Just switched from electric to DE safety razor

[DEPenguin]

Go slow and get the technique down first.

@Bosh Hog and @BigJ are absolutely correct. Took me a while to realize using the same blade and razor were crucial to getting better shaves. A couple of other quick notes, if you'll indulge me:

• Consider mapping your beard grain. That alone upped my comfort and closeness exponentially.
• Remember that you're just starting. I think most guys have at least some irritation when they first begin. Lots of guys have posted here that after shaving a beard or goatee those areas are really sensitive; my skin was a little irritated too at the start. As I progressed it become much less so to the point, eventually, that I only get irritation if I inadvertently use pressure or try too damn hard to get BBS. Your skin will adjust, aside from any legitimate sensitivities to soap ingredients, etc.

Oh, and welcome!

 

[dabrock]

This is it:

https://durablade.biz/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SHARP-7SP-DE-CHQ-T5-PRODUCT-.jpg

Welcome to the forum, and yeah those blades are known to be inferior. They are a cheap knockoff of Gillette 7 o'Clock, which are one of the best blades I've used. I'm not a fan of the Lord offerings either and these include Sharks, Crowns, Big Ben, Racer, Lord, etc, if they are from Egypt they are probably Lord.

I like the Treet blades as well, but many find them too dull. Once you get your technique down you can revisit and you might find some of your least favourite blades you will actually like. If not, don't be afraid to bin them and move on.

Enjoy your shaves!

 

[Lazarus Long]

Today I used the Dorco - I think it is the ST301. Bad irritation when I was done. Not really any razor burn, but a lot of stinging from the alum block. I suspect part of the problem is the skin hadn't fully recovered from the 7am. I am going to give it a couple days before trying it again.

I have learned that going for the perfect BBS shave causes me more irritation than benefit. 2 WTG passes on the face is plenty, if I don't skip a day 1 is good enough. The face doesn't need any XTG or ATG. On the jawline and neck, 1 pass WTG and 1 XTG gets me 95% there. The ATG pass I think causes me more irritation than benefit. My hair is light colored, so you can't see any stubble anyway.

 

[dabrock]

The Dorco ST301 is generally considered to be a good blade but the ST300 has considerable QC issues. It's hard to gauge a new blade if you had a really bad shave the day before so you should revisit it in a day or two once your skin is feeling better. One pass shaves can be your friend while you are getting used to DE shaving, but don't be afraid to skip a day or two if your skin is feeling particularly raw.

I switched from electric to DE as well and I think it's a harder transition since your skin isn't used to being scraped by a blade, but your skin will adjust and thicken in time.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I used an electric shaver for years, finally got fed up with it. Not a very comfortable shave, when I needed a new head, they either couldn't be found or almost as expensive as buying an entire new shaver. Decided I wasn't going down the cartridge razor road, so decided to give the single blade safety razor a go. . . .

Lots of things not in your memoirs, eh?

Welcome, LL. I too was an electric shaver, the Norelco rotaries mostly, for years. For a long while I used a Braun, but quit when the foil head cut me. Just today I found my old Norelco in a drawer and tossed it. There is nothing like safety razor shaving for smoothness, a sense of accomplishment, and a good experience, once you find the razor(s) and blade(s) that work for you.

*
Andrew Libby, the math genius: "It's theoretically possible to tech my talent to any normal person."

Lazarus Long: "Sure . . . and you can teach a centipede to tap dance once you get shoes on him."

 

[Running With Scissors]

Welcome Lazarus!

 

[Asland408]

Welcome to B and B!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[flynshave]

I am a redhead with light, fine hair. I've found that so far all of the blades get the job done without too much trouble. The difference is the amount of irritation afterwards and the amount of feedback from the alum block.

Welcome! #1 tip for new wet shavers to avoid irritation - use no pressing or pressure! The angle does the work.

I found that once I developed good technique, some of the blades I initially found unusable could be made to work acceptably. But by then I'd figured out exactly which blades worked best for me, so why bother making bad ones work?

To feed your razor addiction disease, you might find that a vintage Gillette Tech works well for you. You can generally find one in excellent to like-new condition for around $20. The Voskhod works very well in it, but I like the Gillette Silver-Blue and Gillette Nacet best. The Silver is a little smoother, the Nacet is a little sharper. The Astra SS and the Feather also play very well in it.

 

[cryhavoc]

Welcome to B&B!

 

[dmshaver]

Welcome to B & B, enjoy!

 

[Lazarus Long]

Lots of things not in your memoirs, eh?

*
Andrew Libby, the math genius: "It's theoretically possible to tech my talent to any normal person."

Lazarus Long: "Sure . . . and you can teach a centipede to tap dance once you get shoes on him."

Beware of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors....and miss!

 

[Benzadmiral]

Beware of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors....and miss!

Where's that "applause" icon when you need it --!

 

[Lazarus Long]

After my bad shave with the Sharp, I think it must have affected the results with the Dorco. I took a day off, and have had 3 consecutive daily shaves with it, 1 pass only WTG plus a little touch up under the nose and on the chin. Basically no irritation and next to no feedback from the alum block.

It isn't quite BBS but close enough. I think I will settle on 1 pass shaves - additional passes just cause irritation for little benefit.

So far the Dorco blade has 1 2.5 pass shave and 3 1 pass shaves on it, no sign of getting dull yet.

A package of Treet Classic carbon blades just arrived, that will be next.

 

[Lazarus Long]

I have 4 shaves on the Treet Classic. I think it must be significantly sharper than most of the blades I've tried so far - technique is very important. If use any pressure at all, I get a bit of feedback from the alum block (but no cuts). With being careful and using no pressure, I get pretty much no irritation or feedback. 1 pass and some touchup is about all I need - getting a close shave is pretty effortless, no hint of any tugging. I have been leaving the blade in the razor - rinse it off and let it air dry. So far no rust, and still getting good comfortable shaves.

I'm not sure it is more comfortable than the Voskhod, but I'll give it a thumbs up and put it in my good category.

 

[Benzadmiral]

After my bad shave with the Sharp, I think it must have affected the results with the Dorco. I took a day off, and have had 3 consecutive daily shaves with it, 1 pass only WTG plus a little touch up under the nose and on the chin. Basically no irritation and next to no feedback from the alum block.

It isn't quite BBS but close enough. I think I will settle on 1 pass shaves - additional passes just cause irritation for little benefit.

So far the Dorco blade has 1 2.5 pass shave and 3 1 pass shaves on it, no sign of getting dull yet.

A package of Treet Classic carbon blades just arrived, that will be next.

I've recently discovered that with judicious skin stretching a la straight razor shaving, I can achieve in 2 passes what used to take me 3. The cheeks end up BBS, and the throat darn close to it, all without irritation.

 

[BigSpender]

I used an electric shaver for years, finally got fed up with it. Not a very comfortable shave, when I needed a new head, they either couldn't be found or almost as expensive as buying an entire new shaver. Decided I wasn't going down the cartridge razor road, so decided to give the single blade safety razor a go.

I did research on which razor, soap, and blades to get. Made some mistakes, but I think I am starting to figure out what works for me...

My first razor was a Viking Blade Godfather since it was highly recommended for beginners. Terrible shaves, lots of irritation and razor burn. I did more research, and found it is likely a cheap rebadged Chinese razor (or is the Chinese razor a knockoff?). Bought a Merkur 38C, it is a far better razor.

Soaps - I find white Proraso to be as good as anything I've tried. Michtells Wool Fat and Tabac are also very nice, but not sure if they are any better than Proraso. Williams Mug - eh, no.

Blades - Got a sampler pack off Amazon with 16 different blades: Derby Premium and Extra, Astra SS and SP, Shark Chrome and SS, Lord, Bolzano, Wilkensen Sword (German), Gillette Platinum, Personna blue (I think the Israeli ones), Treet Platinum, Voskhod, Durablade Sharp 7am, Feather, Dorca, plus included Viking Blade from the Godfather. I still have the Shark SS, Astra SS, Lord, Dorca, Feather, and Viking Blade to test.

I am a redhead with light, fine hair. I've found that so far all of the blades get the job done without too much trouble. The difference is the amount of irritation afterwards and the amount of feedback from the alum block.

The more irritating blades: Wilkensen Sword, Derby Extra, Shark chrome, Sharp 7am (especially irritating).

Ok blades: Astra SP, Derby Premium - these were the first 2, so I need to revisit them now that my technique has improved.

Good blades: Bolzano, Gillette Platinum, Personna, Treet Platinum

My favorite: Voskhod. My first shave had almost no feedback from the alum block, no irritation after wards.

I recently gave the Godfather another try, to see if was just my early technique. Nope, still irritating.

I currently have the Sharp 7am in the razor, just 1 shave with it. I suppose I'll pitch it, no point in continuing to experiment with a blade this irritating given I have plenty of others that work well.

Viking razors are a variation of Baili razors. I've never used a Viking razor, but I have used two Baili razors I like.

The Viking Godfather appears to be variant of a Baili BD176 or maybe a BD191. I didn't like either of them, so I think your assessment is accurate. I wonder who is recommending them so highly? The 191 is way too mild, and the 176 is just plain weird - it has a wider gap but just doesn't shave right. I am using its handle on an old Gillette razor. Maybe I should experiment with it some more, one day. The Baili butterfly is by far my favorite Baili and favorite butterfly razor -- but you have to find the right angle.

Has anyone actually shown you how to use a DE razor? Were there instructions with your Viking razor? If so, did you read them?

If you've only used an electric razor and maybe sometimes a cartridge, that does not provide any credentials for DE shaving. And different razors sometimes require different technique. Some are intuitive and easy to use, others require finding the right angle.

It sounds like you got a good blade assortment, though all of my favorites are missing. You might want to get another sampler, a custom assortment if necessary, before you go buying 100 packs of blades. One of the best things about a blade sampler is getting to try the stinkers, cheap.

Aside from the blades I have recommended in other posts, the BIC chrome platinum is an excellent blade, the blade I suggest you judge other blades by. But you need to get the genuine article, not counterfeits, which might be sold on Amiz-n or eB, though some sellers are reputable. Be skeptical of the cheapest price. Try the BIC Sensitive single blade disposable and you will have a sense of what their DE blade is like. It also helps show you what a good blade angle is on a DE razor, sort of.

I agree with you on the good blades, but not on Voshkod. The QC on the tuck I got was an insult. The shave was bad. You could tell just from looking at the edges that it was among the sloppiest I had ever seen, with each bevel a different length and maybe one out of four good edges. The quality doesn't seem to be the same now that Voshkod is owned by P&G/Gillette. I got the blades from a reputable seller. So you need to test the blades for consistency, not just one blade.

Keep in mind that almost all blade manufacturers make some bad blade labels along with the good ones, and sometimes very good ones. You don't need to always use the very sharpest blades because there are plenty of just excellent blades. Find one or two really good blades you are happy with, maybe three, and stop. There is no end to the quest for the superlative blade. There are dozens if not hundreds of really bad blades made in the world (and even more on Amiz-n if you count all the same bad blades with dozens of different no-names pasted on them). You cannot and should not try them all. Quit while you are ahead.

As to leaving the blade in your razor wet, with stainless steel blades this is not the problem it was with carbon steel blades prior to the 1960s. However, your razor is not made of stainless steel. The water can be a problem if the chrome plating on the razor is breached, perhaps from tightening the handle too much, or a fall. Actually, it is easier to dry a razor and blade with a three-piece razor, rather than a butterfly, counter to popular assumptions. With a butterfly, there are too many places for water to hide, but with a three-piece, just take it apart, pat it and the blade dry and you are done. You can leave it disassembled in a pouch.

You are wise to stick with one good razor, at least for now, and perhaps always. This way you really get to know it. Perhaps it can become your Rosebud razor.

 

[Lazarus Long]

Has anyone actually shown you how to use a DE razor? Were there instructions with your Viking razor? If so, did you read them?

No just followed the instructions and watched a couple youtube videos. The first couple shaves were rough, but I'm getting it figured out. It has been several weeks since I've drawn any blood.

I agree with you on the good blades, but not on Voshkod.

Opinions on the Voskhod seem to be rather polarizing. I wonder if they had a bad run? The ones I got are newer, without 'Teflon' printed on the packaging. I've only used 2 of the 5 in the sample so far, both have been good.

As to leaving the blade in your razor wet, with stainless steel blades this is not the problem it was with carbon steel blades prior to the 1960s. However, your razor is not made of stainless steel. The water can be a problem if the chrome plating on the razor is breached, perhaps from tightening the handle too much, or a fall. Actually, it is easier to dry a razor and blade with a three-piece razor, rather than a butterfly, counter to popular assumptions. With a butterfly, there are too many places for water to hide, but with a three-piece, just take it apart, pat it and the blade dry and you are done. You can leave it disassembled in a pouch.

You are wise to stick with one good razor, at least for now, and perhaps always. This way you really get to know it. Perhaps it can become your Rosebud razor.

The 38C is 2-piece (the base plate is attached to the handle). I think the handle is brass, the base plate is some sort of zinc alloy, both chromed. I did pull the screw mechanism out of the handle and put a drop of olive oil on the threads. I'm hoping that will keep the screw from corroding and seizing.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Voskhod is now owned by P & G/Gillette? That takes them off my list. The one packet I tried some years ago provided poor shaves anyway. Right now I'm sticking with Personna Reds, Personna Lab Blues, and Feathers (in my mildest razors).

 

[SteelSchaben]

Treet Falcon are the carbon ones? I'll have to try it. I'm holding off on using the Feather, I read they are extremely sharp and unforgiving. I think I would rather trade some sharpness that I don't really need for less irritation.

Yes they are sharp... Not recommended to start with but after you have your technique, then by all means give them a try.

Welcome to B&B

 

[Lazarus Long]

I finally worked my way through most of my blade sample pack. I've seen many threads ranking the results, so I guess I'll do it too. My hair is pretty fine/light, so most any blade will get the job done. I'm most interested in comfort. Instead of ranking them as sharp or smooth, I'll rank them by whether or not I would finish the sample or buy them in bulk.

I used a Merkur 38C for all shaves and either MWF or Tabac soap. Got 4-6 shaves out of most of the blades. All my top category blades were comfortable for 6-7 shaves.


Destined for the bin:
I would go back to my electric shaver if these were my only choices. All were rough and left me irritated/razor burned for pretty much the entire day. Lots of stinging from the alum block.

Derby Extra
Wilkenson Sword (German)
Shark Chrome
Sharp 7am - really rough. really, really rough. Did I say rough?


Mediocre:
I will probably finish the samples (eventually) but won't buy more. Most of these were ok during the shave but had more stinging from the alum block than I like.

Astra SP (green)
Derby Premium
Lord new platinum - this one was actually pretty smooth, but is the most inefficient blade I've used. I was surprised to find a blade too dull for my fine hair. I caused myself some irritation by working too hard on trying to get a close shave.
Viking Blade - mediocre performance for 4x the price.


Good performance but not quite good enough to buy:
I'll definitely finish the sample, but these don't quite measure up to my top category for various reasons (not all of which are performance related).

Shark SS - First shave was a little rough but subsequent shaves were good.
Dorca ST301 - good but loses out to some of the others in comfort
Astra SS (blue) - 1st 2 shaves were great, next 2 were somewhat irritating.
Bolzano - Good efficiency and VERY comfortable but more expensive. No idea if these are German produced or Egypt/Lord produced.
Personna Platinum Chrome - No complaints with performance, but after reading on the forum, I have no idea what they actually are. I thought originally they are the Israeli Blues, but I now think they may be the German produced Israeli Reds. Due to confusing/misleading packing, labeling, possible fakes, new production vs NOS, etc. it appears to be a moving target and my confidence is low that I could reliably get them again.
Gillette Platinum - ditto. Dark blue? light blue? Euro market? Arab market? repackaged Swedes? ...?

Gillette and Personna would probably move up a category if not for the confusion. I waffled about putting Bolzano in the top category.


Checks all the boxes:
Efficient and comfortable during the shave, and little to no feedback from the alum block after. Reasonably priced.

Treet Platinum - good all around performance
Treet Classic - probably the most efficient/sharp blade I tried, very low to no irritation. Price is great (I hesitate to say cheap, because cheap implies shoddy. These definitely aren't shoddy).
Voskhod - After using a couple irritating blades, this was a revelation. However threads discussing a lack of quality control makes me question it. My sample was superb though.

Not tested: Feather. Due to price and their reputed unforgiving nature, and sharpness I don't need (and their high price), they are unlikely to displace any on my top category. I didn't feel it necessary to test it. (and the price). Maybe I'll get around to it.