Hey everyone I am looking to get a new DE for my den. I have a MicroTouch One right now and although it isn't a bad razor, I know there are better ones out there and I want something that is a bit smoother than this one but also gentle enough so that my inexperience wouldn't cause me to butcher my face. I have around a $30 price range. Thanks guys.
Phoenix Double Open Comb. $34.95. It's my fourth razor, and my favorite thus far. I also prefer a mild razor, and this is it. Also, the 40's style Gillette SS's are pretty mild. Got mine shave ready on eBay for 21.99
I am still pretty new myself. Are you wanting modern razor or vintage? Open comb, closed, etc? If I had $30 I would either look for a vintage Gillette slim adjustable or maybe a Gillette new long comb. If you want modern instead maybe the Phoenix double open comb but I am not positive on price so it could be just over 30. This addresses the ones I would look for but my tastes and interests may be completely different from yours. Hopefully others will chip in some advice and you can get some good ideas to choose from.
Vintage mild razor - go Gillette. Got my british Rocket HD for about 25$ and it gives me very good shaves with almost any blade - though depending on the blade it takes a little more effort to achieve "baby butt smoothness". Modern razors: Don't know about retail prices overseas (I'm from Germany), but I wholeheartedly recommend Merkur. The smoothest has to be their open comb 15c, my favorite though is the slightly more aggressive closed comb 34c (guess you call it the HD in the US). Both are great razors and won't hurt your face A Phoenix DOC is on it's way to me atm, so I can't comment on that one yet.
Vintage Gillette Tech,they go for next to nothing. Save yourself a few $'s on the razor purchase,and buy some sharp blades to go with it. Polsilver SI's,Gillette Rubies,Feathers,even Perma-Sharp supers,all work well in a Tech. 50's-60's ones go really cheap,but shave well with the above blades. Try to give the last ones (70's) a miss,as they came with Zamak heads,it is easy to tell the difference,the heads with the 'embossed' Gillette logo are Zamak. And you wont butcher yourself either!....
Depends on how aggressive you want the razor. Borrow a few razors from TSD members, try them, then make your pick. Just a thought.
Modern in that range, I'd look at Mühle R89 or the equivalent EJ 89. There are many variants. Vintage, go for Gillette Tech with the fat handle. It's a very nice shaver. I wouldn't call them cheap, but you should be able to get one within your budget.
It has already been mentioned, but the Phoenix Dbl OC is a great razor. I would also look at either a Super Speed Flare Tip or Gillette Ball End Tech.
I really think your next razor should be a adjustable...you should be able to find a slim or BB for under $30 and it has 2 upsides...1)it is a great shaver and will allow you to find your "shave" a lot easier since you can adjust it to be more aggressive or mild, this will end up saving you a lot of time and money trying out different razors to see which one is for you..and 2) a gillette adjustable is a razor that belongs in EVERY den, IMO a den is never truely complete until it has one..I have never heard someone say they hated the fact that they bought one, and at worst case if you dont like it you can sell it and get your money back.....just know that I will always say your 2nd razor should be some sort of a adjustable....good luck
The Edwin Jagger EJ89 is a modern three piece DE razor and provides excellent shaves. It goes for $35 and is well worth the cost. As has already been said in the earlier posts, vintage Gillettes are quite affordable. If you want to go vintage, look for a Gillette Super Speed as they are really very good razors, they're indestructible and provide great shaves. You could get a nice 1950's to 70's Super Speed for $20 and that will give you one in very nice condition.
I agree a 60's slim adjustable is a great razor and can be had for about 30-35 bucks right now, good user grade, from various places, and a superspeed (60's) also can be had as mentioned around 20-25 or so for very good vintage, both should last forever. Modern razors, Parker, Merkur, Maggards etc. I started with a 34c, worked well to learn technique on, (downside is it's a 2 piece). Of all I mentioned, love my slim and use it the most currently.
I too started with the micro touch one. I was in the same boat as you wanting new gear on a fixed price. I held out an extra week and saved about 12 more bucks and got a merkur 39c. So glad I did! I read a ton of reviews and almost didn't because a lot of people said it was a very aggressive razor. Then I came here....where I should have started to begin with. The great and knowledgeable folks here schooled me otherwise. It's not too much more aggressive if any than the MTO, it's more efficient with the slanted head. It's a long handle with a good amount of weight. The same razor, but shorter, the 37c would be a great razor I would think if you didn't want the long handle. I'm on my 3rd shave with it and couldn't be happier! I did need to try a few blades and settled on a persona platinum. Just my 2 cents but like everyone here, technique trumps tool. But I do love this tool
Couldn't agree more. I was lucky that I'd kept my first two razors, a '49 Super-Speed, and a Schick Krona, throughout my disposable razor days; but after getting back into classic shaving, the first razor I sought out was a Slim Adjustable. THAT razor gave me a better idea of what I really liked.
