Best razor to tackle a very tough beard with sensitive skin

[BubblesUK]

single edge razors seem to be harder to come by in the UK.

Depends what sort, plenty of 1912's (Gem & Ever Ready) around and cheap - the Gem SE blade is much stiffer and is pretty damn sharp.

You get a lot of auditory feedback from them, it's a slightly different technique but one I think is easier to find by feel than by eye... I'm not sure I'd be wanting to load/unload blades without being able to see them, though I'm not sure I would with most DE's too so you're clearly already braver than me!

 

[Xonic]

loading DE blades, especially Feathers where you have to wash the glue off them and not cut up your fingers can indeed be a bit of a challenge. This is one of the reasons the R41GS annoyed me so much as you have to manually align the blade. If you don't push it into place, it has a tendancy to sit with one end protruding more than the other. Hmm I am getting quite excited about these timeless razors now. only thing I'm wondering is what handle for the titanium to get and whether the base place should be OC or SB or both

 

[chetman]

it depends on how often you shave, technique, blade, soaps etc. I had a few open comb straight razors and had irritations and a lot of cuts so I stayed with SB and have always enjoyed it for 20 years. But everyone has their own preferences, the choice is always yours

 

[santamariasteve]

How about a vintage adjustable razor, maybe a Gillette Slim or a Merkur Progress?

 

[Myosin]

I have very sensitive skin and struggled for a long time with shaving.

Your razor is probably the least important part of the shave. The pre and post routine is what really matters. Wash your face before and after your shave, avoid using creams that use heavy fragrance, avoid trying to get BBS every shave, and just use a witch hazel toner instead of an aftershave splash. Make sure you use a lightweight non comedogenic lotion afterwards. You want to eliminate things that can possibly cause irritation. It's very unlikely that the razor itself is the issue.

You're going to be very disappointed and waste a lot of money jumping between razors and thinking that's the problem. Get an adjustable razor to start with. Start with the lowest settings and shave with it for a week and slowly up it until you figure out if your skin prefers a mild or aggressive style razor. Just buying razors that people randomly recommend isn't going to help you. I personally don't think slants make much of a difference for sensitive skin.

 

[Shavist]

Skin prep is at least half the battle. May I suggest Trader Joe's Cream Shave or Lucky Tiger Liquid Cream Shave as prep followed by your favorite soap, if any. Razor would be a Phoenix double open comb, but you'd have to determine which one. I think there's three and one more aggressive than the other two. And don't press too hard as that seems to be the number one cause of irritation, though some may disagree.

 

[Ron R]

Welcome to B&B, being blind and traditionally wet shaving way would be a challenge for almost anyone IMO.
Some of fellows mentioned some good points like Hydration of whiskers to make it easier for the blade to slice through. You already have some excellent razors that should be adequate but they can be aggressive also.
I was going to suggest the Italian barber Razorock Lupo 2nd generation .72 or .95 that should give a fairly carefree shave and there is positive blade exposure or some call blade feel. The razor is mid aggression 3 pc razor and loading and unloading is standard much like your R41 razor. If you find a razor you buy slightly to mild you can install a DE KAI SS blade in and it will bump it up a little more aggression efficentcy because it slightly wider than a standard Gillette blade.
If you decide to go SE I would stay with Gem 1912's or Gem Micromatic open comb or Gem Micromatic clog Pruf are nice mid range razors but you have to learn a different technique with a more shallow angle or riding the cap because they were designed like a straight razor concept but are safety razors. The reason I suggest them is cost of blades are good and amount of shaves are more than a DE Blade in my opinion. I use Gem or Eveready razors every week and also the Lupo .72 because I like variety and I'm a daily shaver.
All the best and have some great shaves!

 

[Calm_Shaver]

I’m going to recommend some from my arsenal as I have (thick beard with sensitive skin) that haven’t been mentioned, — Tatara Nodachi, Carbon Ti+, Smart Helix Aggr Plate, Karve E Ss & Yates H plate. These will all get you to BBS with no irritation or cuts, weepers.

 

[Mykola]

loading DE blades, especially Feathers where you have to wash the glue off them and not cut up your fingers can indeed be a bit of a challenge. This is one of the reasons the R41GS annoyed me so much as you have to manually align the blade. If you don't push it into place, it has a tendancy to sit with one end protruding more than the other. Hmm I am getting quite excited about these timeless razors now. only thing I'm wondering is what handle for the titanium to get and whether the base place should be OC or SB or both

The easiest way to get rid of the glue on the blades is to dip it in hot water several times. Very hot water dissolves the adhesive quickly. It could be boiling water.

 

[Xonic]

Hmm interesting re beard softening. My problem areas are the cheeks, which on a daily shave feel rough, but which I can't get BBS smooth without ripping up the skin. If I wait a day or 2 the razor can grab the hair. Does anyone have experience of this stubble softener from fit jar? Fitjar Islands Nyasha Pre Shave Stubble Softener & Facial Cleanser 75g - https://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/fitjar-islands-nyasha-pre-shave-stubble-softener-and-facial-cleanser-75g# I already wash my face in lots of warm water and scrub it and I use proraso preshave cream at the moment which does seem to help a little.

 

[Neilzebub]

Hmm interesting re beard softening. My problem areas are the cheeks, which on a daily shave feel rough, but which I can't get BBS smooth without ripping up the skin. If I wait a day or 2 the razor can grab the hair. Does anyone have experience of this stubble softener from fit jar? Fitjar Islands Nyasha Pre Shave Stubble Softener & Facial Cleanser 75g - https://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/fitjar-islands-nyasha-pre-shave-stubble-softener-and-facial-cleanser-75g# I already wash my face in lots of warm water and scrub it and I use proraso preshave cream at the moment which does seem to help a little.

I haven't tried that but I have used a pre-shave soap with fantastic results. Idea is to wash your face with it first, then apply the soap cube against the grain on your face. Fendrihan sells it as a Japanese charcoal Ippinka Binchotan, and there is also a Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements cube that works very well. I've had much better results on my trouble spots since I started using it.

 

[catchacoolbreeze]

I have sensitive skin and used a steel Timeless .95 and found my skin could not tolerate it. While I am sure the lighter material makes a difference, I am not sure if it will make that much of a difference for someone with sensitive skin.

 

[dabrock]

A lot of good suggestions so far, I would definitely say try a slant razor or a modern SE that uses Feather Artist Club blades as SE razors tend to offer closer shaves with less irritation compared to DE razors because the blades are more rigid and sharper. Another thought might be to dip your toe into the shavette side of the house with an Artist Club or Parker DE shavette. They require more time to acquire the skill needed for a good shave than safety razors, but they tend to be better for those with sensitive skin.

 

[Xonic]

Reading all these answers, SE razors are something I feel I should try. Is there anywhere in the UK that sells modern new SE razors? I don'tmind spending a bit of money but I don't want to go cutthroat If possible I'm hoping using an SE won't be too different from using a DE. I've looked on Executive shaving which is my go to but they seem to only sell the 1blade unless I'm mistaken?

 

[Neilzebub]

Unfortunately it's sold out at the moment but this UK retailer carries one of the highly regarded SE razors:

Blackland Vector Safety Razor (Machined)

Shop the Blackland Vector Safety Razor in the UK and Europe. Premium single edge safety razor designed for Artist Club blades. Shop now!

slickboys.co.uk

 

[Xonic]

Thanks. I'll look into that. I've also just come across the Claymore SE on exec shaving which should apparently be back in stock soon if the website is anything to go by. Any experience with that one??

 

[NicksDad]

I'll chip in, as I also have a tough beard and sensitive skin. I'm thinking you might want to compromise and skip BBS shaves altogether. Maybe weekends or date nights could be the exceptions (but then skip the next day's shave).

I shave daily with a Timeless SS .68 and Gillette Nacet blade. One pass with the growth and one across, but NEVER against. This leaves me with the look of a clean shave, even though brushing a finger ATG gives me away. I've just accepted that this is best for me and I never give it a second thought. It also guarantees that I have plenty of stubble to shave the next day without creating irritation.

I don't personally believe any amount of prep, creams, techniques, or alternate blades or razors will give you what you're after, but I wish you the best of luck with whatever you try.

 

[Shavist]

Can I suggest the Game Changer .84. Great razor for sensitive skin, along with skin prep. Hard to beat.

 

[JCarr]

Have you considered anything a bit less expensive? The RazoRock Lupo SS SB cured my RAD. Efficiency without aggression.

 

[Neilzebub]

Thanks. I'll look into that. I've also just come across the Claymore SE on exec shaving which should apparently be back in stock soon if the website is anything to go by. Any experience with that one??

I know nothing about the Claymore, sorry, but the Blackland Vector is a stellar performer.