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Best razor for a beginner?

crleftwich

crleftwich

In your own opinion, what is the best razor for a beginner to DE wet shaving? Which may possibly be the worst? And going a bit further, what is your opinion (and rating) of the aggressiveness of the Parker 99R.

I am still new to DE shaving (about a week now) and was given the Parker 99R as a gift. Using Shark Super chrome blades. I've had some good shaves with it and some bad shaves. I was doing some research on it and the reviews were a little mixed. Some say it's an aggressive razor and others say it's not at all. Inconclusive information is what I yielded from my research.

So, I just wanted your opinion on it.
 
86-foxtrot

86-foxtrot

I can't comment on the Parker 99R since I've never used it. However, you should consider getting a DE blade sampler pack to see what type of blade works best for you. My first blade I ever used was a Derby. It was absolutely horrendous; so much so that I tossed it after one shave.
I like the Shark super chromes, but they aren't my favorite. I like the BlueBird blades the best of the dozen or so I have tried.
 
trewornan

trewornan

I'd recommend the Merkur HD. It's not super aggressive but neither is it so mild you learn bad habits. Reliably high quality and it'll last forever. I don't know the 99R but my experience of Parker razors generally (and I've only looked at them never actually shaved) is that the quality is not great.
 
crleftwich

crleftwich

86-foxtrot said:
However, you should consider getting a DE blade sampler pack to see what type of blade works best for you.
Click to expand...

I agree, I need to get a sampler pack. My wife gave me my Parker 99R for my birthday. she also got me a box of 100 Shark Super Chrome blades. Those have been what I'm using. I feel like I HAVE to use those before trying something else...know what I mean? I kinda wish she had gotten me a sampler pack, though.
 
canphan

canphan

I just started wet shaving a little less than a month ago and can't say enough good things about the Weishi that I bought. Yeah, it's kind of cheaply constructed and it definitely won't be the last razor you buy but it's an extremely mild shaver and very forgiving for a first time user. I've already ordered a Parker 82R which is a similar razor to the Weishi but much heavier and better constructed so you may want to skip the intro step and go straight to the Parker if you're feeling confident. I don't have a super-heavy beard so I'm thinking that these less aggressive razor designs is all I'll ever need but YMMV of course. And I'll echo foxtrot's comment that you should buy a combo pack of blades to find which works best for you. I already know I'm not a Derby guy but the Astra SP seems to work for me. Going to try a Feather for the first time on my next shave...gulp! :)
 
Rockminer

Rockminer

Personally, I think you should get a Weber. They have one of the most sought after handles and are about as aggressive as most of the Merkurs, Muhles and Edwin Jaggers that most people recommend. The Weber has the advantage of being made of stainless steel instead of pot metal ( Merkur, Muhle and EJ ). Will these pot metal razors last forever? Only time will tell, but they are made from an inferior metal and we've seen a fair amount of breakages on this site. To be fair, in most cases, the manufacturer made good on the warranty and replaced the defective items ( Replaced an R89 with plating problems for me ).

If I could start over, knowing what I know now, I would have bought a Weber. I have since moved on to open combs but I could have swapped the handle to the oc's. The handle is pretty well known as one of the best around.

I'm not saying don't try one of the pot metal razors, i'm just saying the Weber is made better, shaves about the same as the others and comes with a superior handle. And at $70, the Weber isn't that much more in the long run.
 
ArNav

ArNav

Edwin Jagger DE89, or Muhle R89, or Merkur 34c. If you want to invest in something of a higher quality that will serve you for many years - Weber.
 
engblom

engblom

Go out to a lawn with a knife! Try to mow the grass down in slow motion, and then with high speed!

It is obvious you get better cut the higher speed, isn't it? The best shave you also get if you have a razor you do not injury yourself easily with. The popular ones like DE89, R89 and 34C are not as mild as people often claim they are. They are moderate. They will slow down your movements.

Merkur open comb razors (like 15C) makes it almost impossible to injury yourself with even if you as a newbie try to put up a bit of speed. Also, the angle becomes easier right. Too steep angle will leave visible tracks from the comb in the foam, too shallow angle will smear the foam. Also the audible feedback is good, you can actually hear when you have the right angle. 15C can easily handle several days of growth.

Also Gillette Tech (if you go vintage) is really great. Tech will give a bit closer shave than 15C, but will not handle easily several days of growth. Tech is a very good razor for daily shaving.

Both razors can easily handle coarse beard. The advantage of razors like DE89, R89 is that you get a slightly more close shave, which is hardly noticeable. For a beginner, the shave might even be less close as the angle is less obvious and the hand movements slower.

I do not recommend to jump directly on expensive stainless steel razors as you do not know yet what kind of razor you want. Maybe you want open comb, maybe slant, maybe safety bar razors. My suggestion of Merkur 15C and Gillette Tech will give you experience with both open comb and safety bar from the most mild side.
 
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Torky

Torky

Keep in mind that just because you go away from the Shark 100-pack, that doesn't mean you can't go back and use them later. I'd get a sampler pack, find out what you like, then get some of those and work them into a rotation with the Sharks. As your gain experience, I think you'll find improved technique will allow you to adapt to almost any blade.
 
danpass

danpass

A Gillette TTO adjustable such as a Slim or Fatboy.

This way you can adjust the aggressiveness to experiment.
 
The Dean

The Dean

The EJ and Merkurs already mentioned are the newer razors typically recommended to beginners. And the vintage Tech is another that many suggest. I started with a Fat Handled Tech and I think that was a good choice. While I have a few more razors now, I still use the Tech 1-2 times a week. You can probably find a Tech in very good shape for under $20 on the B/S/T or E-Bay. You can find them cleaned/restored from some vendors for a bit more--but still reasonable.

But I guess my advice would be, just keep working with your Parker. While I haven't used that razor (I haven't used most razors) it seems to be more than an adequate tool for shaving. You will see it is often recommended for new shavers. It obviously isn't a very aggressive razor, but it might be a tad more aggressive than some others. But you already know you can get a good shave with it---so it probably isn't too aggressive for you. And, while Parker isn't a sexy brand, respected shaving bloggers have reported their quality has gotten much better. Since you already own it, why not just work on technique, finding the right blade, prep, etc? Then when you have a bit of experience you can make a more informed decision about what to buy next as you will know what you like, and don't like about this razor.
 
Aimless1

Aimless1

All good suggestions but I would commit to the Parker for 30 days.

However, get a sampler pack. You are comparing other blades to the Sharks, with the Sharks being your baseline for the comparison.
 
B

ByMyBeard

Just my .02, and realize I'm a noob as well. First, the best razor for you right now depends on the amount of $$ you want to spend. Yes, a Weber is significantly more than many others. But if you are DEFINATELY going to stick with it, and have the money, it may be the last razor you ever need to buy. If you're still on the fence, it may be wiser financially to get a lower cost option, knowing you can upgrade later. I bought an MR1 from Maggard Razors. It does the job, but likely will not last. At $12-$15, I decided it was worth the trial. If I were you, I'd hold off on a new razor unless there is something about the Parker itself you just hate (feel in your hand, TTO vs multi-peice, etc). If it holds the blade firmly and evenly, the razor is doing it's job. Anything else is likely part of the learning curve.

For your blades, you can really go either way. Changing blades a lot will result in many variables. Keeping the same blade for a longer time will allow you to perfect your technique. I'd recommend keeping with the Sharks for a while before getting a sampler. Focus on technique improvements, then when you feel TRULY comfortable, try something new.

One last thing, you didn't mention anything about your lather. That is my biggest issue at this point. Perhaps the problems you are having are lather related, not blade/razor related. What are you using?
 
D

Dave Colangelo

1) Get a blade sampler pack.
2) Your best bet is to try a few razors and here is why.

I am at 62 DE/SE razors at last count, most of the time I use a Gillette slim adjustable however I am always hunting for a better razor although I have not found one yet. Every razor and blade combo is different and every razor and blade combo will respond differently to you. You are best off trying a Merkur to compare with your Parker, an open comb model maybe to see if you like that head type. Then maybe move into the vintage realm, there are many many many vintage Gillette models that can be had for next to nothing and they are all great razors. You will go through a few before getting that itch to try an adjustable (which you will love). From there the sky is the limit.

Regards
Dave
 
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