Hello! Some prerequisites. I have sensitive skin, but I also like getting a great BBS shave. My Razorock Long Handel is great for BBS on my face and a nice shave on my neck, but it's sorta mild, so I have a hard time getting a complete BBS on my neck because the hair lies so flat... My Schick I1 is great also, but lacks weight, requiring me to use more pressure. I know 90% of this is technique, and I always appreciate advice from those with more experience than I, especially from those who have the unfortunate trait of having the entire side area of the neck on both sides having grain that lies flush and parallel to my shoulders.... to go ATG I need to go sideways, which is more prone to irritation. In any case, I would be willing to take a look at adjustable de razors such as the slim or super just so I can have more options for aggressiveness. If I were to get one of these, I would be looking for one in decent condition (one that I can clean with a toothbrush, soap and some diligence And not super expensive like some you find on EBay (The cheaper ones are sometimes questionable or have some quite notable brassing, and I wouldn't feel comfortable buying one unless I could see./feel it.) Personally, it would be cool to have some Gillette Blues with it to complete the experience of vintage razors XD On the other hand. If my razors go on a scale of Razo rock-Shick I1-GEM 1912 (From mild-aggressive) than it might be more beneficial and cheaper to try a SE. Ideally, it would be nice to have the SE come with new blades so that I don't have two things to keep track of if I decide to return it. I don't intend to buy anything now, but it might be cool to kick off summer and graduation with a new razor and have the complete lineup from mild to aggressive (after I try more DE blades from my sampler of course) I'll keep my eyes out at Local antique stores was well. Should I try an SE or try and get a nice adjustable DE? Any advice for de shaving on the neck with sideways and flat hair growth? Thanks for reading the Wall o Text, that's just how I write *Update* These are some great responses! I've started following the pattern of using my de for the first and second pass and using the injector for my final and touch-up passes. Still working on technique and thus minor irritation but, I get BBS shaves more easily this way, especially on my facial region. I'll defiantly consider just doing a BBS on my face and getting a DFS on my neck and seeing how that's like until I can work only on irritation. Best part is, now I give both of my razors reason to exist *Update 2* I listened to all your advice and I found it amazing! A week ago I posted another thread on my razorock razor and from careful observation, it seemed and felt that the two sides were a little uneven in blade gap. I had already been wanting a nice Gillette slim adjustable and I managed to luck out on eBay and get a nice functional one for $28.75. Based on the price these things regularly go for on EBay, that's not bead, even if I have a little cleaning to do (nothing a toothbrush and some soap/vinegar will scrub out (right?). Sure, there's the possibility I may have found an even better one, but I'm lucky to have gotten this at that price. I'm hoping my mom doesn't kill me for getting another razor, but I figure that I will explain that it is a graduation present to myself and talk to her about the problem with the blade exposure. If worst comes to worst, I can always give/sell the Razo rock razor after explaining the problems or... keep it Let me know what you guys think! View attachment 69187 View attachment 69188 View attachment 69188 View attachment 69189 View attachment 69190
Don't know what to advise you to buy (though you almost can't go wrong with an adjustable loaded with the right blade for you) but I always have to go about mostly or completely against the grain of my neck hair to get it off clean and without scraping up irritation. Speaking only for myself, I've found getting just the right angle of approach AND angle of blade-to-skin is the key to getting the neck done right (meaning 2 pass BBS + no irritation). I have to mind both to get it done right. It just takes practice, and now I can do it with any razor. However...even now I find myself more prone to irritation in this area when using a mid-aggressiveness SE with one of the best coated blades. Same with injectors, but to a slightly lesser degree. That's just the nature of the stiffer blades, but you'll get BBS for sure. YMMV on any of the above. Just be patient and stick with it...it'll come.
I have the same growth pattern on my neck and my advice is to be careful what you wish for. If I go directly ATG on my neck I get ingrowns because the whiskers grow so flat, they just grow right into the skin if I shave them too short. So give it a shot but if you get red bumps you might have to be happy with a DFS on the neck. I'm ok with it though because my skin looks better even with just a tiny bit of stubble there.
My closest, and best, and most comfortable shaves have been with injectors, I have similar neck pattern issues.
Thanks for the advice! This stuff is exactly what I'm looking for. Maybe DE on Face/First-Second Passes on Neck and Injector for touch-up or when I feel like it?
Why not get both single edge and adjustable double edge razors? Try them both, keep the one that works best for you, and then sell the other one in The Marketplace sub-forum here.
I'd rather stick to one for now. Eventually I might get both, but i'd like it to be a process of sorts. Thanks for your idea though
Sometimes you may just have to settle for a really good DFS. I know that once I quit "chasing the baby" my shaves not only got more enjoyable, but closer as well. That said I've used two razors for my morning shave for a few years now. I now do a basically 2-3 pass shave with soap and the finish pass with water. One of the razors I used was an ER 1924 "shovelhead" SE(first pass) followed by an EJ89 DE(finish). I liked the shave I got from the SE, but as you noted it was hard to find the blades I liked(SS Gems) locally so I quit using it. I now use two DE's(a modern Weber DLC and vintage Gillette "NEW" LC/OC) which helps simplify blade choice and I have found I prefer the heavier handled 3 piece razors.. IMO an adjustable may make it easier for you to achieve your goal. Since you will be adjusting it through your shave and not just putting it on one setting and leaving it there. However as you noted vintage razors can be pricey not because they offer a better shave but because of collectors. The hunt for any razors on ebay, etsy, antique shops etc. while fun, is a bit of a gamble, because condition can be iffy. I own a few vintage FatBoy's, Slims and Super Adjustables while most are in good condition and shave quite well, a couple however not so much . IMO if you go vintage Gillette your better off with a Slim from a price and availability stand point. All the Gillette adjustable's shave well IMO. The only way to be sure you get an adjustable razor in perfect condition is to buy it new or new/used. The only modern adjustable DE safety razors that I know of are the Progress and Futur made by Merkur. I have heard good things about both razors and they are affordable, also it's my understanding that the "Futur" can be VERY aggressive on the higher settings. Good luck on your quest
I would definetly consider getting an adjustable for what you want to achieve. But before you do, try to see if your technique can improve with your current setup. Slow and easy. How is your prep before you start applying lather? Do you make sure the area where you're going to shave is well hydrated? Do you use some other methods to soften the whiskers? My ATG pass is also sideways at the neck area, but sometimes I just do another XTG pass going the opposite way from the previous XTG pass. The results are still pretty good. Maybe not 100% BBS, but darn close to it. One thing that helped improve my technique is taking notes of my shaves.
+1 with Spacehobo I've always shave ATG but that's just how I learned back in the '60's, I like shaving with my Gillette Adjustables always getting a BBS, but lately I've like shaving with my Weber PH. Due to more blade exposure I have to use a Personna Red blade instead of an Astra SP. Many DE shavers, when buying a new razor do not consider blade exposure but only blade gap. It is important to match the blade to the razor in order to get a smooth shave. Except for blade gap my Merkur 33-38c , EJ 89 and other Gillette's seem to be pretty close in blade exposure..
How exactly does a single edged razor differ from a double edged razor...outside of the obvious? Is the single edged razor just another name for a straight razor? Just curious. Thanks!
Single edged razor blades are thicker than DE blades. You generally get more shaves from one than you would from a DE even though you have only one edge. GEMs and injectors are SE razors.
Thank you for the informative response! Are these SEs still made (handle/blade holder)? If so, can you point me in the right direction? Thanks!
They are all vintage razors, but they are readily available on eBay. There are modern SE razors, but they are expensive: Cobra, Mongoose.
@Quasar - Wow, you've asked a lot and given a whole lot of latitude for answers. That makes it tougher — both to answer and for you to choose a direction from your replies! Let me see if I can back up a little and give a perspective from an admitted baby-chaser. Just remember that if you don't like my advice I refund only half of what you pay for it! If I start with the goal of a BBS shave, I think my answer — for the long run — is you can likely learn to catch that elusive BBS with most any razor (and certainly all three of the ones you've listed!). @swarden43 has a great line about learning the tools we use, but I can't remember it right now. (Sorry, Steve) Thinking over my own journey, my standard for BBS has changed as I've improved my technique. My standard today is higher than it was a year ago. The really strange thing is the indirect path I took. I let the various ADs lead me all over the map. Ultimately, I would likely have achieved a consistent, all-over BBS much sooner had I stuck with one razor and a good blade (or three, maybe)... but what fun would that have been? However, running the gamut of a 40-ish razor collection probably gave me more overall technique, but took a longer time "getting there." You have a really good set of razors for building skills. By "Razorock Long Handle" do you mean the Mission? If so, I do not have one but suspect it is much like the Utopia Razor, which I have. My Utopia shaves very much like my EJ and is an excellent middle-of-the road razor. If you want to reach BBS with a single razor, I recommend this as your concentration point. I made an intuitive leap in technique after I spent some time thinking about the angle of the blade to the skin. Not the head. Not the handle. The blade. Imagine controlling the blade angle for a straight razor and then think about the blade-to-skin angle as you drive your razor around your face. My next insight started >here<. It is a longer thread and my fellow TSDers advanced the concept in other threads. However, after thinking about the blade angle, the "ride the cap" concept may redefine how you think about applying pressure. Though I was using SEs at the time, it applies to DEs. I learned even more about "riding the cap" >here<. If you choose to sail the winds of RAD, I second the Gillette Slim as a good choice for your next acquisition. The Futur is an excellent adjustable, but handles a bit differently from most other DEs. You will probably better develop transferable skills with the Slim. NOTE: If you really like the Futur but want to save a few bucks, there is a very good Chinese knockoff if you know how to dig on the internet. I got mine for about $20. It is one good shaver! Good luck! Sean
Wow Wow! Awesome info! I will defiantly keep your advice in mind, especially your advice on the angle of the blade to the skin! I hadn't thought of that....
