Getting into Safety Razor Shaving

[DesertIguana]

Asking for recommendation is tough because your skin, beard are unique to you.

Start place mild, not aggressive, Blades are individual choice.

Think of Razor - Blade as a Size 11 shoe.

Your for might be Size 11, but not all Size 11 Shoe are great fit for you.

Some reasonable offering in For Sale / Trade Sun - Forum.

 

[know1special]

Welcome to B&B!

As you can see, when you ask for advice here...you get it.

Many, many fine recommendations from the gents and I heartily agree with most.

As for myself, I'd suggest going one of two routes for the razor:

1) A middle of the road, smooth shaving choice like the aforementioned RR Game Changer.

2) An adjustable of some kind (Variant, Rockwell, etc.) that will let you choose your starting aggression level and modify as needed.

Two other things to consider:

1) @Calyshaver mentioned working on lathering and I will second that. Getting the lather right is pretty crucial, so much so that you may want to think about doing some test lathers without shaving in order to get properly dialed in.

2) As you get settled in and your technique begins to mature, you may want to pick up some blade samples to further zero in on what's best for your face.

 

[Jay21]

I am thinking of starting with Astra green blades but recommendations on blades would also be helpful.
Thanks in advance

Field notes from another Rookie

Another thing I struggled with is making a good lather from a bowl. I tried every bowl from my kitchen inventory, probably the crux of my problem.

There’s been a lot of great advice given out so far. I’ll add that I’ve found the Astra SP to not really work for me. A bit irritating for me and there are much better blades out there.

Also, the plastic Timeless bowl with ridges on the bottom makes lather explode. It was $12 and worth every penny. Face lathering irritated my face and I couldn’t get a consistent lather. Once I switched to bowl lathering, very consistent with excellent slickness, thickness, and protection.

 

[FarmerTan]

Asking for recommendation is tough because your skin, beard are unique to you.

Start place mild, not aggressive, Blades are individual choice.

Think of Razor - Blade as a Size 11 shoe.

Your for might be Size 11, but not all Size 11 Shoe are great fit for you.

Some reasonable offering in For Sale / Trade Sun - Forum.

Well put my friend!

To the OP: Welcome to Badger and Blade!

I say buy two razors: a Gillette Tech and a Gillette New Long Comb. You should be able to get both of them, in pretty good condition, for $75 or MUCH less than that if you ain't overly particular about all the plating, etc.

 

[schinster]

Pick up a Tech. Cheap and plentiful. Yet, as perfect as a razor can be.

Or, if you just want to wet your beak, look on ebay/amazon for "Gillette Super Blue", cheap aluminium, but a faithful reproduction of 60's Techs. Should be like $2.

Thanks for the suggestion, but what is a Tech and where would I get one?

 

[StewB]

Thanks for the suggestion, but what is a Tech and where would I get one?

Do a quick search for "Gillette Tech razor". You should find some available for sale.

 

[Alum Ladd]

Thanks for the suggestion, but what is a Tech and where would I get one?

The Gillette Tech was made from about 1939 to the present for the Chinese & Indian market. It also has dozens or even hundreds of modern clones, borrowing it's blade clamping design.

It was the first modern solid bar safety razor mass produced. It's a very forgiving yet efficient shaver, depending on the era you get. The Earlier ones are both smooth and very efficient. The 50's-70's English Techs are excellent too.

Here is the B&B Wiki on the Tech
Tech - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/Gillette_Tech

There's all you need on there. The Bay is the best place to find them. Hundreds of millions were probably made!

They make fantastic 'first' DE razors, and are classic vintages.

You should be able to pick up an excellent example for $30. Many are cheaper.

 

[JWCowboy]

For modern in that price range, as many others have mentioned the Razorock Gamechanger is excellent. As are any of Razorocks razors. Same with their brushes. Same with their soaps.

For vintage as many others have mentioned the Tech is excellent, or if you prefer a TTO any of the Super Speeds.

 

[schinster]

I just purchased a razorock game changer 68 and blades. Thank you all for your help. I will try to update the forum after using it a few times. Any advice on the proper angle for shaving. I assume if I use too little, I'll get no shave, or too much (>30 degrees) I will cut myself?
Thanks again

 

[spacemonkey42]

Congrats, @schinster, that is a great razor! Common wisdom is to put the top cap against your face, then rotate the handle downward until the razor starts cutting. That is your angle. Use your ears to tell you when the razor is cutting. The 68p has a specific angle, but is less likely to bite you if you are not on it, it just won't cut well. Take your time, relax, and listen to the razor. It will tell you when it is cutting.

Make sure to get a nice, thick, slick, and protective lather, too. That will really help, don't underestimate its importance. Folks here will help with that too. They did for me! Happy shaves!

 

[StewB]

Good advice above. Make sure to use a very light touch and you should get good results.

 

[Roedeer]

I just purchased a razorock game changer 68 and blades.

Good choice, @schinster. It's mild but effective, it's precision-made, and the slim head is more agile than the Rockwell, which I used for 18 months.

That default handle was heavy, though. I preferred an 85mm Windrose aluminium one off eBay, 50 grams lighter, to really bring out the best in it.

If you like it, but want a bit more cutting power later, then like me you can get the GC.84P baseplate for about £/$30, and your existing cap/handle will be compatible.

That's what I'm using now (having found my way here in 2019) and can honestly say that I'm getting the best shaves of my life with it.

 

[Old Navy_1]

@spacemonkey42 ...where were you 55 years ago? I could have used good advice like that. LOL! Unfortunately, it was trial and error for me.

b/r

ON_1

 

[Alum Ladd]

@spacemonkey42 ...where were you 55 years ago? I could have used good advice like that. LOL! Unfortunately, it was trial and error for me.

b/r

ON_1

Some of the finest advice on DE shaving is here
The Wanderer's Guide To DE Shaving - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/the-wanderers-guide-to-de-shaving.532194/

 

[Old Navy_1]

@schinster ....congratulations! I think you made an excellent choice in a modern, precision CNC, stainless razor. I hope it works as well for you, as it does for me.

And, don't forget. Go slow and let the weight of the "razor/handle" do the work, until you get the hang of it.

I didn't notice what handle you chose? If, you went with the default it was probably the "Bulldog", 13mm x 90 mm ~2.8 oz weight?

I have two "Barber Pole" (my favorite), 12 mm x 85 mm (Approx. 14 mm Butt End), ~2.6 oz weight and a "Super Knurl", 13 mm x 90 mm, ~2.9 oz weight. The "Sk" is the real heavyweight.

I like all of my choices, but I also like heavier handles.

b/r

ON_1

 

[cpcohen1945]

I am looking to switch to a safety razor and am wondering where to start. I have sensitive skin and am leaning toward a closed comb razor. I like the idea of an adjustable, but after reading some comments, I don't know if that's the best way to go. I shave roughly every other day and would like something that won't slip in my hand. Any recommendations around the $40-75 range would be appreciated. I am thinking of starting with Astra green blades but recommendations on blades would also be helpful.
Thanks in advance

Logically, your _first_ DE razor should be an adjustable, so you'd get some idea of what blade gap you find comfortable.

I keep returning to my Merkur Progress. It's in your price range. It's not perfect (see some suggestions by Mantic59, either in print or on YouTube). It's a safety-bar design (not open-comb), the range is from mild to aggressive (not super-mild, and not super-aggressive), the handle has deep ridges and I don't have a problem with slippage.

I've always used Feather blades -- consistently good results, but learning was sometimes painful. Astras should be sharp enough for you, they're one step less sharp than the Feather.

There have been good reviews of the Pearl Flexi -- a fully-machined adjustable, made from brass, chrome-plated. That's at the top end of your budget range, I think.

. Charles

 

[Invicta]

Any advice on the proper angle for shaving.

This should help and the blade is most effective at the neutral angle; Blade Angle | Badger & Blade

 

[DesertIguana]

This should help and the blade is most effective at the neutral angle; Blade Angle | Badger & Blade

That is whole lot of valuable info, something to be read, and reread.

 

[Quaznoid]

Gillette Tech ($15 or less) or the best Tech clone, the Lord L5 ($8). Or a SuperSpeed. I started with a 1973 black handle flare tip and I use it still. $1.99 then, probably $15 now.

 

[Go West Young Man]

You want the simplest possible entry into the razor world - don't get an adjustable, don't get a slant, don't get anything expensive. Go with a vintage Tech or a Superspeed, they're cheap and easy to find, or a Merkur or something like that. You can get fancier later if you want to have a hobby, or stick with something simple that works.

Blades are trickier - they're very specific to razor and face. Most vendors sell a sample pack that'll give you a couple dozen to experiment with.