DE as smooth as Cartridge?

[Feldgrun]

I've tried a bunch of vintage Gillettes and a few blades (my favorite so far is SS Red Tip with Astra SP blade).

I just tried a Gem G-bar with a SE Personna Gem blade and found it quite nice.

How far down the rabbit hole does this go?

 

[VerbaVolant]

Far enough that some get stuck and never come back.

 

[sarir97]

The key to avoiding razor burn, besides good prep, rich lather, and low pressure, is fewer strokes. The more efficient your razor, the less need for buffing, and the less total contact of blade against skin. Consider a modem efficient razor for your next purchase. Good luck!

 

[Feldgrun]

Consider a modem efficient razor for your next purchase.

Do you have any recommendations?

 

[Dtownvino]

Chiseled Face Ti is a really smooth and efficient shaver.

Blackbird Lite (not the original, Lite).

Henson ++ or +++.

Really think the Overlander is amazing - only a few shaves in with it but wow, no irritation, super smooth, and efficient. Bought one for my brother yesterday they are that good in my eyes.

 

[Eshebert]

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?

I am new to wet shaving so my learning curve is fresh to mind. Technique, patients and the right blade SR combo. I have a couple cheap janky TTO razors Vander Hagan and R1 that o run feather blades in that will leave me BBS with little effort and no nicks. If I try that with my Viking Blade adjustable razors I will looks like a crime scene. I run Astra and Derby in those, they are my go to for an enjoyable close shave. I can be silky smooth in 2 passes, I go across and against and I am good to go. Now I have shed some blood finding my limitations but it was worth it.

 

[sarir97]

Do you have any recommendations?

The original Blackbird in DE (not the Lite; the trade off of the Lite is less efficiency).
The Vector in SE.
I own both.
I do love the Karve Overlander as mentioned above, it’s one of my 4 razors.
My 4th razor is the Tatara Masamune, with the added Nodachi plate.

These 4 modern razors offer everything I need, from smooth/mild to highly efficient with lots of blade feel.

 

[BusterBLX]

Morning

Maybe try a Merkur 39 Slant - it’s a little heavier than some razors too. (Merkur 37 is smaller). The razor is way more forgiving than people think.
You’ve had plenty time now with DE - it does shave very smoothly. If I do my bit the shave lasts too.
Different blades will make some difference. The feather lets you know it’s there but you’ll get great shaves most blades. I’ve also been real happy with Gillette Platinums and also the yellow 7 o clock…
But loads of blades will be great.

Oh and maybe shake up your process now - because you might get away with 2 pass shaves and touch ups for bbs. Experiment with the cross slide technique too (any razor) it kind of emulates the theory behind slant. And using a slant doing same slide pass is a winner

If your beard growth allows reduced passes then save time (and poss irritation) - go for first pass XTG, second pass ATG and then touch up. Saves 3-5 mins each shave, you’ll be surprised how quick gets you out the door.

 

[SalS]

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?

Henson medium and they give you 100 blades with the razor. My advice on cream or soap that while its fun to use a brush it is not the best option. A brushless cream/gel like Jack Black or Kiehl’s is the way to go followed by pure aloe vera gel, not lotion.

 

[Dogrescuer]

It is simply not necessary to cave to the mass market blade to find great shaves.

Amen!

 

[emwolf]

From my "modern" razors the ones I routinely have little problem getting a great, smooth, blood-free shaves:
Timeless (SB)
Wolfman (SB)
Lupo (SB)
Game Changer (SB)
Karve (SB)
Rocca (SB)
Occam (OC)

 

[Stubblefield]

A cart razor has the benefit of allowing someone with 10 thumbs to get an acceptable shave with almost zero effort.
Any quality DE razor is capable of delivering a smooth great shave, but - particularly for those new to the process, it is NOT effortless.
There is some learning involved. Technique is important, and muscle memory must be learned by repeatedly concentrating on proper methodology in the beginning.
Those who think they can get a great effortless DE shave by purchasing the "right" razor or blade without the necessary effort to learn how to use it are in for a disappointing experience.
If you are not prepared for the effort to learn how to use the equipment properly, you're probably better off just sticking with a virtually zero learning curve cart razor.

This is the correct take. It takes time and effort to shave properly with a DE.

 

[MovingToMars]

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.

[...] 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?

After almost 20 years of shaving exclusively with the top-tier cartridges from Gillette Venus (and sometimes Gillette Fusion), I can confirm that it's possible to get better results with a safety razor and a DE-blade. It does take practice though and a razor+blade combination that is optimal for your skin. The rabbit hole can go as deep as you like, but it doesn't have to break the bank. I've had great success with a vintage Gillette Ball Tech from a flea market (though, as always, YMMV). Most people agree that a mild razor paired with a sharper blade is best, especially for beginners. You already have that. Don't ever skimp on good shaving cream and aftercare, your skin will thank you. I hope you have fun.

Keep going and have some great shaves!

 

[Quaznoid]

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

YMMV, but I think light razors are easier to use and give better results. The weight of the razor works for you on the downstroke only. Shaving across it adds nothing and on the upstroke it works against you. And the massive handle is clumsy IMHO. I prefer light, flickable razors like the L5, Yuma or those fabulous Schick injectors.

 

[Lockback]

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?

IMHO, a vintage Gillette Super Speed and a good blade (Gillette Platinum, Astra SP) will provide just as smooth a shave as a cartridge. The soap/shave cream is also part of the equation. I love Tabac shave soap or Cremo shave creams. They are really smooth shaves for me.