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Problems after switching from Gillette Super Speed to Gillette Heritage. Thoughts?

Greetings gents,

Thought I would start this thread because I would love to hear your opinions and experiences and hopefully improve my technique and/or arsenal because I'm obviously doing something wrong.
Short life story: Suffered with cartridge razors for many years, decided to follow the footsteps of my father and grandfather and gave a shot to the safety razor my dad gave me many years ago.
It was Flare Tip Gillette Super Speed with the regular tip (same color as the handle). I bought an Omega boar brush and Arko shaving soap. As for the blades, I started with Derby but I quickly switched to sharper blades and settled with Sputnik.
For years I shaved with this combination and it was perfect. I shaved every morning, against the grain, baby smooth, 0 irritation.
Then one day I thought about buying a new razor and retiring the Super Speed partly because I was curious and partly because I was a bit afraid of breaking the old thing which would make me sad. I decided on the Gillette Heritage.
Ever since I switched, from the very first shave, something didn't feel right. I tried both milder and sharper blades (eventually switched to Astra SP which I currently use) but after almost every shave I would get at least one bump (almost like something an ingrown hair causes) that usually turns into a pimple and causes hell for the next shave. I use the same technique as with the Super Speed: relax face with warm water, create a nice, thick yogurt-like leather and use no pressure.
I don't know the correct terminology for describing hair but my beard doesn't have that many hairs but the hairs are very thick and sharp.
I know most modern razors are light-years behind in quality when compared to vintage so could that be the problem I'm having? Is the heritage more or less aggressive than the SS?
I will most likely go back to the SS until I can find a decent replacement.
Could anyone recommend something? A good replacement razor or a change in technique? Should I just stick with the SS until it breaks?

Sorry for the long post.
Kindest regards.
 
It sounds like the Super Speed is the razor for you. I'd suggest retiring Dad's to the display collection since you don't want it damaged in any way, and looking for a nice Super Speed, they are out there. You could even buy a refurbished/replated one and it would last you a lifetime.
 
+1! Find a birh year Super Speed. You could also try a vintage Tech head on your Hertage handle.
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Sometimes even a mild razor like the Gillette Heritage can cause irritation for a number of reasons. You mentioned that you are shaving ATG - Against The Grain in your post. I would try only shaving WTG - With The Grain on your trouble spots to see if this eliminates your problem. If it does then you know exactly what the problem is and you can try maybe advancing to WTG and XTG - Across The Grain passes in that area for now. The main thing is to only change one variable at a time so you can figure out what actually is the problem. You can also experiment with different angles like a steeper or shallower angle to see if that helps. But remember to not try multiple changes at the same time so you can pinpoint the problem. Are you still using only ARKO? It is a great soap but using it all the time might be making your skin a little sensitive so you can try a different shave soap to to see if that helps, if the other suggestions don't help. Often these problems can be solved with just minor changes. Good Luck!
 
I had been shaving with electric, injector and carts from the early 1960s to 2009, when I joined this site. I've always shaved ATG, but always had ingrown hairs with carts. A '51 SS was my first DE, which I bought from AsylumGuido, our SuperSpeed guru at the time. I loved the early SuperSpeeds and probably had every one from the late 40s-55. I've also had the Merkur 34G, techs, adjustables, aristocrats, gamechangers and the Heritage. Over the past dozen years on this site, I keep being tempted by new DEs, but I always come back to my Merkur 34. I guess because of my hand size, the thicker shorter handle is just perfect for me. I can't say I'm crazy about your choice of brush and soap, but that's another issue.
 
I would try stretching the skin taut near the trouble area. Perhaps also increase the blade gap of the Heritage with a shim (an old blade with the sharp edges snipped off with scissors and placed between the basplate and the sharp blade).
 
It sounds like the Super Speed is the razor for you. I'd suggest retiring Dad's to the display collection since you don't want it damaged in any way, and looking for a nice Super Speed, they are out there. You could even buy a refurbished/replated one and it would last you a lifetime.
That is what I will most likely do. Until then I will use my dad's SS since shaving with the bumps the Heritage causes is a nightmare. My face looks like I'm going through puberty again.
 
+1! Find a birh year Super Speed. You could also try a vintage Tech head on your Hertage handle.
Trying different heads for the Heritage is a good idea. I will try that but until then I will not be using it. It simply doesn't agree with me.
 
Sometimes even a mild razor like the Gillette Heritage can cause irritation for a number of reasons. You mentioned that you are shaving ATG - Against The Grain in your post. I would try only shaving WTG - With The Grain on your trouble spots to see if this eliminates your problem. If it does then you know exactly what the problem is and you can try maybe advancing to WTG and XTG - Across The Grain passes in that area for now. The main thing is to only change one variable at a time so you can figure out what actually is the problem. You can also experiment with different angles like a steeper or shallower angle to see if that helps. But remember to not try multiple changes at the same time so you can pinpoint the problem. Are you still using only ARKO? It is a great soap but using it all the time might be making your skin a little sensitive so you can try a different shave soap to to see if that helps, if the other suggestions don't help. Often these problems can be solved with just minor changes. Good Luck!
I tried everything. Going just WTG doesn't work for me because of the strong hairs and my face just looks messy.
The first thing I tried was going WTG and XTG leaving out ATG but it changed very little.
I tried every possible angle and never could find one that cuts but doesn't leave bumps.
I tried with a badger brush and many different creams and I still find Arko to the best job for me.
I don't have enough experience with different razor but if I could describe the problem with the Heritage it's that the bar or even the whole head feel kind of thick, like I'm not exposed to the blade enough or it's not giving me enough feedback and it forces me to apply extra pressure which is most likely causing the problem.
Another razor I tried that didn't cause bumps but often left my face burning was a Gillette Old Type with the ball on the bottom.
 
I had been shaving with electric, injector and carts from the early 1960s to 2009, when I joined this site. I've always shaved ATG, but always had ingrown hairs with carts. A '51 SS was my first DE, which I bought from AsylumGuido, our SuperSpeed guru at the time. I loved the early SuperSpeeds and probably had every one from the late 40s-55. I've also had the Merkur 34G, techs, adjustables, aristocrats, gamechangers and the Heritage. Over the past dozen years on this site, I keep being tempted by new DEs, but I always come back to my Merkur 34. I guess because of my hand size, the thicker shorter handle is just perfect for me. I can't say I'm crazy about your choice of brush and soap, but that's another issue.
I disagree with you calling my choice an 'issue' because being from a European country that's not a part of the EU doesn't leave you with much choice when it comes to things like shaving equipment. There is very little to choose from and ordering something online will usually cost you many times the product value because of the insane import fees and the fact than non-EU countries are treated as third-world.
If I didn't have somebody in the US at the time to buy the Heritage I never would have owned it.
I will give you some examples:
Only razors you can buy in stores are King C Gillette and some Parker razors online. Muhle, Merkur, Edwin Jagger.... non of those can be bought here.
When it comes to shaving brushes, you can find Omega, Proraso (which I also own) and some very cheap boars. Right now I'm using a Yaqi silvertip badger from AliExpress and I like it.
When it comes to creams and soaps, just the generic stuff: Nivea, Palmolive (which I use now) and stuff like that.
Excuse me if I don't want to spend $50+ for a shaving soap.
But enough about that.
Would you say the Merkur 34C is it a good alternative for the SS? How does it compare and how does it compare to the Heritage?
 
With all that said,
I can order a Merkur 34C for an acceptable price (~$50 total). Would anyone recommend it? How similar is it to the Heritage because if it is, I don't want it.
Is there any razor that is similar in performance to the SS so I could see if I can order it.
Thank you for all your input!
 
I tried everything. Going just WTG doesn't work for me because of the strong hairs and my face just looks messy.
The first thing I tried was going WTG and XTG leaving out ATG but it changed very little.
I tried every possible angle and never could find one that cuts but doesn't leave bumps.
I tried with a badger brush and many different creams and I still find Arko to the best job for me.
I don't have enough experience with different razor but if I could describe the problem with the Heritage it's that the bar or even the whole head feel kind of thick, like I'm not exposed to the blade enough or it's not giving me enough feedback and it forces me to apply extra pressure which is most likely causing the problem.
Another razor I tried that didn't cause bumps but often left my face burning was a Gillette Old Type with the ball on the bottom.
It does seem that perhaps the mild Gillette Heritage just doesn't work for you. Personally I have experienced that over time many razors I didn't like at first I can now get excellent shaves from. That being said, it does sound like a more aggressive razor might work much better for you. The Merkur 34C is also a pretty mild razor and similar to the Heritage. Since you are in Europe you should be a able to get a Fatip Grande or Piccolo for a good price. The Open Comb Fatip razors are wonderfully smooth but very efficient razors. In addition they are made out of brass!
 
The Heritage razor head is the same as a Muhle R89 or Edwin Jagger DE89. Those are top selling razors that do work well for many people. Unfortunately, not for you, though. The Merkur 34 might be a little better, but similar in many ways to the Muhle. So, I'd suggest finding another vintage Super Speed or a Gillette Tech, which you know will work for you. Millions were made and they last practically forever.
 
Every time you use a new razor, you have to figure out the right shave angle for the razor. Although neither the Superspeed nor Heritage area aggressive razors, it is still possible that a different shave angle will be required.

Many people suggest finding the shave angle by starting with the handle vertical and the safety bar flat against your cheek. Then you rotate the handle upward until you feel the blade on your skin. This is the steepest blade angle that can be used with the razor. Some people call this shaving "off the bar."

I suggest you try a different procedure. Start with the cap of the razor flat against your cheek and the handle pointing horizontally. Then rotate the handle downward until you start to feel the blade on your skin. This is the shallowest blade angle that can be used with the razor. Some people call this shaving "off the cap". If you are having issues with skin sensitivity, you might get better results with a shallow blade angle, shaving off the cap.

Also be careful with shave pressure. Many time people using mild razors with mild blades try to make the razors more efficient by shaving with pressure. For those with sensitive skin, this is a mistake, especially when shaving against the grain. I have sensitive skin, but like to shave with super-sharp blades in mild razors. As long as I use a high-quality shave soap and use light pressure, I can get a near-BBS shave with zero irritation.

I have evaluated well over 100 shaving soaps and creams. Although Arko is not the worst soap I have ever used, it is in my bottom 10 soaps. If you use a higher-quality shave soap, you are likely to improve the quality of your shaves and reduce skin issues.
 
With all that said,
I can order a Merkur 34C for an acceptable price (~$50 total). Would anyone recommend it? How similar is it to the Heritage because if it is, I don't want it.
Is there any razor that is similar in performance to the SS so I could see if I can order it.
Thank you for all your input!
A lot of people would recommend it, but I would not recommend it. You've had good experiences with a SS, so go with an SS. If you find a red-tip SS, you'll do well with that, but they're a little rarer and overpriced as a result.
It sounds like you got OK results with an Old type, which many people aren't able to achieve. You might experiment with technique in the Old more and find that you keep the good results (no bumps) and lose the bad (burn). This also tells me that other vintage Gillettes that pop up might suit you: an adjustable (probably a Slim, which are the best value of the Gillette adjustables) or a NEW.
 
With all that said,
I can order a Merkur 34C for an acceptable price (~$50 total). Would anyone recommend it? How similar is it to the Heritage because if it is, I don't want it.
Is there any razor that is similar in performance to the SS so I could see if I can order it.
Thank you for all your input!
The 34C is indeed similar to the Heritage. I believe you would be disappointed.

Seriously, before purchasing a replacement, try the Heritage with a shim. I can't use the 34C or Heritage efficiently without a shim.
 
The 34C was my first razor and I can still get an okay shave out of it but ever since I tried the Fatip open comb slant (FOCS) and later a Gillette Slim, I hardly touch my 34C. My theory is that the 34C doesn’t hold the blade as rigidly as the others. I felt the same way about the Rockwell 6C I tried. The Heritage is more similar to these less rigid designs, so that could be the issue you’re having.

A lot of people love the 34C and the R89 (the head the Heritage uses), but a number of folks have the same issue I did.

I second the recommendations of a Fatip or another vintage Gillette (the Slim has been great for me).

You could also try placing a shim under the blade on your Heritage. For me, that somewhat improves blade rigidity in my 34C and gives me a more comfortable shave, though I still prefer my other razors.
 
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It sounds like the Super Speed is the razor for you. I'd suggest retiring Dad's to the display collection since you don't want it damaged in any way, and looking for a nice Super Speed, they are out there. You could even buy a refurbished/replated one and it would last you a lifetime.

+2! This ^ Life is too short, once you find ‘the one,’ then best to stick with it! :thumbup1:
 
Super Speed = rigid blade design that does very well against the grain

Heritage / DE89 / R89 = loose blade design with a lot of blade chatter that will punish you sometimes, particular ATG

Both can get you there, but you need to adjust your technique. Angle, speed and pressure. Every time I use my R89 I go very slowly. With my Flare Tip I’m on automatic pilot every time
 
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