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Newbie Check in and Advice

R

RMshave

Hi Everyone , Hope you are doing well! I am Rohan living in India.

Been a Lurker for 11 months, started DE Shaving 11 months ago as well. Ive been using a generic Indian Clone, worth 5 USD , of the Bevel razor ( Bombay Shaving Company ) for the last few Months.

Wanted some advice please ( Black Friday Bug )

1. I shave 6 days a week normally
2. Facial Hair is average coarseness , skin again would say average sensitivity ( tough to quantify this as just starting out )
3. I keep a French Beard , hence shaving below the nose and chin is not a concern

Shaving is my 10-15 Min Zen reset in the mornings, I come back from Gym and put on a Podcast or News story and enjoy my shave

I finally want to pick up a premium new razor since I have been shaving for a few months and am confident this is the way to go. Cartridges always caused me Skin irritation and ingrown hairs on my neck especially.

1. My first dilemma is Adjustable vs Fixed DE Razor ( Ive been using a mild one till now and only used 1 Razor ) so not sure of my preferences. I do use the mild plate on my razor though ( Comes with Mild & Aggressive ).
Shortlisted the Osprey ( SS ) and Muramasa , purely based on how cool they look and seem to have good reviews. Not very enamoured by chunkier designs.

2. My other Option would be either a Masamune ( Ti ) with additional Nodachi SB or the Blackland Blackbird Ti with additional Lite SB

Not too sure which option I should go with being a relative beginner as I fear a fixed razor might not suit me , but again maybe that would force me to adapt and adjust technique.

Also would love if anyone can guide me on Ti vs SS , some research I did seemed to indicate that the aggressiveness of the Bird Ti is toned down vs the Bird SS. I could spring for the Ti versions if any benefit is truly noticed which improves the quality or aggressiveness of the shave. I also understand that aggressiveness inherently is not bad, but still apprehensive.

Thank you !
 
NorthernSoul

NorthernSoul

I think most people using adjustable razors are like @BigJ in that once they find their favorite setting, it stays there.

Advice on specific razors always depends on personal preference in the end. As long as the razor works well for you, looks nice, and fits the budget it is a good choice. There are so many good ones available these days.

There's no real magic in exotic materials as far as shaving performance goes. Titanium is less dense than steel and so the same razor made from it will be lighter. On the other hand, I'm perfectly happy with plated brass.
 
R

RMshave

Thank you for the warm welcome.
BigJ said:
Welcome aboard!

In terms of adjustable or not. For me, once I pick my favorite setting with an adjustable that is it. Some do change settings which is just fine.

Wish I could help with your razor options but I have not tried any on your list.

Mainly, enjoy the journey!
Click to expand...
…
 
R

RMshave

Thank you for the warm welcome.
BigJ said:
Welcome aboard!

In terms of adjustable or not. For me, once I pick my favorite setting with an adjustable that is it. Some do change settings which is just fine.

Wish I could help with your razor options but I have not tried any on your list.

Mainly, enjoy the journey!
Click to expand...
…
NorthernSoul said:
I think most people using adjustable razors are like @BigJ in that once they find their favorite setting, it stays there.

Advice on specific razors always depends on personal preference in the end. As long as the razor works well for you, looks nice, and fits the budget it is a good choice. There are so many good ones available these days.

There's no real magic in exotic materials as far as shaving performance goes. Titanium is less dense than steel and so the same razor made from it will be lighter. On the other hand, I'm perfectly happy with plated brass.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the warm welcome. I agree , however finding my preference seems to be the issue. Maybe I should wait and experiment with a few more affordable options before splurging on these . They will still cost a pretty penny after the Black Friday discounts once custom duties are applied.
 
StewB

StewB

RMshave said:
I agree , however finding my preference seems to be the issue. Maybe I should wait and experiment with a few more affordable options before splurging on these . They will still cost a pretty penny after the Black Friday discounts once custom duties are applied.
Click to expand...
That sounds very sensible to me. I would focus on developing good shave prep and technique before spending too much.
 
flask28

flask28

RMshave said:
I agree , however finding my preference seems to be the issue.
Click to expand...

Exactly, right?! This is exactly where I was 12 months ago, right in your shoes. In hindsight, I wish I would have gotten a Gillette Tech and stuck with it, using the same blade and soap, for three or four months. Just sort of focusing on technique - by that I mean being able to get to the point where I could expect to achieve a DFS (Damn Fine Shave) consistently with that gear.

To get to that level I found I had to master a few things:

  • Knowing my beard - I couldn't get a DFS until I realized the hair on the left side of my neck grows sideways not up and down! I adjusted my strokes there to an "X" pattern and wham! No more endless buffing there making my skin angry. Everyone has their own funky something they need to compensate for.
  • Getting the correct angle dialed in - Once you find the angle that particular razor likes to be at, you first pass results will suddenly feel like the second pass results of yore.
  • Building a slick lather - I was building foam at first, not the super glidey well-hydrated lather I shoot for now. That makes a big difference.
  • Preshave Phase - do something, anything, even if it's just washing your face with a gelatin-heavy soap, to strip the oils from your beard and get the hairs stiff and hydrated. A hot shower works great as well.
You've been wet shaving for 11 months, I suspect you've mastered all these things. It took me longer, that's for sure. The key was sticking with a razor/blade/soap combo for a few months and really working on improving a little bit every shave.

The advantage of the Gillette Tech is that it's a classic benchmark, a razor millions of men used for over half a decade. It does the job very well for $10-25 depending where you pick one up. In all likelihood you're going to get one in your razor journey eventually, start with it early I say. Once you master the Tech, pulling a BBS from time to time, you'll know you will be able to leverage all of the performance of razors like the Blackbird Ti and a Wolfman if you want to explore the high end world.

Better that I think rather than going straight to a $500 razor and then having to ask yourself, "is this good? I'm not sure, but probably right because it's $500."

If you lean more towards modern razors than vintage gillettes, the RazorRock Gamechanger (the 76-P, perhaps) is a fantastic first "fancy" razor and not that expensive. For a little more, the OliBlade 3-piece is getting great reviews. Both those vendors have black friday deals this week I believe.

And you should definitely explore adjustables at some point, I'd recommend starting with an inexpensive Gillette Slim - some people call that razor the pinnacle of production DE razor shaving development. Then you can discover on your own that you like setting 4, like 80% of slim users it seems like (me included). lol.
 
R

RMshave

flask28 said:
Exactly, right?! This is exactly where I was 12 months ago, right in your shoes. In hindsight, I wish I would have gotten a Gillette Tech and stuck with it, using the same blade and soap, for three or four months. Just sort of focusing on technique - by that I mean being able to get to the point where I could expect to achieve a DFS (Damn Fine Shave) consistently with that gear.

To get to that level I found I had to master a few things:

  • Knowing my beard - I couldn't get a DFS until I realized the hair on the left side of my neck grows sideways not up and down! I adjusted my strokes there to an "X" pattern and wham! No more endless buffing there making my skin angry. Everyone has their own funky something they need to compensate for.
  • Getting the correct angle dialed in - Once you find the angle that particular razor likes to be at, you first pass results will suddenly feel like the second pass results of yore.
  • Building a slick lather - I was building foam at first, not the super glidey well-hydrated lather I shoot for now. That makes a big difference.
  • Preshave Phase - do something, anything, even if it's just washing your face with a gelatin-heavy soap, to strip the oils from your beard and get the hairs stiff and hydrated. A hot shower works great as well.
You've been wet shaving for 11 months, I suspect you've mastered all these things. It took me longer, that's for sure. The key was sticking with a razor/blade/soap combo for a few months and really working on improving a little bit every shave.

The advantage of the Gillette Tech is that it's a classic benchmark, a razor millions of men used for over half a decade. It does the job very well for $10-25 depending where you pick one up. In all likelihood you're going to get one in your razor journey eventually, start with it early I say. Once you master the Tech, pulling a BBS from time to time, you'll know you will be able to leverage all of the performance of razors like the Blackbird Ti and a Wolfman if you want to explore the high end world.

Better that I think rather than going straight to a $500 razor and then having to ask yourself, "is this good? I'm not sure, but probably right because it's $500."

If you lean more towards modern razors than vintage gillettes, the RazorRock Gamechanger (the 76-P, perhaps) is a fantastic first "fancy" razor and not that expensive. For a little more, the OliBlade 3-piece is getting great reviews. Both those vendors have black friday deals this week I believe.

And you should definitely explore adjustables at some point, I'd recommend starting with an inexpensive Gillette Slim - some people call that razor the pinnacle of production DE razor shaving development. Then you can discover on your own that you like setting 4, like 80% of slim users it seems like (me included). lol.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the Welcome and detailed reply. Yes , I think I've got the face mapping, angle and lather managed , however I do need to work on the Pre-Shave as I tend to shave 30-45 mins after my shower. Will work on that. Also agree with the points you have made regarding the Tech, read great things about it, think I might just order one. I prefer slim razors , but that only because I use that one, maybe trying an inexpensive "bulkier" one might be better! I will look into the Gamechanger ( never found the looks appealing though) and the Oli I don't know much about ....
 
Last edited:
R

RMshave

Eric_75 said:
Hello from Nashville, TN.

Welcome to B & B!
Click to expand...
Thank you for the Warm Welcome !
Love songs from Matt Auten ! Reminds me to give them another listen soon , one of the best guitarists and Vocalists people have not heard of. As Long as the Music Lasts is one of my Favourites in a slow evening playlist. Unfortunately most people , me included , only appreciated his music or heard him once he passed. A True hero and inspiration in every sense of the word. Never thought I would encounter another fan, as here in India , acoustic English music is still not appreciated fully.
 
Eric_75

Eric_75

Not made for these times.
RMshave said:
Thank you for the Warm Welcome !
Love songs from Matt Auten ! Reminds me to give them another listen soon , one of the best guitarists and Vocalists people have not heard of. As Long as the Music Lasts is one of my Favourites in a slow evening playlist. Unfortunately most people , me included , only appreciated his music or heard him once he passed. A True hero and inspiration in every sense of the word. Never thought I would encounter another fan, as here in India , acoustic English music is still not appreciated fully.
Click to expand...
Your post just made my day, friend.

I was lucky enough to hang out with Matt a few times.

Another favorite of mine.

 
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