Need Opinions on a new Safety Razor

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Its time to retire my old trusty Edwin Jagger. It lasted 3 years of daily shaving (Army) including a 9 month Afghanistan deployment (where I got it) and 3 more years after. So 6 years total

I prefer a closed comb, longer handled all metal razor, preferably heavier. No frills, no butterfly opening ones. Just a simple screw cap.

Absolutely NO Art of Shaving/Gillette/plastic handled ones, I've used them before, they arent my cup of tea.

Somewhere in the 40$ range is fine.
Links are also appreciated.
 
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Have a look at Merkur....I've been very happy with mine and it is like new after 5 years. Available lots of places but West Coast Shaving has numerous options including the long handled model.

I find that blade quality makes a HUGE difference in the shave as well as the durability of the blade, but haven't had much luck with consistently getting the same brand.
 
Originally Posted by JLTD
Have a look at Merkur....I've been very happy with mine and it is like new after 5 years. Available lots of places but West Coast Shaving has numerous options including the long handled model.

I find that blade quality makes a HUGE difference in the shave as well as the durability of the blade, but haven't had much luck with consistently getting the same brand.


My Edwin Jagger started having issues with the chrome plating peeling off awhile back, now it's been used so much, the base plate is starting to warp and the blade is too snug to the comb sometimes..

And yeah, blade quality is important, I'm not too concerned with keeping a blade for more than 3 shaves, so a 100 pack of feather or shark blades lasts me roughly a year for around 10-20$
 
I've been using merkur for about 3 years. The finish is great polished mirror chrome. The knurling on the handle ensures a great grip no slipping. It is more of a in the middle in aggressiveness. I use derby blades. It has the screw in three pieces to change blades. Not the butterfly i don't believe they make those.
 
Here is a link to safety razors from a guy that has written a popular book on the subject, Michael Ham. Read the writeups and click the links.

https://sharpologist.com/2017/11/leisureguys-favorite-safety-razor-round.html

I found the Baili BR171 to be very good head. For $6 it is a bargain. I pair it with a heavy stainless steel handle. I put an o ring between the handle and the baseplate to keep it from damaging the baseplate. I do that with all my three piece razors.
 
I bought a Merkur a while back. Use it daily at home.

Very well made line of razors, right in your price range.

You can find many of their models on Amazon.
 
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Originally Posted by JLTD

I find that blade quality makes a HUGE difference in the shave as well as the durability of the blade, but haven't had much luck with consistently getting the same brand.


Any suggestions for high quality brands of blades?
 
I use a Merkur. Or a straight razor when I feel like taking a lot of time. I use derby blades cause they're cheap and work.
 
Originally Posted by SeaJay
Originally Posted by JLTD

I find that blade quality makes a HUGE difference in the shave as well as the durability of the blade, but haven't had much luck with consistently getting the same brand.


Any suggestions for high quality brands of blades?


Nope still searching..Merkur blades are decent but expensive. Brands you find in the drug store are hit or miss. Just used my last one, the search continues...
 
+1 for Merkur line.

I have been using a 34c (short handle) for a few years now. The 23c may be the OP's style.

Feather blades
 
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I use the plastic disposable razors from Walmart . Use it until it stops cutting & then trow it away & get another from the package .

But it is your $$$$ ...............
 
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
I use the plastic disposable razors from Walmart . Use it until it stops cutting & then trow it away & get another from the package .

But it is your $$$$ ...............


I can literally buy 100 name brand blades for...8.95$
That's easily 300 shaves for...8.95$
Thats $0.029 per shave. No other razor cost-per-shave will touch that.


The initial investment of a razor handle is always gonna be more, but in the long run you're actually spending more than I am using plastic disposables.

Good news is I found a replacement head and comb for it, new, for only 9.95$, it's a merkur head, but upon reading itll fit the handle I already own.

As for whoever asked about good blades, I normally use Feather Yellow package blades, Shark Platinum blades, or Astra blades.

Occasionally I'll use derby blades.

Imo avoid anything Big Ben, generic (Walgreens, etc) or Dorco, as it always makes my face swiss cheese
 
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I did the whole DE thing for a while. I have a Merkur and a couple of old Gillette razors from the 1950s. Did it for about 10 years, and now I'm back to using a Gillette Mach 3. It provides just as good of a shave as a DE, if not better, with less irritation, and is much more convenient to use. I don't care about the cost of the replacement carts, as I only shave once a week, so they last a long time...
 
Must it be new?

I ask because I keep coming back to the trusty, reliably Gillette Tech that was made for about 40 years and can be found for next to nothing. I have newer and fancier razors, but at the end of the day I find the size and weight just about perfect, and also like that the minimalist head lets me get in places a lot tighter than a more bulky hinge-opening top can.

As for blades, I go back and forth between Derbys and Feathers. They're at opposite ends of the cost scale but in the grand scheme of things neither is super expensive. The last time I bought Derbys, a 200 pack was around $15 on Amazon, while I think my last Feathers were around $20 for 100. The Feathers ultimately give a better shave, but I find that it usually takes one for them to "settle down" to the right level of sharpness I like. Once there, they will hold it for 3-5 additional shaves. I'll occasionally stretch a Derby to a 4th shave(not out of economy, but because I found myself on the road and short of blades) but generally toss them after the 3rd. Also, occasionally I've found that a bad(dull) Derby gets through-they're cheap enough that I toss it and get another.

I've used most of the blades on the market. I initially started 5 or 6 years ago with a few "sampler packs" from Amazon, which set me up with probably 40 different brands total. I still have a lot of "not terrible" ones on hand as a just in case or if I need a box to throw in a travel bag or whatever, but like I said those two particular brands rose to the top for me and were what I started buying in bulk.
 
I've tried a few safety razors in the past 14 months since I stared DE shaving.

I'll have to say I tried feather blades and they are great but price wise they are at the top end

I suggest you try Gillette Nacet blades. Very sharp and easy to use and the price point is a good value.

https://www.italianbarber.com/colle...nacet-stainless-double-edge-razor-blades

As for razors it's your choice as to what you like. Ive collected some vintage Gillette's and also bought an Edwin Jagger and Merkur.

Do you leave the blade in the razor for a whole week or so you remove the head and rinse the blade after each use and let it air dry?

The one I like best is a Gillette TTO From the 50s with the dial adjuster. This morning I used a Gillette tech razor made in 1932 with a Nacet blade.

I'll post some pics of the collection soon.

Take a look at razor emporium on YouTube, that guys got a ton of great information.
 
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I have used an Edwin Jagger DE89LBL for several years and it still serves me well. It paired with Gillette Silver Blue blades is perfect for me. I also dislike the butterfly style.
 
As for blades on Amazon you can get a mixed pack of different assortment of brands. Try em out find out what you like best. However one blade will usually feel and act differently in one razor and can be a different animal in another razor. As for soaps i enjoy Cella i bought a 1 kelo for about $40 stuff last forever smells good it is really slick nice lather.I believe I'm not even through half of it yet.I keep it in the freezer so it doesn't go bad.
 
I just noticed they've brought back the Wilkinson Sword brand back for razors (they still have it for brushes and soaps) and have a safety razor. Superstore carries the razors, but got rid of the flat blades around the same time. Go figure.
 
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