Expensive razor vs cheaper

I started with a Merkur 34C, I have since used razors across the spectrum from £5 to £150 and none shaved better than the others because of the cost. The razors, their materials and price don't make a better shave, it is you who is handling the razor that makes a good shave with well practiced technique and prep.

If you have good technique you can have a great shave with any razor (barring a really cheap badly made razor).

Of my last two razors I used one is £20 (Fatip Testina Gentile) and the other £95 (ATT Calypso), I am prefering the shave of the Fatip, it comes down to preference and feeling, experience as well.

It is good to get a razor and use it, use it, use it until you have your technique down before you start exploring the vast array of razors out there. Most of the time a bad shave is user error. Through experience you get to know what works for you, for me I get my best shaves from razors on the milder side of things. Aggressive razors are just too much for my skin to handle.
 
...They're all interesting to try but don't go chasing better/closer/smoother shaves, that way madness lies. If you want something fancy that you can show off and feel proud of owning get an expensive one but it won't shave any better, in fact my best razors have all been the cheapest.

This + 1.


One has to start from somewhere to be able to see what they are after in a razor or shave...

Yes.
 
I'm another to add to the 'personal preference' herd. Of my two modern single-edge razors I prefer my RazoRock Hawk over my Claymore V2 (which is coincidentally up for sale). The former costs around the £27 mark new whereas the latter is £70-ish new. Both do give great shaves and I'd absolutely state that the latter is better made with a better finish and tolerances/materials/etc. but the former just suits me as I tidy up around a beard.

On the flipside, the DE I've gone for more than anything else is a Thomas Clipper razor I received in a trade. It's by far my most expensive razor (circa £80 new for the razor only - I fortunately got the 'travel kit' included), but it (again) suits me better than my other razors, being medium aggressive and easy for me to find the right angle.

That being said, I've had equally good shaves with other razors - Merkur 37C, Gillette aluminium tech, QShave Futur copy, SR's etc. It must also be stated at this point that cost is subjective. If I hadn't realised I'd spent a small fortune (to me) on soaps and a couple of SRs I wouldn't have had the Thomas Clipper nor the Claymore V2 in my 'shave den'.
 
I think it is very much a case of YMMV.

I have shaved with the Chinese Tech knock-offs, some random Chinese plastic Gillettes and the feather popular towards the cheaper end of the scale and yes, while they did the job, they did an OK job.

In the same token I've shaved with various ATT head and baseplate combos and they are just fine. They look gorgeous, but I've had better shaves with cheaper razors.

My two favourites are the Shavecraft 102 and the Standard. They aren't the cheapest, but also not the most expensive, very much in the middle of the road pricing wise.
 
You are paying more for the material with the Feather Stainless Steel. I have read that is is a mild shaver but I won't get to find out as I cannot justify paying that for a razor. The Edwin Jagger DE89 is as most say all the razor you will ever need. If you want to try something different maybe a slant would take your fancy? A merkur 37c or Razorock German?
 
Mileage may vary.
I love my timeless .95 , it sure is quite expensive, but since I own it I said bye bye to my RAD.
I believe it shaves me better than anything else I have tried
Edwin Jagger or Muhle will probably be the best bang for your bucks, side by side with a Gillette Tech.
Feather did not work for me, but I read post from many who love it.
 
Having owned and used the feather as d2 for 2 years I can say it is a great razor and I do believe a difference can be felt in the shave, blade and razor combo are personal preference and things like fuller thicker hair growth make a difference in how close the shave is but this isn't what I'm talking about when I say there is a difference in the shave, what I mean is I feel a difference in the quality of the razor in my hand and against my face the whole experience oozes quality but that doesnt mean a cheaper razor won't give you just a good of a result. Personally my main reason for buying this razor is i wanted something with that superior quality that's would last a lifetime, in my opinion you get what you pay for and I didn't want to be stuck with a cheap razor suffering from plate loss or just not looking as it once did as that's false economy, aesthetics play a big part for me too . I guess it's down to what you like, I like minimalist , modern and quality, some people love the vintage and prefer quantity over quality. If your like me and like to splash out to be asthetically pleased go ahead otherwise I'd have a look into the suggestions the guys on here have left
 
Sooner or later, you realize it's not the razor that matters. Any good razor, with any good blade, and anything reasonably slick on your face, will result in a great shave, if you know how. A ten dollar Gillette pre-war Tech, a few pennies for an Astra blade, and a buck and a half for a shave stick, and BBS happens.

Men have been shaving for a long, long, time,... only recently did fellas suddenly need "designer" gear just to shave their face. I can't wait for titanium toothbrushes and unicorn tears toothpaste!!!
 
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Sooner or later, you realize it's not the razor that maters. Any good razor, with any good blade, and anything reasonably slick on your face, will result in a great shave, if you know how. A ten dollar Gillette pre-war Tech, a few pennies for an Astra blade, and a buck and a half for a shave stick, and BBS happens.

Men have been shaving for a long, long, time,... only recently did fellas suddenly need "designer" gear just to shave their face. I can't wait for titanium toothbrushes and unicorn tears toothpaste!!!
don't think it's really about 'designer' more quality and if designer means you get that quality so be it. For example not so long ago I ordered an Armani leather jacket from Next for £550, I went to collect it in store but never made it out of the door with it, the quality was shocking it was that thin you could see through it so I took it straight back. Had this jacket been superior quality as I had expected I would have paid even more but quality is everything to me, some designer things are excellent quality and others not so. Personally I just don't get dragged into buying things on the cheap as generally if it's cheap to buy it's cheap to make and poor quality
 
I started with a MEM 3 piece ..... nice to use
Then a Gillette Tech Sportsman..... loved it
Muhle R41....... torture
Next a 1950s Tech..... excellent
££ Fatboy...... didn't like at all
Merkur 34C..... bad blade alignment
English flat bottom Tech.....near perfect
Gillette Aristocrat No.58..... awful
Star 100 de..... perfect
 
I am a bit like Olie29 as I appreciate quality. I could very happily live with an R89 but at the end of the day it is made to a cost and won't last forever. I've gone through 2 heads to date so I speak from experience.

On the other hand I pick up my Timeless or Colonial and I know I am handling quality. Quality materials, quality manufacturing tolerances and all a reflection of someone taking care, attention and pride in their product. It will serve me until the day shaving will no longer be a requirement, together with breathing.

Do they shave better or closer? The fact is, yes. Do they make life better? No, but handling quality does make me smile.
 
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