Questions about DE shaving? ASk in here.

hitemfrank

Prompted by Unregistered. looking for advice to switch to using a safety razor (DE razor), I figured we may as well have a thread for anyone interested in switching over to using a DE.

Any questions you have, ask away and I'll try answer them. I'm sure others will offer good advice too.

unklerosco

I recently picked up a Wilkinson Sword DE razor n blades (cheap €6 job u get in boots etc.) I have a beard and only shave to keep it in shape, basically my neck and upper cheek areas. Was tired of wasting money on razors with 3-5 blades and found the DE blade to actually give a much quicker and easier shave.. Haven't had any nics, no razor burn and it's possible to shave with long stubble, something I could never do with a 3+ blade razor, would always have to take out the beard trimmer first..

Anyway's, just wondering if it would be worth my while picking up a new razor to replace the Gillette and what blades would you recommend? My facial hair is a cross between hair and titanium... Comes in handy when I run out of sandpaper and need to strip paint off a door!

hitemfrank

I assume you meant a new razor to replace the Wilkinson Sword one. If it's working for you there isn't really much need. However, if you fancy something nicer there are plenty of options. This Edwin Jagger would do nicely. It is a bit pricey compared to the Wilkinson Sword but it should last your lifetime if cared for.

For blades I'd say pick up a sampler pack from shaving.ie - there are two different ones but either will do (here & here). Different people like different blades so trying out different ones will help you find your ideal one.

Unregistered.

So at the moment I'm using Gillette fusion with shave cream. I usually do 2 passes, wtg and xtg.

What do i need to change when using DE? More or less passes? I aim with using the cartridge razors is to prevent razor bumps to i try not to do too many passes. Will DE help with ingrown hairs/ bumps?

hitemfrank

One of the main advantages of the DE is that it can really help with ingrown hairs if you suffer from them. This doesn't mean that it definitely will sort it out for you but it had a good chance to do so if you put in the time and effort.

A shave brush and a good cream is much nicer than shave foam so you should pick some up if you don't have them already.

Preperation before your shave may help you out too. What do you do before you shave? Do you shave after a shower?

More or less passes is up to you. Two passes is what I do to get a nice shave - it's not as close as I could get by doing more passees but it leaves me without any irritation and it's looks more than acceptable.

Unregistered.

I usually wash face in shower and use brush + cream or the gel in a can. Any suggestions on razors/ blades for beginners?

hitemfrank

The Edwin Jagger and the sample packs I linked to in the second post would be a good start.

Just take the shaves slow and focus on getting the blade angle correct. It can be tough to start with but when you get it right you should start noticing results quickly.

Just to show you what a difference it can make for razor bumps, here is a thread from Badger & Blade.

Compare the pictures in the first post with those in this post. Now he did let his beard grow out a bit to let the irritation calm down but there is a huge difference.

Walter Sobchak III

Once a year for the last 25 years or so I have treated myself to a hot towel shave in a well known establishment on Westmoreland St, Dublin 2. As a consequence of these visits I have always wanted to try and replicate the results at home with little or no sucess.
Until a couple of years ago a brother of mine who lives in New York brought me home shaving stuff as a present. It was Art of Shaving products. The starter pack contained a brush, pre-shave oil and shaving cream. At the time I was using the gels and and what not but still the cartridges blades.
The longer I used stuff the more and more I became interested whether I was using the brush etc properly. My wife also bought me a book a short time after by a guy called Anders Larsen. The title of the book is "Sharp Practice: The Real Man's Guide to Shaving." A really quirky good read covering everything from the history of shaving to the use of strops and honing a straight razor. With a name like Anders Larsen you would think he was from a Nordic country but he was born in Dublin. I am open to correction on this of course.
I started using DE blades as a result of all of this and I have to say that shaving for me is never a chore. In fact its nearly a hobby, with all the shaving products on offer and available from all over Europe. Its my guilty pleasure every morning. I will never go back to using overhyped commercial sub standard muck.

Unregistered.

hitemfrank wrote: »

The Edwin Jagger and the sample packs I linked to in the second post would be a good start.

Just take the shaves slow and focus on getting the blade angle correct. It can be tough to start with but when you get it right you should start noticing results quickly.

Just to show you what a difference it can make for razor bumps, here is a thread from Badger & Blade.

Compare the pictures in the first post with those in this post. Now he did let his beard grow out a bit to let the irritation calm down but there is a huge difference.

That's unreal!! Should pressure be much more/less than a cartridge razor? Been watching videos on Youtube all day, there's a couple up there by a guy called The Sharpologist. Very comprehensive.

Walter Sobchak III

Unregistered. wrote: »

That's unreal!! Should pressure be much more/less than a cartridge razor? Been watching videos on Youtube all day, there's a couple up there by a guy called The Sharpologist. Very comprehensive.

Yeah, That guy is a good place to start. I think he calls himself Mantic59 on you tube

hitemfrank

Unregistered. wrote: »

That's unreal!! Should pressure be much more/less than a cartridge razor? Been watching videos on Youtube all day, there's a couple up there by a guy called The Sharpologist. Very comprehensive.

Less pressure than with a cartridge, use almost none. Let the weight of the razor and the sharpness of the blade do the job.

The weight of the DE razor is probably what you'll notice most at first if you get a DE. They are generally a lot heavier than the cartridge razors.

sureitsgrand

So after lurking on this thread for ages I decided to go DE. Originally had planned to buy a starter kit on shaving.ie, but after reading good reviews of the cheapo Boots razor I thought I might as well get that before dropping serious money.

About 8 shaves in and I'm loving it. Defo don't dread shaving like I used to and enjoy using the creams, pre-shaves etc. (proraso stuff). I have pretty heavy growth and a sizeable amount of it on the neck but although my first shave saw me looking like a pizza after it I can now get through most with only one or two small nicks.Anyway, two questions:

1. I'm using the Boots blades at the moment and I'm unsure as to what they're like - are they considered sharp, dull, blahblahblah? I say this as I've ordered a trial pack of a variety of blades and want to know which ones would give me closer shaves/which are more forgiving for the beginner etc.?

2. I'm going to invest in a proper shaver now. Most of the wisdom seems to suggest a Muhle, Merkur or Edwin Jagger. Is there really not much of a difference between these ones or does anyone have any recommendations as to what I should go for (heavy growth, shave every other day, most difficult bit around the neck/adam's apple area)?

Thanks for your help. This is a very handy forum!

hitemfrank

I believe the Boots blades are made in Isreal in the same factory as Personna razor blades so it's safe to assume they are more than likely just rebranded Personna blades. I like the Boots blade - they give me a comfortable shave.

As far as which ones in the variety of blades would be best for starting with - that unfortunately is subjective. Blades I find good may be terrible for you and visa versa. Feather blades are normally considered the sharpest but sharp does always mean comfortable (the same is true for straight razors).

I think the Merkur 34c and the Edwon Jagger DE89L are normally recommended for people just getting into DE's. I belive the Muhle R106 has the same head as the Edwin Jagger DE89L but just has a different handle. I started with a Merkur 34c and it's a really solid piece of kit.

Gran Hermano

The Boots blades are OEM blades from Personna, I'd rate them as average on sharpness but above average on smoothness. They are an ideal blade when starting out. The Astra and Gillette 7 o'clock ranges are well worth looking at also. I'd hold off on the feathers and personna medical/lab blades until your technique is 100%.

All three razors hitemfrank listed are ideal for starting and will last. They aren't too mild or aggressive. The Muhle is a beautiful looking razor.

Amalgam

Gran Hermano wrote: »

The Boots blades are OEM blades from Personna, I'd rate them as average on sharpness but above average on smoothness. They are an ideal blade when starting out.

..and just to preempt a question, the Tesco DE blades are Personna sourced also.

On the starting out razors, the Mühle and Edwin Jagger razor heads have a lovely 'sheen' to them, the chrome finish is superior to the comparative price range from Merkur.

It is worth noting that the Doctor Harris DE razor has the exact same razor head as the standard Mühle and Edwin Jagger models.

Lovely lovely razor heads.

sureitsgrand

Thanks for the advice, lads. Will let ye know how I get on over the next whiel.

Cheers.

jpb1974

Picked up a Palmolive soap stick in Tesco for sixty something cent at the weekend... just had a shave with it & have to say it's pretty impressive stuff.

hitemfrank

Yep, it's definitely one of the bargains in wet shaving.

Scuba Ste

Hi. Not directly DE related, although I'm using a DE razor, but how do people find lathering with soap v cream?

I'm using a cream and soap from Boots (and boots DE razor). The soap lathers quite well with a few seconds of rubbing the brush over the soap and then lathering on the face. The cream however is not lathering at all.

I don't mind too much as the soap will last a long time but I'd like to try the cream too. Are the better quality creams much better?

The whole brush and DE razor makes shaving much more enjoyable in the past 3 months or so I've been using them. Too many years wasted on crap razors and gels.

Gran Hermano

Boots own shaving soap is OK, I don't rate their own brand shaving cream. Pick up Palmolive shaving soap stick and cream, much easier to lather and much more effective.

If you fancy spending a few more euro look at the likes of Proraso or Taylors, it'll smell better than the Palmolive !

Scuba Ste

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Boots own shaving soap is OK, I don't rate their own brand shaving cream. Pick up Palmolive shaving soap stick and cream, much easier to lather and much more effective.

If you fancy spending a few more euro look at the likes of Proraso or Taylors, it'll smell better than the Palmolive !

I'll probably end up going for a decent razor soon, I'll try the Proraso cream then too. Cheers.

Are pre-shave creams any good? Seems overkill applying cream, cleaning your face and then applying a lather of soap/cream.

oscarBravo

Scuba Ste wrote: »

Are pre-shave creams any good? Seems overkill applying cream, cleaning your face and then applying a lather of soap/cream.

I never shave without a rub of Proraso pre-shave first. You don't need to clean it off; just apply to damp skin, then lather up.

hitemfrank

Personally I don't bother with them. I just take a minute to put a nice hot facecloth on my face beore I lather up. Does the job nicely.

Gran Hermano

No real need for the preshave creams, a nice to have as opposed to a must have in my opinion.
I only bother if in a rush or have a few days stubble to shave off. They also have benefits if shaving sunburnt skin.
As mentioned you apply and then lather on top, don't rinse off.

I find the Proraso, Prep or 3p all similar and work equally as well.

Unregistered.

Ok, so I'm just about to pull the trigger on a Muhle r89 and a sample back from sahving.ie. This seems to be highly recommended around here. I have my own cream and a brush so decided against the starter packs for now. any thoughts on the r89?

Edit: Shoot, the r89 is sold out!

hitemfrank

It looks like the muhle r106 has the same head as the r89 but with a different handle.

will56

Hi, Can anyone give me some tips on finding the correct angle for shaving with a DE razor ?
Got a razor in boots the other day and have had 2 shaves with it.
I think I'm getting the hang of it when doing my cheeks and jaw line but I'm not too sure on my neck.

Is there anything I should be looking for to let me know I'm holding the razor at the right angle ?
I know it should be about 30 degrees but this is hard to judge in the mirror when shaving my neck.

Also when you use an alum block after, does the stinging indicate you've shaved too close/caused irritation ?

hitemfrank

If you hold the razor perpendicular to you face and then slowly rotate it down, you should be able to find the right angle quick enough.

This video shows what I mean.

http://youtu.be/xJzk4QL6iME?t=1m22s

will56

I can do that for my cheeks but its harder to judge on my neck.
shaving with the grain is sideways on my neck

hitemfrank

That's the same for me. The grain on my neck goes from my ears to my adam's apple. That will take time for you to get the right angle consistantly.

It may just be a case of practise.

will56

How do you know if you have the blade angle right ?

hitemfrank

It shouldn't tug and should feel like it does on your face.

Also, the alum block won't sting if you've got it right.

Glebee

Only after starting using a DE razor and I must say im very impressed with the shave. How many shaves approx should I be getting from a razor blade???

Gran Hermano

Depends on blade and your stubble. Most people find 3-4 shaves before replacing. I find I only get two good shaves from Feather blades. Replace when you feel the blade 'tugging'.

Glebee

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Depends on blade and your stubble. Most people find 3-4 shaves before replacing. I find I only get two good shaves from Feather blades. Replace when you feel the blade 'tugging'.

Cheers for that info, Currently have Derby blade installed and have got 3 good shaves but I think its past its best. Have some feather blades but are they very aggresive. Handled the derby blades no problem but are the feathers a different story....

sureitsgrand

Quick question: Are Gillette 7 o'clocks just Astra blades?

hitemfrank

As far as I know, they are not the same blades. Astra are one of the brands made by Gillette however.

See here for blades made by Gillette.

Shaving.ie

sureitsgrand wrote: »

Quick question: Are Gillette 7 o'clocks just Astra blades?

Funny you should ask. I have seen recent batches of Green 7 O Clocks which contained a small number of Astra branded blades wrapped in 7 O Clock packaging. It might suggest they are made in the same production run.

hitemfrank

They're made in the same Gillette factory in St Petersburg as far as I know.

sureitsgrand

Ha! That's what I'm referring to!

I got a sample pack from your good selves a few weeks ago and Gillette 7 o'clocks said "Astra Superior Platinum" on the blades. I just took it as the norm.

lettuce97

Lads, thinking of getting into DE razors instead of cartridges as I only shave about once a week at this stage due to lazyness and am fairly beardy at that stage.

Would the learned folk on here recommend splashing out on a decent bit of kit to start with, or should I try a cheapo version? The only thing that puts me off the latter was my experience with ecigarettes - went cheap to start and it put me off for a few months it was so rubbish. Eventually splashed out on a more expensive one and haven't looked back since. Would love to avoid the bad experience and added expense with this!

Thanks for any advice.

beardybrewer

lettuce97 wrote: »

Would the learned folk on here recommend splashing out on a decent bit of kit to start with, or should I try a cheapo version?

That's an interesting question. There is a gentlemanly mystique about DE shaving that puts people in mind-set that they have to spend a lot of money. There have been quite a few threads on various forums issuing a challenge as to how cheaply you can procure your kit. I'm sure with a little effort on ebay you could probably spend no more than €10. However I would recommend the middle ground with a budget still modest compared to your yearly spend on disposable goo and blades:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=82696124&postcount=5

It seems a bit investment for something you haven't tried, but rest assured its not too common for guys to switch back to cartridges. For me I always had some level of irritation on my neck which led me to shave less regularly. Now I shave almost daily and have no irritation. The fact that you're even looking in to this suggests there's something that cartridges aren't doing well for you. It's a pretty safe gamble that DE will do it better. Good luck!

Unregistered.

Unregistered. wrote: »

Ok, so I'm just about to pull the trigger on a Muhle r89 and a sample back from sahving.ie. This seems to be highly recommended around here. I have my own cream and a brush so decided against the starter packs for now. any thoughts on the r89?

Edit: Shoot, the r89 is sold out!

Just placed this order, I can't wait to try it out

Unregistered.

24 hours later... Getting ready for first shave with my first DE!

Any thoughts on which blade to try first?

Gran Hermano

Unregistered. wrote: »

24 hours later... Getting ready for first shave with my first DE!

Any thoughts on which blade to try first?

Are you ordering or do you have a selection at hand to choose from?

Unregistered.

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Are you ordering or do you have a selection at hand to choose from?

Ordered a sample pack with Gilletres, Derby, Feather, Timor, Personna and Polsilver! Went with the Derby today and I'm impressed with the results. Very tentative shave but very comfortable!

Gran Hermano

My recommendation would be to try the Personna next then the Gillette then Timor. Leave the Feather until last.

sureitsgrand

More or less made my way through one of each of the blades in my starter pack (Gillette, Feather, Astra, Derby, BIC, Timor and Personna)... So far I think the Personna is my favourite (the "Super" ones). For me they have the right trade-off between smoothness and forgivability and I tend to get much less irritation with them versus the others. At this point I'm valuing comfort over closeness and will probably stick with Personnas until my technique gets better.

For the record I'm still using the Tesco cheapo shaver so maybe things will change when I get my brand-spanking new Muhle R89!

Gran Hermano

I tend to recommend personna reds as a good starting blade. They are a good mix of sharp and smooth and forgiving enough when learning technique. The own brand Boots and Teasco blades are the same. IP crystal blades or Astra blades are alternatives.

I find different razors can suit different blades better but I tend to stick mainly to feathers or Personna medical blades these days.

sureitsgrand

Are Personna reds the platinum ones? I may be missing them but I can't find Personna reds on shaving.ie...

Gran Hermano

sureitsgrand wrote: »

Are Personna reds the platinum ones? I may be missing them but I can't find Personna reds on shaving.ie...

Reds are the platinum blades, so named as they are individually wrapped in the red paper.