Which blade for very heavy beard?

[Castletyphoon]

Hey guys, I am new to the DE shaving concept and at 40 years old is quite funny! I have been using gillette mach 3 for years and years but as you all know it becomes pretty expensive.

I was wondering what the best blade would be for a 34C Merkur razor? I have tested a few, the most recent being Gillette Silver Blue. I am finding that the Gillette cartridge actually shaved closer for me, particularly as I could whip it around and also shave up against the grain very easily.

I can do the same with the DE razor but the whole process takes so much longer and you have to be so much more careful. Just wondering what the benefit is other than cost of blades, or is that it?

Should I be using other blades?

Thanks!

 

[matwho]

A Feather might give you a closer shave but I wouldn't advise shaving in a hurry.

 

[xxvaleria]

I would also recommend trying a Feather. The Merkur is mild enough that you probably won't get into trouble as long as you take it slow and carefully.

 

[Lightcs1776]

Welcome to B&B. Feathers are good blades. Others I would recommend are Gillette Nacets and Silver Blues, which are a bit smoother than Feather, in my opinion.

Edit: sorry, just realized you tried the Silver Blue. Keep in mind that you will likely get a better shave as your technique improves.

Sent via mobile

 

[Dngolden]

Another vote for Feathers. I have a fairly rough, stubbly beard and I just find Feathers give me a smoother, closer shave. While Feathers are not the high risk adventure that they are often made out to be (you can cut yourself by looking at the package), they are sharper than most (all?) DEs. When I tried early on in my DE adventure, I liked Feathers but got too many weepers/nicks. But now, I use nothing else. Just depends where you are in your learning curve. At a minimum, pick up a pack and try now. If you don't get good results, try again in 6 months.

As an alternative, I find that Polsilver and Gillette 7'0' blacks to be almost as sharp and a bit more forgiving and they were my go-to blades for years. But as I said, after trying Feathers again I just got more consistently smooth close shaves than either of these two blades.

 

[Prof. Moriarty]

I vote for improving technique before trying out a Feather.

 

[Bookie]

Welcome to B&B
You have thick beard so;
a) good prep is half of work
b) Pay attention to blade angle because this is what cuts hair, you can have blade in your razor but if angle is not right it will not shave at all or not good enough
c)Let the weight of the razor do the work. People do not realize that pressure produced by human hand makes skin surface uneven and something even like DE blade needs a flat surface in order to cut. Also less irritation and razor bur is another plus.

Silver blue is a smooth and sharp blade, I'd stick with that first. You first want to get good shave, next step is excellent shave.
I would not go ATG in this stage yet, first try WTG and XTG. It's a good thing that you can go ATG but make practice on something less harmful for your skin since you're beginner

 

[BSAGuy]

Hello and welcome. Great to have you here on B&B. Wander on over to the Hall of Fame and introduce yourself. Plenty of good advice above.

 

[Floyd Eye]

I started with Feathers. I rotate between Feathers, GSBs and Plats. All excellent blades for me. Which blade I choose depends a lot on which razor I am using. I am not familiar with any Merkur razors so I can't give an opinion on that. I would say that assuming your technique is solid, with a tough beard I would recommend a more aggressive razor. With a mild razor a Feather is an excellent choice. With an aggressive razor it is an excellent choice. I use Feathers pretty much exclusively with my Wunderbar. I tend to get better shaves from my NDC SS with a GSB.

 

[numerounoo]

Supermax super platinum or Gillette platinum blacks from India.

 

[BigJ]

Welcome! IMO the 34C is a great choice! I also prefer razors like the 34C which I would classify in the mild/moderate range.

For me top choices (in no particular order) are: GSB, Personna lab, Personna reds, Astra SP, and Nacets.

 

[Jeff10236]

How many passes do you do? How long have you been DE shaving? Once you have a decent technique (after a month or two) and can consistently do 3 passes (WTG, XTG, ATG) I doubt that you will still have a closer shave with a cartridge (and you definitely won't have a more comfortable shave with one).

I like a good combination of sharp and smooth. On the medium sharp end I love Astra SP and a little sharper, the Israeli Personna Reds. On the sharper end of things I prefer Nacet and Polsilver SI. I haven't yet tried Feather, but from what I read, while they are a little sharper, they aren't nearly as smooth as the Polsilver or Nacet.

 

[Rotflmao]

+1 for Nacets.

 

[Jeff10236]

...I can do the same with the DE razor but the whole process takes so much longer and you have to be so much more careful. Just wondering what the benefit is other than cost of blades, or is that it?...



Thanks!

Benefits of DE over cartridges:

• Comfort
• Closer shave (once you have your technique down)
• Less expensive
• More options (different blades, different razors, and different razor types such as OC or slants, will give you very different experiences)
• Doing things differently/not being part of the crowd
• Nostalgia- some of us who are a little older saw our grandfathers and fathers shave this way (my dad switched to cartridges in the early '70s when I was very young)
• Speed: yes, the cartridge shaves faster, but the DE is an experience to be savored and enjoyed
  
• A more enjoyable shave, many of us like the whole wet shaving process with the brush, cream/soap, pre-shave, DE shave, post-shave. While the DE is only part of that, it is an enjoyable part of all that

 

[1kentj]

Another sharp blade to consider is a Gillette 7 o'clock Sharpedge (yellow)

 

[RayClem]

Although this might not be the answer you were expecting, I would suggest that you consider using a straight razor. They are great for heavy beards once you learn how to use one.

 

[ShavingPanda]

Blades are quite subjective and based on personal results / preferences. I would recommend getting a variety pack of blades and trying a handful of manufacturers and characteristics to see what works best for you.

As a side note for time for shaves. When I started a couple years I thought the same thing. Shaves were taking half an hour. Now if I am in a hurry I can get a fine shave in two passes in about 10 minutes (that said I try to shave at night where I have time). I agree with the posts above that lists the benefits of DEs over cartridges.

Closeness will come with better technique, but to confirm, are you doing multiple passes with the DE or just a single pass?

 

[Accionmutante]

Shark. Very sharp but more forgiving then feather

 

[Jeff10236]

Oh, if you are doing 3 passes (WTG, XTG and ATG) and you have been DE shaving long enough that your technique is where you can consistently do so with little to no irritation, perhaps your Merkur isn't well suited to you. I love my Merkur 38C (the same head as the 34, heavy like the 34, but with a longer handle), but razors can be very YMMV type items so even though these are very often recommended and many people have them, they aren't for everyone.

If you have a very heavy beard, have you considered an open comb? I love my open combs and I'm fairly new (about 2 1/2 months DE shaving) so they aren't the expert only razors some portray them to be. My RazoRock OLD Type OC is mild enough for a beginner, it is user friendly, and it is very efficient (very good at cutting growth), it is one of my favorite razors. The Merkur open combs have similar reputations (it will likely be as easy to use as your 34 but more efficient). I also love my Schone open comb, it is pretty aggressive but I've found it easy to adjust to, and it is very smooth (comfortable) and efficient, it may now be my favorite razor. The RR OLD Type is $15 plus shipping, the Merkur (depending upon model and seller) runs from under $25 to around $35, you can get the Schone for under $25.

 

[RayClem]

If you do not want to consider a straight razor as I previously suggested, I second the recommendation above about going to an open comb razor. They can range from mild to aggressive, just like safety bar razors.

The disadvantage of a safety bar razor is that the bar itself removes most of the shaving cream from your face before the blade ever gets to the hair you wish to remove. The open comb razor allows some of the lather to get past the comb and better lubricate the blade itself. For those with a heavy beard that is a big advantage.

Although I shave primarily with a straight razor, I do use a DE for final cleanup around my chin. My favorite DE is the Parker 24C because I like the weight of the razor. I also have a Merkur 25C that is lighter.