With all this talk of shaving what's best for a beginner (beginner on the real razor blade shaving that is 😉 )

wilkinson quattro platinum.
After 20 years of Gillette I swapped last year and much prefer em.

i like the buzzy vibrating one from gillete

works really well

Crikey! Vibrating one as well …

I would go with traditional double edge safety razor rather than the 5 blades etc plastic cartridge razor. Not to mention the replace cartridge cost a bomb.

Check out Merkur classic 34C or replated old Gillette safety razors (too many to mention), but you do need to relearn a bit in your shaving technique.

Also £15 for 250 blades will last you for ages.

Gillette vibro razor really dragged on my skin – threw it in the bin after 3 shaves. tried a few of the vibro ones and they just don't agree with me.
King Of Shaves AZOR system has given me the best shave in my 30 years of shaving, real smooth and doesn't burn the skin.

ASDA own brand razors. Very cheap, last quite a while. Very sharp.

They're not that safety though.

wilkinson quattro platinum.
After 20 years of Gillette I swapped last year and much prefer em.

+1

Seriously fast beard grower and years of "research" has found this to be the best.

Prep is important too – shave as late in the day as possible, always shave after a hot shower, always rinse with cold water. Apply balm if you can too.

I have one of those Azor razors really like it I also have a Merkur Safety Razor which I use if I have more time or if i have alot to shift. Rush and a blood bath ensues 😳

Those Azor razors are dreadful if your face has any angles on it – way too big to fit under jawlines and below the nose – cr4p for anything but body hair shaving 😉

I don't like the Wilkinson Sword range; the 'protector' bits protect your face from being shaved properly.

After trying just about every razor on the market, I'm back on the old Gilette Sensor. More control than the flappy Mach 3 and doesn't cost a second mortgage in blades.

More important, I reckon, is to get a shaving brush and soap rather than the canned gels / creams. Tesco do a Wilkinson Sword branded brush and also soap (in a blue plastic tub), dirt cheap and it'll last you years, highly recommended. You can invest in an expensive one later if you get on with it.

merkur progress (the long version)

merkur blades (the ones that cost almost as much as fan dangly 5 blade uber razor blades)

seeeeeeriously close shaving and they're adjustable as the close setting will take off your skin if your new to shaving properly!

I've got one of those azors and it's rubbish for me personally, but I have a quite "craggy" face, shall we say.

Merkur look ideal – too much choice!

I've found the King of Shaves Azor razors junk as well, and the blades don't seem to last as long as Gillette/Wilkinson Sword.

Wilkinson Sword Quattro gets my vote.

Aldi-Acura 3 blade,I used to use Gillette fusion but the blades are so expensive,Have been using Acura for 6 months and they seem to give a very good shave.10 blades for less than £4

Merkur Futur here, love it, you do bleed some times but I put that down to being closer than a very close thing,
PJ

I have a Merkur 38C and a Merkur 39C slant bar, the latter is amazingly sharp.

Both are superb razors and as you said are used with incredibly cheap blades.

I have to say its become a bit of an obsession as the bathroom is now full of different soaps, creams, balms and brushes.

Good fun though

Gillette Mach 3 + King of Shaves 'kinexium' shaving oil + plenty of water.

Recommending a razor is a mugs game. TBH the best you can do is try a few and go with whichever suits you best. Thing is that these days adverts have kinda thrown the wrong message about what you should be trying to acheive when you shave. Shaving without damaging your face and "babies bum" smootness are not neccessarily compatable.

nickc – Member
Recommending a razor is a mugs game. TBH the best you can do is try a few and go with whichever suits you best. Thing is that these days adverts have kinda thrown the wrong message about what you should be trying to acheive when you shave. Shaving without damaging your face and "babies bum" smootness are not neccessarily compatible.

Agreed!

I can get to 95% baby's bum soft with my DE and my skin is still in good condition. Trying to get that last 5% just damages my skin and makes shaving a real chore.

Is the whole merkur/single blade thing still regarded as the shaving equivalent of singlespeeds & for those who like to say they are "experienced shavers"? (WTF I've been doing it 20+ years too)

Azor. Brilliant.

I have a merkur summatorother – bought s/h off here.
It's great from a gadget point of view (adjustable ferocity/lethality etc) but I don't have the patience, which means I can't use it without booking a plastic surgeon in advance

Another Merkur Futur user here.
Take your time with it and don't press it to your skin (just let the weight of it rest against your face) and it shaves perfectly.
I only shave every other day now as it shaves so closely.

I also have a straight razor and that takes lots of practice!!

Mach 3 with King of Shaves oil and nothing else. Looks like it shouldn't work but it does

+1 for King of Shaves razors being crap though – really disappointing.

Disagree about King of Shaves razors. Feel cheap but shave well.

I found that they managed to avoid any shaving rash simply by not actually cutting stubble very well… I ended up having to go over the same spot several times just to get a passably close shave.

cynic-al – Member
Is the whole merkur/single blade thing still regarded as the shaving equivalent of singlespeeds & for those who like to say they are "experienced shavers"? (WTF I've been doing it 20+ years too)

😀

I actually switched to save money, honestly!

I was getting fed up with spending increasing amounts on those over-engineered blades.

(I guess that it is also a bit of willy-waving as well :o)

I'd happily go old-school to save money, my Q is is it as good?

Once you get the hang of it, yes!

Check out some of the how to videos on the internet first before you have your first go though as they can be very unforgiving in comparison to a normal disposable.

Go for it! I would never change back now.

I switched to using a saftey razor at Christmas. I used to be plagued with ingrowing stubble – presumably caused by the lift and cut design of cartridge razors. Since I changed over (and also started using a shaving brush and creams) I have had a handful of ingrowing hairs on my face in the past 6 months rather than the dozens I would have had if I had been using a sensor or a mach3. So it definitely works for me.

You need to relearn your shaving technique with a DE razor and it may take a little more time in the mornings to get a close shave but it is worth it in my opinion.

A second hand Gillette Super Speed, Tech or a modern Merkur would be my recommendation to a learner. It's also worth experimenting with different blade types to find the one that works for you.

For me using a DE razor is a closer shave, lower cost, yes OK a bit "singlespeedy" if you know what I mean.

But I guess it comes down to the shave and again for me its a lot closer and has improved my skin (jeez I must be a modern man)

Now for the Real Shavers you got the Shaving Equivalent of STW.

Badger and Brush – Forum

I've got a nice "super-badger" shaving brush.
Lather it up with some good quality soap (I'm fond of George Trumper's Sandlewood myself) and it's like angels caressing your cheek!
I may be weird but I do like the whole ritual of shaving (hot flannels, pre-shave oil, etc) but it does mean I spend longer in the bathroom than Mrs Frizzer!

As if the brush makes any difference. You don't even need one at all.

I know, but it feels nice! 🙂

puff!

😆

I was waiting for that!

I only got my murkur a couple of weeks back from the original shaving thread (inspired) and ive got to admit its does the best shave I've ever had, doesnt actually take me any longer as I shower then shave straight after and the lathering takes seconds but its 10x more fun than a disposable shaver and you look BADASS (to yourself)

lovin it!

I've got a murkur as well, had it for a few months, I use it with a gel at the moment (rather than a soap-and-brush) and its good, although a little, how shall we say, 'slicey'

H