My first Gillette shaves - what a difference!

[njtnjt]

Howdy Folks -

I know it is a bit early to be posting anything about a shaving experience here but the difference in results from my HD to the Gillette slim adjustable I am now using was so great - it left me with a question.

First the background; I bought an HD 4 weeks ago. Had great difficulty getting an irritation free shave. Changed out the merkur blades that came with the razor and voila! - much better. No blood loss, irritation much less. BUT still some irritation most days and the razor would hang up in many different places on my face. I started to think maybe the razor was not HEAVY enough to cut through the barb wire. Perhaps the whisker mapping I did was wrong or needed modifying....

I felt I was about half way there to a comfortable shave. Perhaps if the razor would not hang up so much...

Being a gear hound in all other areas of my life I decided a different razor might make things..... different.

It sure did!!

Without changing brand of blade or any of my routine I loaded my slim adjustable, set it on 4 and it has given me just as smooth a shave as the HD but almost completely irritation free and it doesn't "hang up" on my whiskers at all! It just glides across my face effortlessly. I am into just my 3rd shave but the difference in how it cuts and the irritation is dramatic.

My question is, why? Why is it so much better,.. for me?

I assume the change(s) in blade and handle geometry account for the major difference in shaving experience but I would like to know if anyone else has seen a big a difference when changing razor geometry (brand).

 

[Haiku]

Absolutely. You can count me in among those for whom some razors work really well and others not at all.

I get great shaves from my Merkur slant, but not very good shaves at all from my Gillette superspeeds. I get fabulous shaves from my fatboys set to 7 or 8. If I dial down to say 3, I'll get irritation.

 

[mpetruzz]

I love my Gillette's too!!

 

[82R100]

Then there are those of us who change blade formats to Gem single edge blades and injector blades. Within each of those realms there's a spectrum of razors to play with.

- Chris

 

[michiganlover]

I can't explain why, but for me at least, the vintage Gillette's are light years better than the Merkur 38C I had previously.

As a new wet shaver, I had a vintage Tech, it performed wonderfully, but the board was raving about the HD, so I was like "I have to get me one of those".

And the 38C (HD with a longer handle) did perform really well, until I found a 40's style Superspeed at a local antiques store, and the resulting shave was so much smoother, and the razor just seemed to glide so much easier around my face.

The Merkur sat un-used on my shelf, and was eventually sold to make way for more shaving creams, and soaps.

Then there are those of us who change blade formats to Gem single edge blades and injector blades. Within each of those realms there's a spectrum of razors to play with.

- Chris

Ok, then there are the wonders of the Gem SE razors. The Gem SE razors provide me with the closest best shaves I have so far been able to achieve. I still use my DE razors on most days, since I crave variety, and I still cut myself frequently with my Gem's if I am not super super careful. Practice makes perfect as they say.