Cartridge vs. DE - After First Brush/Soap Wetshave

[gruffydd3]

I held out and used cartridges for a long time and can get a good shave with them. I switched to DE eventually and get a better, more comforatable shave now. Every now and I still use a cartridge, but would never go back to them for my daily shave.

Rick

[MikeRyu]

I think I'm ready to throw in the towel on DE shaving. For about three years now I've been using them and I have never managed to get anything other than below average shaves. I've gotten to the stage that I was at with the multi blades where I put off shaving because I know how futile it is.

I think tomorrow I'm going to pick up a Sensor and give that a try. I'll stick with the brush soaps and creams, but I just never got the hang of the DE razor. I'll let you know if the results are any different tomorrow.

[jww]

MR - there is no law here that states everyone must use a DE or str8. Shave and be happy.

[MikeRyu]

Well I've been using the Sensor this week and it's been okay. The quality of my shaves is about the same or usually a little better. I get less irritiation and it's far easier to maneveur than a DE. They're still not great shaves at all but at least they're not so aggressive, and it's faster and less stressful.

I have been tempted though to see if I can find myself an injector and give that a try. The quest continues...

[bernards66]

Mike, That thought crossed my mind when I read your post of a week back. But I thought, 'shoot, he sounds discouraged...why hassle him...let him try the Sensor and see what happens...'. But a good Schick Injector might turn out to be THE razor for you. They are as easy to handle as a Trac II, but shave as well as a DE, only easier on some guys skins. They were traditionally thought to be especially good for gents with tough or curly beards due to the heavier rigid blade they use. Some advice if you go ahead with this: a) get a later model Injector, from the late '50s on up, and b) take the trouble to online purchase some of the new Chinese made Schick Injector blades...they are considerably better than the older German made ones or the ASR versions. If you're going to give the Injector a try, let's do it right from the get-go.
Regards,
Gordon

[alcx77]

As much as I love my Futur I must say if I could only have one razor it would be my Shick N injector.


Alan
[Currently]
Futur
Croma blade [Shaves so far 18]
Omega Syntex bush
VDH & Trumpers Sandlewood soaps

[MikeRyu]

Mike, That thought crossed my mind when I read your post of a week back. But I thought, 'shoot, he sounds discouraged...why hassle him...let him try the Sensor and see what happens...'. But a good Schick Injector might turn out to be THE razor for you. They are as easy to handle as a Trac II, but shave as well as a DE, only easier on some guys skins. They were traditionally thought to be especially good for gents with tough or curly beards due to the heavier rigid blade they use. Some advice if you go ahead with this: a) get a later model Injector, from the late '50s on up, and b) take the trouble to online purchase some of the new Chinese made Schick Injector blades...they are considerably better than the older German made ones or the ASR versions. If you're going to give the Injector a try, let's do it right from the get-go.
Regards,
Gordon

Thanks for the advice Gordon.

I guess I was pretty discouraged. After nearly three years I should be getting consistently great shaves. I don't have a very helpful face I haven't totally given up on the DE. I'm going to have a little play around with different blades and maybe creams. I've also started trying to incorporate the sensor alongside the DE to see if that helps. I did that yesterday but I think my DE blade was a little past it because I got super burn.

What would you recommend is a good blade and cream for sensitive dry skin? I have been using Feathers because I have a thick beard but it may be irritating my skin more than it can take.

The injector option is still open as well. Are the personna blades any good?

[TRBeck]

Gordon is more expert than I am, but I have a few thoughts for you, Mike.

First, the Personna Injector blades are okay, but the cartridge is a pain to use, and you can mail order Chinese Schicks from drugstore.com pretty cheaply. Second, Feathers are a pretty tough DE blade for some guys to use. There are many who have found that their skin can't handle regular exposure to the extremely sharp cutting edge of the Feather.

As for creams, every man's skin sensitivities are different, but I think the Taylor creams are as innocuous as any and are very inexpensive for their quality. Almond, lavender, avocado, and lemon-lime should be safer bets than the cologne-scented creams. The TOBS Jermyn Street cream supposedly has even fewer potential allergens in it. I have found Fraser's to be very kind to my skin, too, and it is also inexpensive. That said, again, it is important to realize that some ingredients, however, innocuous, may cause problems for some people. Musgo Real, for instance, which is a very mild formula, causes me irritation.

All of this means that there is experimentation to do. Which, in turn, means you need to work hard at only changing one variable week to week, so that you can identify the source of your trouble if and when it occurs.

Regards,

[iancevans]

Woah, Feather blades? It's no wonder you're having trouble. Very few can use those day-in, day-out, without serious adverse skin-effects.

Try a mild blade like Crystals or Derbys. As for creams, the Taylor's are nice (and the price is right for experimenting). But I think the Nancy Boy cream is even better (particularly if you need some extra cushion, which it sounds like you might).

[bernards66]

Ooohhh....I see....Feather blades is it?....how did I miss that? Definately might be part of the problem. I'm pretty handy with a DE after 45 years of using them, but Feather blades are out of bounds for me. There's just something about them that irritates my skin no matter what razor or prep I use them with. And, of course, there are the classic buggaboos; inappropriate blade angle. and ( less likely ) too much pressure. Since you asked, you might try the Super Iridium blade; very sharp and effective, yet easier on the skin and smoother, IMO, than the Feather. And maybe some Taylors shave cream...Almond perhaps.
Regards,
Gordon

[Batmang]

I think I'm ready to throw in the towel on DE shaving. For about three years now I've been using them and I have never managed to get anything other than below average shaves. I've gotten to the stage that I was at with the multi blades where I put off shaving because I know how futile it is.

I think tomorrow I'm going to pick up a Sensor and give that a try. I'll stick with the brush soaps and creams, but I just never got the hang of the DE razor. I'll let you know if the results are any different tomorrow.

Mike-

Have you given any thought to using a single edge safety razor like a Gem Featherweight or 1912 Damaskene? Some people swear by the Micromatic (although others will tell you that it is hard to tame) version. They are readily available and still fairly inexpensive to pick up. Blades may be another story, however, although the Pella Gem blades are well thought of. Good luck.

[Lou]

I had the same experience with Feathers. I felt like I'd need robotic precision to use them without irritation, and that was with my Superspeed. I'm glad I never tried a Feather in the Merkur Classic I used to have.

I use Crystals, which are quite effective and much gentler.

[MikeRyu]

Hey guys.

Just thought I'd tell you that I've gone back to the DE. I couldnt stay mad at it for long.

I've been mixing things up and first I tried the Wilkinson Sword blades. I've use WS blades before but I bought the slightly more expensive ones this time. I always thought that they were the same as the cheaper ones, of which didn't impress, me but I've found them to be a lot better. Better than the Feathers too.

I've tried some different creams and I think I've come to the conclusion that my water sucks around here and I'm never getting a good enough lather so I've just started using a brushless cream that doesn't require preparing with local water. Also because I think the brush is causing me extra irritation.

I've also just started trying the cold water shave. I've got a few more shaves to go before I can pass judgement but there's a chance that it could work for me. I get very dry skin when I wash with hot water so shaving with hot water might not be for the best.

Anyway thanks for the help fellows. I'll let you know how my progress goes.

[stagger]

Chris, Although my first shaves many years ago were with a DE razor,brush and soap, I used cartridge razors with canned foam, gels and such for a long time. Never was satisfied with the cartridges as they irritated the heck out of my neck. The canned foam or gel didn't help matters either. Around about 5 months ago I returned to what I think of as traditional wet shaving. Great move. My preferred equipment is Tabac shave soap, a quality brush (Semogue 1305), and a straight razor ( I use the DOVO Ebony ). But.....
my 1939 model Gillette Tech sees more use as it is a bit quicker for me to use than the straight. Both give me a much better shave than any of the cartridges I used (and I tried most all of them at one time or another). The deciding factor in my opinion lies in two areas; Preparation and Technique. In order to achieve a "better" shave, your beard must be softened to accomodate the blade. I soak my beard for 3-5 minutes with HOT water. This softens the whiskers and makes them easier to cut. The next area to address is Technique. With a straight razor, nobody will have to tell you to go slow. Due to the EXTREME sharpness of the blade, believe me, you will naturally go slow You seem to be more interested in the DE though, so I'll address that in a bit more detail. With the DE, your technique should focus on two areas.....Blade Angle, and Pressure (or lack thereof). Go SLOW. Use short, slow strokes, with little to no pressure. Believe me, most DE blades are sharp enough to glide through your beard with ease and pressure is absolutely not required. And pay attention to the angle of the blade. Paying proper attention to this facet of your shave, you will both feel and hear those whiskers popping off. This will let you know that your angle is right and will eliminate razor burn. Relather between passes. I usually do a three pass shave, WTG, XTG, AND ATG. On most days this leaves my face BBS and with no razor burn. After the shave I rinse my face with cold water to close up the pores, dry off, then finish with Pinaud Clubman after shave (an oldie but goodie). So, my advice to you is.....give the DE a try. I believe your face will thank you. As far as DE razors go, I can recommend the Gillette Tech and have found it to be very "face friendly" for me, but as with most things, ymmv. Do your self a favor and take the advice of the old hands on this site (experts). Again, your face will thank you. For me, this is an extremely long post, but I hope it helps you out. So, in closing, I will simply say that I hope you............................ENJOY YOUR SHAVES

[ziplepingouin]

When I first tried DE shaving, the first thing I really appreciated was the irritation and pulling free shave.
I never looked back, even if I could continue with cartridges (fair results) but much more expensive.

[95%]

Welcome to the forum, ziplepingouin. Your handle is unusual. Is it French?

Hope you'll tell us more about your shaving methodology.

[notthesharpest]

Some kinds of cream will work better than others with your water. (I'm lucky enough to not have to know which ones.)

Basically, using more cream is enough to get over the problem - in most cases anyway. Does regular soap make suds when you wash your hands? If yes, you should be all right.

[Squire]

Hey zip, welcome aboard.

[alcx77]

For closeness I find that it helps to do a cleanup pass searching for
long whiskers and raising them with the fingertips and following the maxim-shave you beard not your face!
Alan
[Currently]
Gillette Futur
Super Iridium blade
Shaves so far 7
Omega Syntex brush
Williams soap with Polmolive Red cream