I'd like to tell you I've been using DE blades and safety razors for 40 years and I have extensive experience with them and ...
... well, I'd like to. But I can't.
In actuality, it's a little over a year. But during that time, I've accumulated a dozen DE razors and three SE razors.
As I'm taking a day off from shaving and it's cold here and I don't have much on my agenda, I thought I'd try to pick my five favorite razors. It won't be easy: all are good to very good to excellent razors. Some I've used dozens and dozens of times, one I've only shaved with three times so far.
But here goes. I reserve the right to edit this as time goes by and I add/subtract from my arsenal or just change my mind. Because that's my right.
NUMBER FIVE: Leaf Twig/Thorn
After strictly trying DE razors, I saw a YouTube video of the Leaf Twig and was immediately taken by its clever design. Me being me, sometimes unable to fight off temptation and taken by the opportunity to try something different than a DE safety razor, I succumbed and pulled out my wallet. First was the Twig and I was so impressed I bought a Thorn a few weeks later. To be honest, despite the Thorn's reputation for being more aggressive, I don't notice a huge difference between the two. But both have delivered wonderful shaves and benefit from using SE blades that are simply a DE blade snapped in half, so they're easy to feed and I'm familiar with blades that I like.
NUMBER FOUR: Razorock Game Changer 68-P
As much as I like Zamac razors - they'll last a long time if you don't drop 'em and take care of 'em - I confess the idea of a stainless steel razor appealed to me. But I didn't want to spend $120-$150 for one. Luckily, the Game Changer provided an excellent alternative. It's a really quality razor at an amazing price. I won't say I've never had a bad shave with it but they're exceedingly rare. This is a terrific razor. There are more aggressive base plates available but I'm happy with this one.
NUMBER THREE: Pearl Flexi
This is the newest member of the arsenal with only three shaves under its belt. But it has quickly rocketed its way into my Top Three. It's built like the proverbial tank; all brass with nickel/copper/matte chrome plating. The best part is that it's smooth and close, which is often impossible to realize. Yes, it's been a somewhat controversial razor in some quarters, due to quality control issues and some poor tolerances but mine apparently escaped unscathed by those problems and has (so far) been fantastic. It's schedule for its fourth shaving mission tomorrow morning. I have all the confidence in the world it will perform admirably.
NUMBER TWO: 1953 Gillette Super Speed
This razor has two advantages: it's a wonderful, smooth, mild razor that just happens to be my birth year/birth quarter razor (I'm a huge history buff). And it was a gift from someone on this forum. You look at it, feel it in your hand and you can't believe it's over 70 years old and still works so beautifully. But it does. It's a tribute to the manufacturing design and build quality of Gillette back in the 1950's. I've added five more '40's/'50's vintage Gillettes to join this, but nothing can ever replace it. It's just a special razor and I always look forward to when its turn in the rotation comes up. It never fails to register a smile on my face.
NUMBER ONE: Rockwell 6C
This isn't a very sexy choice. It's Zamac. It uses plates instead of cool adjustment wheels. It's not very expensive. They've sold a zillion of 'em to universal praise from almost everyone except those who prefer the stainless 6S version.
The bottom line is that almost regardless of what blade I drop into it or what soap I use, this just delivers great shaves time after time after time, unfailingly. And when you get down to it, isn't that what we want?
So what are your favorite razors?
... well, I'd like to. But I can't.
In actuality, it's a little over a year. But during that time, I've accumulated a dozen DE razors and three SE razors.
As I'm taking a day off from shaving and it's cold here and I don't have much on my agenda, I thought I'd try to pick my five favorite razors. It won't be easy: all are good to very good to excellent razors. Some I've used dozens and dozens of times, one I've only shaved with three times so far.
But here goes. I reserve the right to edit this as time goes by and I add/subtract from my arsenal or just change my mind. Because that's my right.
NUMBER FIVE: Leaf Twig/Thorn
After strictly trying DE razors, I saw a YouTube video of the Leaf Twig and was immediately taken by its clever design. Me being me, sometimes unable to fight off temptation and taken by the opportunity to try something different than a DE safety razor, I succumbed and pulled out my wallet. First was the Twig and I was so impressed I bought a Thorn a few weeks later. To be honest, despite the Thorn's reputation for being more aggressive, I don't notice a huge difference between the two. But both have delivered wonderful shaves and benefit from using SE blades that are simply a DE blade snapped in half, so they're easy to feed and I'm familiar with blades that I like.
NUMBER FOUR: Razorock Game Changer 68-P
As much as I like Zamac razors - they'll last a long time if you don't drop 'em and take care of 'em - I confess the idea of a stainless steel razor appealed to me. But I didn't want to spend $120-$150 for one. Luckily, the Game Changer provided an excellent alternative. It's a really quality razor at an amazing price. I won't say I've never had a bad shave with it but they're exceedingly rare. This is a terrific razor. There are more aggressive base plates available but I'm happy with this one.
NUMBER THREE: Pearl Flexi
This is the newest member of the arsenal with only three shaves under its belt. But it has quickly rocketed its way into my Top Three. It's built like the proverbial tank; all brass with nickel/copper/matte chrome plating. The best part is that it's smooth and close, which is often impossible to realize. Yes, it's been a somewhat controversial razor in some quarters, due to quality control issues and some poor tolerances but mine apparently escaped unscathed by those problems and has (so far) been fantastic. It's schedule for its fourth shaving mission tomorrow morning. I have all the confidence in the world it will perform admirably.
NUMBER TWO: 1953 Gillette Super Speed
This razor has two advantages: it's a wonderful, smooth, mild razor that just happens to be my birth year/birth quarter razor (I'm a huge history buff). And it was a gift from someone on this forum. You look at it, feel it in your hand and you can't believe it's over 70 years old and still works so beautifully. But it does. It's a tribute to the manufacturing design and build quality of Gillette back in the 1950's. I've added five more '40's/'50's vintage Gillettes to join this, but nothing can ever replace it. It's just a special razor and I always look forward to when its turn in the rotation comes up. It never fails to register a smile on my face.
NUMBER ONE: Rockwell 6C
This isn't a very sexy choice. It's Zamac. It uses plates instead of cool adjustment wheels. It's not very expensive. They've sold a zillion of 'em to universal praise from almost everyone except those who prefer the stainless 6S version.
The bottom line is that almost regardless of what blade I drop into it or what soap I use, this just delivers great shaves time after time after time, unfailingly. And when you get down to it, isn't that what we want?
So what are your favorite razors?
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