Recommendations for DE Safety Razor

Autorotation

Hi all. I'm looking for some recommendations before I make a purchase of a DE razor (which I have decided on having read the posts here!). I have very thick bristles and quite dense. I stopped using sensor, quattro razors, etc etc about 15 years ago when I was 20 when it just became too painful to shave with those cartridge razors. I tried them all, and have tried many other ones since when new ones came out with an extra blade or whatever, but I just never found them sharp enough to cut through my stubble. Except they'd actually pull the hairs out of my face. I went on to electric shaving with a foil, finishing off with a bit of wet shaving around the neck once most of it was cut down, and have done that every day since. Last year, I found to my amazement (by accident) that Bic disposable razors are actually way sharper than the other more expensive Sensors, etc. They will shave me but still with a bit of tugging. So I've now found this area on boards about DE razors and I'm willing to give them a go! So what sort of razor and blades would you recommend!?... Thanks

Gran Hermano

Merkur HD, also known as 34c
Merkur Progress
Edwin Jagger Chatsworth
Muhle R89
Muhle R106


Any of the above would suit your needs, there are not too aggressive
and the Progress has the advantage in that it's adjustable so you can make
it as aggressive as you like/need.

As for blades, pick up as many different sample packs as you can and find one that suits you. Red Personna or IP Crystals are a good starter blade.

Shaving.ie

I just started using an Edwin Jagger DE89L as I wanted to try out the EJ/Muhle razor head. Its early days yet but from initial impressions I have to say it is all round an excellent razor. It both looks and feels very well made and I would seriously consider any safety razor that shares this head.

Improbable

I would personally go for the Merkur Progress and sample pack of razors as Hermano suggested. Also make sure to get a decent quality shaving brush, prefferably badger hair and some shaving cream.

MediaTank

Progress - the only razor you will ever need.

Dord

I just recently switched to shaving with a safety razor from using cartridge razors. I'm using the Merkur 34c and find it great. There's no dragging, it just glides over. The lather is an important part of this also. Another thing is that it doesn't get clogged up and unusable after one shave like some of the cartridge razors I've used! That annoyed the hell out of me.

padi89

Hmm ... well plenty of recommendations here for the progress but my advice from my own experience would be to stay clear. I could never get a decent shave out of mine, for me it it was a complete waste of money. The adjustability is a bit of a gimmick IMO and for starting out i think it adds too much variation where getting the blade choice and technique is most important. No matter how much i adjusted mine it could never shave as good as my Gillette Red Tip and i also tried the EJDE89L recently and this is also a much better shaver than the progress. I have similar stubble to you, the hairs are thick but mine aren't too dense. A Gillette Red Tip and a Feather blade works wonders for me, a smooth shave with no irritation.
Supposedly this is an aggressive combination but i completely disagree, for me it's the complete opposite, i use fewer stokes and passes and i get no drag whatsoever leaving a close shave and my skin feeling great. A "milder" razor and blade for me means more passes and dragging resulting in an uncomfortable shave with irritation.

Star Lord

Dord wrote: »

I just recently switched to shaving with a safety razor from using cartridge razors. I'm using the Merkur 34c and find it great. There's no dragging, it just glides over. The lather is an important part of this also. Another thing is that it doesn't get clogged up and unusable after one shave like some of the cartridge razors I've used! That annoyed the hell out of me.

Hey Dord is it the standard 34c you got or the 34cHD?
I've the 34cHD myself, and it's a fantastic razor IMHO. I've used it with the no-brand Israeli blades (http://www.shaving-shack.com/10-israeli-made-double-edged-razor-blades.html), Derbys and Feathers, and gotten great shaves with each of them, but am starting to prefer the Feathers.

Shaving.ie

All 34c's are HD's. The 33c is the lighter varient with a slimmer handle.

Dord

DamoElDiablo wrote: »

Hey Dord is it the standard 34c you got or the 34cHD?
I've the 34cHD myself, and it's a fantastic razor IMHO. I've used it with the no-brand Israeli blades (http://www.shaving-shack.com/10-israeli-made-double-edged-razor-blades.html), Derbys and Feathers, and gotten great shaves with each of them, but am starting to prefer the Feathers.

As shaving.ie says, the 34c is the HD.