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Complete Newbie with questions! Thank you!

Hi everyone, I am 27 and I've been shaving since I was about 16. Lately, shaving with cartridge has been giving me a little bit of razor burn but the worst is the amount of ingrown hairs i've had lately (grew beard out for a while). My beard grows fairly quickly and I usually let it grow for a week or two before I shave again. So looking at a thread in reddit I came upon wet shaving and its benefits and I've been sold. I am argentine and like making a good asado (BBQ), shaving should also be an art.

I am looking to purchase my first DE razor and I'd like some feedback before I make my purchase (half-broke masters student). Reading comments and reviews, the Muhle R41 is one of the best but would it be good for a beginner or should I go for a Merker or a Edwin Jagger?
I know the blades used are all about preference so I will buy a variety pack and see what I like best with time but I feel the tool is the most important part of Wet Shaving along with preparation (soap, lather, etc).

I'm sure once I start I will not go back to cartridge based shaving. Also, any recommendation for other products would be great!

Thanks everyone!!!!
 
Welcome to B&B. The R41 is a good and well regarded razor, but it is on the aggressive side, so it can inflict quite a bit of damage if your technique is not spot on. I'm sure you could learn to get a great shave with one, as with most other DE razors, but my personal recommendation would be to go for something a little less fierce. The Edwin Jagger DE89 is a very good razor to start out with, from my experience, and I'm sure a Muhle would be just as satisfactory.
As regard blades, I would avoid chopping and changing too much when you start out. Stick with one variety for a good number of shaves, otherwise you won't know if a poor shave is your fault of that of the blade.
I hope all goes well for you.
 
Welcome to the B&B forums. Being a half-broke masters student myself, although almost twice the age, I recommend looking for a vintage razor. A Gillette tech or super speed are good options that are fairly inexpensive. The Edwin Jagger or Merkur 34C are also good options, but will cost twice as much as the two I mentioned.

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Hello and welcome. Great to have you here on B&B. Wander on over to the Hall of Fame and introduce yourself more fully.

Try a vintage Gillette instead of a new razor. The oldies are much better quality and cost the same or less.

Try here for a complete starter package Garry's Sample Shop

or look on eBay.
 
Welcome to Badger & Blade! I really don't have any more to add than the great advice above. There is a lot of different types of conversations going on around here. Check out the Mess Hall as I am sure the guys there would love to learn about Argentinian BBQ. Welcome to B&B!
 
Welcome to B&B. The tools, and soap and cream are important, but technique is HUGE. With cartridge razors you have to press the head onto your skin with some force as the razor is very light. With double edge safety razors and single edge razors, if you do that you will be in pain, especially with an aggressive razor like the R41. You don't use any pressure with these razors. You might want to do some studying on safety razor technique. There are some videos on youtube. I like the R41, but would agree that it is not the ideal razor for a beginner, however, it is so aggressive that it will force you to refine your technique unless you are a sadist.
 

jar_

Too Fugly For Free.
Before you buy anything ask your parents and grandparents if they still have their razors. I bet there is a box or three full of oldies waiting just for you to ask.
 
Welcome to the club. Glad to have you aboard. By all means, get the Edwin Jagger--it's a fine razor and perfectly suited to the beginner as well as the experienced shaver.
 
Thank you for all the great replies! I have no grandparents so finding an old razor is a no go and my dad uses cartridges. I guess I will go with the Edwin Jagger. I read so much about the R41 and how amazing it is that I wanted to get it as I its only 33 Euros in amazon and the edwin jagger 29 Euros....but if my face will end up like a madman who went to town on himself then I can start with the Edwin Jagger.

Thanks for all the tips!
 
Welcome! I suggest you consider the EJ89 series or Merkur 34HD. These are very available, great quality and in the mild/moderate range of aggressiveness. You can then go more or less aggressive if you like.
 
The first few years after switching from carts, I tried a number of vintage Gillettes. While I liked the early 1950's SuperSpeeds and late 1950's Tech, for the past 4 years all I've used is a Merkur 34G (the gold version of the 34HD). It's the perfect razor..........for me anyway. My son-in-law started DE shaving when he was about your age and uses a 34HD (C).
 
I'm not an expert, so take this with a grain of salt, but I first made the switch in February with an Edwin Jagger Kelvin and have been very pleased. It's got a short, but thick handle and isn't too aggressive, which I appreciated as a beginner. So far I've only used Derby and Van Der Hagen blades, but my first sampler pack came in recently so I will update if I see any major differences, good or bad, with sharper razors.
 
I recommend the Merkur 34c HD. This is what I learned on and still use in my rotation. I found for me, the Shark SS, Polisilver, and Gillette 7'o Clock Green blades work well in this razor. YMMV. It sounds like you are in Europe so there would be lots of good soap and aftershave you could pick up locally.
 
I usually let it grow for a week or two before I shave again
I don't think it is a good idea to attack two weeks worth of beard with a blade. You need to be really careful and use extremely short strokes with that. I would recommend shaving at least once a week.
 
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