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[JorgeFabregas]

because of the concept of metal contracting when cold, thus rendering the blade ever-so-slightly sharper.

Been watching Miller's Crossing?

[jay-ell]

This is interesting to me because I think if I were a guy I'd want to do things the Old Fashioned Way.  It also strikes me as the kind of thing Pedro would enjoy -- his grandfather showed him how to shave "the right way" when he was a teenager, but he never had equipment of his own.  This is the kind of thing I might get him for Christmas, though. 

How long does it take?  Pedro has to shave every day (he keeps a goatee and stache, so he only has to do the cheeks, jaw, and neck).  He usually does so in the shower.  He has sensitive skin and is prone to razor bumps, even with the fancy triple-blade dealies, but he says shaving in the shower helps with this.  He is not the most dexterous person first thing in the morning, so I don't know how he'd do with anything he could slit his own throat with.  And like I said, he has to shave daily -- his five o'clock shadow rivals many men's three-day beard -- so if it takes significantly longer than a regular shave (I think it's between five and ten minutes when he does it at the sink) he probably won't keep it up regularly.  Still, he might enjoy a nice, leisurely, ultra-close shave on weekends if time becomes an issue. 

Is this the kind of think that makes a thoughtful gift from a wife to her spouse?  Or is it something where I should direct him to this thread and let him decide for himself? 

[jay-ell]

Pedro's morning routine is actually pretty luxurious most days, considering.  He's usually up an hour before me and the Boy, and even if Little P is awake, I take him into the kitchen and give him breakfast so that Papa can have his shower in peace.  He doesn't have a set time to arrive at work so there's not a huge rush about anything.  Pedro  eats breakfast in his building's cafeteria so basically all he has to do is shower, shave, dress, and go -- and he has plenty of time and privacy for all those things regardless.  So -- does that change your reply at all? 

He did let me shave him once.  It was nerve-wracking, but I enjoyed it.  I think he did, too, actually, but using a blade scares me a little.  We were just a couple of dumb college kids then, so I'd probably do a little better now.  Oh, and I helped him shave his head that one time.  That wasn't so bad, although we did learn that the tiniest scalp-nick will bleed like the dickens. 

We are almost at the point in the pregnancy where I start asking him to shave me.  Talk about nervous.  He really did not like doing that last time. 

Re: hella beard style: Pedro decided a few weeks ago to see how much beard he could grow in a month, so he stopped shaving Oct 1 and he is looking pretty much like a Mongolian Warlord at this point.  It's the neck hairs that really drive him crazy.  He's actually starting to look forward to shaving again next week.  Maybe if I can get this together I can give him an early anniversary present and help make his return from the land of the hirsute a victorious one. 

[Doc]

I've been using a safety razor for a bit over a year now and I can definitely recommend it. I started out with an el-cheapo one (cost me like 4 bucks plus 10 bucks for a pack of blades) and just used bar soap or shaving cream if I had any around the house, then last christmas my little brother got me a nicer razor with a brush and some soap set in a little wooden tub. I usually shave in the shower so often as not I'll still just use bar soap but the brush is nice when you want to take time over it.
I think I do nick myself more often than when I used disposables (I think the last disposable I bought was a gillette mach 3?) generally under the chin but it's nothing bothersome.
That said I'm not a very hairy guy, I shave generally every second day and sometimes only once or twice a week (I'm lucky to have a pretty relaxed working environment), and I can imagine that if you needed to make multiple passes having to re-apply the soap/cream would be a hassle which you don't have with self-lubricating disposables.
I don't plan to ever change back though, there's something nice and solid about a good safety razor and the blades are cheap as. Don't know if I'd ever man up to getting a straight razor though.

JL: Perfect gift, I can only speak for myself but it seems to rare these days that a guy can recieve something that is undisputedly manly.

[littlefallsmets]

I don't use shaving foam or soap or anything.

Never have.

I find it to be counter-productive. I'd rather hurt a little than spend any more time than the absolute minimum on my personal grooming.

[jay-ell]

I have something else lined up for our anniversary, so I broke down and asked him about it.  Because, you know, I can't keep secrets.  Ever.  Except for the one about what I'm *actually* getting him for our anniversary, which is probably the first secret ever in our thirteen year history that I've been able to keep quiet for this long. 

Anyway, he said he'd probably have really liked it as a surprise, so I'm considering the whole kit and caboodle as a Christmas gift.  He of course knows it's coming now, but that's OK.  He's kind of excited about it, which makes me feel better about making the investment. 

So - suggestions from the initiated?  Hard soap or cream?  I think he already has a badger brush that his grandfather gave him -- it's looking sort of frayed, though.  Do they wear out? I've checked out this post on another forum but not being a dude I'm not sure how to interpret the recommendations.  I want to get him quality stuff but I don't want to spend a fortune. 

One thing I have learned from my reading: I will buy him a blade sampler pack.  So that's a no-brainer.  Everything else, I'm clueless on. 

[JorgeFabregas]

Not sure what your price range is, but there's this post on the shaveblog that outlines the best kit for a new (like me) wet shaver :
http://shaveblog.com/?p=227

Mine was sort of a budget version of this--I omitted the brush and fancy cream and just got some old man shaving cream: http://www.leesrazors.com/productImages/musgo/musgoShavingCream.jpg
Also, I skipped the aftershave.

Soaps I've seen recommended include Tabac, The Art of Shaving, and Mitchell's Wool Fat. I like the name of that last one. They seem to come in bowls or as "refills" (bowl-less).

[Doc]

I don't know enough to make any specific suggestions but I'd say focus on the razor, brush and soap/cream first and don't worry too much about other oils or styptic pencils etc. he will work out if he needs this or that by himself over time (if you feel like this is just giving him a present that will cost him in the long run why not include a voucher for a local razor shop? That way he can pick out something for himself and give him an excuse to become familiar with a place he can get blades etc.).

Two other things:
One - Badger hair brushes are meant to be the shizzle but I've always been happy with my random synthetic thing so don't feel guilty if you don't want to shell out 50 bucks for the brush. Then again maybe I am just saying that because I am yet to feel the gentle caress of badgery goodness.
And two - The soap (or cream) is  a major part of the experience so if you're going to try a regular store get a smell before you buy (if possible) a nice smelling shaving soap really enhances the whole experience for me.

[nDed]

The most facial hair I can manage is a line of slowly encroaching stubble above my upper lip. Usually I just shave it off with an x-acto blade once every two or three weeks.

Sometimes I despair that I will never have the option of evading pursuit by laying low and growing a beard, but at the same time I am glad that I am not burdened with yet another opportunity to unintentionally attack my face during my morning routine.

[jay-ell]

I got sucked in. 

This morning Pedro had his very first wet shave with a vintage double-edged '56 Gillette Super Speed and hand-milled shaving soap (lavender).  I must confess, I've been unfaithful -- I went over to the Badger and Blade forums and asked for some advice over there.  (They were quite helpful.)  It's now all I can do to stop browsing shave geek web sites in search of the perfect products to complete a replica of a typical 1956 shaving kit (darn those bastards at the American Safety Razor Company for discontinuing Burma Shave). 

Pedro described his morning shave thusly:

It was an awkward, fumbling, somewhat successful first time.  I hear a lot of people's first times are like that.

He's so cute. 

[Doc]

Everyone's first time is generally awkard, slippery and potentially painful. You just got to get over that hoss and then you're ready for next time.

[theinevitable]

i really need to teach myself that it's best to take my time shaving, wash my face with a hot cloth first, shave more than once a week so there's less hair and it's easier... but so far it's not working. Pain is not a good teacher when it comes to this, apparently.

[jay-ell]

Second attempt this morning was much improved.  He got a closer shave today with little irritation on only two passes (WTG & XTG).  He is going to try a different brand of blade tomorrow and I've ordered him some high-quality shaving soap, (2 kinds actually, a tube of Proraso and a cake of Colonel Conk).  He is having trouble getting a good lather with the hand-milled stuff we got free from the guy who sold us the razor.  I don't see anything wrong with his technique so I'm going to see if a name-brand soap helps. 

Inev, get yourself a badger brush and learn to make a good lather, even if you stick with a cheapo disposable or cartridge razor.  It will slow you down for sure, and also make you smell yummy.  Chicks dig that kind of thing. 

[Golfhaus]

There's an Aveeno shaving gel that smells like cookies. My wife uses it, and I've started using it too.

But then I use "Woodland" scented body wash, too, so I smell like... forest cookies.

[jay-ell]

Is that the oatmeal stuff?  Oh man.  So nice. 

I use the body lotion that smells like that.  Mmmmmmm.  Coooooooookies.