I think I need an open-comb razor...

Just ordered a Merkur 985C - the open comb version of their 933 travel razor. Not 100% convinced about the short 63mm handle but the size & light weight appeals to me. I guess it's easy to get a longer one if it feels hard to control.

AFAIK it's the same head as the 15C. Most people seem to think this gives a mild shave so hopefully the learning curve won't be too steep.

It'll arrive with some Astra platinum and Bic chrome platinum blades so I can try a moderate & sharp option. I'll tell you later which one cuts better, after I've dressed my wounds.
 
Hello there,

Whatever the razor you shave with it'll takes a few shaves to adjust. Technique & shaving confidence are the key to good shaving results...My humble advice to you is 'Shave the lather from your face,rather than the stubble'! this will help you to tell yourself to let the weight of the razor & blade do the work with virtually no pressure when shaving.
I always apply this method when shaving with all my razors ' aggressive or non-aggressive. '

Last but not least, don't expect too much too soon.!.Go for comfortable irritation free shave, don't go for BBS shaves..go for enjoyable ones that cause you no irritation or discomfort .

Enjoy your new way of shaving.

Regards. Barry. (y)
 
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Thanks for the tip. I think all I'm really looking for is a "socially acceptable shave". At least at first. I don't think I've ever had anything which could do BBS.

I gave up on cartridge razors a while ago: maybe OK for short stubble but useless on longer hair. And every couple of years they seem to sprout more blades...

I've tried a few electric shavers but none work quite as well as I'd like. I'm hoping the right safety razor will just charge through anything I put in front of it quickly & effortlessly - once I get the hang of it :)
 
Thanks for the tip. I think all I'm really looking for is a "socially acceptable shave". At least at first. I don't think I've ever had anything which could do BBS.

I gave up on cartridge razors a while ago: maybe OK for short stubble but useless on longer hair. And every couple of years they seem to sprout more blades...

I've tried a few electric shavers but none work quite as well as I'd like. I'm hoping the right safety razor will just charge through anything I put in front of it quickly & effortlessly - once I get the hang of it :)
"socially acceptable shaves". are the way forward. (y)
 
New razor arrived today. Will there be screams of pain? Blood and gore? Read on.

First test was to very carefully draw it across my arm just to see what would happen. Ten seconds or so later I had effortlessly dry-shaved my entire forearm. No nicks or cuts. Bic chrome platinum must be a very sharp blade.

Next, a proper shave with a week-old beard.

Prep was pretty cursory: I sponged my face with hot water then mixed up the best lather I could with ordinary soap and bare hands.

I began very tentatively, feeling for the scrape of the blade and trying to be careful with the angle, but soon I was chopping away like a Samurai, the razor slicing easily through my beard. Other than an occasional rinse, I didn't have to keep stopping to clean the head. Exactly what I was hoping for :)

The short (63mm) handle was just fine. I quite liked the sensation of a heavy head on a light handle. Maybe you get a better "feel" this way? The head is the business end after all. I'd have to try some other razors to be sure.

I did find it difficult to get round my chin. After the shave I found a tender spot here. Nothing too bad. No bleeding. Didn't even feel it at the time. No doubt more practice will sort that out. Probably everyone has to figure out how their own face works, what bits need to be stretched, what bits don't.

So I was very pleasantly surprised: awesome cutting power but still easy to use - and no permanent scarring.

Thanks again for all the helpful advice :)
 
Welcome and well done on your first shave, look into getting some proper soap or cream and a brush preferably a synthetic as they dry alot quicker i have a yaqi 24mm and would definitely recommend them for value for money.
 
Yeah I definitely skipped on the prep but a Boots shaving stick and a basic Bulldog brush are on the way.

A lot of people seem to enjoy the luxury of a wet shave with fine soaps etc. Maybe in time I will too but I'm also finding that it's just a very good, functional way to scrape hair off your face. I've never had anything which cut so well, cartridge or electric.
 
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Yeah I definitely skipped on the prep but a Boots shaving stick and a basic Bulldog brush are on the way.

A lot of people seem to enjoy the luxury of a wet shave with fine soaps etc. Maybe in time I will too but I'm also finding that it's just a very good, functional way to scrape hair off your face. I've never had anything which cut so well, cartridge or electric.
Good to hear you're getting on with the new razor. The LEA shaving stick (<£3 on Amazon) will serve you well on your travels if you don't get on with the Boots one.
 
2nd shave this time with just one day's stubble. I tried going across & against the grain a bit and ended up with my face feeling a bit raw. Trying to run before I can walk... No bleeding though.

Later, I had a go at shaving my head. Again this razor is terrific for efficiently removing longer growth (about 1cm). For some reason I found it much easier to shave my head than my face. No stinging at all afterwards. I suspect it's because the skin is tighter on my head and a little bit floppier on my face: the effect of gravity. If I could just unzip it all and stretch it out flat it would be a lot easier.

Next shave I'll maybe try hanging upside down on a trapeze.
 
When I joined the forum I thought I'll get a little safety razor but that's it. Ordinary soap will be fine. I just want an efficient shaving tool. I'm not going to get carried away with fancy shaving soaps, moisturisers, after shaves etc.

A month later and I've got four different shaving soaps (Boots stick, Arko, MWF, Tabac in the post), I've experimented with DIY after shave (peppermint & geranium EO - nice combination), I'm waiting for a couple of knots for DIY brushes to arrive in the post and I just ordered a Bluebeard's Revenge shavette.

PS: Didn't take me long to get comfortable doing BBS with the Merkur open-comb. This razor seems very smooth with sharp blades -- feather, perma sharp super, Bic crome platinum -- but I only managed 1.5 shaves with Derby extra. One bad one which felt a bit tuggy and then another "it can't be as bad as I remembered" shave where I had to toss the Derby blade half way through.

They'll probably be first choice for the shavette though...
 
When I joined the forum I thought I'll get a little safety razor but that's it. Ordinary soap will be fine. I just want an efficient shaving tool. I'm not going to get carried away with fancy shaving soaps, moisturisers, after shaves etc.

A month later and I've got four different shaving soaps (Boots stick, Arko, MWF, Tabac in the post), I've experimented with DIY after shave (peppermint & geranium EO - nice combination), I'm waiting for a couple of knots for DIY brushes to arrive in the post and I just ordered a Bluebeard's Revenge shavette.

PS: Didn't take me long to get comfortable doing BBS with the Merkur open-comb. This razor seems very smooth with sharp blades -- feather, perma sharp super, Bic crome platinum -- but I only managed 1.5 shaves with Derby extra. One bad one which felt a bit tuggy and then another "it can't be as bad as I remembered" shave where I had to toss the Derby blade half way through.

They'll probably be first choice for the shavette though...
Welcome to the dark side. ;-)
 
What part of the world are you travelling and kayaking in ?
if it's abroad , then try researching and picking up supplies from that country
I'm just back from Spain and first trip after getting into DE shaving , but picked up La Toja shaving stick and Lea shaving cream in a tube from a supermarket . Not impressed with Lea but love the La Toja and can apply it straight to my face and then lather up with brush . I know Spain's good to get a horse hair shaving brush , I looked but didn't see anything when I was out they're and locals didn't know where to get supplies other than the supermarket
 
Scotland, mostly. The kayak trip would be a six month tour of the west coast from Islay to Cape Wrath taking in the Outer Hebrides and St Kilda. If a fully-lived life means the creation of wonderful memories I'm hoping to strike gold with encounters with dolphins, otters, seabirds, sunsets over remote islands - and no doubt quite a few days hunkered down in a storm. It wouldn't be an adventure if it was easy.

The idea isn't to set any records just take my time, enjoy it, and explore every beach and every island.

I'd go on longer but, realistically, living out of doors through the winter could be quite hard. Not so much for the weather: you can always dress for the cold, or maybe "hot-tent" with a lightweight stove, but because of the boredom of being stuck in a small tent/bothy through long, dark nights or a week of high winds. Everything just gets ten times harder. The laundry you could dry out in summer now won't dry at all. Portable solar panels won't generate any power. I'd be living by the rythmn of the tides but, with short winter days, it suddenly gets much harder to line up your journeys with tidal streams.

Unfortunately the virus has put a spanner in my plans for the moment. One day.
 
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