Thanks. For some reason slants just don't sit well with my eyes. They just look wrong. I suppose I won't know unless I try one though. The Rockwells seem popular, but to me they look somewhat chunky, are they ok to get in areas like under the nose? I do kind of like the idea of doing 2 passes on the 4 plate then flipping it and doing an ATG on the 2 plate.
Thanks for this detailed reply. Lots for me to chew on here. Something like a midway DE such as a Rocca would interest me.
I was half expecting this comment from someone. . . Buy a ton of razors only to find down the line that your favourite was there all along!
Just started a tub of Truefitt & Hill Ultimate Comfort cream. Really really nice, easily my favourite cream to date. Labelled as 'Unscented' but has a mild lavender scent in fact.
Thanks, I actually tried a WTG / XTG / XTG other direction shave today. It was pretty good. I resisited the temptation to still go ATG afterwards, I just did a little buffing / J-hooking with the leftover lather instead. It feels like having a little left on the trouble areas is a good trade-off for getting close but having the razor biting during ATG and my face being red raw after shaving. Nicely finished off with Barts Balm Peppermint Oil balm. For a minute it feels like you've crushed a 4 pack of extra strong mints, made it into a paste and slapped it onto your face, then it feels nice and refreshing!
About to loan an ATT M2 OC from Chris @Satanfriendly, look forward to trying my first OC !
Yes they look nice but myself and a number of others have find them rough and aggressive. I really, really wanted one but a number of members suggested in their strongest possible terms not to buy one until I have one on loan. I've tried the different blade gaps and the different configurations of base plates and top caps and I didn't like any of them.
One man's meat is another man's poison.
Certainly for me the Timeless is a step above the ATT M2 which out of the two I would describe as the rough and the aggressive. But then again this shaving thing is like most hobbies (or hobbies which are not quite hobbies?). It is all down to personal taste and and an awful lot of other factors which can dictate how items perform.
I will agree Timeless are not cheap but I did buy mine used for a great price which made a lot of sense. And glad I did.
As it is I am loaning a few razors to Dave so he can (As rightfully mentioned) trial for himself. I hope it helps in his quest.
Good point. I've read a few topics from various sites recently where guys with sensitive skin have said that a more efficient razor has been better for them than a mild one, despite as you say, the fact that conventional wisdom may state the opposite.
I suppose, with a mild razor, the chances are you'll have to do more passes AND more touch ups, so perhaps the end result could be as much (or more) irritation than less passes & touch ups with a more efficient razor. Which is what I was getting at really, where to go from the DE89.
Thanks for the tips so far, please keep them coming !
Hear! Hear!I always get a DFS using the ancient Gillette Tech with 1 1/2 passes, one full WTG & one partial XTG. If I wanted I could get BBS, but I rarely shave ATG as IMO it's not worth the small incremental gain as well as the risk of ingrown hairs.
As a note, far too many shavers "faceturbate" after a shave in quest for the mythical perfect shave. Just because you feel a slight stubble when you touch your face in the ATG manner does not mean that the shave was bad. Remember always that shaving is beard reduction and not elimination.
Hi Dave, like you I started off with the DE 89 and have been using it for a few months. Unsure what to move on to, but attracted to ATT, I bought a set giving me 2 handles, 2 heads and an additional base plate. Went for the R1, M1 and S1. So far have tried the M1 and S1. Find the M1 gives a great shave in 3 passes and the S1 in 2, but with assorted cuts! I prefer the shorter Atlas handle. Sticking with the M1 and trying different blades. Love it!After a bit of advice please. . . Been using the DE89 razor for over half a year now. Its way better than the starter WS Classic plastic razor I began with and the carts I used prior to that. Obviously my technique has improved over time, I feel I've mapped my beard pretty well and am learning all the time what does and doesn't work for my face. I've been testing blades recently, ruled out a couple that are simply too harsh for me but have several that I like. My problem is this - whilst I appreciate that good prep & technique play a big part in a shave, I have a nagging feeling that a change in hardware could be good for me for reasons I will explain.
My problem comes in after my second pass (an XTG one). At this point I am often in two minds as to whether to do an ATG pass or not. What happens when I shave ATG, specifically on the area under the jawline, either side of the chin (the lower cheeks really), is that it feels like the blade is skipping, dragging or scraping, despite me trying my best to apply minimal pressure. "How is your prep?" I hear you ask. . . well I shower / bathe etc first, only shave ATG after going WTG & XTG first, I get a good slick lather, use a blade no more than 3 times, mostly cold water shave, I bowl lather but swirl the lather round on the face with the brush, especially onto the problem area, to try and hydrate & lift the hairs ready to cut. But I still encounter so much resistance ATG on the lower cheeks that it ends up hurting and leaving my face red. The stubble grows almost flat against the skin and out sideways there, which I guess is why I feel that scraping when going ATG (ear to nose). Occasionally I get ingrowers there but nowhere near as many as when I used carts (strangely, my ingrowers with carts were always on the neck, even though I never went ATG there with carts, now I do at times go ATG on the neck but don't get ingrowers there, go figure!)
"Why do you shave ATG then?" you may well ask. . . Well, because if I don't, it looks, and feels, like I've barely shaved. For the sake of my skin, I consider cutting out the ATG pass totally. But if I do, I currently don't get anywhere near a close enough shave with 2 (a WTG & a XTG) passes with the DE89. I am hoping that there is a razor out there which can mow down enough in the first 2 passes for me to feel I don't even need an ATG pass. Of course, I am open to technique tips and realise it is not the razor alone, but I really feel that prep & technique is decent, and that exploring one of a few options may help. I've been reading up on whats out there and referring to a razor aggressiveness chart guide I found online. What do you think of the following options:
Thoughts? Thanks for your help
- Stay with DE closed comb / solid bar, but move up the aggressiveness (efficiency) scale. The DE89 is ranked as 2.5/10 on the scale, I could move to something like an ATT R1, which comes in at 6.5/10.
- Similarly, I could buy an R41 head to try on my EJ handle. Not sure going from one extreme to the other is wise though (9.5/10 !)
- Try an Open Comb DE, perhaps a Fatip Piccolo / Grande would be a good cheap way in (5/10).
- Try an SE, I believe the blades are more rigid (& last longer) and thus can help those with sensitive skin. Razorock Hawk would be a good cheap way in, the ATT SE1 Calypso looks great but maybe silly to spend that much just yet if I'm not sure! (Don't know about efficiency levels, not on that chart)
- Try an adjustable, like a Rockwell 6C or Parker Variant. Just concerned that I'd be forever fiddling with it, using it as an excuse etc!
- Try shimming the DE89 some more. . . I tried it with one shim (never shimmed before) last night, it seemed to help a little, but I believe even a few shims in it won't really replicate what other razors are like, and I read that if you need to shim a razor than its probably not the best razor for you anyway.
Dave
Hi Dave, like you I started off with the DE 89 and have been using it for a few months. Unsure what to move on to, but attracted to ATT, I bought a set giving me 2 handles, 2 heads and an additional base plate. Went for the R1, M1 and S1. So far have tried the M1 and S1. Find the M1 gives a great shave in 3 passes and the S1 in 2, but with assorted cuts! I prefer the shorter Atlas handle. Sticking with the M1 and trying different blades. Love it!
What @Steve Bowles said...Both superb razors.Take a look at the Merkur 37c or 39c. This is a slant razor, which means that the blade slices through the stubble, rather than cutting the stubble -- much like a guillotine. They are incredibly smooth and forgiving. The 37c has the shorter handle of the two. Not only are they incredible shavers, they won't break the bank.
I thought these were super aggressive?
They're not aggressive Roy.
They're smooth shavers and are more
efficient than aggressive, not to be feared any more than a non slant closed comb razor .
Like all razors, they deserve to be used with respect.
The other point is that the slant razor has been called 'the perfect answer to a problem that doesn't exist.'
I would try a slant after seeing numerous recommendations. I just wonder why they don't seem as prevalent if they are that good
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