Which DE Razor and blades?

[Barryboy]

I use Gillette Silver Blue blades but it really does come down to personal preference and what works for you. As others have pointed out, buy the trial packs and see what suits you.

I tried twenty or so different blades from trial packs and found Gillette Blue to be the best for me. In the end stopped shaving altogether and grew a beard... not only did that infuriate Mrs. B but I was losing blood...... Win/Win!
Rob

[dkpw]

What is this beard thing of which you speak? Does not compute!

[N05J3W3]

There are many good suggestions in this thread, but those new to DE razors should know that technique has more to do with outcomes than the equipment. It's important to be patient and not become discouraged too quickly. As skill is acquired, preferences will emerge that'll guide you to the right razor, blades, etc.

[dkpw]

My last shave of 2021 was an excellent one featuring some of my favourites from 2021.




Razor: Gillette Fatboy 1959
Blade: KAI
Soap: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
Brush: Simpson’s Chubby 3 Best Badger

As this was the last shave of the year, I can offer up some VERY EXCITING statistics from my shave spreadsheet. What do you mean, you don't have a shave spreadsheet? ;)

I had 150 shaves in 2021, this is an average of 12.5 shaves per calendar month. For some reason June saw 16 shaves! The average delay between shaves is therefore 2.43 days.

Here are the top five items used in each shave category. I suppose this confirms that I like to mild razors with the sharpest blades. Apart from Yorkshire’s finest soap, the Mitchell’s Wool Fat, I enjoy citrus and lime based soaps, aftershaves and balms. The LEA products also deserve a mention.


Top 5 Razors
Feather AS-D2 - 27
Gillette Fatboy 1959 E2 - 19
Giesen & Forsthoff Timor 1353 - 18
Rockwell 6S - 13
Gillette Super Speed 1953 Y3 - 12


Top 5 Blades
Feather - 49
Voskhod - 16
Feather AC Pro - 15
KAI - 13
Personna Israeli Crystal - 13


Top 5 Soaps
Mitchell’s Wool Fat - 19
TOBS Grapefruit - 15
Castle Forbes Lime - 12
LEA Shave Stick - 11
Martin de Candre Argumes - 10 & Stirling Spice - 10


Top 5 Aftershaves / Balms
Bart’s Lime Balm - 25
LEA - Balm - 24
P&B Trafalgar - 14
Trumper’s Lime Cologne - 14
Castle Forbes Lime Balm - 11


I hope everyone has a great 2022 and happy shaves.

[Pitch3110]

Cheers for the above and spending some more of my money LOL.

A dear dear friend gave me this as a leaving gift the last time we met and prior to him leaving for shores afar.

Happy New Year Big Nose, miss ya and love ya.

Pitch

[dkpw]

Edwin Jagger always produce lovely gear, that looks super. Happy new year.

[gerrudd]

...

What a great review of the year. I think it's fantastic you have a shaving spreadsheet. My less scientific overview. I shave 6+ days a week. I miss 1-2 days a month.

Razors

Almost exclusively the Replitech I got from you. The only time I don't use a DE is when I fly, which was pretty limited this year.

Brush

Edwin Jagger small Badger. My plan is to make this my travel brush and get something bigger for home.

Blades
Feathers

Soaps

Mitchell’s Wool Fat
Cella Crema da Barba
Muhle Aloe Vera
Muhle Sea Buckthorn
Muhle Sandalwood
Trumper’s Eucris (current) Great scent, so-so lather.

Aftershaves

Half the year was witch hazel, the second half was Proraso.

[Mr.D]

Gillette Fatboy … check

Mitchell’s Wool Fat … check

Feathers …. Check

Aftershave … no ( its any decent moisturiser followed by some Creed for scent : Green Irish Tweed or Virgin Island Water by day … Aventus by night …mwahahahaha!!!!!!)

Beard… check … oh … I’ll get me coat .

[Mr Curta]

Cheers for the above and spending some more of my money LOL.

A dear dear friend gave me this as a leaving gift the last time we met and prior to him leaving for shores afar.

Happy New Year Big Nose, miss ya and love ya.

Pitch

Something to treasure.

[Harleyrider]

Razor
Meeker 34C
Gillette Fatboy
Gillette Slim

Blades
Personna lab blues
Feather
Kai

Brush
Edwin Jagger Badger

Soap
Taylor’s of Old Bond St cream mixed with Prorasso soap

Balm
Nivea

Aftershave
Aqua di Parma Quercia

Have a good NY all.


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[Pitch3110]

Something to treasure.

Indeed my friend.

Happy New Year.

Paul

[Lelykins]

Razor----Gilette superspeed

Blades----Nacet

Soap----This past year almost exclusively Truefitt and Hill No 10

Brush----Simpsons fully synthetic (hasn't lost a single hair to my knowledge) very impressive brush

Balm----Nivea

Scent----Aventus

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[gerrudd]

I'm currently using Cella Crema da Barba in the 150ml plastic tubs. I really like it great lather and a pleasant scent. Has anyone used the larger 1kg block? The price looks great and I like that it comes in cardboard rather than plastic. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...7957EH48&psc=1

[N05J3W3]

After experimentation, I've landed on Muhle DE razor and Feather blades as the best combination for me. Merkur DE was good as well.

Pass on open comb, or slants. Not necessary for a good shave.

Feather blades work very well, but require a bit of attention and good technique.

Results are more dependent on acquiring skill that which products you buy.

[greenandblack]

FYI Brian from executive shaving is retiring and they’re doing a discount. He certainly helped me get into DE shaving, so I wish him well. Here’s the detail:

To mark the occasion, we have decided to offer a 20% discount on all items purchased up to midnight on Sunday 5th June.

At checkout, input BYE2022 in the discount box to grab your bargain.

[zippy]

FYI Brian from executive shaving is retiring and they’re doing a discount. He certainly helped me get into DE shaving, so I wish him well. Here’s the detail:

To mark the occasion, we have decided to offer a 20% discount on all items purchased up to midnight on Sunday 5th June.

At checkout, input BYE2022 in the discount box to grab your bargain.

Top block Brian, he's helped me out on a few occasions over the years and I hope he enjoys his well earned retirement.

[Barryboy]

I use Gillette Silver Blue blades but it really does come down to personal preference and what works for you. As others have pointed out, buy the trial packs and see what suits you.

I second the choice of Gillette blue. I tried more than a dozen different blades via sample packs before settling on Gillette Blue.

[MB2]

I like the silver blues too although sadly they are made in Russia so will need to find something else when they run out.

[Pitfitter]

Best place to buy blades mentioned, if online any danger of fakes? Ta.

[MB2]

Connaught Shaving is good for blades. If using eBay which is good, I look for someone who sells shaving stuff.

[zippy]

I like the silver blues too although sadly they are made in Russia so will need to find something else when they run out.

That's a very good point, although I understand there is a lot of Russian scrap metal lying around Ukraine, maybe a business opportunity for Zelensky to manufacture the new Gillette Silver Blue& Yellow blades?

[craggie]

As well as Connaught it's worth looking at La Barbiera and Big Deals Mart.

[oldoakknives]

For blades I tried lots of different makes, and to be honest some of the more expensive ones didn't perform very well IMO. I now use these and find them really smooth to use. And for the price I can use a new one every day if I want to.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185331590...3ABFBM9sPpkqZg

[Pitfitter]

Thanks for the advice guys.

[Daveya.]

I'm going to try single blade, my bristles are like wire and I'm getting shaving rashes with cartridges . I have a Oneblade Hybrid

How many shaves do you get from the Feather blades ?

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[LondonNeil]

Agree agree agree, blades and also razor are very personal, dependant on skin and bristle type. Combine that with techniques, soaps and oils and the de journey can take a while! I definitely think it's important to try many blades and I think I spent about a year trying about 40 before settling. I hated some of the often takes favoured blades like feathers.
My bristles are fairly tough but skin moderately sensitive and I found I prefer a sharp blade but still had to be smooth (for me feathers were not) and I need only a moderately aggressive razor.... The futur (aka, 'the potato peeler') I use is aggressive, but on its lower settings works very well for me.
I liked silver blue, fairly sharp and pretty smooth and iirc cheap plus I'd get 4-5 shelves shaves from a blade. I found several better though and settled on 7 o'clock sharp edge (the yellow packs) very very sharp, very very smooth, very cheap and last well. A shave costs 1 penny now and having bought 1000 blades (cost £80) I'll be leaving half to my son when I die!

[Daveya.]

Agree agree agree, blades and also razor are very personal, dependant on skin and bristle type. Combine that with techniques, soaps and oils and the de journey can take a while! I definitely think it's important to try many blades and I think I spent about a year trying about 40 before settling. I hated some of the often takes favoured blades like feathers.
My bristles are fairly tough but skin moderately sensitive and I found I prefer a sharp blade but still had to be smooth (for me feathers were not) and I need only a moderately aggressive razor.... The futur (aka, 'the potato peeler') I use is aggressive, but on its lower settings works very well for me.
I liked silver blue, fairly sharp and pretty smooth and iirc cheap plus I'd get 4-5 shelves shaves from a blade. I found several better though and settled on 7 o'clock sharp edge (the yellow packs) very very sharp, very very smooth, very cheap and last well. A shave costs 1 penny now and having bought 1000 blades (cost £80) I'll be leaving half to my son when I die!

Do you put them in a disposal tin and take to local tip periodically?

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[gerrudd]

Do you put them in a disposal tin and take to local tip periodically?

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Will a local tip take them? I have a few years' worth in a metal tin.

[Daveya.]

Will a local tip take them? I have a few years' worth in a metal tin.

Dunno apparently you put them in a disposal tin and throw that in the metal container at local skip according to the internet

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[gerrudd]

I'm going to try single blade, my bristles are like wire and I'm getting shaving rashes with cartridges . I have a Oneblade Hybrid

How many shaves do you get from the Feather blades ?

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I have very dirty stubble that tends to clog up multi blade razors. I get 6-7 shaves from a Feather. I change one a week on average and I shave almost every day. I've used feathers for about a year I think. Prior to that I used 7 o'clock and I find the feather marginally better and it is marginal. I'm about to run out and may try a pack of something new.

[Lelykins]

Have started using Nacet blades in my Gillette superspeed and find them very comfortable

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[Daveya.]

I have very dirty stubble that tends to clog up multi blade razors. I get 6-7 shaves from a Feather. I change one a week on average and I shave almost every day. I've used feathers for about a year I think. Prior to that I used 7 o'clock and I find the feather marginally better and it is marginal. I'm about to run out and may try a pack of something new.

Sounds promising . I get two shaves from a multi blade cartridge

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[LondonNeil]

I pop them in a tin and that goes in the recycling.

[LondonNeil]

I found feathers awfully scratchy first shave, almost ok second then dire, and stropping just killed them. I found nacet dull.
Astra SP not bad, Gillette permasharp (gold box) amazing! But only for 2-3 shaves.
Wilkinson sword made in England were good but not so easy to get and only got 3-4 shaves

Gillette Rubie work for many that like sharp blades but I found them scratchy.

Watch out when buying the costlier blades, there are fakes about, also the same blade can come from various places(Russia, India, Israel etc,) and they aren't the same.

[LondonNeil]

Oh and those Gillette Wilkinson sword suggested above.,.... Truly dire for me

[oldoakknives]

Oh and those Gillette Wilkinson sword suggested above.,.... Truly dire for me

That's interesting. I find them smooth to use, give a close shave and very rarely get a cut or nick. As I said I only use any blade once so I have no idea how they would last. What was it you disliked about them in particular?

[MB2]

That's a very good point, although I understand there is a lot of Russian scrap metal lying around Ukraine, maybe a business opportunity for Zelensky to manufacture the new Gillette Silver Blue& Yellow blades?

That would be a fitting use of the Russian scrap metal.

[dkpw]

Oh and those Gillette Wilkinson sword suggested above.,.... Truly dire for me

And me. They're the favourite of KensSurfs of YouTube channel fame. I bought 100 for £6 from eBay and I found them as rough as a badger's arse, to coin a phrase.

My favourites are the Feather, the Voskhod, Israeli Crystals and Treet.

But YMMV... :)

[LondonNeil]

Now you're asking! I have my notes but can't recall what some of my short hand meant!

Gillette Wilkinson sword 222 #1 neither sharp nor blunt 5/10. Smooth, not tuggy or scratchy ok close but not outstanding Naif #2 DFS but mwar blade binned.

The 222 was assume kind of closeness, smoothness, something else Ness rating but can't recall what. 222 was indifferent though.
1st shave... Description seems obvious (ok, dire is harsh! I definitely have tried worse) naif = ' nick and irritation free shave'
Second go was different story... DFS= 'damn fine shave' must have been close, but near iirc was 'moderate war' IE, it must have hurt, a razor rash.

Dire does seem harsh, but it wasn't a great blade in anyway for me.

Of anyone wants to try Gillette 7 o'clock sharp edge (yellow packs). Pm me your address....I think I can spare a few 😂

[gerrudd]

Of anyone wants to try Gillette 7 o'clock sharp edge (yellow packs). Pm me your address....I think I can spare a few 

I wouldn't mind trying. I checked my email and the last time I used Gillette 7 o'clock was in 2010, and not sure if it was the yellow pack.

To continue the theme, if anyone would like to try a Derby blade, PM me. I have a pack that I found when doing a clear out.

[cman]

{delete}!

[MalaMD]

Of anyone wants to try Gillette 7 o'clock sharp edge (yellow packs). Pm me your address....I think I can spare a few 😂

That’s a kind offer, I would like to try them and will drop you a pm.

After using Feathers for a while my last batch (from eBay) wasn’t as good so not sure if they changed or if they were fakes. Currently on Astras which are pretty good but always keen to try others!

[jeepie]

Do you put them in a disposal tin and take to local tip periodically?

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I put mine in a simpkins travel sweet tin. When its full, give it a few smacks with a hammer. Add to the recycling with the cans!


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[oldoakknives]

Now you're asking! I have my notes but can't recall what some of my short hand meant!

Gillette Wilkinson sword 222 #1 neither sharp nor blunt 5/10. Smooth, not tuggy or scratchy ok close but not outstanding Naif #2 DFS but mwar blade binned.

The 222 was assume kind of closeness, smoothness, something else Ness rating but can't recall what. 222 was indifferent though.
1st shave... Description seems obvious (ok, dire is harsh! I definitely have tried worse) naif = ' nick and irritation free shave'
Second go was different story... DFS= 'damn fine shave' must have been close, but near iirc was 'moderate war' IE, it must have hurt, a razor rash.

Dire does seem harsh, but it wasn't a great blade in anyway for me.

Of anyone wants to try Gillette 7 o'clock sharp edge (yellow packs). Pm me your address....I think I can spare a few 

Thanks that's interesting. I wonder if the razor they are used in has more bearing on how they perform. I tried a couple with varying degrees of success until buying a NOS Gillette razor which is the best I've used so far. It came out of an unused travel set which I wanted the leather case for carrying small tools in! It feels much safer to use than more expensive models I tried and seldom get any cuts or nicks using it.

Similar to this one.

[yumma]

I am quite new to DE, or maybe a born-again, from days when one might tear their face to shreds! But I bought this on Amazon and could not be happier. A bargain, a great shave, accurate, well weighted, very little irritation (I have very sensitive skin), even the Derby blades provided seem great. As an intro I would wholly recommend, I am sure there are better but at under £20 this is ace.

Edwin Jagger Amazon Exclusive Kelvin Chrome Plated Knurled Handle Double Edge Safety Razor https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00K6Z24...ing=UTF8&psc=1

[gerrudd]

Thanks that's interesting. I wonder if the razor they are used in has more bearing on how they perform. I tried a couple with varying degrees of success until buying a NOS Gillette razor which is the best I've used so far. It came out of an unused travel set which I wanted the leather case for carrying small tools in! It feels much safer to use than more expensive models I tried and seldom get any cuts or nicks using it.

Similar to this one.

I bought the same case, if I remember correctly after seeing your post on the topic. I haven't used the razor yet but maybe I should.

[oldoakknives]

I bought the same case, if I remember correctly after seeing your post on the topic. I haven't used the razor yet but maybe I should.

I think it’s called a ‘Gillette Tech’ razor and there are variations I believe but the one I have works very well for what would have been inexpensive back in the day I think.

[gerrudd]

I shave with a Replietch https://globalshave.club/shop/ols/pr...ch-jfk-edition which is a remake of the Gillette Tech so I'd probably really enjoy the original.

[gerrudd]

On a related topic. I really like my current Edwin Jagger shaving brush but the knot is starting to wear out and also has come loose. It is possible to order a replacement knot?

[dkpw]

Yes that's almost certainly a 1960s British aluminium Tech. The handle pattern is distinctive.

They're very nice razors and the head design is to this day, incorporated into current models from several manufacturers.

If new DE shavers want to try different blades, Connaught Shaving and several eBay sellers offer trial bundles, containing a selection of blades for around a fiver.