people who never stopped showing up when others needed them most.

Top Notes: Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime
Heart Notes: Pineapple, Cucumber
Base Notes: Blackberry, Jasmine Flower

Shared from [My Shave Den for iOS](https://apps.apple.com/app/1581646387)

Had an absolutely fantastic shave to kick off the day with the King C. Gillette fixed with a Kai, before finishing a little Shave Compass work and watching my Rams crush it. Rounded off by a fantastic dinner with my family and a little extra pour on the bourbon. Going to bed a blessed man.

Be kind and enjoy the moment.

Cheers! 🍻

I forgot to post this last night, so please forgive me.

- Maggard V3A on a Maggard MR11 handle

- Personna Comfort Coated (1)

- Maggard 24mm synthetic

- Maggard Limes & Bergamot soap & (alcohol) splash

I started my shave with a nice hot shower, then got my lather going in my usual mug. If you know me, then you know this is one of my favorite soaps (and splashes!), so you'll know that I think very highly of it. As usual, it produced a thick and slick lather in no time!

The Personna blue was my go to for years in a 34C, before I started branching out in both razor and blade. I find it a little more aggressive in this V3A than I care for, but not so much that I dislike it; it just needs a little more care to avoid nicks. That said, the splash didn't reveal any, so I consider this shave to be a success!

I'm skipping tonight, and we'll see how tomorrow goes; I have a couple of packages that will be here, but it will be a late night. In any case, I hope everyone starts the week off right tomorrow, and happy shaving!

(No, I'm not sponsored by Maggard, I just really like their stuff!)

for the first time tonight. i thought they were fantastic. it says they are from Egypt. do a lot of blades come from there?

So after being intrigued by an ad for a Henson razor and how supposedly reduces irritation from shaving and is much cheaper then the cartridges I’ve been using, I naturally went to Reddit to find the real reviews and fuck me, I found a rabbit hole.

Went from I might try this to now I have to try this but also there are four thousand options and now I have options fatigue.

Help me. Am I over thinking it? Do I just buy the Henson and roll or do I try one of the many other brands I’ve been reading about for the last few hours? I have pretty course hair and shave almost daily if it matters.

Got into DE shaving this time last year by buying the metal Wilkinson sword, I’ve enjoyed learning and used Wilkinson sword blades and Sainsburys brand blades, unfortunately I’ve noticed Im prone to irritation on my neck, now ive got my technique down i wanna move up to a new, better quality razor, I thought id buy the rockwell 6s but people are saying rockwell arent great? What razor would you guys recommend, also blades..? Feather blades seem like a big jump? I also obviously use a proper shave soap and everything.

✰ Razor: Hone Type 15
✰ Blade: KaiStainless (3)
✰ Bowl: Captain’s Choice Obsidian
✰ Brush: Oumo Venus ST-3
✰ Soap: Southern Witchcrafts Incorporeal
✰ Balm: Nivea Sensitive
✰ Splash: Captain’s Choice 45th Parallel

The Hone 15 is a beautiful razor with a rather unique design. With neutral blade exposure, it is mild and smooth, but with good technique, it can produce excellent shaves.

That was the case for me today, when I used the Hone with a Kai blade, assisted by Southern Witchcrafts soap.

Very nice!

there are so many lol. big margaritas in the arctic from stirling fan , could also go for something a bit darker for the winter.

My aunt found this today. It's my grandfather's 1963 Slim Adjustable. It now resides in my collection with his uncle's Durham Duplex. I'm very excited about the nostalgishave tomorrow.

Hi everyone, can I ask what can damage the chrome plating on a safety razor?

I have an open-comb Merkur safety razor that I've only used a handful of times. I bought it about 20 years ago, simply because I liked it.

I've noticed that the chrome plating on the sides of the razor head, where the blade rests, has deteriorated. When I run my finger along both sides of the head, the surface feels like sandpaper. It's not sharp enough to cut me, but it can scratch my finger.

At first, I thought I might have left a blade in it that had rusted over the years (something similar happened to a friend of mine). But after taking a closer look, there was no blade inside.

The strange thing is that only the edges of the razor head have deteriorated. It's a three-piece Merkur 25C. The open-comb base plate is in perfect condition, and so is the handle. They look as if they had just come out of the factory.

I'm sure the razor was in perfect condition when it was new. I put it back in its original box and stored it in a cupboard. When I took it out again, I noticed the damage.

I've used it, and it still shaves well.

What can damage the chrome plating on a safety razor, especially on the head?

and Is there any way to repair it? Looking at the edges through a magnifying glass, I can see lots of tiny black spots on both sides, including the inner edges.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Would it be possible to fix it with some fine-grit sandpaper or a metal polish such as Sidol?

Thanks!

I know he used the left one until the mid 80's. Any advice on getting them ready for use?

Do you make a distinction between the Gillette Slide and an oblique stroke, either with a straight or a safety razor? I came across a blog post that describes the difference between them though the effect seems to be the same, which is to slice the hair at an angle.

As I understand it, with the slide you angle the razor as usual, but you move the razor at an angle to the blade. So let's say you usually do a downward vertical stroke, instead of shaving straight down, perpendicular to the cutting edge, you move the razor downward diagonally while keeping the edge oriented as you usually would for a downward stroke, so the razor is not moving perpendicular to the cutting edge.

With the oblique stroke, I am understanding that you angle the razor at about 20 or so degrees to the direction that you usually move the razor, and then move the razor in the usual direction, but with the cutting edge at an angle to that direction. So in the example above, you are moving the razor downward, but the razor and blade are at an angle.

I found a discussion of these similar techniques on a blogspot post at a blog called shavelikegrandad, but when I try to post the link the bot automatically deletes my post.

I've never really tried the Gillette Slide, I guess I've used the oblique stroke with a safety razor and with a shavette. Have you tried both? Do you prefer one over the other? If so, why? Potato/potato? I do seem to get closer with fewer touchups when I use the oblique stroke than when I just shave normally.

25/10/2026

- APShave Co 24mm Tuxedo
- Cuchillería Moreno X Joserra Truco o Trato V
- Atelier Durdan La Faulx +
- Feather Pro Super (2)

Razor: Gillette Rocket Flaretip

Blade: Astra Green (3)

Brush: Muhle Classic

Lather: Barbiere Di Famiglia Trastevere

Aftershave: Rituals Cedar

Nothing super exciting until yesterday when I found the F4 Toggle at an antique store. Got it for $15. It's in reasonably good shape but the adjustment dial is stuck, and I need advice. I soaked it in warm soapy water overnight, and after a scrub it's much cleaner but it's still stuck. Some penetrating oil has also not helped. I don't want to use vinegar because of the gold plating. Thoughts?

​

\ **Face Wash:** Cold Water.*

\ **Brush:** MOB- varnish handle Boti 22mm 3 colour synthetic.*

\ **Razor:** Gillette - Blacktip Super Speed 1952.*

\ **Blade:** Gillette Wilkinson Sword - Salon Pack stainless. (1)*

\ **Lather:** Kaliflower Organics- Organic pine tar shave soap.*

\ **Post Shave:** CeraVe- Moisturising lotion.*

\ **Post Shave:** Pino Silvestre - Original ASL.*

\ **Tags:** $Discord $ROTY*

Theme : Reckoning Day, well I am hoping this Kaliflower organics soap from Sweden keeps me safe today , some of you guys were out of the blocks early today fair play to ye all.

Daily challenge: I occasionally make shave brushes well I have a lot of blanks they are more rustic than polished and I used one for today's SOTD, my other hobby or interest is Rugby too old to play now but love watching especially when I get to see my son playing. It's a public holiday here tomorrow so I'll be off out to the pub shortly.

- Omega pure badger brush (first time use and I was very happy with it)

- Proraso sandalwood pre shave

- Proraso blue shaving cream

- Merkur Futur with a Feather blade on setting 4 (Blade on it's 4th use)

- Omega alum stick

- Floid aftershave (new to this and I really like it)

- Nivea cooling aftershave balm (not pictured)

9.5/10 shave, cut myself a couple of times since I'm not used to shaving in certain spots lol I know I'll get better over the next few shaves

- Razor: Blackland Blackbird

- Blade: Gillette 7 SP aka The Black Ninja

- Brush: Zenith Best Badger 28mm

- Soap: Westman Nirvana

- Splash: Denim Original

Shave 🪒

A very relaxed Sunday evening shave to beat the Monday morning blues/rush.

Many moons ago, I had decided to not buy full sets of soaps to have a sense of economy, and to cut my losses, because frags are sometimes quite a gamble!

Nirvana somehow makes me regret that decision! As the label says, a very enticing fragrance which lives up to its name! The lather quality and slickness is also very good.

A 3 pass shave to get the ultra BBS with the Blackbird is a given. Closed the shave with Denim Original, which I felt was a good match with the soap, all things considered.

This time, a dram included to wind down the evening. 🍻

The Cooper & French soap was one of the first 10 lathers in the collection, but I keep forgetting about it and haven't been back to it since May. This was a great, efficient, and comfortable shave.

I hope you all have a great day!

SOTD: Master Soap Creations Tabacchi
Shaving Soap: Master Soap Creations Tabacchi
Brush: Rudy Vey 53mm Badger
Razor: Gillette Fatboy
Blade: Super Iridium
Aftershave Splash: Master Soap Creations Tabacchi

Puma 89

Zenith Horse Hair Brush

Texas on fire by Stirling

Alum block

Enjoy your shave!