DE as smooth as Cartridge?

[DEgeezer]

Welcome to B&B!

A lot of good advice above. It takes time, but not as much as you might think. And once there, you'll never look back.

 

[desertcat]

Thank you all for your comments & recommendations. I'll spend time reviewing what's on this website regarding shave prep, technique & methodology. I've got a lot to learn!

The learning never stops. I recommend a shave journal to help you document and remember what you've tried. By carefully keeping track of all your choices, you'll quickly make improvements.
The Merkur 34C was my primary razor for many, many years. Recently @mgweatherly illustrated the 34C's negative blade exposure in a discussion in my shave journal. While it's perhaps too soon to start experimenting with a new razor, you may eventually have better shaves with something different after you gain some experience/technique. Best of luck, and welcome to the forum.

 

[kaufdrop27]

Henson and whatever blade you want

 

[StewB]

A couple of fine gents have commented on it already: The Henson DE razor seems to have been designed to shave similarly to a cartridge razor: It's lightweight, has a "fixed" or "automatic" shave angle, and needs some pressure to cut effectively. If you are accustomed to cartridge razors it may work very well for you.

 

[borwish]

Technique has already been addressed, so I'll just answer your question. For me the smoothest combo is the Simple Clean Shave razor and the India made Gillette Wilkinson sword saloon blades. The above mentioned Henson is a nice razor, but I prefer the SCS razor over it. The USA made SCS razor is also cheaper and has stainless steel wear points compared to the all aluminum Canadian Henson. They have similar designs that make them very easy to use. My wife uses a Henson and says it's far superior to the Venus you tried.

The blades I mentioned might be hard to find, so I'd recommend the Gillette Platinums. I think the Astra blades are overrated personally.

 

[DEgeezer]

Technique has already been addressed, so I'll just answer your question. For me the smoothest combo is the Simple Clean Shave razor and the India made Gillette Wilkinson sword saloon blades. The above mentioned Henson is a nice razor, but I prefer the SCS razor over it. The USA made SCS razor is also cheaper and has stainless steel wear points compared to the all aluminum Canadian Henson. They have similar designs that make them very easy to use. My wife uses a Henson and says it's far superior to the Venus you tried.

The blades I mentioned might be hard to find, so I'd recommend the Gillette Platinums. I think the Astra blades are overrated personally.

Amazon has Gillette Wilkinson sword saloon blades for only $6.14 a hundred. Quite a buy!

 

[borwish]

Amazon has Gillette Wilkinson sword saloon blades for only $6.14 a hundred. Quite a buy!

The question is are they India made or Chinese made? I've only had experience with the India made blades. Some say that the Chinese blades are terrible and others will say that they're just as good as the Indian made ones.

 

[DEgeezer]

The question is are they India made or Chinese made? I've only had experience with the India made blades. Some say that the Chinese blades are terrible and others will say that they're just as good as the Indian made ones.

I don’t put much stock in Amazon shaving reviews, but the majority of them claim that they are made in India, and are good blades. I’ve never tried them, but if they are decent blades, they would be well worth the price.

 

[Feldgrun]

Update: I gave myself an excellent shave this morning using my Merkur 34C, Gillette Nacet blade, Taylor of Old Bond St soap, Omega (cheap) brush and using a very light touch. It was as if I was trying to just scrape off the soap. No nicks or cuts, and after a second pass, an excellent shave rivaling the cartridge. I was surprised at both how lightly I held the razor and how high up the handle I was holding it. Thank you all for your recommendations (and some constructive criticism). I bought a few vintage (1950-60s) user-grade Gillette DE razors on eBay & am anxious to try them out.

 

[one2mny]

Not much to add that hasn’t already been said. Welcome to B&B!

 

[spacemonkey42]

Congrats, @Feldgrun! That is terrific to hear.

Keep up the good work. Stick with the 34c for a couple months and just work on your technique, that will help it improve as fast as possible. Then give other razors a try.

 

[Chef455]

Update: I gave myself an excellent shave this morning using my Merkur 34C, Gillette Nacet blade, Taylor of Old Bond St soap, Omega (cheap) brush and using a very light touch. It was as if I was trying to just scrape off the soap. No nicks or cuts, and after a second pass, an excellent shave rivaling the cartridge. I was surprised at both how lightly I held the razor and how high up the handle I was holding it. Thank you all for your recommendations (and some constructive criticism). I bought a few vintage (1950-60s) user-grade Gillette DE razors on eBay & am anxious to try them out.

Welcome to B&B! I am genuinely happy to read that things seem to be working out better with your 34c and the rest of your kit. Careful with those bunny holes, they'll take a chunk out of your cheddar. Enjoy nonetheless!

 

[ERS4]

Welcome to B&B
An automatic transmission car is a completely different technology from a manual transmission car.
Cartridges do have excellent navigation latitude and ease of use, but this also allows many people to develop the habit of overexerting without knowing it, so they are prone to injury when they switch to other equipment.

Use the same DE razor continuously for a month or more, and usually the shave comfort will gradually improve.

 

[frbock]

After not wet shaving with a blade for years, I used a Gillette Venus from my wife, with Gillette shaving gel, and got the smoothest shave of my life. It was amazing.

Based on online recommendations here, I decided to buy a Merkur 34C and bought a bunch of blades, a bunch of soaps & two brushes. I was all in. However, with an Astra as my first blade, and with not quite enough soap, I got the worst shave of my life. Razor burns & a bloody mess. Second shave was better, but no closer than an electric. Switched to Gillette Nacet blade, which was better, but not what I hoped.

What DE razor & blade will get me as smooth a shave as the cartridge? Do I need something more aggressive? Adjustable? A vintage Gillette Slim with a Feather blade?

If you want DE, I'd spring for an adjustable. It's like buying 9 different razors. I used one back in the 90s, and it allows you to adjust the blade to the way you shave.
I'm currently using a Mach 3 (gasp). Some tendon damage in my arms from a fall while hiking last year. I was given a DE(non adjustable) for Christmas a year ago, so we ended up at odds. I wanted a clean shave, it wanted blood.
There is a lot I like about the DE razors, not the least of which is they weigh in at about 100g (basic Mach 3 is around 20g). So I set about finding a Mach 3 razor in the same range, and yes they exist. The floating head is helpful when you can't manuver quite as easily.

 

[Quaznoid]

Don’t change any hardware. Use your current setup for 6 months, perfecting your technique. A great shave can be achieved with virtually any razor.

 

[YHWH]

you don't need an expensive soap for a good lather.
That's a fact.

 

[Filudo]

After not wet shaving with a blade for years, I used a Gillette Venus from my wife, with Gillette shaving gel, and got the smoothest shave of my life. It was amazing.

Based on online recommendations here, I decided to buy a Merkur 34C and bought a bunch of blades, a bunch of soaps & two brushes. I was all in. However, with an Astra as my first blade, and with not quite enough soap, I got the worst shave of my life. Razor burns & a bloody mess. Second shave was better, but no closer than an electric. Switched to Gillette Nacet blade, which was better, but not what I hoped.

What DE razor & blade will get me as smooth a shave as the cartridge? Do I need something more aggressive? Adjustable? A vintage Gillette Slim with a Feather blade?

1) I think it's great that you found something that works well for you.
My advice is NOT to spend money looking for the perfect shave, because in your case, you already found it.

 

[nickm]

Type of blade and the coating used could be researched.

Schick has a Quad razor. It is not DE though is not a cartridge either.

LEAF has a 4 blade that uses DE 1/2 blades.

 

[Major Overkill]

Technique is the key! I suggest you stick with your current razor (a solid option is the ‘mild/moderate’ category) while you work on your prep, how to make lather, figure out which razor angle works best, use ‘NO pressure,’ etc.

A suggestion from a recent-noob: get a HEAVY razor, like the Maggard MR8- aka The Monster. Its 179 g (!) of heft allows it to do all the work + provides a good physical reminder to you to let gravity to all the work. No pressure from you- let the mass of the razor do all the work.

-Z

 

[Dtownvino]

If I was to start over I would get a Henson medium and learn there.