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Aggressive Razor

Hi,i'm after a little bit of advise please. I'm quite new to DE shaving, i've started off with a Merkur 34c (a Gift) , which is quite nice (im guessing as a noobie). What im looking for is a razor with a longer handle and a more aggressive shave. From my research ive found that the Merkur 38C Nickel would be a good fit for me. Or am i missing another aggressive long handled razor reasonably cheap that gives a smooth shave? I'm not really interested in the old ones, because they are not new. Maybe a murderer used to own it? :) Many thanks in advance /// Also i would not want an adjustable razor either....
 
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Muhle R41
Merkur 39c slant

Those are a couple of more aggressive razor designs.

You can always just get a LONG handle for your current head. I use a BRW XXL custom handle

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You should be able to get BBS with your Merkur with time and practice. A so called aggressive razor may not be something you should go for yet. Just keep working at your shaves at this stage.
However if you want a so called aggressive srazor try the Muhle R41, a Merkur Slant or the Merkur Futur- although it is an adjustable
 
Hi,i'm after a little bit of advise please. I'm quite new to DE shaving, i've started off with a Merkur 34c (a Gift) , which is quite nice (im guessing as a noobie). What im looking for is a razor with a longer handle and a more aggressive shave. From my research ive found that the Merkur 38C Nickel would be a good fit for me. Or am i missing another aggressive long handled razor reasonably cheap that gives a smooth shave? I'm not really interested in the old ones, because they are not new. Maybe a murderer used to own it? :) Many thanks in advance /// Also i would not want an adjustable razor either....

I've read your three other posts and I cannot understand why you want a "more aggressive" razor when you have not been at it long enough to know how to shave with a DE - any DE. You mention wanting a "smooth shave." I recommend that you spend some time learning proper preparation, lathering and shaving techniques before you make too many changes.

Of course, it is your money and your face, but practice and patience will get you better and better shaves. Ninety percent of a good shave is attributable to technique. Only ten percent is due to the hardware. YMMV, and all that.

 
I've read your three other posts and I cannot understand why you want a "more aggressive" razor when you have not been at it long enough to know how to shave with a DE - any DE. You mention wanting a "smooth shave." I recommend that you spend some time learning proper preparation, lathering and shaving techniques before you make too many changes.

Of course, it is your money and your face, but practice and patience will get you better and better shaves. Ninety percent of a good shave is attributable to technique. Only ten percent is due to the hardware. YMMV, and all that.


I have to say it - this part comes across as more than a little bit condescending.

If 90% of a good shave were truly attributable to technique and not hardware, then many of us wouldn't have the AD we do - we'd all use cheap, disposable Bics.

I shaved with cartridges for years and got good shaves. I switched to DE's and now I get more comfortable and closer shaves. I haven't changed my technique, I didn't need to.

The OP would simply like to try a more aggressive razor. Posts that simply tell him that he shouldn't want one aren't really helpful.
 
I have to say it - this part comes across as more than a little bit condescending.

I was going to say pretty much the same thing but using different words.

In the end I just gave them the options that they were looking for even though I knew that they would be dissatisfied with either one and we would see what they purchased on BST. I did throw them a life line with the longer handle suggestion. Maybe they will grab on and we'll see what happens after that.
 
I'm sure that any given advice is well meaning, even it it doesn't seem to sound that way. But keep in mind that that's all it is, advice. Someone has either a good report on a product or a bad report, its all how they interpret something, how it worked for them, and what they believe it to be. That doesn't mean that what they have to say is either right or wrong, its their own opinion.

When all is said and done, by all means try things and find out for yourself, and use whatever anyone else says as a means to compare and decide what you want to do. I don't think anyone was trying to be condescending.
 
Try everything.

Aggressive does not always mean smooth. But the aggressive *and* smooth razors are what RAD is really all about.
 
I used one razor for several years ... Track II and then I used another razor for several more years Mach 3. I got what I thought were good shaves. And I have been Wet Shaving for years.

Then I decided I wanted something different.

And looked into Straights. But, I found many other wonderous things when I went looking such as the fact that they actually make a shaving soap other than Williams and the fact that there is a Shaving Brush made out of something other than Boars Hair (and I like my Boars Hair Brush).

I took the plunge into Straight Razor Shaving first and had to buy lots of stuff to go along with it and I am still Shaving with the Straight. However, when I don't have the time I needed something that would not take as long and that is when I went into DE and SE Safetu Razors.

What is a "Good" Razor or the "Best" Razor is like saying one Razor Blade is better than another when YMMV.

So when you are consumed by RAD it is not like you are assuming that the technique or blade have nothing to do with The Art of Shaving, it is the desire to experiment and try something different and see how it does the job instead of reaching for the next multiblade cartridge at the end of the week.

I could use a Plastic DE and get a close shave but, the experience is different if I use a Neillite 400. And an Old Open Comb Gillette will shave differently than a 1912 Gem.

While he may still need to work on his technique it may be that his preference is in longer handle razors. So a 38C has a longer handle, I have heard it said that the Razor Heads on the Merkurs are the same and the difference is in the handles. Now you would have to confirm that as a 39C has a long handle and it is a Slant.

So Good Luck in Your Quest.

But, Nothin Beats a Straight... or an Open Comb Razor.
 
Get a Merkur Vision. It can go very easy and very aggressive. It's adjustable, long and heavy. It can be any razor you want it to be for years of happy use.
 
The 34c is victim of his popularity, but because it's a popular razor, it doesn't mean it's a newbie one. Would you say a F-150 is a newbie pickup because it's a best seller ?
 
I know you said you wanted to skip the adjustable, but I wouldn't be doing you justice if I didn't encourage you to look at a Merkur Futur. In my opinion, it is a modern work of art and shaves beautifully. The heft is wonderful to behold in the hand and it really destroys whiskers. It will also grow with your techniques and preferences, over time. It will allow you to adjust your blade exposure to a setting that's perfect for you. Just sayin'.....

That aside, if you really just want an aggressive razor, the R41 and slants are always mentioned as tops in that regard; I would go that route. There's also shavettes/straights--those are certainly aggressive.
 
I can say that I am also new to DE shaving. I have a Merkur 38c and have been using it with good results. Then I started hearing about the Muhle R41 and had to try it. I managed to make hamburger out of my face. After two shaves I put it back in the box. I will probably bring it out again in a couple of months. I went back to my barber pole for now. Do I regret buying the R41? No I just need to work on my technique a while longer. If you want to try something new go for it. Just remember that it may not work out for you, at least not at the moment. As for your choice of the 38c I certainly like mine.
 
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I've got a new Merkur Vision which can be pretty much anything you want it to. It's fairly large however, so keep that in mind.
 
I want a different razor because i think my dense facial hair needs a more aggressive razor.The one i have at the moment is ok but i hear i can have baby smooth skin in 2 passes with an aggressive razor instead of 3/4 passes at the moment. Plus im a bit of a perfectionist so i wont stop untill i have the best of everything (best for me)...
 
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