I'm still new to the DE; following the advice here on B&B I invested in a sampler pack to find my best "fit" blade. Well, as I've worked through the blades I've been reading and participating here on the boards. This has made working through the sample blades feel like a game of Russian Roulette!
I get the whole YMMV ethos, but reading comments here positively terrified me at times and, I think, prejudiced me against some blades. Red packs, awesome; Astras, great; Crystals (blue pack), not my fave but manageable in a pinch. I must have stared down that five pack of Feathers for a week before I worked up the nerve to load and spin the chamber. Turned out to be a painless, smooth shave, but I was chicken to use it more than once (I will return to them as my technique improves).
Now, we have reached the dreaded Derby. After all I had read I wasn't even going to muck with them. I even reverted to my Trac 2 for a shave to delay - big mistake, won't happen again and I apologized to my Merkur for the indiscretion repeatedly. That harlot razor scratched me up like a wet cat.
But I digress; back to the Derby. Best shave I've had yet. The only weepers or irritation came from me getting too aggressive with the shave in a couple places in my zeal to continue the smooth sailing. Had I followed my normal routine I would have been 94% bbs with zero, sip, nada for irritation. As you can see, I'm pleased.
All this to say to my fellow newbs: a.) don't buy in too fully to the reviews of others. Try for your self and see what flips your switch and, b.) ymmv.
I get the whole YMMV ethos, but reading comments here positively terrified me at times and, I think, prejudiced me against some blades. Red packs, awesome; Astras, great; Crystals (blue pack), not my fave but manageable in a pinch. I must have stared down that five pack of Feathers for a week before I worked up the nerve to load and spin the chamber. Turned out to be a painless, smooth shave, but I was chicken to use it more than once (I will return to them as my technique improves).
Now, we have reached the dreaded Derby. After all I had read I wasn't even going to muck with them. I even reverted to my Trac 2 for a shave to delay - big mistake, won't happen again and I apologized to my Merkur for the indiscretion repeatedly. That harlot razor scratched me up like a wet cat.
But I digress; back to the Derby. Best shave I've had yet. The only weepers or irritation came from me getting too aggressive with the shave in a couple places in my zeal to continue the smooth sailing. Had I followed my normal routine I would have been 94% bbs with zero, sip, nada for irritation. As you can see, I'm pleased.
All this to say to my fellow newbs: a.) don't buy in too fully to the reviews of others. Try for your self and see what flips your switch and, b.) ymmv.