New to safety Razors

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Ben Keller, Feb 10, 2023.

  1. Ben Keller

    Ben Keller Member

    Hello I just purchased a King C Gillette safety razor that I found on clearance for about half the price. I shaved for the first-time last night and really liked it!!! I am curious about blades for it. It came with 5 but im wondering what to purchase when those are used up?? Like I said I'm new to using one of these razors and don't want to buy a bunch of blades that i don't like.
     
  2. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    It can't be helped. You're going to buy blades you don't like. Why?
    Because there are blades out there I like that others can't stand. There are blades out there that others like that I don't.
    Who ya gonna believe when they tell you blade X is great or blade Y sucks? Me or them?
    You gotta try 'em and let your face give you the final answer.
    But the experimenting is part of the fun!
     
  3. Herm2502

    Herm2502 off to elf practice

    Welcome! You have started down a journey to a really enjoyable way to shave. I find the Gillette a decent, mild razor.

    It's tough to suggest a particular blade. Each person has their own preference.

    I suggest you purchase a multi-pack of different blades. Many vendors online, such as Maggard Razors, has them. Or you can go to Try-A-Blade online to pick a few blades.

    Blade packs are cheap so pick some and try them out. Have fun with it.
     
  4. Ben Keller

    Ben Keller Member

    Thanks guys I'm going to find a variety pack and try some!!
     
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  5. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    As I will agree with my friends that it really personal preference , Though I would suggest a few blades that have served many here.

    Nacet
    Polsilver
    Astra
    Gillette Silver Blue
    Gillette 7 O'Clock Green

    Happy shaves to you.

    :eatdrink047:
     
  6. ewk

    ewk Well-Known Member

    Every reaction is different. Some excellent and beloved blades for others give me weepers. If you like the (very expensive and over-priced) blades that came with the razor, you may find Gillette Platinum and maybe Gillette Super Blue very similar (if not the same under a different label). I can't resist suggesting my personal favorite, Gillette Nacet.
     
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  7. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    I have never met a blade that didn't shave my face. Technique Trumps Tools.
    I stopped blaming a bad shave on my tools many years ago.

    Passenger to Cabbie: "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" Cabbie: "Practice."
     
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  8. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    Hi, Ben, and welcome!

    Since you are new to traditional shaving, it will take a while for you to develop a solid, repeatable technique. This part of your journey should actually be fun and memorable. The best way to do this, in my experience, is to use the same set up - razor, brand of blade, brush, and shave soap or cream - for at least a month. Or longer if you are a slow learner like me. :) This may not be the most exciting way to start, but you'll progress more quickly. Until you have your technique down, it's nearly impossible to discern (most often very minute) differences in anything regarding shave gear.

    Once you have a rock-solid technique, you can go nuts and buy all the stuff you want/like. At that point, it'll all work great.

    You have the perfect razor to start. As you do some research, you'll find certain brands of blades mentioned quite often. Pick one of those and get going...and you'll very likely be OK. I've started a number of friends out with Astra SP and Voskhod. Both blades are inexpensive in bulk (a dime each) and available on Amazon. When I started, I splurged on Feather blades (two to three dimes each in bulk) and used them exclusively for the first couple of years.

    Watch some YouTube videos to get some ideas on technique. There's a 30-Day thread here that helps new shavers get started, and everyone else stands ready to help. Pay attention to the basics, swap your blades out often (they're cheap), and develop the habit of good skin stretching....and you'll be enjoying great shaves in no time.

    The bottom line...do things your way and have fun!
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2023
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  9. Lockback

    Lockback Well-Known Member

    First, welcome!
    I'm a relative newbie myself, having converted from the Overpriced & Overrated World Of Cartridge Razors only a few months ago.
    There's a lot of great advice here, so far be it from me to act like a complete expert. Having said that, I do highly encourage buying a sample pack of blades. You're got a good, mild razor so you can experiment with blades, soaps, brushes, etc. I bought a blade sample pack early on and found out relatively quickly there were some that agreed with my face and some that didn't. I'm still learning but it's fun.

    [​IMG]

    I started out with a $12 razor and have now added three more:

    [​IMG]

    I'm not by nature a collector and doubt I'll add much more, if any. That's not the point. The point is to enjoy the ride and, ultimately, to have the best shaves of your life. I'm approaching 70 and after 55 years actually look forward to shaving (almost) every day.
    As others have said, just enjoy the journey. There's no pressure; who cares what brand or how many razors you have? Do what works for you and don't sweat the rest.
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2023
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  10. sidpost

    sidpost Active Member

    Welcome!

    Where are you located? It will help to know if you are in the USA or some other part of the world!

    A blade sampler will help. Or, someone may send you a sample of blades to try.

    I get some of my 100-packs from Amazon for a good price. Online today, Italian Barber would probably be my primary starting point for an order. Shipping for blades really adds up so, that is something to keep in mind.

    Derby get mixed, to bad, reviews generally because they aren't the sharpest out there. For a new wet shaver, I think they are very good while learning since they are a little more forgiving with angle and pressure mistakes while learning.

    I have run a lot of Personna blades that have served me well.

    That being said, we all wear different shoes for a reason! The blade and razor combination that works best for my skin type, face shape and contours, and whiskers is likely not the same as anyone else.
     
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  11. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    :rolleyes005: uh, uh, uh Sid. You hit a peeve :angry021:;)
    No such thing as a forgiving blade. All blades sold for shaving are sharp, some, I will agree, sharper than others, and that's why we buy them.
    Ain't a single blade out there that will forgive careless, thoughtless, or sloppy technique. "No, no, no! Getting a bit careless there. I'll let it go this time, but next time I'm giving you nick, or just may decide to slice you good."
    As I said, some blades are sharper than others, some are smoother than others, but no blade is forgiving.
     
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  12. sidpost

    sidpost Active Member

    Not saying a Derby can't cut but, they are more forgiving than something like a Feather.

    Using the same razor and a very similar technique, I bleed a lot more with some blades than others so, YES, some blades are more forgiving to me.

    If I know I have a hurried or stressful week ahead, I'll throw a Derby on my razor because I know I am a lot less apt to get a bad bleed using it.

    On a good weekend, I can use my aggressive R41 with whatever blade I want without too much risk of major blood loss.

    Given those thoughts, to me, some blades are more forgiving than others. Or, I could put it as some blades are more demanding!

    There is a reason why razor blades are different from each other. It isn't just a matter of being made in Russia, Israel, India, or somewhere else!

    Most people aren't using these in a bread Lame or something similar to shave with so, the different blade treatments matter too!
     
  13. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    @sidpost
    So blades feel different in different razors.
    Is that because of the blade or the razor?
    If you say a blade is forgiving, then it will be forgiving regardless the razor it's in.
     
  14. sidpost

    sidpost Active Member

    I run different blades in the same razor and get different results with many, but not all, of them.

    Different razors using the same series of blades will also yield different results but, to me, the various differences are the same just at a different level of aggression.

    In something like an R41, the blades don't matter as much. In an Edwin Jagger 89 or Fatip Piccolo, different blades yield a greater difference between types.

    My face and whiskers tell the tale of the blades and razors, not some Internet chatter. What works for me may not for someone else because the face contours, whiskers, and other factors are different. Like articles of clothing, shoes, etc., different options are present in the marketplace because people are different. If we were all the same, different shave soaps and other things would not be needed.

    I can respect some people are insensitive to blade changes and differences but, just as some people have sensitive skin and others don't, we all differ to some degree from everyone else!

    Reviews and impressions from others are helpful but, in my case, what I find often does not match the online reviews very closely in many cases. Then there are people who are so different from myself, their statements, while valid, are of no value to me. Being able to find people with similar "biology and thoughts" are the best thing for my purchase research. Using reviews from someone with nothing in common with myself only leads to disappointment and wasted money!
     
  15. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    I just get hung up with the term "forgiving." It implies that a blade won't bite you if you get careless or sloppy with your technique.
    I agree, not all blades are created equal. Different strokes for different folks, as the saying goes. Some are sharper, some are smooth, some are tempered harder which results in a blade with longer edge retention.
    I also agree blades will feel different if placed in different razors. But, again, I'm apposed to the term forgiving. It's the razor that presents the edge of the blade at a certain angle to the face and with a certain gap. This can make blade X feel different in razor Y than razor Z. It's still the same blade.
     
  16. sidpost

    sidpost Active Member

    Forgiving doesn't imply safe or better by itself just, that the price you pay for a mistake isn't as great as it would be with something or someone else.

    Whether in church, criminal court, or a simple interaction between two people, the consequences are not as harsh or negative as they could be. YMMV!

    Enough with the dictionary definitions and grammar/context lessons! :duel:
     
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  17. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    All good. My thoughts, my opinions. And you know what they say about opinions :kngt::lyrtuy5:
     
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  18. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    Only issue with sampler packs is you can easily get overwhelmed by the amount of blades out there. Best to get a few blades that are representative of mild to wild in range of sharpness then narrow it down from there. Feathers by far as one of the best to use a control for extremely sharp and Dorco blades for the mild as they come side.

    Usually a good rule of thumb the more aggressive the razor the more consistent your shave results will be mild or wild, blade the less aggressive the bigger the dfference with closer shaves all other things being equal using sharper blades. Another thing to consider what may feel harsh now may not later on as you wet shave regularly and your skin becomes more used to running a DE blade across your face. Your facial hair may also become more coarse over time from continual wet shaving. Just because you find a good combo now doesn't mean it may not change over time.
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2023
  19. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    If you ever used those no name chinese blades that used to come with the Dollar Tree $1 Special razors you'd have to rethink the all blades sold for shaving are sharp statement. With that said they are an outlier and not representative of all cheap blades out there.
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2023
  20. Ben Keller

    Ben Keller Member

    Thanks for the advice everyone. I have ordered a couple of blade samplers!!! I am excited to try different blades !!! I must say I've really enjoyed shaving with my new King C Gillette razor!!!
     
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