Hi All Firstly a big hello from a lurker Really tired of the expensive cartridge shaving systems and want to get a DE I am going to buy my first DE tomorrow and pretty much was hell bent on the Merkur progress long handle as from research, it seems highly regarded. i know it is adjustable but I have also considered the Muhle R89 and Edwin Jagger DE89L, which I know are non adjustable. I have a pretty heavy beard growth and my questions are: Of the three, which would be most highly recommended for a first time user? Secondly, is there any other razor, vintage or other, that I should consider? Thirdly, I am ordering blades and am looking at the Personna Red Israeli Bulk Pack, are these a good start? Finally, where is best to buy from if you are in Europe? Thank you all so much for your help!
:signs046 I'd say start off with the Merkur Progress! Or a Gillette Slim Adjustable! Start at the lowest setting and go from there.. Technique is the most important thing in DE shaving.. not the razor or the blade! I am a fan of the Red Personna's... They are nice mild blades, perfect for a beginner! WTG, XTG, ATG Get your technique under control then dial up the Progress if you feel you need a closer shave! Then, go nuts, embrace the addiction and buy ever razor you can afford! To you last question... try ebay.co.uk for the vintage razors... even the progress might be there!
Welcome to TSD! This is the best wet shave board on the planet! I have a Progress and I Love it! If you are looking at one, and you want it grab it. Blades = Get a sampler. From my experience, you do not want to buy any blade in bulk at your stage in the hobby.
I should say the Edwin Jagger. Great razor and since its non adjustable takes away the variables for a newb and makes it easier to just learn to shave. Just My 2 cents. As for blades i think the red personnas is good to start with, but do get a sampler, it takes time to find "your" blade.
Welcome to TSD! There are many good razors, and the three you mention are fine. I wouldn't over-think it at this point, or you'll be overwhelmed with choices. Only, if you do get the adjustable, I would leave it at one setting while you're learning the basic technique, probably a low setting. The Israeli Red Personnas are fine, but I think Stingraysrock is right that you should get a sampler, small amounts of several popular blades. For any brand, some people will swear by it and others will swear at it. Best to find your own favorite. Can't help you with the best European supplier, I'm afraid.
As most everyone said. Go with the Progress. Merkur makes a fine product. Even though I dont own a Progress (yet) I do own several other Merkurs that I am happy with. I have several Gillette adjustable razors that can dial in from a light shave to an aggressive shave. Apparently the Progress can dial in a lot more aggressively than the Gillettes. I generally use my Gillette's from 7 to 9. Welcome to TSD.
Welcome to The Shave Den, a great community of guys and gals that enjoy wet shaving, I hope you enjoy your stay! Be sure to sign up for the August Newbie Give-Away for a chance to win some great shave gear! If you haven't found it yet, be sure to take a look at the Shave School Master Sticky List for loads of great info for the new wetshaver. Have a look at Connaught Shaving, they have everything you need, and have great reviews. .
Welcome to the Den! If I were you, I'd take Bill (Dridecker) up on his offer to look through the Shave School Master Sticky list. Check out item #4 about what razor to get. Happy hunting!
My vote is for either a Vintage Gillette Slim Adjustable, Super Speed, or the Edwin Jagger. The EJ is a nicer razor than the Merkur. The fit and finish of the Merkur, just aren't up to the level of the EJ. When you pay as much as a merkur costs, you don't want the plating to peel off, or the castings to be ugly. Plus, the EJ is a great shaver. Racer blades by Lord of Egypt seem to be tailor made for it. The Vintage Gillettes are great shavers, too. It's really hard to improve upon the shave quality they offer. I love the way my Merkur 37 shaves. Don't like how cheap the head castings look, or the fact that the plating inside the head is peeling after a month of use.
Thank you all so much for all the replies and information! I really appreciate it. From reading all the advice I decided to go with a Edwin Jagger DE89 or Muhle R89 as they seem highly regarded and are in a better price range for my first DE I had a price of €21.95 (almost half the price of the Progress) for the Edwin Jagger DE89L from shaving.ie, but they are out of stock for 2 weeks and I am leaning towards the Muhle R89 now for €27.95 as it seems to be the next best thing. Is the Edwin & Jagger DE89 (not L) 150grams? Opposed to the L being 115? could that be right as I can have the DE89 for €19.95 if weight is better over the Muhle R89 at 120? As for blades, thank you all for your advice, I am going to get a selection pack and see what works for me. Quite fancy the vintage razors too but think for the very first DE, I may go for a new one and then as I learn more, I can explore the vintage razors out there. I looked on that auction site, there were plenty about and I would prefer to take time finding something special, once I know what I need Also need to budget for a good badger brush, stand and bowl. I do use pretty good quality shaving creams though(nothing in an aerosol , always have done as I found the 'canned' variety to be terrible and made my skin feel dry and tight. Thank you Dridecker for the post and top class links to the sticky!! It was a great read and is book marked for the future so that I can read it at my leisure. Thank you all for the very kind welcome and the great advice. I look forward to sharing my mistakes, nips and cuts of the future!
good choice 89l. that's the one I have. the muhle seems to have a lighter hollow handle. I have found that the 7 Oclock blades are the Bomb with this razor. just about all others seem to miss hair on my neck. key to the 89l is to keep your hands free of soap if you get soap on your razor hand just run it under the sink and you are god to go.
Update..........Went for the following in my final purchase and entrance into the world of DE shaving! 50 Blade Premium Selection Sampler: 1. Personna Platinum 10 Pack 2. Astra Platinum 5 Pack 3. Derby 5 Pack 4. Timor 10 Pack 5. Super Iridium 10 Pack 6. Feather 10 Pack Edwin Jagger DE89 Chrome Muhle White badger Shaving Brush Proraso Sensitive Shaving Soap with Aloe and Green Tree Taylors of Old Bond Street Shaving Cream avocado Cant wait to get them all!!! Thanks for all your help!!
Thank you so much! I just know I will buy another razor, so half the battle was getting set up. Cant wait for those first shaves!!!!!! Will be looking for so much advice once I know what my next razor should be as I would like to buy a vintage and an investment.
Package arrived today and I must say I am very impressed with the quality of the E & J razor! Feels really nice to hold compared to the cartridge razors I am used to, great build quality. The brush feels of great quality too. sorry if this is a dumb question, but I am quiet intimidated by the reputation of DE razors and blades and was wondering if anyone could advise which of these blades would be a best start for a mild shave? Or is it very personal? I am tempted to try the Personna's but dont really know what to do. 1. Personna Platinum 10 Pack 2. Astra Platinum 5 Pack 3. Derby 5 Pack 4. Timor 10 Pack 5. Super Iridium 10 Pack 6. Feather 10 Pack Thanks for all your help.
Take one blade of each brand, put them in a bag, close your eyes, reach in and grab one. Seriously. Happy Shaving!
Good answer! Guess I am just a little nervous.....will post how I get on...........hopefully, not a blood bath
The only real way you are going to cut yourself up is if you: 1. Slap the razor on your face. Just gently lower the razor to your skin. 2. Use some kind of extreme angle. If you hold the razor and lock your wrist and then line up the area that looks like a bevel between the razor head and blade base with the blade in the middle and your skin, you should have a good starting point. 3. Use pressure. 4. Go too fast and forget to pay attention to what you are doing. 5. Keep going over the same spot over and over. There are probably a few more variables, but assuming your skin prep is correct and you have built a good lather, you should be good to go.
Jeff beat me to it. :happy102 Just remember - no pressure, watch the angle, and no pressure. You'll do fine.
Thank you so much! I am watching Mantic's tutorials and may try my first wet shave tomorrow. Just too used to speed shaving the with the fusions and mach, etc.....Really am looking forward to getting a good technique as I wanted to try DE for so long and am keen to try but reading too much, I came across so many horror stories..........moral.......less reading.........more shaving
