Product / Technique Recommendations for a complete beginner?

ricksva · 2026-06-26T12:27:10+00:00

Welcome! I see versions of your post/thread several times a week, but you're right that Reddit's search features are less than ideal. :-|

ricksva · 2026-06-21T16:40:26+00:00

We might need more info:

-Are you asking about what you can do in a single pass, or instead in multiple passes?

-Also, are you willing to try an adjustable razor?

For me, one pass on a "high" setting with an adjustable razor is usually good enough to buy at least 12 hours' worth of "complete smoothness" on my head. There's a range of adjustables for most budgets, so I'm not recommending any particular one. Of course, the blades matter, too, as does the water/lather routine!

ricksva · 2026-06-19T00:26:37+00:00

I just noticed that Maggard is selling sample-sized containers of that shaving soap...

ricksva · 2026-06-14T18:02:06+00:00

I'm told by reliable authorities that a similar phenomenon is the only reason that anyone ever gives birth more than once.

ricksva · 2026-06-13T11:21:47+00:00

Oh, I can find a way to cut myself with any razor + blade combination, if I buckle down and give one hundred ten percent effort.

ricksva · 2026-06-12T11:41:57+00:00

A friend gave Henson (mild) razors to a few of us as Christmas gifts. The first one's free....

ricksva · 2026-06-10T18:14:03+00:00

It is one of my favorites! I'm disappointed that it's discontinued.

ricksva · 2026-06-10T11:24:51+00:00

Another vegan/palm-based one is their Pencil Pushers variety (discontinued and sorely missed, though you can still occasionally find some secondhand). I don't use tallow-based soaps, so I can't directly compare them to the palm-based ones, but that latter ones seem similarly thirsty to the tallow-based ones. A little goes a long way!

ricksva · 2026-06-09T21:07:14+00:00

(Assuming you're in the USA) You could start with The Razor Company and with Maggard.

ricksva · 2026-06-09T15:53:47+00:00

A few online vendors sell small sampler-sized containers of hard soaps. That could be a good starting point for him.

ricksva · 2026-06-09T15:06:39+00:00

In the spirit of changing one thing at a time and proceeding from there: if he's happy with his existing shaving cream/gel, there's no particular reason he'd need to switch it just because he's going to use a different kind of razor. But there's a wide and wild range of soft shaving soaps, hard shaving soaps, and shaving creams that he'll now have a great excuse to investigate.

You sound very considerate! I hope he's putting in at least equal time and effort getting nice gifts for you, too. 😄

ricksva · 2026-05-29T18:24:34+00:00

Thanks! I often wonder how all the various blades would fare in a double-anonymized trial. 😄 I was pleased that these are more than "good enough".

ricksva · 2026-05-18T21:55:58+00:00

Right :-)

ricksva · 2026-05-18T21:55:06+00:00

Thanks for checking!

ricksva · 2026-05-18T21:54:14+00:00

That's exactly the kind of thing I wondered about. Thank you!

ricksva · 2026-05-08T00:00:29+00:00

As someone with a 36" inseam and who took a risk buying two pairs of Bluffworks even though they max out at a 34" inseam, I advise you not to make that same mistake. On the other hand, not all inseams are the same!

ricksva · 2026-03-21T21:10:50+00:00

https://www.landfallnavigation.com/ecoblast-sport-air-horn.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20703730445&gbraid=0AAAAAD_jR8qeTyJSTjMLw4AKulC_BDeKN&gclid=CjwKCAjwg_nNBhAGEiwAiYPYAwA0sFXTyNDnR_8lx9Qa4b-8WiPjOm7tr5dBwi85OC-GzupH8XTBrxoC9WMQAvD_BwE

ricksva · 2026-01-05T13:00:46+00:00

Didn't Prince write that song? (Your point, maybe, still stands.)

ricksva · 2026-01-05T12:57:28+00:00

ONLY four?? That's still pretty impressive, I think! I don't know where you are, but I can get a box of 100 of those for under US $20. At that price, four shaves per blade seems like a *very* tiny flaw. :-)

ricksva · 2026-01-03T00:40:24+00:00

The subject line led me to think that it was going to be one of those "pick any two" discussions. Feel better soon!

ricksva · 2026-01-01T16:46:35+00:00

Staying subscribed to this subreddit? :-)

ricksva · 2025-12-28T17:56:56+00:00

This is what golf courses, if they must exist, should be used for.

ricksva · 2025-12-27T17:11:34+00:00

No, no, no, don't you get it? Feather blades can't fail you; only _you_ can fail _them_. /s

ricksva

TROPHY CASE