DE Blade advice for a newbie..

At 62yrs old, I'm not new to shaving, but I am new to de razor shaving and would like some advice.
After a bit of reading on what type of razor to buy, I went with a very nice vintage Gillette Tech. The reason for that is that I have very thick hair but sensitive skin and the tech looked like a mild one to start with!
Now blades. I'm a boat builder by trade and work a lot with wood and I know from experience that the best results come from having the sharpest tools, so I applied the same thinking to shaving and purchased some Feather blades to try. The results I have to say, were not great, lots of cuts and razor burn, especially on the neck.
So my first question is, I found the razor handle very small, it felt a bit like trying to hold a tooth pick, so can I get a fatter handle that will screw onto the Tech razor head, I think that might help.
I know for sure that I need to work on my shaving technique, for instance, I find my self using multiple razor strokes over the same area of skin even through the first stroke removed the shaving soap, a bad habit I'm finding hard to break!
So my second question is, should I use a different blade, with my theory being wrong, that the sharpest is best?
Your advice would be greatly appreciated..

Brian.
I would try a sampler pack of blades to see what is best for you and the razor. Yes you can buy fatter handles, try Windrose handles on ebay. Yes you must stop going over skin once the lather has been removed. Never shave unlathered skin, and above all use no pressure when shaving. :) P.
 
Welcome to the forum Brian,

A few things raised so here's an attempt to go through them.

Blades - Feathers are very sharp but they aren't the smoothest. IMO there are other blades which are sharp but smooth include Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge (Yellow Pack), Permasharp Super Stainless, Polsilver Super Iridium, Personna Platinum Chrome. All of these blades work very well in my Gillette Tech.

Tech's handle - the tech is a pretty lightweight/mild razor and you could get another handle to make the Tech weightier, but I myself would look to get some kind a DE89/DE89 clone where you'd get a handle to use with the Tech head but you'd also get the head which is a bit more aggressive than a Tech.

Multiple Strokes - when you clear the lather with the razor, don't go over it again until the next pass. If you miss a spot on the first pass don't worry, additional passes will clear things up - especially with a Tech which is a very mild razor and IMO requires several passes to get good results.
 
^ What THEY said!

But seriously, with a sharper blade can often come a rougher blade. I've found Feather blades to be exceptionally sharp, but due caution must be exercised. I'd probably say that they're not a 'beginners' blade, to be honest. Astra SP (in the green packet) are a relatively good blade for not a lot of money, as are Voskhod blades or (my current favourite) Gillette Nacet blades. Have a gander round some of the threads and get as much info as you can while you let your skin settle a bit! :)

In the meantime, practice making a decent lather with what you've got or look into shaving soaps and brushes if you haven't already. There are some good options for small money (Palmolive shaving soap stick, 49p from Asda/Tesco...), and this should give a bit of an improvement over what a lot will refer to as 'canned goo', or shaving foam.

There's also no harm checking out YouTube videos. There are plenty of people who have done an introduction to DE Razor shaving or similar, and all will stipulate 'use no pressure', which is contrary to using a cartridge razor. The Tech you've got is a great starting razor, efficient without being aggressive, and will definitely serve you well once your technique has improved a bit! Cuts to me signify too much pressure and the razor burn will almost certainly come from repeated passes over unlathered skin.

Hope this helps, Brian! :)
 
I have the same issue as you, hard as nails beard and face, neck as soft and sensitive as they come!

I also found feather to be a poor shave for me. Gillette Silver Blue are the smoothest and most efficient for me, with the least irritation.
Gillette Nacet are good at avoiding irritation, and Voskod as already mentioned are also good.

Sample packs are a good idea from Ebay. I've tried 30 or so different blades.
Also, try save some. As your technique improves, a blade you dislike in the early days may become liked




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Hi and very welcome Bri. I use Feathers almost exclusively when I use a DE, however likeso much in wet shaving no one piece of kit is ideal for everyone. Astras are a nice all round blade, however if the funds run to it a sample pack of assorted blades from Connaughts or similar will give you a fair choice of what's available. Give yourself a few weeks to get used to the feel of shaving off the soap rather than the whiskers and never be enticed into letting the razor touch lather free skin. If you're in the habit of making repeated, short strokes over the same area maybe trying to make longer, more deliberate, strokes will assist in breaking the muscle memory habit.
Enjoy the new learning curve m8.

JohnnyO. o/
 
Excellent advice above.

I'll add some comments.

I too am a dedicated Feather lover :D which I even use in the 'aggressive' Single Rings.. but it took me a while to be ready for them. Improving your technique is a very good idea... and keeping your razor/blade/soap combination while learning is another one.

Another good piece of advice is... no pressure. Absolutely. Multiple passes will do it. At first, I had to get used to 'poorer' shaves, until I managed to get... the angle, the right amount of pressure so that the razor does the work.. You get it.

I agree with you in that a sharp blade is 'better', but there's a world in every face, what's good for you, might not be that good for me...Plus it depends on the razor... the phase of the moon... You get the idea.

The good news is (saw my nickname?) I now shave daily with a Feather with reckless abandon...

Good luck and keep us updated!:cool:
 
I'm with you on the Feathers, they rip me up on the first shave every time I've tried them, better on the second, blunt on the third. I use Rapira Super Stainless these days.

Technique is the thing to keep plugging away at; beard direction- try just with the grain passes at first, reduction not removal, find the 'biting' point of the razor - rest the head on your arm, handle perpendicular then roll the handle down as you draw the razor along till it cuts your arm hair with a pop! Try and maintain that angle whilst you shave, DEs shave at a different angle to cartridge razors. Don't skimp on the prep.

Best of luck!
 
I used an Edwin Jagger for a year and Feathers were very uncomfortable. Now I use a Focus r48 as it gives me wonderfully close shaves with no nicks, burn etc. Feathers are so comfortable they could be a different blade! Why should this be?
The same blade can feel different in different razors, that's why I said to the OP find a blade that is best for you and best for your razor. P.
 
I used an Edwin Jagger for a year and Feathers were very uncomfortable. Now I use a Focus r48 as it gives me wonderfully close shaves with no nicks, burn etc. Feathers are so comfortable they could be a different blade! Why should this be?

Blades can perform very differently in different razors due to differences in angle, tension, blade gap etc etc.

By means of example, the last time I used a vintage Gillette 'Spoiler' in my Gillette Black Beauty, I found it pretty average. The same blade in an Aristocrat #21 is just sublime.
 
I'm with you on the Feathers, they rip me up on the first shave every time I've tried them, better on the second, blunt on the third. I use Rapira Super Stainless these days.

Technique is the thing to keep plugging away at; beard direction- try just with the grain passes at first, reduction not removal, find the 'biting' point of the razor - rest the head on your arm, handle perpendicular then roll the handle down as you draw the razor along till it cuts your arm hair with a pop! Try and maintain that angle whilst you shave, DEs shave at a different angle to cartridge razors. Don't skimp on the prep.

Best of luck!
+ 1 on the wise words of advice..'Technique is the thing to keep plugging away at; beard direction.'..Very true indeed, Practicing your technique ,good preparartion and adding no pressure to the razor, are vital,doing so you'll be rewarded with some sublime shaves.
 
Here's my 2 bobs worth of advice.
Firstly your choice of razor is excellent..the Gillette tech is a wonderful little razor,i like to pair mine up with a Gillette silver blue blade.
I find non-aggressive razors, work well with more aggressive blades,and vice versa.

Don't expect to much,to soon, good preparation, practice your technique, i've trained my mind to shave "the lather from my face,rather than the stubble", doing this has taught me to add no pressure to the razor when shaving, and helped to stop irritation to my skin. Enjoy your new shaving experience. Regards.
 
Hi and welcome. You will probably find as many recommendations for blades as there are shavers. Blades are very subjective and one mans meat is another's poison. No one blade works for everyone and you have to find the blade for you. Many of the recommendations made are for blades I do not like or use myself. You need, as has been suggested, a sample pack and see which blades suit you.
Technique is above all the most important factor when starting out with DE shaving. Good prep is important, a good hot shower before shaving to clean the skin and hydrate the whiskers and a really good protective lather is a must so you need a good shaving soap and brush. The brush exfoliates and gets the lather all around the whiskers. You also need to learn about beard reduction. Every time you pass the razor over some stubble your aim is not to get that part smooth you will need to shave at least twice and reduce the beard on each pass leaving a smooth face without irritation.
Take your time and enjoy the shave and you will soon be enjoying marvelous shaves I'm sure you will find the blade for you soon.
 
Thanks for you kind offer, but it appears that I don't just need shaving help, but I can't see how to send yo a pm!
Here's how you do it.
1. click on Paul L ,"name", not the avatar. 2. then click on Start a conversation, 3 give it a title example: blade & soap gift.
4. put in your address details, 5 then finally click on "Start a conversation"...Hope this helps Brian. Regards.
 
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