Your First Traditional Shaving Kit ?

While Freddy and I were musing over some of the points brought up in the thread below ...

http://shavenook.com/thread-safety-razor...l-overview

... the subject made me think about my first Traditional Shaving Kit. I had to replace the blades and the soap but the rest of the kit is what I originally started my journey with and I still have it as a keep sake and a reminder of where and what I started with. Here is a photo of that kit.

I transitioned from at the time 34 years of cartridge and electric use to DEs and have supplemented the kit over time with a variety of items.

So now here are the questions for the forum. What was your first kit? Do you still have it? How long after you started shaving did you transition to traditional shaving or have you always been a traditional shaver?

Here's my original kit:

* Edwin Jagger 89 Chrome
* Astra SPs
* Semogue Silvertip 730
* Kiss My Face cream
* Alum Block
* Thayers Witch Hazel
* Unrefined Shea Butter

The only thing that I still have is the EJ89 for my son and, of course, the Shea Butter!

My first first 40 years ago was a Gillette black handle SS with canned goop and (I know now) carbon steel blades that were microrusted dull. That kit failed. That was in the late '60s. At the time I had no clue that the blades were bad.

This time it was a GEM Featherweight and blades from CVS and a VdH kit. Then I found that very same Gillette black handle SS and used the VdH kit. I know I resisted all forms of AD for almost a year. From there it's all a blur.

But I guess you never forget your first.

I'm guessing I started shaving around 1967. I started with a Schick Type L1 Injector razor, the Schick Injector blades of the time, and Noxzema aerosol shaving cream. I used this kit for approximately five years, until I grew a beard.

About five years later, I bought a Gillette Adjustable DE and started shaving my neck (which I have done ever since then). At times, I used aerosol shaving cream and other times I used a cheap brush and shaving soap or cream.

Eventually, I moved on to twin-blade cartridge razors and even an electric. I found these forums eight years ago and started DE shaving again, but my early kit changed quickly and I don't remember all the details. I started with a Merkur razor that was too aggressive, so I switched to a Weishi and then a Gillette Tech, which I used for over three years. Early blades, brushes, and soaps are now a blur.

- Murray

All the way back in the summer of 2010 I got myself a Parker 22R, some Feather blades, a tube of Proraso Green cream, a Omega 50014 boar, and a bottle of Proraso Liquid Cream Aftershave.

Still have - and use - it all

Mine was the Van der Hagen luxury kit from Target that included a brush, soap, and mug. I used it with my remaining carts at first, then added an EJ89 razor soon after

I have always been a traditional wet shaver. I started shaving in 1961 with a Schick E3, Colgate soap, Boar Brush (don't remember the name), and Mennen Skin Bracer.

I still have the E3.

My first traditional kit:

• Merkur HD 34G
• Gillette 7 O'Clock Blacks
• Body Shop Synthetic
• Trumper's Coconut Oil Cream
• Nivea Sensitive ASB
  

Merkur 180, Merkur blade, VDH soap and boar brush.

My wife said: "This is the first time I see you properly shaved".

Excellent submissions. Who's next!

Mine has been in my profile/BIO for a while now but I'll re-post it here.

Merkur 23c
VDH Premium kit with deluxe soap
Aqua Velva Blue

I bought a blade sampler from West Coast Shaving and ended up settling on Astra SP as my go to for about a year. I sold the 23c and I still have the VDH bowl from the kit and I keep a puck of deluxe soap in it to use maybe once per month, for nostalgia. It's still a damn good soap..for the price I don't think anything can beat it for lather quality and skin conditioning. I also rarely use Astra these days and mostly use Gillette Silver Blues and Polsilver SI.

I started shaving at 15 (I'm 38 now) and didn't start traditional shaving until 3 years ago. I started shaving with a Gillette Sensor and canned goop. I never got into electrics, I tried my uncles Norelco rotary "lift and cut" and it damn near tore my face off..never touched another one.

I didn't start traditional shaving until 2009 but I had been using elements for awhile. I had a pot of the Crabtree & Evelyn sweet almond cream but only used it brushless.

I read that Today show article by Corey Greenberg and found it fascinating so I basically bought the items she linked to. I got a Merkur 38c, Proraso cream, a Vulfix 2235 super (I originally got the travel brush but couldn't do squat with it), both the Proraso splash and balm, and a wooden bowl to build lather. I was such a newb that I got one of those wooden bowls that you store soap in but used it to bowl lather. When I finally got a real bowl later I realized my mistake.

My "learning curve" went by quickly, so quickly that I soon ordered a Feather Artist Club straight, thinking I could handle it no problem. I can still see the scar on my upper lip!

Although I've moved on to products better suited to myself, I still get a twinge of nostalgia whenever I see a 2235 and the old Proraso labels.

- Josh -

Merkur HD 34c
TAOS Ivory fine badger
Gillette 7o'clock greens
VDH deluxe soap

I started in the 1960's with a Schick injector and canned goo from the drugstore -- limited choices back then, at least in the USA. This was of course before the internet, so nobody knew about the higher quality soaps from England and the like. Better quality (current) blades has not yet been invented.

Moved along to Trak II and through the multi-blade menagerie. Still with canned goo. Then tried electrics because I was not satisfied with cartridges.

Returned to wetshaving on Father's Day 2010 at age 65, when my wife presented me with my father's Aristocrat and daughters presented me with a Merkur HD 34C and badger brush and Col Conk soap. Since then I have upgraded soap and blade to Petersburg Products family: 7 o'clocks, silver blues, and Polsilver SI,

I wonder if I saved any money along the way. Doubtful

More excellent submissions. Does anyone else have any stories or photos of their first traditional shaving kit to share?

I had been using cartridge razors for a very long time but was intrigued about traditional shaving and read what I could find about it. This was around 8 years ago. Most of the online vendors we have today did not exist. I ended up choosing a Parker 22r razor, Merkur blades and a Vulfix 1000 brush along with Col Conk Bay Rum soap. I'm not sure why I chose these but remember I wanted to keep the cost under $100 .My first shaves were rough and not very close. I stuck with it and soon figured out there were better blades than Merkur. I moved along to a Gillette Slim, tried some creams, got a softer brush and ended up with Feather blades. The shaves got much, much better and I never looked back. The original kit is long gone, some of it sold, some donated. My shave cabinet is now bulging. Shavinge has become an enjoyable hobby and we now have several great on line vendors and new razors, soaps and creams are continually being introduced so there's never a shortage of new things to try.

I started shaving with a straight razor more then 20 years ago, but always used foam from a can then i got a shavette and used it until 3 months ago.

My first wet shaving kit was:

Semogue 730 HD
Jabonman Brisa del Oriente
Merkur 25C + Gillette Platinum
444 Alumen bloc
444 ASB
Brüt ASL

I bought a VdH kit consistIng of soap, brush, and mug from CVS and a '56 Superspeed off a forum. I had a pretty hard time with the soap and upgraded to Proraso cream and aftershave pretty quickly.
I can't remember the first blade I used though. Maybe I ordered a sampler pack right away.
It wasn't long before the 'I gotta try that soap, cream, blade or razor' set in though

I went full tilt Proraso Green with an Ikon OC for my first real wet shaving experience.

Proraso Green Pre/Post Cream
Proraso Green Soap
Parker Silvertip Badger Brush
Ikon Open Comb Razor
Feather Razor Blade
Proraso Green Aftershave Splash

I still have a picture, it was only 10 months ago. It sounds like the cobras will be available right around the 1 year mark - I might have to make it a little 1 year anniversary present to myself.