razor recommendations

Bezoar

Bezoar

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1,538
Its an odd thing, really the recommendations that are given to new shavers these days. I always see them get recommended to a niche razor that's hard to get in usable condition from the get go.
Ive run into a lot of threads by guys who recommend the tech or the slim as the ideal entry razor to a new shaver. But yet so many merely resell these razors and refuse to use them themselves. And to be honest its hard to get a good user online for a slim or tech these days. And no one really wants them.

I have two slims i don't care for, i traded my nearly mint one off for a good mechanically sound 46-47 aristocrat. Yet no one would trade me a pack of isreali persona for it. And i still have a good user grade slim that no one will touch. Not even paired up with a near mint flare tip.
 
Examples???
The most often recommended in here seemto be the EJ89, Merkur 34C, Wilkinson Sword Classic, maybe a vintage Tech, mostly mild, mostly accessible starter DEs.
 
Bezoar said:
Its an odd thing, really the recommendations that are given to new shavers these days.

Ive run into a lot of threads by guys who recommend the tech or the slim as the ideal entry razor to a new shaver. But yet so many merely resell these razors and refuse to use them themselves.
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Hi there,

When just starting out, using a mild razor is the way to go so The Tech fits the bill there just fine. They are able to tame a sharp blade and will give the new user a little buffer. They're also not expensive and seen all over the place. Some differences between em though, and people need to read up on which one they want. These things don't all shave the same or feel the same.

I suggest a Tech because it's a cheap yet very real DE experience with a real DE razor. Forgiving in that there's some leeway before tragedy but still capable of a nice shave. There's a few laying around in the arsenal that never get wet. I could use one every day if needed....I do like those things. But there's other razors I like more so that's that. There's more than a few members who use one though.

Far as members not using a Slim themselves, I don't know if that's the case. Those are real popular from what I've seen. Selling those and the Tech hasn't been an issue generally, long as the price is good. Maybe I'm missing something.....who knows.

Martin
 
Well im used to the American forums. Most of them are anti tech. Its touted as a fine starter razor, but once you get used to shaving with it your expected to get something else, something considered better by the forum elders.

Weishi and the techs from india and the Lord Razors are thought of as ok starters, but its like you get shamed from the American forums if you use them longer then 3 weeks it takes to learn what end you hold onto and what end the blade goes in.

The slim gets touted as a great razor but you cant give them away for a pack of rapira or even a pack of derby blades. I had a near mint slim and a real good user grade slim up for trade for 5 months and not a single bite when I asked for a shave stick or even a few packs of different blades in trade.
I ended up trading my near mint slim for a real decent 46-47 aristocrat without a case. real good razors.
Right now im trying to trade my good user slim and my near mint flare tip for a decent condition tech hopefully with a case right now. its gotten 23 views. a guy offering a puck of "vintage" Williams got almost 250 views in 3 days.
 
Bezoar said:
Well im used to the American forums. Most of them are anti tech. Its touted as a fine starter razor, but once you get used to shaving with it your expected to get something else, something considered better by the forum elders.

Weishi and the techs from india and the Lord Razors are thought of as ok starters, but its like you get shamed from the American forums if you use them longer then 3 weeks it takes to learn what end you hold onto and what end the blade goes in.

The slim gets touted as a great razor but you cant give them away for a pack of rapira or even a pack of derby blades. I had a near mint slim and a real good user grade slim up for trade for 5 months and not a single bite when I asked for a shave stick or even a few packs of different blades in trade.
I ended up trading my near mint slim for a real decent 46-47 aristocrat without a case. real good razors.
Right now im trying to trade my good user slim and my near mint flare tip for a decent condition tech hopefully with a case right now. its gotten 23 views. a guy offering a puck of "vintage" Williams got almost 250 views in 3 days.
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Maybe you should stop trying to sell/trade stuff on American forums. There's probably no shortage of people here willing to trade a tech for what you are offering. I'm more surprised that you just don't buy a cased Tech for $20 off of eBay. It's one of the few vintage razors that can be found NOS/cased reasonably cheaply, and a fairly common occurrence at that.
 
PLANofMAN said:
Maybe you should stop trying to sell/trade stuff on American forums. There's probably no shortage of people here willing to trade a tech for what you are offering. I'm more surprised that you just don't buy a cased Tech for $20 off of eBay. It's one of the few vintage razors that can be found NOS/cased reasonably cheaply, and a fairly common occurrence at that.
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+ 1..:)

Billy
 
As a confirmed single edge user my usual recommendation to a new DE shaver, if asked, is almost invariably an 89 or a Merkur 34 . Both of which razors I believe will grow with them. I haven't seen many Slims in decent condition being offered as a trade for a packet of blades ( even an assortment ) far less a shave stick here on TSR , however I'm fairly sure that such an offer would be snapped up here. As PoM said, different markets.

JohnnyO. o/.
 
I started off with a Weishi then moved to EJ89. The Weishi is long gone but I still regularly revisit the EJ89 as a benchmark razor. I know how good it is and what I can expect, so I measure all other DE's against it.
For the money it's just so well finished, performs well with most, if not all blades and gives a very good, minimal irritation shave.
 
I want to get rid of two razors I don't enjoy for something I will. I have limited room and I already have more razors then I need. Its common here in the states to amass razors you don't need just to have them.

A large number of the techs I see on ebay are put together from different razors. For example right now I have counted 30 different "old types" that are an old type head with a 1950s handle being sold as mint genuine 1920s.
Im simply trying to avoid making a mistake again with regards to zamak and real brass tech heads. I bought a 1950s tech in the 1952 dated box and it turned out to be a 53 zamak. near mint from what I see but the plating is already worn off the threads. I like the razor and all but I have no idea how long the threads will last.
 
If you have suggestions for improving the stateside razor recommendations to beginners, The Shave Den is a great place for a topic on this.

We definitely have American contributors here, but beginners from across the ocean are far more likely to land on TSD or B&B than here in TSR.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
 
Bezoar said:
... It's common here in the states to amass razors you don't need just to have them...
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Depends on how you define "don't need."

I'm pretty sure @Darkbulb has his retirement plan based around his collection.
Eeyore68 said:
If you have suggestions for improving the stateside razor recommendations to beginners, The Shave Den is a great place for a topic on this.

We definitely have American contributors here, but beginners from across the ocean are far more likely to land on TSD or B&B than here in TSR.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
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As an "elder" member of TSD, the EJ DE89, Tech and vintage Super Speed are the most commonly recommended razors for newbies, with a recommendation that an adjustable would be a good choice to learn what preferred aggression level a person enjoys; making it easier to recommend future razors.
 
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Well as far as what site you land on doesn't depend upon where you live. It depends on your personal views on morals and honesty. Most of the American sites are merely run as a way to make money off of people selling "artisan' soaps and dishonest business practices.

THe EJ89 and similar are pushed as the best starters for those who are afraid of vintage razors with vintage crud and germs on them.
Slims, Flares, and Techs are pushed heavily for good vintage beginner razors. But the thing is I have spent along time going through websites on shaving. And they get pushed the most on new shavers.
But so many of those who push them on newbies refuse to touch them. Seriously its funny that they have no problem selling someone a 1966 travel tech with a puck of Williams or a stick of Palmolive for 40 dollars but suggest they use the travel tech themselves and its like you peed in their coffee.
 
The Techs get pushed because they are mild razors. Ditto for the EJ DE89. Most experienced wet shavers prefer more aggressive razors. @Bezoar do you think we should suddenly start recommending the R41 to new wet shavers?
 
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