Thinking About Switching to a Safety Razor -Any Advice?

[mikethompson]

Tried one of those once. Chickened out before I finished the first shave.

I'm with you there,I don't trust my hands that much!

 

[mikethompson]

But it is just that the Feather needs a bit lighter touch

a feather touch perhaps?

 

[Chasing Embers]

a feather touch perhaps?

Indeed. Feather blades are like samurai swords.

 

[renfield]

Get an old Gillette Ball End Tech if you want a close, but mild shave. They’re a great intro to safety razors, cheap and easy to find. You just need to find the blade that works for you.

I have a Merkur and, for me, it is clumsy and doesn’t shave as well as most of my vintage DE safety razors.

An old Slim Speed or Fat Boy will give you plenty of adjustment and last a lifetime.

Get a blade assortment to find what works for you. There’s no way to know without trying.

 

[Kozeman]

a feather touch perhaps?

I think the issue I have with feather is that they are so thin they can steer themselves. If you get a stray badger hair from the brush on your cheek it can spell disaster. I look at Derby like off roading tires if you hit a median. Should also point out how cost effective a good shave can be. Weishi razor, Derby blades and a tub of Proraso can last you a year for the price of twenty or so Mach III blades.

 

[mikethompson]

I have a Merkur and, for me, it is clumsy and doesn’t shave as well as most of my vintage DE safety razors.

Do you mean the handle is too thick?

 

[renfield]

Do you mean the handle is too thick?

More the shape of the head but the bulkiness of the handle also doesn’t work well for me.

I have a full beard so I need a more maneuverable razor. Nothing inherently wrong with the Merkur, I just found a better fit with the old Gillettes.

 

[mikethompson]

Merkur 34C is a fine place to start. One I liked more, and comes in a myriad of designs, is any variant of the Edwin Jagger DE89. It’s a gentle shave, but effective enough, and good for every day.

I thought I read Edwin Jagger in this thread. I've come across them as well, and they seem to be slightly more affordable than the Merkur.

Decisions decisions!

 

[Kozeman]

More the shape of the head but the bulkiness of the handle also doesn’t work well for me.

I have a full beard so I need a more maneuverable razor. Nothing inherently wrong with the Merkur, I just found a better fit with the old Gillettes.

That's why I like the Weishi. Slim handle easy to rotate and follow curves. Good handle texture easy to grasp lightly when wet. Also lightweight with the bulk of mass in the head. And a real bargain.

 

[olkofri]

I thought I read Edwin Jagger in this thread. I've come across them as well, and they seem to be slightly more affordable than the Merkur.

Decisions decisions!

Merkur. Solingen steel. German made. Why is that even a decision?

 

[mikethompson]

Well I got the razor figured out, now i have to pick out some blades to go with it.

This is like picking out your first 'real' pipe and first tobaccos!

 

[olkofri]

Start out with regular blades. Go from there. Yeah, it's like pipe and tobacco: start out with a billiard and 1-Q.

 

[JMcQ]

You can get sampler packs of blades off of Amazon. A good way to try out a few different brands. Personally, I like feather.

 

[Kozeman]

You can get sampler packs of blades off of Amazon. A good way to try out a few different brands. Personally, I like feather.

Maybe we should swap. What will 49 (5 ten packs minus one) of Feather blades get me?

 

[Kozeman]

Actually I'll treat them like some tobacco that I don't care for. Set them aside for a day when I either get the technique down or the government bans internet sales of blades without a background check.

 

[mikethompson]

I will be watching this a few times. But do I really need all that product?

 

[Chasing Embers]

I will be watching this a few times. But do I really need all that product?

Not really. A good razor paired with tallow soap will do an excellent job.

 

[Kozeman]

Short answer. No. Longer answer,,,, do what you want. No magic. Usually a hot shower is enough to soften a beard for cutting. You might even have soft enough hairs where nothing needs to be done. I use a Poraso pre-shave cream on occasion. It's like a menthol rub that helps make things softer for the shaving cream. I don't use and aftershave. I just wipe any left over cream off my face with a towel. I don't even rinse the cream off. Most shaving creams have a moisturizing affect on their own. The most significant function of the shaving cream is to moisten the beard for shaving and to help get the cut hairs off of your face and under the tap to be washed off the razor. Just jump into it and feel good that you are not buying into the anti masculine bullshit from the likes of Gillette.

 

[renfield]

Merkur. Solingen steel. German made. Why is that even a decision?

Actually I think they’re zinc alloy with a plating. The new Gillettes are as well. The vintage non-adjustable Gillettes are brass with various platings.

I assume you’re talking about the razor, not the blades.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Merkur. Solingen steel. German made. Why is that even a decision?

Actually I think they’re zinc alloy with a plating. The new Gillettes are as well. The vintage non-adjustable Gillettes are brass with various platings.

I assume you’re talking about the razor, not the blades.

Chrome plated zamak heads and brass handles.