What was your first shaving equipment?

On July of 2013, I decided to buy my first products. It was an Edwin Jagger with lined handle, which I have in my rotation, some packages of Astra and Personna blades, since then I use the Astra as I like it very much, a Cella tub, which I don't use anymore, a Speick tube, fantastic cream and I have finished two of them, an Omega Pro 48, which I gave to my father after some uses, and finally a Proraso Blue balm, which I don't have anymore, I gave it.

I was very satisfied back then with my first equipment as a beginner. All of them are supposed to be vfm products and many have tried them.

What was yours? Do you use them yet?

In September, 2005, I started with a no name badger brush, Caswell-Massey almond pre-shave oil and shaving soap, a Weishi razor and Dorco 300 blade. The brush was good and I still have it, though I no longer use it. The Caswell-Massey pre-shave oil was quite good but the soap was dreadful. The Weishi razor, which I also still have but no longer use, was good for a newbie like me. Inexpensive, it got the job done and proved to me that, yes, I could use a DE razor without doing major damage to my face.  The Dorco blades were awful but I soon found others that let me know just how great wet shaving could be. I now have many more, and much better, products but those first pieces of software and hardware opened up an incredible world for me and the journey from there to here has been fantastic.

My first became a gift from my wife. She had read an article on wetshaving while we were traveling, pointed it out and said "This is right up your alley"

Next birthday, I received a Merkur 38c Barberpole, Van der Hagen soap and brush "kit". This nearly 11 years ago.

I still have all the HW, rarely use the razor and almost never the brush although it has and is broken in nicely. The bowl that came with the kit, although I think a bit ugly to be honest, is the perfect size and what I use daily to soak my natural hair brushes while in the shower.

Great thread Nick and this has inspired me to do a SOTD "First Shave Ever" with original gear; don't have any VdH soap right now and will probably pass on the Merkur blades I started with too

November 2011, if my math is correct, I bought a Shea Moisture pure badger brush and a puck of Van der Hagen Deluxe shaving soap. I shaved with it until my birthday in January, when I got my Edwin Jagger DE89.

Nick, this is an interesting topic and it permitted me a very happy journey down memory lane.

I started traditional shaving in February of this year with a starter kit from Maggard Razors. I chose the Parker 22r razor, Maggard London Barbershop soap and a cheap Omega boar brush (can't remember the model #). It also came with 2 packs of blades, Astra SP and Derby. Everything still gets used as my den is still quite modest right now and it hasn't even been a year yet! I couldn't be happier with the transition though. It's so much better than the Mach 3 and Barbasol I was using for the last 20 years.

I started traditional shaving in February of this year with a starter kit from Maggard Razors. I chose the Parker 22r razor, Maggard London Barbershop soap and a cheap Omega boar brush (can't remember the model #). It also came with 2 packs of blades, Astra SP and Derby. Everything still gets used as my den is still quite modest right now and it hasn't even been a year yet! I couldn't be happier with the transition though. It's so much better than the Mach 3 and Barbasol I was using for the last 20 years.

What a great way to start- quality gear!

My first wet shaving gear was Tabac Soap and D.E Harris. And only picked those because previous customers gave it 5 stars under the product description. I totally had no clue which soap was good or bad.

I was actually just looking to buy the soap to replace the canned goop, and intended to continue with my dollar shave club cartridge razors. Up to that point I have never even seen a DE Razor before,

But on the same page, I first saw the DE razors.

Long story short, I did some research and decided on trying out the Edwin Jagger 89. Put that in the checkout box.

Funny enough, I forgot to include a brush. But a quick trip to my local Superstore got me a $6 Wilkenson's Sword badger brush.

I have been hooked with wet shaving since. And have cancelled my dollar shave club subscription and gave the handle and remaining cartridges to my sister for her leg shaving.

The rest is history.

In the early 60' ---- My father gave me his old razors, mug and his new, still in the box Ever-Ready 100 brush. That old pottery Grand Turk mug with the broken handle lasted into the late 70's. Still have and use (every now an then) the Gem Micromatic. The straights (Kissing Crane and Boker ) are long gone.

Still have the red & white Ever-Ready 100 brush ---someplace, need to put a new knot on it.

My first gear was a Parker 92R, Wilkinson Sword blades, an Escali brush and TOBS Sandalwood, of course.