[Pearl Razor]

HI!

Hello from an Aussie girl who loves now loves the thought of shaving her legs with a knife! Thanks to all your encouragement!

I'm the one who started the MORFTIFIED AT THE THOUGHT thread! And now I'm a member and am so very excited to get myself my very own straight razor!
AND I just WANTED TO SAY HELLO TO ALL THE WONDERFUL LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THIS GREAT SITE!! YOUR ALL SUCH HELPFUL AND LOVELY PEOPLE!!

I can't wait to find a straight and get started!! My legs are dying to feel smooth again and I have not shaved with a disposable since I posted that thread because I just cannot bring myself to do it!! I hate the thought of having itchy irritated legs ever again!! and I cannot wait for my very first wet shave!
WOw this is quite a turn around but yes I am a straight razor girl because my husband has a DE and I do not want to use that (can't see the blade edge and that I do not like!!!)
I want a straight! And my very own one too!

So I'm looking at a all the options and wondering
GIRLS WHAT DO YOU THINK:
What I should look for in a razor that I hope to also do my legs as well as underarms and bikini line with?
I've heard 4/8 are best. Is that true?
is a round point better?
or how about weight?
and are there things I should avoid in a razor such as certain brands/ types etc?
my budget is pretty tight so are there any places I can look to find a good starter pack/deal?
Best soaps, strops and brushes you ladies like? Do we have different taste in these things to men?


So here goes for the journey! within the next few weeks I'll be wet shaving with a straight! yey! I'm so excited!!!!!



Pearl

[sicboater]

Welcome! I think it is great that there are a growing number of lady shavers here! I will let the girls answer your questions, but you might post a WTB (wanted to buy) in the BST section and list your request for a starter kit!

good luck!

[LilithParker]

Originally Posted by Pearl Razor

What I should look for in a razor that I hope to also do my legs as well as underarms and bikini line with?
I've heard 4/8 are best. Is that true?
is a round point better?
or how about weight?
and are there things I should avoid in a razor such as certain brands/ types etc?
my budget is pretty tight so are there any places I can look to find a good starter pack/deal?
Best soaps, strops and brushes you ladies like? Do we have different taste in these things to men?

So far my preferred razor (of the two I have) is a 5/8 square point Korn with plastic scales. It's very lightweight, and gives a very close shave. I haven't made a serious attempt at doing my underarms with it, but I'm pretty sure it's not going to work very well. I'm hoping some of the smiths on the forum will come up with a blade that will work for that area of the body... maybe something with a very short, rount point blade. Until that happens, I'm going to stick with the disposable there.

Post in the B/S/T area asking for a starter set and someone will hook you up. My sweetie bought one of his razors and we both bought our strops from Kenrup, and we're very happy with them.

I cannot recommend Mama Bear's shaving soap enough. The stuff is wonderful! I have the peach vanilla scent and love it. I also love her aftershave balms, both summer and winter.

The brush is one item about which I disagree with a lot of the guys here. I have a cheap ($6) boar bristle brush, and it does exactly what I want it to do. I have no desire to move up to badger, not just because of price, but also because I like the stiffness of the boar... I don't want anything softer.

Welcome to the fold, Pearl! Let us know how gear acquisition goes.

[tjiscooler]

Welcome!! Glad to see you decided to make the move to straights, i agree with outing up a WTB in the buy sell trade forum. I wish you the best of luck!

How many wonderful ladies grace us with their presence now?

[gssixgun]

Welcome aboard the straight train, nice to see more ladies joining us for the ride....
There are a few of the guys here that are from the "land down under" I'm sure they will chime in fast with how to save $$ on getting stuff in AU.

[Pearl Razor]

ANOTHER QUESTION TO ADD TO MY QUESTIONS IS CAN I USE MOISTURISING SOAP FROM THE HEALTH FOOD STORE? OR MUST IT BE A SPECIAL SORT OF SOAPOR LATHER LIQUID?

WHY ALL THE FUSS ABOUT WHAT SOAP ETC? WHAT INGREDIENTS DO THEY HAVE THAT MAKE THEM SO SPECIAL?


PEARL

[gssixgun]

You can use plain old Ivory soap if ya wanted to, but true Shaving soaps create Lather, and not just suds....
Also the feel on yer legs after a true lather, will tell the difference... I make what we call Uberlather for the wife to shave her legs, and she will never go back to canned goop, or lesser lathers now....

Some links The Illustrated Guide to making Uberlather

Also when I am not at home, or she is in a hurry, she will use Mama Bears shave stick because she can make her own lather fast with it....

[LilithParker]

Originally Posted by Pearl Razor

ANOTHER QUESTION TO ADD TO MY QUESTIONS IS CAN I USE MOISTURISING SOAP FROM THE HEALTH FOOD STORE? OR MUST IT BE A SPECIAL SORT OF SOAPOR LATHER LIQUID?

WHY ALL THE FUSS ABOUT WHAT SOAP ETC? WHAT INGREDIENTS DO THEY HAVE THAT MAKE THEM SO SPECIAL?

As gssixgun said, shaving soaps create lather, not just suds. Lather is soft and silky, made up of tiny bubbles (as opposed to the big bubbles that make up suds), and it really does make a difference. It almost feels like it's a cushion for the blade, allowing it to glide across the skin.

Having the right soap makes the difference between an okay shave and a great one.

[Aurora Borealis]

Keep the blade sharp and pay attention & things will turn out very well. I shave my wifes legs every
so often and it's silkly smooth. Any lather should do if she just has fine hair.

[netsurfr]

Just wanted to say welcome to the forum. I will let the fairer gender express their razor preferences and answer your questions.
But WELCOME!!!

[Pearl Razor]

Originally Posted by Arora Borealis

Keep the blade sharp and pay attention & things will turn out very well. I shave my wifes legs every
so often and it's silkly smooth. Any lather should do if she just has fine hair.

Thanks for your input!
just wondering do you shave her legs with or against the grain and how many passes do you do?

[Aurora Borealis]

Originally Posted by Pearl Razor

Thanks for your input!
just wondering do you shave her legs with or against the grain and how many passes do you do?

Twice with the grain and relather her in between. When she is using a mach3 by herself...she will go against the grain once.

[jbcohen]

In my humble opinion the techniques that you use with a doubl edge are same as some of the techniques that you use with a straight. So a double edge is great practice until you can get that straight.

[Jimbo]

Hi there Pearl and welcome

There's a few local options for a quick setup. Send me a PM - I can send you some stuff for sure.

James.

[Mike_ratliff]

Originally Posted by Pearl Razor

ANOTHER QUESTION TO ADD TO MY QUESTIONS IS CAN I USE MOISTURISING SOAP FROM THE HEALTH FOOD STORE? OR MUST IT BE A SPECIAL SORT OF SOAPOR LATHER LIQUID?

WHY ALL THE FUSS ABOUT WHAT SOAP ETC? WHAT INGREDIENTS DO THEY HAVE THAT MAKE THEM SO SPECIAL?


PEARL

It's not so much what they have as what they don't have.

Most standard soap bars have detergents which are harsh on the skin, some don't even qualify as true soaps.
Most of these bars have had the glycerine removed through a chemical process, and they just don't lather or cushion as well.
It's the same with canned gels and creams, they have chemicals added to help the modern blades remove hair, these chemicals can cause irritation.

A quality shave soap doesn't have these added detergents, it is made with rather simple ingredients, and is a true soap.
It will often be high in glycerine which is a great moisturizer.
And many shave soaps have clay added to make the soap slippery. The best soaps that use clays will use Bentonite, or French Green clay... both of which can pull impurities from your skin.
You may also find shave soaps with aloe, alantoin, and other such healing plant extracts.

[Silver]

Hi Pearl

I'm also a new Lady to the group as of today, so welcome!

You may want to check out the "Project Coochie Razor" thread here Project coochie razor for more ideas on sizes and methods. Do excuse the boys as they wander off on tangents occasionally , but the entire thread is well wrth a read and Lillith has added some very valuable info too.

Silver

[Pearl Razor]

WELCOME SILVER!!!!!
well I read the prescribed thread and it seems like you've already been up to lots of fun!!
I'm VERY jealous! But my hubby and I do not have any straight razor gear at all and are dying to get our hands on some! It sounds like a fun thing to do together.... I WILL GET SOME SOON AND WHEN I DO I'm going to be estatic!!
And good for you!! yey for another lady member!!

[Pearl Razor]

I WONDER IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER AUSSIE Ladies HERE TOO? are there any shave shops here in OZ?
I would love to walk into a shop and pick up razors and look at them, and also smell and touch soaps and chat to people about razors face to face!mmm that would be nice!

[Don]

Welcome great to have another Lady join the group.

[Viola]

Greetings and salutations to the new ladies! It's so nice to have you here! I have three straight razors right now - a round point, spike, and a french point. Honestly, on my legs, the varying points haven't made a big difference to me. I haven't tackled the underarms yet... basically because I have a little apprehension on getting in there with the straights I currently have. I would really like a much smaller blade to try the underarms, as well as getting around the " below the belt" area. I really like the spike for getting detailed around a man's moustache. Other than that, I tend to enjoy the 5/8 size. I have a Tony Miller Heirloom Apprentice strop I won during a contest here on the forum. I find that it does the job just fine and I don't see myself upgrading soon. When I do, I'm interested in trying to TM Combo Paddle Strop. I've had the honemeisters here on SRP hone all of my razors, and I was graciously helped out in the BST section when I was just beginning to buy things (careful, it's addictive!). The gentlemen here are great, so definitely just let everyone know what you're looking for in the BST section. I don't have an expensive brush right now. I have the cheap brush I bought at CVS and a puck of William's soap (also at CVS) in a coffee mug and I can make pretty good lather out of it. I'm super excited about getting some products from Mama Bear though, as I have really sensitive skin. I just purchased the Merkur HD Double Edge razor, so I'll probably start using that on the days I can't use the straight razors... and I'll use it for my underarms right now. Anything we can do to help, just ask!


Welcome All!