Quest: My next DE Razor - Advice required

[Luc]

G'Day Gents,

As everyone always do: Please, I would ask you to drop some knowledge on my obscure quest called "My next DE Razor..."

Current Razor
(What I use)

I am currently using a Weishi DE razor for the past 3-4 months and I am getting to a BBS, slowly. I am not going to change my Weishi yet.

The Blades
(What I use)

I think I now have the right razor blade, Astra. I tried the Dorco, Wilkinson Sword, Feather, Merkur, Derby and Astra. In the end, it was coming down to the ninja sharp Feather or Astra but I am more impressed by Astra. I can do an average of 5-7 shaves out of a blade without irritation. For some reason, Feather and Astra feel the same to me but Astra last longer...

Which Manufacturer
(The lucky winner will be...)

I saw a post saying that a Merkur is not a good recommendation because the blade might be exposed a bit more on one side. The conclusion of that post was that I would be better with a Gillette... That might be one defect Merkur out of <put number here> Merkur(s)...

Other posts where praising the Merkur... I think choosing a DE would always be a matter of preference, experience and opinion. Most wet shavers are giving Gillette and Parker a thumb up. However, as I do not have any experience with any DE razor except the Weishi, I will rely on someone that knows what he/she is talking about. I am not banning any razor, I might pick something else than Merkur in the end, who knows.

Before I go on with the Quest
(Preparations)

I think the easiest thing for me is to get a Merkur so the following is a short version of what I understood. Let us hope that the World Wide Web did not lie to me or I understood correctly. Here is a list of accessible Merkur for me. However, I might get lucky in the Trading mall and pick something up from someone else...

The Quest
(Why am I writing this?)

I would like some advice or directions on my next DE razor that would be my every day razor. I will probably keep my current DE razor as a travel razor. What I am looking for is a durable DE Razor that would last me a very long time. It will make shaving enjoyable (already is) and allow a BBS. The razor would be better than Weishi, I think it is do-able. Also, I was looking at having something a bit more aggressive as I have to do 4 pass to get somewhere. I am not expecting a DE Razor to give me a BBS with one pass but I am expecting the razor to shave the hair shorter in less strokes. Meaning, closer shave. I might buy another razor in 2 years, nothing is definitive...

The Facts
(According to me, this might be wrong)

Merkur Classic vs. Merkur HD
Same head, different handle. I would then guess that they would both give the same shave depending on how you handle them. Having a heavier handle on the HD, you would "naturally" get a different shave (pressure/speed). A very experienced wet shaver using both razors would probably be able to get the same result (logically if it is the same head).

Normal handle vs. Barber Pole
Now, I read some threads saying that a Barber Pole was much better for big hands. Depending which school you attended to, "big hands" might have a different meaning to you. I think I would need to try it to know it. However, I think that a Barber Pole might be good as I find the Weishi a bit short since I am always holding the tip. However, if I do not like the barber pole, I think I will need to hold it higher and that would be it.

The Candidates
(What I can get at the shop)

Merkur Heavy Duty (HD) / Merkur Classic
Now, I think that if I am right, one should be almost the same than the other one. I would go for weight if I have to choose from this and pick the Heavy Duty.

Merkur HD Slant bar
Now, this one is a bit different. I was considering it very seriously until I read that if you have sideburns it might be difficult to keep the shape. This would be much more aggressive than the Weishi. Everyone seems pleased with it. So, sideburn issue might be the stopping point here.

Merkur Open Comb
Now, this one looked promising until I saw the comment that you would need to put some chimes on the blade to create a space between the combs and the blade otherwise it will shave where the blade is exposed only. Now, this is supposed to be a very good DE Razor but I am still thinking about it since I am unsure if I want to start customizing my razor. To me, this is not "Pimp my DE Razor" or "Monster 'DE Razor' Garage". I think a good razor should be good as is. It might have an adjustment but the razor should be fully functional without any modifications. I might be approaching this the wrong way.

Merkur Futur
Now, this one seems interesting for the adjustment feature. The stopping point is the adjustment feature. I am sure that I am wrong but I am afraid that the adjustment might get loose with time and the blade adjustment might slip during shaving. That would be me being silly because I do not know how the mechanic works inside the razor... i.e. How the setting is locked on #2 and will not slip to either 1 or 5... I am sure the Merkur did a lot of work to prevent any accidents on the long run... I think this would be a very serious candidate.

Merkur Vision 2000
The Vision seems to be the top notch from Merkur. This would be a bit outside my budget but then I am thinking, maybe I should wait longer and get it. From what I was seeing, to me, this is a Futur with a butterfly opening and that would be it. I like the butterfly opening on the Weishi but can live without it. I would actually be tempted to use something that would be a two or three-piece razor. Sometimes, the less mechanic, the more accurate or better. That is not for everything off course even if the Flintstones car might do a come back...

Conclusion
(Where am I - in my head...)
So, those are my observations and comments about those little gems. I did not search anything on Gillette or Parker as I think I would need to get them second hand. Buying one would be attributed to luck more than anything, as they are a bit more difficult to get in Oz, I think. I am probably wrong with this...

My Questions
(What I would like to know)

1-I was wondering if I should re-start the sample packs with a new razor since I might need to adapt myself to the next Razor and the trusty Astra blades might feel different?

2-Let me know if you have any comments/impressions on the listed razor and if you would like to add another one not listed here, please feel free.

3-I do know that one razor is good for one and the same might not be. If I use an average rule of thumb, I should be able to narrow my choice to 1-2-3 razor(s). What I am looking for is a razor that might be intermediate/Advance. I will be buying this new DE razor in a few months. Which razor would you recommend and why?

4-If I made some mistakes in my researches, let me know. There is nothing worse than thinking one thing and it was the opposite all along...

I will need to decide which razor and if I want a barber pole or not. Your comments are appreciated, thank you for your time.

Luc

 

[mmack66]

Your next razor should be the Merkur Slant. It simply gives a great shave.

The Merkur Futur I had was very tight in its adjustment and I don't think it would be possible for it to loosen up to the point that it would go out of adjustment mid-shave. That might have been unique to the razor I had though.

 

[cooncatbob]

How about a BRW custom.

 

[Gruder]

I'll recommend the HD. I see that as pretty superior to the Weishi you're using now, and good preparation for the slant I predict you'll eventually try. I place no credence in the slant's sideburn issue -- the slant simply isn't that pronounced.

 

[castlecraver]

Don't put too much stock in the "blade exposure" thing -- The Merkurs are considerably better quality than the Weishis. I'd strongly recommend an HD or a Barber Pole classic (38C). I've been doing this for well over 2 years, and I'm exclusively a 38C user now. There's really no basic razor that's better IMHO, and for someone who's relatively new at this you really should have a Merkur classic head model. The learning curve is not so daunting and these are generally the standards against which all other razors are judged.

Also, if you're satisfied with the Astra and have been using it consistently for awhile, there's not necessarily any reason to change that with a new razor. If you're still uncertain, you can always rotate again through the sample pack, or perhaps step up to the Feathers after you've mastered a more forgiving blade. But stick with what's worked for you in the past, and don't worry about changing it unless necessary.

 

[arghblech]

I have large hands and my Merkur HD is easy to handle. Mine has a very uniform blade exposure. I think this is a safe choice.

You might also consider a vintage gillette. I have several but I still use my Merkur quite often. Since I started out with it I know how it needs to be handled better than my gillettes. That said, I love my fatboy and my TV SuperSpeed. My no date Superspeed is growing on me, though.

 

[crankymoose]

what ever you decide yes you should go through a sampler pack of blades again,

I have a Merkur open comb I am not too sure about your comments on adding something to it but it shaves very comparable to my Merkur slant and it excels if you have heavier or thicker hair

 

[Luc]

Thanks all for the information

Crankymoose, sorry, here the source where I saw the information:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-2892.html

Also, it's always like this, I am unable to find the other forum that had pictures. They showed the Open Comb with/without the chimes. The angle of the blade was changing a bit and you could create a space (if none) between the comb and the blade.

 

[crankymoose]

Thanks all for the information

Crankymoose, sorry, here the source where I saw the information:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-2892.html

Also, it's always like this, I am unable to find the other forum that had pictures. They showed the Open Comb with/without the chimes. The angle of the blade was changing a bit and you could create a space (if none) between the comb and the blade.

thanks for the info and now I understand what they are referring to but as at least one poster there said I think it is more about technique then having the need to add parts to it, as with all things shaving though ymmv

 

[dmnall]

Well I will chime in and I would recommend looking into a Gillette Super Speed or Slim Adjustable *I love both of mine*, I cannot comment on the Slant yet because I just recieved mine today and loaded it up with an Astra. Also another good blade I recommend is the Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge *yellow pack* a bit sharper then the Astras and in my opinion a noticeable bit smoother as well.

 

[ScYcS]

I'd get a Gillette Open comb, maybe a New Deluxe. In gold and excellent condition. Yeah, that's what i, err, you should get!!!

 

[cactusbrush]

I guess I would have to go with the recommendations to get an older Gillette or a custom razor with replated Gillette heads. It seems there are just too many finish and plating problems with Merkur razors, and the Vision takes too much maintenance. Even the EJ razors are fiddling around with their heads and have had some issues. For what these razors cost, they should be better. The lower end makers (Parker, Weishi, Feather, etc.) are not too bad, but not up to the quality of the older Gillettes. There are still very good Gillette adjustables out there, as well as many of their three-piece razors, which have lasted more than fifty years and still look and function better than some of the current razors being made. My daily razor right now is a custom handle from cooncatbob, brass turned in a barbershop style handle, with a Gillette tech head. The workmanship and performance is as good as any razor I have, which includes an EJ and a couple of Merkurs. It's fun to try different razors, but after a while I just want something that will do what it is supposed to, consistently, and not start falling apart or having the plating flake off. Custom razor handles are just like custom brush handles, there are some out there whose quality is as good or better (in many cases) than anything the major manufacturers put out. I think it's just like straight razors, there are certainly some fine old razors out there, but the straights being made by some of the custom makers are top-of-the-line.