Razor help

Hi all,

I am currently reassessing my gear and looking for suggestions. My razors are all vintage Gillettes. My first razor was a 54 Flare tip, I then picked up a Fat Handle Tech and a Bell Handle Aristocrat. I found all of them in the wild. I like the Flare tip and the Tech. I do not like the Aristocrat (though I've only used it once).

I am currently considering a modern razor. The problem is (a good problem) that there are so many options. Could I get some advice on head types- OC, SB, slant. As well as the good performers and makers? Are the high end razors really that much better than a considerably less expensive one?

Thanks!

Hi jshaves2554 I have a 1952 Aristocrat and a 1958 Fatboy and I like them both - I have several modern razors and I'll tell you what I can about them.

- Feather AS-D2 is a really nice, very comfortable yet efficient razor that is readily available. Well designed and well made.
- Ikon Shavecraft #102 Slant is one of my favourites - again its readily available and reasonably priced, very comfortable and smooth and again efficient.
- ATT is a little more expensive, I have the OC version with both the regular and the mild base plates. Both plates for me are quite aggressive, lots of blade feel and super efficient. This one can bite if you aren't dialed in.
- Ikon short comb - the ones open comb and quite aggressive
- Ikon OSS dual head OC and safety bar on the other side, nice razor, not too aggressive but reasonably efficient.
- Edwin jagger DE89 - this was my starter razor and its a very good razor - several different brands use the same head design and its a pretty popular set up.
- if you can get your hands on a RazoRock Black Mamba I'd grab it - really nice smooth, comfortable efficient razor. Really nice.

If you have any specific questions about any of those razors I'd be happy to tell you what I can. I didn't mention the Wolfman because they're just really hard to get but if you do get a chance to get one you should, they're beautiful and great shavers too.
Good Luck,
Mark

I have never used a high end razor, so I can't give you any input on them. The people that use them, love them, so there must be something to it. If it's in your budget, I say go for it.

I have a few vintage Gillettes, and a few modern razors. I don't shave my face, but I shave my head every night, so certainly YMMV. Here's my personal opinion on the razors I have used, in order of preference, for the most part:

1-Maggard Razors V3 head on the MR22 handle. My favorite DE razor. Excellent efficiency in a very smooth package. With a sharp, smooth blade like a Gilette 7oclock or a Personna Blue, this razor gives me a very clean, close shave, with minimal effort and zero irritation. Very close and comfortable.

2-40s Gillette Super Speed. This is the DE I grab when I need a reliably close and gentle shave. If I have to shave twice in a day for any reason, this is the razor I will choose. It gives me the most comfortable shave of all my razors and still has excellent efficiency to get me clean and close in 3 passes.

3-60s Gillette Slim. This thing is a good, all around razor. Because it is adjustable, it can fit into just about any situation and provide a very nice shave.

4-Merkur 37c slant. Heavy, efficient, and yet still very smooth. This razor is the first one I think of when I have heavy stubble. It mows through whatever is in it's way, yet still feels very smooth.

5-40s GEM G Bar single edge. A completely different shave than a DE, this one is a very comfortable and efficient razor. With stainless steel coated blades, it is very comfortable.

6-Merkur 33c. This is a mild razor. It still gets the job done, but it has limited blade exposure making it a good choice for new shavers, or those times when you need a fast shave, without worrying about slicing yourself up. I no longer have one of these in my den.

7-20s Gillette Old Type. VERY efficient razor. This one can give a very close shave with no irritation IF you pay attention to your angles. If you don't, it will bite. But it will give you a very good clean, close, and comfortable shave, albeit with a bit of exfoliation...

8-Seygus. I used one of these during a passaround. It wasn't for me. Extremely mild. This one makes you feel like you couldnt get a nick if you tried. I think I would have enjoyed the brass one more, being heavier.

9-40s GEM Featherweight single edge. Another one that was not for me. Too light for my taste. It made me want to use pressure, and I could not get a clean shave with it. I no longer have this one in my den.

I have pretty limited experience, but I hope this can help!

From what I've been hearing around the forums lately, You can't really go wrong with the Rockwell. The Barbaros, ATT, and Wolfman are much more pretty, but you'll pay for it too. I've heard the Rockwell shaves every bit as well as those others, and it comes with different base plates so you can find one that meets your needs.

I started with a merkur 33 & 34C. Very nice razors, but that's about it - they do the job but nothing stellar.
Then I made a leap to an ATT S1&2. I can tell you that it's night and day between the merkur and the ATT slants. The ATTs are really smooth and mild for me, but very efficient so a single pass is sufficient. I like the S2 if I didn't shave multiple days, and I prefer the OC feeling, but the S1 is a bit smoother for me. Odd thing is that both ATT work best (for me) with different blades, Astra SP for the S1, and 7 o'clock Gillette yellows or Polsilver for the S2.
The Maggard V3 is basically a lower priced EJ89 (If I'm not mistaken), and is a great razor.

Putting these aside, I find that with really good lather (and sharp enough blade), you can't really go wrong with any razor. I'd look into my soap/cream as well, or before buying another razor. But if the main object was trying a modern razor, I'll be the last to stand in your way

I appreciate all of you input guys.

At this point I'm not in the financial realm of a wolfman, ATT, or Feather.

I am glad that both the Maggard, Ikon, Merkur slant and Rockwell razors were brought up as I have been pretty interested in them.

Some question on those would be:

Are the heads bulky?

Also, any experience with the V3A or open comb. Maggards has a great price on the head combo.

Is there a big performance difference between the Ikon and Merkur slant?

Is stainless steel always a better option?


Lastly I would love to get either a Fatboy or a Slim. Are there benefits to one over the other?

Different strokes for different folks.

That's why that acronym is thrown about so much regarding razors. YMMV. Your mileage may vary.

I might love something you hate and visa versa.

You don't need stainless steel to get a good shave. You can buy a Schick Krona that can shave just as well as a Gillette Blue Tip.

Same goes for modern razors. A Feather popular will shave and an AS D2 will too.

'Better' is subjective.

Ask me about open comb razors and my answer will be different then the next guy. Probably different then your opinion too.

I realize it's hard to decide. There are a lot of options.

You'll have to narrow down your search by deciding what you want out of a new razor. Adjustable? Mild? Aggressive? Heavy? Lightweight? Modern? Vintage? Open comb? Finish? Handle length?

Then, which blade? The same razor can act different with different blades sometimes.

Luckily we live in interesting times.

We're not suffering due to lack of options.

At the end of the day you might just have to dive in and try for yourself.

Watch the selling and trading sections of the forums. There's deals to be had. Gotta know what you're looking for somewhat.

Best of luck on the hunt!
Enjoy the ride, and shave on.

Welcome to the big mystery. What razor will you like and how well do they all shave lol. Find you a nice 3 piece and after a while you'll be wondering how it shaves with this handle or that handle. Then your going to find your go to blade is not as good with said razor. Which blade should I try? It's never ending. I know I've tried more than I can count. Settled on the following...
Merkur Mergress
Merkur Progress
Standard Razor
R89 on Ikon OSS handle
1924 Shovel head on a Bomber handle
Damaskeene on a Sabi handle
Maggard V3A on ikon SE handle
Feather SS Kamisori
And a few others...

What I love about one razor could be the very thing that causes someone else to hate it. Razors, blades, skin types, face shapes, and bone structure all work together to make it a daunting task to find what you are looking for.

In my very personal opinion, to start out, you will want to get a more mild razor. These tend to have less blade exposure, and therefor provide less opportunity for nicks and cuts. Pairing a moderate razor with a moderate blade is a good way to start. Maggard's V3 with an Astra SP is a very smooth combination in as much as most people would regard each part "smooth" in their own right. Whether or not it works for you is something you need to try to find out.

Luckily, you can get a good introductory razor for relative low cost. Using Maggard's as the example again, you could get the V3 head on a really nice stainless steel handle for less than $20. If you decide you don;t like the head, you will still have a nice stainless steel handle to try on other heads.

There are a TON of options out there. The bottom line is that nothing is more important to a clean, comfortable shave than practice. You have to shave, and develope your skills and techniques to have a great shave.

Once you have good technique, you will be able to work with just about any razor. From there it just becomes a matter of chasing down the Holy Grail of combinations that gives you the best shave with the least effort and most comfort...

Well said bakerbarber and BadDad! You guys just about covered it!