Alright, it's actually been about a month and a half, but who's counting? This may help some of the Newbs looking for a little more beyond the "I had my first DE shave and it was excellent..." kind of post. At least I hope so. So sit back, relax, cuz I'm thinking this might be a long post. First, there's not a snowball's chance in Hell's hottest ovens that I'd go back to a Mach 3, a Fusion, a Quattro, or any other multi-blade nonsense out there. Before even jumping into the razor/brush/blade/soap/cream portion of it, my skin is in much better shape, with virtually no irritation, and no ingrown hairs. My jawline and neck used to be an absolute mess, filled with gross bumps from ingrown hairs and irritation. No more. So, on to the razors. YMMV is absolute truth. I've managed to get a nice collection of razors going (I'll have to do a tally of my den here one day) and found things that have worked and not worked for me. One of the surprises for me, especially after reading all the great reviews, was that me and the Gillette Super Speed do not get along. I've tried different blades, different technique, and even different Super Speeds (red tip, flare tip, 40's NDC) and the results have been middling at best. I PIF'd the Flare Tip to a new shaver and have faith that he will have more luck with it than I. The other two I'll hold on to and try again later down the road. The Tech, which doesn't seem to get the love it deserves out on the interwebs, has been one of my favorites. The little ball end C4 I picked up at the beginning of my DE life has quickly turned into an incredibly reliable and enjoyable razor, especially with a Feather. I've picked up a fair share of Gillettes so far, including a really nice Rocket, an open comb from 1917(ish), and an Aristocrat, yet the little Ball End Tech gets the most use, though my recently acquired Merkur Slant has been the go to razor of the last three days. Blades: Again, YMMV, and again, some of the much vaunted favorites have been a let down for me. First off, Dorco blades (300 and 301) do not agree with my face, regardless of the razor. Red Personnas only work for me in the Tech. Derbys have been a gem, and were my blade of choice in trying each newly obtained razor. Astras and Feathers are my blades of choice though, with 100 of each as well as 100 Derbys filling the cabinet. I think I'm set for blades for a year or two. There are some other blades of high quality that have been decent to good, but I've found "my" blades. Creams and soaps: do I need to say it? YMMV, again. First, the bad. Some people may have plenty of luck with Col. Conk. I am not one of them. I find the lather to be crap, the lubrication to be crap, and the overall feel to be... well, crap. Tom's of Maine Mint has been much better, TOBS Sandalwood SC far better than that, and Mitchell's Wool Fat near perfect. Again, I have some samples of stuff that have treated me well, some generously PIF'd from this site, but the MWF is the winner for me, hands down. There's so much more, but going into anything else would turn this verbose update into a genuine novella. So for all the newbs out there looking to dive in, but wondering if the happy first shaves degrade after the novelty wears off, dive in head first. It only gets better. Even if your first shave isn't the greatest, there are so many different things out there to try that make each shave better. A new blade, a new shave cream or soap, or a new razor can make all the difference. And when you lock in on that one perfect shave, where the combination of everything just clicks, there's few things more rewarding.
Funny, but my favrites in the catagories you discussed are MWF soap, Astra Superior Platinum blades, and ..... a Super Speed. Then again, I don't own a Tech. At some point I'll have to correct that.
Corey, you aren't alone. I just don't care much for the Super Speed either. I can get a decent shave out of them, but not as good as many other options. Techs can be great. They have a bad rep as being too mild. The newer light weight techs are wimpy, but the older techs are great!
Now get a SE and see how that works for ya When you get ready I Will gladly loan you one to try out for a bit.. but I must add that you will prolly not want to go back to most of that DE stuff..
