Safety Razors

Tzetze · 18-09-2009 10:41pm

I'd like to take you up on your generous offer, Amalgam. Would like to give those blades a shot.

Amalgam · 18-09-2009 10:44pm

No problem Tzetze, drop me a PM. 2x5 left.

emmemm · 19-09-2009 9:37am

I would like to try them too. Thanks.:)

Amalgam · 19-09-2009 9:50am

emmemm, drop me a PM, 1x5 left.

tinner777 · 19-09-2009 12:36pm

i'll take the last lot

Amalgam · 19-09-2009 12:57pm

Great, that's the lot, drop me a PM tinner777.

-=Blades taken=-

Amalgam · 22-09-2009 12:05pm

As the season changes, are your switching over to shaving creams\soaps suitable for colder weather?

Do your habits change with the seasons?

I felt quite chilly using the Proraso last Winter. The Speick had more warmth to it, as did the Wars.

I'm eyeing up a Mitchells Wool Fat soap. I've grown to like the Williams, after switching to a Boar brush for it.

Shaving.ie, a Mühle Pinsel R106 and a Merkur 11C Open Comb are incoming.. it feels like Christmas Eve.

jd83 · 22-09-2009 1:33pm

I got a merkur saftey razor from shaving.ie last week. Only got around to trying it the other day. I have to say i cant believe i wasted so much money on mach 3 and fusion blades over the years. Bar nearly fainting from loss of blood on the first attempt

ive never had such a nice shave. I usually still have some remains of a five o clock shadow after using a mach3 but not with the saftey razor. Also recieved excellant service from shaving.ie

Gran Hermano · 22-09-2009 2:09pm

Amalgam, try the Prorasso soap, especially the white tea & aloe one, as an alternative for the winter. As long as you don't have hard water the MWF soap is great, I like how it's lightly scented.

I'm also waiting on two 'new' razors that were shipped from the UK last week, a Gillette Fat Handled and a Gillette New. I'm looking forward to trying a comb razor!

mantic59 · 22-09-2009 2:30pm

Amalgam wrote: »

As the season changes, are your switching over to shaving creams\soaps suitable for colder weather?

Do your habits change with the seasons?

My habits do change between (the oppressively hot Texas ) summer and (the relatively mild) winter. I generally use soaps in the summer and creams in the winter; I tend to lather a cream in a warmed mug to get a nice warm lather. I also tend to gravitate towards citrus and mentolated scents in the summer (e.g. Castle Forbes Limes, Proraso) and more complex scents in the winter (T&H Trafalgar/Grafton, Vetivers, Speick, etc.).

Amalgam · 22-09-2009 2:59pm

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Amalgam, try the Prorasso soap, especially the white tea & aloe one, as an alternative for the winter. As long as you don't have hard water the MWF soap is great, I like how it's lightly scented.

I'm also waiting on two 'new' razors that were shipped from the UK last week, a Gillette Fat Handled and a Gillette New. I'm looking forward to trying a comb razor!

That's the only hard soap Proraso sell, I guess, it's the slightly off green glycerine one?

Mantic, that dry heat must facilitate quick cut healing though.

mantic59 · 22-09-2009 3:03pm

Amalgam wrote: »

Mantic, that dry heat must facilitate quick cut healing though.

West Texas is the low humidity area. Unfortunately I live in the eastern part of Texas which is much more humid (almost tropical). :eek:

Gran Hermano · 22-09-2009 4:06pm

Amalgam wrote: »

That's the only hard soap Proraso sell, I guess, it's the slightly off green glycerine one?

Proraso have two different soaps,
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/prorasosoap.html
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/prorasowhite.html

There is also an Omega brand one similar to the Proraso green as it's manufactured by them
http://www.shaving.ie/products/Omega-Shave-Cream-in-a-bowl.html

Fajitas! · 22-09-2009 4:33pm

Proraso Green was great in the summer, along with the more citrus-ey scents - I'm looking forward to the St. James for the winter though.

Amalgam · 22-09-2009 4:40pm

I swore I saw a glycerin-like replacement for a Proraso product.

Bah.. shaving related mirages!

When I Googled Proraso + Glycerin, I stumbled across this:

http://www.shoeboxshaveshop.com/proraso--glycerin-preshave-soap--beats-mr-glo-hands-down-.html

A pre-shave soap. Nice colour and packaging.

StealthRolex · 22-09-2009 5:02pm

I'm not a fan of Proraso or any of the mentholated products so no major changed to shaving routine for the winter. Do tend to turn the water heater up a bit

I do change the colognes though. Citrus and fougere in summer, amber and spice in winter.

vengeance52 · 22-09-2009 5:38pm

Amalgam wrote: »

Fine vengeance52, drop me a PM with a postal address of some sort. I'll send them out tomorrow.

3x5 left.

Got the blades today, Cheers. Must say you packaged them well anyway:D

Amalgam · 22-09-2009 6:11pm

vengeance52 wrote: »

Got the blades today, Cheers. Must say you packaged them well anyway:D

Heh, the map parcels. I have a stack of stodgy maps, just over A4, they make great CD parcels and small packet parcels.

Place the CD\object in the middle of a flat A4-ish piece of paper or card.

Fold the A4 sheet lenght ways over the CD\object middle, then fold the other ends over the CD\object, until they overhang each other, tuck one end into the other, sellotape and post it out.

Amalgam · 23-09-2009 10:47am

An order from shaving.ie arrived this morning. Tuesday to Wednesday, not bad..

The Mühle R106 looks lovely, very graceful, the head has recessed blade holding 'pins', they're flush to the razor head, with a flat head on them. Very nice. The razor itself is about 1 cm longer than a Merkur HD, with a slightly thicker shaft.

Both the Merkur and Mühle come in recyclable packaging. As far as I know, the plastic sheeting on the Mühle packaging can be placed in the recycle bin.

The Mühle razor is packed with a leaflet suggesting a healthy shaving technique, there's also a single Derby blade.

I'll scan the Mühle leaflet in later today. I'll also post HD\R106 comparative pics.

CrowdedHouse · 23-09-2009 6:56pm

Amalgam - what model is the open comb ?

I think I'd like to try one

Shaving.ie · 23-09-2009 7:09pm

Its a Merkur 11C.

Amalgam · 23-09-2009 7:54pm

I used the Merkur 11C Open Comb just after it arrived, face fine, my chin, not so.. No bleeding, just a very very raw feeling, scrape scrape.. I obviously haven't got the hang of handling the razor on the chin properly.

Not the whole chin either, just directly on the underside and to the sides of the dimple.

On the cheeks, you don't feel it, with a good lather and warm water, the thing hovers over the skin in a very creepy manner. Upper lip I dreaded, strangely, that was ok and faster to cover than with the HD. The comb helps there, as basically, there's less of the razor getting in your way!

Less tolerant than the HD with a sloppy shaving manner, you need to angle, no excuses.

---

Here's the printed pamphlet that comes with the Mühle R106.

Outer

Inner

One thing to note.. and it isn't a fault, the main shaft of the Mühle R106 turns slightly, it isn't fixed. The end of the handle and the head are fixed, obviously, but the main handle jacket\sleeve is not. This is also seen in certain D.R. Harris and Edwin Jagger razors. I have no idea why it would do this, maybe there's a reason for it, maybe there isn't.

Given that the Mühle R106's head comes off fully, it can be broken down into pieces for travel better than the Merkur razors. Very tidy.

emmemm · 24-09-2009 7:43am

Received and tried ,thanks Amalgam.Bit choppy and some blood but that might be my bumpy face. Better than Boots but Wilkinson and Gillette edge it for me.:rolleyes:

Sean Quagmire · 25-09-2009 10:24am

Amalgam, I also orderd the R106 earlier this week. Gonna give it to my old man as he's been asking me about my DE.

havent opened it or anything whats it like to use? also i just seen there on the insturctions it says 'by slightly loosening the hangle the angle of the blade will increase' does that mean its adjustable?

Amalgam · 25-09-2009 11:38am

I can't say I'd try that head loosening technique myself.

I haven't used the R106 yet, I have some dodgy skin on my chin that I want to give a day or 3 to settle down. I'm not sure if that's as a result of the open comb razor or an encounter with a dodgy bath towel.

Badger & Blade suggest a razor just a little milder than the Merkur HD.

Gordon · 25-09-2009 11:42am

Heh, Amalgam, how many razors have you got now?!

What's the deal with the open comb, what's the difference between comb and no comb?

Amalgam · 25-09-2009 12:11pm

Not many Gordon. I wanted just to have a 'functional' selection.

I prefer screw in razor heads, instead of TTO's (turn to open)

Merkur 34C (HD)
Merkur 11C (Open Comb)
Merkur Futur

Gillette Fat Handled Tech

Mühle R106

---

3 Boar brushes (Wilkinson, Grandfather's brush, CVS Drugstore - US)
1 Pure Badger (Wilkinson)

---

My wants:

A Gillette 'New Head' from Bob's Razor Works.

A razor or handle from iKon Razors.

A Merkur Slant. Preferably the boxed (cream plastic) version from the mid to late 40's. They've been popping up mint on eBay for about $60.

A Plisson brush, not likely to happen..

---

What's on the horizon? I might go for a Semogue brush or two, coming up to Christmas, along with some La Toja.

I'll post a HD and Open Comb picture with blades inserted, side by side, the Open Comb looks threatening.

To be honest, you should ask MediaTank and Gran Hermano this question. Along with a geographical location, and whether I'll need a small ladder to get at the bathroom window.

Gran Hermano · 25-09-2009 1:46pm

Just when I thought my collection of DE razors was pretty much complete
I ended up looking at some Gillettes older than others I had from the 1940s on. I purchased last week two vintage Gillettes restored and beautifully replated from safetyrazors.co.uk.

The replated Gillette New from the 1930s is a real beaut of an open comb,
I'll try and get pics up soon. I've used it 3 times so far and it's a real smooth shave compared to any of the safety bar razors I've tried.
I don't find it aggressive compared to the slants or the likes of the Futur.
In 2 passes it's as effective as my normal razors after 4 passes, however
it's not as close a shave as a Fatboy on 5. I tried it with a Red Personna
so far and will use a sharper blade (Astra or Yellow Gillette) to see if it
gives a closer shave.

Collection so far:
Merkur Progress (with option of metal mergress-like knob from Cooncatbob)
Merkur Progress Long handled.
Merkur Futur
Merkur HD 34c
Merkur 39c

Gillette Fatboy (x2)
Gillette Slim Adjustable
Gillette Superspeeds (x6 - TV Editions, 1940s,1950s)
Gillette Tech
Gillette New

I'll leave out the straights and shavettes

Currently I keep 4 at a time in rotation - 39c slant, Fatboy, Long Handled Progress and the New.

Next on my list of buys is a few more of the different Gillette open combs
from the early 1900s. (New Deluxe, New Improved, Old).

http://mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The%20NEW/The%20NEW.htm
http://mr-razor.com/Rasierer/Old%20Type/Old%20Type.htm

If only I could find an open comb adjustable it might help me cut down trying out so many!

For anyone asking why a comb, what's different? This is a good summary

MediaTank · 25-09-2009 3:14pm

Amalgam wrote: »

To be honest, you should ask MediaTank and Gran Hermano this question. Along with a geographical location, and whether I'll need a small ladder to get at the bathroom window.

Nice collection Amalgam. But since you ask, from memory.

Gillette Stubby circa 1910 in bakelite box
2 x Gillette Slims late 1960s
Gillette Fatboy 1959 or 1949 my everyday razor
2x Gillette Superspeed 1950s
Gillette Tech 1954 Red Tab
Schick Injector 1920s bakelite handle
And more I can't remember

Merkur Vision 2000
Merkur Futur
Merkur Slant Bar
Merkur Progress
And a couple of others

I've about 20 in total. I'll post some pictures later.

No straight razors (yet)

I use one brush a Edwin Jagger Silvertip in sterling silver for everyday use and an Edwin Jagger Travel Brush also a silvertip when on business travel.

Amalgam · 25-09-2009 4:17pm

MediaTank wrote: »

Schick Injector 1920s bakelite handle

I keep forgetting about those, that silky orange-y bakelite is beautiful to look at. what are the blades like? Are they comparable to a modern shave, or is it a compromise?

Safety Razors

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