time to start seen all the hype cant resist

Nishy

Nishy

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Hello everyone ok so here is the deal, there are probably thousands of threads and because im lazy I havent trawled through the archives, however for this reason im not expecting a great response but ill go for it anyway.

I have never used a DE only a shavette twice with bad results. Im looking for something forgiving razor and blade wise but also one with which i can get a close shave that is better than my current Mach 3 fusion.

I already have the brushes\creams\bowls\mugs\soaps\toners\pre shave oils\creams etc etc

any help would be most appreciated a lot of people advise the EJ i have two EJ brushes and am happy with the quality for the price also any ideas on blades gentle ones!

thanks
Avnish
 
The razors that are generally recommended for a newbie are either the EJ DE89, or Muhle R89, both use the same head but have different handles. The main alternative is the Merkur 34c.

Any of the above will suit you well, as for blades that's a bit more tricky as different blades suit different people. You say you want a gentle blade, but that really doesn't exist. You need the blade to be sharp enough to cut your beard without tugging, but not too sharp. The Astra Superior Platinum is widely recommended to beginners, it's just me that can't get on with them, but there are plenty of other blades.

It would probably be worthwhile getting yourself a selection pack of different blades to try.
 
The Edwin Jagger is only just over £20.00 on Amazon.

Then get a selection of blades, see what ones you like most and order lots of them.

One razor is never enough so you will probably want to buy another one soon enough so save some money for then.
 
can't beat the 89 for a starter razor

a gillette tech would also be worth considering.

i just revisited the astra blades and am really impressed with them but there seems to be a very good starter sample pack on BST :)
 
I would also say the EJ and Astra Superior Platinum or Gillette 7 O'Clock yellow Sharpedge. I've found both these blades to be excellent and rarely use any others.
 
Nishy said:
whats the general consensus with regards to wilkinson sword blades?
Click to expand...

If you can get hold of English made ones, which haven't been made for a number of years, then they are very good.

Apart from that don't bother as the current Wilkinson Sword blades are really quite bad.
 
Modern German - draggy. Vintage English - excellent. The latter English look identical to the modern German ones so avoid those which say Solingen, Germany.
But you might like them...
 
WS the first blade I tried when turned to DE shaving. Nearly put me off the whole idea. Not sure if that's entirely fair as my technique was probably non-existent. However, I've not gone back to them. Got a EJ DE89L paired with a Polsilver SI blade, sheer bliss.
 
ok and finally before i dip into the wallet, does a DE shave closer than the gillette fusion or is it simply an option to save money and have a vintage shave feel?
 
Greetings

Nishy I don't want to dampen your obvious enthusiasm but to start with and perhaps for a couple of weeks it is quite likely even probable that no DE razor will give you as good a shave as you are presently getting with your Gillette Fusion. It takes a while for you your technique and your beard/face to adapt, just hang in there and accept that in the beginning you might well have a few crap shaves.

I can add nothing and agree fully with the advice you have had regarding razor and blades.

Regards
Dick.
 
I think that's the question which is hard to answer.

It can certainly work out cheaper, if you have some restraint on buying more razors and brushes etc..

It will give you more comfortable shave as the blades is sharper than in a cartridge so there will be less irritation.

Will it give a closer shave? With practice maybe. It depends how close you get with a cartridge. I personally think all razors are capable of delivering a comparatively close shave if used correctly, after all at the end of the day it is just a blade against your skin cutting the beard.

You should be able to get a BBS finish with any razor, i.e. Billiard Ball Smooth, which means after shaving you should be able to run your hand over your face in any direction and not be able to feel any stubble. Of course, achieving that with a cartridge razor can for some people lead to irritation which is where the DE can have some advantages.

I personally get closer with a DE than I can with a cartridge, not sure if that is true for everybody though.
 
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