First DE razor?

Been using my old Gillette Adjustable DE for about 50+ years; just use warm water, no lather or soap. Did buy a spare at a yard sale and cleaned it up and sterilized it just in case my original one craps out or I drop it and damage it.
Rich
 
I second the idea of old Gilettes. I have had good success with them. My favourite blades are Astras.
 
Well a week or so back I received a package from Steve AKA RetiredGuns. He sent me a variety of diffrent blades. In the meantime I had picked up a pack of feathers blades. Oh man they are super sharp. Basically they are so sharp I can't go against the grain on my neck at all. The same thing with the Derby extra blades. So I just tried one of the samples that Steve sent. First off was the Gillette 7 O'clock super platinum. This blade has given me the best shave yet. With finally being able to make a second pass against the grain on my neck. This may be my choice blade. But still going to try the others for sure.
 
GLOCKCRAZZ said:
Well a week or so back I received a package from Steve AKA RetiredGuns. He sent me a variety of diffrent blades. In the meantime I had picked up a pack of feathers blades. Oh man they are super sharp. Basically they are so sharp I can't go against the grain on my neck at all. The same thing with the Derby extra blades. So I just tried one of the samples that Steve sent. First off was the Gillette 7 O'clock super platinum. This blade has given me the best shave yet. With finally being able to make a second pass against the grain on my neck. This may be my choice blade. But still going to try the others for sure.
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He, He, He, just had to try out those Feather blades first eh.:) You need a sharp blade for a close shave but it also has to be smooth for the close shave to be comfortable. With Feather blades, I think, they have pushed sharpness over smoothness to the point where they can be a bit harsh especially if you put any pressure on the blade. One of the hardest things to learn is how little, if any, pressure on the blade is needed to get a good shave.

Been having good results with Gillette Silver Blue blades lately.

Bob
 
Blades are a really individual thing, this is the wonder and sometimes frustration of DE shaving, but there's one out there for you. Personally, Feathers are suitable for me and I shave against the grain and in all directions. I don't shave every day only every two and this gives the blade something to really 'bite' into, the result an ultra close and burn free shave. works for me but we're all different.

One aspect of DE shaving that many people mention is 'pressure' they say avoid it. This I believe is only partially true. I started shaving with DE then they became semi extinct, I used cartridges and canned slime for years (NEVER AGAIN and the expense:eek::barf: ) went back to DE about 10 years ago due to availability on the internet. At first it was a bloodbath as I was applying excessive 'pressure' I'd got accustomed to very very lightweight razors and a DE is heavy by contrast, it will cut closely using its own weight that's the pressure thing. Actually, it's ANGLE that's key.

As for ideal DE razor I'd like to try an old one but some of the prices on the Bay are monstrous, it's hard for me in Europe to access these older razors at reasonable cost. I have a few Merkurs but the plating on them is not very good anymore, a silver plated open comb Merkur I have is good quality but it's too mild. In contrast, I have an open comb Muehle and it's a nutter, you cannot shave with this without frequent slicing of the skin and blood aaarhjhh!:D:eek:

Thanks, Will
 
Have been using my 1964 vintage Gillette slim adjustable that I received as a gift when I graduated HS in 64.
I prefer the Mekur or Wilkinson blades.
 
Years ago I standardized on IP Red (Israeli red Personnas...) Each razor behaves a little differently. Once we figure out the angle and setting, it's more about practice and less about pressure.
 
The D/E razor was first sold by King Camp Gillette in 1903 for the sole purpose of selling his freshly-patented disposable razor blades. The 112-year-old innovation works as well today, as it did then.

I learned to shave in 1968 at the age of 13 with a gold-plated Gillette non-adjustable, "El Presidente" razor manufactured sometime during the 1940's. My father gave me that razor... It was wonderful!

God help me, I miss that man.

Captain O
 
I definitely don't recommend using Feathers as a first blade. They are extremely sharp and unforgiving, even for experienced DE shavers. Merkur, Gillette, or Derby blades are good for beginners. I would also suggest an adjustable for the first time DE shaver, so that he can get a sense of the requirements of his beard and his comfort level. I use a MERKUR MK-510001 Progress razor. It is not too expensive ($80), is adjustable and easy to use. Start at the first setting (1) and adjust from there to find which setting works best for you. Proraso pots and a decent brush will give you what you need to begin without costing too much. A good after shave balm is essential. After trying many, I have settled on the balms you find at the Body Shop for under $20 per tube. Good luck.
 
GLOCKCRAZZ said:
I brought a EJ89 razor and a parker silvertip brush. The razor came with a 5 pack of derby extra blades. Guess I'll try these out first.
Been using col conk lime soap with my cartridge razor.
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I bought an absurd number of Derby blades a couple years ago. Odds are I'll die with a pile of them yet to be touched.

They shave my face. Honestly, I'm not interested in taking shaving to an extreme and shooting for baby butt smooth and all that. I do like my c&o bigelow copy of the proraso green eucalyptus shaving cream and badger brush, that is kind of a daily luxury for me. It hardly takes me any time at all. I put a pea-sized dot of cream in the palm of my hand, then use a hot/wet brush to make a LITTLE lather in my hand, then scoop it up in the brush and work it into a lather right on my face.

Once I got used to my merkur futur, I haven't felt a need to try anything else. I don't scrape my skin much, it does the job, blades last me a long time. Buy 'em by the thousand on eBay.
 
I used the Merkur 34C for a very long time which did me well. It's a true classic, but I recently upgraded to the Feather All Stainless Steel safety razor which is absolutely amazing! It did cost a pretty penny though but I thought it was worth it. This is a good article on the best safety razors that separates them between price ranges so you can see which ones are good based on your budget. Good luck! Whatever you get, your going to love it a hell of a lot more than those cartridge razors.
 
RetiredGuns said:
The EJ89 is a great head and can be tailored with desired blade. I have been through 25+ razors and it is my favorite. I did splurge on a Bulldog handle as the original is slick. You can always rub your fingers on an alum block for grip. If you find those blades a bit harsh, keep trying others until you find the sweet spot. I'd be willing to send you 4-5 different blades to sample. PM me if interested.

The knurling and weight of the Bulldog will turn that EJ into a top shelf razor.

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Late to the party on this one, but Amazon has the EJ89 "Kelvin" variant which gives you the knurling out of the box. Tried one for the first time today: a little more aggressive than my Gillette, but overall a very good shave, even with the included Derby blade.
 
With the Bulldog, it's not just the knurling but the weight that changes the razor's dynamics. It really makes it a better razor.
 
Fair enough; but the Kelvin is fairly weighty itself. Never tried a stock EJ89, though. The weight reminds me of my Merkur Slant, noticeably heavier than my Superspeed, and vastly heavier than my original (mostly) plastic Feather.
 
gillete fatboy for the win! the adjustable feature made it very easy and forgiving to learn with, picked one off the fleaBay for 20 bucks
 
GLOCKCRAZZ said:
I'll have to look into picking up a puck.
Soaps and creams are crazy overwhelming on which ones to try. I wish there was a place to get smaller sample. $3 or $5 soaps are not bad but $15 and up soaps without been able to at least smell them. It's hard to order a few at those prices.
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Check out www.etsy.com

A lot of artisan soap makers sell on there. I am making my own and currently experimenting with the amount of bentonite clay to add. Too slick, and you lose the ability to get a close shave. Too little and you don't get a slick shave. PM me your address and I'll send you a puck or two to try. I try for a moisturizing bar about 3" across. Lathers well and so far, works like a champ. I alternate between a DE, straight and modern and my current offering is pretty smooth. It is made with rice bran oil, coconut oil, tallow, shea butter, sweet almond oil, lye (of course) and bay rum scented oil. I don't sell my pucks yet as I am still getting the recipe down. But you are welcome to a puck to try and provide feedback.

~Britt
 
TexnnSc said:
Check out www.etsy.com

A lot of artisan soap makers sell on there. I am making my own and currently experimenting with the amount of bentonite clay to add. Too slick, and you lose the ability to get a close shave. Too little and you don't get a slick shave. PM me your address and I'll send you a puck or two to try. I try for a moisturizing bar about 3" across. Lathers well and so far, works like a champ. I alternate between a DE, straight and modern and my current offering is pretty smooth. It is made with rice bran oil, coconut oil, tallow, shea butter, sweet almond oil, lye (of course) and bay rum scented oil. I don't sell my pucks yet as I am still getting the recipe down. But you are welcome to a puck to try and provide feedback.

~Britt
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Sure I'd appreciate that. I'll be happy to give you a review and feedback.
You need to change your profile to accept email or PM messages. Then I can send you a message with my address.
 
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