Who still has their very first razor?

[vferdman]

I only just began DE shaving about a year and a half ago, but the first razor I got back then, the EJ DE89 Barley Chrome, is still in my stable. I don't use it all that much, but I don't want to sell it. First of all it has a few dents that don't effect function, but greatly effect resale value and second it is just dear to me and I do dust it off now and again and use it. I just do not get a super close shave with it as I prefer a more aggressive shave, but I love it still.

[Ouchmychin]

My first razor was an old Remington electric that wore out many years ago. Replaced with a str8 that my father gave me from his collection with instructions. First D.E. was a Gillette tech or speed, don't recall which but I still have/occasionally use.

[ThePossum]

Believe it or not I found my first DE razor. Going through some stuff that my mother put away many years ago and I am finally getting to unpack and sort to see what I want to keep and stuff that I want to sell to an antique dealer. Never thought I would find this thing.

Found it in some stuff that my mother packed away years ago. Although she junked my late 50's and early 60's baseball cards she had the sense not to junk my first razor. Covered with loads of soap scum I wiped it off a bit and found it to be an I-4. That is right around the time that I began shaving for real. Between 15th and 16th birthday. Razor was set at 5, which is a bit more aggressive than I use these days and it even had a Gillette Super Stainless blade in it. Gonna clean both of the up in the morning and take them for a test drive. Will post the results in SOTD Forum.

[Squire]

That's good to hear Bryce, keep us posted.

[JarmoP]

I thought i had posted? To me my first and still the best razor is my merkur chrome HD. I have used others. It is how much i hated it at first, almost decided to go back to cartridges or electric razors. And this day none better razor than the one I hated so much when learning. It can still give me weeper when I am careless but it seldom does and it is now my shave friend since 6 years. I doubt if i go and try get a better i have any luck .... see some same as produced as of now, might not be the same.

[ThePossum]

Gave the Gillette I-4 Slim a drive today. Used the Gillette Super Stainless blade that was in it as well. The razor performed great as expected. The blade, not so good. Two quick light pressure passes and it tugged like mad and did not remove any whisker at all it seemed. So put the Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless blade I had ready in the razor to get the great results. Plan to give this razor a good work out for the next week of so and then it will replace the H-4 Slim in my regular rotation. I am so happy that my mom kept if for me.

[Squire]

That's good Bryce, very good.

[ShadowsDad]

Gave the Gillette I-4 Slim a drive today. Used the Gillette Super Stainless blade that was in it as well. The razor performed great as expected. The blade, not so good. Two quick light pressure passes and it tugged like mad and did not remove any whisker at all it seemed. So put the Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless blade I had ready in the razor to get the great results. Plan to give this razor a good work out for the next week of so and then it will replace the H-4 Slim in my regular rotation. I am so happy that my mom kept if for me.

Cool! Yup, it's good to hear that it was packed away and you found it.

[hairysolomon]

I sure do! I remember Gillette sent a box in the mail that contained the razor handle, cartridge, and shaving cream. I am not sure how they knew I was 17 and in need of these tools but what a memorable experience!

[btafan]

Seeing as I got my first razor on July 1I plan on keeping it for a long time. The EJ86 just looks so nice and I'm still learning on it until I want a more aggressive shave. I wanted a Murkur initially because it's german and the name sounds cool, but I read somewhere that the EJ head was much smoother than the Murkur so I just went with that. I might hang onto my first everything else because I hang on to things sometimes-which may be a bad combination with Acquisition Disorder which I feel I'm catching

[ShadowsDad]

<snip> which may be a bad combination with Acquisition Disorder which I feel I'm catching

(Whistlin' sorta innocent like, and scuffin' feet on the ground) Don't know where you would have picked AD up. Certainly not here!

[Squire]

I might hang onto my first everything else because I hang on to things sometimes-which may be a bad combination with Acquisition Disorder which I feel I'm catching

That one's easy to deal with Andy, just give in.

[vferdman]

Seeing as I got my first razor on July 1I plan on keeping it for a long time. The EJ86 just looks so nice and I'm still learning on it until I want a more aggressive shave. I wanted a Murkur initially because it's german and the name sounds cool, but I read somewhere that the EJ head was much smoother than the Murkur so I just went with that. I might hang onto my first everything else because I hang on to things sometimes-which may be a bad combination with Acquisition Disorder which I feel I'm catching

My first DE was EJ DE89 Barley Chrome and I still have it even though I rarely use it anymore. It is a wonderful razor. I debated for a long time between it and Merkur 34C, which is also a great razor. I ended up with the Barley Chrome DE89 and I am very happy I did. Of course, I eventually bought the Merkur 34C and it shaves great, just as good and smooth as the EJ, but EJ is finished way better. Like orders of magnitude better. Merkur has all the mold injection marks still visible, the plating is so-so and the general look and feel is inferior to the EJ production quality. I would say they both shave very well and all the corners Merkur cut on the finish are not shave related. Still, for the same price EJ sells a razor that just blows away the Merkur 34C. Merkur Progress, on the other hand is a whole different animal. I think it should be recommended as a first (and last) DE to people more often than the others. It really is the only razor I would ever need. After discovering it I have tried literally dozens of razors and some were great and some didn't work as well, but Progress is a do-all tool that makes me wonder why do other razors even exist? For fun, of course, but they are not necessary.

[vferdman]

EDIT: Oh, my! I plced this into a wrong thread. SORRY!


-- Thursday--

Prep: hot water wash with hand soap
Razor: RazoRock OC head on top of Ikon Bulldog handle
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (3)
Brush: Fuller clear handle restored with Omega boar ("Ugly Duckling")
Soap: Cella red tub
Scuttle: Georgetown Pottery G5 in Hamada glaze
Post: Thai Crystal deodorant stick and Thayers Witch Hazel with Aloe

Result: BBS in 3+ passes. Just wonderful. Easy, close and comfortable. RazoRock/Cadet OC heads are wonderful. If you have not tried one, you are missing out. They are on sale at BullGoose for $15 right now, I believe. Even at full price they are an amazing value. Cella and Omega boar knot are a match made in heaven. Very enjoyable shave.

[JarmoP]

Regarding Merkur HDs. They have released some a poor ones to sell over the years. Darn quality control. I dont mind how a razor looks or if it has some little imperfections. And usually they look great.

I purchased another 34G. G means it is gold plated, many years ago, to have a backup razor.

Well my backup golden razor had the top cap smirkled before plating so that it does not cover the whole bottom guard as it should on the side, meaning that the blade flap could be hurting when shaving under the nose, since the head cap was not covering the end as it should be. It is beautifully looking finished otherwise, no other blemishes. and old the Gillettes have their blade end flaps shown more. But anyways their heads are the same and to be accepted.

What was worse in my golden HD was that the rod that was attached to head cap, it has just a few windings left to have it connected. I mean I can turn it loose like less than a turn and it drops. So that razor has never been considered to me be as a back up, but rather a faulty razor. I was totally pissed off and have been many times thinking, I should have asked for a head cap replacement.

My first razor, the Merkur 34C is still my best razor. It has just the right aggressiveness/mildness. My Progress is OK, I just hate when I dip that razor to sink, the lather stays in the cavity. And also I think it does not shave quite as well.

[brothers]

jarmo, it sounds as if Merkur gave you a top cap that was supposed to be on a different model razor. Do you think it's too late to send it back now?

[JarmoP]

Gary, it does belong to that model. And i bought it from a well known razor merchant as new. I have heard stories like that from others too that the thread windings have been not barely enough long connecting. I think Merkur passed one time a lots of razors like that for sell. Still it does connect.

It has been now at least 5 years for now, so I am just having a razor that has a bad head cap. Anyways what has been always most alarming is with that razor is the head cap smirkling on the blade flap end before the plating. So it shows the guard plate when looking from top

I have learned to live with a bad purchase as we all have done sometimes

[brothers]

Well, Jarmo, that's unfortunate. Thanks for letting us know that such things do happen.

[tom myers]

I still have my first razor. It is a Gillette blue tip TTO. I've tried it in recent years and found it to be much too mild for my taste today. It was probably fine for the peach fuzz I had when I got it in my mid-teens. I also have my second razor, which is a Schick injector that I used for years.

I've also got my dad's high school graduation present from his parents. It is a Gillette New-Improved. It and it's case are in great shape.

Somehow, over the years, these three razors have grown into something over three hundred. Of all of them, my every day razor is a Gem Junior Bar, lather catcher, razor. In my opinion, this is the best safety razor ever designed.

If I had to use a double edged razor, it would probably be the big heavy Barbasol razor. For a DE. it was an excellent design, meticulously manufactured.

Regards,
Tom

[brothers]

Tom, two of my very few favorites are the Gem Jr bar LC and the Barbasol. As I've posted above, I do have my dad's razor and my own original.