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I've no beard but always wet shaved with a Gillette style shaver.
I've always fancied a more traditional type safety razor.
What are your recommendations please?
Some say good for a more aggressive shave! <span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">What does that mean ? </span>
Try a Parker Variant. Try the various settings until you find the aggressiveness best suited to you. Choose a handful of blades to try also. I would recommend phoning Brian at Executive Shaving. A really helpful chap and a bigger selection of shaving paraphernalia you won't find anywhere else.
I always used to try whatever latest Gillette razor to come out.
One day, I bought a pack of Bic disposables and realised they do just as good a job. One razor lasts about 2 months shaving every other day.
https://www.meindm.at/pflege/shop/me n's-world/Rasur-%26-Haarentfernung/Bic/Bic-Flex-4-Comfort-Einwegrasierer/147123/2_10005010.action?gclid=Cj0KCQjw77TbBRDtARIsAC4l83kgtwfOr4E2xv1SrU4gN_T6q-mduz2xrqmd5h4bMQnCN5aOfcH768caAviLEALw_wcB
Here you go
It’s not “aggressive” mind you, considerable smoother than the disposables I’ve been using.
Merkur Futur: modern adjustable safety razor.
as mild or aggressive as you like. Initial pay out seems quite a bit .. but it will last you your lifetime, and blades are literally pennies and give unrivalled shave compared to any disposable.
Edwin jagger de89 cheap solid does the job
Another vote for the Merkur Futur.
There was a long, long running thread on shaving several years ago on here, I did have it saved as a favourite but when the 'new' forum came along all was lost... It had loads of information and experiences on it.
EDIT - Found it:
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/few-questions-about-de-razor-shaving/
Thx all. Popping off to read that old thread.
I've been using Boldking for a year or two, does the job, cheap, simple, recyclable and easy to manage.
just re-read some of my old thread up there. ^^^ ill read more when ive got time......
i mentioned at the end of it that id settled on the schick injectors, but im struggling to find blades for them now and have been using my 'slim adjustable' with feather blades recently.
wish i hadnt sold on my other vintage gillettes now, as id like to give them another go 😀 might have to start looking on ebay again....
one thing im also struggling with is lather, just cant get a real decent one going. its due to hard water. ive got a lovely handmade bowl from etsy, decent soaps, lathers, arko stick, badger brush and also a decent synthetic, but whichever combination i try, that hard water just wont give me a decent foam.
Sadexpunk - the red tip is still the go to, even for the legs ... took some good chunks out of the legs with it, but never so much as a nick on my face; I guess I’m a bit more careful there. I gave up on the arco/brush/bowl, and just stick to foam in a can.
i used the Futur for awhile, and it’s great .. but it’s not as great as the 54 red tip.
yeah i always meant to get a red tip and never got round to it, ill mebbes have a look for one of those next.
54 the 'goto' year?
I've had a Futur for about 10 years....... only get used when I've not shaved for a week now as I prefer using my '60s Gillettes (Aristocrat Junior and a Superspeed - my absolute fave).
I just rechecked - it’s the C1 - so it’s 57 not 54 I’m using. Apparently the 1950’s versions of the Red tips were the best.
my flair tip is a 54
was just going to ask about that as ive just done a search and it implied red tips were 55-60.
still didnt find one tho 😀
My Futur is easily the best razor I’ve used. I tried it with some less aggressive blades, but I’ve gone back to Feathers on a 2, possibly 3, on the first pass, then down to a 1 setting for passes 2 & 3.
Although during this hotter weather I’ve been rinsing the blade in cold water and 2 passes on a 1 setting.
I not a fan of the feather blades. They just dont seem to stay sharp for more than 2 or 3 shaves, whereas the Astra ones stay sharp and comfortable for at least double that. I know they still only cost pennies ..
I love my Mongoose single edge razor and KAI blades. Since I switched to single blade system I've not used my futur and couple others DE razors which I loved back in the days.
Also Cella soap is to die for as well as The Village Barber aftershave balm.
I've been using one of these titanium babies (although a bit cheaper when I got it). Coupled with feathers, although I've just ordered a load of these . I like titanium anyway (great metal for bikes!), and it never rusts. Looks lovely too.
It's great. Recently come back from America, and didn't want to take it in case it got lost in the hold, so took a merkur 34c. The difference was really noticeable - actually couldn't wait to come back and shave. Sad I know.
Wondering it's worth looking at any more razors. I'd like a stainless one (just for the weight difference), either a Mamba or a Rockwell. I'll probably bite the bullet at some point.
I use feather blades to light my woodburner.
I've dropped you a message OP, I have a surplus DE razor which you are welcome to.
Following on from the Futur recommendations.
The patent has been removed on the Futur now - so lots of chinese copies are available. For around £10-15 you can get a Qshave adjustable safety razor delivered.
I ordered one in anodized matt black colour for £10.33 delivered ... and it shaves as good as the Futur.
I'm on my second razor, I just buy whatever looks reasonable for under £20. It's not a very complicated piece of engineering. The first one snapped after about five years use.
The Astra blades seem to work for me, I bought a giant bag a few years ago for £5 which I think should be enough to last until my final shave.
I might try one of those Futur rip-offs...
I've got a selection pack of blades that someone can have if they want to try different brands. Happy to post out to whoever wants it
I decided on the Wilkinson Swords, so all the unused blades are sitting about not being used - there's about 10 different brands and most packs have at least a couple of blades in, probably more. I think there are a couple of 10 packs that will have 7 or 8 blades left.
On recommendation from the 'other thread', I got a Mekur 34C (I think?!)
Lovely bit of kit - simple, and dirt cheap to 'run' (i.e DE blades are super cheap). I got the Astra platinum blades..
I recently picked up a 'Cambridge Cut Throat' razor - playing about with that at the moment - also gives a lovely shave, and will be ideal for taking on holiday etc as it folds up into iteself!
DrP
Love the look of that black fake Merkur Futur
For "haven't shaVed in a while" days, I use a shavette - like a cut throat but instead of a permanent blade it has a grip which holds half a DE blade, so no need for a strop
I’ve got a selection pack of blades that someone can have if they want to try different brands. Happy to post out to whoever wants it
I'll take you up on that offer, if that's ok? Cheers.
Cougar - just seen your reply to my offer!
Does messaging work? I'll go & try it, but ping me your address somehow & I'll get them in the post.
Got it and replied, cheers.
My daily favourite safety razor is my 3-piece 1950s Gillette British ball end handle Tech. (this one is brass handle so a bit more heavier, unlike those aluminium tech produce in the 70s) It even has "Made in England" mark! Bought it almost like new for about £15 on ebay many years ago. Brilliant shaver but not for blue beard. 😀
The razor blades I use are Astra, Personna, etc but those two are what I use for now.
I have 3 more Techs from that list below and many more other Gillette ...
P/s: go to ebay UK now as there are many very nice Gillette DE safety razors surfacing including the one similar to mine. Bidding price is low so go for it. You will love it.
If you wish to buy shaving related then this is the site I used to buy a lot of stuff from.
A wide selection of DE blades here
I got a 1953 Gillette Rocket HD in fantastic condition off eBay last week. Been looking for one for quite awhile now - but they’d always seemed to go over my set budget.
reviews always suggest they are a bit more aggressive than the American red tip ... used it yesterday. Very smooth, and certainly didn’t feel as close as the red tip.
I think my collection is almost complete.