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New to Wet Shaving - Stick with King C. Gillette or Upgrade to Adjustable?

Here's my "religion". I have 6 razors I truly enjoy. I take 10-15 minutes to wash, lather and shave. Those are MY 15 minutes. No one else's. This is my "Me Time". You may get there eventually. Shaving is one of the few things a man can do to truly pamper and care for himself before he has to go out and worry about everyone else. It's therapeutic and rejuvenating...it is my "religion".
 
Been shaving since the 70s but just getting into "wet shaving". I bought the King C. Gillette from Amazon for $12 along with a 2-pack of Cremo Shave Cream. I didn't go into soaps, lathers, brushes, or bowls as I hadn't planned to turn my shaving into a religious experience - at least not yet.
Now is the time to change the experience. Get a cheap but ok brush, an Arko/Derby soap stick, or some Cella, a very affordable shaving cream in a tub. You are just like me in terms of starting out, time shaving etc, I suspect. It was adding these things that changed my shaving experience. I had been shaving with a cartridge/BIC mindset but the brush and soap changed the dynamics of the shave. I became more mindful of the shave and my own beard pattern. It's hard to explain.

I started with an Edwin Jagger DE89 Kelvin, a £3 ebay brush and arko. The whole set up cost about £22 tops. ($18). The blades included were crap. I changed them up. I've been here since Oct and wet shaving since July. My beard and skin type is average too.

Get the brush and soap. It will change the shave. Then think about another razor. I now have 5.
Welcome to B&B!
 
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Oh man why did you open that can of worms.

I too started to shave with the KCG, upgraded to a Merkur 34C quite fast as my shave with the KCG were terrible. I too was using Cremo at the time.

I upgraded my result with 3 factor, finding a blade that work for me, finding a good soap / cream and brush , and focusing on not changing everything all the time.

If you feel the itch to get another razor then get it, I did it was just something similar (I hated that KCG heavy handle). But you haven't say anything about blade, I would start there get a sample pack, if the KCG blade work for you then you are ok with sharper blade, If you nick yourself a lot downgrade the sharpness. You will be amaze how a blade can change your experience on the same razor

Enjoying shaving, coming to wet shaving as truly change my point of view on shaving from dang I need to shave to a is it time to have yet ...
Somehow I missed this post the first time but this is the point I’ve been trying to make, and this is from someone with real experience. Instead of sticking with a razor that didn’t work you tried a different one that did. That just makes good sense!
 
Somehow I missed this post the first time but this is the point I’ve been trying to make, and this is from someone with real experience. Instead of sticking with a razor that didn’t work you tried a different one that did. That just makes good sense!
I can see both sides, but would like to point out a person who is not experienced yet with DE razors might not be sure if "a razor didn't work for them" is the fault of the equipment or just being new. The guy has shaved with the KCG razor only a few times so far. It's a popular razor that many people use with good results.
 
OP here with an update. Good points made by all. Yes, I'm new to DE shaving but definitely not new to shaving. Technique is improving each shave but in the end it's like someone else said - it's just shaving, so there's a flattening of the learning curve coming up. I'm able to get a DFS every time but not really at the BBS level.

I find the KCG razor handle slick and would much prefer the handle to have a more aggressive knurl. My beard is at best average on cheeks and neck and a little stronger on mustache and chin and on 2-day growth this razor does ok on the first pass WTG and also on XTG and ATG. But on a single day growth the WTG pass does almost nothing. maybe it's me and not the razor. I'm using the KCG blades that came with the razor and have some Feather's on hand but not in a hurry to use them yet.

I know some guys doing YT vids like GeoFatBoy can get a good shave with broken pottery and motor oil but I'm not there yet.
 
I can see both sides, but would like to point out a person who is not experienced yet with DE razors might not be sure if "a razor didn't work for them" is the fault of the equipment or just being new. The guy has shaved with the KCG razor only a few times so far. It's a popular razor that many people use with good results.
I do not disagree with you, for me the KCG was giving me two issue, I was cutting myself up all the time ( yeah that sharp blade) and frankly the weight of the handle was too much for me I just did not like the feel of it.

For me the real eye opener was testing a dozen blades or so ... I did found my love, a voshkod which generally give me good result with the Merkur 34 . As I put in my original post I upgraded my result with 3 factor, finding a blade that work for me, finding a good soap / cream and brush , and focusing on not changing everything all the time.


Now I did put the R41 hanlde on that KCG head but frankly I still prefer my Merkur 34
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
Some of the advice is good that has been offered here already, nothing wrong about a adjustable razor. When you feel its time for one just read the reviews of a razor that fancy's you and pull the buy trigger. When you do get one you can set the razor to your specs and that is it for many years of enjoyment. If you master a few levels of the adjustable your set for the rest of your life.
People who like to buy different razors just enjoy Varity and also just buying one and waiting for it in the post to arrive.
RAD is always lurking I suppose and just enjoy the shave and avoid a lot of distractions(I shaved with a cartridge razors for over 40 years and the only time I changed razors is when Gillette came out with a new model, every 8 or 9 years for myself.)
I like variety myself and I'm near done buying any more razors and brushes. Traditional wet shaving is just a great experience way of grooming yourself and spoiling yourself once in a while with a great razor that gives a excellent shave.
 
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OP here with an update. Good points made by all. Yes, I'm new to DE shaving but definitely not new to shaving. Technique is improving each shave but in the end it's like someone else said - it's just shaving, so there's a flattening of the learning curve coming up. I'm able to get a DFS every time but not really at the BBS level.

I find the KCG razor handle slick and would much prefer the handle to have a more aggressive knurl. My beard is at best average on cheeks and neck and a little stronger on mustache and chin and on 2-day growth this razor does ok on the first pass WTG and also on XTG and ATG. But on a single day growth the WTG pass does almost nothing. maybe it's me and not the razor. I'm using the KCG blades that came with the razor and have some Feather's on hand but not in a hurry to use them yet.

I know some guys doing YT vids like GeoFatBoy can get a good shave with broken pottery and motor oil but I'm not there yet.
One thing that has helped me a lot in progressing is to right about every single sahve and to grade the blade I was trying
 
I started DE shaving a few months ago, after wet shaving with cartridges most of my life. I have a KCG and a Merkur 34c. Also two synthetic and one boar brush. While I'm occasionally tempted to think about an adjustable razor, I'm sticking to a path of trying a few different soaps/creams, and some blade samplers before I think about another razor. But the temptation is there, and the struggle is real.
 
My personal experience was that I started with a Viking Chieftain, and stuck with it for a month, because that was the most frequent advice. I lost approximately a quarter cup of blood with each shave. Then I got a Merkur 34C, and was immediately amazed at how much more mild it was - only a little blood! I was astonished that I actual stuck with DE shaving with what for me was a much too aggressive razor. Many here will say I just never learned how to use it. Quite possibly true. I now have a Karve with plate B - quite mild. So I would say go ahead and buy a razor if you want.
 
I'd suggest you keep up with the KCG until you've mastered the technique to the point it's automatic, before hopping to an adjustable. New wet shavers who grab an adjustable tend to start playing with the settings, and don't really familiarize themselves with technique. If you're constantly adjusting the hardware when learning, you may not pickup on how a slightly different angle, or pressure affects the shave. Instead, you start going up & down on the settings to try and improve the shave, or fix a poor result, nicks, cuts, etc. - Get to learn the nuances of shaving first, and then consider another razor, specially if that other razor is an adjustable.

I'd also suggest trying a blade sampler, find one you like, or that feels good, yet clears the growth, and stick with it, as you make other changes. - Basically practice KISS, which has applied to every single one of us at one time or another.

My first change, as mentioned above, would be a real soap (or lathering cream) and a good inexpensive synthetic brush. You'd be surprised what $20 towards a synthetic buys, and it will perform as well as a $100 or $125 natural hair brush. I've had several badger, boar, and horse brushes, and quite frankly my 30mm Tuxedo ($11 knot mounted in a Omega handle) and my 3d-Printed 30mm Synthetic ($10 knot) perform so much better than any of them, including the very nice Franks Shaving brush I won with the Rex Ambassador.

For soaps, anything Stirling, Soap Commander, Razor-Rock What the Puck, Tabac, Proraso, or Caties Bubbles are inexpensive per ounce, and delivery great shaves with a brush. (There are others, just listed several that came to mind off the top of my head).
 
If there's nothing wrong with the KCG, like others I would suggest sticking with it for a while and try out some different blades (a sampler pack is always a good idea).

If you are desperate to try something else, have a look at FaTip. They are all brass so well built but won't break the bank. You can get a FaTip Piccolo Special Edition that has the milder Gentile base plate and also the more aggressive Open Comb plate to try out.
 
OP Update - I bought a Rockwell 6S and have used it a few times on plate #2. I was surprised that compared to the King C. Gillette, it seemed milder but at the same time more effective / efficient with no irritation. It felt like I couldn't have cut myself even if I tried. I didn't find the 6S finish to drag as some have said as long as I kept the Cremo wet on my face - stayed quite slick even after two passes. The knurling on the grip allows me to soften my grip compared to the KCG without feeling like it was going to spin out out of my hand. I'll try plate 3 next.
 
OP Update - I bought a Rockwell 6S and have used it a few times on plate #2. I was surprised that compared to the King C. Gillette, it seemed milder but at the same time more effective / efficient with no irritation. It felt like I couldn't have cut myself even if I tried. I didn't find the 6S finish to drag as some have said as long as I kept the Cremo wet on my face - stayed quite slick even after two passes. The knurling on the grip allows me to soften my grip compared to the KCG without feeling like it was going to spin out out of my hand. I'll try plate 3 next.
Good for you buying the razor you wanted instead of fighting with the KCG. Sounds like a definite upgrade!
 
I will definitely suggest using adjustable. An adjustable razor What allow you to incrementally change how aggressive your Shave is as you get more comfortable. You can start with a Gillette slim. The highest setting isn’t that aggressive but it feels like it in the beginning If you want to continue using adjustable regist but that air more aggressive a Parker variant or a Q shave adjustable are low cost alternatives.
 
Been shaving since the 70s but just getting into "wet shaving". I bought the King C. Gillette from Amazon for $12 along with a 2-pack of Cremo Shave Cream. I didn't go into soaps, lathers, brushes, or bowls as I hadn't planned to turn my shaving into a religious experience - at least not yet.

I've used to KCG 3-4 times and am getting better with understanding how to use Cremo for what it is. At this point I'd say "I don't know what I don't know". After watching a lot of YT videos and reading this forum, I'm getting the itch to move to a Parker Variant, Merkur Progress, or Rockwell 6C. Or I could be patient and continue to learn on the KCG. At this point I think any of these razors "work" as there's nothing too unique about my skin or beard. I appreciate your input and experience.
I suggest buying 12 sticks of ARKO before buying a new razor.
 
Been shaving since the 70s but just getting into "wet shaving". I bought the King C. Gillette from Amazon for $12 along with a 2-pack of Cremo Shave Cream. I didn't go into soaps, lathers, brushes, or bowls as I hadn't planned to turn my shaving into a religious experience - at least not yet.

I've used to KCG 3-4 times and am getting better with understanding how to use Cremo for what it is. At this point I'd say "I don't know what I don't know". After watching a lot of YT videos and reading this forum, I'm getting the itch to move to a Parker Variant, Merkur Progress, or Rockwell 6C. Or I could be patient and continue to learn on the KCG. At this point I think any of these razors "work" as there's nothing too unique about my skin or beard. I appreciate your input and experience.
Hi Cham, I returned to DE shaving 2 and a half years ago with a Weishi long handle (Gillette superspeed clone) that works well for me. Acquired the King C. Gillette last November (same $12 sale) and found it is an excellent razor though a bit more mild than my Weishi. Have found that with an extra pass and some adjustment of technique (for the final pass) the same BBS shave is achievable as with my Weishi. Benefit is that with the King C. it is almost impossible to nick yourself as compared to the Weishi. As you do need to hone technique differently around the characteristics of each razor the recommendations to focus on the King C. for a while are spot on.

There are some videos out there where I picked up on adjustments to my third pass technique to get my preferred BBS shave with this razor that may help. See this one (link below) by geofatboy where at 12 and a half minutes "Riding the Cap" is covered as a technique for this with the King C. Gillette razor.


Best of luck. King C. Gillette is a great razor to start with.

P.S. Agree with recommendations to add another soap like Arko or Proraso before another razor
 
For my 2 cents this what i would recommend.
1. Buy an inexpensive synthetic brush $15 -$25
2. Buy an inexpensive soap
$5-$15
3. If your are wanting an adjustable i say go for the qshave adjustable or a gillette slim. They can both be had for cheap. Slims got for about $25 and the qshave can be had for less than $20.
 
I am using the KCG with KCG blades and so far DFS from the start and currently honing my skills with BBS appearing consistently now for a number of weeks. I too am experienced in shaving but not DE shaving. What i found was that a decent soap and preshave really improved my shave. And technique technique technique is my current mantra.

I had the urge to try other razor. I made a shim (never used it yet) but for now i focus on technique as i do get the occasional Nick or cut which are purely on my (like this morning when i decided to change shaving direction mid-stroke! And the fact i did it on my jawbone did not help either).

But this has YMMV written all over it. I feel my shave is not yet as efficient (takes 25 minutes - four pass shave to be honest) asi would like and maybe it’s the razor or maybe it’s me. For now I’m giving the razor the benefit of the doubt and put it on me first.
 
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