# Double Edge Shave Masons



## Txmason

This is a thread for fellow masons that enjoy using Double Edge (DE) razors, and Straight razors, brushes, shave creams, shave soaps etc. 

Please feel free to post what you shave with, tips on techniques, shave ideas, favorite scents, good deals etc. 

I'm Jerry and I've just started DE shaving. I was a Murker razor with Feather blazes, Wilkinson blades, an Art of Shaving brush. Soap: Bay Rum and Sandalwood. Cream: Art of Shaving Sandalwood.


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## Michaelstedman81

Lol, I gotta ask.  Where do you get this kind of stuff from and how do you even shave with them?  Any tutorials anywhere?  What is the benefit from doing this?  Just curious, and may try it..lol


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## kwilbourn

Michaelstedman81 said:


> Lol, I gotta ask. Where do you get this kind of stuff from and how do you even shave with them? Any tutorials anywhere? What is the benefit from doing this? Just curious, and may try it..lol



Lots of info here: http://badgerandblade.com.  I've been thinking about trying it out; always liked a straight blade shave from the barber shop, but too chicken to use the straight edge on myself.


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## JJones

I would suggest browsing over some of the articles at http://artofmanliness.com/ if you're really interested in this kind of shaving.

That being said, I switched somewhat recently from using cheap, disposable razors to my grandpa's old Gillette safety razor and I'm very happy with my decision.  The blades are far more affordable and my shaves feel like they're a much better quality.  My wife bought me a shaving soap/brush kit and I finally enjoy shaving now.

I've been considering trying a straight razor but like several others I'm not sure if I'm ready to hold a razor to my neck first thing in the morning yet.


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## Blake Bowden

<- Wimp. Braun Electric razor woot!


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## Benton

Always wanted to try using a straight edge, but hard to justify buying one, as I keep a beard.  Seems like it'd be exciting though.

(As an aside, I moved the thread, as the NE corner is primarily for introductions, which this is not.  )


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## barryguitar

I use a Mach 3, only because they stopped making the mach 2 blades (the pinnacle of shaving technology). Neutrogena shave cream and after shave balm. In the last few years I have been shaving in the shower, a most efficient improvement to the routine. I have an old steel straight razor that I use for carving the rough cuts on violin scrolls. It takes an edge nicely but doesnt hold it long.


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## Michaelstedman81

Thanks for the links.  I'm going to read into it a bit more now.  Last night after reading this thread at first,  I pulled up a couple YouTube videos of guys doing some instructional videos doing the straight razor thing.  I gotta admit, it does look interesting and I think that I would like to try it out.  Does make me a bit nervous with that blade, but if it beats shaving in some of the conditions that I have around the world, then it can't be that bad...lol


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## MikeMay

Blake Bowden said:


> <- Wimp. Braun Electric razor woot!



I have one that died, battery won't charge...now I'm back to the Mach3.


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## Michaelstedman81

Blake Bowden said:


> <- Wimp. Braun Electric razor woot!






MikeMay said:


> I have one that died, battery won't charge...now I'm back to the Mach3.


 
Lol, I got one of those too right before I deployed.  I used the heck out of that thing and never had a problem with the battery.  Only thing I did have an issue with was that I kept using even after the razors or whatever they are called on there went really dull.  It went from taking care of business to feeling I was tearing my face off, and finally to the point that it straight up does not cut the whiskers anymore.  I seriously would have to go over and over on a spot for 15-20 seconds for it to cut that little area.  I even left the little sticker on there that said to replace the blades after 18 months which also had a place to write the date down on...lol  I was really suprised, but it took about two years to get it to that point though..lol


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## JTM

I really like that Art of Man website.

I shave using a serrated knife because I'm just that plain manly.  If I don't happen to have one handy, a rock will do the trick.


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## Michaelstedman81

JTM said:


> I really like that Art of Man website.




Yea, I like that site too.  I spent about thirty minutes reading a lot of the stuff on there.  Pretty neat.  I am happy to know that I now know how to start a fire using that bow contraption...lol  




JTM said:


> I shave using a serrated knife because I'm just that plain manly. If I don't happen to have one handy, a rock will do the trick.




Thats not manly....That is downright barbaric...lol  What kind of rock do you prefer?  Dolomite?  Granite?  Marble?


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## JTM

ashlar limestone


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## jwhoff

Anyone use any of those old splashes from the day when we went to the barber shop and looked up at those big bottles full of "smell'em?"

I remember how proud I was the day they _*splashed*_ me for the first time.  I went straight home and told my mom and sister to smell me.  Of course, that was so long ago, I don't remember much else.


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## Michaelstedman81

JTM said:


> ashlar limestone




Nice answer!...lol


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## Txmason

Jim,

Might have been the paldman clubman  aftershave in a green bottle? And they probably put some talc powder on you too! 

Check out www.badgerandblade.com

Jerry


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## jwhoff

This could have been the stuff Jerry.  It looks very familiar.


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## nwendele

Badger and blade was a great discovery, prompted by the art of manliness.  I rarely use a straight, but have not touched a mach 3 after having my face kissed by a 1959 Gillette fat boy with Lord blades.  That didn't sound right....
I really love the shave I get from a DE razor, I think my thick beard clogged the close blades of a mach 3 after 1 or 2 passes.  Now I have many razors, mostly picked up on e-bay for less than $10.  Each one shaves a little different, each brand blade shaves a bit different.  Being men who obviously enjoy ritual, creating a new one every morning with a good blade, whipping up your own lather in a nice bowl from a good puck of soap with a badger brush, and starting of your day like grandpa did should have quite the draw for young Masons!


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## choppersteve03

best electic i ever had, was in the army i had a little battery operated braun. best shave i ever got with an elec, it was a kick ass little shaver for in the field. now i shave with the shick quattro and there hydro gel, best shave ever for the twenty years i have had to shave.


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## RedTemplar

No way I will sleep in the same house with a woman and a straight razor.


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## choppersteve03

my dad told me a story about him and my mom, when they first got married my mom would leave her razors in the shower.well one of the blades got stuck in the soap, pops didnt kow till he looked at his arms and the where wounds all over his upper body. it think mom felt so bad she switched to safety razors, instead of the old de.


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## Bogey08

Just my Ten Cents worth--about 5 years ago stopped by a "Art of Shaving" store and purchased a starter kit.   Ever since that trip I have been using their Pre-Shaving oil, Shaving Cream and After-Shave Balm.  My blades (Mach 3) last much longer and my bride of nearly 33 years loves the close shave that I get.   If I let my beard go for a few days (over the weekend) the oil makes shaving on Monday a breeze.   Enjoy!


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## choppersteve03

i wonder if i should rub my face down, with some olive oil so it would shave better? lol


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## Dow Mathis

I've been wet shaving for about 12 years or so.   If you ask me, there's nothing like it for comfortable shaves.  I've been using a mach 3 for years, but just got my first straight razor yesterday.  Started learning how to use it this morning.  A great place to learn about straight razors is http://straightrazorplace.com.  Lots of nice folks over there, and lots of information as well.  Hopefully, once I get things figured out, I can set my mach 3 aside.


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## choppersteve03

cool badger picture.


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## Dow Mathis

Thanks.  They're cool critters.  Kind of hard on terraces, though.


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## Mlugo1247

There is nothing better than a DE razor. Personally I have a Merkur DE with a badger brush that my wife bought me. Badger and Blade is a really website site for those who want to get started.


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## choppersteve03

we trap them here in iowa. iam gonna have to check out badger and blade, seems to come highly recomnded by the brothers here.


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## Dow Mathis

I never did any trapping, although my best friend trapped lots of coyotes back home when there was still a bounty on them.  He ended up with the occasional badger, along with skunks, coons, possums, etc.  There's nothing quite as disquieting as having a badger in a trap when the drag slips, lol.  Must be that weasel relationship that gives them such a sunny disposition.


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## choppersteve03

nothing tops getting a skunk in a live trap lol.


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## jwhoff

choppersteve03 said:


> i wonder if i should rub my face down, with some olive oil so it would shave better? lol



Not sure about that brother.  :huh:

But I'd bet you'd be a sure hit with the ladies!

:001_wub:              

:thumbup1:


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## Nate Riley

You boys ought to check out the Jack Black products.  

At http://www.getjackblack.com/jb/catalog.nsf/display!openagent&p=shave&loc=c



choppersteve03 said:


> i wonder if i should rub my face down, with some olive oil so it would shave better? lol



I made my own pre shave oil with olive oil as the base and a number of essential oils added.  I found a sweet old blue glass after shave bottle shaped like a fishing reel at an antique shop to put it in.



choppersteve03 said:


> nothing tops getting a skunk in a live trap lol.



Nothing! Not even a rattle snake!


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## choppersteve03

we dont really have rattlers around here, i think the only venmous snakes we have are the water moc, and the scorned she viper. lol


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## choppersteve03

the only olive oil i have is garlic infused, so if i use that i will deffinately keep the vampires and my wife away. but i like the idea of make your own shave oil, what oils did you use and where did you get em?


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## Nate Riley

Off the top of my head, I can't remember exactly. If you google "making pre shave oil" (or something like that), you will get a number of websites with different suggestions.  The key is having a heavy oil, like olive or castor oil, as your base.  I think I added lavender and maybe some kind of citrus or grape oil.


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## Nate Riley

You can also add glycerine (SP?).


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## choppersteve03

sounds like a good mix, how does it work for yah?


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## cutter2001

Another excellent site to buy all things shaving is straightrazordesigns.com. They sell both DE and shave ready straight razors. They also have some of the best strops around to keep your blades sharp. I have been using a straight off and on now for a year and a half, and have yet to cut myself in any major way. 'Course I am a surgeon 

Cutter


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## Michael Hatley

Mach3 for me as well, when I'm not wearing a full beard (about half the time).  Those electric ones never cut the mustard for me.

An old school one, dunno.  My grandfather raised me, came up during the depression, and he stays with my wife and I now.  He tried a modern razor and switched to it immediately, and when I asked him if he missed his old one he looked at me like I was being silly 

Sorta how I view bowhunting.  I get it.  Maybe even admire it - the ones that don't wound a deer and either have to chase it all over kingdom come or else leave it to die miserably.

But I use a rifle.


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## jwhoff

Nate Riley said:


> Off the top of my head, I can't remember exactly.




I hate to hear that brother.  Because *of the top of my head *is one of my target shaving areas.


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## David612

necropost but for those interested look at http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/masonicmuseum/shaving_table_of_contents.htm
Few interesting items and even three of my own


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## hanzosbm

I've been using a Merkur DE for more years that I can remember.  I have a straight and used it for awhile, but between the maintenance of keeping it stropped and the time needed for a proper shave with it (I shave in the mornings) it doesn't get used much anymore.  I prefer feather blades and my most recent brush is a Simpson.  Most of the years I use Tabac products (soap and aftershave) but around the holidays I typically switch to Pre de Provence soap and aftershave for the sage scent.
I still have a Mach 3 for traveling and for shaving...other areas.  But after getting used to the close shave of a DE, I can't go back to a Mach 3.


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## David612

I’ve got a little collection which keeps me in good stead


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## MWS

Wet shaving is one of my hobbies. Takes a little more time with a straight edge and preparing a proper lather...but I enjoy the ritual - something I'm sure we can all appreciate!


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## Keith C

I currently have a beard and just use one of those "Henry" razors off the interwebz for the small bit of cheek and neck I do shave.

For quite a few years I was involved in Revolutionary Way living History, and  bought a reproduction 18th century Ivory Handle straight razor and learned to use it.  I always waited to shave in the morning until we had spectators walking through the camp.  It always drew a crowd when I shaved with the straight razor, I suppose most were waiting for the sight of blood, but that never happened.  Those were some of the best, closest shaves I can recall.  Perhaps i need to go up in the attic and find that razor!


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## David612

With razors like this I just can’t see why you would use anything else


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## David612

Also that’s a gillette Shriner long comb new set behind the straight


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## otherstar

I'm a veteran wets haver at this point (since 2008 with a DE or a straight, since 1992 with brush and soap/cream). I hang out on The Shave Den and /r/Wicked_Edge.

I've had good luck with items I've gotten at West Coast Shaving, The Superior Shave, and Straight Razor Designs (SRD). Lynn at SRD has a series of videos about straight razor shaving and maintenance and is a Mason (with a prominently displayed ring).


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## David612

otherstar said:


> I'm a veteran wets haver at this point (since 2008 with a DE or a straight, since 1992 with brush and soap/cream). I hang out on The Shave Den and /r/Wicked_Edge.
> 
> I've had good luck with items I've gotten at West Coast Shaving, The Superior Shave, and Straight Razor Designs (SRD). Lynn at SRD has a series of videos about straight razor shaving and maintenance and is a Mason (with a prominently displayed ring).


Very cool, I have a collection I’m thinning currently but I have had thousands through my collection over the years. 
My current collection stands at;
Ball end tech (was my dads)
Gem 1912 (gift from Mum)
Eclipse red ring (gift from a pal)
Replated fatboy (gift from a pal)
Vintage Merkur 37c slant 
Supply v2
Masonic Rodgers and sons straight
Masonic ever ready shovel head
Shriners gillette new LC
Dovo Prima Klang (gift from Mum)
I have some other items like Kamisori and random straights but that’s the notable cool stuff


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## otherstar

My razor collection has stayed the same for the last few years:

DE:

1954 Gillette Super Speed (40's style-Z1)
1964 Gillette Adjustable (J1)
1979 Gillette Black Handled Super Speed (Z4)
Merkur Alu - Blue (Barrel Handled with HD-style head)
Merkur Futur
Merkur HD
VDH/Weishi TTO
West Coast Shaving 110B Open Comb - Midnight Collection

Straight:

6/8 Dovo Best Quality
6/8 Dovo Bismarck
6/8 J.M. Schmid & Son
6/8 Keen Cutter
9/16 Kraut & Dohnal
4/8 Weyer's Special -- Grandpa's straight!

I only have 4 brushes: 2 boar and 2 badger. I have a much larger collection of aftershaves than I need though...lol.


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## David612

otherstar said:


> My razor collection has stayed the same for the last few years:
> 
> DE:
> 
> 1954 Gillette Super Speed (40's style-Z1)
> 1964 Gillette Adjustable (J1)
> 1979 Gillette Black Handled Super Speed (Z4)
> Merkur Alu - Blue (Barrel Handled with HD-style head)
> Merkur Futur
> Merkur HD
> VDH/Weishi TTO
> West Coast Shaving 110B Open Comb - Midnight Collection
> 
> Straight:
> 
> 6/8 Dovo Best Quality
> 6/8 Dovo Bismarck
> 6/8 J.M. Schmid & Son
> 6/8 Keen Cutter
> 9/16 Kraut & Dohnal
> 4/8 Weyer's Special -- Grandpa's straight!
> 
> I only have 4 brushes: 2 boar and 2 badger. I have a much larger collection of aftershaves than I need though...lol.


Lol ain’t that the truth!
Nice straights BTW great collection.

As for the DEs in the past I have ordered 3 yes 3 40s superspeeds and every one of them has been lost in transit.. I’m clearly not meant to have one.
I also have a blue tip which I don’t mind at all, honestly I sold many off to fund my pocket knives...


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## David612

A buddy of mine showed me a picture of a brush he just bought, I named it Mori Povich.


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