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Razor or Blade?

Hey guys and girls, I’m new to the safety razors and I’m going to be buying one shortly. I have a question which may end up been a stupid one.
Is it the razor or blade that needs to be quality? A lot of people are going on about making sure you buy a good razor. But isn’t it the blade at the end of the day that needs to be a quality one as that’s what is used to shave with? Thanks guys
 
Both of course but there are plenty of razors from $25 to $60 which will be excellent and will literally last a lifetime.

Regarding blades: it's crucial but there are some excellent blades that cost $0.10 each and an "expensive" blade costs about $0.50. Though some wetshavers change blades after 1 or 2 shaves, most(?) get 5 or so shaves from a blade. So the cost of blades is fairly trivial, especially in comparison to cartridge razors.

With blades although some are higher quality than others, it's much more of a YMMV thing and finding the one that's best for you.

Pick a good, solid razor & get it with a blade sampler pack (like 5 or 10 different 5-packs of blades).
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
Welcome to the forum.

The only one that can decide on the quality of the razor, blade and shave is the person holding it. It depends how you define "quality". Some see the impeccably finished Muhle razors as being quality pieces, but that very thick high quality plating finish is over Zamak. Some see the, arguably, less perfectly finished Fatip as being of better quality because its made from solid Brass.

Both are very different designs and even comparable models from each, the Muhle R41 and the Fatip Grande, shave very differently, no matter the blade being used.

Others might choose the exquisitely made Wolfman, Charcoal Goods, Blackland, ATT (Above The Tie), Joris and others as being of higher quality.

Find a razor you like. Buy and try many different brands of blades, Try A Blade is a good source, and take the time to learn to get the most from both. That last part, is the important part.
 
Hey guys and girls, I’m new to the safety razors and I’m going to be buying one shortly. I have a question which may end up been a stupid one.
Is it the razor or blade that needs to be quality? A lot of people are going on about making sure you buy a good razor. But isn’t it the blade at the end of the day that needs to be a quality one as that’s what is used to shave with? Thanks guys
Both are important, but you don't have to spend a lot to get good quality. My most expensive razor is a Fatip Grande that cost $22. My least expensive razor is a Razorock DE-1 that cost $4. I can get very good shaves with the Fatip using Silver Star blades that cost $8/100. I can also get an excellent shave with the DE-1 using Personna Med Prep blades that cost $25/100.

Someone that spends ten times more for their razor is getting a luxury experience but arguably the shave is not closer or more comfortable.

The moral of the story is it makes sense to shop wisely, people's preferences are quite individual, and spending a lot does not necessarily give an improved result.
 
Yes. Spending a LOT on a razor will get you luxury but probably not a better shave.
For example, the excellent Rockwell 6C & 6S (about $50 & $100) differ in that the latter is Stainless steel, looks great and is heavier.
I have the 6C. Can't comment on the 6S but some reviewers find the 6S a bit too heavy and prefer the 6C.
(PS: the 6C is not necessarily what you should buy but you should consider it). It comes with 3 different base plates (6 different sides/settings) so it basically is like an adjustable.

Don't skimp on the blades but as I mentioned above, blades are mostly very cheap.
 
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I've tried around 20 different blades so far and I'm starting to believe that unless you get a defective one, there's not really a tremendous amount of performance difference between them. That's NOT to say you won't find blades you prefer...you will! But at the end of the day, most blades will cut through most whiskers without doing too much damage to your skin.

How the blade is held, on the other hand, contributes heavily to the overall shaving experience. And things like weight, handle length, materials, and even the finish can have a big impact on how enjoyable the shave is. (And don't even get us started on soaps!)

So, to me, in my opinion, and your mileage may vary, both are important but the razor is more so.
 

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
Blades are very subjective. The best thing that I find would be to buy a blade sampler or two and try them out to see what you like. You might find that you like them all.
 
Buy a Gillette Tech. It will work well with about any blade. The Tech is a simple, and proven effective design that has been enduring and sucessful for several decades. Many clones, cheap & expensive have been built closely following the Tech Design and all give worthy shaves.
I have several Techs of Pre War & Post War vintage, and they all give impeccable shaves. I also have a few clones; some incredibly cheap Chinese copies that shave about as well as the more expensive real deal.
All Techs.jpg
My suggestion is to begin cheap, then as you perfect your shaving technique, go on to a more expensive razor (preferably a vintage Gillette Tech, or Super Speed).
THIS is about as cheap as it gets, but blindfolded, you'd think it was a more expensive razor from the results:
The Razor isn't a Real Gillette, but it shaves like an actual Tech. YingJili is another copy that shaves well.

Blades are as important as how the razor holds them. My Favorite blades include the Astra SP - a great blade for beginners and experienced shavers alike. Gillette Silver Blues, Shark Stainless, and Voskhod are above average blades. Of course, just ask 10 different shavers & they'll give you 10 or more different favorites.

If you don't want to wait for the slow delivery from China, consider this:
I have more than one & put them on different handles, but they'll give other more pricey razors a run for the money.
 
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Quality is subjective and not directly related to price. Once you select a razor, you'll find that one quality blade in that razor may give you poor results and another quality blade in that razor may give you great results. Part of it relates to the hardware combination (razor aggressiveness or efficiency level combined with blade sharpness/smoothness level). A super-sharp blade can be considered quality as well as a mid-sharp blade. There are sites that measure/rate blade sharpness & smoothness levels. The other part relates to your unique characteristics and what works on your face. There's no escaping there will be some experimentation required to dial in your best results.
 
You can try a lot of different blades cheaply and easily, so for that part you can quickly become an expert on what is best for you and don't have to rely much on the advice of others. You'll probably end up finding a few that you like that are similar. With DE razors, you can try at least one of each of the main types, such as the Gillette Tech and its clones, also pretty inexpensively. But you need to spend some time getting used to each before you decide which is best for you, and there are major differences.
 
as a new shaver I would advice not paying for your high priced shinny posh razors at the moment try something like a de89 these are quite affordable , and on the blade front I would look for some sample packs as these are a personal choice your beard and skin type is yours and different from the rest of us .
 
Buy a Gillette Tech. It will work well with about any blade. The Tech is a simple, and proven effective design that has been enduring and sucessful for several decades. Many clones, cheap & expensive have been built closely following the Tech Design and all give worthy shaves.
I have several Techs of Pre War & Post War vintage, and they all give impeccable shaves. I also have a few clones; some incredibly cheap Chinese copies that shave about as well as the more expensive real deal.
View attachment 1068324
My suggestion is to begin cheap, then as you perfect your shaving technique, go on to a more expensive razor (preferably a vintage Gillette Tech, or Super Speed).
THIS is about as cheap as it gets, but blindfolded, you'd think it was a more expensive razor from the results:
The Razor isn't a Real Gillette, but it shaves like an actual Tech. YingJili is another copy that shaves well.

Blades are as important as how the razor holds them. My Favorite blades include the Astra SP - a great blade for beginners and experienced shavers alike. Gillette Silver Blues, Shark Stainless, and Voskhod are above average blades. Of course, just ask 10 different shavers & they'll give you 10 or more different favorites.

If you don't want to wait for the slow delivery from China, consider this:
I have more than one & put them on different handles, but they'll give other more pricey razors a run for the money.

+1 on the Teck II. It is way nicer than its price tag lets on.

Tryablade is a great idea. I recommend choosing Astra SP and Gillette Silver Blue as two of them!
 
I won’t saying anything on the razor choice because previous posts have given great choices. I will say that buy a multi pack of different blades is a good way to start. This way you can try and find 1 or 2 that work the best in your shave.
 
A man doesn’t choose a razor. It’s the razor that chooses the man. Go out and find the one that speaks to you. Same with blades. When you find it, you will know.
 
FWIW
I have a lighter beard and fine hair that likes to lie flat on my face. My razor journey led me to a Gillette Fat Handle Tech.
Mild, Smooth, and efficient.
 
Quality is subjective and not directly related to price. Once you select a razor, you'll find that one quality blade in that razor may give you poor results and another quality blade in that razor may give you great results. Part of it relates to the hardware combination (razor aggressiveness or efficiency level combined with blade sharpness/smoothness level). A super-sharp blade can be considered quality as well as a mid-sharp blade. There are sites that measure/rate blade sharpness & smoothness levels. The other part relates to your unique characteristics and what works on your face. There's no escaping there will be some experimentation required to dial in your best results.

+1! The main thing is to determine what works for you!

Price and performance are very different things! For example, my ‘daily driver’ is a Wolfman SS that is a work of art and one terrific shaver for me! My ‘travel razor’ is a Lord L6 ($6 more or less on Amazon). I get great shaves from both!!

Once you pick a razor, then you should also pick up a blade sampler or two. Blade choice depends on the razor. Here again, price and performance are not directly related. Some ‘expensive’ (still dirt cheap compared to cart prices) blades (Merkur or Bolzano, for example) are just ‘ho-hum’ for me. In contrast, some relatively inexpensive blades (Astra SP or Silver Star, for example) are excellent!

The main thing is to enjoy the wealth of options!! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
All blades are cheap. You're going to need to try a bunch to find your favorite, but they really are all cheap. My recommendation is to save the Feather blades as your last one to audition (great blade, very unforgiving of poor technique).

Razors are not all cheap. But that's a discussion you don't want to get into at this point in your development.

DE89 or Merkur 34C are the two recommended for beginning by far - and for good reason. Reasonably priced, good quality and excellent middle of the road shavers.

Some people shave all their lives with a DE89, but not many on this forum. Most of us seem to end up with a collection of some size. Often a post with a question like yours end up with people answering the "what's your favorite razor" question.

You may find you love your first razor and are happy for life. You may find you want something more aggressive, or less aggressive, or prettier or heavier . . .

For quite a while all you need is a decent razor and a small pile of blades (along with the will to experiment and find the correct razor angle and the dedication to use extremely little pressure).

Good luck.
 
Here's my take on blade samplers - they should only be explored AFTER you've got the shaving technique down cold. Start with a blade that most on here would describe as of "good" or "decent" quality, like a Wilkinson or Personna, one that you can expect to get 2 or 3 good shaves out of - ideally a blade that you can buy at your local shop. Your technique won't be good enough at the beginning to allow you to properly evaluate a blade anyway, so concentrate on the razor and shave. Once you are consistently getting 3 or more quality shaves from your blade, then send off for a sampler pack.

Give every blade in the sampler a try - don't skip the ones that "look cheap". The best blade I've found was a leftover in my first sampler pack that I didn't try because it A) wasn't identified as being manufactured by one of the Big Blade Makers (although as it turns our, it is) and B) the wrapper looked like it was designed deep in the last century. Turned out to be the best DE blade I've ever used, the Silver Star by Lord.

Or, if you want to skip the whole Quest For The One True Blade nonsense that DE shavers go through, try a single edge razor - there are only a handful of blades in that arena and vintage SE razors are plentiful, cheap, and extremely efficient. If not for the Silver Star blade I'd probably be an exclusive SE shaver.
 
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