Thread: First shave with a DE, all i have to say is OMG...

Originally Posted by JohnRV

That's all I need, a new collection. I am happy to say I have a few still in my posession. the choicest one i mentioned above that i kept,has adjustable settings on the neck. As you twist it, it straightens the blade, making it stick out straighter. any info on the mechanics of these razors would be welcomed, for none of mine come with instructions!!

Hi there,

Hey, congrats on acquiring a new 'hobby'..........you must be very pleased. I can offer one or two quick bits of info that may help.

First of all, A good place to start the setting on would be #3, and give that some time to get the feel of. It's a popular number for lots of members, and is on the high side of the mild shave setting. Good for average beards, and easier(more forgiving) to learn on than a higher setting.

Almost all Gillette adjustables will need an extra 1/4 turn to lock the blade in place. Yeah, you'll feel the handle stop turning with light pressure as the head's being closed, and then you'll notice it will go a little farther with a bit more help. This is important! If the blade is loose and starts flopping around...........you get the idea.

One other thing I'd recommend would be to NOT use those vintage blades...at least not until you know what a good blade feels like. It may be those blades are fine, but some of the vintage ones don't hold up all that well. The wrong blade will not give you a true and comfortable DE shaving experience, and you might give up on using a DE only because of using one wrong tool in the shaving arsenal.

If you like, pm me and I'll send out a few blades I and other members like. Another good option would be to order a small sample pack from various vendors, or create your own and just order 3-4 of the more popular blades. Seriously, it will increase the odds of having fun with your adjustable.

Anyway, maybe this will help a bit,
Martin

Got bold today and moved my setting to 3 instead of 2 from yesterday,a lil dinged up on the neck area but survived going to use that setting for a few days and get used to it,loved the shave.. down side is i have the blue and white metal gillette razor container with a few blades in there but opt'd to use some blades from the local pharmacy.. going to look into ordering a sample pack and really test it out.

Also Thank You Martin on the good advice im going to use it.Also if i may what blades would you recommend?

Originally Posted by Deryan

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Also Thank You Martin on the good advice im going to use it.Also if i may what blades would you recommend?

Hi there,

Sure thing......glad to help out. I have a couple different ways to go, so take your pick.

First would be buying a small sample pack.....no need to get a large one with 12-15 different blades to start with. Right now you just want to perfect the DE technique, and there's 5-6 blades that are the most popular among DE users. I'd stick with those for the time being, since the odds are best that at least one or two of those will work for you.

I've looked at a bunch of different blade samplers offered by different vendors, and I would go with the West Coast 'Choice' package. It's got a good selection of both forgiving blades, and others you need to pay attention to more. All are some of the more popular brands. It has mild ones like the Crystal(also known as the Israeli Personna), all the way up to the Feather, which is truly in a class by itself when it comes to sharpness. Of course, being the sharpest doesn't mean it will work the best for you or anyone.........that's a whole other deal though. No, many members use some of the milder ones with great success, and have no use for the Feather.

If you order that pack, be aware that the LIST of included blades is correct, but the pic is a little different. The vendor mentions this himself, which is a nice touch. All the blades listed are good ones to try early in your DE journey. The cost as of today is $10, plus whatever shipping is. It's got 5 brands (35 blades), which is plenty to get a feel for em.

I've never ordered from this site, but he has an excellent reputation.

I'll give you a ballpark list of 5-7 blades to try if you order em separately. All will work for lots of people, but not everyone. Gotta start somewhere and it might as well be these.

Crystal
Red Personna(different from a Crystal)
Derby

Ok, those three are on the milder side and personally I'd start with one of the first two.

Astra Platinum
Dorco 301

Those last two are sorta in the middle, with a nod going to the Astras as the more popular.

Gillette 7 0'clock SharpEdge
Iridium Super

These last two are really sharp. I've heard of other Gillette blades being very sharp also, but can't remember which ones. I can say both the ones listed are sharper than most. Unfortunately, the Iridiums aren't available right now, but hopefully that will change. I'll include the vendor in a bit. The SharpEdge is one of the more popular blades with DE users who prefer a blade this sharp. I should also mention these two are unusually forgiving, considering how well they can whack them whiskers for some members.

Last blade would be the Feather. I would wait on trying this until you have a good reference point as to what a nice blade for you feels like. By that time your technique will be good, and the chance of success with the Feather will be a lot better.

I can recommend a few places to order blades from if you wanna pick em out yourself. One would be Paul at Connaught, and the other would be JoAnna at The Shave Den. I've done business with them many times and never a problem. Paul is based in England, which may help some members out. Shipping isn't a big deal.....takes 5 working days from the time Paul sends it out.

Whew..........I wish I coulda said this with pictures.......woulda saved them 1000 words........heh. Yeah, blades really are a big thing and will make the difference between a good and great shave. Oh.......jeeez, before I forget. Do NOT order any Merkur blades. It's true that some DE shavers like those, but most don't. Maybe try those after you have experience with some others.

Ok, I think that will do it,
Martin

Here's a couple links:

DE Blade Sampler Pack, Choice [DE Blade Sampler Pack, Choice] - $10.00 : West Coast Shaving, Double Edge Blade Sampler Packs


Razor Blades - Double & Single Edge & Injector + Sensor Excel

Originally Posted by Utopian

To be honest, I was so shocked at how well the DE worked, despite being old technology, that it made me wonder if a straight would work better.

FYI, it did!!!

That is why I switched to the straight. The DE has not gone to waste however, because my wife uses it instead of cartridge razors now, She likes it a lot better too.

For me the progression went from DE to SE (via reading posts by Gem fans), to injectors (liking the single, thicker blade) to Feather Artist Club (straight technique to try out, without buying a strop) to straights. Sold the Feather, occasionally use a Gem for neck work, and haven't used DEs in quite some time.

Originally Posted by De Layne

Almost all Gillette adjustables will need an extra 1/4 turn to lock the blade in place. Yeah, you'll feel the handle stop turning with light pressure as the head's being closed, and then you'll notice it will go a little farther with a bit more help. This is important! If the blade is loose and starts flopping around...........you get the idea.

Anyway, maybe this will help a bit,
Martin

Heed this warning....it did happen to me the other day after reading this post,while shaving with my DE i was getting dinged up alil bit and remembered this part of the post and sure enough i turned the adjustment and it was a bit loose.

Once again the value of advice from here is great!!

Thanks for all the awesome info! i will start with the modern DE blades Then. which ones would be best to purchase from my neighborhood Wally World??

I also have a collection of the antique SE wedge bladed Safteys, I have a Wilkinson 7day set i purchased that was in mint sealed condition(mfg early 1930's),I went ahead a opened her up since i have 3 more that are also in mint unsealed packages. I really enjoy the shave i get from them, and i can even go as far as shave my entire mohocked head. to date my oldest complete SE wedge set is a Kampfe travel in a square tin. I really enjoy stepping into an era that I've never known and exprience a little of that time.