Who's Looking to Try Double Edge Razors?

[KLF]

I am using a double edge razor about 4 years now. Nothing beats it. My setup is pretty steady, a vintage Gillette Tech razor with an Israeli Personna blade, an Omega or Semogue brush. My lather is a Tabac soap or Mem Olive cream. Pure joy!

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[Shift_Six]

Tried for about six months and could never get over irritation. Basic Lord handle and feather blades. Used proraso/cella soaps, still couldnt get past burn and bumps.

Feather blades are probably the most aggressive blades out there. I have to shave super careful with them to not get irritation, and even then its hit or miss. I do however get a great shave out of Astra Blades. Been shaving for years with my Merkur Furtur, and will never go back to disposables.

Old photo of my kit to test out a photo app on the phone lol
Untitled by Shift_Six, on Flickr

And my father just turned & made this kit for me.
Untitled by Shift_Six, on Flickr

 

[Shift_Six]

I have very sensitive skin and have yet to find a cartridge razor that really fits the bill. Do DE razors cause less irritation?

My neck is that way. multi blade cartridge razors pull the hair out further before cutting it. It works great for getting a close shave but for me, all it does is cause ingrown hairs. The Safety razor prevents this. I wouldnt say I get any better shave with it, but once I found a blade my face likes, and some good soaps I fell in love, and will never go back. There is a bit of trial and error with it if you have sensitive skin, but I would recommend checking out Acca Kappa 1869 shave soap.
http://www.royalshave.com/shaving-products/shaving-soap?manufacturer=923

 

[Mr. Guy]

Untitled by Shift_Six, on Flickr

And my father just turned & made this kit for me.
Untitled by Shift_Six, on Flickr

Ha, I thought those were little tiny colored pencils under your brush for a minute. Must still be too early for me!

 

[nayslayer]

Tried for about six months and could never get over irritation. Basic Lord handle and feather blades. Used proraso/cella soaps, still couldnt get past burn and bumps.

feathers aren't for newbs. I only use them when i'm up for an additional challenge and real sweet shave. I like the Personna Reds for daily.

 

[rdomfoto]

I'm a die-hard Feathers fan. It's important to remember that every piece of your equipment factors into the quality of your shave, plus your technique as well. I use an Edwin Jagger handle that isn't overly aggressive, so the super-sharp Feather blade is a nice compliment. I know, though, if I switched to a more aggressive handle, the use of a Feather blade could leave my bathroom looking like a crime scene. Plus, a less sharp blade in a non-aggressive handle could leave you with either a less-than-smooth shave or with chunks missing from your cheeks in the vain attempt to get a smooth shave.

If you get burn, you may want to try a decent pre-shave oil and/or look at the soap or cream you're using. If the soap isn't providing a slick enough surface on its own, try the oil.

But, when it comes to choosing the blade, settle on your handle first, then buy a smaple pack of blades to see which combination of handle and blade (along with your skin type and technique) gives you the best shave.

FWIW, here's my ritual (along with the tools/products) I use:

1. Before I shower, I fill my shave bowl with hot tap water and soak my brush and my razor.
2. I then shower first to get my skin hydrated and soften my whiskers
3. Once I am out of the shower, I apply my pre-shave oil (I make my own) to moisturize the skin and keep the whiskers soft. I also wipe the oil "across the grain" so that the oil helps keep the whiskers raised
4. Then I dump out the water from the bowl, create the lather in the bowl, and then lather up my face.
5. I fill the sink with hot water instead of keeping the water running - one, it's more environmentally friendly, plus without the water running, I can hear the razor cutting the whiskers
6. I shave normally, with the grain, rinsing my razor after each stroke.
7. When I am done, I reapply the lather and then shave against the grain
8. Once I am done, I wipe away the excess lather and immediately apply my aftershave (I use Pinnaud Clubman)
9. Now I clean up - rinse the brush and hang it to dry, wash out the bowl, put my razor away and/or change the blade if necessary, etc. THe minute or two it takes to clean up gives my skin a short rest which seems to help it.
10. After I have cleaned up my shaving area, I apply a non-scented aftershave balm and moisturizer.

 

[Mr. Guy]

It's pretty amazing how a blade can go from superior in one razor to down right useless in another!

 

[Mr.Draned]

So far I'm a big fan of Feather and Zorik blades.

 

[mwlabel]

Out of curiosity, how do you choose which new blades to try out? Is it fishing in the dark or are there certain qualities you look for?

 

[atbat82]

Out of curiosity, how do you choose which new blades to try out? Is it fishing in the dark or are there certain qualities you look for?

I read a bunch on Badger and Blade forums. Some are known to be more aggressive, others more forgiving, etc. I chose a few from each category and determined that I like aggressive blades in less aggressive razors. Strange I know, but it works for me.


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[boltman]

Out of curiosity, how do you choose which new blades to try out? Is it fishing in the dark or are there certain qualities you look for?

I did some research online. For the first couple of years I went with Darby blades. I made the switch to feather blades a few months back. Wish I had done it sooner. For me a closer shave and less irritation. I would give the feather blades a try. They are not as technique sensitive as they are made out to be. They are just a damn sharp blade that works. Less passes and hence, less razor burn.

 

[atbat82]

I did some research online. For the first couple of years I went with Darby blades. I made the switch to feather blades a few months back. Wish I had done it sooner. For me a closer shave and less irritation. I would give the feather blades a try. They are not as technique sensitive as they are made out to be. They are just a damn sharp blade that works. Less passes and hence, less razor burn.

This times 10000! I use feather as well and have had the exact same experience. You can usually find a sampler pack on eBay too that will give you 5 blades from 5-10 different brands.


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[Nick_O]

Out of curiosity, how do you choose which new blades to try out? Is it fishing in the dark or are there certain qualities you look for?

I post on a couple wet shaving forums and find that the short answer to you question is "yes" it's like fishing in the dark. You can ask 10 different people what the best blade is and you'll get 10 different answers. The standard finisher for every review is YMMV or Your Milage May Vary. All I can say is that in my personal experience Russians make great blades. IE:Rapira, Voskhod and Astra. 3 of my favorite blades.

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[Mr. Guy]

Blade samplers can be found a lot of places. Gets you a decent selection before committing to a bulk purchase. Gets a tad tricky once you throw in multiple razors, as others have said it's the combination of razor and blade that can really make or break the shave. And by "tricky" I really mean it makes it all the more fun and custom to your face.

 

[Mr.Draned]

Blade samplers can be found a lot of places.

You are correct. The one you sent me has a great selection!
Feather
Zorik
Lord
Those 3 have been my favorite so far.

 

[Wasz]

Serious shaving guys, I have a question for you. I'm bearded so I don't need to cover a lot a ground when shaving, or shave daily. I have always had this issue with redness and occasional ingrown hairs on my neck where I shave. I don't do anything but shave with a cartridge razor and shave gel and have never used anything else. Is there a lotion or aftershave or something that would help with the irritation so my neck doesn't get the redness?

 

[Mr.Erskine]

I use Astra, and I really like the shave that I am able to get from them.

 

[Shift_Six]

I use Astra, and I really like the shave that I am able to get from them.

Same. My Razor is a bit more aggressive and these worked out better for me than the Feathers.

 

[Mr.Draned]

Serious shaving guys, I have a question for you. I'm bearded so I don't need to cover a lot a ground when shaving, or shave daily. I have always had this issue with redness and occasional ingrown hairs on my neck where I shave. I don't do anything but shave with a cartridge razor and shave gel and have never used anything else. Is there a lotion or aftershave or something that would help with the irritation so my neck doesn't get the redness?

There are a few things that you can try, and I'll go in order from least amount of work/supplies on up. Before I go any further, may I suggest you try other shaving creams? If you already have, take no offense at my suggestion.
The first thing you can try is a good aftershave. I use Clubman Pinaud and have great results. It smells like the stuff the barber uses on your neck when you finish getting a haircut. Love it.
In addition, you can also use some witch hazel. I keep Thayer's on hand, and lately I have been mixing it with the Clubman aftershave. The results are very good.
Nivea post shave balm is something else that works. Toss on some aftershave, let it dry for a minute or so, then put some of this on your neck. It relieves the burning and usually knocks down the redness.
Last, a pre shave oil may be in order. You put this on and let it sit for a minute or two, lather the shaving cream over top of it, and shave. I've been having good results when I do this.
Hope that helps! Good luck.

 

[Wasz]

I've tried a couple shave creams including sensitive skin ones, nothing really seemed to change. I'll start working my way down the list and see what works. Thanks for the info!