Hi, new member here. My name is Gary, and I'm in Michigan.
After alternating between cartridge shaving and electric for many years, I got fed up with the prices and politics of Gillette, and went primarily electric rotary for my face, and continued to use Harry's for my bald head. Recently, while waiting for my wife as she shopped at the local chain pharmacy, I happened to find a DE butterfly razor in the shaving aisle, and picked it up on a whim.
Scared to death to use it, I read a bunch here and elsewhere, and worked up the nerve to finally try it. All I had on hand was canned cream, gel, and Creamo - which i use to shave my head.
Anyway, I applied the Creamo to the three-day stubble on my face, and when I drew the razor down my cheek below my sideburn, I didn't feel anything - none of the tugging or dragging sensation I'm familiar with from using carts. I thought "I must have the razor at the wrong angle" but when I felt the area I had just passed, i was astonished to find that it was perfectly smooth! Needless to say I was hooked immediately. I finished my "first" shave (in 50 years of shaving) with one minor nick near the corner of my mouth and little irritation.
Next, more reading, and buying.
I ended up getting a Merkur 34c and some Astra blades, along with a badger brush and some TOBS Sandlewood cream, as everything I read said that the 34c with the Astra blades was a good starting point. So far, I'm having a ball even though I'm only a few shaves along.
My question: what characteristic physically makes one razor more "aggressive" than another, other than an open or closed comb?...does a more aggressive razor expose more of the blade edge from below the cap?
Anyway, if you made it to the end, thank you.
No, I'm so new to the game that I want to try and stick with one set-up and focus on technique rather than deal with many variables.
When I was still working and had to shave daily or every other day, I found that Braun electric razors did an ok job, though i still had to do minor touch up on a few tough spots with a Gillette cart, not for baby-smooth, just to be reasonably smooth, especially the front of my chin.Dude, its almost like our journey's are aligned with each others! I too started with Gillette cartridge razors when I was a teenager. I began with their 2-bladed razor, then upgraded to the Mach 3, then lastly, the Fusion 5-blade. And I too know what its like, when the razors yank on the hairs like that. People with soft light hair have no idea what those of us, who have thick wiry course hair go through.
And I too was getting fed up on the costs of replacement razor blade cartridge packs. Last I remember, they were 24 dollars for a 4 pack of the Gillette Fusion cartridge packs. Because of my course hair, the maximum time period I can get out of a single blade is 1 month, and thats pushing it! I was spending upwards of 100+ dollars on blade cartridge packs per year alone!
Where our stories depart from one another's however, is that I got into electric shaving. I started with Norelco's 2-bladed rotary shavers, ya, I don't recommend them. I then upgraded to a Norelco 3-bladed rotary electric shaver, not the fancy expensive elite models, just those 50 dollar ones. It did a better job, but it still took a long time to shave my face, and it couldn't even give me a close shave by design.
Because I try to not be wasteful with my spending however, I kept using it until the motor died. I then decided it was time to leave Norelco and rotary behind. I jumped onto the Panasonic trip, and boarded the foil express to facial weight reduction. Suffice to say, I like them much better. The Arc 4 provides me a closer shave, I just got to use a shave gel first cause I have sensitive skin.
I never did get into any of the fancy razors that you talked about, so I have never experienced a razor blade that can remove hair, and leave your face smooth, without you even realizing it was cutting. And before you ask, no, back in the days when I went to the barber, I never got a barber shave, it was only haircuts.
And lastly, welcome to Badger & Blade!
Ok, already curious. How are the Gillette TTOs? I see a bunch on Ebay for under 20 bucks.
Lol. I say it bit me whenever I get nicked, but certainly did not coin the phrase either.No, No, No!
That is DEFINITELY NOT my definition. I would translate "prone to bite" as Operator Malfunction. How anyone can blame an inert piece of metal for "biting" beats me.
Yeah, I've jumped down many over the years: headphones and amplifiers, watches, knives, flashlights, and guns. Spent thousands on vaping gear too, but at least that helped me quit smoking.Welcome Gary watch out for the rabbit holes
I still have the butterfly and after doing a bit of research it looks like it may be a Viking clone but there is not a single identifying mark on it, so I have no idea who made it. The plating seems good, it locks up solid and has decent weight, so still feels like a bargain at 15 bucks. I probably will give it another run, but I'm currently smitten by the 34c.
