First DE Razor suggestions

[marlo]

Well I just shaved and I dropped my cartridge razor in the toilet. I figure that was a sign to give the Double Edge Razor a go.

Since I have never shaved with DE Safety razor what do you suggest? I don't want to spend to much money because I want to see if I like it.

There are a lot of brands out there and different kinds of razors... Some have long handles, some are short and stubby. A lot of different blades too.

I am hoping I can by a kit with a brush, some blades, and the razor for a fair price. Online is probably the cheapest to get one.

Suggestions?

 

[sea]

First off, welcome!

I found that a tough question when I started about a year ago. You could go new or vintage. I went new because vintage has so many choices and I kind of wanted to get a new razor to start with. Merkur and Edwin Jagger are well regarded in these parts. But again, I narrowed things down... Merkur had too many choices, I didn't know what I wanted. So I ended up getting an Edwin Jagger EJ89L (lined handle). It is a good razor, I am still happy with the purchase.

Online is the way to go, unless you live in NYC or somewhere where you can find anything. I wouldn't restrict yourself to buying a kit. Check out the list of B&B vendors, there are quite a few that people around here have had good experiences with (and that are involved on the site). I would recommend a blade sampler, since, like the razors, the experience with blades can vary for each person.

Hope that helps some. I'm sure you'll get a lot of great advice. People here are very helpful.

Enjoy the journey

 

[itsmedave]

Marlo, you cover the shipping and I'll send you a DE and some blades to get started with. Just send me a PM

 

[ChiefBroom]

I started out with a Merkur Futur and bled a lot. At the time I assumed it was just me, but with more experience I've concluded the Futur is really a pretty lousy razor.

Next up for me was an old Fat-handled Tech I'd remembered seeing with stuff of my dad's after he passed. I'm pretty sure it had been my grandpa's. I dug it out (after about three shaves with the Futur), cleaned it up, gave it a try, and have been hooked on vintage Gillettes ever since. The humble Tech is a great razor to start out with, and also a great razor to stick with for the duration IMO.

My second Gillette was a '58 TV Special (Superspeed) I picked up pretty cheap on eBay. That was last December shortly after I started. I still have a soft spot for the TV Special. It's a twist-to-open razor, whereas the Tech is a 3-piece design (somewhat less convenient to load). I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

I also bought a Fatboy early on based on reviews and recommendations as a great beginner's DE tool. I only shaved it it a couple of times. I just turned out not to be a fan of adjustibles. They have more volume and mass in the head than I like.

This isn't really intended as advice -- simply one guy's perspective.

Good luck. You stumbled into a great place!

 

[celestino]

Marlo, you cover the shipping and I'll send you a DE and some blades to get started with. Just send me a PM

+1 This is what i would highly suggest! Dave is a fantastically generous gentleman! Don't pass this up!

 

[marlo]

Hi thanks for all the responses. There are so many different kinds it can be overwhelming.

The one I have heard a lot of is the Merkur 34. I think that's has a short handle.

Marlo, you cover the shipping and I'll send you a DE and some blades to get started with. Just send me a PM

Hi this is very generous of you I will send you a PM.

 

[cpcohen1945]

I started out with a Merkur Futur and bled a lot. At the time I assumed it was just me, but with more experience I've concluded the Futur is really a pretty lousy razor. . .

The Futur is a _very_ aggressive razor, by all accounts. Set to "1", it's supposed to be more aggressive than an EJ DE89.

That doesn't make it "lousy" -- just very demanding of its user.

Larry, at www.whippeddog.com, has the least-expensive complete DE kit I've seen. You may eventually replace the razor, but it'll get you started at low cost.

The Weishi razor is aluminum, costs about $15 delivered (try eBay or Amazon), and is very mild. It would be a good "first razor".

The Edwin Jagger DE89 is mild, has good heft, and is beautifully finished. And then there's the whole world of vintage Gillettes -- any of those would work for you.

Charles

 

[fcdiscus]

Feather Popular.

 

[Searlands]

I can recommend the Merkur 34C HD as a great beginners razor. The Edwin Jagger DE89 gets a lot of love also.

 

[ChiefBroom]

The Futur is a _very_ aggressive razor, by all accounts. Set to "1", it's supposed to be more aggressive than an EJ DE89.

That doesn't make it "lousy" -- just very demanding of its user.

I don't want to drag this off-topic. Mileage varies, and I know the Futur has many fans. I bought one based on numerous positive reviews on amazon.com before I knew B&B existed. When the first one I ordered arrived, I noticed as soon as I inserted a blade that the exposure wasn't even (more on one side than the other). So I ordered another one from a different amazon.com vendor with the intention of keeping the better of the two. The second one was neither better nor worse; it just had differently uneven exposure (the blade didn't seat parallel with the head, resulting in more exposure on one end of each side than its other end). I googled around and found some discussion of similar quality issues on this site. That was the best thing about my Futur experience; it led me here. I ended up making one reasonably symetrical Futur by combining parts from the two. But in the process of disassembling/reassembling the things, I settled on a very low opinion of the design. I've shaved with dozens of different Gillettes since laying down the Futur permanently after 3 or maybe four shaves. I don't believe my problem with it was/is that it's aggressive or demanding. In my opinion the Futur is a great example of form over function. In any case, I would discourage anyone from starting out with one.

 

[KipNoxzema]

In my opinion the Futur is a great example of form over function. In any case, I would discourage anyone from starting out with one.

+1
In my opinion, you go to a Futur or another modern non-adjustable once you decide you like DE shaving and have your technique. Plus, you (literally) can't beat rolled-brass with a nickel-coating over a zinc alloy that can crack.
My advice to you, Marlo, is to try an adjustable, where you dial in the closeness of your shave. Vintage Gillette adjustables are a lot more affordable than the modern ones; bottom line. Experiment with a different razor later.

 

[one cut]

the cheapest razor I know of is the Wilkinson sword classic. I have seen them for sale for under 10$.
it is very mild and forgiving, so it is good to start/ learn with.
since it is so cheep I also don't mind taking it in trips because If it gets lost I have not lost one of my treasures.

 

[joshmv]

Grab a DE89 and some Astra SP's and you'll have exactly what you need for a low price.

 

[Useless shaver]

Marlo, you cover the shipping and I'll send you a DE and some blades to get started with. Just send me a PM

Dave, you honour this forum!

 

[Dusty1]

I suggest a vintage Gillette Slim (very nice adjustable) or a vintage Gillette Tech (if you don't have a corse beard). Either of these will work great, the Tech is cheaper, but the Silm can be dialed in from mild to mower! Great to have you and enjoy your shave!

 

[El-a-Menthol]

Edwin Jagger DE89 if you want a shiny new one.
If you want vintage a Gillette Tech is super mild but for me ineffective, however most seem to recommend a Gillette Super Speed or Gillette Slim (adjustable).

 

[Daiku]

I second a Tech, which is cheap, vintage, cool, and (because of its mild nature) great for a beginner, unless you have an extremely tough beard. But the Tech is not JUST for beginners; I still use one, and many, many men used them for their whole shaving careers. You'll never regret buying a ball-end Tech.

Another great thing about a Tech is that it teaches you proper blade angle. At the wrong angle, a Tech won't slice you, it just won't do anything. At the correct angle, you'll get a great, safe shave.

Be aware, though, that a vintage Tech can be an entryway into vintage razor RAD!

 

[Teddyboy]

Marlo, you cover the shipping and I'll send you a DE and some blades to get started with. Just send me a PM

You da' man!

 

[takeshi]

Since I have never shaved with DE Safety razor what do you suggest?

Don't fixate on finding the perfect DE for you with your first purchase. Get one of the popular options while you're sorting out your DE preferences so you can easily BST it if it doesn't work out for you. I'd suggest the DE89 or 34C if you're looking for a new one.

The problem with asking for recommendations when you haven't even used a DE is that it's a very subjective/YMMV matter and blind recommendations aren't going to help you. I've tried some of the ones suggested above and some of them just didn't work for me. There's no telling what will or won't work best for you. Typically, the person asking would need to clarify needs/wants/preferences but as a newbie you're unable to do this. I say just get started and enjoy the journey.

 

[DonN]

my experience has been similar to others on this thread - started off with the Merkur Progres and then tried the Futur - hated the Futur and wasn't thrilled with the Progres - then I picked up a FatBoy and more recently a Slim both from the Bay - use the Slim all the time now .

I've found that my MO changes from time to time wrt shaving - b4 DE it was Fusion & gel , then lathering in a scuttle & using the Slim, then lathering using the Slim and polishing with goo & Fusion - my latest is Slim/goo & then polish/Fusion/goo - IMO you have to try different approaches - polishing BTW is a final "fine tuning" pass for me - I dilute the goo with water so that it goes on my face/neck thin & then I quickly Fusion it .

hope this info is helpful