better shave

[vior]

Hello,
I'm currently using a gillette sensor razor because I have sensitive skin and my questions are the following: can I honestly get a better shave(less razor bumbs and less irritation) with a safety razor that with a disposable one? If so what safety razor would you most recommend for me? I have read a lot of good things about the gillette super speed but where is the best place to purchase one, and what's a good price?
Sorry if this has been asked before.

Thanks.

[SmoovD]

Welcome to B&B. If you have questions about wetshaving (or just about anything else) you have found the right place.

It has been my experience that using a safety razor and wetshaving techniques do help remedy the effects of disposable usage. From fewer ingrown hairs to significantly less razor burn, DEs have provided me a much more pleasant shave than cartridges. When you factor in a good brush and soaps/cremes, wetshaving with a DE there is really no comparison.

As far as razors are concerned, SuperSpeeds can be found at a reasonable cost and they provide wonderful shaves. Gillette Techs also are an option. Perhaps the most recommended razor would be the Merkur HD, also a great little razor. If you are leaning towards the HD, you may want to check out the Merkur 38C- which is an HD with a longer handle. I love this razor.

DEs can be purchased online and if you search the boards you will find that there are more than a few reputable vendors who frequent B&B. Another place to look would be your local antique mall or fleas market- there can be some sweet deals found by doing a little rummaging.

Best of luck on your search for a better shave.
Daniel

[bjrn]

Welcome to B&B!

Don't be afraid of asking questions, we're a friendly bunch and won't bite your head off. I myself am wondering how your shaves are right now, are you getting a lot of razor burn/ingrown hairs/etc?

And to answer your question, I'd say a DE razor may very well provide better shaves than your Sensor, but no one can say for certain. If you're not getting pleasing results from your current setup, then there's no harm in trying something new, is there. The worst that can happen is that you find your sensor is giving you better shaves, and you'd only lose a few dollars (if you buy a razor from a member here you can probably sell it on for the same price) and get to experience traditional wet shaving. The best that can happen is that you get really, really nice shaves and start to enjoy shaving.

Many people here have converted from all sorts of cartridge, disposable and electric razors and getting much better shaves. You can be one of them. :)

[rabidpotatochip]

Before I started wet-shaving I had to "start" my shave with an electric razor and finish with a Mach 3. Even then everything burned for about an hour after... My first wet shave I did cut myself quite a bit, but there was zero other irritation. Now a "bad" shave is the same as my former good ones.

I second the Merkur HD as a good starter razor; the extra weight makes it really nice to work with and it's durable as hell. I bought mine off Ebay with a brush and some TOBS shaving cream as well. Total cost for all three was ~$90. After my first shave with all three I knew it was money well spent. I personally guarantee that if you stick it out and develop your technique you won't want to go back to the "old" way of shaving.

[Jason1]

Yes DE shaving is true to the hype. Before I started I had a lot of ingrown hairs, and shaving hurt. It was hard to shave and I got tons of cuts with a mach3.

I switched to the DE blade and noticed right away far less irritation, and it looked way cooler! The high quality shave creams and the badger brush to lather the face works wonders to lift the hair, and I can now say I only get 1 ingrown hair, and very soon it will be none!

It takes a while to learn. You must try different blades to figure out which one was for you. The guys here at B&B offer an amazing razor sampler pack, as well as you can find people selling razors online here. The people here are very honest and you should not worry about being ripped off. I myself have bought a fatboy from B&B, and will probably purchase many more razors from here.

Welcome to the forum and good luck! Start with a merkur HD and a razor sample pack. My favourite shave cream is truefitt and hill west indian limes or trumpers lavender.

Take care

Jason

[Razorburne]

I, myself, used to use cartridge razors....I believe my progression went: Sensor, Sensor Excel, Mach 3, and finally Fusion. As I got older and needed to shave on a daily basis for work, the idea of shaving everyday (b/c I get 5 o'clock shadow @ ~ 2:30) made shaving a chore that I hated - and my face was raw, that I looked forward to Friday, knowing I could let my face rest for a full 2 days before hacking it up again next week.

I then switched over to DE - I WILL NEVER TURN BACK!!! For me at least, the DE provides such an irritation free shave, that I actually look forward to shaving each day - the though of trying out a new blade, soap, cream, brush, etc. actually excites/entertains me....I know it sounds weird. My skin is much smoother, healthier, less irritated, and now my 5 o'clock shadow actually shows up late because I can shave significantly closer with less irritation.

Many will say that if you are getting along fine with your Sensor, why change it? I suggest taking the dive, and if you don't like it, sell your stuff here - it will go quick. I would suggest the Merkur HD - it is simple yet extremely effective. It's built like a tank and properly used will give a BBS shave. I also suggest the blade sampler from westcoastshaving.com.

Good luck...let us know how things go!

[coop1960]

I too went through the cartridge evolution. I called it quites when I inherited my Fathers 1961 Gillette Fatboy. The DE wet shaving experience takes while to learn. The two most important things are Technique and preparation. Now my face is healthier and looks younger. WARNING: DE shaving is not less expensive. Yes DE blades are less expensive than cartridges but you will end up buying a lot of goodies ie... brushes, soaps, creams, razors, after shaves, after shave balms , on and on, .......
But it is worth it.

[SilkySmooth]

Welcome aboard!

You'll definitely get less irritation with a DE.


==Tom

[MotoMike]

Vior

Welcome. I used a Sensor for probably 10 years. I found that the DE gives me a much better shave. It is different though. You have to use very light pressure with the DE. And to get a really smooth shave it takes me 3 passes. Each of which I thoroughly enjoy. I gave up against the grain shaving with the Sensor because of the way it tore up my face. I can now shave against the grain with no ill effects. I now have 10 razors... I dont know why. I guess some of them are standby razors incase the Gillettes stop working after 50 years. I found the Tech to be my gentlest shaver and my Merkur Progress maybe edging out my late 40's Super Speed for best shavers.

Good luck

Mike

[vespergo]

i think single bladed razors will give you better shaves, regardless if they're DE or disposable ones (metal bic, i refer to.. or bic sensitive,original, etc. these three are good with the bic metals' shining above the other two). DE blades are really cheap and if you can get into them then it'll provide you with a great source of cheap blades and alot of fun.

[Mr. Gillette]

When the concept of a multi-bladed cartridge came out, (probably the Trac II), it was touted thus: That the first blade would (1) begin to cut the whisker (2) before it completed this task, would catch and pull the whisker out so that the second blade could complete the job and make the cut even deeper.

This has been the basis for that system probably since the early 70's...leading from Trac II to Atra, to Sensor...then to 3 blades, as we find in Mach 3, where NEITHER of the first two blades actually cut the whisker completely, and then to the Fusion, Quattro, etc.

THINK ABOUT IT...you have a rope. You drag a knife through it, and it doesn't cut...but you slide it out a bit with that knife, and somehow we're to believe that the 2nd one is magically sharper and then will actually sever it at a spot a bit closer in. The concept is one that cries out against logic. It tells me several things:

1) At least 1-3 of the 2-4 blades aren't sharp enough to cut a whisker.

2) At least 1-3 of the 2-4 blades are unabashedly designed to pull hairs out.

3) If all the blades are created equal, there is no guarantee that the last one in the sequence will actually cut the whisker.

OR-- what if the concept is wrong? What if the first blade really DOES cut the whisker the first time around? It takes the whisker and the lather and then you drag 2-3 more blades over dry skin?

Pulling whiskers out, not cutting them, cutting them before they "spring back where they were" (such as depicted on 70's TV advertising for Trac II), or dragging effectively 3-4 passes with a questionably sharp blade, in the form of a plastic cartridge over unlubricated skin...

...or properly prepping your face. Inserting a razor sharp blade you KNOW will cut the whisker, using proper technique to match your hair's growth. Putting on a little more of that rich, warm lather for an ATG pass, enjoying the fit and workmanship of a nice razor-- and taking a few minutes to enjoy a great scent and feel...paying attention to the process.

Yeah...I think it's possible to get a smoother, more comfortable, less irritated shave with the DE method, good equipment, proper prep and a little practice.

At nearly 3.00 a cartridge, I think you could set yourself up rather nicely for a year and still save money over the Edge-goo and Mach 3's. Regardless of the cost, it's your face. Gillette's hype with this general system has been nothing short of horrendous-- I didn't believe it in the 1970's when it came out, and I believe it even less as time goes on.

Look at the people around you, while at work, or shopping, or on the train-- that "5:00 shadow at 2:30" that you see on most faces, the stubbly look on most pop culture figures-- it's the fruit of 35 years of salesmanship from the corporate level, and an acceptance of mediocrity on the part of the shaving and consuming public.

Use Kyles Pre-Shave Prep, read some of the fine posts on technique, find an inexpensive DE for 1/2 the cost of a mongo-cartridge pack of Fusions, get a sampler pack of blades, and try it for 2 weeks.

And remember: Batteries not included!

[vior]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I'm trying to get a super speed and most likely sooner or later will also get a merkur HD and then a brush. Right now I am using musgo real and feel that it is a pretty good cream so I'm not too worried about getting a brush. I do think I can get a better shave and I hope I can achieve it through wetshaving.

[fc2462]

I used to use a Gillette Fusion and shave every other day and my face, especially on my neck, looked like road rash. I tried an Braun electric before that and could not get a close shave with that either. Before that it was the Mach 3. Same story.

Then my story and how I ended up here. I was browsing around the local Bath and Body Works store for some gift items and happend upon their small men's section. I picked up a tube of their Bigelow shave cream, which I later found out is Proraso Green rebranded for Bigelow in the US. I tried using it and squeezed out a couple of tablespoons and ended up with a greasy mess and it clogged the Fusion so bad that I could not even use it. Then I read the directions and it said something about a brush and bowl to mix it up in. It then dawned on me that it was not like the usual gels that I was used to but some kind of concentrated stuff that need to be "mixed up."

So, thinking back to my youth, remembering watching dad shave, I thought that I would get a shave brush and give the Bigelow a second chance since I loved the sensation of the Eucalyptus so much. I then happened to be in a Macy's store and looked around in the men's fragrance area, thinking I would find a shaving kit there. I asked the salesperson and she said the only place that sells that kind of stuff any more is Crabtree & Evelyn. I was now on a mission.

I then looked up my local Crabtree store, luckily there was one in a nearby mall, and went in for a visit. They had a small selection of their shaving sets and various brushes along with the all time favorite $35 best badger EJ brush. At that time, I could not even imagine buying the $85 super so I went with the best badger and also got one of their little porcelin bowls.

Once I properly mixed up the lather in a bowl, I was in heaven. At this point, I was hooked. I then started researching everything wet shaving on the internet and that is how I ended up here. Then I went through several stages of BAD, RAD, and now SCAD. I absolutely love it and lately, I've been getting the best shaves of my life with my Merkur Vision, Feather blades, and TOB's shave cream. I must admit that when I first started with the DE, I made hamburger out of my face as well. I could not imagine how this could be better than a Fusion but once I got more practice and learned the critical piece of the puzzle and only use light to no pressure, I was set. I now hold the Vision razor with two fingers and let only the weight of the razor press down. I have been getting BBS and virtually no irritation or razor bumps at all. I will never go back. Plus, the blades are so cheap for the DE that, if you could afford Fusion, you can afford to use a new DE blade on every shave if you desire. This really makes it a great experience.

So, welcome aboard and trust me, you won't regret making the move to a DE as long as you follow the advice and guidance of the more seasoned pros on this forum and stick with it long enough to get through the learning curve.

Frank

[Mr. Gillette]

Cartridge Shaving and Chicken S__t have the same intitials!

Conning the public and pushing expensive non-working shaving cartridges on them can result in "Con-Fusion".

The MACH part of MACH-3 is an acronym for "Mine Ain't Cutting Hair."

Sensor came from the latin word "Censor" which kicked in when the first person who used one ATG reported on the comfort level.

The essential difference between a Trac II and a Fusion isn't the number of the blades, but the fact that the Fusion will burn longer when you toss them in a fire.

Good News! (We sold another one!!!!)

Take the DE plunge, my friend. Follow the good advice on this board, be willing to take some chances, give it exactly two weeks...make a modest investment, and you'll find that each day will get better and better!