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Buying first DE Razor

R

romantichero

Hey all!

I'm looking to make the plunge into traditional wet shaving and am looking to purchase a cheap but solid DE razor and some blades.. someone recommended me a Lord L6 Safety Razor for just under $15 which seemed like a steal:

http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Safety-Razor-Model-LP1822L/dp/B004N77JVY

Is this a good bet, or do you all have further recommendations? I will be using Kiss My Face Cool Mint shaving cream and an Art of Shaving badger brush I got from my father if that matters! Thanks!

EDIT: I'm open to going up to around $30 if it's a quality piece that will last long!
 
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G

Glockadoodadoo

Run..... Run away NOW ! Delete this site out of your favorite folder ! You'll get your 1st. razor then you'll get another & another & ....... Then soaps, as, blades, etc. It will never stop once it get it's hooks in you !

But to answer your question.

​Superspeed
 
Morman Bridge

Morman Bridge

I'm partial to vintage Gillette razors, so I would recommend a Gillette Super Speed from the late 1940's. They are excellent shavers and also have a touch of class about them. You can find them on eBay for $20 to $30 with a case, and that is a good place to start. I think though, as one previous poster alluded to, one is not enough, and before you know it you will have a number of razors in your shave den. That is not necessarily a bad thing, since variety is the spice of life! Good luck in you search, and welcome to the Traditional Shaving Kingdome!!
 
franz

franz

Welcome, mate.

I would recommend a vintage Superspeed or Tech for your first razor, unless you have a particularly coarse, dense beard. They can be found on the BST (buy/sell/trade forum) for around $10-20 shipped.

The Merkur 23C you linked is fine as well -- it's what I started on.

You could also consider an Edwin Jagger DE89 or a Merkur 34C. Really, there are a lot of options here.
 
dcobranchi

dcobranchi

Welcome to B&B. So sorry about the future status of your bank account. :001_tongu

For $30 you could easily pick up a Superspeed on eBay. For example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gillette-Fl...667?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c30cadda3

The SS is, IMO, one of the best starter DEs. Not adjustable, so one fewer variable to fuss with. Aggressive enough to do the job but not so aggressive that you're likely to need a transfusion after your first attempt.

Edit: I just noticed franz also suggested the SS. Great minds... Like he wrote, keep an eye on the B/S/T. Superspeeds pop up often.
 
tm3

tm3

They do not make them like they used to, thus the popularity of the vintage razors. But the downside is dealing with sellers that, um, exaggerate the quality of what they are peddling. You may want to wait until you have a little more experience and know what to look for and the questions to ask before going that route.

a new merkur or EJ DE is more money up front but if you decide to sell it you won't lose much. Think of it as a rental fee. The merkur 1904 is under $30.
 
R

romantichero

I'm more partial to a new razor from Amazon for $30 rather than a used one from eBay for $15-20. One question I have is, what is the key difference between all the Merkurs I'm finding for around $30? I've looked at the 23C and 33C so far. More specifically, how does a long vs. short handle affect my shave?
 
G

Glockadoodadoo

romantichero said:
I'm more partial to a new razor from Amazon for $30 rather than a used one from eBay for $15-20. One question I have is, what is the key difference between all the Merkurs I'm finding for around $30? I've looked at the 23C and 33C so far. More specifically, how does a long vs. short handle affect my shave?
Click to expand...

Just to be clear .... I'm not really trying to steer you away from the merker line if that is what you really have your mind set on. So..... with that being said. You maybe don't have to buy one of the old school razors on flea bay. Depending on where you live there has to be a antique - collectibles store close by. Do a a Google search of ( collectibles ) - antiques in your area & give them a call. You may find a store with 20 or you may find 0. It's worth a shot !

And if you find one of those razors with a lever looking thing on the bottom of the handle for $ 10 buy it & I'll buy from ya ! ; )
 
Nick Cheeks

Nick Cheeks

If a new razor is more your style, I would recommend the 33C. It's been a good starter razor for me, well-balanced, mild, and a good razor to master technique. I think the handle length is really a matter of personal preference. I thought I would prefer a longer handle because I have larger hands, but after handling a few I found the shorter handle gave me more control, especially when holding it at the end.
 
jazzguy

jazzguy

I do reccomend a new razor for your first DE. I believe that all the Merkurs have nearly the same head design and the difference between them is primarily in the handle, plating, and the weight of the razor. The length of the handle effects the balance of the razor and your grip. I find short handled razors easier to control but long ones easier to grip. The HD is a great first DE and if you don't hang out here too much you could be able to stick with it forever. The other one to consider is the Edwin Jagger DE89. This too comes in several handle variations but they all shave more or less the same. The EJ is milder so if you're beard is tough you'll probably be happier with the Merkur. Welcome to B&B!
romantichero said:
I'm more partial to a new razor from Amazon for $30 rather than a used one from eBay for $15-20. One question I have is, what is the key difference between all the Merkurs I'm finding for around $30? I've looked at the 23C and 33C so far. More specifically, how does a long vs. short handle affect my shave?
Click to expand...
 
tm3

tm3

romantichero said:
I'm more partial to a new razor from Amazon for $30 rather than a used one from eBay for $15-20. One question I have is, what is the key difference between all the Merkurs I'm finding for around $30? I've looked at the 23C and 33C so far. More specifically, how does a long vs. short handle affect my shave?
Click to expand...

allow me to help you spend your money ...... :001_smile

the merkurs vary in handle length, design, knurling, and also in their head design ie the head of the 1904 for example has a much lower profile than the head of the progress. i prefer the lower profile, but that is something that you really can't decide on without trying them out imo.

i have been haunting the BST lately looking for something else, and it seems to me that the merkur progress and the edwin jagger 89 are very popular here. meaning that folks like shaving with them, and if it comes time to sell they go quickly. so if you had one of those two razors and decided to bail, you could easily resell it, plus the odds of your liking it are probably higher than some of the other choices. i'm partial to the progress as i think the adjustable feature is great for starting out, but that razor may be more money than you are willing to spend.
 
wrinkles2

wrinkles2

I recommend the merkur razor you posted about. I have one, and although I have a plating issue with the handle (bought the razor from a seller on ebay who did disclose the issue in his description. I Bought it anyway) It provides a Great Shave!! So Does The Merkur 33c. For Vintage, Superspeeds are great. I really enjoy those.
 
F

FaPat5

From personal experience I'd recommend the Lord - it's cheap and gives a nice shave. Otherwise try a vintage gillette "tech" they are cheap and quite mild
 
tomharr51

tomharr51

romantichero said:
Aaaaaaaaaaaa thanks for the warnings! Hah but I still want to get just ONE razor to try out.. what about this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Model-...UTF8&qid=1363668363&sr=8-2&keywords=merkur+hd
Click to expand...


That is a very fine razor. A lot of the razors recommended are quite good too. I am relatively new too and I had very good success with a Merkur 34C and Merkur 38C as my first razors. Both the 34C and 38C are heavier razors which helped me to not use much pressure and just let the weight of the razor do the job. The 38C has a longer barber pole handle but the heads are the same on both razors.
 
alanbarnes

alanbarnes

I'd recommend getting the Lord L6. It's $10 from a vendor who's well-respected here. I've used one, and have given a couple to people who are interested in trying out the whole DE shaving thing. They're very mild, so you're unlikely to tear up your face, and they give a very good shave. Frankly, you're not going to do much better in the price range you've specified.

The Merkur 180 was my first razor. It worked well enough, but IMO it isn't worth three times what the Lord costs. Ditto with the Edwin Jagger DE89xx, except that it's four times as expensive.

If you decide want something nicer than the Lord, I second (third?) the recommendation to consider a vintage Gillette. They really don't make 'em like they used to: while a SuperSpeed is solid brass, modern razors (except a few, and they're very expensive) are made from pot metal. Nothin' wrong with that, but the quality just isn't as high. I'd avoid eBay, though; check out the Buy/Sell/Trade board here, find one in good+ condition, and go that route.
 
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