After what must be 6 years in the bearded/stubly wilderness I’ve decided to go clean shaven.

The choice of razors in Boots/Wilkos etc seems a little excessive and crazy expensive 😯

I’d like something more than a BIC and a safety razor rather than something I’m likely to make myself with.

I’ve always suffered with razor burn around my chin, must be my chiselled jaw line 😆 so something soft skin kind 😉

So what do I go for thats unlikely to bankrupt me in the process?

Mach 3?

I’ve used Gilette’s happily for years, the buzzy ones are noticeably better IME (it effectively extends the life of a blade as it cuts better for longer even though the blade is actually wearing at the same rate). I usually get 3-4 weeks per blade and haven’t cut myself in over 20 years.

I really don’t see the point in DE razors, the last thing I want to be doing 10 minutes after I’ve woken up is having to concentrate to avoid slicing bits of my face off. I have pretty sensitive skin and had bad razor burn with every electric shaver I’ve used but not with a Gillette one normal or buzzy one.

Yes buying a pack of blades makes me wince but an 8-pack lasts me 6 months (I think it’s Fusion ProGlides I use now). Mach 3 works fine though.

Good shaving gel def makes a difference to, prefer the Nivea stuff myself as it’s very thick. Shaving foam seems pointless, not sure how it’s supposed to provide lubrication like an oil or thick gel does

Been using a Dorco Pace 4 that I got a while ago as a freebie. Shave is great, think they’re only available on line but prices are v.reasonable – i’ll be sticking with them!

Having some shaving cream and a brush helps with a nice shave. You can get the double edged razors too, but I think the cream/brush makes the difference really

I swapped to a DE razor about 18 months ago & get barely any itchy, red bits on my neck anymore, less razor burn & less ingrowing stubble….

Cheap blades is a welcome second benefit.

It is a bit of a faff , admittedly, but I quite enjoy the time to myself rather than rushing it….

Prior to that I was using a Mach3 – I tried the newer razors but found they clogged too easily & the battery powered one I tried (Gillette Fusion, perhaps?) didn’t seem to make any difference at all, although I can see the logic behind it.

I swapped to a DE razor about 18 months ago & get barely any itchy, red bits on my neck anymore, less razor burn & less ingrowing stubble….

Same here. Merkur Futur, a decent brush for Christmas from Shaving Shack, and any old shaving soap (old style chemist in the town does Erasmic for under £2)

It is a bit of a faff , admittedly, but I quite enjoy the time to myself rather than rushing it….

Nah….. lather up the brush in the bowl while the sink’s running, single pass shave swapping the head over each pass (so 2 passes, then rinse) gets me tolerably clean shaven for a normal day in under 2 minutes.

Yes, there is fun to be had for a two or three pass different direction each time shave, to give you baby’s arse smoothness, but it is diminishing returns.

Bowie knife.

10 years into the beard, it’s staying had one go at clean shaven and got bored again 🙂
Though I’m signed up for movember this year so I will head off and get a friendly professional to sort it out for that occasion

In-growing stubble would normally come from shaving too close wouldn’t it? I don’t use that much pressure when shaving and not sure if I’ve ever had in-grown stubble. I’m not sure why a DE would be better for this is all, unless it’s giving a worse (not as close) shave.

If you go ‘normal’, i.e. Gilette-style razor, invest in a Razorpit. Cleans the blades before each shave, so blades last aaaaaaaages and much, much less irritation. Can’t recommend highly enough.

Don’t know, like with what Stumpy01 said it’s purely an empirical observation, and i can’t be arsed to go back and try to work it out.

Oooh not seen those razorpits before, will give it a go

The cheap blue plastic 2 blade Gillette ones with the flexible head. Cheap and work very well. IME seem to be superior to all other plastic disposable razors.

My understanding is that a single blade at the right angle cuts the hair at the surface of the skin, but a multi blade can cause ingrown hairs because one blade can pull the hair out a bit, a following blade cuts it, and then it retracts back under the top of the skin from where it can ingrow. Not saying its correct mind, but remember reading that years ago when I didn’t have a beard.

DE all the way for switched 3 years ago it makes shaving a pleasure rather than a chore. Far far cheaper too as the blades cost a fraction of the amount than those Gillette Mk bollocks.

Mach 3 for me for many many years. I got a nice custom handle as a present from GEO Trumper on Curzon Street.

Nivea Sensitive Skin Gel also fwiw

DE was a bit of a revelation for me, no more ingrown hairs.

I found the cheap Wilkinson Sword set, plus some Wilkinson Sword blades (100 for something like £10) was perfectly fine for me.

However I caught upgraditus and now have an Edwin Jagger razor and use it with Feather blades (yellow pack), it is very very nice to use. 😀

I use Proraso sandalwood soap with it, costs a bit but lasts forever.

Tescos own brand cartridge. Essentially a clone of older Gillete models.
Indistinguishable in use.

Razor development and marketing is the biggest load of bollocks ever.

Doesn’t everyone on here have a beard?

I’ve been misinformed…

So, let’s say I have a friend who was feeling a little shavingly experimental and DE-curious, but who’s not bothered about a razor hewn from an asteroid and blades forged by a samurai master, what should he be looking at to try it out?

Very rarely need to be clean-shaven so I tend to just electric buzz to stubble. When I do shave, it’s with an Edwin Jagger DE (for no reason other than because it’s from Sheffield). Cheap enough, and with Feather brand blades will cut through any amount of face hair.

Like I said above, I started with this set:
http://www.wilkinsonsword.co.uk/men/products/classic

It was fine, cost about £8 and was pretty forgiving. But not anywhere near as nice as a slightly more expensive setup. But, it’s okay to find out if you will be bothered to shave properly, i.e. following the grain of the hair rather than just hacking at it.

Next step up from that is something like a Jagger DE89L or Merkur 23C with something like Astra or Feather blades ( but the choice of blades is very personal, you can get sample packs on ebay with many different types to try out).

I started with the ten bob Wilkinson Sword thing, and hated it. Put me off DE shaving for ages, till a kind STWer parted with one their collection and another donated me a small selection pack of blades. It was a revelation.

I think the problem with the WS may be that with a DE razor you don’t apply any real pressure but rather let the weight of the razor head do the work. That doesn’t really work very well with a plastic razor. Or, that could be hogwash and I just wasn’t using it properly.

The WS shaving brush is perfectly serviceable, though.

I’ve just signed up with the Cornerstone shaving experience. Must say that after years of being a Gillette devotee I am very happy.

If you fancy giving it a try I can refer you and we both get £10 to spend on their product.

£14 for 6 blades?

Gillette blue two, small hand held mirror shave in shower, piece of piss 😉

Occam’s

Occam’s

Which one?

DE shaving for me.

As retro says you can do it the cheap and cheerful way and get good results. £20 – 25 will get you all the DE razor you will ever need. Merkur, Edwin Jagger, etc. A pure badger brush, again £20-25, and some shave soap.

I’m still using my badger brush I was bought for my 18th birthday. Nearly 30 years old. I use GE Trumper soap, £10 and it lasts nearly a year. I’ve got a few nice razors now, vanity collecting ego thing! But essentially they are all the same. I’d start with Astra platinum blades, sharp, but forgiving, and they last well.

There’s loads of DE shaving threads on here. Have a search.

I use GE Trumper soap, £10 and it lasts nearly a year. I’ve got a few nice razors now, vanity collecting ego thing! But essentially they are all the same. I’d start with Astra platinum blades, sharp, but forgiving, and they last well.

Same soap and blades here too I’ve just ordered another 100 as after 3 years the last 100 are getting low. £9.90 for 3 years worth of blades.

£14 for 6 blades?

Full head shaver and suffer razor burn. These work for me, so yes I’ll pay the extra gladly. It’s £9.24 for 6 Mach3 from Superdrug, the extra £5 is worth it for me.

After what must be 6 years in the bearded/stubly wilderness I’ve decided to go clean shaven.

Just de-bearded after six months. Feels rather odd.

Used a Mach 3, for the record.

Full head shaver and suffer razor burn. These work for me, so yes I’ll pay the extra gladly. It’s £9.24 for 6 Mach3 from Superdrug, the extra £5 is worth it for me.

You could pay less and get just as good effect.

I normally use an old Gillette DE but when I want a close shave in a hurry it’s

The cheap blue plastic 2 blade Gillette ones with the flexible head. Cheap and work very well. IME seem to be superior to all other plastic disposable razors.

If I’ve left it more than a couple of days it has to be the DE though, the longer stubble clogs twin blades.

Same here. Merkur Futur,

not cheap, but well worth the spend. lovely heft, adjustable and looks great. Although just for a laugh, you can also try a shavette (mines was about £12 IIRC) which is like a cut throat but the “blade” is a holder that takes DE blades snapped in half. I would probably not recommend buying one on a Saturday afternoon, spending the rest of the afternoon in the pub then deciding to play with your new toy when you get home though.

Proraso or Arko soap (arko is pennies). I love Proraso after shave, very clean, fresh smell.
Gillette or Feather blades

+1 on the Razorpit, they work pretty well.
I’ve only used about 4 Mach 3 blades this year ( Wet shave about 3-4 times a week )

I’ve just signed up with the Cornerstone shaving experience. Must say that after years of being a Gillette devotee I am very happy.

If you fancy giving it a try I can refer you and we both get £10 to spend on their product.

Ohhh FFS STW… I came on this thread planning on being silly, probably making a joke about using my razorsharp wit and generally being a smug while I eat my sandwich.

Now I’m signing up to mail order shaving… well I’ll have plenty of opportunity to give myself hard looks in the mirror… 😳

Refer me, email in profile…

Bugger.

Well I got my Cornerstone starterpack yesterday. Moving from Mach3 & bulldog scrub and gel. Which I’ve been ok with but I have been getting some skin problems, enough to make me try something else.

The scrub is very abrasive and quite sandy, which I like but there’s lasting effect from it, and the gel is very smooth and cool (no sting which I do get a little of from BD).

Razor is quite odd on first use, it has a large head area but is very comfortable to use, but the head size will take some getting used to for upper lip.

results are notably better.