New user, looking for tips on a safety razor

[chapel976]

I've been lucky enough to have been endowed with a good beard face since I was about 14. Unfortunately, I didn't start letting it grow fully until about 2006. I always grew an awful goatee and sideburns throughout high school and college... then after I got married, I went on vacation without a razor and grew a pretty thick beard and decided to keep it. My dad has had a beard for all my life (except that one time my hockey team won a bet and we shaved it...)

I've always associated a beard with being a man and a dad, so I've been growing a beard ever since.

Either way... since I started shaving in 1995, I've always been on the hunt for a good razor. In my first years, I tried electric razors, but always hated the feeling I got afterwards. I moved into disposable razors and shaving cream. I hated using cream and eventually just went to shaving in the shower without any cream.

I generally used the Schick Slim Twin (the green one with the little piece of plastic between the blades) as it was the only one that would declog my thick facial hair.
I've tried the 3, 4 and 5 blade systems and found that they only clog up more frequently.
I wash the blade after nearly every stroke using a high pressure shower head.
For a few years, I used my still-favorite razor: the Bic Metal. A single blade with a metal safety bar.
I got tight, clean shaves with no clogging and the blade seemed to last longer.
Unfortunately, I stopped seeing them in stores and went back to the Schick ST

I've grown tired of the Schick STs after seeing one of those old Safety Razors, so I asked around with my friends (Most, who I found, use the Mach 3) and ONE said "I use a Merkur Futur Adjustable Double Edge Safety Razor, and I'll never look back"
so, I started looking into them. They seem as close to my much loved Bic Metal but, of course, much nicer.

I asked my wife to buy me one for Father's day. I hope to see it on Sunday.

I guess my biggest question is, what should I watch out for when using it the first time? I still want to shave with just water. I've got pretty tough skin on my neck and upper cheek and I can't remember the last time I got razor burn or nicked myself (watch me cut myself tomorrow...)

Here I am enjoying a lovely cuban in a knit turtleneck... I'm still washing the lovely odor out
and here I am with my son in full-on-crazy-hobo-beard mode... right before I trimmed it back to normal

 

[chapel976]

after reading the review of the Futur here, I may have made the wrong choice. I'm going to keep looking into options I guess... as long as my wife hasn't ordered it yet...

When they say 'adjustable' what exactly is adjusting and what causes it to adjust?

 

[Hoos]

Welcome to B&B!

The Futur is one of the more aggressive Merkur razors. And a lot of guys do like it. Reviews for shaving can be difficult because YMMV a lot from others. I'd look at reviews for razors more for "is it well-made" versus "will it work for me".

I'd also recommend lathering to shave with a DE - they really do behave a little differently than cartridges. I could shave my face with just water with a cartridge - they're made to be pretty irritation-free. I wouldn't consider it at all with a DE or an SE.

I'm sure some guys can and you certainly know your face better than anyone here.

But spending Father's Day with bits of TP slapped on your skin may not be very appealing either.

 

[chapel976]

guess I'll look into some kind of cream at first until I'm ready to go cream-less.

 

[kevtex]

I suggest you watch all the videos from mantic59. He is the guru of wet shaving and a longtime member here at B&B. Here's a link to his YouTube videos.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mantic59&aq=0

 

[Luc]

Welcome to B&B!

The Futur is one of the more aggressive Merkur razors. And a lot of guys do like it. Reviews for shaving can be difficult because YMMV a lot from others. I'd look at reviews for razors more for "is it well-made" versus "will it work for me".

I'd also recommend lathering to shave with a DE - they really do behave a little differently than cartridges. I could shave my face with just water with a cartridge - they're made to be pretty irritation-free. I wouldn't consider it at all with a DE or an SE.

I'm sure some guys can and you certainly know your face better than anyone here.

But spending Father's Day with bits of TP slapped on your skin may not be very appealing either.

+1

The adjustment will change the blade angle/gap between the edge/guard. This will make the razor more/less aggressive. I would recommend starting on 1

I never had one myself but yes, it's a very aggressive razor.

For the shaving cream, try to look for something available locally, visit your local grocery store.

 

[chapel976]

+1

The adjustment will change the blade angle/gap between the edge/guard. This will make the razor more/less aggressive. I would recommend starting on 1

I never had one myself but yes, it's a very aggressive razor.

For the shaving cream, try to look for something available locally, visit your local grocery store.

looks like I got to my wife before she ordered it. I think I'll do a little more research.

 

[Luc]

looks like I got to my wife before she ordered it. I think I'll do a little more research.

Have a look at the reviews, it should give you a better idea: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=44

A Merkur HD should be a good start if you want something new. Otherwise, a vintage Gillette is great to get started (Gillette Tech or Gillette Superspeed).

do not forget to get a razor blade sample pack with the razor.

 

[dbconlin]

My recommendation: skip the adjustable. Or buy a fatboy (looks cool).

Probably the most universally-loved razor is the Gillette Superspeed, any year. Twist-to-open (tto) adds convenience. For starters, I would avoid the blue-tip.

If you don't want to go vintage, look at the fixed-head designs from the better brands: Merkur, Muehle, Edwin Jagger. These will be 2- or 3-piece razors (no tto). Pick the one that looks the best to you (style-wise). You really cannot go wrong with those. I recommend against open-comb models, though, but others will disagree with that.

Any brushless cream (e.g. Neutrogena), gel or foam available at a drugstore will probably suffice at first (I started this way too eager to wait for other products to arrive), but for the real experience you can't beat a brush and cream/soap. There are a milllion choices here, so read the reviews and [somehow] choose something to order. Or go to Bath & Body Works, which can be found in most malls, and get their C.O. Bigelow cream in the green tube. Another choice is to buy the Williams mug soap or Van der Haggen soap, one or the other of which can usually be found in any drugstore.

Good luck!

 

[Blondie]

I would pick up an Edwin Jagger DE89L. Very reasonable as far as price, and a GREAT shaver. Not too aggressive, but with just enough closeness. Always a comfortable shave.

 

[Stubblefield]

You sir, with your beard, may wish to go open comb. The Merkur 12C is a heavy handled open comb model that might work for you. Else I would go with the Merkur 38C "barber pole" razor. That would be my first recommendation, actually. With your beard, you will need a fairly heavy razor. I would not even bother with a vintage Gillette at this point, tho if you must have one the Aristocrat Jr. would be the way to go.

You more than likely will find that you will toss the blade after every use, so go with something like the Personna Red IP for starters.

Welcome aboard!

 

[Uncle Erik]

Agreed, the Futur is quite an aggressive razor. I've had one for a bit and have to dial it all the way down to keep the blood from flowing. I do like the Futur quite a bit, but it requires good technique and a steady hand.

My recommendation for a first and possibly last razor is the Edwin Jagger DE89L. I've got around 25 razors now, everything from a 1912 single ring to the new Pils and Feather SS. But the DE89L is the razor I keep going back to. Loaded with a Feather, it gives me BBS shaves every time with almost never a nick or weeper.

 

[mark_mw]

I've tried a few dozen razors over the last 6 months and the Futur is simply the most effective....and you don't need to use expensive kamikazee "Feather" blades to get it to deliver As nice as fixed razors may be, if they don't work for you then you're stuck, having to try yet another (good for RAD). The Futur will adjust for ANY beard thrown at it

 

[jkcerda]

I would pick up an Edwin Jagger DE89L. Very reasonable as far as price, and a GREAT shaver. Not too aggressive, but with just enough closeness. Always a comfortable shave.

+2, I just started shaving and I have been just using my EJDE89l to do my face AND my head

while I am still battling a bit between blades, I have not picked up my fussion to "finish" what I could not getbefore with the EJ, no more fussion for me, just DE for both face & head

 

[RayH]

I'm going to recommend a fixed head DE. Best bet would be a Merkur HD or something by Muhle. As for the EJ razors, those are made be Muhle for EJ. You could try a Parker fixed head too. Read the reviews both here and on Amazon. That and get a sampler pack from Westcoast Shaving.

 

[johnmrson]

A Futur isn't a good razor to have your first DE shave in a while with. Set on 1, it's about equal to a Gillette adjustable on 8.

 

[Pilky]

Probably the most universally-loved razor is the Gillette Superspeed, any year. Twist-to-open (tto) adds convenience.

+1

I just got a Flare tip for $8 bucks and love it.

 

[Pilky]

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=153739

There ya go, $12 dollars shipped for a great starter.

 

[awesomefunn]

Id recommend the $12 razor above or the Edwin Jagger 89L.
I recently tried a boat load of razors and I just wish I had started with the EJ89L.
Here is the place I bought it from.
http://bestgroomingtools.com/edwin-jagger-double-edge-safety-razor-lined-chrome-p-1254.html
It is also on amazon as well. Though it was sold out when I tried to buy it there.