Been using a safety razor for a couple years and won't go back to the newer expensive crap. I got me one of them Merkur's (not sure on spelling), soap, stand, and beaver tail brush. I stopped using the soap and brush after just a short while as I prefer to shave in the shower. I just use the cheap stuff in a can. No worry about a mess and while in the shower the heat softens up the beard making it easier to shave, that's why the old time barber shops use the hot towel before they shave ya.