well i think im gonna ditch the cut-throat. had another one tonight, only 1 small nick, but its just too time consuming. so tough keeping your concentration all that time, the lather starts to dry out, its awkward getting your hand in the right position and still be able to see where you want to shave.....do i use left hand or right hand for this bit etc etc.....
the 'cross cut' is even more awkward, and to be honest, it doesnt seem to be any closer than the merkur DE.
so, its decided. been there, done it, but its DE all the way from now. just need to fine tune my lather, settle on a blade (pretty sure ill stick with feathers) and im gonna be a happy bunny 🙂
It's all about practice so in few months time you shave within half the time. 😀
Might be worth trying some 7 O'Clocks at some point. I default to feathers but the 7s are good for a daily shave. I have some very old blued, high carbon steel blades which are terrifyingly sharp but I cant find any more for sale.
Anybody using vintage DE razors? Waiting for a super speed to arrive and contemplating getting a slim adjustable too ... just wondering if anybody here had experience of using them, and how they compare against a modern razor??
It's all about practice so in few months time you shave within half the time.
its not just the time tho mate, its so awkward! ive seen all the vids, so know how to do it, 3 passes etc, but just find it really difficult positioning my arms correctly to start the cuts. especially the last 2 passes, across the grain and against.
when i look in the mirror, and get my arm in the right position for the cut, it blocks my vision to the mirror. i reckon id be fine shaving someone else, but im cr@p at doing myself.
i also struggle round the jawline, the contour as my face goes round the jaw to my neck. the blade seems to struggle to go round smoothly, so im wondering whether the lathers drying out a bit by then, the blade could be better etc.
i found that it made it a bit easier if i held the blade differently for some cuts, just held it on the end rather than the standard '3 fingers on top, one on the tang' hold for everything. anyone here do the same or are you always holding it the same way?
i wont chuck it away, but im defo gonna concentrate on just DE for the forseeable future now. once ive got the lather dialled, and know my blades a bit better and when theyre starting to dull and need changing, then ill give it another go.
Might be worth trying some 7 O'Clocks at some point. I default to feathers but the 7s are good for a daily shave. I have some very old blued, high carbon steel blades which are terrifyingly sharp but I cant find any more for sale.
yep, ill definitely try a wide variety of blades, theyre cheap enough arent they, so ill experiment. thanks mate.
if anyone knows any good value sample packs with a wide variety then let me know please. at the moment i just have derby, israeli and feathers. derbys were crap but ill try one more fresh blade before binning them altogether, but id be interested in trying the 7'oclocks, and also red personna is it? cant remember now but im sure i read they were a good blade.
thanks for all the input gents.
Can’t quite believe I'm showing this - but here is my set up thanks to you guys and a good local knife shop:
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Merkur razor is wonderful, Merkur blades are rubbish! 2nd set are wilkinson sword ones which I find amazingly good, and quiet. The merkur blades were noisy, scraping, and just not very good. Will try something else no doubt. But the swords seem very good.
Re lather - the proraso stuff with aloe Vera is bloody fabulous. I wet my face with hot water, take the lid off soap, use the brush that has been soaked in hot water directly in the tub to get a good foam, then apply luxuriously to my stubble. If brush too dry, then lather is too thick and dries out too fast as well as clogging up razor.
Other tip I have not seen on the thread (afaik), is to rinse the blade in cold running water between each stroke/scrape. That was advice from my dad, Jamie Oliver and 'Good Morning Vietnam' - seriously! It's a lovely feeling.
I agree with previous comments that no face pressure should be applied with razor, and that alum block is a great part of post shave routine - just seems to 'ready' my face (as well as being dramatically good for the odd nick).
Basically, this set up seems bloody lovely and gives me a fab shave, and has remarkably easy to change to.
Thanks all!
which proraso soap is that then mate, this is my stuff in a green pot....
[img] 
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really impressed with proraso tho, ive got loads of other decent luxury creams and balms that are just at the back of the cupboard now, proraso's my goto stuff.
just another point while i remember, that proraso pre/post cream...... feels ace pre-shave, really tingly, but does anyone find it doesnt quite work as well post-shave? doesnt seem to absorb into the skin as well and leaves white streaks and blobs on mine. this is after alum block, then a rinse. interested in opinions on that.
PSA. i know a few of you use lookfantastic for your grooming needs. ive been sent a code for an extra 20% off if youre thinking of ordering anything? use VIP2015.
cheers
I couldn't get a decent lather up with the "potted" Proraso cream. I find a small amount of the tubed stuff into a bowl and a good whipping (ooh matron!) with the brush, does it.
do proraso do a potted shave cream? thought they only did the soap in a pot, or cream in the tube. or pre/post shave in a pot. you havent been lathering up in pre-shave cream have you? 🙂
think my next purchase will be some of that tubed stuff, along with a sample pack of blades. ill need a bigger cupboard soon 😀
I'm a big fan of the GF Trumper shave cream (Lime flavour FWIW but will be getting coconut next time, for that tropical paradise feeling)
A small hazelnut sized blob in the palm of my hand, brushed to a lather with a distinctly average brush and applied to the face. Merkur razor and Astra platinum blades.
My thoughts after about 6mo of this malarkey is that it easily gives as good a shave as fancy KoS or Gillette razors at a fraction of the cost. I rarely nick myself despite not being particularly careful and have a Boots styptic pencil for when i do.
Standard routine is to shave every other day - i do grow beard but where I'm quite fair it's not so visible. And then most days i only do one pass, which reduces any growth to well below the visible level - in fact sitting here i can't feel stubble when rubbing cheeks or neck with the grain, only against. For special occasions, and once a week on Sunday evening i change the blade and do a full 3 pass luxury shave.
My only slight grumble is that the Astras do seem to dull quite quickly, so by the end of the week i can feel a bit of drag. I'm going to get me some of those Feathers and see if they make a difference, but any other suggestions from the genuine experts - it's not so much sharpness of the Astra's that's an issue as opposed to how quickly they dull, would i be better with something equally as sharp but with a bit better lifespan (as if 7p a week is costly anyway - maybe I'll change twice a week and spend 14p!!)
at a fraction of the cost
(as if 7p a week is costly anyway - maybe I'll change twice a week and spend 14p!!)
we say that dont we, but......i probably spend more on the creams/balms/blades/brushes/soaps/razors/alum blocks/aftershaves/lotions etc than i ever did on gillette turbonutterb@st@rd cartridges and a can of foam 😀
cant help on the blade info, but interested in that myself too. only tried 3 so far, and feathers win at the moment, but will try a few more varieties before settling on one. more expense eh? 😀
I guess it suits some people and not others. I've tried several types of razor and many types of blade, soap etc and can't get results even close to what I get with my Mach 3. Plus each Mach 3 lasts me at least three weeks (used every day).
The DE razors look nice on the bathroom shelf though 🙂
Since I was suffering from a rash from the multi blade razors so I thought I'd give this ago. Merkur, 7 o'clock, Arlo soap and badger brush. It's been nice. Much better shave, a whole lot less irritation and so far no ingrown hairs. Mrs 10 thinks I look better too.
I've been 3ping with the 7 o'clock and only had a couple of minor nicks. I have other blades to try from the sampler, but I'm not sure right now how much improvement they could get. Thanks for all the good info here gents.
10 - MemberSince I was suffering from a rash from the multi blade razors so I thought I'd give this ago.
If you suffer from rash then you do the following.
Pre-shave.
1. Apply some Jojoba Oil or any oil to protect the skin.
2. Leave it for few minutes.
Then shave as normal.
Post-shave.
1. Use styptic pencil or alum block for nicks.
2. Apply (wipe your face) Witch Hazel with 2 to 3 drops of Tea Tree oil after you have shaved.
3. Apply aftershave (alcohol or not) or shaving balm (Nivea sensitive non-alcohol) and a bit of Jojoba oil.
There done. All the rash will calm down or gone.
😀
edit: same can be applicable to shaving the beaver ... 😆 (I have not tried this so don't blame me ... )
Feathers here, they're sharp but that's a good thing providing it's not your first effort. Shave every 2-3 days and get about 4-5 shaves per blade so cheap enough!
i prefer feathers so far, but just ordered a sampler pack including 2 different types of 7 o'clocks, astra and some red personnas, so ill be trying all those over the next few weeks.
also bought a proraso shaving cream in a tube to try.
another PSA. [url= http://www.edwinjagger.co.uk/ ]edwin jagger[/url] got a 20% sale on now, just spunked another £20 on a DE89L razor. grrrrr must stop doing this >-(
do proraso do a potted shave cream?
Well, the one I bought - red pot - was advertised at the Shaving Shack as:
Proraso Sandalwood Oil and Shea Butter Shaving Cream Jar
When I raised the issue of lack of not getting a good lather, they gave me a few tips to cope with living in a hard water area. I went the route of the tubed cream, which seems to work for me!
That BR Tesco offer ^^^ (100ml EDT/150ml shower gel) is £3.74 with free click & collect!
BOOM! thanks for top trumping my PSA 😀
another 4 sets ordered for family next christmas. cant go wrong at that, its a crazy price!
My only slight grumble is that the Astras do seem to dull quite quickly, so by the end of the week i can feel a bit of drag. I'm going to get me some of those Feathers and see if they make a difference,
Feathers are slightly sharper than Astras but dull quicker than Astras so I don't think Feathers are your solution. I love feathers but save them for when I want a really really close shave and only use them for 2 or 3 shaves.
After trying quite a few blades, I think that the Astras are the best compromise between sharpness/smoothness/longevity, in a merkur 38c anyway. They are also currently one of the cheapest if you get from the guy on Ebay which is nice...
7o'clocks would be next on my list for you to try for longevity but only the black packet ones, not the green or yellows.
sadexpunk - Member
BOOM! thanks for top trumping my PSA
another 4 sets ordered for family next christmas. cant go wrong at that, its a crazy price!
POSTED 43 MINUTES AGO #
🙂
well, im getting on great with this shaving lark now, hardly ever cut myself, and just keep flitting between blades, see which i prefer.
i bought myself an edwin jagger de89l as they seem quite popular, and i wanted to compare it to the merkur im using. side by side i can see the heads are identical, so theyll give exactly the same shave, the EJ is a bit lighter tho, and after a few shaves with each, i think i prefer the weight and looks of the merkur. ill probably sell the EJ on with a few other bits and bobs ive tried.
the lack of blood now has got me wondering whether id like to try an aggressive razor, maybe a slant or something, just to see what difference that makes. my searching took me to this video, so ive done the same, cut up an old blade and used it as packing to give a greater gap. ill report back when ive tried it out.
You could just adjust your razor to a closer setting. That's what I did after awhile but then I got too brave adjusted it some more. It then got messy a couple of times so took it back down.
i dont have an adjustable razor tho mate, theres only a couple that i know of that can adjust, both of them are merkurs i reckon.
mines just like most of em, take it aprt, new blade, screw back together, thats it.
thanks
I've also switched to a de for the past 3 months on the advice of this thread. Definite improvement. One thing though, and I'm not sure it's been mentioned...I absolutely can't shave with any type of razor unless it's in the shower. Have tried all the techniques but the stubble just seems to tear at my skin if it's in a traditional way in front of the mirror. The heat in the shower just seems to soften the stubble and make it comfortable, also easier to get through the stubble. Anybody else in the same boat?
i dont have an adjustable razor tho mate, theres only a couple that i know of that can adjust, both of them are merkurs i reckon.
Ah! In that case get one one of those. 😀
I've also switched to a de for the past 3 months on the advice of this thread. Definite improvement. One thing though, and I'm not sure it's been mentioned...I absolutely can't shave with any type of razor unless it's in the shower. Have tried all the techniques but the stubble just seems to tear at my skin if it's in a traditional way in front of the mirror. The heat in the shower just seems to soften the stubble and make it comfortable, also easier to get through the stubble. Anybody else in the same boat?
well thinking logically, the only thing the shower will be doing is warming up your face. yes by all means have a shower first, then hold a hot flannel against your chops maybe? s'wat i do, then use pre-shave cream, brush up a lather, work it into face, then shave. how does that differ from what youve tried?
Ah! In that case get one one of those.
too expensive (he says, looking at how much hes spent so far...) and i dont think they look as nice. one of thems got a plastic end too. yuk! 😀
Gillette slim or Fatboy adjustables ... retro too!
ooh i do like those mooman, just had a google, very nice.
too rich for me tho unfortunately :-/
You prob looking in wrong place. I got a Fatboy for £40 delivered.
And 2 SlIm's and a Black Beauty for less than £30 each delivered.
UK prices are silly.
mooman - MemberYou prob looking in wrong place. I got a Fatboy for £40 delivered.
And 2 SlIm's and a Black Beauty for less than £30 each delivered.UK prices are silly.
Did you order from the State?
I want to get one of this as the one my father gave me is very worn.
[img] http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/wiki_asset.php?pid=1416&x=180 [/img]
I got one of those black handled super speeds in a R1 (my birth year).
Lovely shave. They easy to take apart to get replated if yours is a bit rough.
I found a local replater. Dirt cheap too.
too expensive (he says, looking at how much hes spent so far...) and i dont think they look as nice. one of thems got a plastic end too. yuk!
Usually deals available. When did they switch to plastic? 😕
You prob looking in wrong place. I got a Fatboy for £40 delivered.
And 2 SlIm's and a Black Beauty for less than £30 each delivered.UK prices are silly.
nope, cant find any in uk for those prices.
Usually deals available. When did they switch to plastic?
id be interested in links to any deals? and no idea, ive only really been into this for a few months, but this is the one im on about. dont like the look of plastic on them.
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mooman - Member
I found a local replater. Dirt cheap too.
Yes, very nice razor.
What's the cost of replating the black handle super speed above? Do you have the contact details like website link etc?
I think my black handle super speed might be late 70s.
😀
sadexpunk
That Merkur is nice.
Been trying these feathers for a few shaves now and while they are sharper, I've found that leads to a bit more razor burn than my Astra plastinums. Probably technique, maybe they need even less pressure, but I'm back to my astras again now. For a daily (actually every other, I'm not that beardy) shave they're just perfect, most days I single pass and OK, it isn't baby bum smooth, it's pretty damn good, easy, comfortable, and cheap. I save the double and triple pass for special occasions!
The Black handle superspeed were the last of the superspeeds. 1968 - 198?.
Google how to date a Gillette razor. They all have a letter and number (except late 1940's). The letter is year and number is the quarter it was made ... mine is R1 ... 1971 between Jan - March .... = birth razor!
The handle is anodised so needs to be taken off before replating obviously, which is easy on a superspeed.
I shall be replating the adjustables and a red tip. A local metal finisher quoted me £10-15 to do the lot.
They were originally plated fully assembled - so no need to disassemble for them to replate.
There are silly prices in UK for them. I see them go on USA EBay for less than £30 delivered atleast a few times a week. Just keep a look out.
Worth adding that the Black beauties/black handled adjustables are a pain to disassemble, so don't buy one if it needs replate.
From the little I know of the vintage razors. The gillettes super speeds peaked at around 1955. Ones made around this time are said to give the perfect shave ... before they went all 'technical' with the adjustables.
I read for this reason, the 40's style superspeed and red tip of this era are a must ...
Red tips go for similar prices as adjustables and 40's style a lot less.
If you struggle for a local firm to replate yours let me know. I shall be taking mine to be done hopefully next week or the other.
You really need a Slim. It's what James Bond uses
[url= http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/US_Gillette_Dating_Information ]gillette dating codes[/url]
been looking at US ebay. some say will not ship to UK, but i got a mate over there who could bid and send one over if it was the right one.
so......all a bit confusing. which are the best ones to look out for then? fatboys, slims, adjustables, superspeeds, 40s, 50s, 70s,its all a blur now! 😀
The Fatboys are the most wanted. Simply because they had a run of only 4yrs.
The Slim's were made for 8yrs I think, so there is more about.
It's own preference between these two for shave quality.
The Black beauty or Super adjustable is said to give the superior shave ... but they not as lusted after as the Fatboy or Slim. Plus they need stripping to replate and are a swine to reassemble.
The superspeeds are not adjustables. the red tips are most desirable. The best shave is said to be the 40's style superspeed or any made around the mid 1950's.
Moonman,
I think I may have collected several Gillette safety razors over the years.
They are mainly Gillettte like red tip, TV superspeed, fat boy & slim adjustable, fat handled Tech, travel razor (unknown brand), tech/superspeed type aluminum, aristocrat, black handled like the above ... 
I like them all but the 3 piece fat handle tech is the one I use everyday.
My black handled superspeed is 'REG U' (1974) with a 'P' (1970) and 'Made in USA' so I supposed it is the 70s model but produced in 1974 ...
The only one that I need to collect is Feather AS-D2 ... I call this the ultimate forever razor.
That's a good price for plating you got there.
I know nearby city there is one that do plating but I cannot remember what he charges now 😀
That Feather razor is hugely expensive!!
My wife bought me a merkur 23c for Xmas after mentioning I was going to get a safety razor ... It hasn`t been out of the box. I just love using the old ones .. so if anybody wants to buy it?
Yes. The price I was quoted to have them re-plated is good. More so when you look at the price some specialist razor restorers charge to do it.
I was quoted £25 to re-plate just one single speed and £40 to do an adjustable.
The superspeeds are simple to take apart. They are a simple design hence why they seem to last forever. Servicing and cleaning them is easy.
The Slim and Fatboy adjustables are a little bit trickier. Simple to disassemble but bit tricky to crimp the stop clip ... again though. Once you have done it once its a doddle.
The Black beauties?super adjustable is trickier to crimp because the stop clip is a little deeper in handle to reach.
Send me a PM if you want another site to look for gillettes.
Postage from US usually between $6 and $11 dollars depending on seller.
I find three piece safety razor far better to shave with because the head is flat or flatter by comparison to other. Very simple and easy to maintain with no moving parts so not much to go wrong there. 😀
I am not in a hurry to replate but will get it done and will PM you once I can get my heavy bones moving.
The Superspeeds are simple design. Basically a threaded bar that is screwed up and down.
I just looked on site I got couple of mine from. There is a lovely looking Slim that looks to be in excellent condition for £35 delivered.
And a couple of Slim`s with plate loss for less than £30 delivered, these would need a re-plate to make them look pretty again though.
