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Best safety razor for beginner (price is not an issue)

Hi, I'm totally new to safety razors and I've already looked around a bit on the forum for razors that people recommend to beginners (the 34c, DE89, etc seem to come up often).

What I would like to know is what safety razor you guys would recommend for someone starting out if price weren't an issue? I don't mind spending a bit more money if the product is worth it.

Thanks in advance. :)
 

Legion

Staff member
The DE89 and the 34c are both good. The 34c is the more aggressive of the two, so that will depend on your skin and beard.

And then you can go vintage (my choice) and that opens a whole new can of worms.

If I was buying, and price were no object, I would probably buy a Gillette diplomat or a Gillette rocket HD. But that is very YMMV.
 
Hi, I'm totally new to safety razors and I've already looked around a bit on the forum for razors that people recommend to beginners (the 34c, DE89, etc seem to come up often).

What I would like to know is what safety razor you guys would recommend for someone starting out if price weren't an issue? I don't mind spending a bit more money if the product is worth it.

Thanks in advance. :)



~~~~why not start out with a straight razor? here's the one I'd recommend-
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$150, the vendor (thesuperiorshave.com) will supply it to you shave ready

choose your first strop from this vendor http://shop.starshaving.com/Leather-Hanging-Strops_c2.htm

you're probably gonna hack it up so no sense in spending large for your first strop DAMHIK

Or buy a DE razor....I still say go for a straight razor


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
 
Honestly, I started with a 40s style Superspeed I got for $1. They are very good beginner razors, forgiving and user-friendly. Money or not, hard to beat.
 
I have been shaving with a safety razor for a few months now. My weapon of choice - Merkur 23c. It has a longer handle than the 34c. Still very pleased with it!
 
Honestly, I started with a 40s style Superspeed I got for $1. They are very good beginner razors, forgiving and user-friendly. Money or not, hard to beat.

^This

I'm giving one of my friends a 40s SuperSpeed as his first DE razor that I got here on the BST for less than $15. Really great razors and very forgiving.

No need to go all out on your first razor. Save that moment for when you decide to reward yourself after you've gotten the feel for things. I think you'd appreciate it more. I know I would. Good luck.
 
+1 to the 40's SS. Great handle and weight distribution. Don't be put off by using vintage razors. There are lots of articles that explain how to disinfect if you're worried about germs on a vintage razor.
 
I'm been DE shaving for a couple months and have acquired a few different razors. My recommendation would be the Edwin Jagger DE89, or anything with that the same head (Muhle R89/R106 and other Edwin Jaggers). It's not that aggressive, and it gives me perfect shaves with little effort.

I have yet to try an extremely aggressive razor, however I do have a Tradere OC stainless steel razor. I would say it is too aggressive for a first razor.
 
That Lord L6 gets some love here I noticed. Cheap aswell. For me though it would be as others have said the Gillette SS, mines a 1950's.
 
Honestly, I started with a 40s style Superspeed I got for $1. They are very good beginner razors, forgiving and user-friendly. Money or not, hard to beat.

I started with a DE89. Spend $45 on it...sure its a great razor, but rarely gets any use these days...which frankly isn't that long into the journey. I'm routinely using my R41, FaTip and even straights now. Here is the bottom line: Just buy one. Some on this board make it seem like its a daunting task. It's not. I wish I had bought my first razor for $1! Heed his advice!

You can research these all to death and it can be more daunting than the task. There's a well respected member, turtle, who specifically states he uses everything from Techs, Slants, Open Combs & Straights and can get a bbs shave from them all. It's your technique that matters. Get what appeals to you. If I'd done that from the beginning, I would've bought the R41 and would probably only have 1 razor....well, except for the straights.

This is shaving, not brain surgery.
 
New: DE89

Vintage: Flare Tip Gillette Super Speed (the one with the plain, unpainted tip, models after 1966 had a black handle)

My advice to you is to go vintage. There's almost always a Flare Tip available on the B/S/T forum for a good price. It's not too mild or too aggressive, and works well with any blade.
 
I am not speaking from experience but from some reading I've been doing the Gillette bluetip is a mild shaver and it sounds reasonable that it would be good for a beginner!
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
Gotta jump on the 40's Super Speed bandwagon here.

Very inexpensive.
A great starter razor, but more than that - one that is just as pleasurable to use even if you're a pro.
Built like a tank, and you'll be able to pass it down to your kids.
Great utilitarian design.
The Twist to open doors make it a breeze to change blades, no fumbling with multiple parts.

Yep. Give a Superspeed a try.

Sometimes you get what you pay for. Sometimes you find something superb at an amazingly low price.
The Super Speed fits the latter category, and is proof that sometimes more money won't get you a better product.
 
Gotta jump on the 40's Super Speed bandwagon here.

Very inexpensive.
A great starter razor, but more than that - one that is just as pleasurable to use even if you're a pro.
Built like a tank, and you'll be able to pass it down to your kids.
Great utilitarian design.
The Twist to open doors make it a breeze to change blades, no fumbling with multiple parts.

Yep. Give a Superspeed a try.

Sometimes you get what you pay for. Sometimes you find something superb at an amazingly low price.
The Super Speed fits the latter category, and is proof that sometimes more money won't get you a better product.

+1 to what Phil said. It is a great starter razor that you can get at a reasonable price. The earlier SS razors were built to last. They give a good shave, too. The Tech also is a good starter razor.
 
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