Just Had my First DE Shave

gundude73

gundude73

Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Messages
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well today i got my DE razor in, a merkur, and figured it was time for my first DE shave :D

i used the sample blade that came with the razor, it was a merkur brand platinum coated blade which worked like a champ.

prior to starting i had watched a few videos with tips and techniques for a better DE shave. i didnt press too hard, i kept the razor at a consistent angle, and i divided my face into "facets", i think these pre-steps helped in shaving cut free :thumbup: . usually i look upon shaving as a chore and i am just trying to get done fast. but this was quite enjoyable. i also think the merkur looks much classier than my gillette fusion ;)

i will update this thread as i try out the different blades, i think i will try a Bic brand blade when i shave next. thanks to Gollnick and "the gentleman's quarter" for the DE shaving starter set. :thumbup:

here is a picture i took of the razor
merkurrazor.jpg


edit: i also tried some of the cologne from the starter pac, it smells good :D
 
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sorry about my ignorance on DE razors but do you have to replace the blade after every shave?

it's a cool way to shave. I'm thinking about shaving with a straight razor.. though I don't know if I trust myself with one around my face/neck area.
 
sbl212 said:
sorry about my ignorance on DE razors but do you have to replace the blade after every shave?
it's a cool way to shave. I'm thinking about shaving with a straight razor.. though I don't know if I trust myself with one around my face/neck area.
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i believe each blade lasts about ~10 shaves, depends on how thick your beard is though.
 
Nice. Colleen at TGQ has some great products and is a pleasure to deal with. Enjoy. :thumbup: See how many shaves you get out of a blade. I usually get about 5 shaves, but experiment.

Straight razor shaving isn't particularly "dangerous". You'd be surprised how quickly you pull the blade off your face once it bites. The worst injuries I've heard of are generally to the hands while honing, etc. It does take a commitment of time and patience to learn though.

Jordan
 
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Gundude73,

I'm glad you had such a good result. That is a fine razor which, with minor care, will last you for the rest of your life (much to the dismay of Gillette). The heavy chrome plating on Merkur razors will last a lifetime and will look great in your bathroom (you may even want to get a stand to display I instead of hiding it in a drawer). If the chrome does dull (due to hard water deposits building up), a dab a Flitz polish will bring it back in minutes. Rinse it after each shave (no, you do not need to open or disassemble it or remove the blade, just rinse it under running water for a few seconds). Two or three times a year, run an old toothbrush through it. That's it. And you need never buy another razor in your life.

As for blades, the life will depend on:

1) The blade itself; some brands last longer than others

2) Your beard; a heavy, tough beard will obviously dull the blade faster

3) Your standards; if you insist on a five-pass shave-to-perfection every day, then both your more demanding shave and your higher standard for the result will put more demand on the blade

Most guys report four to 14 shaves-per-blade. Keep in mind that, when purchased a hundered at a time, DE blades cost ten to 20 cents each. So, the blade cost for a DE shave is just a few cents-per-shave. Contrast this with most cartridges which typically cost $20-30 for a package of four or five and may deliver ten shaves each. One advantage of the low cost of DE blades is that there is no need to accept a shave with a sub-optimal blade. There is no need to "stretch" a blade. If a blade is at all less than sharp, just splurge three cents and replace it. There is no economic need to settle for a dull blade or even try to eek out one more shave.
 
thats good to know about the finish on the razor, i was lucky enough to be able to buy it in a store and buy what i thought felt best.
one other advantage, at least for me, is how fast i can clean the razor. it screws apart, i wash it off, dry it, and put it back together in less then a minute. :thumbup:
 
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you don't really need to take it apart to clean it. Just twist the head half a turn, rinse hot water threw the head, shake and blow dry, then tighten and put it away.

also try and settle down on a blade for a week or two and get your technique down before jumping around too much. Bic's may not be the best to start with. but neither are the merkurs. I've never used a bic, so this is just speculation. But they're on the aggressive sharp side.

congratulations on the shave, may you enjoy your new hobby.
 
Congrats!!
DE Shaving is the top of the line :cool:

I will have to say that many people including myself consider Merkur Blades to be the bottom of the barrel and overpriced. Merkur makes great razors but mediocre blades.
I myself use Gillette Super Thin blades which are less than twenty bucks per one hundred blades shipped. One blade lasts me seven shaves.

My razor is a Bull Mastiff Gillette Old Type


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Nice old razor you show there, that open-comb style should make for a very close shave.

I agree absolutely about Merkur.Their razors are very satisfying but their blades too anaemic for my tastes, they won't get near close and they're dear.

I've discovered that 'resting' a blade for a few days and using another one in another razor works, but why? This is incomprehensible but it seems to be true, but why would a blade regain some keeness in edge from being rested? I also turn my blades over between shaves and this seems to have an effect. 4 peerless shaves from a Feather, 2 more OK ones and then after that they won't have it. But it is all to do with beard and the closeness of shave you demand. despite having a coarse beard I only shave every other day, it gives the razor more to bite on and it delivers a closer irritation free shave in my view. Many women are keen on stubble too and that is no drawback.....
 
thanks for the comments guys! interesting about the merkur blades, thanks for the heads up :thumbup:

one question i have is how far should i tighten the head down? all the way then off a little bit? i would imagine the blade needs a little bit of space from the razor to function to its full potential.
 
In my experience, you should clamp it down tight.This allows correct angle/pressure. Leave it loose and this could cut you.
 
gundude73 said:
thanks for the comments guys! interesting about the merkur blades, thanks for the heads up :thumbup:

one question i have is how far should i tighten the head down? all the way then off a little bit? i would imagine the blade needs a little bit of space from the razor to function to its full potential.
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No! Tighten it down all the way, as this is how it is designed to work. The razor has the "little bit of space" engineered into it. When you tighten the razor, it will have the correct gap.
 
tighten it all the way, but don't pull the threading out. just past snug. your handle is pretty slim, so you probably couldn't wreck it if you tried.

I like that old heavy Gillette. gonna keep my eyes open for one.
 
Just got my first DE razor this afternoon, a Merkur 178 Classic. Opening that box was almost as good as getting a new knife. The razor is heavy, solid, and nicely made. I feel like I actually got something for my money, which was not how I felt when I brought home disposables and cartridges.

I had done some reading and watched a few videos, so I was somewhat prepared for my first shave, and it went really well. It wasn't as difficult as I was expecting. The main difference is that I really enjoyed the shave.

I bought a couple of packs of Merkur blades to get started with, but I'm looking forward to getting my technique down and trying some Derby's and Dorco's.

I wish I would have started off with one of these when I first started shaving. Would have saved myself a lot of money and razor burn.
 
My preference is the Droco St301, a very gentle blade to shave with. they take an extra pass or two to get a good close shave, but being so gentle you can get away with it. I have also found my Dorcos to be very consistent from one blade to the next. They are also the blade I am using while I have to shave with my wrong hand. I had no luck with the Drebys, they just didn't suit my style/technique well, but others love them so I will not say they are a bad blade, just not for me.

I know what you are saying about enjoying shaving now, I use to look at shaving as a chore and spending money on blades as a necessary evil, now its just a pleasure and something I look forward to doing.
 
eleven said:
Just got my first DE razor this afternoon, a Merkur 178 Classic. Opening that box was almost as good as getting a new knife. The razor is heavy, solid, and nicely made. I feel like I actually got something for my money....
Click to expand...

Not only did you get something, but so did you children and grandchildren. With very little care, this thing will last for your lifetime of daily use and well beyond... which is how something like this should be.

Buy quality and you only cry once.
 
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