Good riddance to DE shaving!

Each to their own. Use whatever works for you at the time.

I’d certainly not comment either way on someone favouring DE shaving over cartridge shaving or vice versa
 
Even though I make shaving soaps, I must admit until I joined the forum I didn’t realise that there was so much to shaving. I was a committed cartridge shaver but DE now. Unlike the poster I get a far better shave now. There’s always something to learn from topics on here, which he’s now missing out on. Sadly though, I now keep buying vintage galette razors and Gentlemans Relish pots!!!
 
Professor Blighty said:
I can understand the OP's frustration I think. I felt a bit like that when I first switched from DE's to straights and couldn't get the hang of it for a long time. All I would say is that with effort and perseverance comes attainment. Throwing superior tools away because you're not able to use them yet isn't the way to improve.
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Sorry i don’t get it
yes the op is showing his frustration but don’t show it to us we’ve not done anything nor have we encouraged him to get in to this
he’s done it all by himself.
 
whitesix said:
I have just stumbled upon this post and found it very interesting; I also tried and failed miserably with DE shaving. I tried for 2/3 months using a R41TWIST MÜHLE TRADITIONAL Chrome 'Twist' Safety Razor (Open Comb) and was forever getting cuts etc
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I'm just curious, where on earth did you get the advice to start of with an R41?? Honestly, it's like putting a set of 'L' plates on a Ferrari! There are many experienced shavers that wouldn't dream of using this razor, known as, 'the beast'! It is a very aggressive razor, (which I have 2 variants) and treat each with respect, but gives one of the finest shaves possible.

However, I only got them after a couple of years learning to shave.

If I were you, I'd keep all the stuff you have, brushes, soaps etc, and try again with a decent razor suitable for someone to learn proper technique from scratch, before ever contemplating an R41!
 
I have always kept hold of my Gillette Fusion Cart razor alongside my DE's, for those occasions when lack of time dictates a very quick shave in the shower or similar and you have to be done in 2 minutes start to finish. Carts and electric very definitely have a place in the world.

I recently purchased a Merkur Progress which gives a lovely shave on mid-settings, but i was quite cheered to discover that if you close it all the way to zero, it gives a super safe shave which is comparable to a cartridge shave and can be done relatively quickly without fear of any blood loss. (y)
 
StephenShave said:
I'm just curious, where on earth did you get the advice to start of with an R41?? Honestly, it's like putting a set of 'L' plates on a Ferrari! There are many experienced shavers that wouldn't dream of using this razor, known as, 'the beast'! It is a very aggressive razor, (which I have 2 variants) and treat each with respect, but gives one of the finest shaves possible.

However, I only got them after a couple of years learning to shave.

If I were you, I'd keep all the stuff you have, brushes, soaps etc, and try again with a decent razor suitable for someone to learn proper technique from scratch, before ever contemplating an R41!
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Good point SS; I just went for what I thought to be the best and thought after time I would be able to master it, but I was wrong. I did not want to buy one razor after another. Similar to when I started motor cycling, I went straight to a high powered machine and just took it steady and it worked out well. I may at some stage get a plastic Wilkinson Sword razor and perhaps give it another go at some stage; but notwithstanding all of the cuts I sustained, the bulk of the razor meant that I could rarely get to the difficult to get to parts around the nose area (as previously stated). There is however no way I am blaming the tools, just my ineptitude and my need to get a shave done as quickly as possible.

NB: I found that under the nose and just inside the nose where it is extremely difficult to get the correct angle on the blade, the blade when making contact with the very delicate skin used to just cut straight in; similarly, I also found shaving generally to be just too aggressive. I realise that there is a lot of balance and adjustment to be had between blades, razors, soaps, preparations etc, which unfortunately I just do not have the inclination for; so hence back to the cartridge razor
 
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NatJag said:
Isn't @pjgh use carts at the moment?
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More than using ... actively enjoying!

Shaving is just scraping a sharp edge against the skin to cut through the protruding hairs. It doesn't get any more pure than straight edge, nor more complex than the latest technology cartridge. The joy of this hobby for some is the razors, others the blade; others the soap and others the brushes; some enjoy the aftershaves, the scents.

I am thoroughly enjoying my soaps and brushes, quite free from any additional confusion with razor and blade combo.

It is fun that this thread (originally) was from a chap dissatisfied with the results from a different shaving tool and decided to go back to what he was comfortable with. I was a member of this forum back then and we certainly were no more unfriendly to cartridges as we are today; we most certainly do encourage the attainment of really good technique, which in many respects comes from using less complicated or engineered tools.

It is true that there is a considerable amount of science and technology that goes into cartridges and millions in R&D. Does it produce a better shave? Well, does all that technology in a modern car make you a better driver? Flip that around, though and you can say that it makes for less complication, less can go wrong and the technology can fill in for lack of prowess.

When I joined this forum, I was a cartridge shaver and getting some horrible shaves, so much so I practically gave up on shaving. Knowing something must be considerably wrong, I started to look into it ... and found this forum. Here I am perhaps a decade on using the very cartridge today that drove me bloody-faced and irritable to this forum in the first place.

What's changed?

Simply, me. I learned better technique by stripping back the complexity and removing the technology. I became the proverbial better driver by stepping into a stripped-out car with no power steering, no ABS and no seatbelts. That said, if it's not broken then don't fix it, and I wonder if the chap who started this thread was looking for "better" and found he's stepped out of his 2010s BMW and into a 1970s Ford. He was happy to go back to cartridges and it was a bit odd to storm off as he did.

... which I think is the point you're making @NatJag in that whatever we choose to shave with, there's a wealth of fun to be had in all the guff that surrounds it and the razor is just one part. Look also to members who take a bit of time away from shaving who can still be found posting regularly here.

Indeed! There's a LOT more to shaving than just the razor.
 
whitesix said:
Apologies pjgh but please would you mind confirming which particuar cartridge system you are currently using.
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I found a stash of Mach3 and first generation Fusion5 cartridges, so thought ... "why not?".

I revisited the Mach3 for the first time in a good few years just yesterday. Previous weeks, I've been enjoying the Fusion5 format on a flexball type handle. I get really good shaves and it's effortless. Yes, pop a 1912 into my hands and I'll say exactly the same. I'll probably be grinning more after a shave with a 1912, but then a bez about in a MK3 Escort would have me grinning more than a modern Audi.

What I'm finding is, I can really enjoy the soap and brush combo much more ...

For hobbyist shavers, there's a lot more to it than just scraping the day's fur off our faces.
 
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