Daily Driver Razors

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Simon Smailus, Jun 23, 2018.

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  1. Juno

    Juno Well-Known Member

    Take a pill and relax.
    20 mins???????
    I don't even have time to list all my razors. That would take more time than it takes you to shave!
    Get a GEM or Ever Ready....you can shave 2 or 3 times a week.
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2018
  2. I appreciate this criteria is subjective! I do enjoy a relaxing no time limited shave. However, I need to shave in the morning before work and the criteria enables me to get a better handle on which razors to try, without buying one's I'll rarely use. Morning shave are time limited necessities.
     
  3. I do, just not in the morning before work when I'm getting ready. This is a more pragmatic thread. Shaving is also a necessity and not just a hobby. No point buying a DE and using a cartridge to shave mon-fri. Although I can of course, see the point in terms of hobby.
     
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  4. Eeyore

    Eeyore Well-Known Member

    80% of my shaves are either with the Mühle Rocca or Fatip Open Comb.

    --
    Pitralon forever - Real pens have a nib - If it doesn't tick, it's not a watch.
     
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  5. Dansco

    Dansco Well-Known Member

    I'm in the middle of a month of using mostly my new Gillette Fatboy.

    I hate to burst your bubble but the r41 can't be a beginner = 0. Some people learn on straights.

    As others have mentioned above, the criteria are a little subjective and I also rotate my razors.
     
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  6. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    Just a suggestion, but could you rise earlier in order to get some relaxed shave time before the rest of the family wakes up? When I was working, my normal wake up time was 5 a.m. Many mornings, I awoke at 4:45 in order to have enough uninterrupted time for a nice DE shave. If you want to look at it pragmatically, rather than as taking time for a hobby, you can use the extra awake time to plan your day, listen to the morning news, etc. while you shave.

    My DE shaves have become faster and more consistent as I've improved my technique. If needed, I can now get a good enough 5-minute DE shave when I'm short on time. At other times, I'll take a bit longer in order to enjoy the process and aim for a closer shave.

    If the R41 is your current razor of choice for a close shave, focus on using it as your daily driver in this manner. (Yes, you can use an R41 this way.) Over time, I think you'll be pleased as you get more comfortable with it and refine your technique.

    Good luck!
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2018
  7. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    I have many, many razors. Shave 5-7 times a week, 10+ years wet shaving.

    The Cooper Monobilt and the No. 58 Aristocrat Jr. are the closest thing that I have to daily drivers.

    My shaves usually take about five minutes. Two passes.

    Cost. Cooper Monobilts in good shape run to about $100. No. 58's are all over the place, depending on condition and description on ebay. $40-150. Best bet is to use the Brit. Pat. # to search for it.

    Availability for both razors. Uncommon. Usually see one or two per month on eBay, though there are months long dry spells where you won't see any.

    Edit: aggressiveness. Low. With the proper angle, they are smooth shavers and fall into the sweet spot on aggression. More than a super speed, less than a red tip. About #4 on an adjustable.

    Edit: Cooper Monobilts are chrome plated, rather unusual for a razor in that time period. It tends to hold up better than the nickel plating of same era Gillette razors. Gem Micromatics are also chrome plated.
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2018
  8. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    Seems a little intense. One might consider taking one of those pills you were talking about.
     
  9. Terry

    Terry Tool Admirer

    Well.....
    I shave every day.

    I have hated shaving for decades:(, but because of my two full time jobs it was a requierment, so twice a day. But when I quit working two jobs :) I now shave for the most part only once a day.
    When I was younger I could get my 3 S'es cup of joe, and out the door in 20 minutes or less from a cold start.
    Now.... I take my time shaving, I love the feel of the brush against my face.
    If my times seem short, I've slowed down alot as I got older. It's nice to have time to do these things.
    Sorry
    Using a brush with a nice foamy cream using cold water with a good razor has brought a different feel to shaving for me.

    Hope this helps my description.
    tp

    A man should get 4 hours of sleep a night,
    weather he needs it or not!

    Insomnia? I've never had the time for that.

    Sleeping is just a bad habbit I picked up when I was younger.

    A 24 hour day was invented just to irritate us busy people.

    Live well, eat well, and shave well my friend.
     
    Ron R likes this.
  10. Juno

    Juno Well-Known Member

    Ha ha...touché non frere
     
  11. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    There is no such thing as a razor that takes to long to use or that will cut you in your morning shave when you are going fast just because of what it is.

    A straight shave really takes no longer then any other. This is once you have good technique.

    I rotate through a metric ton of razors. All types. I have favorites of each but any are likely to get face time. Good technique is the key.

    At some point a shave is a shave no matter what razor you pick up.
     
  12. Norcalnewb

    Norcalnewb Magnanimous Moos

    Any number of vintage Gillettes can provide a great shave on a daily basis, and I have used many of these. A Type G Injector or a Gem 1912 are fantastic, IMO. Any of these can be found in the $ range.

    On the new end, the Karve is a fantastic (also IMO), but it runs in the $$$ range of pricing. For a little less, the Razorock Mamba works very well for me, and is in the $$ range.

    I have been wet shaving for about 4 years, and I do so 6+ days a week. I have more razors than I care to admit to, and most of them can be a daily driver, but the ones I mentioned above truly work for me in autopilot mode.
     
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  13. ugadawg

    ugadawg Well-Known Member

    I’ve been wet shaving for 4 years. I shave every day. I use Wolfman OC, Above The Tie M2, and a Rex Ambassador as daily razors. I use my Blackbird OC if I skip a day. You can get too deals on used Above The Tie razors, so that would be a good stainless steel option if you don’t want to spend $200.
     
  14. Jack19

    Jack19 Member

    Workday razor

    Pre-War Gillette Tech, Fat Handle

    • time = 5 min
    • stubble = About 6 hours
    • bloodlet = 0, no blood
    • numshaves = 7 to 10
    • $ = $$=$20-$50
    • beginner = 5
    • availability = 8, on the Bay, but search for a good one.
    • 7s3y (Assuming you mean years of DE razor shaving; if total years of shaving, then, 7s43y.)
    Weekend Razor

    1905 Single Ring, 1916 Single Ring, 1919 Old-Ball End, 1920s Old Type (all open comb)

    • Time = 10 min
    • stubble = About 12 hours
    • bloodlet = 5
    • numshaves = 6
    • $ = $$ to $$$
    • beginner = 3 to 4
    • availability = 10 for a well used razor with a cracked handle, 0-2 for an excellent example with straight teeth, and an uncracked/very minimally cracked handle.
    • 7s3y (Assuming you mean years of DE razor shaving; if total years of shaving, then, 7s43y.)
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2018
  15. Jim99

    Jim99 Gold Water Shaver

    Schick E injector
    Time: 5 minutes
    Stubble: 12-18 hours
    Bloodlet: 1
    Number of shaves: 8
    Beginner: TBD
    Availability: 7
    Expense: <$20

    Simon, consider a Schick E injector. It’s readily available, low cost for the razor, blades can be found online but pricier than DE blades, and it makes a great daily driver. Use a light touch and you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic shave every time.

    Btw, thank you for commenting on the Lord’s name being used in this thread.
     
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  16. I'm in the UK and Schick E series seem pretty hard to come by unless someone knows where they might be available. EBay is all USA.

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
     
  17. Kaladin

    Kaladin Active Member

    I only have a small number of razors - 4, to be exact, so I definitely have a daily driver for the exact reasons shared; a guaranteed comfortable shave high on that list.

    My ratings depend on how the razor is used. The 6C has different plates for different aggressiveness settings, between 1 and 6. If I'm shaving daily I use the 3, if I wait a day between shaves I use the 4 and then 2 for ATG.

    Rockwell 6C

    * Time = 15 min
    * stubble = About 12 hours
    * bloodlet = 3
    * numshaves = 6-10
    * $ = $$
    * beginner = 9; very beginner friendly
    * availability = 10
    * 6s3y

    To be honest, I can't praise this razor enough. Despite my relative lack of experience with other razors, the versatility of the Rockwell makes it useful for daily shaves or shaving off a beard with the 6 setting. It even beats out my long handled Merkur 23C handily.

    Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
     
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  18. brit

    brit in a box

    60s gillette rocket gets used the most as a daily driver.all my other rockets, crats and techs are rotated.
     
  19. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    I have a hundred or so razors, many which could be DD. When it came time to choose one for my summer residence in Asia I picked the MMOC. I'm a daily head shaver and a daily driver has to excel in that job, which the MMOC certainly does. It's also sturdy (an understatement), not going to corrode in harsh conditions, and easily replaced for cheap were I to lose it.[​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2018
    twhite, Primotenore, Jim99 and 2 others like this.
  20. Whilst I appreciate many folks learn with all kinds of razors, there's no way I'd recommend the r41 for someone's first ever shave. Hence, beginner = 0. Although bear in mind that this rating is that I'll see them in ER, so it is not prohibitive, but a strong warning.

    You have to use a straight to learn a straight. I have a couple, but even in the treads on learning straights, certain types of straights are not recommended for beginners.

    The point of this is not to be prohibitive, but for people with experience to guide those with less experience about what is going to help them have a better learning curve. I know people who started with a very aggressive DE razor, shredded their face and never pursued DE shaving. Had they used a milder razor they might have come to enjoy DE shaving as many of us do.
     
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