veteran shavers: what was your first razor and what do you use now?

[Usascot]

I began with a W&B straight razor and also a Gem G-Bar because that was what
my father used.

When I stopped "borrowing" his razors I got myself a Gillette adjustable "Fatboy"...
I thought I was pretty "modern".

 

[BB Sweed]

I'm a simple man I started with a slim adjustable, thats what I use now. A lit of mediocre razors in between.

 

[Calabash]

The first razor I ever used is a 56 Gillette Red Tip....still in rotation of many, and giving superb shaves.

 

[Eeyore]

This was the first DE razor that I owned (bought it new in the shop, in Germany indeed):

(picture was made by B&B member mr-razor)

I lost that razor already years ago, and looking back, I really never learned to shave with it. What I did was doing a first WTG pass with my Trac II cartridge razor (which I still own), and then doing a finishing ATG pass with the G2000.

 

[Blue Note]

My grandfather gave me his old razor when I was 15. All I knew was that it was a Gillette.

A few years ago I started buying more razors. At that point I figured out it was a pre war Fat handled Tech.

My oldest son has it now. Although he is a die hard Merkur man.


Currently I find myself reaching for my Gem SE razors most of the time.

 

[Stevew443]

My first razor was a Schick Dial adjustable injector from 1965. I still use a Schick Dial Adjustable injector from 1965 to keep my mustache neat. The rest of my shave is with a very heavy Edwin Jagger DE.

 

[Haggises]

First DE was a Boots cheapie that soon found the trash around the same time I found B&B.
A 40s and a Blue Tip followed quickly and then a bit of RAD set in.
Both SuperSpeeds see regular use.

 

[ciderguy]

I started with a GEM 1912 (SE). I still use it, but I prefer my GEM OCMM (SE) and EverReady Shovel Head (SE).

 

[Peacefrogg]

My original DE razor was a Weishi which I gave away in a PIF. I now have: a Merkur Progress and Futur, Vintage Gillette FB, Slim, SA, New LC, 1947/48 Aristocrat and the following Super Speeds; late 1940s, Red Tip, HD and Parat Rockets.

 

[Wayne0710]

My dad taught me to shave around 1995 with a Bic disposable and a can of foamy. I remember the Bics cut me to shreds so I had a rough go at it in the beginning. Then I switched to two-blade disposables and I found those to be less harsh on my face. I was issued a Mach 3 when I joined the Navy and stuck with that for 4-5 years. Then I switched back to the 2 blade disposables because of the increasing cost of Mach 3 cartridges.

I first got into traditional wet shaving a couple years ago with a cheap Sally Beauty DE and the VDH soap and brush set. Since then, I graduated to a EJ DE89 and I acquired a late 40s SS and a '64 Flairtip. My go to razor is my 40s SS loaded with a Personna Lab blade.

 

[Longnecks]

First razor EJ 89LBL. Great and beautiful razor. Now I have 7 razors and 7 brushes and so many soaps and creams and still want more. This DE shaving really saves money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Love It

 

[alex2363]

I started with a straight, then a GEM 1912, followed by all the models Gillette ever made plus almost all the rare non Gillette models.....now I alternate 8 razors and the toggle being tops.

 

[countrydirt]

I started with a Black Beauty around 1979 then went to a Schick injector around 1980. I went to the wasteland of cartridges and electrics around 1985 and recovered in 2014 with a Tech. I'll never go back.

 

[alex2363]

The handle is from a Gillette "New" now refered to as an Old Style (I believe that's what they're called). I was just looking them up because THAT was my first razor (mine is a 1918!!!!). I picked it up at a flea market when I was 13 years old; for .25 cents no less. I still have it and its in great condition today. But my two favorites, and I know someone will want to stone me, lol; are my Weishi 9306C and my Wet Shave Club Jet Black (think Muhle R106) with Feather blades. Though I'm trying different blades in the WSC to see if there is one that it matches with on the same lvl as my Weishi/Feather.

The NEW model is from 1929 era...the Old type is from 1903 to 1920 era.

 

[Latherdude]

Started with a Merkur 34C, now I have a 37C slant bar, a Fatboy, a red tip Super Speed, an Atra, and an injector with a custom handle.

 

[straightforward]

My first razor was a 1962 Gillette Slim Adjustable.
Bought it new at a local drugstore in 1978.Tried a Philips for a few weeks but hated it.Have used the Slim till a couple of years ago when I bought a Merkur Progress.Fine razor but switched back to the Gillette pretty soon.
Year ago I bought my first straight and haven't looked back.Mainly because the straights give a smoother BBS shave .
Been using an Otto BuschWorldmaster ,a french straight and a Dovo.

 

[gus1942]

My dad's 1949 Gillette Super Speed. I still use it on occasion.

 

[Mick]

Started with a Super Adjustable around a half century ago and I still use it today (along with a few other recent purchases )

 

[Bald as]

Mine was an adjustable Gillette belonging to my Dad about 1965 followed by a Shick injector. Recently and nearly 50 years late and I got a Merkur Progress LH - so far I'm really enjoying it.

 

[FireEMT5]

Spent years using an Atra w/ disposable heads. 1-1/2 years ago switched over to a Merkur 34C. Enjoy this razor very much, but it didn't demand proper technique, although it did provide what I considered at the time to be a great shave over the Atra. Eventually bought a Above The Tie 5 piece set. This forced me to slow down, pay attention, and just let the razor do the work (or pay the price!). Thus my technique has vastly improved along with the quality of my shaves. Shaving Nirvana has finally been found! With the improvement in technique, any of the 10 different blades I keep on hand deliver great shaves.