Razor Types

[AndrewWiggin]

Could someone explain how much difference the razor will make in shaving as opposed to the blades? I've been wet shaving for about three months now and I have been using my Merkur HD and Feather or Astra blades.

Then I've read people explaining that their SS gives them smoother shaves so I wanted to know what the next logical progression would be for me from a Merkur HD.

 

[blackfoot]

Each razor holds the blade a little different. The more gap, the more aggressive. Even at different angles. Blades are a whole different animal. Each one is different. Some are sharper, some smoother. Some stay sharp for a long time and some need to be used a time or two before it hits its prime. Is this what you were asking?

 

[T Rick]

As above, plus differences in weight, balance, handle length, head contour, each razor type just has a different feel, both in the hand and on the face. To further muddy the waters for you, blades of different makers will often perform differently in different raszors. Your favorite blade in one razor may not work as well for you as brand X in another razor.

There really is no logical progression IMO (other that sticking with one razor for at least 3 weeks or more to begin to get the hang of it). Only different combinations to try.

There are a few universal truths. Example, a Gillette Tech is known as a mild shaver. A slant is generally considered "aggressive". A Super Speed generally is a nice moderate predictable razor. Some may like heavier, or a different balance. And of course even the different generations of Super Speed will show differences. But it was THE standard pretty much for nearly an entire generation, so it's well trusted and liked, for good reason. As worthy of a try as any other (really should try several types if heading for vintage Gillettes, there are plenty to choose from)

 

[AndrewWiggin]

Sort of, I really just don't know what the difference between my Merkur and say, an SS or a Tech would be.

 

[PaulX608]

Sort of, I really just don't know what the difference between my Merkur and say, an SS or a Tech would be.

Give in to the RAD, get lots of different razors, and discover for yourself!

 

[AsylumGuido]

Give in to the RAD, get lots of different razors, and discover for yourself!

This is the best answer. You must try for yourself. I have tried dozens of different Gillette models and they all have different characteristics.

 

[Oldguy]

Sort of, I really just don't know what the difference between my Merkur and say, an SS or a Tech would be.

Really only you can tell the difference. Since the blade angle is different between a Gillette and a Merkur going from one to the other will be slightly different from one person to the other. I only used the HD once and found it to be fairly mild. I would put it somewhere between the Tech and the SS with the Tech being the less aggressive. YMMV.

Len

 

[Hoos]

Could someone explain how much difference the razor will make in shaving as opposed to the blades? I've been wet shaving for about three months now and I have been using my Merkur HD and Feather or Astra blades.

Then I've read people explaining that their SS gives them smoother shaves so I wanted to know what the next logical progression would be for me from a Merkur HD.

Well, it's a good question, but there's no good answer. Everything with shaving is YMMV.

What do you mean by "smoother shaves"? Do you mean "closer" - as in less stubble? Or do you mean "smoother" as in less razor burn? Those are two very different things.

And are you exploring because you want to try new razors? Or are you exploring because you want a better shave? Those, too, are very different things.

If you're happy with the Merkur, you can try some different blades if you want a closer and/or more comfortable shave (less razor burn).

IMHO if you are going to be test driving different razors, the most important thing is finding a blade you like and that you know. That removes one big variable. And that's assuming you have your technique down pretty good (other factors like lather, water hardness, proper shaving technique all play a role).

Overall, very generally, and YMMV: I think the most gentle razors are the Superspeeds (but I don't like most of them - there are variations among those). After that, a 1946-47 Aristocrat or a Gillette Goodwill are razors that strike a very good balance between great shaves and comfort.

 

[WhosYerBob]

There are a few universal truths. Example, a Gillette Tech is known as a mild shaver. A slant is generally considered "aggressive". A Super Speed generally is a nice moderate predictable razor.

+1 Also affected by the blades. A Tech with Feathers is not as mild as a Tech with Wilkinson's.

 

[dpmtherrien]

I think the best answer is for you to try different razor's. What works for one may not work for another. You have to find the razor or razors that "fit" you best. I stated with the HD, then tried about 9 others, before I finally settled on what I use now. My go to, the 1904 in both straight bar and open comb, followed by my HD's, the regular and barberpole, both again in straight comb and open. I use the open comb when I have a 3 day or more growth of beard. Again that's what works for me, take your time and find your own gear and routine.

 

[T Rick]

+1 Also affected by the blades. A Tech with Feathers is not as mild as a Tech with Wilkinson's.

Funny you mention that, in writing my post, I initially mentioned a Tech with a Feather, something I tried a couple weeks back, got a great, smooth shave. But I hit a wrong key and lost half a paragraph and took the last part in a different direction. Quite correct though, that's sort of a mild razor with aggressive (but smooth) blade pairing. There are milder blades for sure too.

 

[AndrewWiggin]

I'm not very prone to razorburn, save my horrible experience with a butcher barber yesterday, so I'm looking for closer shaves, particularly on my neck. I think I need a more aggressive angle, because it's not really a problem of the blade not shaving close, it's an issue of reaching parts of my neck, if that makes any sense.

Basically the safety bars are preventing me from getting to certain areas on my neck where I'll need a pretty strange angle to get.

This has actually become so much of an annoyance that I'm considering getting a straight because a straight would allow me to get any angle I want.

 

[Hoos]

In that case, I would recommend an older Gillette open comb - maybe a Pocket Edition. They have shallower heads making them more maneuverable - they do a better job, IMO, at getting to "hard to reach places" like under the nose and around the ears.

A Goodwill would also probably work.

 

[AndrewWiggin]

What about slants?