I've found that I keep the tidiest face by alternating between using my Merkur double-edged safety razor (+ straight razor where precision matters) and my old electric Braun 3000 series. I can't explain how it works, but if I use my Braun at least once a week, it seems to clean up the rough patches that the straight blades don't handle well.
I started shaving again after having a beard for many years. I found I preferred cutting wearing my beard shorter and shorter, and it occurred to me I should go the whole hog.
I shave after my morning shower, using some disposable 3-blade Gillette. I apply the foam (from a can!) with a badger, and find I get a very close shave.
Will have to remember where the one from La Chaux de Fonds is, it may be in the basement which means it might be a long search . The Neuchatel one though will get a photo tomorrow. It's a shame, it and its box were truly like new, and I didn't know that you can get generic replacement boxes (so you can keep the original pristine). So the box is a little worn from almost 10 years of damp bathroom life. And the blade itself was a sparkling gleaming perfect gem; had some friends over, and showed it to one who had been eating salted pistachios. Didn't think about it, back in the box, few days later had a look and it had rusted. Luckily nowhere near the edge, but still kicking myself- it was perfect! Came right off but left dark spots. Still love it though.
LeCoultre made some very cool straight razors with replaceable blades. Not sure why, except that after some time you will wear back the edge after repeated honing. Got one of those but never tried it for shaving.
this all sounds lovely but I really hate mail order because nobody wants to wake up on Monday morning only to discover they're out of blades without being able to pop into the (same) store (where they always buy it) and pick some up right away.
I scanned through the thread but I didn't see a clean post on what kind of stores in CH sell this type of equipment. I just saw some mail order sites and a couple of names of places in Zurich.
So what types of stores are selling this traditional double-edged razor and badger-hair brush with soap equipment, so that I might look for it here?
Here are a couple of my Swiss razors. Haven't tried the LeCoultre; its blade is chipped and I lent the box with spare blades to a friend who found a boxless one with bad blade. Must get that back!
The Felix Luthi is my ever day week razor. The scales (that's the handle) have cracked after a heart attack inducing fall to the floor. Somehow the edge remained totally unscathed. Will make new ones for it one of these days. A Google search of Felix Luthi Neuchatel only turned up one real hit, a question on a French knife forum asking about a folding pocket knife made under that name. Nobody had any info. I don't have any illusions that this razor hold mystical hair shearing powers, but it is cool to use something that old, that's local, and that works so well.
The trick is to kill them first. Or to get some farmers convinced they're carriers of TB, and get them to kill it for you - but only if you've had your BCG.
The guy you give it to will probably need at least a little bit of exposure to the topic, such as this thread, otherwise he will probably just pack it away somewhere. Before I came across this thread, if I got a set like that I probably wouldnt have used it. Now im actively looking to get started with it.