You won't gain anything by paying lots of extra money for a razor. The Merkur that Falken recommended(or one of the other Merkur models) will last just as long & shave as well as anything else.
Blades: Astras are good, some others I use(or have used) & like, all comments are from my own experience:
*Derby: sometimes a little harsh on the first shave, next 2-3 shaves very good & smooth.
*Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow: probably my modern favorite, sharp & smooth.
*Astras: good blades, I like 'em a little less than Falken, but that's what makes for horse races. Besides, we put 'em in different razors & shave different faces with 'em.
*Feathers: Very sharp, recommend you wait till you have some experience to try them.
*Personna Reds: Good blades when I bought mine several years ago. I still like 'em a lot. Might be a good match for your beard/face from your description.
*Wilkinson Sword(white plastic 5-pack): bought these at the local supermarket when they had 'em, built up a fair stock. Good if not great, may get a bad blade out of every 20 or so.
*Dorco 301: not a bad blade, but in the end not quite as sharp as they should be, creating too much drag or pull. Probably better for a barber to use trimming around ears & nape of neck. Wish I hadn't bought a 100 pack of 'em way back when- they were the first thing I found online back when I discovered that decent DE blades had virtually disappeared from local stores, and before I discovered internet shaving forums. Having said that- they might be good blades for a beginner's first few shaves, as you learn the ropes & get the idea. Just don't buy 100 of 'em!
In the end, *You* are the only one that can decide what works for you. Razor makes a big difference(is razor mild? Aggressive?)as does your face, beard, & technique. And a blade that others like, & you hate- well, in a year or three you might come back & re-try it & find you like it a lot. As your skill develops, some of your likes/dislikes will change.
Shaving several times- only if you insist on the absolute baby-butt super smooth best of a shave. For everyday, once you develop some skill, just once, *with* the grain, should do it. BTW- be sure to distinguish among; with, across, & against the grain.
Forums: Badger & Blade, The Shave Den, The Shave Nook, Shave my Face are all good ones. And at one of them, a former BITOGer is a mod/admin.
Sure, get the Merkur, it should make a fine razor for you- but keep an eye out for an old Gillette, or maybe a Schick Krona.
Merkur- come to think of it, I have one somewhere I've never used, not even sure what model. Hmm.....
