Members from India?

[biking3819]

Hi gents ,
Sanjiv here . Have been with DE shaving for the last 22 years.
I am located in a city called Pune in the state of Maharashtra in India.
I use basically a Parker 99r. And a mix of blades between feather, 7oclock and supermax.
Daily shave use supermax.
For cream I am with sehnaz Hussain cream and biotique balm.
All indian products .

Thank and Regards to all Gents and mods to let me in.

 

[Guru17]

Welcome aboard Sanjiv. I'm in Thane, so not very far from you.

 

[vibs]

Hi
I am from Delhi, started with DE.
I tried several indian blades, like Topaz yellow, Lases Ultra, Supermax Platinum Plus, Wilkinson, 7oclock permasharp, 7 o clock black.
From these, the ones that i found sharp are only 70 clock permasharp(green) and 7 o clock platinum (black).

But still i havent found a Smooth blade.

Also, i could not locate Supermax Super platinum.
Do u think super platinum is smoother than 7 o clocks?

If yes, i wud like to procure.

Good day;

 

[Ayush Kumar]

Hi.
I am from the southern city of Hyderabad. I am wet-shaving for the last 6 years and safety razor shaving for the last 3.
I use feather as my go-to blades on my Merkur 34c.
For the soaps/creams I used biotique bioPalmyra for most of the shaves but got in touch with one of the forum members who hooked with a few shaver heaven soaps and a razorock soap.
Aftershave is a home made whipped face butter.

currently in the process of acquiring a rockwell 6s razor along with a few perma sharps and a few soaps like caties bubbles (lavender-grapefruit) and SV felce aromatica !

PS: I use a rotation of brushes from an Edwin Jagger super, Simpson X2 super and Omega 10048 boar.

AK

 

[leelarakesh]

Hi ,
I am from bangalore, Iam into straight razor (half blade) since 8 years, currently my kit Edwin Jagger badger brush, Horse Hair handmade brush (travel or daily ) ,boar brush made in india and parker straight razor and Local made half blade razor. Blade is 7 oclock platinum. Cream is biotique bioPalmyra or shaving cake from godrej. Preshave oils (home made grape seed and olive oil) and after shave cream with local cool gel.
I find the smoothness of shave differs from the razor as super max appears same smooth as 7 o clock on parker razor compared and rough when used on local razor.

BTW. Parker i was able to lay hands in banglore rather getting shipped from usa

regards,
blr

 

[JQ123]

Hello Fellow Indian Brothers,

I am wet shaving since the time I started shaving( its 14 years now) started with local DE razors( ones you find in the chemist store) and blades, but because of lack of knowledge had to shift to cartrigde razors to prevent irritation. Never got a very close shave from cartridges, my beard is hard and dense. 3 Years back shifted to DE shaving after coming across some channels on Youtube. And I am so happy now that I did switch to DE shaving.

Here is what I have used so far:

Razors - Parker 96R, 91R and 26C ( courtesy Mr. Deepak Grover , CEO Parker Shaving), Qshave Adjustable, Baili 3 piece, Gillette 7'O Clock Sterling DE razor, Monarch TTO (bought from Ebay.in), Lancet DE Razor

Blades : 7'0Clock Black, 7'O Clock Permasharp Green, Wilkinson Sword, Laser Ultra, Supermax Stainless,Supermax Diamond Edge, Lancet Stainless, Topaz Stainless

Brushes - Omega Boar Brushes from flipkart, Trigodon Synthetic Brush - flipkart, Shaving Station Synthetic brush- Flipkart

Creams/Soaps - Biotique Bio Palmyra, Shaving Station - Bronco( Lime and Bergamot), Vi-John, Godrej Menthol, Godrej Shave soap puck, Supermax Ultimate lime shaving cream, Trigodon - Turqouise Dream soap, Healthbuddy Zerotox - both Mint and sandalwood soap.

Aftershave- Old Spice Lime, Old Spice Original, Vi John Splash, Park Avenue - Good Morning

Please let know if there are other products which are good and available in India.

Regards,
JQ123

 

[MostaccioMan]

I'm from Chennai. Shaver for the past 12 years. Used cartridge razors in every iteration from the Mach3 to the vibrating Fusion. Then realized my occasional 'acne' was actually razor burn from using these blades once a week. Moved to DE shaving last year with an ancient Merkur from Grand-daddy's old stash. Now consider cartridge razor fanboys to be ignorant puppies!

Recently bought a razor from the Bombay Shaving Company and am very happy with it till now. I always go in for a BBS shave and this razor is easily even with a Fusion in terms of hair removal. I do 3 passes a shave every alternate day with at least one ATG. I use generic supermarket stuff for my shaving creams, brush and after-shave, but I always use alcohol-based products as much as possible since nothing cleanses my oily skin like alcohol.

Among blades, I like the Gillette 7 o'clock Platinum Blacks and they were my go-to blades. Until I met the Feathers which I got with my new razor. I then realized my previously tug-free Blacks were now tugging an awful lot! The Feathers totally won me over and I've recently purchased 100 of them in eBay for barely Rs. 1800.

I also have a mustache and lengthy sideburns so I had to perfect my DE shaving technique to get the tricky areas without touching them. I always use a mug of purified water for shaving since the water hardness in my place means I'd never get a decent lather otherwise. Its been several months since I've nicked myself, even while using the feathers and I'm rather proud of the fact!

Happy Shaving!

 

[Atul K Agarwal]

Hi Frnds...its Atul from Kolkata.

I am newbie to DE shaving. here's a bit of my shaving history...

Have been shaving at home since 2008 when was almost 17. Have always used Mach 3 Turbo "M3T". Dad gave it to me when i started shaving saying its the best. Had been using this since then. When one got dirty, simply bought another blindly. When fusion was launched in India, I tried it but didn't like it as against M3T. threw it in a bin. Always thought DE razors are pretty bad. They might cut my fingers, or face. When I started shaving in 2008, my dad said DE razors are worst, u will get burns over your face and i used to think how a razor can burn me..but any how those words from my dad was enough to frighten me from DE razors along with the fact that no one uses DE razor in family. Another factor was like DE razors were of my nana and dada type. so i was always aligned only to M3T. So all in all M3T was the best for me till now.

Now just a week back, while buying some shaving creams and witch hazel from amazon, I saw a beautiful shaving kit. This time again it was with DE Razor which i hated most. But suddenly the razor looked cool to me. I asked my mom about my grand pa's razor and then she replied "u urself threw it in the garbage after ur dada passed away when you were around 8-9 years old". Recalled this fact. Then just ordered the kit with a thought of giving it a try. Last week i got that on Tuesday. I shave 2 times a week and never on Tuesday and Thursday. But the razor fascinated me so much that i tried it. It came with 20 Feather blades. Didn't knew these were the sharpest blades ever and i should try a mild one first. Razor glided very easily but was aggressive. My brother kept telling me that I am a new age kalidas who is destroying his face with his own hand. After shaving, i realised what "Razor Burns" are. got them on chins and neck. but one thing i noticed that my cheeks were softer than before. inspite of razor burn face was damn soft. Mom confirmed it first followed by bro and dad. Burns disappeared in few hour and i was just caressing my cheeks all day. Then shaved on Friday and this time the blade was so soft, means didnt felt any aggressiveness. A shave that i want. absolutely perfect. Face was more softer this time. Shave was very close. Then did shaving again on Sunday....this time also it was nice. And now on wednesday....today i used Wilkinson Sword (Indian blade from Gillette). This blade i must say was so smooth that i didnt even felt blade on my face even when razor was in aggressive mode .....it actually glided...oh no...it cruised on my face.....Just 2 pass and all clean...tried different angle and was quite successful...Just loving DE razor now....

Have ordered Derby Extra and Personna Lab Blue from amazon. Lets see how these blades are.

Any suggestion regarding which more DE Razor would be better for me and which i can find on internet would be very helpful...

btw....the kit i bought is from bombay shaving company

 

[Atul K Agarwal]

Further can anyone tell me that where I can buy Merkur FUTUR in India...on amazon its around Rs. 12000+.....or any other razor which is adjustable on aggressiveness to mildness ?

 

[MostaccioMan]

Further can anyone tell me that where I can buy Merkur FUTUR in India...on amazon its around Rs. 12000+.....or any other razor which is adjustable on aggressiveness to mildness ?

Try eBay rather than Amazon. And try the .com site or the UK site rather than the Indian one. You can find reputable sellers willing to ship to international markets. Should cost you much lesser.
I've always found eBay to be a better source of shaving supplies than Amazon.

Although if you're using a BSC razor, I'd recommend you stay away from the futur for now. Although it's an adjustable, it is a very, very different razor. I'd say try an EJ89l or a milder razor first. Once your technique is perfected, you can try more aggressive or heavier razors.

 

[anoop]

Hi Frnds...its Atul from Kolkata.

I am newbie to DE shaving. here's a bit of my shaving history...

Have been shaving at home since 2008 when was almost 17. Have always used Mach 3 Turbo "M3T". Dad gave it to me when i started shaving saying its the best. Had been using this since then. When one got dirty, simply bought another blindly. When fusion was launched in India, I tried it but didn't like it as against M3T. threw it in a bin. Always thought DE razors are pretty bad. They might cut my fingers, or face. When I started shaving in 2008, my dad said DE razors are worst, u will get burns over your face and i used to think how a razor can burn me..but any how those words from my dad was enough to frighten me from DE razors along with the fact that no one uses DE razor in family. Another factor was like DE razors were of my nana and dada type. so i was always aligned only to M3T. So all in all M3T was the best for me till now.

Now just a week back, while buying some shaving creams and witch hazel from amazon, I saw a beautiful shaving kit. This time again it was with DE Razor which i hated most. But suddenly the razor looked cool to me. I asked my mom about my grand pa's razor and then she replied "u urself threw it in the garbage after ur dada passed away when you were around 8-9 years old". Recalled this fact. Then just ordered the kit with a thought of giving it a try. Last week i got that on Tuesday. I shave 2 times a week and never on Tuesday and Thursday. But the razor fascinated me so much that i tried it. It came with 20 Feather blades. Didn't knew these were the sharpest blades ever and i should try a mild one first. Razor glided very easily but was aggressive. My brother kept telling me that I am a new age kalidas who is destroying his face with his own hand. After shaving, i realised what "Razor Burns" are. got them on chins and neck. but one thing i noticed that my cheeks were softer than before. inspite of razor burn face was damn soft. Mom confirmed it first followed by bro and dad. Burns disappeared in few hour and i was just caressing my cheeks all day. Then shaved on Friday and this time the blade was so soft, means didnt felt any aggressiveness. A shave that i want. absolutely perfect. Face was more softer this time. Shave was very close. Then did shaving again on Sunday....this time also it was nice. And now on wednesday....today i used Wilkinson Sword (Indian blade from Gillette). This blade i must say was so smooth that i didnt even felt blade on my face even when razor was in aggressive mode .....it actually glided...oh no...it cruised on my face.....Just 2 pass and all clean...tried different angle and was quite successful...Just loving DE razor now....

Have ordered Derby Extra and Personna Lab Blue from amazon. Lets see how these blades are.

Any suggestion regarding which more DE Razor would be better for me and which i can find on internet would be very helpful...

btw....the kit i bought is from bombay shaving company

Welcome.

Is this the razor you got?
Precision Safety Razor | Bombay Shaving Company
Looks pretty nice.

I enjoyed your post -- lots of funny bits. How did you learn the correct technique? Did you watch videos on youtube? When I first started about 8-10 years ago, I spent a lot of time watching videos on youtube for technique.

I'm in the US, so can't help with where to get the Futur in India. However, back when I research razors, I saw a lot of negative reviews on the Futur, and was especially concerned with the method for loading/unloading the razor. If you are careful, it'll probably be OK. It is also very big and heavy.
Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Merkur Futur Adjustable Safety Razor 700 - Double Edge Design, Heavyweight, Sleek Satin Finish

Personally, I enjoy mild razors (no need to adjust) like my current Feather AS-D2
https://www.shaving.ie/products/feather-stainless-steel-razor-asd2.html,
and instead have been improving my technique to get better shaves with 2 passes.

 

[Try em all]

Hi Frnds...its Atul from Kolkata.

I am newbie to DE shaving. here's a bit of my shaving history...

Have been shaving at home since 2008 when was almost 17. Have always used Mach 3 Turbo "M3T". Dad gave it to me when i started shaving saying its the best. Had been using this since then. When one got dirty, simply bought another blindly. When fusion was launched in India, I tried it but didn't like it as against M3T. threw it in a bin. Always thought DE razors are pretty bad. They might cut my fingers, or face. When I started shaving in 2008, my dad said DE razors are worst, u will get burns over your face and i used to think how a razor can burn me..but any how those words from my dad was enough to frighten me from DE razors along with the fact that no one uses DE razor in family. Another factor was like DE razors were of my nana and dada type. so i was always aligned only to M3T. So all in all M3T was the best for me till now.

Now just a week back, while buying some shaving creams and witch hazel from amazon, I saw a beautiful shaving kit. This time again it was with DE Razor which i hated most. But suddenly the razor looked cool to me. I asked my mom about my grand pa's razor and then she replied "u urself threw it in the garbage after ur dada passed away when you were around 8-9 years old". Recalled this fact. Then just ordered the kit with a thought of giving it a try. Last week i got that on Tuesday. I shave 2 times a week and never on Tuesday and Thursday. But the razor fascinated me so much that i tried it. It came with 20 Feather blades. Didn't knew these were the sharpest blades ever and i should try a mild one first. Razor glided very easily but was aggressive. My brother kept telling me that I am a new age kalidas who is destroying his face with his own hand. After shaving, i realised what "Razor Burns" are. got them on chins and neck. but one thing i noticed that my cheeks were softer than before. inspite of razor burn face was damn soft. Mom confirmed it first followed by bro and dad. Burns disappeared in few hour and i was just caressing my cheeks all day. Then shaved on Friday and this time the blade was so soft, means didnt felt any aggressiveness. A shave that i want. absolutely perfect. Face was more softer this time. Shave was very close. Then did shaving again on Sunday....this time also it was nice. And now on wednesday....today i used Wilkinson Sword (Indian blade from Gillette). This blade i must say was so smooth that i didnt even felt blade on my face even when razor was in aggressive mode .....it actually glided...oh no...it cruised on my face.....Just 2 pass and all clean...tried different angle and was quite successful...Just loving DE razor now....

Have ordered Derby Extra and Personna Lab Blue from amazon. Lets see how these blades are.

Any suggestion regarding which more DE Razor would be better for me and which i can find on internet would be very helpful...

btw....the kit i bought is from bombay shaving company

Gillette makes some very good blades in the country as well.
Try Gillette 7 o'Clock Super Platinum Blacks, 7 o'Clock Super Stainless Greens as well as the Wilkinsons.
Both are sharper than the Wilkinsons, so be warned. I don't have too high an opinion of the wilkies anyway. Another great blade is Supermax Diamond edge.

Try to get the Feather Popular razor. Its available on Amazon India, but its a lot cheaper if you buy it from an imported goods store. Its made in Japan, & works well with Gillette Platinum Blacks, & also Feather blades. Its my daily driver. I would have bought the AS-D2 , but I prefer TTO's

My teenager is currently 16.
I, too got him one of those M3 kits with the travel bag & the gel can, but I also added a Gillette Guard razor & a tube of cream. Bought him a brush from Bilabrush - they are based in Mumbai & make very good brushes. They are as good as my Omegas.
Their link is here
Men – Bilabrush

I'll get him a DE once he's ready for one. In my opinion, Gillette Guards are ideal for teenagers.
Here's my thread on the Guard.
Gillette Guard longevity test

I do not currently advise a Futur. Many do not like it.
If you must try out an adjustable, Ming Shi makes a Futur clone that is almost as good as the original. Available online for a lot less at Ali Express.

 

[Ayush Kumar]

Hi Frnds...its Atul from Kolkata.

I am newbie to DE shaving. here's a bit of my shaving history...

Have been shaving at home since 2008 when was almost 17. Have always used Mach 3 Turbo "M3T". Dad gave it to me when i started shaving saying its the best. Had been using this since then. When one got dirty, simply bought another blindly. When fusion was launched in India, I tried it but didn't like it as against M3T. threw it in a bin. Always thought DE razors are pretty bad. They might cut my fingers, or face. When I started shaving in 2008, my dad said DE razors are worst, u will get burns over your face and i used to think how a razor can burn me..but any how those words from my dad was enough to frighten me from DE razors along with the fact that no one uses DE razor in family. Another factor was like DE razors were of my nana and dada type. so i was always aligned only to M3T. So all in all M3T was the best for me till now.

Now just a week back, while buying some shaving creams and witch hazel from amazon, I saw a beautiful shaving kit. This time again it was with DE Razor which i hated most. But suddenly the razor looked cool to me. I asked my mom about my grand pa's razor and then she replied "u urself threw it in the garbage after ur dada passed away when you were around 8-9 years old". Recalled this fact. Then just ordered the kit with a thought of giving it a try. Last week i got that on Tuesday. I shave 2 times a week and never on Tuesday and Thursday. But the razor fascinated me so much that i tried it. It came with 20 Feather blades. Didn't knew these were the sharpest blades ever and i should try a mild one first. Razor glided very easily but was aggressive. My brother kept telling me that I am a new age kalidas who is destroying his face with his own hand. After shaving, i realised what "Razor Burns" are. got them on chins and neck. but one thing i noticed that my cheeks were softer than before. inspite of razor burn face was damn soft. Mom confirmed it first followed by bro and dad. Burns disappeared in few hour and i was just caressing my cheeks all day. Then shaved on Friday and this time the blade was so soft, means didnt felt any aggressiveness. A shave that i want. absolutely perfect. Face was more softer this time. Shave was very close. Then did shaving again on Sunday....this time also it was nice. And now on wednesday....today i used Wilkinson Sword (Indian blade from Gillette). This blade i must say was so smooth that i didnt even felt blade on my face even when razor was in aggressive mode .....it actually glided...oh no...it cruised on my face.....Just 2 pass and all clean...tried different angle and was quite successful...Just loving DE razor now....

Have ordered Derby Extra and Personna Lab Blue from amazon. Lets see how these blades are.

Any suggestion regarding which more DE Razor would be better for me and which i can find on internet would be very helpful...

btw....the kit i bought is from bombay shaving company

Atul,
Your story is inspiring.
The best way to decide what a better razor is to try it yourself. Forums are only going to help you to get a better idea about different products. I started my SRS (Safety Razor Shaving) journey about 5 years ago. My first razor was a Merkur 34c and I am glad I started with that. Most people on this forum will suggest you to start with 34c or Edwin Jagger DE89. They have a lot of versatility and are not very expensive. Adjustable razors on the other hand come into play after you've honed your skill (all pun intended) of using the DE. Also learning new techniques is going to help you feel more confident about your shave. I now have 6 Razors and I am looking to try new ones every now and then.
The razors you can try:
1. Rockwell 6C or 6S if you want to spend extra
2. Merkur 34c or Edwin Jagger DE89
3. Pearl Razor - Its made in India and live upto the quality of Merkur and the likes. Check their website for further details.

Rockwell is the top of the list for me. I have the 6S but you 6C shall be available at around $50 which is really worth the razor.

On the blades, I want to try the Lab Blues too but they are too expensive on Amazon. They are sold for $10 per 100 in the states. Alternatively you can try the Gillette 7o'clock Super Platinum (Blacks). Indian made Wilkies are superb. I just bought a 100 of them.

Ayush

 

[Atul K Agarwal]

Welcome.

Is this the razor you got?
Precision Safety Razor | Bombay Shaving Company
Looks pretty nice.

I enjoyed your post -- lots of funny bits. How did you learn the correct technique? Did you watch videos on youtube? When I first started about 8-10 years ago, I spent a lot of time watching videos on youtube for technique.

I'm in the US, so can't help with where to get the Futur in India. However, back when I research razors, I saw a lot of negative reviews on the Futur, and was especially concerned with the method for loading/unloading the razor. If you are careful, it'll probably be OK. It is also very big and heavy.
Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Merkur Futur Adjustable Safety Razor 700 - Double Edge Design, Heavyweight, Sleek Satin Finish

Personally, I enjoy mild razors (no need to adjust) like my current Feather AS-D2
https://www.shaving.ie/products/feather-stainless-steel-razor-asd2.html,
and instead have been improving my technique to get better shaves with 2 passes.

Yeah thats the one I bought Anoop.

For technique....the first and second shave with DE razor was on my own...after my second shave, i wanted to know for how many shave feather blades can be used and saw some videos on youtube for that. The first time, i tried to be extra cautious while shaving because of my fear of DE razors...it took me almost half an hour for shaving that time..in the second one i was mostly confident for DE razor....so didnt took long...further on the second shave, I found Feather blades to be appropriately sharp and smooth...means not very sharp neither very dull.....


and thanx for ur valuable suggestion...will definitely try one of those...

 

[Atul K Agarwal]

Try eBay rather than Amazon. And try the .com site or the UK site rather than the Indian one. You can find reputable sellers willing to ship to international markets. Should cost you much lesser.
I've always found eBay to be a better source of shaving supplies than Amazon.

Although if you're using a BSC razor, I'd recommend you stay away from the futur for now. Although it's an adjustable, it is a very, very different razor. I'd say try an EJ89l or a milder razor first. Once your technique is perfected, you can try more aggressive or heavier razors.

thanx @MostaccioMan for ur valuable suggestion...will definitely try one of those...

 

[Atul K Agarwal]

Gillette makes some very good blades in the country as well.
Try Gillette 7 o'Clock Super Platinum Blacks, 7 o'Clock Super Stainless Greens as well as the Wilkinsons.
Both are sharper than the Wilkinsons, so be warned. I don't have too high an opinion of the wilkies anyway. Another great blade is Supermax Diamond edge.

Try to get the Feather Popular razor. Its available on Amazon India, but its a lot cheaper if you buy it from an imported goods store. Its made in Japan, & works well with Gillette Platinum Blacks, & also Feather blades. Its my daily driver. I would have bought the AS-D2 , but I prefer TTO's

My teenager is currently 16.
I, too got him one of those M3 kits with the travel bag & the gel can, but I also added a Gillette Guard razor & a tube of cream. Bought him a brush from Bilabrush - they are based in Mumbai & make very good brushes. They are as good as my Omegas.
Their link is here
Men – Bilabrush

I'll get him a DE once he's ready for one. In my opinion, Gillette Guards are ideal for teenagers.
Here's my thread on the Guard.
Gillette Guard longevity test

I do not currently advise a Futur. Many do not like it.
If you must try out an adjustable, Ming Shi makes a Futur clone that is almost as good as the original. Available online for a lot less at Ali Express.

Thanx @Try em all for ur valuable suggestion....Saw Ming shi on ali express but the reviews were not good...it didnt last 6 months- one reviewer said...just a cheap chinese copy...

further I have bought samples blades from local grocery shop...these are 2 units of each 7 o clock super platinum, supermax platinum plus, supermax diamond edge super platinum & 5 unit of gillette wilkis...will try each & post their reviews soon...further is gillette super stainless (green) are available in India...these are made in russia blades and didnt found any near my home....

and are you sure about bila brush...? they have poor reviews on amazon
Amazon.in:Customer reviews: Bila Brush Real Wood Pure Bristle Shaving Brush BB201
Amazon.in:Customer reviews: Bila Timber Brush-BB106

i have tried the one supplied with my kit....and have ordered Omega 10066 @ rs. 625 from amazon India.

regarding gillette gaurd...once on vacation i forgot my shaving kit...the hotel staff gave it to me....used it then....obtained considerable cut that time...didnt touched it after that...


and best of luck for your son...

 

[Atul K Agarwal]

Atul,
Your story is inspiring.
The best way to decide what a better razor is to try it yourself. Forums are only going to help you to get a better idea about different products. I started my SRS (Safety Razor Shaving) journey about 5 years ago. My first razor was a Merkur 34c and I am glad I started with that. Most people on this forum will suggest you to start with 34c or Edwin Jagger DE89. They have a lot of versatility and are not very expensive. Adjustable razors on the other hand come into play after you've honed your skill (all pun intended) of using the DE. Also learning new techniques is going to help you feel more confident about your shave. I now have 6 Razors and I am looking to try new ones every now and then.
The razors you can try:
1. Rockwell 6C or 6S if you want to spend extra
2. Merkur 34c or Edwin Jagger DE89
3. Pearl Razor - Its made in India and live upto the quality of Merkur and the likes. Check their website for further details.

Rockwell is the top of the list for me. I have the 6S but you 6C shall be available at around $50 which is really worth the razor.

On the blades, I want to try the Lab Blues too but they are too expensive on Amazon. They are sold for $10 per 100 in the states. Alternatively you can try the Gillette 7o'clock Super Platinum (Blacks). Indian made Wilkies are superb. I just bought a 100 of them.

Ayush

Hi thnx for ur input...have just asked a friend who is returning from US to check for DE89....regarding pearl razor...there are variety of options....which one to choose....i ordered persona lab blue from amazon at 1699...then checked at ebay...it was 1360...so returned the amazon one and ordered it on ebay...

 

[Ayush Kumar]

Omega 10066 shall be good for you. Make sure you break it in properly before using for an actual shave. Results will be the same but the experience will be a little better. Watch YouTube for instructions on how to break it in. You won't need any other brush sometime now.

Pearl has basically three heads. A safety bar, an open comb and a twist to open. The twist to open is not a very efficient razor. Open comb might be a little aggressive for you. Go for the safety bar head. Rest all are the photos for handles only. If you have any doubt, give a call to the number mentioned on their website.
On the other hand if you are getting a de89 from the states, you can wait for it to show up since these will get to you within a couple of days.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

 

[Try em all]

Thanx @Try em all for ur valuable suggestion....Saw Ming shi on ali express but the reviews were not good...it didnt last 6 months- one reviewer said...just a cheap chinese copy...

further I have bought samples blades from local grocery shop...these are 2 units of each 7 o clock super platinum, supermax platinum plus, supermax diamond edge super platinum & 5 unit of gillette wilkis...will try each & post their reviews soon...further is gillette super stainless (green) are available in India...these are made in russia blades and didnt found any near my home....

and are you sure about bila brush...? they have poor reviews on amazon
Amazon.in:Customer reviews: Bila Brush Real Wood Pure Bristle Shaving Brush BB201
Amazon.in:Customer reviews: Bila Timber Brush-BB106

i have tried the one supplied with my kit....and have ordered Omega 10066 @ rs. 625 from amazon India.

and best of luck for your son...

I have not tried Ming Shi myself, but there are a lot of good reviews for it on B&B.
I personally use a Feather Popular. It's similar to the vintage Gillette Slim Twist I used in the 90's, & its my main razor when coupled with Gillette SP blacks.

With regard to Bilabrush, I have two Bilabrush Gios. They are pretty good. As good as my Omegas. They are not on the website. I have two Omegas as well, a fabulous looking 10065 in red and a 10218 .
The 10218 has a smaller knot & lesser loft. Its a better performer as bigger Omegas tend to eat lather.

Don't order Omegas from Amazon.
They are overpriced. You can get them on flipkart from about 400 onwards.
A 10066 is about 545 on flipkart. Delivery extra. Smaller, better Omegas are cheaper.

With regard to the Gillette Guard, while it looks like a cartridge razor, it behaves like an open comb DE. It is a single blade cart.
Pressure shoud be kept very low. Excess pressure puts all the force on a single edge instead of dividing it over 2 (as the Sensor) , 3 (Mach3) 4 (Quattro) or 5 (Fusion).

 

[Try em all]

Rechecked Bilabrush's website
Prices have gone up a lot. I bought my Gio's for under 200.
The website does not currently have anything under 400. Not VFM . At that price point, there is a Omega for 350 or so on flipkart.