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Try to find a fit razor for me

I'm not saying what you should do, and it's true that much is about technique.

My collection includes the array of Fatip razors - the Gentile, the Schöne, a couple of Mk1 razors (unobtanium), a Grande, a Piccolo, a Joris-Plisson, and a couple of Fatip Open Comb Slants. None of these razor are "aggressive" as in prone to drawing blood. All are efficient.

There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of with Open Comb razors. They are not more prone to biting or drawing blood. Nor is the shaving technique different. The exact same thing can be said about slants; use them just like any other DE razor.

I've shaved with tons of razors - double edge, single edge, injectors, AC, straight razors - as have many many members here. Some are better than others. Most are good if your technique and prep are good, but some are better than others. That said, some which are great for one guy won't be as great for the next gentleman.

You asked about Fatip razors...


View attachment 1263436


I like Fatips.

In my opinion one of the absolutely best razors is the Fatip Open Comb Slant.
  1. It is exceeding easy to shave with and find the proper angle (which is steep for most users I believe, and certainly for me).
  2. It is very very smooth on your skin.
  3. It's nimble and easy to get around with.
  4. It's all metal (brass) and a quality razor.
  5. It's not at all likely to bite you (of course, any razor can bite if you do things wrong).
  6. It's likely to give most users a good shave albeit not necessarily a BBS shave (few if any razors will do that, and you shouldn't be chasing baby anyway).
  7. It is not expensive, and it's good looking although not jewelry.
Blades are very individual which means - at least it did for me - that when I found the perfect, right blade I knew immediately that there was zero reason to use anything else.


View attachment 1263437My favorite blade is sold under two brand names. They are 100% the same blade.

⬅ One is unobtanium (or very expensive).

The other, Wizamet SI, can be found .➡
View attachment 1263438


I had pretty horrible neck irritation, too. Some things which helped were these:
  • Learning to do less, and not over doing anything.
  • Not much pressure.
  • Not too many passes.
  • Not chasing baby.
  • Using cold water for a while. No hot water at all.
  • Hyaluronic acid.
  • A good moisturizer (Brickell Men's Face Moisturizer).
Other guys have made some very good points.

Also, I don't know anything about the razor you're using and am not badmouthing it.

Good luck. Be persistent; it's worth it.

Happy shaves,

Jim
I agree with everything that Jim has said here. As far as razors the Fatip Open Comb Slant (FOCS) is a great way to go. You might read up on how slants work.

It looks like a lot of your neck irritation is at the lower part where the grain points up. If you are not shaving up on the first couple of inches on the first pass, I would try that. Good luck.
 
Most shaving problems are cured by a Schick injector. Try an E, G or J. With the Schick, pressure is irrelevant, weight is irrelevant and the shave angle is built in. And the stiffer blades cruise through stubble w ease. Effortless BBS.
 
The OP mentions they're quite new to th
Hi guys I am pretty new in the wet shaving and I really enjoy it so far,the only problem is that on my neck no matter what I do I get irritated. I use an muhle r89 with persona blade,Astra blue, Gillette 7oclock green,Bic,Gillette blue and with all I feel that they tug my beard,doesn't cut through it but feels like it's pulling my beard. Especially on the chin areas,do you guys think I need more agressive razor or open comb one? I was thinking of fatip open comb because it's cheaper and I don't have to many money to buy more expensive ones.all.of this are like after 3 days worth of beard growth not more


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Hi

You mention you're new to this but not how new. With this I mind I would also suggest keeping your current set up and developing your technique for now.

There is a learning curve to DE shaving. Some people are lucky and pick it up really quickly but for others it takes a little longer but the points you've seen mentioned over and over again (good prep, no pressure etc) are definitely the ones to focus on for the time being.

As your skill develops some of your problems may well "magically" disappear...

Whether you ultimately make the R89 work for you or not odds are that at some point in the future you will start looking for another razor. 😉

When this happens I will add my voice to a couple of the recommendations made earlier in the thread, namely:
1. Fatip OC (Piccolo or Grande, I prefer Piccolo)
2. Fatip FOCS
3. Ever Ready 1912 (SE not DE razor)

Keep at it and best of luck!
 
I don't think changing the razor is the best variable to change first. I would look into a different blade - when I first started out nearly a decade ago, the first 5 brands of DE blades I tried were garbage. Then I tried a Feather - became my main blade for 6 years before I found cheaper substitutes.

You might try 2 cosmetic changes: preshave and postshave. Have you tried applying oil to the skin before the soap? How long do you work your soap into the skin? Have you tried applying panthenol or allantoin to the skin post-shave? Do you use alum or witch hazel?
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
I agree that changing razors is not generally good advice which applies across the board, however...

When I started I followed that advice. I'd purchased in the very beginning what I considered to be the holy grail razor. It wasn't inexpensive. It was extremely well made. It was very nice. It's exactly the right razor for some people. I thought it would be the one razor I would buy, and I'd learn to use it, and I'd never buy another DE razor. I persisted with it, and persisted with it, and persisted with it.

Now I know I could have persisted with that razor for a million years and never would I have gotten good shaves and comfortable shaves. It was simply never going to work for me.

Not saying it was a bad razor. It was not the razor for me. I persisted with it way too long.

Sometimes a newbie is using the wrong razor. Mostly ⬅ that is not the case, but sometimes it is.

Whether you should change razors is not within my purview, but what Mike @Esox said about rigidity is very important information (more important to some gentlemen than others).

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
My advice would be to work on your technique with your existing razor and blade before trying other razors and blades. Keep using a light touch, etc. Also, maybe you need to change your pre-shave routine, including your shave cream or soap. You didn't mention the cream or soap you're using, so that could be a problem. If you're using the foamy stuff in a aerosol can, switching to a good shave cream or soap will make a big difference. Good luck.

Great advice!

There are many moving parts at this point. The problem with changing razors is that you add more variables. Once your technique is solid then you can search for your ‘destination’ razor (if necessary).
 
Hi guys I am pretty new in the wet shaving and I really enjoy it so far,the only problem is that on my neck no matter what I do I get irritated. I use an muhle r89 with persona blade,Astra blue, Gillette 7oclock green,Bic,Gillette blue and with all I feel that they tug my beard,doesn't cut through it but feels like it's pulling my beard. Especially on the chin areas,do you guys think I need more agressive razor or open comb one? I was thinking of fatip open comb because it's cheaper and I don't have to many money to buy more expensive ones.all.of this are like after 3 days worth of beard growth not more


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The one thing I would recommend is making sure that you are softening your beard very well before shaving. Two things that work to accomplish this is heat and lather. You can try applying a warm moist towel to your beard for a couple of minutes and then apply a warm lather and let it sit on your face 3 to 5 minutes. Gillette used to recommend letting the lather sit on your beard for 3 minutes before you begin shaving. This is to soften the hard outer layer of the beard hairs, making it easier to cut the beard. I usually work the lather for a while on my beard while waiting for the hairs to soften.
 
I'm no expert & have only been wet shaving for about 2 years. But wouldn't he be better off shaving WTG every day/every other day at the most VS every 3/4 day where he accumulates all that growth?

If this was me I would try shaving every day WTG & eventually after a week or 2 start adding passing with XTG & eventually try ATG. Some people can't shave ATG. My father taught me to shave ATG when I first started shaving.
 
I'm no expert & have only been wet shaving for about 2 years. But wouldn't he be better off shaving WTG every day/every other day at the most VS every 3/4 day where he accumulates all that growth?

If this was me I would try shaving every day WTG & eventually after a week or 2 start adding passing with XTG & eventually try ATG. Some people can't shave ATG. My father taught me to shave ATG when I first started shaving.
We don't know because we don't have his growth or skin . Seems to me Esox example is the most relevant to what the OP is up against.

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Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
If this was me I would try shaving every day WTG & eventually after a week or 2 start adding passing with XTG & eventually try ATG. Some people can't shave ATG. My father taught me to shave ATG when I first started shaving.

Thats good advice, wise too. Its difficult to go slow and take your time and accept less than perfect results when first starting, it sure was for me. I refused to take it easy and forced myself into finding the right tool for the job because I knew the ones I was using were lacking and would never give me the shave I wanted. I knew, even when I posted about my NEW LC, the shave I wanted. Quick, simple, comfortable and close. I wanted the longest lasting BBS finish I could have in the least amount of time and set out to find it, the hard way more often than not at first but, eventually, I got there.

If I had taken the advice you give, I would have had far more comfortable shaves at first and certainly with less blood lost and would also have developed my technique quicker, with a single razor anyway. In the end I knew that I would have needed a different tool for the job I was giving it. Where I took my time was in understanding all the different razor designs and geometries and focusing on what I knew I needed, what was lacking in my shave. I needed a rigid design, a NEW SC gave me that and also gave, and still gives me, extremely smooth and comfortable shaves. It lacked enough blade exposure for me and was a bit inefficient. That told me I needed the same amount of blade support but with more blade exposure, the Fatip OC fit that bill. Using my Fatip it dawned on me that it was a smoother and more comfortable shave than my NEW SC. The Fatip having less blade gap made that difference. I also learned in using my Grande, because it has twice the blade exposure and less than half the gap of my NEW SC, my technique became much more important. A NEW SC is far more forgiving and I think of it as an exceedingly mild razor now, comparable to a Tech but more efficient. My Slim on 5 gives virtually the identical shave.

Not one to be content with 'good enough' I wanted more. More efficiency, more comfort, more smoothness while spending even less time shaving. I wanted a 12+ hour BBS and I wanted it as quickly as possible. I knew I could have it but how can I better what I already have? Enter the MMOC.

The MMOC is all I need and more. With a fresh blade, if I'm not on my toes, it can be too much of a good thing. Its easily twice as efficient as my Grande and my strokes when shaving ATG first pass at 48+ hours are 4"s long, compared to 2"s long with my Grande. Because the blade is thicker and more stable, it also cuts deeper for a longer lasting BBS. That cant be accomplished however without the proper soaps. Soaps/creams are a whole new topic but they are directly related. I cannot have a great shave without using a great for my skin soap. Once I discovered that my skin reacts better to some soaps than others I started focusing on that and came up with whats known to myself and a few others as 'The Feather Test'. Long story there but suffice it to say I found Feather blades unbearably harsh for a year then I tried Pre de Provence #63 and the harshness was gone. Gone.

This blade I havent really liked, until tonight.

Start N-S. Smooth, so smooth, and the slickness was surprising. No issues and a nice, close, supremely comfortable first pass.

S-N more of the same, with buffing ATG under and up my chin, both cheeks and sides of my mouth. This slickness was very telling while I was buffing.

ATG and more buffing, but not a lot needed really. More of the same. Wonderful scent, incredible slickness.

One light clean up at a downwards 45° over my swirls and done.

I have that "I dont feel like I've shaved" feeling. My skin has no warmth or redness. Its cool and supple and feels like I've had a good rub of CC balm, but I didnt even rinse my face. Just a quick wipe with a damp hand towel.

I dont know whether it was this razor that took the harshness out of these blades for me or the soap, but I felt none at all.

That was my first shave with Pre de Provence and it wasnt the razor that made the difference. That lead me to trying new soaps and I have my favorites. They might not be the favorites of anyone else, but they're mine and work the best on my skin.

My point to all of the above being, it is never only a single aspect that makes a great shave come together. Every part of it needs to work with every other part. The right soap for my skin is nearly as important as having enough rigidity, as using the right blade, as using the right brush, as using the right technique for the razor I'm holding. They're all different.

I can now have a great shave with anything I pick up. Would I have been better off taking more time and focusing on different aspects? Maybe. The best advice I can give anyone new to using DE and SE razors is to focus on whats lacking and take the time to understand why something is lacking. Only when that is understood can fixes be implemented.

One other thing I'll mention is, I started DE shaving in the early 1980's so when I came back to them 5 years ago after more than 30 years of carts and electrics, I wasnt exactly new to them. For me it was like riding a bicycle and didnt take me long knocking the rust off. That matters and gave me, I believe, a distinct advantage over someone who had never held a DE before.
 
Lots of great advice has already been provided in this thread. I wholeheartedly agree that technique is of utmost importance, certainly over razor shopping. However, I also suffered with chronic irritation of my neck line, even after many years solely using a Merkur 34C HD. Mapping the grain proved key. I also had to concentrate on an ultra-light glide over my face. Even now, I continually force myself not to think about removing beard, but rather merely gently moving lather along. I get my closest and most comfortable shaves when I don’t give any attention to what’s actually happening to my beard! I just make my passes and shave on. The last piece to the puzzle for me (and I’m not necessarily advocating this for anyone else) was going with an adjustable razor. To this day, I use higher settings above the jaw line and lower settings below. The results, for me, were life changing (or at least shave changing). But, if an adjustable is used to compensate like that, you have to pick one that’s pretty mild at lower settings. I think the Pearl Flexi and ROCKWELL 6C are great for relatively new DE shavers. Hope that helps!
 
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