Alright, now I've thoroughly confused myself...

[RazorTom]

I have been having too much fun shaving with multiple razors. I have been DE shaving for only 1-2 months and started out with the 34c. Next I acquired a GC .84p, then the Muhle Rocca, and finally a R41. The problem is that I have become addicted to comparing how these razors perform vs one another...to the point that I used all 4 for my last two shaves! I'm using 2 of them on 1 side of the face and the other 2 on the other side of my face!

I think I need to slow down a bit and stick to 1 razor for a while until I can get an irritation-free, clean, shave. The problem is that I like all 4 razors and don't know which to pick! When I have irritation, it is usually isolated to my neck and happens after 3+ passes (I haven't done more than 4 passes). I feel like the only razor that requires 4 passes for me is the 34c. The 34c just doesn't seem to clean up all my tough spots very easily - neck, chin, mustache.

The 41 I actually quite like, but it doesn't seem to cut my mustache as well as the Rocca. I think this is because I can go against the grain on my mustache with the Rocca, but find it too "tuggy" and uncomfortable to do so with the 41. I can clean up my stache nicely with the GC .84p too.

The GC .84p is great, but doesn't seem to do anything better than the Rocca. I kind of like the Rocca better, but don't know why.

I feel like if I practice more with the 41 and Rocca I can probably get a nice 2 pass shave, but don't feel I'll ever get there with the 34c (maybe I could with the GC 84p?).

What would you guys do? Anyone else been here?

 

[BigJ]

Good man! The main thing is to have fun and enjoy your shaves.

That said, I agree with your statement, ‘Slow down a bit.’ I need to ‘dial in’ any razor, figure out the optimal angle, blade, etc. My guess is that a slower approach will allow you to get the most out of each of your razors.

But that’s my approach. The main thing is that you should be happy!!

 

[Tanuki]

Do a 'fixed four' type of run for at least two weeks. Same razor, blades, soap, lathering process. Just focus on technique and learning, get that muscle memory going.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Just pick one and stick with it for a few weeks. It may not matter all that much which one it is. You could roll dice, or flip coins, or something to pick.

Try to keep everything consistent when you are working on improving your technique. It will pay off later on, when you can shave with the other ones.

 

[huck1680]

Relax...you have plenty of time. The point is to enjoy the shave. Get to know your razors and how they differ from each other. This isn't a timed event, it's your time to give your phiz some pampering and attention. I have 12 razors and I rotate through them with specific blades I have found to work with any of my shavers. You could try to use each razor for a certain amount of times/shaves and try the next razor. Pretty soon you'll be able to adjust without even thinking about it to whichever razor you're using.

 

[LeroyR]

I'd keep the R41, ditch the others, and just shave.

 

[Goblin]

It it was me I would stick with the GC 84 or the Rocca and just use only that one razor for a month. I agree that they are in a similar ballpark in terms of overall aggression - either would make a good choice to focus on for a while.

 

[RazorTom]

I'd keep the R41, ditch the others, and just shave.

I got rid of the Merkur 34c today. I may be new to DE razors, but the 34c is just too mild for me.

Down to the CG .84, Rocca, and R41. Going to have to rotate these 3 for a while until the next one bites the dust!

 

[ivan_101]

You don't need to slow down "a bit". You need to slow down to almost a full stop. Use one razor for a few weeks. Try different blades in it. Do not change the cream and brush.

 

[RazorTom]

You don't need to slow down "a bit". You need to slow down to almost a full stop. Use one razor for a few weeks. Try different blades in it. Do not change the cream and brush.

I know you’re right!

 

[razorfool]

Just pick one and stick with it for a few weeks. It may not matter all that much which one it is. You could roll dice, or flip coins, or something to pick.

Try to keep everything consistent when you are working on improving your technique. It will pay off later on, when you can shave with the other ones.

I agree totally on mastering technique. After a few years of shaving, I can pick up almost any razor from the arsenal and get a great shave. I may have to remind myself of shallow vs steep, but after a few strokes it seems to become intuitive. After developing good technique, all the anxiety involved with shaving is practically gone! I'm referring to DE and SE only, never tried straights.

 

[musicman1951]

The marriage between razor and blade can make a huge difference. You will probably have to experiment with each razor and a pile of blades to find out which two go together best, but that's not something you want to take on until your technique is pretty solid. You only want one variable for experimenting.

Pick one of the razors/blades you like - probably not the 34c, but you might find it perfect with a Feather blade - and stick with it until you get mostly irritation free shaves. Then you can purchase 40 blades and really go to town on switching things up.

 

[gpjoe]

I had the same experience with a 34C, my first "real" razor, which I purchased after reading a lot of posts here saying it was a great beginner razor. I never got along with it (found it too inefficient) and gave it away.

At the same time, I had purchased three Razorock razors: 68P, 68OC, and 84P, and found tons of old Gillette razors at local antique stores for 5-10 bucks, including a handful of Techs.

My rotation became mainly the Techs and 68P, and I didn't even try the 84P or 68OC for months while I learned how to shave. I added a Feather ASD2 to the mix and was satisfied with my shaves.

Once I finally tried the 68OC and 84P, I determined that I didn't need them and sold them along with the Feather which was actually too mild...maybe I "outgrew" it.

You will find your own happy-razor place, but as recommended above, it might be best to stick with one razor while developing your shaving skills.

However, there is nothing wrong with having a rotation of razors. I rotated mine early, changing the razor when I felt I need a new blade, usually 5-6 shaves. That gave me enough time to become familiar with each razor.

Having already typed way too much: if it makes you happy, and you are getting great shaves using four different razors for every shave, go for it.

 

[Old Hippie]

Go nuts. Sounds off the wall, maybe, but the quicker you get it out of your system the better.

Oscar Wilde said something to the effect of the best way to deal with temptation being to give in to it. So you can see there's a century or so of historical precedent. To misquote Hunter S. Thompson, "It's always worked for me."

To be clear, I'm not saying "buy all the razors." I'm simply encouraging your playfulness with the razors you have. Eventually you'll take one in hand and use it for a couple of weeks, then do that with another one. Right now you're having a different kind of fun, and I think you should explore that.

O.H.

 

[Happy Jack]

I have been having too much fun shaving with multiple razors. I have been DE shaving for only 1-2 months and started out with the 34c. Next I acquired a GC .84p, then the Muhle Rocca, and finally a R41. The problem is that I have become addicted to comparing how these razors perform vs one another...to the point that I used all 4 for my last two shaves! I'm using 2 of them on 1 side of the face and the other 2 on the other side of my face!

I think I need to slow down a bit and stick to 1 razor for a while until I can get an irritation-free, clean, shave. The problem is that I like all 4 razors and don't know which to pick! When I have irritation, it is usually isolated to my neck and happens after 3+ passes (I haven't done more than 4 passes). I feel like the only razor that requires 4 passes for me is the 34c. The 34c just doesn't seem to clean up all my tough spots very easily - neck, chin, mustache.

The 41 I actually quite like, but it doesn't seem to cut my mustache as well as the Rocca. I think this is because I can go against the grain on my mustache with the Rocca, but find it too "tuggy" and uncomfortable to do so with the 41. I can clean up my stache nicely with the GC .84p too.

The GC .84p is great, but doesn't seem to do anything better than the Rocca. I kind of like the Rocca better, but don't know why.

I feel like if I practice more with the 41 and Rocca I can probably get a nice 2 pass shave, but don't feel I'll ever get there with the 34c (maybe I could with the GC 84p?).

What would you guys do? Anyone else been here?

I use a more aggressive razor, like the R41, everywhere but my moustache and chin. I use a milder razor for those areas. I generally only use the same razor all over my face and neck if it's an adjustable.

 

[psfred]

Lol, some of the newbie enthusiasm will fade with time, but there is nothing wrong with trying a lot of razors. I would suggest one per shave though.

There are a lot of combinations of blades and razors to check out, but face it, unless you die young you will have PLENTY of shaves in the future -- at least 365 a year....

I tried quite a few, and landed on a Slim or a Fatboy, with a preference for the FatBoy. Different settings for different blades, with fixed razors you will want to match a blade brand to a particular razor to get the best results, and some blade/razor combinations will simply not work for you.

Shaving should be fun, not a boring chore.

 

[SeaDiving]

I own neither the gc 84 or the rocca but I have seen several person saying they behave similarly. Maybe it is the reason why you get confused when comparing these two razors?

 

[RazorTom]

I own neither the gc 84 or the rocca but I have seen several person saying they behave similarly. Maybe it is the reason why you get confused when comparing these two razors?

I think this may be true.

 

[RazorTom]

I think my experimentation phase may be winding down! I'm going to focus on the Muhle Rocca moving forward and probably sell off my more mild razors (34c, DE89, Feather ASD2 and GC 84P). I love them all, but the mild Razors just don't work for my neck. I can use any of them to attain a very nice 3 pass shave on my face, but my neck is much more challenging to deal with. I think that this may be because my beard grows quite flat on my neck and the milder razors require too much pressure to actually cut the hairs--this leads to irritation. And yes, I have tried buffering, skin, stretching, and passes from different directions, nothing works well without causing razor burn. Now when I end up with hairs on my neck that I cannot remove with the milder razors, I pull out the Rocca and get the job done with ease. The Rocca removes my neck hairs no problem, and the razor does not require added pressure, multiple passes, or gymnastics, like my mild razors do. Now the question becomes: Will my skin tolerate every-other-day shaves with the fairly aggressive Rocca?

 

[Iridian]

What would you guys do? Anyone else been here?

Yes. Some years and several dozen razors ago. No kidding, I am not yet at 100 but over 64 already.
At one point it became a collection. And then, after you state something like that, someone comes around "what's your best razor?"

Hehe. I like some more than others for sure, but my favorite... hmm.
I also have some razors I don't like, if I post it, people might lynch me.

P.S. you need a Superslant L3 something or a Wunderbar. A true and proper slant is missing in your collection!