Are all razors created equal?

[Bcobu1102]

Morning gents. I have a question about DE's. I have a dreadnought but have been drooling over a Fatboy for some time now. My questions is this: If my technique is ok, will a different razor really make difference? Also, how did you know when you found the "right blade"? I'm still trying to find one that gives me a consistently smooth shave. Take care guys.
-Ben

 

[rand77]

Different razors will require you to adjust your technique slightly. The geometry of the razors differ, exposing more/less of the blade edge at varying angles.

Some razors are more "aggressive" due to their geometry, while others allow a bit more safety. A less aggressive razor might take more passes to complete the shave shave. Personally, I find the end result is the same if I use a mild or aggressive razor, the path taken to get there varies.

I found the right blade ONLY after substantially improving my technique. At the beginning my technique was the limiting factor, and blade selection played less of a role in whether or not I would experience any irritation. More recently, I've tended to favor sharper blades, such as Feather of Med Preps, but I find that blade selection matters far less than technique.

 

[kingfisher]

All razors are definitely not created equal, and what works wonderfully for one person won't necessarily work great for another. However, with good technique you should be able to get an acceptable shave from any functional razor.

As far as angle is concerned, in my opinion you should try to use the shallowest possible angle that cuts effectively, especially in the beginning stages of learning. In other words, you'll have less razor burn if a fair bit of the head of the razor is touching your face and the handle of the razor is more perpendicular to your face.

 

[bosseb]

All razors are definitely not created equal, and what works wonderfully for one person won't necessarily work great for another. However, with good technique you should be able to get an acceptable shave from any functional razor.

After a number of years of DE shaving I have to agree. The one razor I never managed to handle was the Merkur Futur. Unfortunately it was my second razor.
After a while (EJ knocked from stand by cat) I learned that all razors are not survivors in the long run. I used vintage Gillettes exclusively until I composed this system:

​

So no, all razors are not created equal. Some razors fit you better than others. Some just don't fit you at all! For more info see my profile, below the post.

Enjoy your shaves.

 

[California Cajun]

Morning gents. I have a question about DE's. I have a dreadnought but have been drooling over a Fatboy for some time now. My questions is this: If my technique is ok, will a different razor really make difference? Also, how did you know when you found the "right blade"? I'm still trying to find one that gives me a consistently smooth shave. Take care guys.
-Ben

I found one "game changer" in terms of safety razors (http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Merkur-37C-Heavy-Duty-Safety-Razor-Slant-Bar_p_37.html). All other ones are variations of the same thing, a safety bar underneath the razor blade. On the Slant, the safety bar under the blade is not straight under the blade, but slants downward. The 37C has a 3" handle and the 39C has a 4" handle. You shave normally, and this razor gets some of the problem whiskers by virtue of how it's made. It is not adjustable, but for me it is not necessary. I have sensitive skin and didn't have problem with the aggressiveness. It was love at first shave for me.

The way to find a favorite blade is to order a sampler pack from a vendor. With that you get to try several brands. My favorites are Medical Personna ("Personna Prep Blades") and Astra SP (Superior Platinum). The most aggressive brand I found is Feather.

 

[Wyokid]

After a number of years of DE shaving I have to agree. The one razor I never managed to handle was the Merkur Futur. Unfortunately it was my second razor.
After a while (EJ knocked from stand by cat) I learned that all razors are not survivors in the long run. I used vintage Gillettes exclusively until I composed this system:

​

So no, all razors are not created equal. Some razors fit you better than others. Some just don't fit you at all! For more info see my profile, below the post.

Enjoy your shaves.

Wow - that is quite the set of heads!! Did you replate with Black Chrome?

 

[bosseb]

Wow - that is quite the set of heads!! Did you replate with Black Chrome?

Yes - black chrome replating by Dave at www.restoredrazors.com.

The head is Feather AS-D1 and the baseplates are Ikon, all three. Handle is Weber. Therefore the need to grind and replate!

 

[sychodelix]

They definitely are not all the same. The build quality and consistency of the new ones changes a lot. Not as much of a difference with vintage ones for the most part, as long as you have enough technique to adjust to the razor.

But yeah, good technique and blade angle alterations for each razor, and it doesn't necessarily make too much difference. But some razors fit specific people better than others.

 

[Niles]

Good answers from everyone. I agree with all that's been said.

 

[Chadao]

I was very happy with the EJ89 series...but I wanted something more durable than pot metal which is why I have two Webers in my Shave Den, and an Ikon OC on the way. As to blades, I couldn't properly appreciate them until my technique improved.

 

[Bcobu1102]

Thank you all for the replies. Always a group of solid responders on this forum. I appreciate it guys.