I have a friend on the fence who is thinking about starting to shave with a DE, but wants a new TTO. Who makes a quality TTO these days that isn't too aggressive?
What modern TTO do you suggest
- Thread starter Demaskee
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Parker without a doubt: http://www.amazon.com/Parker-82R-HeavyWeight-Safety-Razor/dp/B002LLU78Q
I own that one and quite like it. But check the blade alignment before you give it to him, it doesn't seem to be a huge problem with the Parkers, but it does happen now and again.
I have been looking at the Parker 92R
Parkers are nice, and I believe the heads are all pretty much the same. So you really only need to choose the handle you like. There shouldn't be a difference between the 92R and the 82R. It's a good basic TTO if you aren't wanting to go the vintage route, and easy on the wallet.
Merkur's Vision or Progress/Mergress.
I like my Parker 22R TTO which I use as my travel razor and can get a BBS if I use the right blade. I also have a Parker 99R TTO which is too mild for me. My Merkur Vision TTO always gives me a perfect BBS but the Vision requires a lot of maintenance and is also quite expensive upfront. The Mergress is not a TTO.
Does your friend understand that a vintage TTO is much better than the few TTOs that are made currently?
At a modest price on ebay he can get a Gillette TTO Super Speed that is high quaity and gives close and comfortable shaves. Your friend would have a choice of a blue tip (if his whiskers are mild), a flare tip (for medium whiskers), and a red tip (for heavy and coarse whiskers). What could be better than that for a newbie wet shaver?
These 3 razors date from the late 1950s and into the early 1960s. There are date codes on the back of each razor's head that will tell your friend exactly the year and the calendar quarter the razor was made, which is kinda neat if one is nostalgic.
Other possibilities would be a Schick Krona DE razor from circa 1970 (mild to medium aggression and inexpensive), and the Gillette Super Speed from the late 1940s, that many shavers consider to be the best of all the Super Speeds.
At a modest price on ebay he can get a Gillette TTO Super Speed that is high quaity and gives close and comfortable shaves. Your friend would have a choice of a blue tip (if his whiskers are mild), a flare tip (for medium whiskers), and a red tip (for heavy and coarse whiskers). What could be better than that for a newbie wet shaver?
These 3 razors date from the late 1950s and into the early 1960s. There are date codes on the back of each razor's head that will tell your friend exactly the year and the calendar quarter the razor was made, which is kinda neat if one is nostalgic.
Other possibilities would be a Schick Krona DE razor from circa 1970 (mild to medium aggression and inexpensive), and the Gillette Super Speed from the late 1940s, that many shavers consider to be the best of all the Super Speeds.
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I would most definitely agree with santamariasteve. In the end, a vintage razor will be better made, more consistent and cheaper than any modern TTO. But I didn't know if you had other reasons for wanting modern over vintage. My daily shave is a modern razor, but it's not a TTO, and it shaves much closer than any TTO I've tried, modern or vintage.
I must agree. The best choice in a TTO is a vintage Gillette Super Speed IMO. If you are patient and watch carefully you can find some mint or even unused Gillettes. There are some great 3-piece razors but I have never been impressed with the modern TTO razors I have handled. Of course the previously mentioned adjustable Merkurs are quality albeit a little pricey.
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I appreciate the info. I agree, with those suggesting Vintage GIllettes (that's what I have). This morning he was set on a new razor, but I think I talked him out of it. From what I've read, the quality and tolerances with modern TTOs just doesn't seem there.
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