Hirsute; I'm sure someone here will quickly correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe all of the currently available EJ razors use exactly the same head. They run from the mid-30 dollar range to the mid-90 dollar range, but the difference is all in how ornate the handle is.
That's true of those currently in production. It was only a few years ago they sold some with a different head (Merkur I think), so you might run into some old stock in some dusty corner or if you're searching ebay and classifieds on shave forums. To the Hirsute - I recommend buying the least expensive new EJ you like the looks of. Even the lowest cost EJ razors shave great and IMHO look better than some razors costing double.
+1 on the sampler pack! Great way to find out what works best for you. Just be sure to use one brand until you are comfortable enough with technique (a month or so), and then experiment from there.
Yeah use ZERO pressure. I learned the hard way because I tore my face up and and had a bunch of ingrowns and razor burn. I'm a newbie too and I'm learning just like you. Check out the Art of Manliess or go on Youtube and type in "Mantic59" or "Geofatboy." Those guys will show you everything you need to know.
I just purchased a EJ BD89 and have used it 3 times with derby blades. I have had several issues with razor bumps and ingrown hairs. So far so good and i shaved 3 days in a row which was always a nightmare.
Quite interesting indeed. I have shaved twice with my new EJ DE89 using a Derby blade and it's been fairly rough for me. Though I was having lather and blade angle issues (which are being addressed in another thread), I do question whether the derby blades are the best choice in this razor. I guess we'll see!
Blades are always subjective between people; a sampler pack of DE blades is always the best bet to go, and tends to be easier for those new to wet shaving get used to a blade which they can work with easily.
I didn't open yet my Deby blades that I got with the EJ DE89. From what everybody writes , I didn't miss anything.
I'm sorry i just read what i wrote and gives the wrong impression. I had razor bumps and ingrown hair issues in the past. Now that i'm using the EJ it has been a lot better. Sorry for the confusion.
I actually find Derby blades to be pretty good and smooth blades, although they don't have as much longevity as Rapiras or Voskhods.
Welcome! I used to have fairly bad ingrowns, and switching to DE really, really helped me. Now that said, I still got them from time to time - though much fewer - on my neck and that was solved by mastering my beard growth knowledge and finding out what I can and can't do, and in what direction, on my neck. Since mastering that, I rarely get any sort of ingrown. My favorite razors these days are my E.J. DE89L and my Merkur 41C Open-comb or "1904" razors. I also love my Fat-Boy and Slim. As many have stated, blades are subjective, maybe even more so than scent! Just experiment and have fun, but don't add too many variable until you get the hang of things.