Ordering razor tonight, any better options then merkur 34c? I need a soap with no oil

[hurricaneee]

Hey chaps,
I am ordering a razor tonight, its long overdue as I am spending a fortune on gelitte razor blades and cutting the face of myself by the third shave.


Everyone raves about the merkhur 34 C but is it the best to go for? I am VERY dark, very thick stubbly hair and only really intend to buy one razor and that will be it, so I want to pick the right one.


I also need a soap which is for those with very sensitive skin. I am prone to acne if oil gets on my skin and simple things like coming into cats/dust brings me out in rashs etc across my neck and cheeks.


cheers

 

[hurricaneee]

I forgot to mention, is amazon.co.uk the best place to use or should I look at other websites?

I have checked some of the high end soaps and creams, much contain coconut oil and palm oil. This will leave me in cystic spot city! I remember when I was boxing years ago, when they smeared vaseline around my eyes, by the next day I had rings of spots around my eyes exactly where the vaseline was, I am still exactly the same today.

Even if I ate a salad covered in oilive oil and the oil got over my face, if I didnt get it cleared of, by the next day I would have an acne spot on it.

cheers

 

[Marco]

Sir, the Merkur HD 34C is certainly a very popular and appreciated DE razor. In my opinion it's great for both novices and experienced wet shavers and also for heavy beards combined with sensitive skin. Other excellent choices are 1904 42C always from Merkur, the R89 from Muhle and the DE89 series from Edwin Jagger. IMHO the best places where to buy are the on-line shops of our Supporting Vendors, who offer great prices and superb customer service. Good luck!

 

[drawonme]

+1 for Marco's razor recommendations and buying from a Badger & Blade supporting vendor.

Marty

 

[cody6766]

I bought a 34c for my first and it worked well. I then bought a vintage gilette slim adjustable and love it. I have a pretty coarse beard and sensitive skin and being able to dial in exactly what I want our of the razor has been wonderful. I've had it for around a year and don't plan on changing.
Have you considered shave soap? I have been using Stirling soap for a few weeks and it provides great cushion and live and washes of clean with no residue. I haven't tried any other soaps, so I can't say stirling is the best, but it replaced my trufett and hill cream. A good aftershave is also key, imo. Stirling's witchhazel is nice, but burns like hell. I also really like Billy Jealousy Shaved Ice aftershave. It's nice and cold and also moistureizes well. It's expensive, but lasts a long time and is worth it.

I don't have your acne woes, but that is my solution site a coarse beard and sensitive skin. Oh, also Astra blades work well for me. I get 3-4 shaves or of them, 3 passes

 

[Jarick]

Are you in the UK? I've always had great service from Connaught, and I'm in the US. Great prices too.

I have fairly sensitive skin. If I were to recommend a setup from Connaught it would be:

- Muhle R89/R106/R107 razor
- Muhle Silvertip Fibre brush
- Taylor of Old Bond Jermyn Street cream

Follow up with some Thayer's witch hazel and Neutrogena Oil-Free lotion if your face gets dry.

 

[Mick]

34c is an exceptional razor as are the 89 models by Jagger and Muhle (same razor head on both).

I lean to the 37c or 39c Merkur myself. Bit more cutting efficiency with the slant head.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/301979-8-Pass-Shave-Using-2-Merkur-Slants

 

[OMEN]

The 34C is a great go-to razor. I do almost all my online shopping from Executive Shaving, except blades as Connaught have better prices for them especially in bulk. They also do better sample packs.

 

[hurricaneee]

Is the merkur 34c adjustible?

I have some area's around my chin and jaw bone which are harder to hit that other place and generally need going over more with the normal razor.

I think an adjustible would suit me as I am very dark.

What is the best adjustible on the market?

 

[Prof. Moriarty]

I always order from Chris at shaving.ie

 

[dcobranchi]

and only really intend to buy one razor and that will be it....

Good luck with that.

And welcome to B&B.

 

[hurricaneee]

I must add, I don't think I would like a thick handle! So the thinner the better as my hands are thinner, rather than fatter! I really need the closest shave possible without risking cutting my face of!

I have taken all your suggestions on board. Keep posting and I will make a decision tonight!

Top forum btw!

 

[Jarick]

Be sure to read through the guide as well!

 

[Chaloney]

Soaps are made from fats/oils, but often have very little left in them once they become soap. The fatty acids react with some form of lye (usually potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide) to form detergents. Detergents have a hydrophobic end (the fat chain) and a hydrophilic end (where thr lye has reacted). This allows them to associate with water-insoluble stuff (dirt/oils), forming a covering around it that is water-soluble on the outside, allowing water to carry it away. There should be very little if any of the ingredient oils left in the soap to cause you skin problems. Of course the only way to find out is to try it...

 

[Atalk]

Where exactly are you located? I assume you are in the UK based on your comment about amazon.co.uk. If you are close to the Jermyn/St. James streets in London then you have a world of options (Trumpers, TOBS, T&H, etc). You should be able to get some free samples so you can test skin sensitivity before committing yourself to a full bowl.

If that is out of the question and online shopping is your preference, then I would recommend looking into Connaught Shaving or Shaving.ie as the shipping could be more favorable for you.

As for a razor recommendation, I would go with an Edwin Jagger from the 86, 87, or 89 series. They all have the same shaving head as the only difference is the handles (metal, faux ivory, resin, etc). The shave is great, practically everyone on the board has owned/tried one in the past, and the EJ customer service is darn near impeccable.

 

[Moondancer]

hurricaneee,

My first DE razor was a 34C and I agree with Marco that it is good for beginners and experienced shavers alike. Having said that, I have to agree with turtle that a 37 or 39 Slant may be a better choice for a heavy beard. Despite what many people may say, I have not found the Slant (37 in my case) to be any more aggressive than a 34C (in other words, it doesn't bite me any more than), but it more efficient in my opinion (i.e. it does a better job of beard reduction all else being equal).

After two years and probably 15 different razors, my three go-to razors are a vintage Gillette Slim Adjustable, my 37C Merkur Slant, and a vintage Gillette Long Comb NEW, in that order.

If you can get a Slim Adjustable, in my opinion, you will not ever have to buy another razor. (Be aware that "Have is" not the same as "WANT to", as my Razor Acquisition Disorder can attest to.)

 

[trza]

I think the only adjustable out right now is the Merkur Futur. The handle doesn't look very slim, though I have never seen one in person. There are also the vintage Gillettes - aka the Slim and the Black Beauty. I'm not sure how easy they are to obtain in the UK. Starting with a 34c isn't a bad choice. You should be able to get a good shave off any well-manufactured razor. It's just that the technique varies a bit. In the beginning, it's your technique that is the weak link in your shave. Switching razors won't help you much if at all.

Regarding the soaps, you need some kind of fat (either animal or vegetable based) in them in order for the chemistry to happen. I don't think there's much fat left after the manufacturing process. You may want to get a few and try them out to see how your face reacts. B/S/T is a great place to get products. If you don't like it, you should be able to get most of your money back. You'll probably want to pick up a tallow soap, glycerin soap, and a cream at the minimum. Palmolive, La Toja, and Nivea Sensitive are all made in Europe so they should be easy to get. And I'll put in a plug for the Godrej shaving puck if you can find it. They're really cheap and work well for many. They're manufactured in India.

Stirling Soaps does make a Tea Tree flavor (http://stirlingsoap.com/shave.html). That might help with your acne worries, and they do have many fans here. Many people also report that the DE blades in general help prevent breakouts.

Don't forget a blade sampler. They all work differently between razors and faces. You'll probably want to try 1 of each blade through the process, and then revisit them a 2nd time because of your improved technique. On the 3rd round, stick with your favorites to see what's worth buying in bulk.

You might also want an alum block. Alum is both an anti-microbial and anti-sceptic, so it might help to keep the baddies out of your pores.

And you'll need a brush. Boar is very stiff until it's broken in, so you might want to skip them. Badger and synthetic bristles should be gentle right out of the box.

 

[hurricaneee]

What about the merkur progress?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Merkur-Pr...-/301004892696?pt=Shaving&hash=item46154a2a18

I am liking the sound of the slim gillette but dont like the sound of buying a second hand razor.

So far I am looking at the merkhurs, ED's but now thinking maybe an adjustible is was I need for my rugged manly jawline....

 

[deafficianado]

The Progress is nice. I prefer the long handled Progress.

 

[engblom]

I am liking the sound of the slim gillette but dont like the sound of buying a second hand razor.

Do you ever eat at a friends place or at a restaurant? There you put a piece of metal into your mouth, that has been used by other. Of course the fork and the spoon does not feel disgusting as it has been washed. A razor is just a piece of metal too. If you wash it well, it is clean. This piece of metal does not even end up in your mouth. It will just gently touch your skin.