Another Experiment

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gadgetgeek

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May 19, 2007
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The other day I picked up a nice little gillette tech at the antique dealer the other day. Now I've picked up some blades, bic, derby, astra, iridium, and feather. I wonder what I'll learn? either way, I've got a long lasting shave system for about the cost of a couple months of cartridges. DE blades are quite cheap. I think I may start trying to get everyone I know to switch, Even an expensive DE handle will be paid for in no time.
 
gadgetgeek said:
The other day I picked up a nice little gillette tech at the antique dealer the other day. Now I've picked up some blades, bic, derby, astra, iridium, and feather. I wonder what I'll learn? either way, I've got a long lasting shave system for about the cost of a couple months of cartridges. DE blades are quite cheap. I think I may start trying to get everyone I know to switch, Even an expensive DE handle will be paid for in no time.
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I have been on a buying binge for the last month, and all have been decent shavers, but keeping a few "as new" examples with cases and shipping the rest out to close friends and family to do my part, along with a 5 pack of Derby blades...it's actually quite subversive and fun, if you think about it!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I have been the lucky receipient of two of Steve's packages. I've already commented a bit about the first. I'll say more about it eventually and will say some about the second shortly when I get a few more shaves in with it. But, I will say already that they are both easy-to-use and give a great shave.


gadgetgeek said:
Now I've picked up some blades, bic, derby, astra, iridium, and feather.
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Feathers are the best I've tried, but the most expensive per-shave.

Bic is 90+% of Feather for 33% of the per-shave price. Bic is, in my opinion, the best value blade. These I like a lot. I also love their 100% recyclable packaging... no plastic at all.

Derbys are the consistency king. If I was playing the Johny Appleseed of DE shaving, Derby would be my choice since it absolutely minimizes the chance of a first-timer being discouraged by a bad blade. Derby is an excellent blade which gives great shaves and is just about 100% consistent.

Astra I tried and posted extended comments on here a few months ago. Bottom line: nice, but I'd rather have Bics.

And Super Iridium I just got the other day but have not tried since I am curently in razor evaluation mode.



I wonder what I'll learn?
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I think you'll learn how to get a geat shave for less money and maybe even enjoy it a bit. I think you'll learn to be more connected in your shave and more present in it. I find it nice to focus on this for ten minutes each morning. It's very calming and centering.



either way, I've got a long lasting shave system for about the cost of a couple months of cartridges. DE blades are quite cheap. I think I may start trying to get everyone I know to switch, Even an expensive DE handle will be paid for in no time.
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I did the math in another thread recently and I conclude that a DE shaver can easily shave $375 per year. Even a very fancy DE razor is paid for in months. And this is REAL savings... over a dollar per day. It's not hard to see where this savings comes from when you consider that cartridges cost $30 for a five-pack and DE blsdes are $1 for a pack of five. Plus, you will quickly be getting DE shaves that are substantially better than your cartridge-and-can shaves. A DE shave takes a few more minutes (mine takes about three more minutes), but that's not much.
 
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Well, first shave with the Bic blade last night, and I can put down a few preliminary conclusions:
1. This won't replace my straights. That said, it has given me a new place to shoot for when it comes to blade sharpness. that Bic blade just slid through the hair. very nice.
2. My straight technique is not as good as it could be, but it is getting better all the time, so I think i won't worry too much
3. this will definitely be in my travel kit, while I can travel with straights, it is much bulkier kit than the little DE
4. I will begin converting people I know. I know a few guys who don't have the inclination or patients for straights, but a DE would be perfect for them.

If I wasn't already quite happy with how my straight shaving is going, I'd totally switch to DE. But as a backup and travel system, I've found a winner. the DE is less satisfying to me as a shave, but still orders of magnitude over and above the cartridge, and at the end of the day, it gets the job done, no question about that.

To anyone looking for a good shave with minimal learning curve and great return, DE is where its at. Straights aren't for everyone, and neither are DE, some people just don't like a good shave.
 
I personally reach for the DE when I need a quick shave.

I don't like the idea to hurry with a straight. I'm so pretty, wouldn't want to ruin that ;)
 
Tried the Iridiums for the last few shaves, feels good, but I think I like the bics better, maybe 5% difference. I also did four shaves on the iridium, so I was getting into the "less sharp" zone, I think. I'll try a Feather later next week, and then come up with an experiment system. I want to see which blade gives a good shave with just shave oil, to make an ultra-light travel kit. (my bag for my straights and kit is bigger than my fiance's make-up bag, not good)

As for changes to my straight technique, I've lowered my angle a lot, and I'm trying to get my left hand to listen better, so I've started doing the left side of my face WTG with my left hand.

I have another DE coming in via trade, so I'll be letting my fiance try that so she can loose the cartridges as well, even though she uses "man" razors cuz they are cheaper than the lady version, but identical.

as for speed with the DE, I can do a DE shave as fast as with a cartridge, Even including lather time, because the DE first pass is as good as two with the cartridge.

Life is good!
 
Where can I buy DE razors? I haven't seen one since my dad used one when I was a kid.
 
new ones can be had on amazon, antiques from ebay and the like. once you start looking, you'll find them.
 
Which DE razors and blades are good ones, and which ones should I avoid?
Am I better off with an adjustable, or a nonadjustable?
Called my dad tonight, to discuss my idea of switching over from cartridges to a DE razor, and he told me, "That's what I'm going to do, just as soon as I use up all my cartridge blades". He has an old Gillette with a black(if I remember from 25 years ago) handle. It's an adjustable with the missile silo doors. IIRC, he used Gillette blades in a spring loaded pack where the blades came out the end and you could put the used blades inside the bottom of the blade pack, for disposal.

Also, what shave soap and brushes do you recommend?

Dad told me that he thinks he still has my grandfather's AND great-grandfather's DE razors. He thinks he has 3 or 4 extra razors, total. If he can find them, he said he'll give me one. I'll say it right now, I love my dad. He's the greatest.
I think he's just glad that we're on the same page about this, and that this is something we can share. He was happy to hear that the DE razor is making a comeback.
I told him to let me know when he needs to order soap and blades, and I'll order his and mine both at the same time and save on shipping.
6 bucks for 10 blades versus about 30 bucks for 3 or 4 Fusion cartridges. I can't afford NOT to shave. Considering the Merkur Vision costs less than a top of the line electric, and doesn't need expensive batteries and blades, I think even an expensive DE razor is a huge money saver.

I got a free Schick Quattro through the mail around Christmas. It came with 2 cartridges. Both cartridges tore my face up. Bad razor rash.
 
Jaymo said:
Which DE razors and blades are good ones, and which ones should I avoid?
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You can pick up nice used Gilette's on eBay all the time in the $15-25 range. Look for the adjustable, twist-to-open models. Ask Kohai999 to point out a few good ones for you.

Otherwise, I like my Merkur Futur a lot. But, it's a pricey razor, $60-65 typically. It will, however, be a lifetime investment for you since it is so well-made. The Merkur Progress is also well-reputed and a bit less expensive; I've never tried one.

I like www.classicshaving.com and www.westcoastshaving.com for supplies.




Am I better off with an adjustable, or a nonadjustable?
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I have never used a non-adjustable. It makes about as much sense to me as one-size-fits-all dress shirts. It takes a few shaves to get your adjustable dialed in, but, then again, you can get it dialed in. With a fixed razor, it'll either be perfect or not... most likely not.


Also, what shave soap and brushes do you recommend?
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I have the matching Merkur brush for my Futur. A few hairs fell out in the first few days, but I think you have to expect that. Now, I loose one hair every eight or ten weeks. It's that solid. Properly used and cared for, this thing will easily last ten years of daily use. Again, it's sort of pricey, $80-90 to buy, but DE Shaving is the thinking man's way to shave because you have to think about the long-term savings, not the up-front cost. This is the only shaving brush I have ever used, so I have nothing to compare to. The first time I used it, though, I really felt as though I was in the proverbial lap of luxury; it's just soft and luxurious on your face. What a nice way to start the day, eh?

As for soap, my experience is limited. I had a scrap of C&E and couldn't get a good lather from it and didn't particularly care for the fregrance either. I tried Classic Shaving Soap from classicshaving.com and thought it was good, but the Fresh Lime fregrance (the only one I tried) was very sweet and artificial. I now use soap from http://www.thegentlemensquarter.com/category.php?cid=1 and I find the lather great and the fregrances very nice too. I especially like Black Code and Lime Margareta, but that is just a personal preference thing. One nice thing about shaving soaps is that they don't generally leave a strong fregrance behind since you rinse well after your shave.


6 bucks for 10 blades
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Wow! I don't know what DE Blades are $6 for 10. Feathers are about $40 for 100 (which come as ten packs for ten so you could split them between two of you). BICs are $20 for 100 (which come as ten packs of 10). Derbys are about $25 for 100 (which come as twenty packs of five).


versus about 30 bucks for 3 or 4 Fusion cartridges. I can't afford NOT to shave. Considering the Merkur Vision costs less than a top of the line electric, and doesn't need expensive batteries and blades, I think even an expensive DE razor is a huge money saver.
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I like the way you think. Another thinking man.
 
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Personally, I love my gillette tech, but I guess its a case of, it fits.
Did a test on the weekend, feather blade and cromwell cruthers shave oil, and it worked alright. a work-day shave. the problem I had was I didn't feel like it would be a good idea to do more than one pass. but for an ultra-small shaving setup its perfect. Using soap and with good prep, two passes with the feather produces a great shave.
But the straights will still be my general every-day shave.


as far as soaps, I'm liking Mitchell's wool fat soap, as well as Straight Razor Designs soap. you should be able to get william's mug soap in most drug stores, which is passable.
Theirs Issard makes some nice brushes, and Omega brushes generally review well.
 
Don't know if it's so much a case of me being a thinking man, though I do appreciate the compliment. I am a bit jaded and cynical. I don't trust anyone who's trying to separate me from my money. It just seems like the cartridge blades were a well thought out long term plan for making lots of money off us shavers. Start off selling them cheap. Start off with a 2 blade cartridge that gives a shave worlds better than an electric. Then jack up the cartridge price. Then, each time you introduce a new cartridge with more blades, make sure the blades for it are now sharper than the ones you sell for your last generation razor. Sensor gave a great shave for a cartridge razor, until the Mach III came out. Then the new Sensor blades started to feel like Bic disposables. Same thing happened to the Mach III blades once the Fusion came out.

But there is no planned obsolescence with the DE blade manufacturers. Good new DE blades seem to shave just as well as the old ones did. They're not trying to convince you to give up their regular blade for a new and "improved" product.

I think Gillette should bring back their 1960s/1970s adjustable DE razors, like my dad has. They should make them in the USA/Europe, and they should sell good blades for them, too.
But, that's just the opinion of a jaded, sarcastic, cynic who's sick of getting a poor shave.
 
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