First of all, welcome!

That’s really exciting! We were all new once before. We’ve put together something just for people like you—a Grown Man’s Guide to Wet Shaving. It will tell you what you need and how to get started. A whole new world of shaving goodness awaits you!

If you still have questions, please send us a message or email us directly at help@growmanshave.com

If you’ve never wet shaved before, a safety razor is a better starting point for beginners. It works like a disposable razor, except that you have to change the double edge blade in the head, rather than the whole thing, when it dulls.

A straight razor, while immensely satisfying to use, requires more skill and time to master and has a steeper learning curve. The blade must be stropped and honed occasionally and requires, in general, more maintenance.

Having said that, if you still want to jump right in and get one anyway, don’t let anyone tell you what to do and what not to do.

Go for it, but proceed with caution.

We recommend a double-edge safety razor. We have many favorites, but the Rockwell 6C and Edwin Jagger 3ONE6 are fantastic choices.

No, silly! This happens to almost everyone in the beginning! Pretty much any activity that yields satisfaction eventually—learning to ride a bicycle, drive a car, play a sport, or play an instrument —entails a learning curve.

If you don’t have one already, the best thing you can do is arm yourself with a styptic pencil or alum block (it’s antiseptic, soothing, and helps stop the flow of blood) and return to the bathroom with newfound resolve.

You can read more about this in our blog post, Alum Blocks - How and Why to Use.

For those of us with sensitive skin— and there are many! —we recommend experimenting to determine what works best for your skin, considering the mineral content in your water and the lather you are using.

It is always recommended for beginners to try different double edge razor blades. You will often hear people say, "Your Mileage May Vary," when discussing how razors work for different individuals. Don't buy a 100-pack of razors right off. Take the time to learn what works for you.

Taylor of Old Bond Street has created the Jermyn Street Collection specifically for people with sensitive skin.

This is one of the often debated topics in wet shaving. You will frequently hear this phrase in discussions on this topic: YMMV, meaning 'your mileage may vary.’ The honest answer to the question is it depends. It depends on which combination of Double Edge Safety Razor and Double Edge Razor Blade your skin reacts to best. 

Our founder, Dave, has sensitive skin. When he started, he heard that Feather Razor Blades were the best, so he tried those, but they cut him something fierce. He then tried Derby Razor Blades, and they were great in his Edwin Jagger Chatsworth Barley Double Edge Safety Razor. After trying a Feather All Stainless Steel Safety Razor with Feather Blades, they performed totally differently this time. Astra is also one of the most popular blades on the market.

The moral of the story is to buy a few different 5- and 10-packs and try different variations until you figure out what works for you, as your mileage may vary (YMMV).

Short Answer: Nothing

Long Answer: Some Double Edge Safety Razor blades, such as Derby and Astra, have small numbers printed on some of the corners of the blade. These numbers are not of any use to anyone shaving with them. These numbers are used during the manufacturing process.

We have many favorites. We offer a wide selection of the finest double edge safety razors available on the market. The most popular razor on the market is the Merkur 34C.

Our founder, Dave, has a few favorite razors in his shave rotation: Edwin Jagger 3ONE6, Edwin Jagger Chatsworth Barley, Rex Ambassador Adjustable Safety Razor, and the Feather AS-D2S.

Adjustable Safety Razors aren't necessarily better, just more flexible.

Adjustable razors appeal because they allow shavers to select the level of blade aggressiveness, and they are also easy to clean.

You can adjust the angle and set the length of the exposed blade, which gives you ultimate control over the power of your shave. The moving parts make it easier to clean hard-to-reach places.

How useful!

We love all of our razors equally. We are selling only high-quality straight razors from Boker, Dovo, Naked Armor, and Thiers Issard.

If you are new to using a straight razor, there are a few things to consider when choosing your first straight razor:

• Round Point has fewer sharp edges and tends to be more forgiving when you make mistakes resulting in nicks compared to points such as Spanish, French, hook, or square points.
• A 5/8" blade width would be the best starting point. Larger blades, such as 6/8”, 7/8”, and 8/8”, can be a bit harder to handle and may be more challenging in shaving tight areas, like under the nose.

Thiers Issard razors come with the best blade out of the factory, in our opinion. Ensuring you have a properly honed blade will help you get started effectively. If you're having trouble getting a smooth shave, you'll know it's due to your technique, not the sharpness of the blade.

These are our recommendations for beginners. If you still have questions, email us at help@grownmanshave.com

Share details about your shipping policies, item returns, or customer service.

Short answer: we don't. We are selling only high-quality straight razors from Boker, Dovo, Naked Armor, and Thiers Issard. All of our razors come with a factory blade on them. They are ready to shave after a few passes on a strop. 

This happens, so don't worry. These spots generally appear when moisture or water has been left on the blade. It is important that when you put your blade away, it is completely dry, as are the scales.  You can ensure this by running a non-lotion tissue over the blade and scales.

You can use a small amount of metal polish, such as MAAS, and a polishing cloth to take care of those spots should they appear. Be very careful when holding a very sharp blade. I suggest resting the blade on something like cardboard or a towel to prevent it from moving around while you polish it. 

If you have extensive 'patina' on the blade, I would recommend sending it off for professional restoration. 

Completely dry your razor after use. Store the razor in a cool, dry place with a light coat of camellia oil to protect the blade from moisture. The acid-free, non-resinous, and non-evaporating camellia oil is traditionally used to protect from corrosion in the care of blades made from carbon steel. 

Petroleum jelly is a good substitute.

Yes. Our Thiers Issard Damascus Steel razors use state-of-the-art powder metallurgical Damasteel. Two types of high-carbon steel powders are rippled together, pressed, and sintered. With this method, you receive a very fine structure of the material and a higher share of carbide than in the traditionally made steel.

Traditional Damascus Steel is not ideal for shaving because the edge is rigid. Great for swords in battle, not for your face.

Learn more about what to look for in a straight razor

It depends on the razor. 'Shave ready' is a confusing term that is often debated in online forums.

All of our razors come with a factory blade on them. They are ready to use after a few passes on a strop. We recommend stopping your razor after shaving to maintain the blade's life between honings. Remember, there are different quality razors on the market. We sell only high-quality straight razors from Boker, Dovo, Naked Armor, and Thiers Issard.

The answer is which is best for you.

• Carbon steel blades are easier to strop and sharpen at home, but they are prone to oxidation, so they need to be dried and stored with extra care.
• Stainless steel blades require a little extra skill to keep sharp on your own and require less maintenance.

But who says you have to choose? Many collectors are fans of both.

These are just different ways of preparing and packaging the same thing. It's similar to how you can find deodorant in various forms, such as solid, liquid, or cream. All of them get the job done, but different wet shavers have different preferences, usually trying a variety of products until they find what works best for them.

Our shaving sticks come in a compact form factor and are intended mainly, but not exclusively, for men on the go.

This is one of these infinitely subjective wet shaving questions. Having said that, it helps reduce friction, especially if you have sensitive skin, and we recommend D.R. Harris Almond Oil. We can't keep this in stock!