What was your razor progression?

[baba]

As shavers, I am curious to see how people have either evolved, devolved or didn't change at all.

What razors have you used in your lifetime, in what order did you use them, why did you use them, and if you remember, how long you used each tool?

My father taught me on a 40's Superspeed, so that's where I started.

40's superspeed - from age 14 to 16...2 yrs...good times.
Gillette Atra - from 16-20..................4 yrs...WOW, 2 blades!!!
Atra and disposables from 20-25.........5 yrs ...lean years
Gillette Sensor from 25-27.................2 yrs ...liked it.
Bump fighter from 27-28....................1 yr ...I had to try something.
Gillette Sensor Excel from 28-34..........6 yrs ...I want one of these again.
Gillette Mach3 from 30-40..................10 yrs ...Duh, gotta get the new one.
Schick Quattro from 37-40..................3 yrs ...didn't like it.
Gillette Fusion from 40-44...................4 yrs ...the smoothest torture
device you can buy.

Gillette Tech (PIF'ed by BrianW!!)
Rolls Razor
Gillette Black tip Superspeed,
Gem Pushbutton and Featherweight,
Gillette Flair tip Superspeed.

Found badger and Blade and started with these razors 2 months ago and will continue DE shaving for the rest of my life!

Want to learn with a straight razor as well.

Back to where I started and loving it!!!

 

[michiganlover]

-Random disposable. Age 16. 2-3 years
-Gillette Sensor. Age 19, in college. 4 years
-Random disposable, whatever was cheapest. Age 23. 6 years.
-Hated shaving. Wore a full beard. Age 29. 2 years.
-Gillette Fusion. Age 31. 6 months.
-Family Dollar branded triple blade vibrating razor. 6 months. Age 31.
-Trac II, Atra, Sensor. 6 months. Age 32.
-Gillette Tech. Age 32. Exclussively for 2 months, now at least once a week.
-Merkur 38C. Used about 6 times. Age 32
-Gillette 40's style Superspeed. Superior to Merkur 38C. Promptly sold Merkur. Age 32
-10 DE/ SE razors. 8 months, and counting. Age 33.

Current Collection of Razors

-Bull Mastiff XL w/ New, and Tech heads
-Re-Plated Ball End Tech (formerly my well worn Tech that was PIFed to me; my first de razor ever!!)
-Muhle R-89
-Gillette Slim Adjustable
-Lord Tech w/ Merkur Like Head (aka the Lord Merkur Tech)
-Schick Hydro-Magic Injector
-Gem Micromatic Bullet Tip
-Gem G Bar
-Gem 1912
-Gillette Trac II (using the BumpFighter handle)

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Started with a Schick injector in 1971 when I was 15. Used it well into the mid 70's then got a Trac II. I eventually got a Sensor and Mach3 but can't tell you exactly when. I remember having all three around and rotating amongst them. I recall a couple of Schick multi's mixed in somewhere and a couple electrics that got very little use.

Got a Fusion free in the Sunday newpaper or the mail, can't remember which and was happy with it until one fateful day in November of last year when I was googling "cheaper alternatives to the Fusion cartridge" and, as they say, the rest is history.

As for now, my sig line says it all.

 

[Ceri]

My memories not great but around age 15 I think I was presented one Christmas with a bag of Bic single blade disposables, a Palmolive shave stick and an inexpensive badger brush.

None of the men in my family have heavy beards, and I could get away with shaving once a week into my twenties, and didn't give much thought to razors beyond buying a big bag a couple of times a year - I kept the brush in use until I was about 30.

Another Christmas present in my twenties was a travel bag with a metal razor that took fixed twin blade heads, and I used these until I discovered Mach3 Power around 5 years ago. I still only shaved every second or third day, and the blades would last a couple of weeks, so the cost wasn't prohibitive.

I was fairly happy - tho a bit blotchy - until two years ago. I was prescribed a high dosage course of steroids, and for some reason after completing it I found my beard heavier, and in need of a daily shave that reduced blade life down to less than a week.

A Merkur owning friend sick of my whining about the cost of Mach3 blades suggested I try DE shaving. Last October I dipped my toe in with a Wilkinson Sword Classic, which took a few weeks to acclimatise myself to, after which I put a Merkur on my Christmas list.

I've had the 23C for a month and it's now been joined by a Muhle R41, which is an absolute joy to use. The bug has definitely bitten, I bought my first vintage razor yesterday from eBay (a gold Tech, tho I'm sure I overpaid). Other than that I'll order a DE87 when my pay cheque clears tomorrow.

 

[Slivovitz]

Around age 14-15 (1971-72) my Dad gave me a Gillette safety razor. I think it was an adjustable, which would make it a Slim. Not sure though, I wasn't interested in the hardware so much as just the fact that I was old enough to shave.

Some time in the late 70s or maybe early 80s, I changed to a Trac II. In the mid 80s (I think) I changed to an Atra. I mostly stayed with that until early last year. I tried electrics from time to time, and I still own a Norelco, but they just didn't work that well for me, and I always came back to the Atra.

Early last year, when I was shopping around on Amazon for a cheaper source of Atra cartridges, and incidentally looking at Mach 3 and Fusion prices, I accidentally discovered that DE razors were still an option. I also learned about using soap and brush instead of canned cream, and started doing that with my Atra before taking the next step. I bought a Weishi, Parker, and Merkur all at about the same time, and soon fixed on the Merkur as my favorite. I started looking for vintage DE razors, and this site exacerbated that. I now have a pretty sizable collection of razors, mostly vintage.

In the past few months, I have also discovered SE and injector razors, and am looking at getting a Rolls. No current intention of getting a straight, but there's no reason to close that door forever.

 

[brianw]

Let's see:
15 to 20: Straight, Schick Injector, Tech, Boar Brush, OS Mug,OS soap, Gramps taught me to shave and father brought in Injector and Tech.
20 to 58: the dark years...Good News, Techmatic, trac II, mach 3, gallons of canned goo, Grew a beard at 21 while in Navy... still have it ... but the trimming and shaping, ohh the pain.
Last 4 months.... Nirvana... started back with a tech, found gramps straights and all the SE's...RAD took over and have way to many Old's, new's, Techs, Injector's, Ever Ready's... the list goes on.

 

[andrew98]

When I was 16, a small box from the US Army showed up. It contained a Gillette Sensor Excel. I used it and an electric razor that my dad gave me for 13 years.

For the last year, I have been using a 1940's Gillette SuperSpeed, a 1950's SuperSpeed, an English (cylinder end?... solid stainless handle) Tech, and an Edwin Jagger DE89L (wonderful razor). No more RAD for me. Those are all fantastic razors.

-Andy

 

[Ignatius]

11- about 18, Sensor, then a mach 3, Quattro, few dimilar, cheapest I could find, until:
24 - tech
25-26, Slant

 

[nickaber]

14-17: Disposable

17-21: Gillette Sensor

21-26: Mach 3

26-30: Fusion

30-Present: DE (Gillette 40's SS, Fatboy, Tech)

Wish I knew of DE earlier

 

[congochris]

14 - sensor and braun electric
18 or 20, mach 3
22, Norelco electric with the nivea goo cartridge insert thing. Used this until a few months ago, in random conjunction with a Fusion in there somewhere. Very sporadic shaving, and usually just a "trim" down to scruffy witht he trimmer attachment of the Norelco.
30 - Gillette Tech in December or so, Just used my '66 black SS for the first time this morning. Might stick with the Tech, it remains to be seen.

 

[DirtyDave]

First razor, Norelco

First razors use were Gillette DE's.

Moved to several Gillette two blade razors and then Shick and tried a bunch of electrics. Also grew and removed several beards through the years.

Switched to Mach 3

Rediscovered DE because the two and three blades didn't really shave any better than a DE

First razor when I returned to a DE was Merkur, second a Fat boy, third a Super speed. RAD really hit then.

 

[Hansel]

1. Random disposables
2. Name brand disposables, with lubri-strip
3. Holy crap double blade disposables!
4. WOW! Three and four blade disposables!
5. Three and four blade disposables suck, hooray for Trac-II!
6. Trac-II is razor-blade piracy! Gillette Ball end Tech Time! (Gold plated)
7. Lord 'Tech' razor
8. Back to the Gillette Ball end Tech (Gold plated)
9. Feather Portable
10. Gillette Ball end Tech (Chrome plated)

 

[DSFC]

in the beginning - various disposables

age 21-24 - Norelco electric

24-30 - Mach 3....electric doesn't get it done up to military standards

30-32 - full beard

32-33 - Mach 3

33 - back to disposables after finally reaching the breaking point with the expense of Mach 3 cartridges

also 33 - EJ86 after quickly rediscovering how awful disposables are