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The DE Buyers Guide....

Do :confused:Also, I use the Rake edge safety 25 in conjunction with Trumper's Limes Shaving cream and the Edwin Jagger best medium badger brush. Do I have the best tools?

Many of us would say if you are not using a vintage Gillette razor you are not using the best tool.

:wink:
 
im using #178 merkur classic shorthandle..now trying gillette sharpedge blades..so far sooo smooth!!..trying other blades after 1 more use ;-)..do I stick with my razor handle or look for something else?..im kinda confused as to why ppl go from 1 which they always used to something else?
 
..im kinda confused as to why ppl go from 1 which they always used to something else?

Because we can. :lol:

I started with a 48-49 Superspeed.

I have 4 of them now (one is a '47, another is a '52)

I don't use them much anymore, but I still like buying them(everything, not just 40's style superspeeds.)
 
I was going to get a Merkur HD, but the Futur is so darn good looking I got that instead. I'll try it tomorrow....
 
Can't believe it took me so long to find this site.

What a resource. I'm like a kid in a sweetshop right now!

Thanks to all involved.

Going to take the plunge, maybe a nice Merkur HD Classic will fit the bill.

Best Regards from Sunny Ireland. :001_smile
 
K

King Colwin

I learned to shave (or relearned) with a straight razor and got pretty good at it, so when I tried a DE shave was nick-free from the start. That indicates to me that guys should work down from an aggressive shave, rather than up to one. On the other hand I was highly motivated, having gotten an amazing straight-razor shave at the FSC Barber Shop here in NYC and decided to replicate that somehow. Because I'd experienced a really good shave I wasn't discouraged when my first (self-administered) str8 shave had been like something from the French Revolution. All it lacked was Madame Lafarge knitting at my feet -- lotta blood in the lather. But I kept at it, and after reading Chris Moss's essay and getting further help from him via e-mail, was able to get through it without serious danger of decapitation. So -- given that sequence of events, it makes sense that properly motivated people should start at the upper part of the learning curve.
 
Very nice Joel. :thumbup1: I agree that it would be nice to see the open comb and the longer handle razors in your review......... even if to say that you don't feel that the open combs are not that significant of a difference.

I am a newer gentleman to this site, and am considering an open comb, on a long handle HD. I would expect that your view on the open comb, would cause others to respond about their views on them, and thus help those of us who are on the fence on that razor.

Thank you so much for your effort. It was a real pleasure to read. I especially liked the rating of how aggressive the razors are on a scale of 1-5.

Tall Paul
 
Quite interesting for this guide of DE
:001_tt1:

Hey there, welcome to B&B!

Back to the OP, great guide! Although... I guess they didn't much like the Futur.

I find all the problems they have with it nonexistant with my experience. YMMV I guess :biggrin:

Futur is still my favorite razor!
 
I own three Safety Razors, all by Merkur, including the Merkur Futur the other two are Merkur Classic Gold and the Merkur Hefty Classic Gold. The best out of all three in my opinion is the Merku Classic Gold (also the cheapest) I bought the Futur in a set which included the bowl, brush and stand. And paid a nice price for the whole set. I figured the old saying (You get what you pay for) goes for Safety Razors as well.....I was wrong. I tried every adjustment the Futur had and could never find the sweet spot. I stopped using it soon after buying it and have not used it since. Although it wasn't a complete loss since i still use the fabulous Badger hair Shaving brush, bowl and stand. The Merkur Hefty tends to make hamburg out of my face but I still use it occasionally. The 40.00 Merkur Classic is by far my best razor. So I guess my advice to new Safety Razor guys would be start out cheap.haha. It would have saved me time and money. Thank Joel for the great post.:thumbup:
 
I bought my Futur before joining this site, it was my first DE razor and what got me interested in DE shaving. The thing with the Futur is that people either seem to love them like crazy or hate them like crazy :)

I love mine, I think it's very modern and beatiful. It's the only new DE razordesign I know of since the butterfly mechanism and the blade loading mechanism works absolutely great for me. It's so quick and easy to change blades that people could use one blade for their cheeks and one for the throat, if they wanted. It's also very easy to keep clean.
The balance is nothing less than perfect and the weight makes you do much more "deliberate" strokes, which means less chance of mishaps compared to a lighter and more flimsy razor, everything except the Vision is light and flimsy compared to this razor :). With the Futur, you are aware that you have a serious "tool" in youl hand:)
The best part is the shave, load a Merkur blade and dial it down, you get a wonderful comfortable shave with next to no risk of nicks or razorburn, it's much milder than my Edwin jagger DE89. Pop in a Feather and dial it up and you can skin an elk :)

So my advice to newbees is to try the Futur and see if you are one of the people that love it. If not, just sell it and get a Progress.
 
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I have a Futur, an HD and two Gillette Techs. I really like the Futur, but I have to use it in the 1.5 -3 range. It definitely gives me the best shaves of the group, but I did take a small divot yesterday that did not want to stop bleeding :sad:. If I am traveling, I always have my razor in a box, so there is no way I would have a loose blade in my luggage or kit. The box also keeps the blade from touching anything, so it stays sharp. I actually like the Futur's Blade changing. Much easier than the Tech.

The Tech is great when I am in hurry, and not too worried about how close I get. I could actually go over yesterdays divot and not make things worse this morning. Not very close, but I would really have to work to cut my self with it.

I haven't gotten as excited about the HD. Maybe because with 3 razors and lots of blade choices, it is for me hard to pick out the best combos. I have been using a Badger brush and mug for almost 50 years, but just recently returned to DE shaving.

This site has been great. I found it while trying to find a new source for shaving soap, and ended up with two new brushes, and four new razors, and a couple of new soaps:001_smile. (I keep gear at my Mountain Cabin as well as home, so there is some justification for the excess equipment beyond RAD)
 
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This review, with its effusive praise for the Merkur HD, is fine as far as it goes, but it ignores an important dimension of DE shaving: esthetics. For some people, this is unimportant, but it matters a great deal to others.

Take a good look at the HD. This thing is a dog. Crude, rough-hewn, ill-proportioned - a utilitarian, clunky clodhopper of a razor. Why would you want to hold such a lumpy thing in your hand, or display it alongside your fine brush and bowl? Who would not prefer a lovely British Aristocrat, or even a Diplomat, President, Bostonian, etc? They shave every bit as well as an HD, but they have style, grace, even a bit of whimsy.

Do looks matter? Yes. As I write this, I'm on a stressful business trip. Eight time zones away from home, wishing it were over. When I stumble out of my uncomfortable hotel bed, is it any wonder that I prefer to start the day with my rhodium-plated no. 66, rather than some Merkurian abomination?
 
This review, with its effusive praise for the Merkur HD, is fine as far as it goes, but it ignores an important dimension of DE shaving: esthetics. For some people, this is unimportant, but it matters a great deal to others.

Take a good look at the HD. This thing is a dog. Crude, rough-hewn, ill-proportioned - a utilitarian, clunky clodhopper of a razor. Why would you want to hold such a lumpy thing in your hand, or display it alongside your fine brush and bowl? Who would not prefer a lovely British Aristocrat, or even a Diplomat, President, Bostonian, etc? They shave every bit as well as an HD, but they have style, grace, even a bit of whimsy.

Do looks matter? Yes. As I write this, I'm on a stressful business trip. Eight time zones away from home, wishing it were over. When I stumble out of my uncomfortable hotel bed, is it any wonder that I prefer to start the day with my rhodium-plated no. 66, rather than some Merkurian abomination?

Fine observations. We all have varying taste(s), but I certainly agree with you that the finest Gillettes bury the finest Merkurs in terms of appearance.
 
Thanks to a suggestion by Dharion, and the moderator team for acting on it, this thread is now a sticky in this forum.

Thanks guys!


DL
 
This review, with its effusive praise for the Merkur HD, is fine as far as it goes, but it ignores an important dimension of DE shaving: esthetics. For some people, this is unimportant, but it matters a great deal to others.

Take a good look at the HD. This thing is a dog. Crude, rough-hewn, ill-proportioned - a utilitarian, clunky clodhopper of a razor. Why would you want to hold such a lumpy thing in your hand, or display it alongside your fine brush and bowl? Who would not prefer a lovely British Aristocrat, or even a Diplomat, President, Bostonian, etc? They shave every bit as well as an HD, but they have style, grace, even a bit of whimsy.

Do looks matter? Yes. As I write this, I'm on a stressful business trip. Eight time zones away from home, wishing it were over. When I stumble out of my uncomfortable hotel bed, is it any wonder that I prefer to start the day with my rhodium-plated no. 66, rather than some Merkurian abomination?

just goes to show, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I love the look of the Merkur HD. simple, classic, .... the ultimate workhorse. much like a 1952 Telecaster - it's simple design might not be fancy (or whimsical... thankfully) and once I pick up that perfectly weighted razor, I know another satisfying shave is on the way. in the words of Billy Joel, "I love you just the way you are....."
 
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