Recommendations for a DE Newbie & Opinions on the Merkur Futur

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by LSUfanBR, Sep 1, 2017.

  1. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    You'll pay $15 for a Krona. Hardly worth worrying about. Can't be beat as a first shaver. Or a forever one for that matter. Four inch handle. Supremely maneuverable with its thin head. Use with sharp blade. [​IMG]

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    Last edited: Sep 2, 2017
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  2. Ijustmissedthe50s

    Ijustmissedthe50s The Warnee

    Yup...what @dustmite says about grip and technique...
     
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  3. LSUfanBR

    LSUfanBR Well-Known Member

    I've narrowed my search down to 2 razors, the Schick Krona and the Parker 96R. Does anyone have any thought on which one they would choose?
     
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  4. Engblom

    Engblom Well-Known Member

    Let me add one option more: RiMei

    RiMei is a dirt cheap clone of Gillette Tech. It is well made, and seems to last very long time. I have converted a couple of friends with RiMei, and still after many, many years of usage they still use them. With RiMei, you get to try DE shaving for almost nothing.

    Sadly, RiMei is pirated by bad manufacturers. These copies are really worthless. dx.com used to be the best place for buying the real RiMei, but they have for some reason been sold out there for a longer time. Maybe someone who bought RiMei recently could advice from where to buy. Often the pirated versions do not come with the blue case, so by buying a cased RiMei, you have less chance of buying a fake razor.
     
  5. dustmite

    dustmite Well-Known Member

    Out of those two, I'd go Krona. Love mine...
     
  6. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    I love mine also.
    IMG_0536.JPG
    Mine is a Shavey Award prize generously donated by Andrew @Linuxguile. Like my Super Speed Black Tip it tames the most "aggressive" blades and gives great shaves.
     
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  7. jar

    jar Well-Known Member

    I have several Kronas but no Parker.
     
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  8. Jim99

    Jim99 Gold Water Shaver

    They're both great razors and either is a good choice. It's a decision between vintage versus new. If it were me, I'd get both!
     
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  9. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

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  10. FaceScraper

    FaceScraper Well-Known Member


    Just out of curiosity, why the weight & handle length requirements? I'm not attempting to be condescending, so please don't take it that way.
     
  11. entropy1049

    entropy1049 Well-Known Member

    As a first DE the Krona is a wise choice. Time tested, medium efficient, and very forgiving of technique. A second choice with a nod to adaptability as shaving technique develops and your tastes change is the Rockwell 2C/6C, or 6S depending on budget.
     
  12. jimmy Mac

    jimmy Mac Well-Known Member

    Light and simple to start works fine. In a couple of months you'll have a few anyhow. Open comb, slant, adjustable, etc.

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  13. LSUfanBR

    LSUfanBR Well-Known Member

    Thats just what I'm used to. However someone told me if I held my razors like pencils instead of with a closed fist the length would not be an issue. I tried holding my Mach 3 like a pencil and I can see that he was right
     
  14. FaceScraper

    FaceScraper Well-Known Member

    No doubt, everyone has their preferences. Many people do find they like a razor with a bit of weight. The razors I have are somewhat all over the spectrum weight-wise. I was having some technique issues, and switched back to a couple of my lightweight razors for a little while. For example, my '76 Gillette Super Speed is only ~47 grams. Apparently, I still regress into my former cartridge habits and apply pressure, even when I think I'm not. By switching back to a lighter razor, it's easier for me to tell what I'm doing. Even still, just as good of a shave can be had with a lightweight vs: a heavier razor. This morning, I got a fantastic, smooth shave from my little Super Speed. After all, the blade shaves your face, not the razor.

    @dustmite gave you good advice to hold it like a pencil. I've been doing that, and working on "riding the cap". It's helped tremendously. As a former cart user, including the Mach3, DE razors are a different ballgame. Carts require the use of pressure. DE will punish you for using pressure.

    The best advice I could give you is pick any razor that strikes your fancy - and budget. Pick any brand/style of blade, and get at least enough for a month worth of shaves (3-4 shaves per blade). Stick with that setup for at least a month. If you desire, jump over to the 30 Day Crew. The fine folks there can provide great advice on getting great shaves. This month is SEptember, where many of them are focusing on single edge razors. But, they're nice enough...they'll let you bring whatever you have to the party! Of course, they're also waiting to suck people into the rabbit hole with them. They're enablers. ;)

    An additional note on adjustables...there's absolutely nothing wrong with them. But, if you're anything like me, there's the temptation to mess with the settings from shave to shave. Until your technique is up to par, you'll frustrate yourself. Been there, done that. One shave will be great, the next one, awful. If you're the focused sort, by all means, don't rule them out. As your technique improves, you can dial up to a more aggressive shave.

    Good luck on picking out your first DE razor! The choices can be overwhelming. Like @jimmy Mac said, you'll end up with more anyway....so, don't fret over your first one! :) Once you start using a DE, you won't want to go back to carts (or paying hideous prices for the refills).
     
  15. LSUfanBR

    LSUfanBR Well-Known Member

    I could not make up my mind do I picked up two different DE razors. I picked up a vintage 1965 Schick Krona with it's case off of eBay, and a 1962 Gillette Slim Adjustable double edge safety razor off of Etsy. I hope I like them but I figured even If I don't like them, they are collectible and will make a hand-me down to a kid one day if I ever have any.

    Below is the Krona on the left and the Slim is to the right:

    Krona7.jpg GSlim1.jpg
     
  16. entropy1049

    entropy1049 Well-Known Member

    You just scored two of the All Time Greats. Congrats!
     
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  17. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    You're gonna love 'em both. I've got a '66 Krona courtesy of Andrew @Linuxguile (Shavey Award) and a '67 Slim Adjustable I found at the fleamarket for $10. Both of them shave great.
     
  18. FaceScraper

    FaceScraper Well-Known Member

    Well done! You have two fine razors to begin your journey with!


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  19. LSUfanBR

    LSUfanBR Well-Known Member

    Does anyone have any recommendations for blades to start with for these razors?
     
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  20. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    Blades to start.
    Let's see, Gillette Silver Blue, Voskhod, Shark Super Chrome, 7 o'clock Green, Black, Rapira Platinum Lux, PoliSilver Irridium, Bolzano, Feather, Derby. That should be a good start.
     
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