Merkur 34c is often recommended as a starter razor … personally Id jump straight in and get a muhle r41 and cut out all the faff. Cos you know after a month or so youll buy into the contemporary aggressive is better thing.

or go with an adjustable perhaps

Merkur 23C or 25C. Closed and open version of the same razor. Good knurled long handle, well balanced, budget friendly.

The Muhle R41 has changed over the years.

It was introduced in 2009 and was originally a mild razor.

Muhle seemed to introduce annual changes and the 2011 model is the really aggressive one.

I had one once, but it required too much concentration for me. I do remember it giving me a fantastically close shave on the flatter parts of my face. It was almost like someone had taken some wet and dry paper to my skin and polished it smooth as glass.

I am not sure how aggressive the current models are.

The 2011 model has a reputation and as a result goes for very strong money!

Edit – I found this recent sale on eBay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Muhle-R41-2011-DE-razor-extra-rare-and-extra-aggressive/253987696808?hash=item3b22d8b0a8:g:XtYAAOSwqxdb8UM-

After 2 shaves with the stropped feather I binned it. Second shave I had time for my usual hot flannel prep and it was a little better, but still a BAD shave, so I binned it off. However I decided to try a second feather immediately as perhaps I ballsed it by stropping, or perhaps it was just a dud….it was just soooo dull! I opened a brand new tuck and just used it. Much much better! ok now it is a sharp blade. 3 days stubble reduced well. futur on 3,3,3 for 3 passes and a pretty good shave obtained. I did get few weepers which is getting rare, but if I’d done 3,3,1 perhaps I would not have. Bit of burn but not bad. I will see how shave #2 and on goes, I’d rate shave #1 as fairly good but not permasharp awesome.

Ho hum

Member

Edit – I found this recent sale on eBay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Muhle-R41-2011-DE-razor-extra-rare-and-extra-aggressive/253987696808?hash=item3b22d8b0a8:g:XtYAAOSwqxdb8UM-

Wow £156 for a cheap modern £30 razor!

Its the hype over aggressive being better.

^^^^Its very easy to make a mild razor, it’s not so easy to make an efficient razor that’s not harsh/smooth to use.
Supply doesn’t meet demand hence the prices
Not saying it warrants it in this particular razor. i’d like an Ikon Tech, last week a head on its own went for over £140 which is crazy

My brother offered me an insight into the world of modern DE shaving. Apparently the thing to have is an Inkwell Razor Stand.
Here’s one I made for him –

time for an update. Last time i checked in I was trying a feather. ok tried it, not for me. I found i only lasted about 2 shaves and was a bit scratchy for those. I’ll liley try again in time as i bought a couple or 4 tucks i think, but for now whether its my skin, my hair, my futur, my technique or my soap…the feather and i don’t gt on.

after that i tried a stropped asra and a stropped wilko sowrd made in england, to make a decision on stropping. i’ve made one. for me t doesn’t help. it doesn’t seem to smooth the first shave much,maybe a bit, and it seem to dull the blade. so I’ve moved on from that.

then i tried personna platinum. nice, smooth, for about 2 shaves…then blunted and binned. similar to the permasharp but not so good.

then on to another gillette, a 7 oclock yellow, sharp edge. these are reviewed as possibly the sharpest gillette, often compared as similar to feather. I’ve got on quite well with it. 5 shaves in and still going. bit scratchy for the first one or 2 but sharp, has dulled but smoothed. this will be revisited, its on my short list of good blades. i was relieved to find another good blade after the disappointment of the feather and some bad results with stropped blades! As alwys, lots mre blades to try, several more gillette 7oclock for a start.

ALso tried a few differnt soaps. simpsons luxury cream – quite nice, lathers as soon as look at it although not as thick as dusy soap. I also like the metal tine with screw lid.
ALso gave wiko sword a go, a real cheapy this. i found it nice enough but needs to be a bit dry. make it wetter to build the lather and it actually seems to kill the lather…odd. quite a nice fresh zesty smell. for a couple of quid its not bad

Try a Gillette Black, sharper than a Yellow
Personnas too are very good

Gillette black, the 7 o’clock super platinum? Think I have some of those. Although there are so many different 7 o’clock I could think i missed one, hopefully not that one

Yeah was hoping for more from the persona but they will get another go. Is it the platinum, you like? Read alot of lab prep and lab blue and lab red but not got any of those to try.

Yep the Super Platinum and these Personnas

I checked and have Gillette silver blue, nacet, platinum, 7 o’clock green both types and the yellow. F it. I have ordered the 7 o’clock black, Gillette Wilko and Gillette 365. Think that’s all Gillette except 7 o’clock blue.

I got some of the sputnik to try too

Let us know whether your world is set-alight by them…

I tried them, they were out of this world

I have been using DE for a few years. I am currently enjoying using the Qshave futur clone, with either feather or voskhod blades. Preshave is hot water followed by using some proraso green pre shaving cream (the eucalyptus oil and menthol one), this stuff I have noticed makes a difference!. I also use proraso green soap and aftershave balm. Although I love the wood and spice range that proraso does, it smells by far the best.

Use to always use Parmolive shaving cream, but since the palm oil thing, I’ve been consciously trying to avoid any product with it listed. I’m currently using an own brand Boots shaving cream, but can’t stand the smell; reminds me of the air fresheners used in public toilets! What do others recommend, which is easy to purchase, ie readily available and reasonably priced?

Badgerbater, how readily available?
There are plenty of online stores in the U.K.
Connaughts, ShavingStation and Executive Shaving
Otherwise the Bodyshop do a cream.
Proraso listed above is good but it’s a menthol soap.

Proraso also available in Sandlewood or Sensitive (green tea and oatmeal)

The menthol is really refreshing, recommend.

What’s everyone do to dispose of their used blades?

I’ve several years worth sitting in a tin, not really sure what to do with them.

Stick them in the recycling? I’m collecting them at the bottom of my shaving mug for the moment.

Plan on taking mine down the tip when the time comes

I noticed in my local Tesco there was a metal Wilkinson Sword DE razor with 5 blades for 15 quid. Worth a punt for anyone thinking of trying DE?

I am currently enjoying using the Qshave futur clone

Yup, I got that too.
I have been well impressed with it.

I noticed in my local Tesco there was a metal Wilkinson Sword DE razor with 5 blades for 15 quid. Worth a punt for anyone thinking of trying DE?

I’ve not seen that one, but I can attest that the plastic WS razor isn’t worth the handful of pennies I paid for it. Almost put me off DE completely.

I’d agree the plastic WS one is bobbins.

What’s everyone do to dispose of their used blades?

I use different blades, some of which come in a plastic box (pack of 5). The box has a slot at the bottom so dead blades go in the slot. Once all the blades in the box have been used, dead blades then go in the top slot, where fresh blades came out of. I’ve lost count of the numnber of blades that can be slotted in to the box, but it’s at least 20. Once the box is full, into the bin it goes

I’d agree the plastic WS one is bobbins.

IME all WS stuff is. Blades are crap, soap doesn’t lather

the made in england wilkinson sword blades are bloody good in my view, so long as yu like a sharp bade. they are no longer made though. there are the gillette (india) made WS blades and german made classic WS blades though. not got to them yet, but i have some of each, i’m hopeful of the german ones.

The soap i think is ok. its not the best but at 2 qid I find it on a par with some other much more expensive glycerin based stuff. I have softened water though which probably makes a very big difference.

Time for another update. Since last time Ihave used:

Rapira Swedish steel. Only medium 5/10 sharp, first shave ok bt dulled further and second was very tuggy so didn’t try a third

Gillette 7 o’clock permasharp stainless (green) also only medium 6/10 sharp, 2 mediocre shaves then a 3rd awful one so binned.

Rapira non swede, similar start to the swedish steel version but slightly more duarable it did 4 shaves.

Super iridium extra stainless (polsilver?) another 4/10 not sharp blade although second shave was sharper before dulling for the 3rd and binned after the fourth as just not giving a close shave.

Used up my last made n england Wilkinson sword and didn’t like it as much as the others, higher irritation, made me dial the futur back to 2 (from 3) which seems to have been better for me.

Gillette 7 o’clock super stainless (green) not sharp 4/10, as usual first shave scratchy hen better but dull and binned after just 3.

I then decided to give a Feather another go, with futur set to 1. Oddly this blade didn’t seem at all sharp 5/10. first 2 shaves were still rather scratchy and unpleasant but then it smoothed right out and although the shaves aren’t super sharp they aren’t bad and are not irritating, the blade has now done 7 shaves and is still going…weird!

Sputnik to try next, and then probably an astra again as my ‘control blade’

So in summary, not impressed with either of the rapira blades nor either of the green 7 oclock blades, not very sharp or smooth or durable and currently having a very different and better experience with a feather, having had the futur set back to 1 for its use.

Thanks for the alternative shaving cream/soap suggestions. I’ve just bought three sticks of Arko shaving soap to try. It seems to be highly recommend on the web, so thought I’d give it a go. Will report back with my review later…

i havent got to my arko yet. the simpsons cream ive been using for about 6 weeks is quite nice. almost gone now. it lathers in an instant. also been using the wilko sword stuff in the bowl…going off it a bit…its nothing great but i’ll keep it around for now. i read some fab reviews of the wilko sword shave stick, and in photos that soap is blue not white. i understand its a tallow soap, different stuff to the bowl.

REVELATION!!Johnson’s Aloe Vera baby oil, £1.50 for 300ml has utterly transformed my shaving experience! I use a little as a shave oil, rubbing into the beard briefly before apply the soap. leads to a thicker lather on the soap, super durable extra lubrication and a smoooooth shave! its so durable the oil is still there after 3 passes and a rinse. i then put another drop on and finally some moisturiser, currently using up some johnsons baby moisturiser found at the back of the cupboard, its then but fine, good as a first product to the skin if I’ve not oiled as it is absorbed quickly. I find lots of cheap moisture products work very very well for me. the best being vaseline intensive care moisturiser, the cocoa butter one for something thicker, the standard or the aloe vera one for thinner and no greasy feel, the johnsons or sainsbury’s own baby lotion for really thin absorb fast. but my my, the aloe vera oil is amazing!

I’ve wound the razor back to 1 or 2 for the last few weeks and been getting brilliant shaves. Current 2 blades (one in razor at home, one in razor at work) are going on and on…they’ve lost the really really sharp edges but are smooth and not tuggy yet. ones a de feather on its 9th shave (!!!!) the other a sputnik on shave #5 or 6. the feather blades i ws finding scratchy for 3 shaves but for some reason tried this last blade another time and since then its been great. odd ho some razor blades go dull and scratchy, others go dull and tuggy, and some just smooth but less close slowly.
Anyway..for those of you that have not tried oil, get some johnson’s aloe vera baby oil and give it a try!

Everything you have previously described about blades, extra stropping, etc. Has overlooked the most important part of a good shave. Preparation.

I recommended using a pre-shave oil and dialling your razor back to 1 five pages ago. But you have to learn on your own, I suppose.

Welcome to the world of smooth shaving.

Err yeah, since we all have different water, skin, beard, bristles and so on we do indeed all need to try many things and find what works and doesn’t. Hence why I’ve tried loads of blades, loads of little techniques, loads of soaps, settings from 1 to 4 on the razor on various blades at various stages of use, for various passes, and why I’ll keep trying loads too. it’s why I started this thread to ask questions and get ideas and to share my own experiences for others to considr trying, its why I’ve watched various youtubers and read various bits on various shaving forums. All ideas welcome, and thank you for suggesting oil, please don’t be frustrated I didn’t get to it until now, I’ve tried lots, something new every few shaves.

My shave routine now, now I’m confident with the futur and equipped with a little unbreakable travel mirror, I’m back to shaving in the shower. At the start of the shower I lather a bit of soap on the bristles and let the foamy water soak them while I do the rest of my shower (a tip i got from another stwer).
Shave brush is soaking in water while this is going on and soap blooming.Then its rinse face, apply a little oil, squeeze water from brush, lather soap on face, 3 passes, with, across, against. I’ve bristles like tree trunks and need to go against the grain to get a decent shave, but it can be done and I can go very BBS without irritation. Rinse then set shower to totally cold and douse the beard with cold. step out and dry off, then moisturise the face. I’ve found I prefer medium to sharp blades but I dislike super sharp and scratchy. depends on the blade but futur on 1 or on 2.
I can get a good shave reliably most of the time, but still get the odd bad one from trying something new that doesn’t work, or occasionally a random bad one. My skin is much happier than with the mach 3, and each de have is closer and i no longer shave every day, every other is good enough.

right, I’m off for a shave with the sputnik.

quick update and a question.

after initially finding the sputnik very dull it turned out to be one of those blades that sharpens dramatically, 3rd or 4th shave was the sharpest. It is also very smooth and very very durable. I’ve had 10 shaves from it and its still going to do another couple i think. quite an impressive blade.

question – anyone know if this guard would fit a futur? or know of similar that does?
https://www.theenglishshavingcompany.com/muhle-de-razor-bladeguard.html?fee=2fep=755&gclid=CjwKCAjw8qjnBRA-EiwAaNvhwKuNvvduF3lFktqa_1AffWe4j-YNb7W476yl2cbFPDyVIcD2FcK85xoCaScQAvD_BwE

Doubt it, the Futur has quite an unusual head.
You can get leather ones that aren’t so ‘fitted’

Something like this

https://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/parker-safety-razor-brown-leather-safety-razor-blade-guard?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI35PPhd274gIVjrztCh3XTgDOEAQYASABEgIEc_D_BwE

Finally joined the in-crowd. Had asked for a DE razor for my birthday present but finding one for sale in an actual shop is pretty tough – we did find a place in Penrith selling the, but they were £60. Over the weekend though we found that Hoopers in Wilmslow sell Edwin Jagger stuff so Mrs NBT treated me to a razor, brush and stand. Two shaves in now with the Feather blades that came with the razor and all has gone really well – post shower, facecloth soaked in hot water applied to beard, lather and a very light stroke of the razor has gone really well, easily as good as I ever got with multiblade stuff

yep, me too.  I bought 100 blades for 11 eur a month ago.  I think it’s going to last me a couple of years.  Then saw a ‘special offer’ of 5 disposable razors for 25EUR and am so glad to be shot of that crap now

Yes a 100 blades will last a long time! I checked my tin over the weekend to see what to try next and realised I’ve got likely a couple of years worth, I’ve given 6-12 months worth to my brother too get him started and have brought a few to work today to give to a lad here. I’ll have to check my notes but I think I’ve used 20 or so blades in 7.5-8 months.

Straight in and good results with a feather! Good result for you!

Ah yes someone suggested those leather razor pouches before I think.

Regarding brushes, do £10-£20 brushes last? I have recently found one cheap brush, the Wilko sword, has started losing bristles at quite a rate. I suspect this isn’t helped by it living in side my Washbag at work, where it never really dries out. The permanent damp state has perhaps softened the glue of the knot. If that’s the case I suspect a more expensive brush would suffer the same, so I’ll be better replacing with another cheap brush.

the not drying out of the brush probably doesn’t help but I got one of these https://shavelounge.co.uk/product/razorock-400-plissoft-synthetic-shaving-brush-silver-aluminium/ last year, and it’s lovely in comparison to a cheaper brush