Hi from Melbourne SE suburbs

[Normie]

Hi, just getting properly into this wet shaving caper. Have been using cartridges with Proraso soap and an old omega brush for a number of years. Just upgraded to a shavette after receiving a shave shop gift card. Really enjoying the experience so far. Would eventually like to upgrade to a real straight, will probably have to wait till my birthday however.

 

[eggbert]

Welcome Normie.
Watch out there are several enablers here who could get you on the road to straights quicker than you might imagine.

Especially watch out for @Mark and his Gold Dollar specials.

 

[Mark1966]

Welcome mate!

I'm a DE user myself but I hear that straights and shavettes are quite different.

What other software do you have?

 

[Normie]

Only some nivea aftershave balm and a splash. Have had the proraso pre shave before. Hopefully going to take a field trip to mens biz tomorrow to grab some sample packs - I want to try some different blades and some D.R Harris creams. Have not done a lot of research into different products until now.

 

[possumbelly]

Welcome!

 

[filobiblic]

Welcome mate.

Hopefully going to take a field trip to mens biz tomorrow to grab some sample packs - I want to try some different blades and some D.R Harris creams. Have not done a lot of research into different products until now.

Sounds dangerous!

DR Harris triple milled soaps are better than their creams IMO. A few of the lads like the TOBS (Taylor of Old Bond Street) creams.

If you're after a brilliant cream, and you also love Aussie products, Mensbiz stock Occam's Shave Cream. It's a bit pricier at $35 but it's beautiful artisan made cream. Spectacular performance for a shave cream.

Also, for $20 (or less for the sale items!) you could get a sizeable tub of quality Shaver Heaven soap. Another Aussie soap that's super easy to lather with excellent performance. You can't get it from Mensbiz- you'll have to buy direct from @Anthony at Shaver Heaven. I recommend the Arctic Mango if you like a little chill to your soap.

 

[Mark1966]

Only some nivea aftershave balm and a splash. Have had the proraso pre shave before. Hopefully going to take a field trip to mens biz tomorrow to grab some sample packs - I want to try some different blades and some D.R Harris creams. Have not done a lot of research into different products until now.

I've also heard somebody somewhere indicated recently that the stock in the store is less than the stock online. Not sure about samples etc though. We have nothing of the sort here in Canberra

 

[Normie]

I've also heard somebody somewhere indicated recently that the stock in the store is less than the stock online. Not sure about samples etc though. We have nothing of the sort here in Canberra

Hmmmm, that's interesting. Hopefully I won't be disappointed tomorrow. I've been looking forward to paying them a visit.

 

[Dale.Whiley]

Welcome @Normie

 

[Draco Noir]

A big welcome Normie! S-E Melbourne is a fine place to be mate. As soon as the holiday dust settles, you must join a few of us in Melb for a lunch or a meet 'n' greet. I'm sure we can get you into straight shaving in record time

 

[Normie]

Mens biz in Melbourne was a lot smaller than I expected. They had a reasonable amount of product on display. Unfortunately they did not have any soap samplers in-store, they did have the blade sampler in stock. Will hopefully hit up a couple of the soap samplers in the not too distant future.

 

[Drubbing]

There aren't any places I know of that do soap samplers, not even the big brands. Just not economical to make small sizes.

 

[Normie]

There are 2 or 3 on the mens biz website. Apparently they make them up for the online store. From memory there is one for D.R. Harris, TOBS & Geo F Trumper. Also thing shave hut dies a couple. May only be for their creams though.

 

[Drubbing]

They're all cream samplers...

 

[alfredus]

Welcome and hope you enjoy the journey!

 

[filobiblic]

Will hopefully hit up a couple of the soap samplers in the not too distant future.

There aren't any places I know of that do soap samplers, not even the big brands. Just not economical to make small sizes.

I am certain that the Stray Whisker will offer soap samples for sale down the track. It's all a matter of time...
(At the moment Con has been throwing in free samples of ASB, brush cleaner or soap/cream samples into your orders.)

At the moment, Shaver Heaven offers soap samples (but @Anthony hasn't gotten around to making more recently).

 

[Anthony]

Welcome on board! I most certainly will be offering samplers of our soap soon. I have some sampler containers however they aren't pretty!

I guess it's what's inside that counts! Enjoy the forum! [emoji4]

 

[Normie]

Opened my first razor on the mens biz list from the sample pack tonight. The Merkur blades were first on the list, and I can't help but follow a list. Feels like I got a much better shave with these blades. Had been using the bluebeards revenge blades that came with my shavette so far. First pass was already far superior to the old blades. And the second and third were also quite good. Had a small nick on the left side, still getting my head around using my left hand. Overall an enjoyable shave, and a nicer feeling post shave also.

 

[Mark1966]

Success with Merkur blades @Normie - you are a legend. They are almost universally despised!

 

[Normie]

Well it's only a step up from what I was using. Still have the Derby's, Astra's, feathers and a couple more to go. Will be an interesting next month or so. I wonder if they're better snapped in half for a shavette than a DE?