Safety Razors

Michael G

If you want to try an open comb, the http://http://www.shaving.ie/products/merkur-15c-open-comb-razor.html at €30 is a nice little razor at a good price. I've enjoyed using it. However my everyday razor is the http://www.shaving.ie/products/feather-as-d2s-stainless-razor-stand.html, which I bought about seven years ago. At €200 it is expensive, but it's a wonderful piece of design and engineering and I think it's a lifetime purchase.

Orion

I might try an open comb at some stage just to see if there's any difference. I have the Muhle R41 Grande so will probably just get the open comb head for that and use the same handle.

jpb1974

I find open comb razors tend to be way more aggresive, a lot more blade exposure. Personally, not a fan of the few I tried.

Michael G

jpb1974 wrote: »

I find open comb razors tend to be way more aggresive, a lot more blade exposure. Personally, not a fan of the few I tried.

http://www.shaving.iesays the Merkur 15C is one of the mildest of the open-combs, and from experience I would agree. I've used it a lot with Feather blades and had no problems at all; a lovely gentle but very close shave.

mynameis905

I had a 15C for a while and found it fairly mild also. One handy thing with the open combs is that if your angle is off you'll get trails left on your face as the blade is not making full contact. Could be handy for anyone starting out.

deadybai

Hi all,

Im thinking of investing a safety razor. Ive been shaving with mac 3 and Gillette fusion blades and also some horrendous disposable ones and I can find one I like. My skin is very sensitive and the irritation sometimes is unbearable. Plus I hate buying rip off blades from Gillette.

Would one of these blades be for me? Also what gels cream brushes etc would ye recommend? - ive no idea on any of that stuff.

colly10

I picked this up about a month ago and would highly recommend it -
http://www.shaving.ie/products/luxury-safety-razor-starter-kit.html

The shaving cream that came with it was TOBS Sandlewood which seems to be the favourite of many, irritation can be caused by rubbish cans of foam offering little protection.
The pack comes with alum block which you rub on your face when you've finished shaving, leave for a minute then you close your pores with cold water and use aftershave balm. It's very soothing.
It also comes with a number of sample blades so you can try each and see what suits your skin best.

People talk about a learning curve but i felt comfortable by my second shave and use the sharpest blade now (feathers). At the same time, theres plenty to learn so you should check out youtube videos on how to make a good bowl lather soaking your brush and how to shave generally (most people do 3 passes). If you pick it up without checking these first it probably won't work out well for you.
It takes longer to shave with a DE razor, no question, but I enjoy shaving with it and wouldn't consider going back. Good luck with it anyway

Orion

That's an excellent razor and cream. Basic brush but certainly good enough to get started. If you've sensitive skin then treat properly to open up the pores. Hot shower or hot towel and then run in some pre-shave balm. This one is excellent - the shea butter makes for a great glide.

darkmark79

Hi I'm new to this De shaving lark and have to say I'm loving the shave I'm getting with the Edwin Jagger and Tobs sandlewood shaving cream. Still learning but won't be going back to electric razor or mach 3. YouTube is your friend.

Azatadine

New to it as well. Got the starter kit from shaving.ie yesterday. Was pretty cagey for my first pass yesterday but more confident on the second and third pass. Didn't risk going against the grain yet...

Michael G

Cortecs wrote: »

New to it as well. Got the starter kit from shaving.ie yesterday. Was pretty cagey for my first pass yesterday but more confident on the second and third pass. Didn't risk going against the grain yet...

I'm at it for the best part of ten years now. I very seldom go against the grain, and never on my neck. Across the grain, at a slight slant, is generally enough.

Fakman87

Lads the biggest piece of advice I can give is when you are lathering, press hard into the bowl while you twist the brush. For about two years I was getting the weakest lather and thought it was due to my water but I actually wasn't pressing down hard enough while spinning the brush.

Michael G

Fakman87 wrote: »

Lads the biggest piece of advice I can give is when you are lathering, press hard into the bowl while you twist the brush. For about two years I was getting the weakest lather and thought it was due to my water but I actually wasn't pressing down hard enough while spinning the brush.

I agree. Also, something I have discovered is that when lathering cream (not soap) in a bowl I can get a lather more quickly and successfully by moving the brush anti-clockwise as well as clockwise. It doesn't make sense, but it seems to work.

Azatadine

I'm getting on pretty good with the face after a couple of days use. The neck is more tricky though.

I'm so used to the swivel heads on the mach 3 where I don't need to have a certain angle on the handle and it's taking me time to adjust to the fixed head. Haven't cut myself but I seem to end up with either too much or too little of an angle. Just more practice and familiarity required I guess.

colly10

Are you tilting you're head back (and back to the sides when doing the edges).
Think it's a general problem some have but i've never had it (maybe it cause i only ever shaved the neck against the grain with the cartridge)
Move your head so the skin is streched in whatever part of your neck your shaving

Azatadine

Yeah, I'm doing that alright. It's not too much of an issue anyway. I think getting my hand trained to hold the handle right is probably just going to take a little while.

On another note, I'd never heard of alum block. Didnt even know what it was in the kit box. What a revelation that thing is though! Really refreshing or something.

Azatadine

Another noob question...the blade that I used for a couple of days came with the handle. I think it was a muhle? Put a new blade in last night and used it tonight as well. It's a Gillette 7 o'clock. Seems much harsher and rougher than the other one. Is that my imagination? Going to change it out tomorrow for either an Astra or Feather? Are the Gillette blades less forgiving? I don't like that one at all. Doesn't even seem as good of a shave. Maybe it's just my inexperience though?

hitemfrank

You will find blades that don't suit you as you try them out. I much prefer the Gillette 7 o'clock blades to Muhle blades for example.

Just personal preference is all it comes down to really.

Orion

Feather are the least forgiving but the closest shave. My personal favourite are astras which are close shave but a little more forgiving than astras.

Azatadine

There's a pack of polsilver super iridium in the starter pack as well. I'll try one of each pack over the next few days.

Might leave the feathers till last.....sounds like they might be great but a little unforgiving for a noob.

I love the Taylor's sandlewood cream. Lovely clean smell off of it :-)

Orion

the polsilver are a good starter one to hone your technique. When you have that down pat you can move on to the more aggressive blades.

Orion

If you like the Taylor sandalwood cream wait until you try the GFT one - it's fantastic.

dr.fuzzenstein

Sorry, noob question. Skip to TL/DR if you want
I usually shave with the Aldi 3 blade system, find it alright, but clogs up with hair a lot. Considering switching to safety razor. I kinda like the look of this:
http://connaughtshaving.com/merkur38c.html
The question is not so much about the razor or the blades though, it's the shaving creme/gel. I shave in the shower, so soakage is not an issue, first wash, then rinse, then shaving gel and shave (and rinse again, of course )
I am happy with the way I do it, I am happy with the Lidl or Aldi shaving gel, since I am as soaked as it gets, it works very well for me.
I like the safety razor, but I do not want to start faffing about with soap, containers, brushes and what have you.

TL/DR: :P

Anyone shave with a safety razor but uses standard shaving gel? How's that working out for you?

Orion

Gel is crap. You'd be better sticking with cartridge razors using decent soap/cream than de razors with gel.

It's not hard and becomes part of your routine very quickly.

colly10

Cortecs wrote: »

There's a pack of polsilver super iridium in the starter pack as well. I'll try one of each pack over the next few days.

Might leave the feathers till last.....sounds like they might be great but a little unforgiving for a noob.

I love the Taylor's sandlewood cream. Lovely clean smell off of it :-)

Leave the feathers till you feel comfortable with the other blades. I like them the best but they are the least forgiving. I think after that it's the astra then the 7 o clock.
I do like the 7 o clock, gives a nice close shave for a blade that feels more forgiving. People do have different feelings about the same blade though, if you end up feeling the same about a few of the others maybe check out a few videos on technique

beardybrewer

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

TL/DR: :P

Anyone shave with a safety razor but uses standard shaving gel? How's that working out for you?

There is nothing wrong with sticking with standard foam/gel. As a matter of fact, it is probably a smart idea to change fewer variables so that you can focus on adjusting to your new safety razor and develop your technique.

It took me much longer to know how to whip up a great lather with any soap than it did for me to learn my razor. Soap and brush does have it's advantages, but you can check those out later.

Orion

Get a cream instead of a soap. Water quality is too variable so soap experience varies with it. I can't get a good lather from a soap. But with cream I can. And it feels so much better than gels. Much better for your skin too.

beardybrewer

And if you ever get ingrown hairs the brush helps with that too. A good soap/cream will outperform canned goo in terms of a superior cushion and glide. Also they're good for your skin and some smell fantastic.

Azatadine

Changed the Gillette to a Polsilver this evening and it suits me a million times better. Much much smoother!! It actually glided over my skin on the second and third pass and I didn't even feel it but it was giving me a lovely shave.

Maybe it's a combination of better lather, shaving technique and the blade but I'm delighted with myself sitting here feeling my smooth shave. Still careful on the jaw and Adams Apple but much much better.

colly10

Cortecs wrote: »

Changed the Gillette to a Polsilver this evening and it suits me a million times better. Much much smoother!! It actually glided over my skin on the second and third pass and I didn't even feel it but it was giving me a lovely shave.

Maybe it's a combination of better lather, shaving technique and the blade but I'm delighted with myself sitting here feeling my smooth shave. Still careful on the jaw and Adams Apple but much much better.

Good stuff, maybe try the 7 o clock again after a few shaves and see if ye prefer it. Is it the greens? My adams apple doesn't really stick out but i've heard holding a swallow helps with this. Put your finger over it and try and it'll hopefully make sense