After many years of paying through the nose for cartridge blades of varying brands (lastly the king of shave Azor type) I decided to go back to basics and last year bought a cheap Boots double-edged razor.

It’s cheap. Of the three parts it has, only two are made of metal and those have a cheap feel to them, but it does work and gives a nice enough shave. It’s a bit harsh on my throat/neck area though and I was wondering if this could be fixed with an upgrade of the razor to something a little more professional and precision. Something very much like a Merkur Futur for example.

It looks nice, but if I only cared about looks for a razor, I’d have bought some ivory/mother of pearl inlaid damascus steel cut-throat by now and probably caused myself an injury. So, are there any Futur users on here and how much better than a cheap DE razor will it be?

In my experience, if your neck is anything softer than the consistency of tanned pigskin, then a double edged razor will hurt.

Gillette Mach 3 blades = awesome. Cutting edge technology, use it.

(pun intended).
(Merkur owner, Gillette user)

In my experience, if your neck is anything softer than the consistency of tanned pigskin, then a double edged razor will hurt.

A good blade (feather FTW) and a good quality brush and Lather, I use Dr Harris almond soap, with a little dollop of Dr Harris almond shave cream and I get the smoothest, most pain free, rash free shave going.

use the blades 4 times at most.

Razor wise, somewhere like the traditional shaving company has good ones, but there’s no need to spend a fortune, the blade is more important.

My neck is softer than a very well moisturised baby and I have no problems with my Merkur. I’d suggest the problem might not be the razor.

I only shave once a week unless I am away with the Army (in which case I shave daily), so when I do shave, I have to go through a week’s growth. I also have stubble that goes in odd directions on my neck/throat, so can never really get with the grain working properly for me.

I’m taking more time over things now (going for the zen of shaving approach) and last night’s shave was a lot better than normal.

I use a Merkur Slant Bar Safety Razor, along with Geo F Trumper Shaving Creme.
I found feather blades too sharp- which casued an irritation, so now use Astra.
A decent brush, to get a good lather, and then use that.

I’m a twice-a-week shaver, clear supple skin, heavy-ish growth – chin like a cartoon gangster.

I can whip round in seconds with a Mach3 for an absolutely perfect shave. I’ve experimented with the Merkur using the same Arko shave stick and badger brush. And it hurts. And it’s VERY easy to end up a bloody mess.

Mach3 = safer, closer, quicker and easier. I’m happy to spend the money. Plus, I get about a month out of a blade, then I relegate it to my leg razor. 😉

After many years of paying through the nose for cartridge blades

Did you not see this bit Shibbers? He’s not asking which is better (and I think you’re wrong anyway) but if a more expensive razor would feel better. In true ST fashion you’ve looked at the post and answered a non-existent question.

Willard: I’d say that almost ANY razor will give you a better shave than a Boots plastic thing.

I’ve got a Futur and a couple of ’60’s Gillettes I bought off ebay – although it’s 85% about the blade the razor does also have a role to play. I use feather blades and they’re great for me but there’s a good range to try so give them a go and see what suits you best – this is just on eof the beauties of DE shaving… you have a choice.
Re. the razors, here’s my thoughts:
Merkur Futur: Looks great and is fairly weighty which makes shaving easier I think. The adjustability is nice but it can be tricky getting close under your nose as the head is quite big. Can be quite aggressive when wound up from 4-6 but give a really good shave. A properly made quality razor.

Gillette Superspeed: Mid 1960’s, nice butterfly opening action and not very aggresive at all – if I could only keep one old razor it would be this.

Gillette Tech: cheap razor that gives a nice non-aggressive shave – good for learning DE shaving. I don’t use this now.

Gillette Aristocrat Junior: Very similar to the Superspeed but not as nice in my eyes. Nice shave though.

OP.

Preparation is as important as which razor IME. Hot soak of your face, I use Bluebeard Pre-Shave Oil massaged in, then a good quality shaving soap or cream, the stuff in a can is probably the worst thing you can use, lathered up with a bristle brush and keep going until the soap or cream is a thick paste on your face.

You will find that any of the Merkur razors will be a vast improvement over the Boots “thing”. Blade choice is personal. I found the best way was to order some sample packs and try them. It’s very personal. I like platinum coated blades, I find them smoother. Short strokes with the grain, 1-2 inches max, turn the razor round so you use both sides evenly, rinse the razor in cold water after each stroke.

I was taught to shave 3 times by a “Gentleman’s Gentleman”, lathering up inbetween each shave. Twice is more than adequate unless I’m going out somewhere special and want to treat her. 😉

Have a look here: Linky Thingy

Merkur Futur, Gillette 7 O’clocks/Feathers, Arko soap, Wilkinson Sword brush, had for years, now v soft but was crap for about 6 months. very happy with shaves from this setup. And as the Futur is adjustable, you can probably set it to something that suits you within half a dozen to a dozen shaves.
The Futur was expensive and if I’m honest is pretty overpriced, but is a Lovely Thing in a way that deserves capitals, and as it’s now about 3 years old, it’s not like I’m missing the money any more. It is an excellent shave, looks gorgeous (I’m reminded of the robot in The Day The Earth Stood Still) and has a lovely heft and weight about it.
But for all that it cost 4 times as much as a Superspeed from ebay which is as old as I am, and although it is a better razor, isn’t 4 times better.

I’d say go for it

Oh I say, jolly nice shave, sir

Klaatu barada nikto

I used the exact same cheap Boots DE razor for about a year for about a year, always wondering why people got excited over DE shaving, it was a bit shit, I cut myself loads and never got a particularly close shave.

Just upgraded to a ~£25 Merkur and the difference is night and day. Definitely worth getting something decent IMO.

I’ve just realised that I said I had a Merkur – I dont – I have a Muhle which is less than half the price of the Futur and has been great:
http://www.shaving-shack.com/muhle-r89-double-edged-chrome-safety-razor.html

i used to hate having to shave each or every other day…. tried throw aways, decent things, decent throw aways…. my skin always felt tight, sore and dry.

now i shave about once every four months with a set of clippers.

grow a beard. free yourself from the blades of shavery….

I’ve got a Merkur one (£25ish non adjustable one) and I like it better than the cheap boots job I started with. Just feels nicer/better quality. Given the choice again, i’d opt for the longer handle but it does have a nice weight to it.
Feather blades off ebay (£12 for 50 inc delivery). Badger hair brush from boots and then a decent cream from the Traditional shaving company.
I use the blade for 2 shaves and then throw them away (one edge for a downwards shave to take off the bulk, other edge for against grain shave for a close finish, flip the blade for the next shave).

I used to get 1 or sometimes 2 shaves from some orange coloured, 5 bladed thing that cost a lot of money and went blunt super fast. I then switched to a Futur and although I spend a lot longer shaving I now spend almost nothing on blades as they last so long. Buy a cheap sample pack and it will last at least a year!

Other benefits are that I need to shave a lot less often – every three or four days instead of once a day. It’s not just about the growth rate either, the stubble comes back far more uniform too for some reason so you get that nice stubble look for a couple of days before you need to shave again. When I used Gillettes my stubble grew in every direction and looked bad.

My skin is super sensitive and I find using feather blades better rather than worse in this regard. My Futur is set to level 1 and never moves. You MUST learn how to use it.

Anthony Logistic Shave Cream is amazing stuff – I’ve tried maybe 30 other brands and always come back to this one.

Good thread. I’m in the same boat.

I got the ubiquitous Boots special DE razor, the plastic affair that I think is a Gillette Classic or some such. I’ve tried to get on with it but, even with a kind STW soul donating me some sample blades, I’ve ultimately gone back to my weapon of choice which is a Sensor. (I don’t like the Mach 3 at all, with it’s big daft flappy-abouty head.)

I’ve wondered for a while whether it’s worth dropping money on a better DE razor (and which to get) or whether it’s just that DE isn’t for me. So it’s an interesting read so far, thanks.

Ah, no, it’s this thing I have.

http://www.boots.com/en/Wilkinson-Sword-Classic-Double-Edge-Razor_29697/

Gillette Blue 2 here, perfect.

Thanks all. I can see myself drifting more and more towards getting a Futur in the very near future (no pun intended).

I’d considered some of the other razors (a Merkur 37c and one of the Muhle razors from Shaving Shack, but the look of the Futur sets it apart. Of course, that is the one thing likely to make my wife notice that I’ve bought a new razor, but I can deal with that.

The only thing now is to justify it to myself, a process that could take hours. I think I shall mull this over whilst I run round the village tonight.

Cougar, yes, I have something like that, although I am pretty sure that mine was not even branded as anything other than Boots.

Other benefits are that I need to shave a lot less often – every three or four days instead of once a day. It’s not just about the growth rate either, the stubble comes back far more uniform too for some reason so you get that nice stubble look for a couple of days before you need to shave again. When I used Gillettes my stubble grew in every direction and looked bad.

This thread is priceless! I’ve missed the shavingtrackworld threads!!!

So, let’s get this straight, the mythical Merkur now has the power to alter the direction of hair growth, and the speed at which it grows back???

Hahaha! ******g priceless! 😀

The secret to effective DE shaving, if there is one, is to shave after a bath or shower, much better results and no irritation. I use a saving soap in a bowl and a good quality brush.

I’ve shaved with a DE for a few years and never had a problem however I had to borrow a multi-blade off a mate recently on a trip, it was faster but no closer.
I’m happy to take my time.

also, it’s worth saying I used to hate shaving, i love it now, it’s a proper ritual, that takes a bit of time, but is very satisfying.

I try to keep things cheap and effective so if you look at the list below you will have an idea of the cost. Exclude the Feather stainless steel razor or the big bottle aftershave if you like as those are luxury items.

I am very happy with the DE safety razor with no problem whatsoever, in fact I really enjoy the routine now. I have no intention to use those “high tech” stuff … rip off in my mind.

1. Palmolive shave stick – less than a £1 (last me 3 months easily).
2. DE blade – one blade will last me 2 months (shave 4 times a week). I have many … will last me at least 20 years easy.
3. Aftershave balm – Nivea sensitive – £5 (but bought mine all half price).
4. Aftershave big bottle stuff – Floid amber & blue and Proraso (a bottle between £22 – £26 and been using mine for the last 3 years now and still have half in each bottle).
5. DE safety razor – eerrrmm – got too many to my collection. My favourite is Gillette tech 1960/70. Price of all my DE safety razor range from £8 to £30. I think I won my Gillette tech on eaby for £8 including postage. Will get the Feather AS2 (stainless steel) – £170 later on.
6. Shaving brush – £25.
7. Pyrex glass small “shaving” bowl – £2.50.

Cost effective if only my hording stops …

Can you still get Mach 3 blades? I was about to dump my Mach 3 based on the fact my local shops (inc. CostCo) have stopped selling them.

The very sight of the Muhle ^^ scares me, if there’s a chance to stay with Mach 3 I’m going to.

I’m with many on here – KoS’s blue Gel and a mach 3 gives a great shave in minutes.

Don’t splash out on the Merkur Future, just get one of the non adjustable ones that cost about £25. I had a Future as a gift and sold it on ebay after having it replaced on warranty. The adjusting thing isn’t very good and is completely pointless IMO.
Merkur 34C is my weapon of choice these days and I also have a travel version that is excellent

Also got fed up of paying stupid amounts for Mach3 blades and decided to give DE razors a shot start of this year. Picked up this as a well-regarded budget first razor (about £10 including postage). Found that with the Israeli Persona blades (sold as own-brand by Tesco and Asda, £1.90 for 10) and Arko soap (£2-3; Palmolive for 50p also good, but I don’t like the smell) gave a great shave. Alum block and witchhazel are nice post-shave. Now moved onto a rather nice Edwin Jagger. I’d guess that the difference between the Boots thing and a Merkur will be night and day. Used to detest shaving, quite enjoy it now. Still use a cartridge razor when travelling for convenience, but the shave feels like crap now.

try the wilkinson hydro 3 – they seem to last me ages longer than the other cartridges.

I bought a decent DE but it is too much faff.

I’d say its worth trying out a variety of different blades to find one that works for you. I got a
merkur for christmas last year with a sample pack of 8 blade makes. The difference between each is very noticable, so try them all and see what works with your hair type.

God I’m surprised to see so much love for a Merkur Futur!

I’ve got a small collection of razors over the years and get a new one each Christmas. The only badly made one I ever had was a Futur – the blade wasnt parallel to the bar resulting in a blood bath (a google suggested it wasnt just me). Anyway I might have fixed it myself apart from the awful blade change mechanism. It was sent back under warranty.

Going from a Boots DE (where I started – and I still have it) to a fixed Merkur (or one of the Parker copies if you’re on a budget) is a great move.

Lastly – noone has mentioned flying / airports. You can get the blades confiscated if in hand luggage. Going back to a Gillette 5 blade on holidays isnt the end of the earth – just slimy, massive and expensive.

couldashouldawoulda – Member

Lastly – noone has mentioned flying / airports. You can get the blades confiscated if in hand luggage.

I tried that flying domestic in the far east with no problem but flying international yes. They would confiscate them.

7. Pyrex glass small “shaving” bowl – £2.50 Oyster shell, cleaned out and with a stick of Arko pressed into it – £2.50 for the Arko.

Niche or what?

Mach 3. Does the job well, and I get through about 5 blades a year 😀

Gilette disposables were only good for one shave with my soft skin and wire-like stubble, after which they ripped me apart.

I tried a posh adjustable Merkur Vision (birthday present) but it didn’t work for me. Edwin Jagger on the other hand did – don’t think they have the exact one I got on that page, but most of the heads are the same I think.

Feathers or Gillette 7 o’clock blades last a couple of weeks. Strange that the DE blades by Gillette last longer.

As good a shave and less scratchy stubble when it grows in.

The body shop facial scrub and shave cream are good by the way – macca root or something

Mach 3 or equivalent plus a razor pit for the win. The razor pit is my top money saving tip of all time! It’s like shaving with new blades every time! Don’t faff about with the old fashioned nonsense, life is too short.

The greatest myth that all the companies want you to believe is that blades go blunt quickly. This is nonsense. They get dirty quickly which makes them less effective. A razor pit solves this problem.

Yes, thought the one I got was a little cheaper

I use a Edwin Jagger now,better than the cheaper de razor I started with. I’ve tried various blades but have founds Lords are my current go to.

Just to add my two penneths worth !

YES a DE razor is the only razor you will ever need, a newer one with some good weight in it will increase your precision and help you shave correctly, remember do not press on when shaving and go for a 3 pass shave
1: with the grain
2: against the grain
3: across the grain

My favourite blades Gillette platinum blue if you can get them, if not persona medical prep !

D. R. Harris shave cream
D.R. Harris badger brush

Aqueous cream blathered on stubble straight after bath / shower
Put brush in sink with hot water to soften while in shower
Apply cream shave

Do the 3 pass shave

Rinse in cold water
Apply either witch hazel or bay rum !

I bought a Gillette 1972 adjustable safety razor off eBay for about 200 last year as it was my 40th ?
Best razor I’ve ever used ! Precision accuracy
They don’t make the like that any more, the new razors are shite ! The first blade and the 3rd blade is blunt from the factory so it yanks the hair out exposing it for the other 4 or 5 blades to cut ?

I’ve found the persona blades last 3 or 4 good shaves
I bought a years worth of blades for a fiver !

Sure all the paraphernalia is a fortune but it makes shaving a whole lot more interesting !

Sorry wht was the question ?

a razor pit for the win

Apparently, an old pair of jeans work well as a strop too.

So next question then, is where is the best place to get blades?