I'm reading good things about the long handled razors, but I'm not sure which one I should try. The obvious choice seems to be the Merkur Classic Long Handle, but are there others I need to know about? Don't the Futur and Vision has long handles? Also, what's the real advantage?..... or is it a disadvantage for someone relatively inexperienced with a DE?
I like my Progress, but it sometimes seems a little small in my hand and I don't really feel like I have a lot of control of the blade angle for some reason. Probably just in my head.........along with the many, many voices
“When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves.” Viktor Frankl
I have the Merkur long handle, but I prefer the Gillette Super Adjustable, so that's what I'd recommend (you can get them on eBay at a reasonable price). I don't think the long handle is a disadvantage if you're inexperienced. It just changes the way you hold your razor, and the weight is distributed differently. I find that it fits my hands/fingers better. Definitely worth a try.
Nothing wrong with a long handle for a beginner. The advantage is either comfort for large hands, or just liking the feel of a longer handle. If you're concerned about beginner ease and safety, I wouldn't recommend Futur or Vision - but not because of the length of their handles.
Gillettes and regular Merkurs with long handles are safe bets. If you think you might like a long handle, chances are you will.
I started shaving with the Atra, which is a long handle. My first DE is a HD Classic. I thought I needed a long handle, so I traded for a Merkur Open Comb long handle, and bought numerous Gillette long handles. I still prefer the HD Classic or my Progress. IMO, for me, I prefer the thicker handles of the HD and Progress, vs. the longer thin handles.
Randy
"I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them." J. B. Books
The Gillette long handled razor with the pretty colors and stars can be fished out of the Bay pretty cheaply.
Give us the luxuries, and we will forgo the necessities.
Give a man a fire, he'll be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire, he'll be toasty for the rest of his life.
Dominic
Ichabod wrote:The Gillette long handled razor with the pretty colors and stars can be fished out of the Bay pretty cheaply.
The Lady Gillettes?
One thing I won't do is share my razors with any woman--even women of yesteryear. Our razors are used for entirely different (and, IMO, incompatible--as far as razors go anyway) body regions!
Ichabod wrote:The Gillette long handled razor with the pretty colors and stars can be fished out of the Bay pretty cheaply.
The Lady Gillettes?
One thing I won't do is share my razors with any woman--even women of yesteryear. Our razors are used for entirely different (and, IMO, incompatible--as far as razors go anyway) body regions!
I'm not sure if it's a lady, I prefer to think of it as a slut Gillette.
A good day for me is one during which my face spends more time close to the female areas you mention than to other men's faces...
Give us the luxuries, and we will forgo the necessities.
Give a man a fire, he'll be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire, he'll be toasty for the rest of his life.
Dominic
Quite a few Gentlemen (including myself) like the long black handled Gillette Super Adjustable - a long handled bar-guard Merkur is also a good option.
This razor on eBay is particularly nice : 6625524728
The gold long handled Super Adjustable is quite a rare razor (harder to find than a Toggle) because it was only produced for Christmas market of 1969 ..., so rare & a nice shaver.
John, next time you eye out a rare razor on ebay, PM me first, k?
Then after I have won it and get it home I can take some hi-res pics for the slack-jaws here on SMF to drool over. I don't want those animals bidding it up before I buy it.
I just got my gold long handled Gillette adjustable in the mail about an hour ago. It came in a lot and thankfully it went a bit cheaper than this razor usually goes for.
Red Bob, At 6'5 with large hands the long black handle John mentioned works great for me and they still come pretty cheap compared to some others out there. Richard too knows the firm closing (final turn) that the late 60's black handle offers.
Peter, We tried to get the English Shaving Company up in Sheffield to make one of these as an adjustable. They could not do it with that Merkur head. Seems like a nice family retailer though who were interested in the request.
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