I think my entry into the world of DE safety razors has been typical of a lot of people, so I thought it might be useful for me to record my experience for others to learn from. I know I definitely benefited from the posts here at B&B while I was deciding how to get started, so it seems right for me to provide the same service for anyone who comes after me. I'll try to organize my thoughts and experience by category, so feel free to skip to the parts of this post that interest you.
History:
I started shaving with a cheap electric shaver, which was sort of like holding a weed whacker to my face and hoping for the best. Over the years I progressed to more and more expensive electric razors until I eventually gave up on them entirely and moved on to the most expensive cartridge razors I could find. When these still burned the heck out of my neck I found myself moving to cheaper and cheaper disposable cartridges because they actually gave a better shave! Eventually I landed on the cheapest disposable bic because it had a non-flexible head that allowed me to control the shave angle and get a better shave. DE safety razors were just the next logical step in the progression for me.
Beard and Face Type:
My wife likes to laugh at me because I have brown hair, but if I let my facial hair grow in for some reason I have a bright red mustache. Curse of the Irish I suppose. And along with that Irish trait I also have the fair skin and course rough beard. This is a horrible combination. My face is tough as nails - I could scrape it clean with a rusty dull blade and be just fine, but my neck is like parchment paper - make the slightest mistake and suddenly blood is spurting everywhere! Combine this with the fact that I have a cowlick on the right side of my neck that grows exactly opposite to the rest of my beard and you end up with a neck that has had a constant case of razor burn since my late teens.
The Purchase:
I was running out of my trusty disposable bics when one night sitting on my back deck my brother mentioned DE safety razors - it was just a passing comment but it stuck in my head so the next week I found myself researching them on amazon. The Weishi 9306 popped up and I figured at $12 it was a no lose situation - it even came with free blades (Dorcos and Ying Jili!). I read the reviews and none of them were really bad - it seemed like plenty of people found it to be a perfectly acceptable razor, and the few people who wrote anything very negative struck me as the type of person that was more concerned about showing everyone how much they knew about good razors than giving an honest review of the cheap one at hand. Many people even claimed to continue using it long after they had bought other more expensive razors. I bought it and eagerly awaited it's arrival.
Blades:
While I was waiting for my new Weishi to arrive I spent a few hours cruising around B&B reading reviews and began to realize that the blades that were being freely provided with my new razor might not be wonderful. I was particularly interested in some reviews I read of Israeli blades. Since my father-in-law is Israeli I often hear about how wonderful all things Israeli are, plus this was a great way to get the wife more interested in my new found hobby. I ordered a sample pack of blades from West Coast Shaving that included Red Personas and Crystal blades, both made in Israel. I decided to give all of my blades a two shave trial, discard the horrible ones, and then reevaluate the best.
Reviews:
Which brings us to the best part of this post: reviews! Blades perform differently in different razors (something I learned here at B&B!) and since so many people enter DE shaving with the Weishi I thought it might be good to review the different blades I tried with it and how they worked. I've learned that the blade makes a HUGE difference! My learning curve for DE shaving was surprisingly short. Due to my preference for cheap bics I was already good at controlling shave angle and one bad experience with pressure was enough to teach me to let the weight of the razor do the work. So without further ado, here are my experiences with a variety of blades in the Weishi 9306:
Dorco blades in the 9306:
My first shave with a Dorco blade was actually great. I had about three days worth of growth (I shave every other day) so it was a little heavier than usual but the shave I got was almost exactly like what I was used to from my disposable bics - same amount of tugging, same razor burn, same everything. So all in all I figured it could only get better and at the very least I had found a cheaper way to get the same shave I was used to. My second shave with a Dorco was where I learned not to apply pressure. Apparently during the first shave the extra growth had protected me from the pressure I was unconsciously applying - with the extra growth gone my second shave resulted in a nasty case of razor burn that felt like fire all day. It wasn't the Dorco's fault, but I was ready to move on to my next blade anyway. All in all I would say the Dorco is an acceptable shave if it's all you have - but there are plenty of other choices that are just as cheap and do a better job (See Astras later in this post) so why bother spending a lot of time on this one?
Ying Jili blades in the 9306:
There are virtually no reviews of Ying Jili blades, which is surprising given that they ship free with a Weishi razor. As a result I didn't really know what to expect from this blade. I'm going to save you from that fate with this review. The Ying Jili gave an amazing shave for the first half of one side of my face - and then suddenly it started to change. Literally. I could feel the shave quality changing mid-shave. It was a very weird experience that ended with a spotty shave and more razor burn. I was committed to a two shave review for each blade though so I did follow up two days later with another shave with this blade. The second shave went a little better because the blade started out bad and I shaved appropriately. When the blade starts out good (as in the first shave) you adjust to that, and then as it turns bad you get all bloody. But when you know to expect a bad shave you're a little more careful and the end result is better. If you own these blades and haven't tried them yet, throw them away. You'll thank me. There's really no reason to ever use this blade - it isn't commonly available (accept as a Weishi freebie) and it isn't cheaper or better in any way than many competing blades.
Astra blades in the 9306:
During my first shave with the Ying Jili my package arrived from West Coast Shaving with my blade sample pack. That made it even harder to do that second Ying Jili shave, but with that out of the way I was on to the Astras. I decided to use them first since they seemed to be very commonly available, relatively cheap, and with decent overall reviews. I intended for this to be the blade against which all other blades would be judged. It did great. This was the first time with DE shaving where the result was definitively better than my disposable bics. There was some slight tugging, just because my hair is relatively thick, but very little razor burn (only a touch on that one problem area of my neck) and overall a close comfortable shave. If you are looking for a dependable bargain blade this is clearly it. Second shave was identical to the first. I assume I could have gotten a few more identical shaves out of this blade, but I was committed to my two shave reviews so I soldiered on.
Red Persona blades in the 9306:
Now we come to the first Israeli blade in my sample pack. I really wanted to like this blade - it's half the reason I ordered this sample pack. Sadly I didn't. This was just awful. Razor burned spotty shave. Miserable. I did learn half way through my first shave that if I used very short (half inch) quick strokes it did passably well, but my typical long slow strokes with this blade are a good way to end up bloody and mangy. The second shave was better since I knew to adjust my technique, but I didn't enjoy it. I know this blade has a fairly decent following so it must work well for some people in some razors, but for me in the 9306 it is a nightmare. It is the only blade that I really felt a strong dislike for and at twice the price of an Astra I'd have to be crazy to waste much time on this.
Crystal blades in the 9306:
Saddened by my experience with Israeli blades I reluctantly loaded a Crystal into my razor and prepared to try again. What a surprise this was! The Crystal blade was truly amazing. It felt very similar on my face to an Astra, but slightly sharper with less tugging. Then throughout the day I kept constantly noticing how great my face felt. It was a huge difference. Where the Dorco gave me a shave comparable to a bic and the Astra was a slight improvement over the bic the Crystal was in a totally different league. The Crystal was the first blade that actually made me look forward to shaving. Second shave was identical to the first - this is another blade where I felt confident I could have squeezed out several more shaves without diminished quality. At $12 per hundred pack at WCS this blade is barely more expensive than the Astras and worlds apart in quality - I felt like I had found my blade and didn't need to look any further. Plus it's Israeli - I like that.
Feather blades in the 9306:
The last blade I tried in my sample pack was the Feather. I was a little nervous about trying this one after reading so many reviews of how it is the sharpest blade available. I was half expecting it to take off a layer of my face with the first swipe. It didn't. In fact I would say this blade is very similar to the Crystal - just more so. It's a tiny bit sharper and smoother and provides a slightly better shave than the Crystal. But at twice the price I'm not sure it's worth the extra expense. If you are looking for the absolute best possible shave you can get out of a Weishi razor then buy the Feather. Hands down it was the best. But on a scale of 0-100 I'd say the Crystal is about a 95 while the Feather is a perfect 100 and I'm not sure it's worth twice the price for those extra five points. Depends on whether or not you are budget conscious I guess. I am.
Techincally my sample pack also includes Derby blades, which I haven't reviewed - but after my experience with the Feathers and Crystals I really just didn't feel the need to continue on. Maybe one day I'll get around to them.
Hope this helps the people out there that are jumping into DE shaving and don't want to spend a fortune! After a few shaves in a row with my Crystals and Feathers I can honestly say that my decades long razor burn has completely healed up and I am totally converted to DE shaving.
Daniel
History:
I started shaving with a cheap electric shaver, which was sort of like holding a weed whacker to my face and hoping for the best. Over the years I progressed to more and more expensive electric razors until I eventually gave up on them entirely and moved on to the most expensive cartridge razors I could find. When these still burned the heck out of my neck I found myself moving to cheaper and cheaper disposable cartridges because they actually gave a better shave! Eventually I landed on the cheapest disposable bic because it had a non-flexible head that allowed me to control the shave angle and get a better shave. DE safety razors were just the next logical step in the progression for me.
Beard and Face Type:
My wife likes to laugh at me because I have brown hair, but if I let my facial hair grow in for some reason I have a bright red mustache. Curse of the Irish I suppose. And along with that Irish trait I also have the fair skin and course rough beard. This is a horrible combination. My face is tough as nails - I could scrape it clean with a rusty dull blade and be just fine, but my neck is like parchment paper - make the slightest mistake and suddenly blood is spurting everywhere! Combine this with the fact that I have a cowlick on the right side of my neck that grows exactly opposite to the rest of my beard and you end up with a neck that has had a constant case of razor burn since my late teens.
The Purchase:
I was running out of my trusty disposable bics when one night sitting on my back deck my brother mentioned DE safety razors - it was just a passing comment but it stuck in my head so the next week I found myself researching them on amazon. The Weishi 9306 popped up and I figured at $12 it was a no lose situation - it even came with free blades (Dorcos and Ying Jili!). I read the reviews and none of them were really bad - it seemed like plenty of people found it to be a perfectly acceptable razor, and the few people who wrote anything very negative struck me as the type of person that was more concerned about showing everyone how much they knew about good razors than giving an honest review of the cheap one at hand. Many people even claimed to continue using it long after they had bought other more expensive razors. I bought it and eagerly awaited it's arrival.
Blades:
While I was waiting for my new Weishi to arrive I spent a few hours cruising around B&B reading reviews and began to realize that the blades that were being freely provided with my new razor might not be wonderful. I was particularly interested in some reviews I read of Israeli blades. Since my father-in-law is Israeli I often hear about how wonderful all things Israeli are, plus this was a great way to get the wife more interested in my new found hobby. I ordered a sample pack of blades from West Coast Shaving that included Red Personas and Crystal blades, both made in Israel. I decided to give all of my blades a two shave trial, discard the horrible ones, and then reevaluate the best.
Reviews:
Which brings us to the best part of this post: reviews! Blades perform differently in different razors (something I learned here at B&B!) and since so many people enter DE shaving with the Weishi I thought it might be good to review the different blades I tried with it and how they worked. I've learned that the blade makes a HUGE difference! My learning curve for DE shaving was surprisingly short. Due to my preference for cheap bics I was already good at controlling shave angle and one bad experience with pressure was enough to teach me to let the weight of the razor do the work. So without further ado, here are my experiences with a variety of blades in the Weishi 9306:
Dorco blades in the 9306:
My first shave with a Dorco blade was actually great. I had about three days worth of growth (I shave every other day) so it was a little heavier than usual but the shave I got was almost exactly like what I was used to from my disposable bics - same amount of tugging, same razor burn, same everything. So all in all I figured it could only get better and at the very least I had found a cheaper way to get the same shave I was used to. My second shave with a Dorco was where I learned not to apply pressure. Apparently during the first shave the extra growth had protected me from the pressure I was unconsciously applying - with the extra growth gone my second shave resulted in a nasty case of razor burn that felt like fire all day. It wasn't the Dorco's fault, but I was ready to move on to my next blade anyway. All in all I would say the Dorco is an acceptable shave if it's all you have - but there are plenty of other choices that are just as cheap and do a better job (See Astras later in this post) so why bother spending a lot of time on this one?
Ying Jili blades in the 9306:
There are virtually no reviews of Ying Jili blades, which is surprising given that they ship free with a Weishi razor. As a result I didn't really know what to expect from this blade. I'm going to save you from that fate with this review. The Ying Jili gave an amazing shave for the first half of one side of my face - and then suddenly it started to change. Literally. I could feel the shave quality changing mid-shave. It was a very weird experience that ended with a spotty shave and more razor burn. I was committed to a two shave review for each blade though so I did follow up two days later with another shave with this blade. The second shave went a little better because the blade started out bad and I shaved appropriately. When the blade starts out good (as in the first shave) you adjust to that, and then as it turns bad you get all bloody. But when you know to expect a bad shave you're a little more careful and the end result is better. If you own these blades and haven't tried them yet, throw them away. You'll thank me. There's really no reason to ever use this blade - it isn't commonly available (accept as a Weishi freebie) and it isn't cheaper or better in any way than many competing blades.
Astra blades in the 9306:
During my first shave with the Ying Jili my package arrived from West Coast Shaving with my blade sample pack. That made it even harder to do that second Ying Jili shave, but with that out of the way I was on to the Astras. I decided to use them first since they seemed to be very commonly available, relatively cheap, and with decent overall reviews. I intended for this to be the blade against which all other blades would be judged. It did great. This was the first time with DE shaving where the result was definitively better than my disposable bics. There was some slight tugging, just because my hair is relatively thick, but very little razor burn (only a touch on that one problem area of my neck) and overall a close comfortable shave. If you are looking for a dependable bargain blade this is clearly it. Second shave was identical to the first. I assume I could have gotten a few more identical shaves out of this blade, but I was committed to my two shave reviews so I soldiered on.
Red Persona blades in the 9306:
Now we come to the first Israeli blade in my sample pack. I really wanted to like this blade - it's half the reason I ordered this sample pack. Sadly I didn't. This was just awful. Razor burned spotty shave. Miserable. I did learn half way through my first shave that if I used very short (half inch) quick strokes it did passably well, but my typical long slow strokes with this blade are a good way to end up bloody and mangy. The second shave was better since I knew to adjust my technique, but I didn't enjoy it. I know this blade has a fairly decent following so it must work well for some people in some razors, but for me in the 9306 it is a nightmare. It is the only blade that I really felt a strong dislike for and at twice the price of an Astra I'd have to be crazy to waste much time on this.
Crystal blades in the 9306:
Saddened by my experience with Israeli blades I reluctantly loaded a Crystal into my razor and prepared to try again. What a surprise this was! The Crystal blade was truly amazing. It felt very similar on my face to an Astra, but slightly sharper with less tugging. Then throughout the day I kept constantly noticing how great my face felt. It was a huge difference. Where the Dorco gave me a shave comparable to a bic and the Astra was a slight improvement over the bic the Crystal was in a totally different league. The Crystal was the first blade that actually made me look forward to shaving. Second shave was identical to the first - this is another blade where I felt confident I could have squeezed out several more shaves without diminished quality. At $12 per hundred pack at WCS this blade is barely more expensive than the Astras and worlds apart in quality - I felt like I had found my blade and didn't need to look any further. Plus it's Israeli - I like that.
Feather blades in the 9306:
The last blade I tried in my sample pack was the Feather. I was a little nervous about trying this one after reading so many reviews of how it is the sharpest blade available. I was half expecting it to take off a layer of my face with the first swipe. It didn't. In fact I would say this blade is very similar to the Crystal - just more so. It's a tiny bit sharper and smoother and provides a slightly better shave than the Crystal. But at twice the price I'm not sure it's worth the extra expense. If you are looking for the absolute best possible shave you can get out of a Weishi razor then buy the Feather. Hands down it was the best. But on a scale of 0-100 I'd say the Crystal is about a 95 while the Feather is a perfect 100 and I'm not sure it's worth twice the price for those extra five points. Depends on whether or not you are budget conscious I guess. I am.
Techincally my sample pack also includes Derby blades, which I haven't reviewed - but after my experience with the Feathers and Crystals I really just didn't feel the need to continue on. Maybe one day I'll get around to them.
Hope this helps the people out there that are jumping into DE shaving and don't want to spend a fortune! After a few shaves in a row with my Crystals and Feathers I can honestly say that my decades long razor burn has completely healed up and I am totally converted to DE shaving.
Daniel
