Newbie - 1st Safety Razor

[ummjay]

Hi all,
I'm a newbie to this whole safety razor idea and want to get a very reliable/quality safety razor.
My father uses the Futur and wants me to get that, however , after reading through these forums i'm torn between a few more.

He suggests I get an adjustable. What do you all suggest? Could you help out?

Torn between:
1. Merkur Progress (or Mergress)
2. Merkur Futur
3. Gillette Slim

Also any good links to purchase these would be most appreciated.

thanks!
-Jay

 

[ArNav]

Progress or Slim.
BullGoose and West Coast Shaving are two good businesses.
You can also get them on BST here, they turn up pretty frequently at good prices.

 

[dcc]

Get a Slim,great and cheap!

 

[rxonmymind]

Jay,
Welcome to B&B! I too would go for a slim. All steel design and easy to use. Good luck.

 

[JerseyBoy]

Jay -

I heartily recommend a Slim...super durable and allows for adjustment as your technique grows, and you might never want to give it up! For a modern razor, the Edwin Jagger DE89 is a gorgeous razor that gets rave reviews.

 

[takeshi]

What do you all suggest?

It's really difficult to give meaningful recommendations to one without any experience. There are a lot of good DE's out there to choose from. It's really a matter of matching the right DE to the individual. Don't assume that you'll get it dead on with your first purchase.

Why did you narrow it down to the 3 on your list?

 

[ummjay]

I chose those 3 based on reading from this website on what others like.

i can't seem to find where to purchase an adjustable slim. Gillette makes it, right?

 

[pdxshaver]

I chose those 3 based on reading from this website on what others like.

i can't seem to find where to purchase an adjustable slim. Gillette makes it, right?

Slims were made from approximately 1962 to the late 60's 68?69?
You might find a new one but I would not buy it unless it was less than 50 bucks
You can find a user grade vintage slim for less than 40 dollars

A "new" slim could be a LOT of money

 

[Shutterbug57]

I chose those 3 based on reading from this website on what others like.

i can't seem to find where to purchase an adjustable slim. Gillette makes it, right?

Gillette made the Slim. They are great razors, but not my cup of tea even though I am a vintage razor guy. If you get the Slim, be sure to go that last 1/4 turn when closing it. You will think you are done, but you are not. There is a last little bit that is tougher than the rest and if you don't close it up tight, you will not enjoy the shave.

 

[Ted Danson]

Hi all,
I'm a newbie to this whole safety razor idea and want to get a very reliable/quality safety razor.
My father uses the Futur and wants me to get that, however , after reading through these forums i'm torn between a few more.

He suggests I get an adjustable. What do you all suggest? Could you help out?

Torn between:
1. Merkur Progress (or Mergress)
2. Merkur Futur
3. Gillette Slim

Also any good links to purchase these would be most appreciated.

thanks!
-Jay

New guy here as well. I bought the Slim on here and I had my first shave last Friday. I started out on level 1 for the first pass and then went to level 2 for the second pass. I am SOOOOO glad I got the Slim and had it adjusted to 1. I pushed a little too hard on my first time and face was a little burnt afterwards. I cannot image what it would have been like if I had a more aggressive razor.

I am on my 4th shave now, still at level 2 and I am getting the hang of it. I cannot stress enough the concept of beard reduction and the importance of a good lather. Night and day difference and I don;t even know what I am doing.

 

[ummjay]

New guy here as well. I bought the Slim on here and I had my first shave last Friday. I started out on level 1 for the first pass and then went to level 2 for the second pass. I am SOOOOO glad I got the Slim and had it adjusted to 1. I pushed a little too hard on my first time and face was a little burnt afterwards. I cannot image what it would have been like if I had a more aggressive razor.

I am on my 4th shave now, still at level 2 and I am getting the hang of it. I cannot stress enough the concept of beard reduction and the importance of a good lather. Night and day difference and I don;t even know what I am doing.

Ted - where did you get your Slim and for how much?

 

[StuMcB]

Hi all,
I'm a newbie to this whole safety razor idea and want to get a very reliable/quality safety razor.
My father uses the Futur and wants me to get that, however , after reading through these forums i'm torn between a few more.

He suggests I get an adjustable. What do you all suggest? Could you help out?

Torn between:
1. Merkur Progress (or Mergress)
2. Merkur Futur
3. Gillette Slim

Also any good links to purchase these would be most appreciated.

thanks!
-Jay

Dont go any further than a good clean Gillette slim. IT covers all the bases and sets you up for trying others. After SWMBO broke (accidentally)my trusty Wilkinson Sword classic I went for a replated Slim. Still got it and still use her. If your feeling in a dark mood go for its cousin the super adjustable with the black handle....short not long IMHO.

 

[RobW]

For the relative new guy, playing around on EBay in the vintage Gillette market could be a bit intimidating/over-whelming/frustrating (I know it was for me...kinda still is...) And at B&B you really have to be a hawk around the BST because those Slims + FatBoys get claimed soooooo quickly. If you don't want to play the vintage game, I'd heartily recommend a Progress. You said your dad has a Futur, right? Even better! Trade with each other for a couple shaves and see which one you like better!

takeshi is absolutely right in saying that you won't get it right on with your first purchase. With razors, you just have to start trying stuff to see what you like.

 

[ummjay]

For the relative new guy, playing around on EBay in the vintage Gillette market could be a bit intimidating/over-whelming/frustrating (I know it was for me...kinda still is...) And at B&B you really have to be a hawk around the BST because those Slims + FatBoys get claimed soooooo quickly. If you don't want to play the vintage game, I'd heartily recommend a Progress. You said your dad has a Futur, right? Even better! Trade with each other for a couple shaves and see which one you like better!

takeshi is absolutely right in saying that you won't get it right on with your first purchase. With razors, you just have to start trying stuff to see what you like.

Sorry if this is a stupid question - but what's a BST?

 

[RobW]

No worries...it's the Buy/Sell/Trade forum here at Badger & Blade. I highly recommend reading the stickied "Everything you need to know" post near the top of that forum.

 

[dcobranchi]

Welcome to B&B. Your dad's advice notwithstanding, I'd suggest a non-adjustable to start. Variables are your enemy, at this stage. And adjustability is just one more variable. My advice to n00bs just getting started is to pick up a Superspeed (either '40s style or Flare tip), buy a sleeve of 100 Personna Lab Blues, and use only that combination for 6 months. Yeah, the various RADs will drive you crazy. Satisfy your AD by buying creams, soaps, or brushes. One razor, one type of blade for 6 months.

Then go crazy buying every razor that strikes your fancy.

 

[briggs]

I was going to recommend the Slim, but dcobranchi makes a good argument. If you go for a fixed razor, I would recommend a Gillette Tech. They are easy to buy and mild shaving. I wouldn't buy a big supply of one blade, though. You will want to try a variety. For starters with either the Tech or the Slim I would say go with say 10 - 20 Personna Med Prep blades and work on my technique.

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

I'd also recommend going for a three-piece razor to start with, and probably a newly made one to avoid the confusion of trying to get a decent vintage model. The Edwin Jagger DE89 is a frequent recommendation on here, and with good reason.
Of the adjustables mentioned my choice would be the Slim, but that's just me. I think it gives a great shave and feels like a quality item.

 

[ummjay]

so many slims on ebay, not exactly sure which to go for!!

 

[pdxshaver]

Ok so my best and cheapest advice, buy a Sodial reimi razor off amazon for 2 bucks and change shipped.
Buy the 4.00 stick of arko
Buy the vdh van der Hagen brush bowl and soap set 8.99
And 100 personna blues 12.20
Get it all from amazon
You would be in it roughly 27.50
Stick with the setup for 4-6 months and you might have enough soap to last that long.
Watch bst and eBay as well as
Flea markets and antique stores
If you find a slim for a super deal buy it buy put it away for the first
4-6 months (I found a slim for $7 in very good shape)
Van der Hagen deluxe soap is pretty nice stuff it is glycerine based. The vdh brush is pretty decent for boar not too smelly and does not shed too bad. The bowl is ok
Arko is tallow based
Personna labs blues are a pretty nice blade.