Hello!
I am new here and as you probably have already guessed from the title of this post in the market for a "high-end" DE razor, problem is I feel spoiled for choice and as soon as I feel like "This one" I see someone likes "That one over this one" and the cycle continues.
I've always struggled with shaving due to sensitive skin but never worried for the past 12 years because once I got married who cares. However my wife left, so naturally at my age of 34 I took an interest again in "looking good".
I've been using a Merkur 41C OC for about 4 months with no issues, first time in my life I can shave without irritation, I do a stubble beard look, 1mm trimmer around face, clean up around the cheek bone area and neck with DE to look "neat".
Both areas have different issues, the neck is very sensitive and the hair grows in every which direction in the upper half but it's not too "tough". The cheek area is far less sensitive, still suffers from random directions of growth but the hair is tough as steel, it's really really hard to get a smooth shave or even passable shave without a very sharp blade and if I can't do it in 3 or under passes I'll definitely get irritation.
The Merkur has served me pretty well, it definitely could be a little more aggressive for my beard type but with a feather or other sharp blade I can get a passable result in 3 passes, mild blades have not been a friend in this razor, so much irritation! However, I broke her, I dropped her twice, she survived but was weakened, then I over tightened and it was all over.
I've had people recommend all sorts of things about using mild blades, get a more mild razor etc, never had any luck with that and I now ignore such recommendations I know what works for me and thats a sharp blade, do it in 2 passes is the goal and I'll get an irritation free shave (3 seems OK with some blades but not others hence I think a 2 pass rule will save my skin.)
Naturally I am attracted to the more aggressive DE razor, I like the OC I can't explain why but it makes sense to me and it brings me great joy to not have the razor clog up every 2 seconds like a cartridge would and that I can plow through 3 days growth and, it also has that old school feel. I like some blade feel but I also like to daily shave the cheeks, every second day I do the neck however as I say for my skin less passes with the sharpest blade possible seems to be the best for me.
I've been tossing up between these (but absolutely open to other recommendations)
1. Yates Custom OC (Ti head, SS baseplate and Ti handle)
2. Blackbird OC in SS
3.Tatara Masamune OC
4. RR Superslant OC L2++
Other razors start getting way out of my price range the Yates is my limit at $210 USD.
I am new here and as you probably have already guessed from the title of this post in the market for a "high-end" DE razor, problem is I feel spoiled for choice and as soon as I feel like "This one" I see someone likes "That one over this one" and the cycle continues.
I've always struggled with shaving due to sensitive skin but never worried for the past 12 years because once I got married who cares. However my wife left, so naturally at my age of 34 I took an interest again in "looking good".
I've been using a Merkur 41C OC for about 4 months with no issues, first time in my life I can shave without irritation, I do a stubble beard look, 1mm trimmer around face, clean up around the cheek bone area and neck with DE to look "neat".
Both areas have different issues, the neck is very sensitive and the hair grows in every which direction in the upper half but it's not too "tough". The cheek area is far less sensitive, still suffers from random directions of growth but the hair is tough as steel, it's really really hard to get a smooth shave or even passable shave without a very sharp blade and if I can't do it in 3 or under passes I'll definitely get irritation.
The Merkur has served me pretty well, it definitely could be a little more aggressive for my beard type but with a feather or other sharp blade I can get a passable result in 3 passes, mild blades have not been a friend in this razor, so much irritation! However, I broke her, I dropped her twice, she survived but was weakened, then I over tightened and it was all over.
I've had people recommend all sorts of things about using mild blades, get a more mild razor etc, never had any luck with that and I now ignore such recommendations I know what works for me and thats a sharp blade, do it in 2 passes is the goal and I'll get an irritation free shave (3 seems OK with some blades but not others hence I think a 2 pass rule will save my skin.)
Naturally I am attracted to the more aggressive DE razor, I like the OC I can't explain why but it makes sense to me and it brings me great joy to not have the razor clog up every 2 seconds like a cartridge would and that I can plow through 3 days growth and, it also has that old school feel. I like some blade feel but I also like to daily shave the cheeks, every second day I do the neck however as I say for my skin less passes with the sharpest blade possible seems to be the best for me.
I've been tossing up between these (but absolutely open to other recommendations)
1. Yates Custom OC (Ti head, SS baseplate and Ti handle)
2. Blackbird OC in SS
3.Tatara Masamune OC
4. RR Superslant OC L2++
Other razors start getting way out of my price range the Yates is my limit at $210 USD.
but then I'd stop buying unless it was antique or something. 
they're all probably great in there own ways.
