New DE user, which blade to start with? Feathers? j/k, But which to learn on?

Yep blade sampler is the way to go. One tip though. When your new, do not try Merkur blades ! They are not a blade compatible with new d/e user. They really are not a bad blade and they are a very long lasting blade. There just too rough for inexperienced hands applying too much pressure. BTW, I like Derby's.:happy102

 

As I'm sure you're beginning to see, blades are perhaps the biggest item in wet shaving that is most true to YMMV.

You're going to see good and bad reviews about almost everything. Take it all with a grain of salt. The only way to know if something is good for you is to try it yourself. If you don't like it, put it on the back of the shelf and come back to it a few months later. Many folks have done that and found that after improving their technique that the blade or razor that gave such a horrible shave 8 months ago really isn't that bad. If, after trying it again later, you find you still don't like a product, I'm sure there is someone here at the Den who would gladly buy it or trade you something for it.

 

Hi James,

When I first started a few years back, I was doing lots of trial and error combinations of creams, blades, razors etc. I wasn't happy with the results even though I've been a wet shaver my entire life. A vendor asked me about how often I shaved (only every 2nd day or more) ... and then recommended only the sharpest blades he carried. I think this is a good point to consider as you try out various blades ...... for daily use with a light beard, I think lots of blades will be fine .... and agree that a combo pack is certainly the way to go.

Good Luck,

Matt

 

Thanks

 

I like Derby blades, I find them umm..... forgiving.





:scared007

 

Thanks Bill

 

I tried the Blue Gillette Super Platinums the other day with my Fatboy and found it pretty much the same, at least on the first shave, as my usual Astra SPs.

 

I find the entire 7 O'clock series similar to the Astra SP's - that is very good for me.

Now I'll express a counter position (to those here) on feathers. At least for me, feathers punish my face far worse for a mistake than most blades. While not a reason to be scared of them or avoid them for a long time when starting out, I don't recommend them for a 1st blade. Having a couple DE shaves without getting irritation before attempting a feather is a good idea IMHO so you're not making big mistakes and getting the worst punishment for it. Now, as a second blade, a feather is as good (but no better) as any other blade to try.

 

Everyone has their favorites & their reasoning to back it up, my advice is to get a sample pack. Maybe 2, making sure you have as few repeating brands as possible & then experiment. Use a blade from a single pack of 5 or 10 in each of your razors. Note how long the blade lasts. Note the performance of the blade in each razor. SOME blades last longer in some razors than others. Some blades perform better in other razors. Some razors are fussy. It's an experimentation that can last for months. GEM blades for the SE razor are my go-to blade. I have stopped looking. They perform AWESOME for me. I can also buy them @ CVS, 10 for like $3. This pack of 10 will last me about 2 months, giving me about 4-5 shaves a piece. Sample pack! I have had feather blades since march that I've yet to use because I want to try everything else first before these. I've been pleased with everything I've tried EXCEPT CVS brand DE blades. Yuck! 1-2 shaves tops!