Need some quick answers, Looking for Three Piece DE

Hi everyone, this is my first post to B&B and I feel like a bit of a bugger asking for some quick responses, but I was hoping to get some.

I've grown pretty much sick of my Mach3, given I've only had it for a whole 8 months... haha. I have been reading quite a bit and have decided that I want to get a DE safety razor, I'd like a 3 piece, and I am considering adjustable... Although I know that I would like medium aggressiveness for sure.

But I was hoping to keep the cost for a razor under $50-$75, in addition to getting some shave cream/lotion/soap (I have yet to look into that).

I was hoping to get suggestions about what razors might fit my bill (medium aggressiveness, stainless preferably, -$75, 3 piece, adjustable maybe), and I was also hoping to capitalize on the big Amazon Day blah blah blah big sale tomorrow (7/15/15), but please don't stop responding after that.

While we're at it... I was really hoping someone could explain aggressiveness to me a little more? I don't quite understand what makes razors more or less aggressive... I was also planning on getting a small set of Derby Blades for the time being (they seem to me to be a good mid range quality-sharpness blade).

In case anyone's wondering, I was just hoping to get a nice do it all. Not special for any one use, just a jack of all trades master of none, but I'm not ready to get a high dollar adjustable and mechanically complicated DE yet. Maybe one day.

I have certainly considered the Merkur 34, but I would greatly prefer a 3 piece, and I am drowning in the info and options of the ocean that is DE Razors...... Help.....

As far as your razors go, I haven't owned every single one out there (like many members here), so I'm not an expert. I'll tell you that you won't find anything in stainless steel for that price, I don't think. None of the modern day razors will rust or tarnish, but razors I know of that are made of stainless steel (Above the Tie and Wolfman, I think), are quite expensive. Since you want an adjustable, it being 'medium aggressive' is somewhat moot. I haven't owned an adjustable, but I think a Merkur Progress would probably fit your bill. However, if you're just starting out, you're probably better off getting a non-adjustable entry razor, like a Merkur 34c, and avoiding the temptation to keep adjusting it (i.e, changing variables), while you work on your technique. I've never owned that razor, but I know it's popular here. I own a Parker 26c, which I also think would be an excellent entry razor.

As far as aggressiveness is concerned, I'm no expert, but it's governed by several factors, blade exposure (the amount the blade "hangs out" of the razor) chief among them. As I understand it, with the adjustables, as you go to a more aggressive setting your essentially just exposing more blade.

As far as the blades, you should get a sample pack. People's faces are very particular... a blade that is magical for one person is horrendous for another, so you just have to get a sample pack and find out what you like.

Hope this helps you on your way.

And welcome to the forum.

First off welcome and don't worry you've come to the right place! There is a sea of information out there but the people here are a pretty awesome help.

So down to business; is there any particular reason you're set on a three piece razor? If thats the way you want to go, the Merkur 24c is the razor I started with. It's a new production three piece that shaves quite well, I still use it sometimes. And it's also one of the less expensive Merkurs. It's not stainless, but I'm not sure it's possible to find a new full stainless steel razor in your budget, they tend to be pricey.

If you're open to vintage razors there's a whole assortment that others more knowledgeable than I will be able to suggest. I have a Gillette slim adjustable (not a three piece but an excellent razor) that I got off eBay within your budget range.

For brushes that you can probably find on Amazon, Edwin Jagger, Parker, and Omega are all brands that get tossed around here a lot though I haven't used any of them. For soap it's hard to beat Proraso, it's pretty widely recommended, inexpensive and available on Amazon as well.

The question of razor aggression is a tricky one. Different people take it to mean different things. But I think generally, razor aggression is a scale of how effective a razor is at removing hair. An aggressive razor shaves closer with fewer passes than a milder razor. A few factors can contribute to this. Blade gap and blade exposure are the two biggest terms that come up in this conversation. Blade gap is how much space there is between the the blade and the safety bar and blade exposure is in basic terms how far the blade sticks out from the housing of the razor head. More exposure and a bigger gap generally lead to a more agressive razor.

I hope this helps and good luck!

Whats that old saying? You can get 2 out of 3 - fast, cheap and good. But you can't get all three. Same thing applies to knowledge of a field. Catch your breath and take your time here learning before you plunk your money down. A simple all rounder,,, The Gillette New - not stainless but brass, not aggressive but very capable and smooth; a timeless vintage classic and easily in your budget any day of the year.

Hello Lt, good morning. First and foremost, welcome to the B&B. Secondly, the Merkur 34c is a three peice. As you are what we all would consider new to DE wet shaving, I would recommend a mild razor to start out with. Although many here have started with the 34c and done well with it. However, I would recommend a Razo Rock Mission DE razor to start with. Since you sound like new razors are what you are considering. You can score a brand new Razo Rock Mission from the Italian Barber on eBay, or at his own website. They cost around $25 delivered. And I think he throws in a few blades as well. As far as soaps and creams, soaps are harder to make lather with, in my opinion, so select a cream you like the scent of, if you have the opportunity to shop around and sniff them that's a good way to choose. But also do yourself a favor and visit the shaving cream portion of this forum, and read about as many creams as you can, so you can determine which ones lather the best. Selecting a cream is going to be your baby, because you will have to live with your choice. For a starter cream, I would suggest however Kiss My Face shaving cream in a pump bottle. This is a cream that is available at Walmart, and it can be used without a brush. There are several "brushless creams available, such as Keils Close Shave Squadron, Lucky Tiger, Kiss My Face and a few others. If you do get a brush, start with a Badger Hair brush. As far as blades go, try the Astra S/P. They get a lot of love around here. I know I'm leaving a lot out, but there the basic bases are covered, you'll have to fill in the blanks. Good luck, and enjoy your trip through the traditional shaving Kingdome.

I was planning on getting a decent Badger brush too, and I'm afraid I'm not interested in the brushless creams, sorry, but I plan on going in whole hog with this, within reason.

Therefore I was planning on getting a good badger brush, a cup for making the lather (as far as I know, the mug you mix with is up to personal preference and there is no real difference when it comes to substance?), and a medium aggressive DE since I don't have a ton of money now, nor will I in the near future (I'm 18, starting out, all that jazz...). I was thinking about going with Proraso cream since it is thrown around a lot, and it seems like it's hard to go wrong. I don't want to get too many variables floating around haha. You're not getting me to part with my Old Spice after shave for at least a little while though... Haha

I wanted to get a three piece DE because they seem to be, from what I've read, the most robust, simplest to use, and more affordable of the three main types of razors (correct me if I'm worng), plus they're cool IMO. I'm open to all suggestions.

I'll get a sample pack of blades, the more I read the more I see blades affect the shave.

I will look at the Parker 26C and Merkur 24c as well. I'm pretty set on the medium aggressive like I said, and have a better understanding of that now, and am willing to risk a few knicks to jump into that league... can't be a whole lot worse than constant razor burn, right?

I'm completely open to suggestions on what razor, aftershave, brushes, a good cream, anything really, but I'm getting a good idea of what I want now. And as far as quality, I'm willing to spend a bit to get better stuff, it's an investment.

Thanks for the quick replies, and the future replies as well.

Have a good one everybody.

I believe that, as your technique progresses, you probably can get by with milder razors. There are people who have really coarse beards, of course, but I feel that some people also use a more aggressive razor than they really need because their technique is not optimal (yet).

It's hard to beat a Gillette Tech for costs and practical value, and if you want to turn up the dial a notch, you might want to look into a Gillette New. Both are vintage razors, so the ones you find in working condition right now, will probably outlive you.

If you would be into TTOs as well, the choices are virtually unlimited.

Welcome! I would have to say as far as blades the Astra sp do get a lot of love around here and are cheap. In regards to soap you might consider a stick such as Arko and you could learn to face lather which would give you some time to get your mug for later if needed. I also hear a lot about omega brushes which you can find fairly cheap on the bay. As far as razors go I'd just like to say that personally I have purchased 3 for me and one for SWMBO for a total that's within in your price range simply by going vintage. that's my dos centavos, good luck to you!

Welcome, I would suggest for a nice 3 piece a Maggard MR1 or MR6. Mid aggressive and shave really really nice. Stainless steel handle and Chromed Zinc head but give excellent shaves. I use mine with either the Astra SP's or the Personna Red blades and have had BBS with a nice 3-pass shave with very little touch up. These run about $20.00 so are fairly cheap but not in the quality of design and manufacturing. It would be a good start for a nice 3 piece razor and would be a good ''starting ground' for comparison with other 3 piece razors out there. Plus, Maggard has an OUTSTANDING reputation for quality and customer service.

3 piece razor?

I'm using a 3 piece razor by Feather.

It didn't cost much.

Many of you guys post too many words. It's better to use few words.

Quick answer - Gillette Tech. More aggressive? - Gillette New.

Keeping with the Amazon sale theme for today:

Any version of the DE89### razors from Edwin Jagger. A nice middle of the road three piece, difference in the models is the handle.

Good badgers are a bit out of the price range you've posted, I would go with an Omega 10066 boar, takes a couple weeks to break in, but will outperform any of the cheap badgers out there.

Soap - Proraso green (menthol/eucalyptus) or Proraso red (sandalwood) will get you into a decent, highly recommended, easy to lather soap to get started with.

Order a small blade sample pack while you are at it.

Grab a soup bowl out of the cupboard. Next time you are at the dollar store get one of the cheap pebble grained salsa bowls. Or you might try face lathering and skip the bowl all together.

PS: all the above should come in well under $100, especially if you can nail Prime shipping on all of it.

As has been pointed out, you aren't going to find a stainless razor for under $75, and you don't find three-piece adjustables (at least, you hope they don't fall into pieces like that). The good news is that you have a heck of a lot of choices for excellent razors under $75.

For vintage, three-piece razors, I second the Gillette Tech or NEW, and I'll add the New Improved and 1921-28 Old Style. You'll have a hard time beating the quality and value on those. If you want new production, you everything that's been mentioned above (Merkur, EJ, Maggard's, Feather, etc.) Personally, I'd go with the NEW or the 1921-28 Old Style. I've had some very easy, smooth shaves with those, and "cool" factor is very high with both.

For vintage adjustables, you have the Gillette Slim and Super Adjustable (virtually the same razor, but different in appearance and time of production). The Super Adjustable also has a long-handled version. Both are excellent, and I enjoy both. Good ones tend to run around $40 or so. For modern production, you're probably looking for the aforementioned Merkur Progress, which is a two-piece. You also can find modified Progresses, where someone has modified the handle.

I also like the idea of starting with a cream, as they are easier to get a proper lather early on (not that soaps are difficult, but why add complexity at the beginning?) Proraso does make excellent, inexpensive creams. If you want to shoot higher and spend a bit more, D.R. Harris creams are about the best I've ever used and don't seem so expensive when you see how little you need for each shave.

When it comes to brushes, I also want to warn you about inexpensive badger brushes. There are some decent ones out there, but you can get much better value for that amount of money (or less). Omega and Semogue make excellent boar brushes, and Vie-Long makes excellent horse brushes. The only Vie-Long I might warn you off of is the 12705--while it has a great knot, the handle leaves much to be desired.

For blades, well, you'll just have to find what works for you. Everyone is different, and you never know which blade will be your home run. For example, folks love the Astra SP, but I've never been able to make them work for me. Popular blades include the Astra SP, Gillette Silver Blue, Voshkod, and the Personna Israeli Reds, and Personna Lab Blues. None of them are particularly expensive, and sampler packs are a great way to play around. In fact, you can design your ultimate sampler pack at tryablade.com.

And, yeah, a you can get all sorts of wonderful and fancy bowls and scuttles, but just about any bowl will do. Many folks use salsa bowls from the dollar store or restaurant supply.

Most of all, have fun!

I've been wet shaving for about 6 months now. I started with an Edwin Jagger DE89 and to be honest it did not work for me. I think it was just too mild. I bought a Parker 26c open comb razor and think i would recommend that as it is much more efficient but still mild enough for a beginner. You can pick one up for around $30. I also have a Murker Futur which is my favorite razor but not sure I would recommend it as a starting razor as it can be quite aggressive although I have heard of others who got it as their first and only razor.

Totally agree with bberg100.

You're not going to find a stainless razor or a good badger within your budget. Omega boar brushes are excellent and a good quality boar will always be better than a cheap badger. I have an Omega 49 (I like big brushes) and it far outperforms its price point.

The EJ89 is perhaps the most often recommended razor for a newbie, and with good reason. Don't think of it as a starter razor, it's not something you'll outgrow, most people on here only move on because we have more razors than any sane person would need.

Don't get hung up on the whole aggression thing, it tends to get over-played. The Gillette Tech is generally accepted as being a mild razor, yet it shaved many men perfectly well for forty-odd years, and they had proper man-stubble back then too. My stubble is coarse and pretty dense but a Tech deals with it easily.

Right now amazon have the EJ Kelvin (shorter handle) for ~$31 and the EJ89LBL for a couple dollars more.
34c and EJ are both great. 34c cost mre right now for some reason, but not bad. If u search amazon there are many offers but you can find it for 35-40.
All are great razors and can be had now.
as for stainless, for that price range not gonna happen.
as for vintage, they take a bt of shopping around and take more time and you can try those later.
but my vote is for either the EJ or 34c.
Ymmv but I found the EJ more efficient/aggressive but that's personal.
good luck and let us know what u pick!!
p.s. as for brush, my favorite budget brush is the omega 10066(white)/10065 (colored handle). It was my first brush besides my pro 49 (too big for me) and I still use it to this day. They're around $10 and a great brush.

I've been wet-shaving for about a year now and can have learned that the advice here is usually "right on the money".
Personally I would start with Astra blades use them or any one type of blade for at least a month. unless your getting bad shaves.
I like vintage razors, so I also suggest a "Slim" or the Super Adjustable (long handle).
Porasso for the shave creme, and a boar brush. I love my boar brush and it only cost me $10.

Good Luck, and remember shave with a light touch, and listen to your blade when you hear noise its cutting when you don't it's not.

I'm not aware of any new razors that one could classify as medium-aggressive. However, since you said that you don't mind being patient and learning how to shave properly despite a few bites here and there, I highly recommend the FaTip Grande.

It is aggressive, but not the most aggressive; it is a three-piece; and it is just $28 shipped from Amazon ($32 if you want the gold-plated version!). It is not adjustable, but then again no three-piece razor is. Three-piece is a smart way to go IMO because there is just not a whole lot of stuff that you have to worry about breaking. You can expect it to work just as well for your grand child as it did for you.

You are really going to love this razor. It looks great, and you can get closer shaves with all sorts of blades than you could in any of your milder choices. Don't be afraid to take the plunge! (Just be sure to stock up on styptic pencils and alum blocks for the first few shaves. )

For a razor I think you can have your cake and eat it too I'd go with the NEW or the 1921-28 Old Style or even a Tech. These are easily found at Flea Markets and Antique stores for very little $ certainly well under $25 if you look and are patient. Even on Ebay they can be found for that. Take the head of this razor and put it on a $25 Blemished Weber Handle (http://weberrazor.hostedbyamazon.com/Deals/b/10865962011?ie=UTF8&title=Deals )

Now you will have a "real" metal razor that will last you a lifetime thats cool, modern yet vintage stainless and well under your budget that you can go out and buy a Fine Synthetic brush and still be under budget,

Too easy!! Let us know what you decide

Welcome to B&B! Tons of great responses here and you couldn't go wrong with any of them. I'll second the suggestion of Maggard Razors. Good quality for a decent price. They also have starter kits which will get you everything you need to get started.