Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Let's talk about single and double edged razors and the blades that they use.
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LatinShave
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Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:02 am

Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by LatinShave »

I've been using and loving a Merkur Progress for the last 10 years, until it recently just fell apart. When Merkur said there's nothing they can do, and it must be bad water quality that ruined the razor (? in a nordic country, and I clean the razor regularly and keep it stored dry), I was extremely disappointed.

It's an interesting world where 40+ year old Gillettes still work fine, and where my badger brushes will last longer than I will, yet a "high end" "German quality" etc etc razor falls apart after only 10 short years.

While I'd love to rant on about how poor their customer service appears to be, I'd rather find a new razor and move on.

I've used the Merkur 34C HD and Progress exclusively and never saw reason to change until now. The HD isn't aggressive or adjustable enough, but was great as my first DE. The Progress has been my favorite, but I don't want to buy a new one every 10 years. Call me old fashioned, I like quality.

What other options are out there that people recommend, that are built to last forever and offer quality workmanship? I don't mind paying a little bit extra for quality, as long as it isn't exorbitantly priced.

Normally I use Feather blades, Proraso, Musgo Real and Geo. F. Trumper soaps and after shave.

Looking forward to hearing people's suggestions!

Mr. LatinShave
Tucker
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by Tucker »

For $30=$60, I like the Fattip Gentile and the Muhle R-89. It's also hard to beat the EJ DE89 series. The Fattip is brass rather than zamack.

For $100 and above, I love the Rockwell 6s which has six plates that can change the aggression. I also am a fan of the Feather AS-D2 which I got on Amazon for around $150. I also like the West Coast Shaving CNC stainless razors which compare favorably with the Feather AS-D2.

Of the razors mentioned above, I would say get the Fattip Testina Gentile for around $35, or the Rockwell for around $100. Both should outlast you.
ShadowsDad
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by ShadowsDad »

Well, the solution to your question is in the narrative. Get a vintage Gillette. Or you can get a stainless steel razor. Sorry, I'm a Single Edge razor kind of guy and can't help beyond that.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
CMur12
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by CMur12 »

Mr LatinShave says he wants a razor more aggressive than the Merkur 34C HD, so that would rule out the Fattip Gentile, the Feather AS-D2, and most of the Muehles and Edwin Jaggers. I use mild razors, so I can't offer any advice about aggressive ones. I was disappointed by Gillette adjustables in the mid-range of settings, but I don't know if they are more effective at higher settings. The way the Gillette adjustment works is that it changes the angle of the blade to change the gap. This strikes me as far from ideal, and I'm guessing that there would be a limited part of the range that offers a good compromise between angle and gap. This design compromise is required by the TTO format of the razor, as the blade can't be raised or lowered without changing the blade geometry/angle.

My favorite razor is a Mergress (Merkur Progress with a custom metal knob at the base, at the lowest setting). This razor is a true adjustable, as it raises the whole head, maintaining a constant blade angle. I don't take it apart any more than I have to, as I fear the ring-spring could be subject to wear. Even so, if I had to replace it every ten years, I could live with that. I would certainly be paying more than that for soap, blades, and other shaving tools acquired for testing.

- Murray
ShadowsDad
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by ShadowsDad »

When I was using Gillette adjustables there wasn't a huge difference in finished shave quality between setting 5 and 9, but a huge difference in aggressive behavior of the razor.

LS, you might also explore SE razors. Like the old Gillettes they last a very long time and you can find as aggressive a razor as you can handle. Blade types are few, but the one that most folks use are really good. Maybe too good due to being extremely sharp when fresh. I put them in a milder SE for the first few shaves, until the edge is slightly refined. Then they go into any razor. It's easy to get 10 shaves with a blade and it's not at all unusual for me to get over 30. If you need more info' let me know.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
LatinShave
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Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:02 am

Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by LatinShave »

Thanks,

I considered SE razors, but dismissed them due to the difficulty of finding blades easily. Often when traveling TSA will remove any blades I have, but I can always pick up spares at any pharmacy or drug store. SE makes that much more difficult.

I would like to try a real straight razor someday, but not today.

So for now, I'm thinking DE is the way to go. It doesn't need to be super aggressive (I have a light beard and my skin isn't excessively tough), but I have found the 34C HD to be a bit too easy going. I had at one point considered trying a slant bar, but this poor customer service experience has pretty much turned me off to Merkur completely.

José
ben-blade
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by ben-blade »

The Original Phoenix DOC Safety Razor - https://phoenixartisanaccoutrements.com ... fety-razor
BestMensShaver
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by BestMensShaver »

What about an Above The Tie? Made from stainless steel and different levels of aggressiveness.

They are pricey though.
brothers
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by brothers »

I respectfully suggest you locate a Gillette Super Adjustable (comes in both long and short handles). They occasionally show up on the forums and ebay. They're all around 40 years old now, and I have found they are very comfortable when you identify which setting is best for your particular beard. I also suggest an older (mid 1950's) British made Ranger HD. These are outstanding examples of classic Gillette razors and are still available to those who might search for one. They are TTO and are not adjustable. The above are my two favorite Gillette razors based on build quality and quality of the shave.
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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blantyre
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by blantyre »

Cheap and easily available in good condition, rather mild but does a great job: Schick Krona
Mid price need to search a while on eBay moderately aggressive: Gillette Bostonian
Expensive, stainless, aggressive and amazing looking: PAA DOC Evolution (not the cast alloy version!), preferably paired with a Stirling Fort Worth handle.
Rick
LatinShave
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by LatinShave »

Problem solved. Big thanks to Timeless who's BYOR razor recently arrived and gave its inauguration shave this morning. It's a work of art/thing of beauty, depending on your pov. The handle is much too long for my taste, but I'm not going to complain, I'll just hold it further up the handle. The finish is excellent, the shave was very good, better than the 34C, but being new I didn't push it, just did two passes to see how things looked. With 3 passes I can get BBS using the Merkur, 2 passes this morning with the Timeless was pretty close. Even though the blade gap is "medium", it feels like there's no blade at all there, it's exceptionally smooth!

I'll need some time to dial it in and find the optimal angle for my face. One interesting detail is that it makes a quite audible sound when shaving, you can hear the whiskers being cut.

It was basically a few dollars cheaper than ATT, the others I considered didn't have anything in stock or available (Wolfman, Charcoal), and the reviews seem very good. At some point once the sticker shock has subsided (like 10 years from now, lol), I might splurge and get a shorter handle, it's really too long. I'm still curious about slant bars, and might at some point try one of those out too.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and help.

Jesus
brothers
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by brothers »

From what I've seen, the Timeless is a beautiful razor. I haven't used one, but I am happy to hear that it delivers you a great shave. That's what counts!
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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Brutus
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by Brutus »

If you are looking for a more aggressive razor, I suggest the Mühle R41 open (Mühle calls it technically more correct "tooth") comb razors. The basic model is the R41 that has been widely discussed, but you can buy other variants with different handles that all have a their own part number.

Much has been said about Zamak, but IMO Zamak has its place and the durability of Zamak products depends largely on quality control during manufacture (casting).
And in that respect, I never had any complaints buying Mühle products.

The agressiveness of the Mühle tooth/open comb has often been exaggerated; in its current form I find it an extremely capable razor that is my go-to razor if I am not using a straight. The difference in outcome between shaves is minimal and the Mühle gives any straight razor a good run for its money.
If you should find it too agressive, or like to experiment, Mühle even offers closed comb heads as separate parts on their website.


B.
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.

Bertrand Russell
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desertbadger
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by desertbadger »

Like Rick said, the Schick Krona. They shave nice and get the job done.

Regards,
David
Regards,
David
jar
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by jar »

Start from the left and work to the right. The first six should meet your current desires. The next six will come later.

Fat Boy, Slim Adjustable, Black Beauty, BB Long Handle, Adjustable Aristocrat, Aristocrat:
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brothers
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by brothers »

Nice lineup of classic Gillettes, for sure. Did you make the rack?
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
jar
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by jar »

brothers wrote:Nice lineup of classic Gillettes, for sure. Did you make the rack?
No. It's a cheap wood test tube rack that I spray painted white. I love test tube racks for razors. They are inexpensive, designed to hold things without scratching and available in just about any configuration or material imaginable. Here is a two level compact clear plastic one.

Image
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Cliff
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Re: Suggest a good solid quality DE razor

Post by Cliff »

Timeless.
"Everything that can be invented, has been invented."
-Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.
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