newbie looking to buy first DE Safety razor

[tinashubby]

Love the forum!

Been reading on it for hours, and am going to make a purchase. Right now as a BEGINNER I see good things on Merkur 1904, 33, 34, and HD. They all seem about the same. So I am considering these vs. Edwin Jagger DE87. The DE87 is just more pleasant to look at. I realize that isn't the most important feature, but I am not a fan of the industrial knurl handles on most of the Merkurs. So my question is, would the DE87 be a good choice for a beginner? Any other thoughts are greatly appreciated!!

 

[LiveOak]

That would be an excellent choice. It will forgive a lot of mistakes in your developing DE skill. It's also very nice to look at. The Edwin Jagger head is very well regarded.

 

[retrolike]

There is a DE89L in the B/S/T section for $30...thats a fair price and an EXCELLENT 1st razor.

 

[SEnSE]

I personally find a slant bar razor to be perfect for a beginner. You may avert a lot of RAD by picking up a Merkur 37C to start.

 

[velocityboy]

EJ DE87 eh? That was my first DE razor as well.

 

[Le Buzz]

You won't be disappointed with the DE87. Solid choice.

 

[misterelie]

I haven't tried a new DE razor yet, but I can tell you, starting off with a later-era Gillette Tech was an excellent initiation for me. Plus, they're going for almost nothing on ebay right now.

 

[StuMcB]

Fat tech, excellent choice. Mild, easy to use and very cheap in good condition.

 

[Mendel]

+1 for Edwin Jagger.

 

[rxonmymind]

+2 on the Ej begginer or advanced. It'll serve you well.

 

[tinashubby]

Thanks folks, the DE87 is on the way from amazon for $32.65 and free shipping. I went ahead and got a sample pack of 100 blades as well.
Also- I just received my Dominica Bay Rum Lime! Apparently I've never smelled a Bay Rum in my life. I love the stuff! It has a pretty mild odor, I'd actually like it better if it was a lil stronger. I gave my Bullmastiff a splash as well, I think he isn't as fond of it.

 

[dfollett_98]

tinashubby:

Welcome to B&B. We are glad you joined us here.

Enjoy your shaves and your new equipment.

Don

 

[Doppelgaenger]

I have the merkur 33C and it was my first razor. It's a very, very nice razor but it can be a little bit too aggressive and, if used with a crappy blade, is a recipe for blood loss in the form of lots of nicks. Conversely, it performs like a champ with a good quality blade and I don't ever see me selling it because it's perfect to travel with (3 piece design) I believe the EJ DE89 is probably the best starter razor our there right now, but...

My go-to razor is a vintage Gillette Slim. The adjustable part of it can be very distracting to some folks who are trying to learn on it, but if you set it to 4 and just leave it there while you learn, you'll end up with a razor you never need to substitute for the rest of your life. The big advantage is that once you get technique down you can go super aggressive if you want without having to re-invest in a new razor, or you can dial it down to less aggressive than almost any razor out there. When it comes to quality, you can't beat the vintage gillettes.

 

[Straight Rasier User]

Welcome to B&B.