This is my first thread though ive been a B&B member for awhile. Ive tried so many razors.... Fusions, Mach3, Hydro5&3, Trac ii, Quattro, many different disposables including Bic, and my one and only Van Der Hagen-Weishi made in China DE. I do have my great grandpas old Gillette adjustable he gave to my dad and my dad gave to me. Idk which adjustable it is and i dont use it cuz the butterfly head closes at an angle like its slightly damaged and it has a build up of soap scum and green residue though im considering a tune up with razoremporium.com. anyway my budget is between $50-$100 on amazon to upgrade to a complete DE set. Im doing research and im leaning towards a Merkur 34c. Probably going to buy 100 count Personna blues or Derbys. Im considering an Omega brush but i dont know which one. Boar or Badger. Trying to keep my brush around $15. And my creams im between colonel conk soap pucks or taylor on bond street cream. I have always used barbasol or edge and have never used a brush. Me being new to this what advise could anybody give me before making my final decision?
Safety razor shave newb
- Thread starter Jcarrier1990
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If you still new to shaving brushes, I'd suggest a synthetic. They are just as good as natural hair brushes but don't take as much maintenance and don't have the funky smell when you get them 
Omega has pretty good synthetic brushes from what I read/hear.
Also I'd advise getting a sample of blades first. You never know what works for you.
The 34c seems to be a great razor to start out. Basically it is either that one or the Mühle DE89
Have fun!
Omega has pretty good synthetic brushes from what I read/hear. Also I'd advise getting a sample of blades first. You never know what works for you.
The 34c seems to be a great razor to start out. Basically it is either that one or the Mühle DE89
Have fun!
Welcome to B&B and congrats on your new DE experience. To keep things simple, yes a 34c is an excellent razor to start with and in fact for use regardless of experience. A boar or badger brush is fine. I started with about a $10-15 boar brush and it worked great. Blades? Try several and see what you like, but Astra SP's are smooth and many here like them.
Soaps? I like Proraso or Arko. VDH is another and found in any Walgreens or CVS stores cheap. I face lather and find it enjoyable and easy/quick.
Start out with a good wash/prep of hot soapy water then lather up. A light touch with the razor - just guide it with very little to no pressure. I'd suggest you start out WTG only for a shave or two then add an XTG pass, etc. ATG is what is likely to give you the most irritation, so if you're new you might want to get the hang of the whole routine before you go ATG. I personally never shave ATG as I get irritation on my lower neck and it's not worth it.
Soaps? I like Proraso or Arko. VDH is another and found in any Walgreens or CVS stores cheap. I face lather and find it enjoyable and easy/quick.
Start out with a good wash/prep of hot soapy water then lather up. A light touch with the razor - just guide it with very little to no pressure. I'd suggest you start out WTG only for a shave or two then add an XTG pass, etc. ATG is what is likely to give you the most irritation, so if you're new you might want to get the hang of the whole routine before you go ATG. I personally never shave ATG as I get irritation on my lower neck and it's not worth it.
I really strongly recommend building a set through Italianbarber.com
The Razorock Mission which comes with a 20 blade sampler is a great deal. (I really like the EJ head a lot)
Pair it with a Plissoft synthetic or Symogue 830 (830 is my top choice)
Razorock XXX or Cella are great soaps to work with the Semogue as well
The Razorock Mission which comes with a 20 blade sampler is a great deal. (I really like the EJ head a lot)
Pair it with a Plissoft synthetic or Symogue 830 (830 is my top choice)
Razorock XXX or Cella are great soaps to work with the Semogue as well
For soap, I'd suggest Van Der Hagen Deluxe or Premium. I've used Col Conk and while it will lather, it's not nearly as easy to build or lasts as long as VDH. On blades, I agree with the member to purchase a sampler pack. (love Astra SP - hate Derby, YMMV) On razor, I own the 34C & while I like it, I prefer the Edwin Jagger (any model - heads are the same) but would suggest, if you have a Paypal account to pay for it, a vintage Gillette Tech. (cheaper, can't lose money on it, & far less likely to be damaged if you accidentally drop it) For brush, I like the Omega Boar brush but they take a while to break in. Semougue boar brushes are softer from the start, but are a bit more expensive. Cheap Omega synthetics are way too floppy but Parker has a synthetic that is reasonably priced. This is assuming that you wish to get the entire kit from Amazon as the only item I've suggested that is not available there is the vintage Gillette.
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Welcome to B&B!
Great advice above especially on not buying a 100 blades off the bat. You will most likely want to sample some, and you don't want to find out later that you have a bunch of blades that you don't like.
I would also consider getting some soap (or cream) samples rather than buying full-size stuff for the same reason. Check out Garry's Sample Shop, Maggards Razors, West Coast Shaving, etc. All of them have a tone of sample options for you to consider.
I am also a Synthetic brush fan. Stirling, Italian Barber, and Maggards Razors all have great Plissoft brushes for $10-$25, which work great!
Great advice above especially on not buying a 100 blades off the bat. You will most likely want to sample some, and you don't want to find out later that you have a bunch of blades that you don't like.
I would also consider getting some soap (or cream) samples rather than buying full-size stuff for the same reason. Check out Garry's Sample Shop, Maggards Razors, West Coast Shaving, etc. All of them have a tone of sample options for you to consider.
I am also a Synthetic brush fan. Stirling, Italian Barber, and Maggards Razors all have great Plissoft brushes for $10-$25, which work great!
I would suggest dropping that Adjustable into a cup of hot soapy water (use Dawn, it's magic), do a little soak and scub, it might just come back to life.
Next. I like the Edwin Jagger head or go to Maggard razors and check out thier razor heads. The v2 is very close to EJ but a little cheaper. The now have v3 heads, I know nothing about.
Maggards has soaps and soap samples too, be super careful! You can go crazy buying soaps. Most soaps mentioned already or those you find on Maggards will work great. Williams Mug soap is the only soap that is good stuff but requires a "special" touch to use, it's available at stores for a buck or so.
Blades, I like the personna Blues you mentioned, they work well in all my razors. You will find other blades that are fancier/sharper whatever but for $13 a 100 pack you won't be unhappy. Astra blades are loved by many (I never tried them) but Derby blades are always a mixed review.
Brushes, a synthetic is a great choice. Get one now or you will end up getting one later. You can also get one of those $10 badger brushes (Escali I think) from Amazon, they work fine and you will like it...but you will always be looking at other brushes. I love my Whippeddog synthetic. Check them out too
Next. I like the Edwin Jagger head or go to Maggard razors and check out thier razor heads. The v2 is very close to EJ but a little cheaper. The now have v3 heads, I know nothing about.
Maggards has soaps and soap samples too, be super careful! You can go crazy buying soaps. Most soaps mentioned already or those you find on Maggards will work great. Williams Mug soap is the only soap that is good stuff but requires a "special" touch to use, it's available at stores for a buck or so.
Blades, I like the personna Blues you mentioned, they work well in all my razors. You will find other blades that are fancier/sharper whatever but for $13 a 100 pack you won't be unhappy. Astra blades are loved by many (I never tried them) but Derby blades are always a mixed review.
Brushes, a synthetic is a great choice. Get one now or you will end up getting one later. You can also get one of those $10 badger brushes (Escali I think) from Amazon, they work fine and you will like it...but you will always be looking at other brushes. I love my Whippeddog synthetic. Check them out too
Hello and welcome. Great to have you here on B&B. Wander on over to the Hall of Fame and introduce yourself.
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Definitely don't give up on a family heirloom razor without a fight.
I've used a polident tablet in warm water with great success on my Schick and Personna injectors. It does a great job of removing gunk and build-up. Soak for about 15-20 minutes then scrub with a tooth brush. Since Polident is used to clean something that goes in your mouth, I don't think it would affect your face. If you want to make sure it's disinfected a quick dip in rubbing alchohol will solve that problem.
To give any useful buying advice we need to know what you're specifically looking for, what has worked for you in the past what has not, etc. There's a Brush Buying Advice thread in the last sticky in the Brush subforum. It only covers brushes but gives you an idea of the considerations required just on one topic and you're asking for advice on multiple topics.
The 34c is one of the standard suggestions for newbies that cannot provide enough info for us to guide them to a specific DE. The DE89/R89 is also another popular option that you may want to consider. Standard advice is to also get a blade sampler. Don't buy a 100 pack until you've determined which blades suit you.
If you can't give us the info then you might as well read in each subforum and see what sounds interesting. However, odds are your first purchases aren't going to be the best fit. Try sticking with the popular options for but be prepared to change (and to reassess what you've already tried) down the road with first hand experience and as you get your skills down.
Keep in mind that "safety razor" is a very broad classification that includes not only DE's and SE's but cartridges as well. Basically, anything other than a straight.
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- Thread starter
- #12
I appreciate all the comments so far. Well to be more detailed i am 26 years old with what id consider mild to moderate sensitive skin. Ingrowns is my big thing with occasional puss filled razor bumps. Rarely do i get razor burn unless i use a razor that really disagrees with me like the schick quattro. Always shave with the grain never across or against. Ive always used canned creams and gels usually either barbasol cream or edge gel. The best razors ive used have been the Mach3 though i still get ingrowns sometimes and my personna bump fighter handle with a dollar store trac ii cart. Disposable twin blades dont agree with me. Ive used all the dorco carts except the 7 blade and though they perform well im not super impressed by them. I recently spent $3 shipping cost for a free harrys truman set i have not tried yet but i must admit the packaging and razor itself looks nice. But im a husband and father of 4 boys on a tight budget living crom paycheck to paycheck. I want to get out of cartridge shaving for 1 to hopefully solve some of my sensitive skin issues 2 to save money i would be spending on expensive cartridges and 3 to enjoy a more classic style of shaving i can use long term rather than hop from cart to cart razor and experience disappointing results. My birthday is coming up and then valentines day so as a gift from my wife she is letting me choose any products i want within the budget so whatever i choose it has to last and it has to deliver. I cant afford to buy 2 or 3 DE razors and then decide which i like most.
- Thread starter
- #13
Oh btw if it matters the fusion proglide supposed top of the line cart razor on the market doesnt work for me. It would cause ingrowns first shave. I havent tried the new proshield and i dont think i want to.
- Thread starter
- #14
And id consider my facial hair growth to be average. Its not thick but not thin either. It would take weeks for me to grow a beard and a month for it to outgrow the itchy irritation.
I use an Omega boar brush, purchased from West Coast Shaving for about $10. It works great!
Soaps are a personal choice. For non-tallow, Mama Bear's Soaps has a huge variety of scents. Captain's Choice has fine non-tallow soaps in classic, excellent scents. For tallow soaps, I favor Mike's Natural Soaps, Queen Charlotte Soaps, and Cold River Soap Works. There are many other fine soap makers as well, I'm simply sharing from personal experience.
Kudos to you for wanting to preserve your heirloom razor. You might want to try cleaning it up yourself first. Others will no doubt weigh in with suggestions, but I've found that soaking in hot water and scrubbing with a toothbrush works very well. See how it aligns after a thorough cleaning; it may be all that it needs.
Enjoy!
Soaps are a personal choice. For non-tallow, Mama Bear's Soaps has a huge variety of scents. Captain's Choice has fine non-tallow soaps in classic, excellent scents. For tallow soaps, I favor Mike's Natural Soaps, Queen Charlotte Soaps, and Cold River Soap Works. There are many other fine soap makers as well, I'm simply sharing from personal experience.
Kudos to you for wanting to preserve your heirloom razor. You might want to try cleaning it up yourself first. Others will no doubt weigh in with suggestions, but I've found that soaking in hot water and scrubbing with a toothbrush works very well. See how it aligns after a thorough cleaning; it may be all that it needs.
Enjoy!
If it were me, I'd get that adjustable fixed up. Whether it be a tune up or full replate (which includes repairs I think). That way you can tune the razor to your skin. I just got my first adjustable, and all my other razors are now in a box under the sink.
- Thread starter
- #17
If i were to post a pic could anybody help me identify the razor. I know its obviously an adjustable. Pretty sure its a gillette. But not sure if its a fatboy model or what....
Yes post some pics. We may even be able to help you fix it. Lots of issues are easy fixes, or at least point you to someone who can fix it.
Welcome to B&B
34c is a good DE to start out with
Check out KMF (you can source it locally).
Astra SP is my gold standard blade (better than an Astra not as good as an Astra)
If you have not already done so, stop into the Hall of Fame and tell everyone a little about yourself
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