Classic Safety Razor

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Originally Posted By: bepperb
Some of the older Gillette and some new Merkur razors are adjustable and vary the amount of blade exposed. This IMO is worth the added expense. Also plan to buy a couple different brands of blades as they vary between sharp and smooth. Sharper isn't always better depending on your beard and handle.

I feel for those who tried and it didn't work out for them. When you find a handle/razor combo that works it's a much better shave. After a year it would take me the same amount of time with either, though at first that isn't the case.


They sell trial packs on amazon. You can get 2 blades from near 20 different manufactores for about $25 a little more but it saves you from having to buy the normal 100 packs to test a blade.

Personally I recommend the duller blades at first. When you get to the sharper ones like Feather they can be irrating on the 1st shave.

I prefer the second shave on them.
 
the adjustable merkur futur seems to me to be the one to go with from the little research that I have done and the information provided here from the members.

this "adjustability" allows for the closeness or aggressivenes of the blade to the face.

is that correct, thanks...
 
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^That's a good one. I just couldn't bring myself to spend $100+ on the thing. I've noticed that some DE shavers like to have several razor/blade combos in their arsenals and use them in rotation. I have used the same razor for my entire eighteen years of DE shaving. I am happy enough with the Personna medical prep blades that I probably won't change from them at this point. I tried about 5-6 other blades before settling on them.
 
For those with difficulty learning the technique for a good DE shave, let me offer a bit of advice....
A cartridge razor is designed to remove all the stubble in one pass. It's the reason they have multiple blades. They do a fair job at that, but they force one to press too hard to accomplish a close shave. That pressure is what causes razor burn and ingrown hairs as the whisker is removed below the skin in one pass.
A double edge by design is meant to use multiple passes, with another layer of lather between passes. It's actually a very quick first pass with the grain of your beard, followed quickly by more lather from the batch you prepared before hand, and then another pass, usually across the grain. Some even do it a third time against the grain, but unless you have an exceptionally heavy beard, it's usually not necessary. Try to remember the goal is beard reduction on each of two or three passes and avoid total beard removal in one pass.
 
That's why I like the DE shave, it's customizable. I guess my hair must have a lot of natural curl and my skin must be sensitive. I used a Norelco "Rotatract" electric in the 80's. It gave a very close shave for an electric - because it yanked up the hairs before cutting them. I gave it up due to numerous ingrown hairs. Even the Sensor Excel often gave too close a shave for me. A single pass shave with a DE gives a good balance between closeness and clear skin - for me. So, I don't shoot for a BBS shave, however, I get a very acceptable shave and clearer skin. We are all unique, aren't we?
 
Originally Posted By: John_Conrad
the adjustable merkur futur seems to me to be the one to go with from the little research that I have done and the information provided here from the members.

this "adjustability" allows for the closeness or aggressivenes of the blade to the face.

is that correct, thanks...


Yes, this is correct. That is a top of the line razor. If you wanted to start cheaper ebay a Gillette adjustable.

Back in the day Gillette had blue, red and black handled non-adjustable razors of varying aggressiveness.

Of non adjustable a Merkur would be slightly more aggressive than an Edwin Jagger. Both could be had for 35 bucks from amazon. If you get a lot of ingrowns a less aggressive razor might be a good place to start, if you have a thick beard more aggressive.
 
Does anyone have any knowledge, experience or info other wise on the
Men's Double-Edged Safety Razor at the Vermont Country Store as shown on the linky below:

http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store...7c55118_d_68736

Specifically wondering if it has the adjustability on it like the merkur futur. It appears as if it does. The price on this is 40 bucks plus shipping i imagine and other goodies one might buy. I need an new brush too....which is how all this started, when i went to wally world looking for a new brush!
 
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Originally Posted By: bepperb
Originally Posted By: John_Conrad
the adjustable merkur futur seems to me to be the one to go with from the little research that I have done and the information provided here from the members.

this "adjustability" allows for the closeness or aggressivenes of the blade to the face.

is that correct, thanks...


Yes, this is correct. That is a top of the line razor. If you wanted to start cheaper ebay a Gillette adjustable.

Back in the day Gillette had blue, red and black handled non-adjustable razors of varying aggressiveness.

Of non adjustable a Merkur would be slightly more aggressive than an Edwin Jagger. Both could be had for 35 bucks from amazon. If you get a lot of ingrowns a less aggressive razor might be a good place to start, if you have a thick beard more aggressive.


thanks,

i am not cursed with a heavy beard, but I do get the occasional ingrown hairs from the shaving so this is great information for me to continue my search.

there is unbelievable knowledge at this site. funny how a common interest in auto's extends to other facets of life!
 
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It's important to remember that blade choice is as critical as razor choice. When you decide on a razor, purchase a sample pack of blades so you can determine which razor/blade combination works best for you.

One of my razors is a Gillette red tip (an aggressive razor). If I put a Feather blade into it I easily nick and scratch my neck. However, a Wilkinson Sword blade won't nick or scratch in normal use. The same Feather blade won't nick or scratch when I use it in a Krona, but for comfort I prefer Personna blades in the Krona.

There is a learning curve with double edge razors, especially if you're used to using the multi blade razors. But once you learn to use a double edge razor and find the right combination, you won't want to go back.
 
Originally Posted By: John_Conrad
http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store...7c55118_d_68736


This one is not adjustable. The rotating part below the head is there for opening and closing the butterfly doors. I prefer the Merkur 34C, or a traditional three-piece design. They are easier to clean and, IMO, hold a more consistent blade angle. Again, just my opinion. I started off with an inexpensive Gillette DE TTO razor.

I think the Weishi razor metioned above would probably be very similar, if not exactly like, the "Pawn Stars" razor that costs almost three times as much. It might be OK to test the waters of DE shaving, but I don't think it looks like it will be heavy enough. A heavy razor requires less applied pressure (or none at all). That's what you want to prevent cuts and razor burn.
 
I recommend a quality razor in the 30 to 40 dollar range from Edwin Jagger or Merkur. Combine it with a good soap like Proraso or Cella and a good blade such as Feather.

It is important to read up on the proper lather of your soap and learn good shaving techniques. You tube has lots of videos on lathering and shaving techniques.
 
Originally Posted By: John_Conrad
Was at Wally World yesterday looking for a replacement shave brush as mine has lost a few hairs.

Saw the Rick Harrison Advertised Shavers for sale there.

https://www.onerazor.com/?mid=5153803

What say you? Good shavers? Good buy?

I have not shaved with these style razors since the mid 1970's when i started out shaving with my dad's shaver and I don't remember what these are like any more....



The razor itself is a great beginner and it's sold under other names. My kit was sold under a Dutch name and came with 5 Teflon coated German blades. It's a cheap investment to determine if you're committed to wet shaving. I used mine for about 2 months before I bought a Merkur34c
 
Yeah, but at 20 bucks why wouldn't you just spend the 34 right away?

I bought a 6 dollar double edge and liked it, then bought my fat boy for 40 and I was mad at the wasted 6 bucks!
 
I like the look of the Maggard brand razors at maggardrazors.com.

They are very honest about what they are and what they aren't. They have stainless steel handles and less elegant chrome plated zinc heads. They state clearly that it won't be as pretty as a higher end razor, but for $20 or less I think they may be a bargain.
 
Originally Posted By: HosteenJorje
I going to keep using my Gillette Twin Track as long as I can find OEM blades for it. You can cut the [censored] out of yourself using one of those old double edged razors.Never liked them.


I stocked up on them when I saw them at a doller store (independant one) a couple of years ago. As long as eBay and Amazon exists, you should be able to get them. I used them (ATRA named IIRC).
 
My understanding is that a milder shave would have the blade laying flatter and the edges less exposed while a more aggressive shave would be in the other direction.

That's really not a bad price on Amazon for the Progress.
 
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