Seeking Recommendations

J

jpb71

Messages
7
I have only ever used one safety razor, a 1970s Spanish army issue 4 piece brass model (pictured below), with Gillette Platinum blades in blue box. Recently I decided to buy a better quality razor and so purchased a Merkur HD 34c (with Astra Superior Platinum blades) because it has so many positive reviews. However, because I shave infrequently, perhaps once per week, or even with a beard 1cm in length, the HD 34c isn't suitable for me; it just glides over long hair and takes far too many strokes to remove a week's worth of stubble. My Spanish razor takes beard growth off in one or two strokes, easily. The reason I wanted to get a better razor is because the blade in my Spanish one is forced askew when the handle is screwed to the head, a design flaw.

I cannot return my HD 34c, but the online store I bought it from has recommended either a Merkur Progress adjustable model or the Muhle R41.

My knowledge of saftey razors is pretty much zero. Please can I have some advice and recommendations. Thank you.

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There are a few things that come to mind.
- The Merkur 34c is a relatively mild razor, and has a relatively narrow range of angles at which it can cut. You might want to be aware of it.
- I find that when tackling longer growth with a safety bar razor (especially a mild one), it's better to not lift the head off the skin unless necessary, than peforming "raking" moves, you might want to try "ploughing" moves.
- While a Muhle R41 can be tamed with some practice, it is fairly aggressive, so grokking it usually takes a bit of time.
- You would probably be better off with a head featureing an open comb design, as the comb doesn't flatten longer hair against the skin like a safety bar.

What is your budget?
 
slapo said:
There are a few things that come to mind.
- The Merkur 34c is a relatively mild razor, and has a relatively narrow range of angles at which it can cut. You might want to be aware of it.
- I find that when tackling longer growth with a safety bar razor (especially a mild one), it's better to not lift the head off the skin unless necessary, than peforming "raking" moves, you might want to try "ploughing" moves.
- While a Muhle R41 can be tamed with some practice, it is fairly aggressive, so grokking it usually takes a bit of time.
- You would probably be better off with a head featureing an open comb design, as the comb doesn't flatten longer hair against the skin like a safety bar.

What is your budget?
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Thanks for your response slapo. The one I'm used to (which I think would be considered aggressive) doesn't have a comb, and the bar angle drops off quite sharply from the blade. Are there modern designs similar to this? I find with the Spanish razor that the weight does the work (although it's lighter than the 34c). All I need to do is guide it, with a little pressure. In comparison the 34c requires multiple stroking over the same area and I can't feel the blade. And yes, when it came to removing my tache I couldn't angle the 34c to remove the hairs directly under my nose. I gave up and used my Spanish razor. Perhaps I'm used to an aggressive shave and so the R41 would be okay for me.

My budget is to buy once and get the right razor. I've seen many apparently very good razors under 60 quid. I'm not an enthusiast, I just want a good tool for the job. I now want to sell the one I have, which I've used only about 4 or 5 times, and hope the next one I get will be one I am happy with.
 
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There are quite a few decent razors under £60, but a lot of them are made from zinc alloy that's chrome coated, and once that coating wears off on the thread, that thread is unlikely to last long after that.

I suspect you might rather enjoy the Fatip Piccolo Special Edition. However, I don't find their build quality to be great. They'd probably last a good while if you'd be gentle with them, though. They are, however, reasonably priced.

Then there's Green Cult 1.1. It is a different design, but it's all-steel and should last very well.
Though I'm not quite sure how well it would cope with a week or more, as I haven't tried it on such. I could try it out on my arm and chest hair and report back, if you'd like.

There are TRC razor (https://www.therazorcompany.com/collections/trc-razors) which I have both and they are really well made, though the steel one would be a bit over your budget (plus postage). Having said that, I've tried the aluminium one on some longer growth and it went quite well.

RazoRock makes very good razors, but their prices in the UK have gone up significantly since Brexit, so they're above your budget.

There are also Yaqi (Harlequin, Vostok 70 OC, Sentinel 1.50 OC) and dscosmetic (e.g. X2) razors from China which mostly make clones of razors other manufacturers, such as RazoRock, make and they are less expensive than the originals. You can find them on AliExpress. I can share links if you'd like.

I do have a Weidi adjustable twist to open razor that might fit the bill as it worked fine for me on over a week's worth of growth and since I have currently too many razors and hardly use it, I could sanitise it and send it to you for free, if you'd like.
It looks like this:

81cy-H16CsL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

If you'd like to have the freebie, do let me know.
 
Fatip also came to my mind. You may find the blades need careful placement to align properly but they work well and come with a variety of handle sizes.

The Edwin Jagger 3ONE6 is stainless steel so will last well. It’s efficient and it clears lather and hair well, so shouldn’t clog up going through some longer growth. It can be found for a little over the price you mentioned.

For a “one and done”’razor a Rockwell 6S (or it’s cheaper brother the 6C) is very efficient, well made and let’s you find the efficiency level that works for you.

I would expect any of these razors to clear your face in 2 to 3 passes, but they aren’t designed to clear heavy growth in just 1 pass really.
 
slapo said:
There are quite a few decent razors under £60, but a lot of them are made from zinc alloy that's chrome coated, and once that coating wears off on the thread, that thread is unlikely to last long after that.

I suspect you might rather enjoy the Fatip Piccolo Special Edition. However, I don't find their build quality to be great. They'd probably last a good while if you'd be gentle with them, though. They are, however, reasonably priced.

Then there's Green Cult 1.1. It is a different design, but it's all-steel and should last very well.
Though I'm not quite sure how well it would cope with a week or more, as I haven't tried it on such. I could try it out on my arm and chest hair and report back, if you'd like.

There are TRC razor (https://www.therazorcompany.com/collections/trc-razors) which I have both and they are really well made, though the steel one would be a bit over your budget (plus postage). Having said that, I've tried the aluminium one on some longer growth and it went quite well.

RazoRock makes very good razors, but their prices in the UK have gone up significantly since Brexit, so they're above your budget.

There are also Yaqi (Harlequin, Vostok 70 OC, Sentinel 1.50 OC) and dscosmetic (e.g. X2) razors from China which mostly make clones of razors other manufacturers, such as RazoRock, make and they are less expensive than the originals. You can find them on AliExpress. I can share links if you'd like.

I do have a Weidi adjustable twist to open razor that might fit the bill as it worked fine for me on over a week's worth of growth and since I have currently too many razors and hardly use it, I could sanitise it and send it to you for free, if you'd like.
It looks like this:

View attachment 112723

If you'd like to have the freebie, do let me know.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for your advice and recommendations. I have researched the models you've proposed, but not found anything to my liking. I'd prefer a short gnurled handle. I agree with your advice on choice of materials, i.e. steel. Although the brass one I have has lasted about 50 years so far.

My main concern is cutting through growth; I usually shave my cheeks and neck weekly, but the rest of my face - moustache, sideburns and chin I shave about once every 4 to 6 weeks, which is the maximum growth I am currently keeping. I don't go for very close shave; one pass is fine for me. I've just checked my Spanish razor which has a 'positive blade exposure' (something I've just learned), so I suppose I am looking for one similar. The 34c is quite the opposite.

Thanks also for the offer of the Weidi. I've watched a video of a chap using it, who states that the medium setting is akin to a 34c, so I guess I'd need to have it set to a high setting. Though I don't know the extent of aggressiveness that the razor reaches. I will keep in mind your generous offer whilst I pore over my options. There certainly is a whole sea of knowledge out there that I am just touching surface of. I may need to increase my budget a bit, or perhaps consider used, which I wouldn't mind if it were a stainless steel product, or had been used very little, such as the one I need to move on.

Many thanks.
 
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Are you set on buying a brand new razor?

There is a world of great vintage razors, many of which can be found in really excellent condition. The British Gillette 'New' with an open-comb might suit you very well indeed and hails from an era when men shaved less frequently. The 'New' type gave rise to the Gillette Tech, for which the British versions were essentially 'New' types with a solid bar rather than an open-comb and suited a newer type of fellow who shaved more frequently.

I made a thread about how (certainly in the British market) the 'New' morphed into the 'Tech' - see: https://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/co...s-journey-of-the-british-gillette-tech.58219/

ADCreHdHv7ok-ubMjvulcxSNoCbB1DoO_MG5Nb_K9UsSYDCMWNV3Wa67Z2vkWYwLftdbYpb2Za_MBC-saL_p8Z3pkpXsIOszqCumhIVsnV9bcRWKOa14j48EaBpzpk7ky8yVvgrrCx5fRWUjVQ9BmTjGirVulw=w800


The ones marked as 5 and 6 would be my recommendations, but the American pre-WW2 Tech (letter A - notice the triangular drain holes) is considered every bit as capable as the 'New' type that it replaced (number 1).

Back to brand new ...

Maybe consider a Merkur 15C/23C which is their copy of the Gillette 'Old' type, arguably the original and (still) best. I shyed away from recommending one above as they're often in tatty condition and the tubular handles are prone to cracking and falling apart. With that knowledge, you could keep your eyes open.

While something like the Merkur Progress (or any adjustable) might seem like a great idea, in actual fact it's a large head to accomodate all the settings that are NOT suitable to you and you'll never use. Better to just find a capable razor that will swipe away days of growth without issue - yes, the 'New' and the Tech are wholly capable of this.
 
pjgh said:
Are you set on buying a brand new razor?

There is a world of great vintage razors, many of which can be found in really excellent condition. The British Gillette 'New' with an open-comb might suit you very well indeed and hails from an era when men shaved less frequently. The 'New' type gave rise to the Gillette Tech, for which the British versions were essentially 'New' types with a solid bar rather than an open-comb and suited a newer type of fellow who shaved more frequently.

I made a thread about how (certainly in the British market) the 'New' morphed into the 'Tech' - see: https://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/co...s-journey-of-the-british-gillette-tech.58219/

ADCreHdHv7ok-ubMjvulcxSNoCbB1DoO_MG5Nb_K9UsSYDCMWNV3Wa67Z2vkWYwLftdbYpb2Za_MBC-saL_p8Z3pkpXsIOszqCumhIVsnV9bcRWKOa14j48EaBpzpk7ky8yVvgrrCx5fRWUjVQ9BmTjGirVulw=w800


The ones marked as 5 and 6 would be my recommendations, but the American pre-WW2 Tech (letter A - notice the triangular drain holes) is considered every bit as capable as the 'New' type that it replaced (number 1).

Back to brand new ...

Maybe consider a Merkur 15C/23C which is their copy of the Gillette 'Old' type, arguably the original and (still) best. I shyed away from recommending one above as they're often in tatty condition and the tubular handles are prone to cracking and falling apart. With that knowledge, you could keep your eyes open.

While something like the Merkur Progress (or any adjustable) might seem like a great idea, in actual fact it's a large head to accomodate all the settings that are NOT suitable to you and you'll never use. Better to just find a capable razor that will swipe away days of growth without issue - yes, the 'New' and the Tech are wholly capable of this.
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Thanks for your advice. I have just purchased a Fatip Piccolo, so I'll see how I get on with it. If I'm not happy then I'll explore your suggestions. (My old Spanish army issue one looks similar to the #6 in your photo).
 
jpb71 said:
After reading many reviews I have decided to try a Fatip Piccolo Nickle plated brass model. It is surprisingly cheap, and I found a UK website that has them far cheaper than anywhere else: https://connaughtshaving.com/index.html

I'll let you know how I get on. Thanks for your time and input.
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For what's it worth, the Fatip Special Edition is basically the same as the Piccollo, it just has an additional base plate and a different colour scheme, which, unfortunately, is reported to not be very durable, unlike on the nickel plated Fatips.

Having said that, I think you'll be happy with your choice, especially after you get used to the razor a bit. :)
 
Bogeyman said:
You need an injector razor for a multiday beard. No DE can compete for longer hair. None.

Regala esta navaja de afeitar española a tu suegra para que le afeite su pinga!! ;)
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This is really interesting!! I have been slacking off recently, sometimes shaving weekly, and it hadn't occurred to me that an injector would be good!!!

Is that Supply one any good? There's a department store here in the UK that sells those and I think they look quite nice. What are your favourites?
 
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