Looking for something more aggressive, under $40.

[UsernameRequired]

I have used Gillette's for a long time, I have a Super Speed and a Tech, really too mild for me. I have two trimmed blades as shims in the Tech at this point to try and increase it's aggressiveness and it's still probably a touch too mild. I am usually doing it 3-7 days, first pass near the ear down to the neck is fine, but as I move closer in keeps degrading even with constant rinsing. It gets grabby around the chin and mouth and takes probably half a dozen passes in each spot to clear the initial growth, then I am doing another two lathers to get it acceptable to stop. It does not help I am still stuck with a variety pack of blades that are not that good, nor am I changing blades every time. I am buying a pack of Feather's to remedy that part of it since they work the best last time I have used them. But I would still like to get a new razor since the shims are a bother changing out the blade and but primarily due to the closed comb getting clogged so quickly.
I was thinking about perhaps a Merkur 15c, but I have heard even those are somewhat mild. How big of a difference is something like a Gillette to something people would consider aggressive, is adding shims causing it to get a lot more aggressive, or just slightly? I know they are very mild, but I don't want to get something extremely so and have the opposite problem. Is just going from a closed to and open comb a drastic increase, or would I need to get a open comb as well as something a bit more aggressive?

 

[ButterfaceX]

If you have a handle, for 25 bucks you can get the R41 head.
BFX

 

[Joezamboni]

If you’re used to vintage Gillettes give one of their adjustables a try. While they didn’t agree with me personally the Razorock Lupo and gamechanger are popular choices (I sold mine). I do like their take on the merkur slant though. Very efficient and easy to use, and cheap.

 

[Goblin]

Generally, adding a shim increases your gap by around 0.09mm. That's usually enough to be readily noticeable by someone with solid, stable shaving technique. Even so, on a Tech that still a relatively low gap even with a couple of shims.

Personally, I wouldn't tackle 3 days growth with a Tech. Can it be done? Sure. Are there razors that will make easier work of it? Most definitely.

Appropriate blades are also necessary. Slogging away with blades that don't work for you is a recreation for masochists. If you have found a blade you like, buy them in bulk and then forget about blade sampling (unless you are an unreformable blade fiddler like many of us, who do it for fun rather than effectiveness). Don't buy 10. Buy a handful of tucks then you can keep going for a few months. Try that first and see whether using a better blade solves your problems.

If you still want more aggression, get a vintage Gillette OC razor or a Fatip. Plenty of aggression and will cope with longer growth.

Sorted.

On another note - your razor is clogging quickly because you are trying to shave longer hairs with a low gap razor. An OC razors will solve that. But it is also possible that your lather is too dry and thick. Depending on what you are using for lather, we can give you some tips to improve it and get a better shave overall.

Edit: just a note - if you are learning DE I would recommend shaving more than every 3-7 days. Not only will that make life easier for your razor, but you will actually start building up some muscle memory. I usually think it takes 30-60 shaves for new shavers to start getting things down (it took me longer but that's because I was using crap blades - once I found decent ones the progress happened). If you leave big gaps between shaves I imagine that's going to increase because you aren't building up technique through regular repetition.

 

[md1234]

Gillette Old Type or Gillette New SC for vintage.
Fatip for modern.

 

[never-stop-learning]

Fatip Grande.

 

[Quaznoid]

Try a Schick E or G injector with Chick blades. $15-35. Try a SuperAdjustable. On 8 or 9 it should satisfy you. $5-35. An R41 head comes in under $40. Or, if you’ve got the cajones, try a YUMA. $1-15.

 

[StewB]

Under $40 US you can get razors by Fatip, Parker, and Pearl. I would consider the Pearl Blaze. It's brass and is quite a good value IMO.

 

[UsernameRequired]

Generally, adding a shim increases your gap by around 0.09mm. That's usually enough to be readily noticeable by someone with solid, stable shaving technique. Even so, on a Tech that still a relatively low gap even with a couple of shims.

Personally, I wouldn't tackle 3 days growth with a Tech. Can it be done? Sure. Are there razors that will make easier work of it? Most definitely.

Appropriate blades are also necessary. Slogging away with blades that don't work for you is a recreation for masochists. If you have found a blade you like, buy them in bulk and then forget about blade sampling (unless you are an unreformable blade fiddler like many of us, who do it for fun rather than effectiveness). Don't buy 10. Buy a handful of tucks then you can keep going for a few months. Try that first and see whether using a better blade solves your problems.

If you still want more aggression, get a vintage Gillette OC razor or a Fatip. Plenty of aggression and will cope with longer growth.

Sorted.

On another note - your razor is clogging quickly because you are trying to shave longer hairs with a low gap razor. An OC razors will solve that. But it is also possible that your lather is too dry and thick. Depending on what you are using for lather, we can give you some tips to improve it and get a better shave overall.

Edit: just a note - if you are learning DE I would recommend shaving more than every 3-7 days. Not only will that make life easier for your razor, but you will actually start building up some muscle memory. I usually think it takes 30-60 shaves for new shavers to start getting things down (it took me longer but that's because I was using crap blades - once I found decent ones the progress happened). If you leave big gaps between shaves I imagine that's going to increase because you aren't building up technique through regular repetition.

I am probably closer to 10 years than 5. When I was younger it was probably not as thick and I was doing it daily. It slowly got worse and caused to keep pushing back intervals since it started to be a bother and it became a self-perpetuating loop. Even a days growth isn't great since it isn't really getting that close of a shave, better with Feathers but still leaving something to be desired.
It also takes a very long time for me to go through the consumables so I would using them even if I might have liked something better since I want to burn though it. When I get a new one I'll probably just use one blade for two days to knock out the rest of them and just buy Feather from now on. It has been serviceable, but not enjoyable. I've meant to buy a new one for a long time but kept getting into other things and pushing it off until now since my tolerance for nuisance has evaporated in recent times.

 

[Ron R]

I have used Gillette's for a long time, I have a Super Speed and a Tech, really too mild for me. I have two trimmed blades as shims in the Tech at this point to try and increase it's aggressiveness and it's still probably a touch too mild. I am usually doing it 3-7 days, first pass near the ear down to the neck is fine, but as I move closer in keeps degrading even with constant rinsing. It gets grabby around the chin and mouth and takes probably half a dozen passes in each spot to clear the initial growth, then I am doing another two lathers to get it acceptable to stop. It does not help I am still stuck with a variety pack of blades that are not that good, nor am I changing blades every time. I am buying a pack of Feather's to remedy that part of it since they work the best last time I have used them. But I would still like to get a new razor since the shims are a bother changing out the blade and but primarily due to the closed comb getting clogged so quickly.
I was thinking about perhaps a Merkur 15c, but I have heard even those are somewhat mild. How big of a difference is something like a Gillette to something people would consider aggressive, is adding shims causing it to get a lot more aggressive, or just slightly? I know they are very mild, but I don't want to get something extremely so and have the opposite problem. Is just going from a closed to and open comb a drastic increase, or would I need to get a open comb as well as something a bit more aggressive?

Some nice middle range razors that I enjoy using lots are the Razorock Lupo.72 316SS and the Yaqi Mellon head 316 SSP with any handle I have. You will not get anything much better than those IMO.
(L) Razorock Lupo.72 316 SSP.....................................................(R) Yaqi Mellon head with a Yaqi chippendale 316SSP handle.
(old archived Photos)

Have some great shaves!

 

[Goblin]

@UsernameRequired All makes sense. I used to shave like you for many years before I got the bug - one brush, one soap, Feather blades and one razor.

Fatip Grande was the razor:

 

[helicopter]

I recommend Yaqi aggressive slant and yaqi mellon heads, and a DSC Roman Column handle.

Sotraco Shark Sh.25 is another good one.

 

[WThomas0814]

Vintage New LC.

 

[DesertIguana]

Have you thought about a Super Sharp Blafe like Feather to get more out of your current Razors?

 

[UsernameRequired]

@UsernameRequired All makes sense. I used to shave like you for many years before I got the bug - one brush, one soap, Feather blades and one razor.

Fatip Grande was the razor:

View attachment 1937997

I am consciously aware of what will happen if I did so I've been trying to delay it as long as possible. I've already managed to flood most other areas of the house and garage with other things so the bathroom is probably the last vestige left

 

[Old Hippie]

If you're looking for a nicely aggressive razor, then the RazoRock Wunderbar is one of them. More refined but also stunningly effective is the RazoRock Superslant L3++OC. If you're looking to change formats to AC and want something that will perform well for you but not be super aggressive, then the RazoRock Hawk V3OC. I found the standard Hawk to be decently efficient, coming to prefer the SB over the OC because I struggled with the wide spacing of the "Jaws" teeth. There are more aggressive levels.

Looks like I'm a fanboy for RazoRock. They do good stuff, that's sure. I like a lot of brands.

O.H.

 

[Jim in NZ]

I recommend Yaqi aggressive slant and yaqi mellon heads, and a DSC Roman Column handle.

Sotraco Shark Sh.25 is another good one.

Yaqi Mellon in zamak is a great option that won't clog easily. The Slant is a lot more aggressive with plenty of gap and exposed blade, if you are brave. The AliExpress 11/11 sales should see them going for less than $10 each. Mellon is my favouriye daily driver, with FlyDear blades. It outperforms a lot of more expensive razors and blades and is definitely a combo worth trying out.

 

[Lane101]

I have used Gillette's for a long time, I have a Super Speed and a Tech, really too mild for me. I have two trimmed blades as shims in the Tech at this point to try and increase it's aggressiveness and it's still probably a touch too mild. I am usually doing it 3-7 days, first pass near the ear down to the neck is fine, but as I move closer in keeps degrading even with constant rinsing. It gets grabby around the chin and mouth and takes probably half a dozen passes in each spot to clear the initial growth, then I am doing another two lathers to get it acceptable to stop. It does not help I am still stuck with a variety pack of blades that are not that good, nor am I changing blades every time. I am buying a pack of Feather's to remedy that part of it since they work the best last time I have used them. But I would still like to get a new razor since the shims are a bother changing out the blade and but primarily due to the closed comb getting clogged so quickly.
I was thinking about perhaps a Merkur 15c, but I have heard even those are somewhat mild. How big of a difference is something like a Gillette to something people would consider aggressive, is adding shims causing it to get a lot more aggressive, or just slightly? I know they are very mild, but I don't want to get something extremely so and have the opposite problem. Is just going from a closed to and open comb a drastic increase, or would I need to get a open comb as well as something a bit more aggressive?

Have you tried adjusting your razor angle for a better shave? On my mildest razor, a King C. Gillette, I can still realize a BBS shave with a final partial touch-up pass where I'm riding the cap.

If you like your Super Speed you may want to consider a Weishi 9306 (I use the long handle version) TTO Super Speed clone. Many here, including myself, have found these to be in the moderate range of aggressiveness. These are typically available new for under $15 U.S.

Look at posts here for the Merkur 15C, seems to be considered fairly mild by many.

 

[cpcohen1945]

Razerock sells an inexpensive adjustable:

RazoRock ADJUST Butterfly Safety Razor – ItalianBarber

RazoRock ADJUST Butterfly Safety RazorLet's call a spade a spade. The RazoRock ADJUST is a butterfly door adjustable razor designed and built to offer h...

www.italianbarber.com

Cheap enough to experiment.

I have occasionally used an electric razor for a first pass over long hair, and finished with a DE. No clogging that way.

. Charles

 

[slimshavy]

The RR German 37 will shave you closer and it's inexpensive.