Newbie razor question

[underdog1924]

I've been looking around a bit and had a quick question about razors. I've read that the Merkur HD is a good beginning razor, but I was wondering if perhaps some adjustable like the Merkur Futur may be something good to "grow" into. Could set it low as I learn and then as I get better, adjust the blade as necessary. Thoughts?

[lli]

My thoughts:

The advice I follow (happily) is to keep the variables in the beginning to a minimum. When you have yout techique down, you can experiment with settings.

The one thing you already need/want to variate in the beginning is the blade. Different blades have different results.

Of course you could limit yourself to one setting in the beginning, sort out you brand of blade, then change settings. Whatever you feel comfortable with....

[lifeonedge]

My thoughts:

The advice I follow (happily) is to keep the variables in the beginning to a minimum. When you have yout techique down, you can experiment with settings.....

+1

I'm fairly new also and tried hard to change just one thing at a time. I tried to go a full week without changing anything, then started with different creams, soaps, blades, teh razor itself wasn't the big difference. I found out that it was just a matter of how it felt in my hand. Tecnique is key early-on.

Good luck and welcome!!

Jim

[BigRich]

I was wondering if perhaps some adjustable like the Merkur Futur may be something good to "grow" into.

This is actually the route I took and it worked great for me. I had no problems with my Futur set on 1 to start out with. However, as with every other piece of advice take that with a grain of salt. Your result may very.

[BigRich]

Also, I know a number of guys on the forum "started" with an HD and still use it as their go-to years later. Don't think you have to "graduate" to an adjustable. It's a lot more to do with preference than you'd think.

[lli]

I have gone for the usual: take one that very little people seem to have issues with. That seems to be a non adjustable Merkur. The HD is offten mentioned, but there are others as well (long handeled or LH).
If you do not like it after trying a couple of different blade brands, that is reason to move on to a different one, depending on your experience. As the HD is well known, your experience is easily compared to the experiences of others. It seems to be a reference type of razor.
Or, if you have your technique down, that also can be reason to try something more agressive to see what results that yields.

Good luck with your buying process!

[Jarmo P]

I think a fixed head razor is an elegant piece of shaving equipment. I got also Merkur Progress after HD, but it does not feel as "perfect" razor. Hard to load a blade so that both sides are the same, or even that the blade gap on one size is even.

HD is a more perfect razor. It might be just right for you in aggressiveness/mildness. Anyways I don't think you will regret having it even if you will feel as I short of felt that it is too aggressive.

Nothing bad about Progress, it can be also adjusted to very mild or how agressive you please. But after I got Progress, I had 4 shaves with it and now it has a Derby blade loaded with 2 shaves done and after that I have done 8 shaves with HD. So the Progress is just there as a backup if I get a bad blade somehow to my fixed head. Things might change, but now I value the perfect evenness of a fixed head razor.

Jarmo

[kwk285]

I started with a HD and a couple of months later got a Futur. I think both are great razors and alternate between them.

There is nothing wrong with starting off with a Futur. The biggest problem that you may face is that size of the Future. It is much larger than an HD and can be a little tough to use around your nose. Once you get your technique down, it shouldn't be much of a problem.

You can't go wrong with either razor.

[mr00jimbo]

I just have the Merkur classic or whatever and it's a great starter