In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Let's talk about single and double edged razors and the blades that they use.
CMur12
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by CMur12 »

I really like the look of the chromed Rockwell 6C. Maybe I'm just a sucker for shiny objects. :mrgreen:

- Murray
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by CMur12 »

Tim, I have other stainless steel razors and I like their looks, too. I think either choice, 6C or 6S, is a good one.

You mentioned reservations about the heft of your 6S. Is the issue too much heft or not enough?

- Murray
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by brothers »

OK --- You guys have managed to get me interested in this razor (Rockwell 6C/6S). Do you think it can compare favorably with the General? I have been reading the almost universally positive (rave?) reviews on the Rockwell website. I see that the stainless costs $100 and the chrome version costs $50. I also see that I can receive a discount signing up for the mailing list. I've got a lot of good DE blades and a lot of good DE razors. Now that I've got this one under my skin and into my head, I think I might give it a whirl. The unconditional 30 day money back guarantee allows me to try it with confidence that I might like it. Should I, or shouldn't I? Is it really that good?
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by Pauldog »

I got the Dorco plastic PL602, and it wasn't quite as substantial as I was hoping for. Super-light, and cheap feeling. I tried it a little, but I'll have to use it more to give it a fair trial. It's not at all like the plastic Wilkinson Classic, which must have metal underneath the plastic in the handle. I paid a similar price for both, just because shipping adds a few bucks.

I suppose the Merkur Progress doesn't count as "ordinary." The Schick injector does count, and that's my ultimate submission for this thread. The recent Chinese chromed DE TTO's, with their somewhat sloppy play when the doors are open, and short life expectancy, count in my book as sub-ordinary.
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by CMur12 »

brothers wrote: Fri May 25, 2018 8:17 am OK --- You guys have managed to get me interested in this razor (Rockwell 6C/6S). Do you think it can compare favorably with the General? I have been reading the almost universally positive (rave?) reviews on the Rockwell website. I see that the stainless costs $100 and the chrome version costs $50. I also see that I can receive a discount signing up for the mailing list. I've got a lot of good DE blades and a lot of good DE razors. Now that I've got this one under my skin and into my head, I think I might give it a whirl. The unconditional 30 day money back guarantee allows me to try it with confidence that I might like it. Should I, or shouldn't I? Is it really that good?
Gary, like the rest of us, you probably don't need another razor! 8)

With that out of the way, I would be hesitant to compare the Rockwell to the General, considering how well the General has worked for you. I would say that it and the Mergress are the best DE razors I have found. If you have DE blades you want to use, I can't imagine a better DE razor. With its three plates and six levels of shaving mildness/aggression, I think you are highly likely to find a setting that gives you the desired and most satisfying result.

- Murray
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by CMur12 »

Well, Tim, the other razors you listed are all decidedly lighter than the Rockwell (6C, in my case).

The Rockwell 6C is similar in weight to solid stainless razors by iKon, Feather (AS-D1), Weber, and such. I don't know what the 6S weighs, but my 6C is similar in weight to most solid stainless razors that I know of. It is a little heavier than a Mergress. You may just prefer lighter razors, in which case the Rockwell won't be a good match for you.

On the extreme end of things, I have seen some truly massive custom handles for razors on these fora, and I haven't been able to imagine having to deal with that much thickness and mass, but the razors I mention here are comfortable for me to handle.

YMMV is still in force, as ever before.

- Murray
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by Tucker »

I have the Rockwell 6s and the 6c in White Chrome. I prefer the 6s, as it is more grippy. The 6c is a bit slippery, but it hits a price point. The threads were real rough on the 6c, and I had to use a tap to chase the threads in the handle, and use some mineral oil. Other than that the finish is flawless and shiny. The Rockwells both shave the same which is excellent, but not the closest shave out there. I use R2, R3, & R4 depending on the blade being used.

Gary, I think both the aluminum and the SS Colonial Generals shave a bit closer than the Rockwells. I am happy to have all of them in my den, as variety is the spice of life. Get the 6s, and you will not regret it. Of the four razors that I mention above, if I could only own one, it would be the 6s for the versatility.
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by Gene »

Tim - PM heading your way.
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CMur12
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by CMur12 »

Hi Tim -

If you're going to drop you razor, I would recommend you stick with stainless steel. 8)

Beyond that, the Rockwell and the Mergress are my favorite razors. I use the Mergress at its lowest setting, which is both mild and efficient. I use the Rockwell on plate 2, which is also both mild and efficient. Between these two, I like the Rockwell a little better because of its simpler three-piece design and easier knock-down for cleaning.

I recently bought a Supply Injector-type razor, which is a lovely, hefty tool. I am having difficulty adapting to the very different approach/angle of an Injector razor and I think that even the "sensitive" plate is a little aggressive for me.

Good luck with your search, Tim.

- Murray
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by CMur12 »

Hi Tim -

Congratulations on finding the tool that gives you satisfying ergonomics and performance.

I have tried a lot of razors, too, and it took me a long time to find the ones that are just right for me. The solution is sometimes elusive and can require a long search.

- Murray
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by brothers »

CMur12 wrote: Mon Feb 25, 2019 2:37 pm Hi Tim -

Congratulations on finding the tool that gives you satisfying ergonomics and performance.

I have tried a lot of razors, too, and it took me a long time to find the ones that are just right for me. The solution is sometimes elusive and can require a long search.

- Murray
Agreed! The time it took to locate the one for me was well spent.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by mikeny278 »

Wholeheartedly agree with this post. Finally perfected my shaves when I started using the same razor for an extended amount of time, and that was with a Merkur HD. When I want to "change it up," I go to a Feather Popular. Have tried all kinds of razors, but when I started using one razor, one or two creams, and one blade type for an extended period of time it finally just all clicked. I suppose some experimenting at first was necessary, especially with razor blades, but my recommendation would be to pick one razor that is middle of the road (not mild, not aggressive) and just learn on it. When one gets irritation from a certain setup, instead of trying to find a milder or more efficient razor, or a sharper and smoother blade, sometimes you just need to get better with prep and technique, and/or let your face irritation subside before shaving again. I wish I followed this advice 10 years ago and tried some of the razors I did after I really knew how to shave with a DE. Looking back, some of the razors that did not work for me were probably not the razor's fault but my own! But now that the Merkur HD/Feather Popular work so well for me, I don't have much interest in all of these new (or old) razors...
TRBeck wrote: Fri Apr 13, 2018 5:47 pm As far as I can tell, I got my Edwin Jagger Barley Chrome razor in November 2011. Given missed shaves here and there, a dozen or so efforts with a straight, and a few dalliances with single-edge razors, I would estimate I've got about 1800 shaves on it. At the time, I paid south of $40 for this simple variant of the very basic "89" double-edge razor. I get a very clean, close cut with Personna Medical Prep blades, Polsliver Iridiums, and Gillette Silver Blues using this razor, even as some coarser hairs creep into my beard with age.

I have not been a big forum participant in recent years, and I guess while I was preoccupied with other things, boutique DEs (and, to a slightly lesser extent, SEs) sort of blew up. I see stainless this and titanium that everywhere I look, with prices well into the three-digit range. I don't want to criticize anyone's choices there, and I have tried a couple of them to see what the fuss was about. But for me, the general conclusion I came to after several shaves was, "Huh." Not bad, not great. Functional, felt good in the hand, worked fine, but...

I think it's easy when you're new to this hobby to get caught up in the bling of high-end brushes and fancy soaps and Penhaligon's. I know I did, and sometimes I still do. But man, the one thing I was told by dozens of guys here was to just get a good Superspeed or Merkur or Gilette Tech, learn some technique, and enjoy the shaves. And I did. I experimented with Red Tips (!) and Black Beauties (!!) and the Progess (!!!), and they are all excellent tools. None of them were any better as instruments than the EJ 89 or that first flare-tip Superspeed I had a decade ago. Oh, sure, I preferred the balance of this one or the look of that one or the weight of this head, but in the end, I got good shaves because I learned how to use the razor I had in my hand, not because I bought a different one.

Sometimes you read about these "pot metal" razors having QC issues, heads breaking off when one goes to rinse the razor or whatever. Maybe that happens. But I've used this thing with no particularly special care and have yet to get more than a couple of light scratches on it. It is simply an excellent tool for the job. Some expensive brushes feel better on the face, some look better, some build lather more readily. When it comes to DEs, other than a nicer handle, none of these seem to be improvements so much as they are variants.

Again, I don’t want to criticize anyone’s choices. Buy what you want and use what you like. Just to say, though, I think new guys in particular chase their tails enough trying every product out there instead of settling down. And now they can drop $300 on a DE “system” of interchangeable heads and handles only to find that they still have to shave themselves, and no razor can do it for them.

I may buy a backup of this Barley Chrome razor at some point, but I doubt it. I imagine it will last indefinitely. At some point I may replace it with my late grandfather’s Gillette slim adjustable, which was given to me when he died earlier this year. If I do, though, I’ll be replacing one quotidian razor with another, an ordinary piece of shave equipment made for everyman, and made to endure for a lifetime or longer. And I’ll keep getting great shaves.
Mike
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by CMur12 »

Mike, I agree with the one razor/one blade/one soap or cream approach, but I would start with a milder razor. I have enough experience at this point to know that a Merkur HD is much too aggressive for me, regardless of technique. (I believe I tried a Merkur razor with a fixed head early on and gave up on it very quickly.) I used a very mild Weishi and Gillette Tech for several years before moving on to razors that shaved a tiny bit closer (Mergress/Progress on lowest setting or Rockwell on plate 2).

- Murray
mikeny278 wrote: Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:01 pm Wholeheartedly agree with this post. Finally perfected my shaves when I started using the same razor for an extended amount of time, and that was with a Merkur HD. When I want to "change it up," I go to a Feather Popular. Have tried all kinds of razors, but when I started using one razor, one or two creams, and one blade type for an extended period of time it finally just all clicked. I suppose some experimenting at first was necessary, especially with razor blades, but my recommendation would be to pick one razor that is middle of the road (not mild, not aggressive) and just learn on it. When one gets irritation from a certain setup, instead of trying to find a milder or more efficient razor, or a sharper and smoother blade, sometimes you just need to get better with prep and technique, and/or let your face irritation subside before shaving again. I wish I followed this advice 10 years ago and tried some of the razors I did after I really knew how to shave with a DE. Looking back, some of the razors that did not work for me were probably not the razor's fault but my own! But now that the Merkur HD/Feather Popular work so well for me, I don't have much interest in all of these new (or old) razors...

TRBeck wrote: Fri Apr 13, 2018 5:47 pm As far as I can tell, I got my Edwin Jagger Barley Chrome razor in November 2011. Given missed shaves here and there, a dozen or so efforts with a straight, and a few dalliances with single-edge razors, I would estimate I've got about 1800 shaves on it. At the time, I paid south of $40 for this simple variant of the very basic "89" double-edge razor. I get a very clean, close cut with Personna Medical Prep blades, Polsliver Iridiums, and Gillette Silver Blues using this razor, even as some coarser hairs creep into my beard with age.

I have not been a big forum participant in recent years, and I guess while I was preoccupied with other things, boutique DEs (and, to a slightly lesser extent, SEs) sort of blew up. I see stainless this and titanium that everywhere I look, with prices well into the three-digit range. I don't want to criticize anyone's choices there, and I have tried a couple of them to see what the fuss was about. But for me, the general conclusion I came to after several shaves was, "Huh." Not bad, not great. Functional, felt good in the hand, worked fine, but...

I think it's easy when you're new to this hobby to get caught up in the bling of high-end brushes and fancy soaps and Penhaligon's. I know I did, and sometimes I still do. But man, the one thing I was told by dozens of guys here was to just get a good Superspeed or Merkur or Gilette Tech, learn some technique, and enjoy the shaves. And I did. I experimented with Red Tips (!) and Black Beauties (!!) and the Progess (!!!), and they are all excellent tools. None of them were any better as instruments than the EJ 89 or that first flare-tip Superspeed I had a decade ago. Oh, sure, I preferred the balance of this one or the look of that one or the weight of this head, but in the end, I got good shaves because I learned how to use the razor I had in my hand, not because I bought a different one.

Sometimes you read about these "pot metal" razors having QC issues, heads breaking off when one goes to rinse the razor or whatever. Maybe that happens. But I've used this thing with no particularly special care and have yet to get more than a couple of light scratches on it. It is simply an excellent tool for the job. Some expensive brushes feel better on the face, some look better, some build lather more readily. When it comes to DEs, other than a nicer handle, none of these seem to be improvements so much as they are variants.

Again, I don’t want to criticize anyone’s choices. Buy what you want and use what you like. Just to say, though, I think new guys in particular chase their tails enough trying every product out there instead of settling down. And now they can drop $300 on a DE “system” of interchangeable heads and handles only to find that they still have to shave themselves, and no razor can do it for them.

I may buy a backup of this Barley Chrome razor at some point, but I doubt it. I imagine it will last indefinitely. At some point I may replace it with my late grandfather’s Gillette slim adjustable, which was given to me when he died earlier this year. If I do, though, I’ll be replacing one quotidian razor with another, an ordinary piece of shave equipment made for everyman, and made to endure for a lifetime or longer. And I’ll keep getting great shaves.
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TRBeck
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by TRBeck »

Murray, I hear you. I actually have very fond memories of my Merkur 1904 and my old ball-end Tech. They shaved nicely, and I probably dialed in my technique better because of how mild the razors were. No relying on huge blade exposure to do the work. In all honesty, I could probably be getting great shaves with either of them right now, if perhaps just slightly less close than my preferred razor(s).
Regards,
Tim

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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by brothers »

Same here. If not for SMF I would still be perfectly happy with my old Schick Krona and the Wilkinson sword grocery store blades, not to mention the canned shaving cream. I would have remained oblivious, and never known the difference.
Gary

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CMur12
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by CMur12 »

TRBeck wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 8:10 am Murray, I hear you. I actually have very fond memories of my Merkur 1904 and my old ball-end Tech. They shaved nicely, and I probably dialed in my technique better because of how mild the razors were. No relying on huge blade exposure to do the work. In all honesty, I could probably be getting great shaves with either of them right now, if perhaps just slightly less close than my preferred razor(s).
Tim, I think an advantage of a really mild razor for learning is that, with the narrow blade gap, it either cuts (whiskers) or it doesn't. There is no risk of scraping. With more aggressive razors and the wider blade gap, if the angle isn't right, you risk scraping the skin (and not cutting whiskers). The correct blade angle is less obvious.

You could learn on either one, provided your skin is tough enough, but my skin has always been too sensitive for even a moderate razor (which is what I consider a Merkur with fixed head). The Edwin Jaggers are slightly to the mild side of moderate, in my opinion, but still too aggressive for me for regular use.

(Remember when we used to consider a Tech mild and a Super Speed moderate?)

- Murray
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by John Rose »

Fendrihan makes a number of razors with heads that greatly resemble the EJ / Muhle heads, priced at CAD$28 to $32.
They say that they have a "chrome plated brass head and handle", which is not bad for the price. It has to be an improvement over chrome-plated zamak. One reviewer said his felt similar to the EJ DE89 head.
Image
That one is the "Steeles" model.
The others have different handles but look like they have the same head, and are also named after streets in Toronto - "Bay", "Cannon", "Dixon".
Oh... I see now that they're much heavier than the EJs and Muhles.

I almost bought the "Steeles" model, but I was lured away by the faux ivory handle of the EJ DE87.
Which I take care not to drop.
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by John Rose »

CMur12 wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:11 pm[snip]
The Edwin Jaggers are slightly to the mild side of moderate, in my opinion, but still too aggressive for me for regular use.
[snip]
:-k
I think I know what you mean.
My EJ DE87 has comparatively little blade feel, yet it gives as close a shave as my more aggressive-feeling razors.
Because of the reduced blade feel, I'm also more likely to get careless with it and give myself a nick. #-o
I still like using it though.
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CMur12
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Re: In Praise of the Ordinary Razor

Post by CMur12 »

Hi John -

I think the EJ is a well designed, effective razor and a good value suited to the needs of most shavers. I used them for awhile and I think I have three of them, but I found other razors that were milder and better suited to my skin, while still shaving efficiently, so I moved on.

Now I use a Rockwell on plate 2 or, less frequently now, a Mergress on the lowest setting. These two razors meet my needs better than any other razor I have tried, and I have tried quite a few of them.

- Murray
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