comfortable shave

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willy m

Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
255
ok guys here goes. i ive gotten tired of paying huge amts for mach 3 blades
so i went to a gillete de but it does not have the adjustable dial. im using gillette blades and ending up with alot of burn what can i do to make this more comfortable. i eventually want to go to a straight razor but dont have the cash to lay out for one. what kind of advice can u give me to get a more comfortable shave?
 
Watch your angle and pressure. It's a shallow angle and a light touch. It takes a week or two of adapting.

You may also want to try a few different blade types. www.westcoastshaving.com has some nice sampler packs at good prices. It's a good opportunity to try the major brands and see what works well for you in your razor.

What lather are you using?
 
Buy some Derby blades. Personna blades leave my face feeling as if I've shaved with a chainsaw. The first time I tried Derby blades (thanks, Gollnick) I knew I'd found my favorite.
Shark blades are nice, too, if you have a Gillette Superspeed, Tech, or an Adjustable.
Bic blades (thanks again, Gollnick) are sweet for me in a Superspeed or Shaving Factory Superspeed clone.

Which Gillette DE do you have? Is it a twist to open (TTO), such as a Superspeed?
If it's a Superspeed, is the TTO knob silver, blue, black, or red? If it's red, you may be better off with Derby, as the red tip is more aggressive than the silver and blue.
Is it a 3 piece (Old, New, Tech, etc)?

What shave soap/ cream are you using? Arko shave stick is good and only requires a brush, not a bowl to lather.
Noxzema cold cream or the generic equivalent, brushed on like shave soap, makes for a nice shave.
 
jaymo, wow alot of quest. i never realized it was so comp. to get a good comfortable shave. i have a twist open with a silver knob im not sure how old it is but its pretty old.
ive been making knives for a few years now and i hav been thinking about a straight razor quite a bit. the prices i found those for can be pretty high. but i think im gonna keep at it till i end up with a straight that i like. ive been using a brush and soap for a couple months now. i really had no idea that there were so many variables in brushes and soaps. i have a few straights i got at an antique shop that are hollow ground but im still working on choosing stones and strops let alone learning how to sharpen them yet to even consider using them to shave with yet. i did send to west coast shaving for the straight that uses half of a double edged blade and u choose between 3 holders that change length and stiffness. the one i got comes with the red holder and i believe ill try it till i get a regular straight im happy with and learn to sharpen it correctly.thanks,willy
 
I went from a Mach3 to a 1962 Gillette I got off Ebay about the 1st of this year. Using supermarket brand blades, I hacked myself up pretty good 1st go around.
Lay off pressing the blade onto your face; just get the angle right and everything gets better from there. A totally different technique than cartridge shaving.
Come to find out my sister had my Dad's old 1968 Adjustable Gillette so I tried that and use it at about 6-7 (about the same aggressiveness as the 1962 non adjustable).
Don't get in a hurry. Shave N-S then E-W and use a light touch. Keep your face wet.
You're golden.
HTH
 
If you have a twist to open Gillette that's not adjustable, and has a silver knob, it's probably a Super Speed. They are good razors, as well. I have one and like it a lot.
 
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