[Closed] few questions about DE razor shaving......

I have just won a bid for two Gillette safety razors on ebay.

Nothing expensive as both are 3 piece safety razors. One is fat handle tech while the other is aluminum tech so might sell the aluminum tech on later on. Both are in ok condition.

I am keeping the fat handle tech for backup as I like this very much.

Enjoying the thread! I use straight edge, double edge and single edge razors and thoroughly enjoy using them after the early days of cutting myself to ribbons - it's a rite of passage. I'm not a zealot (I have an electric razor too), but love the event and ritual of proper shaving and the quality of the shave is something that people who've never tried to perfect it will never understand.

The Badger and Blade forum (US based) is an invaluable source of info and helped me through my early days of discovery. I was posting there one day about my experience with a Gem Micromatic Single Edge razor and it sort of turned into a half poem/rambling description of a shave. I'm in the middle of a foreign country on business and a few sherbets into the evening, so I'm brave enough to post it

Some notes from my first SE shave with a Gem Micromatic.

Sshhhh, keep quiet and listen to the shave - you need to hear it to make sense of it...

The Gem Micromatic - a double-edged sword masquerading as a single-edge razor. On the one hand, it's impeccably simple, on the other it requires a subtlety of touch that begs, nay requires, the use of a sense not oft associated with an activity embued with anecdotes of touch and feel.

Listen to the shave. Hear the blade at work to reveal the key to SE heaven. When you feel the blade you're pushing past the sweet spot and dallying with the threat of razor burn. Don't feel it, hear it.

A Gem Micromatic is a compact but weighty item, reminiscent of a tugboat: unassuming power and ability to carve a steady path whatever the drag. Its large head, liquid smooth, intimidating yet elegant. Proportions and angles of its spade head echoing an inorganic HR Geiger creation.

Whatever the model, flat against the face is the technique. The feeling of no feeling is the way. Lather, skin, razor head, face - smooth and noisy.

A slow sure drag, an angle just off flat and the first plinks of the single edge doing its job can be heard. All that can be felt is the silky progress of the razor head on barely touched skin. A few more practice strokes will get to the right place - the place where the blade plinks and scrapes the hair and nothing more, the save getting closer yet the skin feeling nothing other than displacement of lather.

Second pass. Lather up. This is the addiction zone, the place where the clear timbre of whiskers being cleanly is discordant with the action taking place - how can it be working? But it is. And it is liberating.

legalalien - Member

Some notes from my first SE shave with a Gem Micromatic.

Ya, I have two of those SE razors not because I want or use them but I bought them in an oily bag of 4 safety razors from a car boot sales for £5. I bought them because included in the bag was a fatboy and a slim. Once cleaned everything is in working condition.

I have just won a bid for two Gillette safety razors on ebay.

legalalien - Member
Some notes from my first SE shave with a Gem Micromatic.

Ya, I have two of those SE razors not because I want or use them but I bought them in an oily bag of 4 safety razors from a car boot sales for £5. I bought them because included in the bag was a fatboy and a slim. Once cleaned everything is in working condition.

So Chew, your [i]weapon of choice[/i] is a DE? (See what I did there...fatboy slim...weapon of...ok, I'll get my coat)

Ya, double edge safety razor not single ... 😆

sadexpunk - Member
thats my dream now! im always refusing to go to car boot sales with mrs expunk, now she'll think im the most considerate bloke ever! pretending to look at all her sh*te but really looking all the stalls over for old razors, shaving mugs, scuttles etc
i think im turning into my (grand)dad :-/

Just make sure you don't look too enthusiastic otherwise the price will go up if the seller(s) know you are desperate for them. I have seen various type of razors but some are simply overpriced so I let them be. As long as the condition is good all you got to do is clean it up then it's good to go.

Oh ya ... the two I have won in ebay just now cost me £13.19 (including postage of 3.29).

To me the fat handle tech should worth, I think, around £15 to £20 (exclude postage) in mint condition but since this is not mint the price of around £10 or less (exclude postage) is the right price, while the aluminum one is around £8 to £12 (exclude postage) in mint condition.

As I wrote earlier - UK prices are silly expensive.
It is easy to get carried away bidding, I set myself a £25 limit P&P included.
Sometimes I miss out by double my limit and sometimes by less than a quid.
Thing is - there is always another one a week or so later ... Patience

mooman - Member

As I wrote earlier - UK prices are silly expensive.
It is easy to get carried away bidding, I set myself a £25 limit P&P included.
Sometimes I miss out by double my limit and sometimes by less than a quid.
Thing is - there is always another one a week or so later ... Patience

I only bid for it today due to sadexpunk asking about safety razors so had a look at what's available on ebay, only to stumble upon one that I wanted as backup. British fat handle tech ... the head is very different from those USA made. Think the British one is more solid.

Yes, my budget for vintage safety razor is around £40 including postage if I really like it otherwise much less.

I once bought a Gillette Aristocrat gold plated for around £35 to £40 including postage from ebay. None of my safety razors are more than £45 including postage. The most expensive one is fatboy at £45 it has been replated and recondition so looked new when I got it.

I saw an open comb two piece Gillette No.77 on the ebay just now that went up to around £80 excluding postage. I think it might have ended at around £82 ...

Well, the only price I will pay premium for is Feather AS-D2 (£132 to £158) which I will buy in future.

😀

The Feather just seems so over priced for a modern razor.
Only modern I fancy getting is the Merkur Future. But I read it is THE best. So it will be the last purchase.

But none of them in my opinion look as good as a Fatboy or Slim. Some of the replated Fatboys in black rhodium and rose gold look breathtaking. And for me - it's something special to be using a 55-60 year old razor.

So far the closest & smoothest has been my 1954 (z1) superspeed flair tip ... I can't imagine anything doing a better job.

Just make sure you don't look too enthusiastic otherwise the price will go up if the seller(s) know you are desperate for them.

I only bid for it today due to sadexpunk asking about safety razors so had a look at what's available on ebay,

Some of the replated Fatboys in black rhodium and rose gold look breathtaking. And for me - it's something special to be using a 55-60 year old razor.

sadexpunk - Member
dont worry, im very good at appearing uneducated. "£5 for a rusty razor, youre having a laugh!! ill give you £2.50 mate"

When I bought the bag of 4 I pretended to look like a fool saying that I wanted it to show someone about old razors. 😆 They wanted £5 for it so I gave it to them because I thought the blokes need to earn a living too so I just paid what they wanted for them. Anyway, nobody was going to touch the plastic bag because it was oily and dirty.

sorry
but then again, i only bought 3 razors the other day cos mooman got me into them. who's next?

Actually, it was good that I got alerted to search for safety razor as I have been wanting a backup tech so I just bid for it. The bloke refused to split them up (two together in auction with one being the cheapo aluminum one) and I was the only bidding ... 😆 I think most of the other bidders went for the No.77 ... crazy price that.

Some of the replated Fatboys in black rhodium and rose gold look breathtaking. And for me - it's something special to be using a 55-60 year old razor.

Yes, if they are replated they will look awesome as if they were made yesterday.

I should be getting the last o the Slim's I need doing this week (otherwise I will really be worrying!!).
If you want I can email you the firm I intend using. They are fairly local to me, so I was intending to go there for n person to see how they intend jigging it to replate.

I just phoned/emailed local metal finishers to find somewhere who could replate them.
There is a guy in UK who replates safety razors. Razorspa.xyz ... Looks like he does a good job. But a bit pricey.
As you have prob Sussed yourself now, the superspeeds are simple to service yourself, so only a replate required.

As you have prob Sussed yourself now, the superspeeds are simple to service yourself, so only a replate required.

btw, been googling metal finishers, chrome plating etc local, but not coming up with much. were you quoted £15 for all 3 total, or each?

cheers

Abandoned the Feather blades, just left my face red and lumpy. Currently auditioning "Blackbeards Revenge" against good old "Wilkinson Sword". The BBR's are just edging it...

Yeah, my face was the same after my 'feathers' shave the other day, that's why I was asking for opinion on whether it was the blade or aggressiveness of the razor. I'm just going to use some of the milder blades for a while now tho, hopefully I'll still get a nice close shave with no irritation.

I didn't know BBR did blades, I use some of their other stuff tho, I'll have a look out for those. Blades I'll be using over the next few weeks will be 7 o clock green and yellows, israeli, astra and sharks.

back on Astras, but with a shim. Excellent results......

I own Muhle R89 and R41. Feather blades work really well on R89 head, but perform too aggresive on R41. Astra Platinum, BIC Platinum and Arco are bestest for versatility. Gillette 7o'clock, Wilkinson were poor on R89 and average with R41.

Razor Head geometry is very important, as that plays perfomance of the blade inserted. I struggle to understand why one thinks Feather Razor mk2 is worth monies. Have you seen eqxcuisite finish of Muhle razors? On razor forums owners of Feathers did say that finishing quality was fine but geometry of head only produced -mild cut- which is even less aggresive than Merkur 34C hd. That places it perfomance wise on par with Edwyn Jagger de89, BBR razor own brand and slightly more aggresive Muhle R89.

Merkur Futur is very special and is in its own category, as its a modern take on design of adjustable razors.

If you want to be Chuck Norris of shaving then Fat tip Picollo or Muhle R41 with open head comb geometries will cater for you well. Merkur Futur could be added in that category too, while iKon OSS with dual head might tickle your quirky fancy.

For me personally -mild geometry head- razors produce perfect smooth shave, if I want impeccable one then R41 razor comes out. But boy, it's one of the quietest and slowest shaves.

I find that if there is no nicks n cuts, there is no need to use allumblock as it dries skin too much and lifts razor burn even higher. Proraso preshave is godsend to eliminate that.

thanks, im always interested in reading about the aggressiveness of different razors. as a newbie still, i fiddle too much, changing blades regularly, shimming my merkur stainless steel and EJ89L with first one shim, then 2 to be more aggressive. i mistakenly thought 2 shims plus a feather blade would give me the closest shave ever 😀 i ended up with a fair bit of blood, and a red, lumpy neck. erkkkk.

im still working out whether its better to have a mild razor and blade, and have an acceptable shave every day vs aggressive every other day. i get impatient waiting for my stubble to grow, i want to keep trying different soaps/creams/balms/blades etc, and waiting for every other day just frustrates me 😀
i think ill go back to square one, take out the shims, use a mild blade and see if i can shave every day.

also finding a bit of a problem with the direction of grain on my neck. it goes up, down and in different cross directions in different parts of my neck. the most frustrating thing is feeling a little patch of stubble that needs finishing off 'against the grain' in the direction of adams apple to ear, but my neck contours are such that when i pass the blade over it, the width of the blade touches on both edges, but leaves lather in the middle where theres a contour. so i end up stretching skin, gurning my face to try and straighten it out to get a close cut :-/ i usually end up with sore skin from trying to get it too perfect. a touch more lather, have another go, no thats not got it, leave it alone its too sore now......

ill probably have it all sussed in a decade or two 😀

mooman, have sent you an email as would like some advice.
Quite simply the best STW thread ever

BIC platinum is not suitable for me with my Gillette Tech for whatever reasons. Fat tip Picollo is very scary looking ... 😯

Sadexpunk.

I think you're over thinking things. Go back to the Merkur and your blade of choice. Astra Platinums? Not too aggressive, feathers can be a bit too sharp if you're doing multiple passes, get your pre-shave prep, soap and lather spot on. Then try a simple multi pass shave. You won't get every bit of stubble every time you shave. There will always be the odd patch until you get your technique sorted. It takes time.

I was once told that DE shaving is not "hair removal" but "beard reduction". A good shave will take multiple passes. I explained my routine on another thread when I asked for advice about a particular razor.

My post is near the bottom of this thread [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/merkur-futur-de-razor-opinions-please ]THIS THREAD[/url]

Holyzeus - replied.

Here are my DE razors. All that is missing is the Merkur Futur and the Red tip.

[img][URL= http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r57/caerant/FullSizeRender_zpsncgkiwjj.jp g" target="_blank">http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r57/caerant/FullSizeRender_zpsncgkiwjj.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL][/img]

I think you're over thinking things. Go back to the Merkur and your blade of choice. Astra Platinums? Not too aggressive, feathers can be a bit too sharp if you're doing multiple passes, get your pre-shave prep, soap and lather spot on. Then try a simple multi pass shave. You won't get every bit of stubble every time you shave. There will always be the odd patch until you get your technique sorted. It takes time.

agree. In fact most days I don't even multipass, where I'm fair enough to get away with a shadow as it's not particularly visible. It's more about the comfort and value for me, compared to the multiblades.

Multipass is saved for special occasions.

while we're talking aggressiveness and razor burn etc, could i just ask a question about both my pre and post shave routine, so im totally happy with that side of things?

firstly i run the hot tap and fill the sink. i soak the brush and bowl in the water while i have a bath. id prefer to lay a hot flannel on my chops while im in the bath, but it just doesnt stay hot long enough, so i wait til im out, then keep soaking the flannel in hot water and press it against my face for a minute or so while im stood at sink.

i then leave my face wet and rub some pro raso pre shave cream into face and neck. i let that tingle away while i create the lather. still more work needed here til i find the right soap/cream for me, but that just needs more experimentation.

then its the shave, and as mentioned above, thats a work in progress too but ill be staying mild for a while.

once ive finished shaving, i rinse my face in cold water to close the pores. this is where id like a bit of advice. ive got an alum block, styptic pencil and witch hazel gel.
do you just use the alum if there are blood spots? its an astringent which apparently closes pores and dries the skin. so good for stopping blood, but bad for moisturising? would there be any benefit to using it as part of my routine, or just when needed to stop blood spots?
what i have been doing is belt and braces, ive rubbed wet face in alum, then let it dry whilst i clean up the sink and equipment. then i rinse off, and apply witch hazel gel. (ive read most people seem to apply a witch hazel lotion with cotton pads rather than gel, is there any difference?)
then when WH is dry ill apply a balm, usually nivea sensitive. that will do for most shaves, im finished, but sometimes ill put a splash of TOBS sandalwood lotion on.
again, im unsure about this. its not alcohol free, so will the alcohol cause redness or irritation? is alcohol free better or does this not matter?

fair few questions to go at there, id appreciate any advice, as once i can start doing the same routine time and time again, i can then start changing one thing at a time, blades, razors etc and be able to compare shaves.

cheers chaps 🙂

Jeez - what a faff.

Have a bath or a shower, wash face at same time as shampooing hair.

Get out and while drip drying, fill sink with hot as can be water.

Nut sized blob of Trumper shaving cream in palm of hand, whisk up with cheap brush, apply to face.

Scrape off with newly shimmed Merkur / Astra Platinum combo. One pass* for daily use, after which rinse face with cold water. Styptic pencil for nicks (now very rare).

Finish with a thin rub in of E45 cream.

* special occasions, you can keep your palm and brush loaded while you shave the first time to then enable a second and if feeling really posh, a third pass. Or add extra cream if really really posh.

ive got an alum block, styptic pencil and witch hazel gel.

Witch hazel gel is more than enough while the other two are meant for cuts.

do you just use the alum if there are blood spots?

Yes, just for cuts.

its an astringent which apparently closes pores and dries the skin. so good for stopping blood, but bad for moisturising?

Once you stop the blood wait for a while then apply moisturiser. The idea is to stop the blood then after that as normal with all the applications like after shave etc ...

would there be any benefit to using it as part of my routine, or just when needed to stop blood spots?

Yes, as in your routine but I only use it to stop bleeding nothing else.

what i have been doing is belt and braces, ive rubbed wet face in alum, then cleaned up the sink and equipment. then i rinse off, and apply witch hazel gel.

Ya, that is fine. If no blood just go straight to witch hazel gel.

(ive read most people seem to apply a witch hazel lotion with cotton pads, is there any difference?)

Two possibilities:

i) to avoid wastage especially liquid form. If you pour too much you just waste it while using cotton pads you have control of the amount you use.

ii) to avoid, if you hand is uncleaned, touching your freshly shaved face in case you transfer some unwanted bacteria etc. i.e. help to avoid infection.

then when WH is dry ill apply a balm, usually nivea sensitive. that will do for most shaves, but sometimes ill put a splash of TOBS sandalwood lotion on.

That's fine as I do the same.

again, im unsure about this. its not alcohol free, so will the alcohol cause redness or irritation? is alcohol free better or does this not matter?

Should be alcohol free if you get the one in white colour package Nivea Sensitive while the other one is not alcohol free.

No, should not cause redness. Alcohol supposed to kill off whatever is there on your face but it also can dry your face a bit but not drastically.

Sometimes I apply Neutrogena on my face after applying after shave containing alcohol or vice versa ... I find Neutrogena non-oily at £4 for 200ml that is a bargain compare to after shave balm that can cost £5 for 100ml.

😛

I have a shower, give my face a good wash with Dove soap. I've got skin that will not take washing in soap, face scrub, fancy stuff, Dove soap is fine.

Out of the shower, run the hot tap until it's HOT. Soak my brush, splash my face with HOT water. I apply about a 20p piece blob of Bluebeards Pre-Shave Oil to my face and massage in for about a minute, tops.

Shake out my brush over the soap, Trumpers sandlewood in the wooden bowl ATM, then a really good coating of soap / lathering in the soap. It's a small brush so does hold much lather. Wet my hands and run them over my face and then brush a thick coat of lather over my face.

Then I shave as I described on the other thread. (I'm not going to type that lot again) I normally give the brush a dab of water and a few swirls in the soap again before reapplying for the next shaving pass. (Small brush). Third or fourth pass I'll squeeze the lather out of the brush and apply by hand, like you would with canned foam.

I rinse my face with warm to hot water to get all of the soap and remaining oil off, I'm messy, then rinse with cold water. Pat dry. Never used alum block or styptic pencil or witch hazel. IF I nick myself it's a dab of Vaseline or a little patch of tissue.

I've used aftershave lotion, the liquid alcohol type stuff, before now. Ran out just before Xmas and would like some more. Issey Miyake is my choice. The balm was good too.

After shower, wash my face with hot water 45-60 sec.

Dry it off, then apply Proraso preshave (eucalyptus-mint cream) to get extra lubrication which lasts up to 3 passes.

Then brush n lather with fancy soap, but to be honest I've found out that Bluebird revenge shaving cream performs a lot better than soap based ones. It's a lot smoother, silkyer on your face and blade.

If 3 passes don't satisfy me, then proraso preshave cream again to restore lubrication of skin, and relather with brush again.

Once finished, splash with proraso aftershave lotion to multiply effect of oozing cold, it doesn't sting and still moisturizes skin all right. It gives amazing soothing cold to skin once you're out and about especially if you get hit with wind in your face, colder the better.

Never had razor burn following that routine.
Even when shaving with baddest and most aggressive R41. Shaving with that razor you will feel blade flex on your face, get it slow and right your face will be smoother than newborn baby bottom, if not ... trip to AnE or plastic surgeon.
The only more aggressive razor than that is a cut throat shavette, if you inclined that way.

After a bit of experimenting I've found out that mild cut razors are more than enough for a good shave. While aggressive cut razors are for special days only, and those are rare.

alumblock gets used only if there are cuts , usually I try to avoid using it. It dries skin too much.

Jeez - what a faff.

Have a bath or a shower, wash face at same time as shampooing hair.

Get out and while drip drying, fill sink with hot as can be water.

Nut sized blob of Trumper shaving cream in palm of hand, whisk up with cheap brush, apply to face.

Scrape off with newly shimmed Merkur / Astra Platinum combo. One pass* for daily use, after which rinse face with cold water. Styptic pencil for nicks (now very rare).

Finish with a thin rub in of E45 cream.

Should be alcohol free if you get the one in white colour package Nivea Sensitive while the other one is not alcohol free.

No, should not cause redness. Alcohol supposed to kill off whatever is there on your face but it also can dry your face a bit but not drastically.

thanks for the routines chaps, interesting reading.

sadexpunk - Member

sorry, maybe i didnt make myself clear, i was asking about the alcohol in after shave there. im wondering whether to look for alcohol free AS to mitigate irritation, or whether it doesnt matter at all.

A bit of alcohol is fine unless you get some cheap Russian AS which I just received but dare not try them on ... yet. Smell awful.

However, if you can get some non-alcohol ones that's fine too.

😀

Morning all

This week I've had a go at DE shaving every morning instead of every other morning and I have been surprised at how good the results have been.

I thought I would end up red raw by the end of the week but far from it. If anything I get a better result shaving off 24hrs growth instead of 48.

I also discovered that by shaving my next first, which I had previously been leaving until last, I reduced the razor burn and nicks to zero. That and also not placing any pressure whatsoever on the razor.

So, neck first from now on. The shaving soap lather is super fresh and has not had a chance to start to dry out.

interesting. i tried shaving each day, but ended up very red. that was when i was trying aggressive and feathers tho. im gonna have a period of mild and astra SP for a while, so no harm in trying a shave the next day. ill let you know how i get on.

as for neck first, im not sure that would make much difference to me. my first pass would be 'downwards', WTG, so to do neck first would be cutting into the lather and starting halfway down. probably fine to do, and i may try it tonight, but i think id stick with top half first for that pass.
my second pass against the grain would be 'upwards' so i usually start at bottom of the neck for that one.

im going to try some of the [url=

techniques such as slide, buffing and j-hooking[/url] soon, to try and just finish off a few difficult neck areas, rather than have 3 full passes. im hoping 2 passes and then one of these touch-ups will work for me.
reasoning behind that is, to go against the grain on parts of my neck, some areas would need me to go 'sideways' in a 'chin to ear' direction, and itd be impossible cos theyre just below the jawline. so both ends of the blade would be touching jaw and neck, and would leave a hollow in the middle if you see what i mean. so im going to experiment 😀

okay.... last 3 days ive shaved each day, mild razor, mild blade (astra sp). neck was a little red yesterday, tried the j-hooking which went ok, and tonight thought id try a cold shave.
read on the badger and blade site that cold shaving can ease irritation so gave it a try. felt good actually. after the first pass i even gambled on a second ATG which also went ok.

so......im gonna be cold shaving each day for the next few days as a trial, maybe try different mild blades too such as israeli. ill report back in a few days.

Try Personna blades as they are rather mild but good.

😀

Something I pick up from watching Good Morning Vietnam, if you're have trouble with razor burn, also in the heat, then rinse the razor in cold water instead of hot.

Who said movies weren't educational?

Try Personna blades as they are rather mild but good.

Something I pick up from watching Good Morning Vietnam, if you're have trouble with razor burn, also in the heat, then rinse the razor in cold water instead of hot.

A 3 pass shave actually isn't that time consuming. I do three workday shaves a week. But once you get the hang of it, you would probably set the alarm a little earlier to have time to shave.

This is seriously one of the best personal grooming things I have ever done.

youre right mate, the times negligible and the results would be better im sure. i think some of us (certainly myself) do less passes at the moment to cut down on irritation/razor burn. if you can get away with it so much the better, i hope to end up doing 3 passes eventually.
although you could ask, is there any need to do 3 each day? after 24hrs, surely youve probably only got a final pass worth of growth to deal with anyway?

I fear that sadex is now

[img] [/img]

and may never get out... 😯

Well, it's good to have a hobby. 😆

Well, it's good to have a hobby.

*stands at the bar looking cool, talking to new people*

"hello mate, nice to meet you. what sort of things are you interested in?"
"im into me shaving and i like looking at old razors"
"er....thats interesting. nice talking to you, bye" 😀

just a quick PSA for anyone who gets razor burn.... was reading on B&B that this [url= http://www.lookfantastic.com/shaveworks-get-smooth-duo/10825175.html?utm_source=googleprod&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=gp_bodycare&affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&gclid=Cj0KEQiA1NWnBRDchObfnYrbo78BEiQA-2jqBSJb18JASvHk-ViMhXL0oea8f4jaMTSh6O3vgDG_QP4aAq8c8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds ]shaveworks cool fix[/url] stuff is really good.

put in voucher code CODS15LF at checkout and youve got yourself a recommended balm plus shave cream for £8.50 inc post.

What online supplier are you using, sadex? I have been using the Shaving Shack but I'm a bit fed up with the non-delivery of items and lately an unwillingness by them, to even discuss the problem...

i dont really have one for everything woppit, as with my post above, i read forums, work out what i want then google to see cheapest, post free etc etc.
always got on well with shaving shack, thats where i bought my start up kit from (think the emails go to same place as bluebeards revenge so same shop) but i did have a discussion with them once about their set delivery charge probably sending potential customers elsewhere for small top up items. IIRC it was always dan@shavingshack or dan@bluebeard etc. that who you been talking to?

but yeah, i use any and every shop depending 😀
last few items bought have been tabac and encre noir aftershaves from amazon, a handmade shaving bowl from a lass in israel, and now that balm and cream from lookfantastic. theyve always been good to buy from, same with mankind, you ever used either of those?

EDIT: think ive also bought from 'the traditional shaving company' before. ive never had any problems with any of these online shops.

I tend to use ...

[url= http://www.shaving.ie/ ]Shaving.ie[/url]

My shaving bowl is £2.50 small Pyrex glass bowl from Lakeland.

😛

never come across that site before on my travels chewkw, thanks for another option 🙂

i mentioned a few days ago i was going to experiment with cold shaving. been trying it, then switching to hot, and my consensus is.... its no better or worse, just different 🙂
i think its got its place, maybe in summer, as ive found the quality of shave to be exactly the same. cool water may feel nicer on a hot day tho so i may just switch from time to time just for the sake of something different.

ive also been experimenting with no pre-shave, and i can also say that im not finding any difference with that either!! 😀 all these lotions and potions....all there to skint us arent they 🙂
last few days ive been shaving every day, no pre-shave and im not getting any razor burn or irritations. no great shaves either but hey ho, still experimenting. at the moment im just shaving with mild blades in a mild razor.

one experiment that has surprised me is hard water/soft water. i live in a hard water area and struggle with lather, so i thought id try some bottled water from work. this was obviously for my cold shaves, but i couldnt believe how much better using the bottled water made my lather. great creamy dollops! id have kept using the bottled water but then a new bowl i bought came through the post. nice handmade pottery bowl with ridges in the bottom and that makes a difference too. i can now get decent lather with hot water for a change so at present im happy to stick with hot shaves for the 'pamperingness' 🙂

sorry for waffling on a bit but you may be interested in my experience earlier today. a new barbers has just opened in town offering hot towel/cut-throat shaves, so i was interested in trying it. thought ill see what he does, see how it differs to my two sh*te efforts with the shavette and hopefully therell be less blood 🙂
haircut first, and pleasantly surprised with the best chop ive had in a long time, looking good so far. i was waiting for the hot towel but he just came over with a little plastic bowl of hot water and a cheap looking brush, not even soaked. hmmmm...... not looking so good now. dipped his fingers in the hot water and gently spread a bit of water on my face. then soaked the brush, squeezed it a bit and worked up a bit of lather from a 'derby soap' bowl. decent lather, and just gently spread it on my face. no swirling, figure of eights, nothing fancy, just gentle 'painting'. then he started his first pass, with the grain. got as far as leaving me a lather goatee, then said id need a towel for this bit.
hot towel wrapped round my face for 30 secs, took it off, no lather left on my goatee but he finished off with the shavette.
i was then expecting another lather and another pass, but this is what amazed me, he just dipped his fingers in the water and dabbed it on my face. he then spent another 20 mins or so just pulling my face about feeling for the grain, then little scratchy scratchy motions with the blade. short fast 'buffing' here there and everywhere, dabs of water, more 'buffing' until finished. the end result was the best shave ive ever had, like a ickle babys botty. no irritation despite me being sure he should have used lather and shouldnt go over the same area again and again.

so..... pretty astounded at it really, its given me a benchmark now i know how close a shave can be on my face. im also a little confused as it went against all the videos ive seen and all the advice ive read.

anyone had a shave similar to this? its given me a new enthusiasm to try my shavette again anyway which could just be a bad thing! 😀

Like the "cold water in hot weather" tip. Didn't think of that.

I definitely feel the difference if I don't use a pre-shave oil. Razor drags more.

Also, living in a hard water area too, I changed from a finger-bowl sized shaving bowl to a larger version so I can give the brush a good pummelling with the soap - whips up a better lather.

sadexpunk - Member

never come across that site before on my travels chewkw, thanks for another option

I have ordered many items from them. Very reliable with quick delivery.

You might want to consider some of the following blades as I find them to be very good.

[b]Polsilver Super Iridium [/b](I got them - very good but I also have Iridium from Russia)
[b]Polsilver Blades[/b] (Polish made - good)
[b]
USA Made Personna Super Prep DE Blades[/b] (many say they are good)
[b]Personna USA Super Blades "Lab Blues"[/b] (as above)
[b]Personna Platinum Red[/b] (as above)
[b]Personna Platinum Chrome[/b] (I like them but some say they are mild)

[b]Astra Superior Platinum[/b] (They are good but depending on the razor)
[b]Astra Superior Blades[/b] (I don't have these but they get good comments)

[b]Gillette 7 O Clock Sharp Edge[/b] (I have both yellow and green - good)
[b]Gillette Silver Blue[/b] (Good)

[b]Feather Blades[/b] (I have the black packaging and they can be too sharp for me)

[b]Derby Double Edge Blades [/b](mixed feeling as I find them to be slightly inconsistent sometimes good sometimes not)

[b]Merkur Super Platinum Stainless[/b] (Crap as far as my sample pack is concerned)

[b]Wilkinson Sword Double Edge Blades[/b] (I think I tried them and gave them a poor rating ... )

[b]Timor Solingen DE Blades [/b](I think I tried them in sample pack too and gave them a poor rating)

[b]Shark Super Chrome[/b] (Others say they are good but I have not tried them)

[b]BIG DE blades [/b]- if I can recall my Greek friend bought me some and after trying them I thought they were shite.

My general view is that all blades produced in Germany are not as good as those produce elsewhere including those from Vietnam or Thailand but better than those produced in China (plenty of fake ones by the way).

All my safety razors are Gillette ranging from adjustable to three piece (don't have two piece) with the exception of one travel razor (the compact one where the handle is in two pieces).

got a fair few of those myself mate, not tried that many yet tho.

derbys were the first blade i ever tried and gave me such a shock at how bad they were. just dragged across my face, felt really blunt. i cant believe theyre that bad tho, so i do intend trying one again before i write them off for me.

the others ive tried.....feathers sharpest, plenty of nicks, but i did use them with an aggressive setting, so am going to try them with a mild setting soon. i get the impression ill end up with feathers.

7 o clock greens and yellows, personna blue with red writing, astra SP's, cant really tell them apart, all smoothish and do the job well enough. israeli have been smoothest so far for me.
also got some sharks and perma sharps that i havent tried yet.

just ordered some polsilver super iridiums, so ill be interested to see how i get on with those, theyre always recommended.

thanks mate

sadexpunk - Member

... perma sharps ...

Ya, got them as sample from my local vintage safety razor seller ... Slightly overrated Turkish blade IMO. They are better then Derby as they are consistent but I think they are rather similar to Merkur blades.

My Polsilver Super Iridiums are very good. I got mine from Poland via my Polish friend. She thought I was turning into her father ... 😯

Have the vintage DE's arrived Dave?
If so ... how they performing?

On the cold shaving. Hurts just thinking about it. I need to soak face in hot water first before shaving.
I tried the alum block after shaving ... did not enjoy!
Nivea sensitive still best option for me.

no mate, over a month now >-(

followed them up today and when i put the customs number in royal mail website it said they tried to deliver 12th feb and they left a note! liars!! we've had no note and i also put a note on door asking for any packages to be nipped to my work if we're out (next building). nothing!

it also says they hold packages for 18 days then send em back, so im gonna nip down the collecting office tomorrow in the hope its still there. thats just one of the razors, the other two are still in the system somewhere :-/

youre the first person ive heard of that doesnt like the alum block, i reckon it feels great 🙂 yep, the niveas good, but theyre different things i think. the alums only required for small nicks, niveas for when the alums been rinsed off.

Sounds a nightmare!

I had similar problem last time. EBay invoice showed it had been delivered, to some address in USA.
Had to wait then for a case to open/close with seller ... Finally EBay refunded me.
Then week or so later it gets delivered ... emailed eBay, so waiting for their reply.

I read some run alum block all over after shave before rinsing. It just irritated my neck.
Nivea is a must for me. Quick rinse of soap & rub of Nivea sensitive, no irritation or burn.

I've settled on:

[img] [/img]

well, the good news is the razor was still in the sorting office, so im now the proud owner of a birth year/quarter 1964 gillette slim 🙂

quick question to those in the know about these vintage razors..... it looks to be in good condition with no plate loss in fact cant fault it at the mo, but then again ive nothing to compare it to. the only thing im unsure of is the butterfly flaps. they dont have constant tension, but im not sure if thats normal or not. for example when theyre half open, they can flap about from side to side, maybe one side closes before the other. im not sure if it should just be constant tension so no looseness in them.

apart from that, the 1-9 settings all locate with a click, and when you close the razor theres a bit more oomph in the handle to close it tighter, i assume thats normal too?

wop, why did you choose those in the end? sharpness/mildness? smoothness? what other blades would you liken them to? ill probably have to order some to try, BR always gets good reviews for their other products too dont they.

thanks

EDIT: are the BR blades just plain silver or do they have the branding on them? only asking cos i cant find em anywhere except amazon without paying p&p. the reviews on amazon say theyre generic looking without branding, so part of me wonders if theyre fakes.
not worth paying £4 or whatever postage on top for a pack of blades from the shave shops, so id have to wait til i order something else from somewhere.

EDIT EDIT: like i say, the slim looks in good nick, but how can i best 'shine it up'? read a bit on badger and blade, but theyre all using US brands such as 'scrubbing bubbles' or somethings. what english products can i soak it in and scrub up? think whitening toothpaste and a brush cleans it up after a soak, but what should i soak it in first? ta.

Couple of threads about cleaning, one here http://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=18143

Bluebeard stuff on their own website but delivery charges are a bit steep. I'm still using Shaving Shack with a bit of a conversation going on with Dan.

I've been trying them against Wilkinson Sword blades and I've decided on them because although they feel nice and sharp like the Feathers and less draggy than the WSwords, they don't leave me with a red and lumpy chin and the same with that tricky bit under the nose.

They're relatively cheap at SShack at £2.99 for ten. I think the lack of any branding on the blades might account for this.

Feather blades here on an EJ.

View this post on Instagram

[img]

View this post on Instagram

I've stopped using soap, couldn't get the lather and ended up with quite a dry feeling after.

so i've got me

[img] [/img]

tis a game changer big time..

thanks holyzeus, interesting reading. ive tried a couple of those, soaked in soapy water, then hot water with a dishwasher tablet, then a rinse and a bit of cillit bang. finished with a toothbrush and whitening toothpaste, it looks a little cleaner but i think it needs a proper polish before itll come up shiny shiny.
good thing is tho that even if it doesnt come any better than what it is now id still be well pleased with it.

first shave with it will be tonight, probably start on 4 or 5 and see how that goes.

I used an electric toothbush and whatever mild abrasive stuff hanging about. Whitening toothpaste worked pretty good. And a bit of fairy washing up liquid too.

To get the doors polished I used brasso and ran it over with a felt polishing end on the dremel.

The doors will be a bit loose as they are opened. Normal.
One word of caution. Make sure the TTO is tight as your using it, mine came loose and I didn`t notice till it was too late ... there was blood!

I find setting 5 best for against the grain on neck.
My Flair tip still does best job though.

thanks mate, ive got some brasso somewhere so ill try and dig it out, i wasnt sure how brasso would react with chrome.
one thing tho, some of the black has worn off the numbering. its not a problem but would polishing with brasso make it worse and rub more of the black off?

i used setting 5 last night with an israeli. felt instantly better than my merkur, dont know why tho, cant put my finger on it. smaller, lighter, easier, but there again so was my EJ but i preferred the merkur to that. strange.
after last nights shave my skin was only very slightly pinkish and sensitive, so i may experiment with a 4, see if it makes a difference or whether its the blade. ill keep playing around with it tho, changing one thing at a time, always experimenting 🙂 ill keep trying the mildish blades tho for a while, then when ive got it as good as it can be ill maybe try changing the settings bit by bit, ive got to at least try a shave on no 9 havent i 😀

course, ill maybe have my other 2 razors by then to play with too, plus i want another go with the shavette.......its all fun int it 😀

See if you find it makes a difference ... may just be placebo.
After you use a new blade. Turn it over ... I find it gives a smoother shave the next time. Don`t know why it would, but it def feels smoother.

I've been following this thread with interest after getting a DE razor for my birthday back in December. Since then I've had a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. I love the lathering up of the soap and brushing routine. But I've struggled getting a good shave without lots of cuts and razor burn. So much so that I went back to Mach 3's for a while. I've tried Muhle and Derby blades that came with the razor and was not impressed with either. Then, perhaps foolishly went on to a Feather after recommendations on here. First shave with them - that was blood bath!

So after a few weeks off i thought I would try again yesterday. Hot shower, some cheap shave oil from Home Bargains, then the soap. First time I had soaked the brush and the lather I got was so much better than before. This time I started on my neck as this is where the problem usually is. It was a shaving epiphany. Everything just worked, no cuts, no burn, smooth finish 😀

I'm now a convert and to celebrate have ordered some more pre, during and post shave products recommended from all the chat here.

One recommendation from me is Arko shave soap. Looks cheap, is cheap but works great. I just squashed a stick of it into a old hair gel tub.

haha, and so it starts! welcome to the club 🙂
what razor were you using by the way? muhle, or were they the blades?

ant, i tried that blade flip last night. hard to say whether i notice any real difference, but i was using my new 40s style. that and the flare tip came in the post yesterday so i couldnt resist trying one of them, ill try the flare tonight. same blade tho.
cant believe how much smoother these gillettes are to both my merkur, and the EJ that i had, they just feel so good to shave with. i wouldnt say theyre as close as id like, but then again i may be being spoilt after having the cut throat the other day.

riofer, ive just ordered some arko too, it was only a couple of quid so thought its worth a try. ill rub it into my face first tho rather than stick it in a pot.

Razor is a Muhle Vivo closed comb. Just getting used to it now so planning to resist the urge to start looking at vintage Gillettes for a while 🙂

sadex - which do you find gives the better shave, open or closed-comb razor?

is this a closed comb or is it just 'design'?

[img] [/img]

if so then thats the only 'comb' ive tried, certainly never tried OC, altho id like to out of curiosity. cant say as i really notice the comb on the merkur, im not skilled enough to spot the small differences in these razors yet. all i know is the 3 gillette vintage razors ive got are smoother and nicer to shave with.

Agree with you there Dave. They are unbelievable smooth.
I use Arko soap. Really good stuff.

The flair tip I have feels almost too smooth when using it. Even going against the grain around my chin there is no irritation. I cannot imagine having a closer shave because any closer and skin would need to be removed.

If anybody looking for a Gillette Slim. I am selling one of mine.
It`s a L3(1966 July/Aug/Sep) if anybody interested in the year.
Works perfectly. Clicks through all 9 settings. All nice and shiney on doors etc ... with some plate loss on inside as is quite usual.
Looking to get back what I paid (covering paypal & P&P) ... £35 posted
Email in profile if interested and want more pix . ta
[img] [/img]

mooman - Member

If anybody looking for a Gillette Slim. I am selling one of mine.

Oooouuu! That's a nice Slim. Very good shaver as I got two. (must not hoard, must not hoard ...)

sadexpunk, this is your chance to own a Slim and the price is good. Grab it before someone else does or I may buy it for friend as present. If you do buy it and does not like it sell it back to STW folks, which I am sure will take it off you.

Get it quick ...

In the meantime, I just won ebay bid on Gillette tech yesterday after missing so many previously especially open comb type.

😀

Interested in the razor - have dropped you a PM Anthony

I've already got one mate, thanks for the heads up tho. Ants is probably in better nick than mine but mines a birth year and quarter so I'll stick with mine.

Thanks

Dave - You have probably got enough razors for the time being anyways.

I originally bought this to make up a shaving pack for when my son graduates next year. He used to be a James Bond fan (James Bond uses a Slim you know!) ... but he is in the beardy hipster stage at mo. So razors are out I guess.

Slim is now sold.

chewkw - Member

In the meantime, I just won ebay bid on Gillette tech yesterday after missing so many previously especially open comb type.

I dont know too much about the Techs. How much do they normally go for?
This morning I was lucky enough to get a good deal on a Red tip and a fat handle gold Tech.
The Red tip was my main target, but the Tech came as part of the deal ... so I will probably try to sell on the Tech (and another Red tip I got Saturday).