Caporegime
Yes I meant straight razor sorry my apologies.
I do have a beard trimmer but only use it for trimming.
I do have a beard trimmer but only use it for trimming.
Soldato
You won't get a remotely decent straight razor for £50 and it's not the right tool you're after anyway
That's basically the opposite of a straight razor, a straight is hard to handle, very likely to hack you to bits, and requires infinitely more maintenance than any other sort of razor!
I am bearded too at the moment, I use my DE razor for the neckline and I use tweezers to pluck the hairs to maintain my cheek line. Reason is that I'm always paranoid that I'll take too much off the cheek, plucking allows extra control and consideration over each hair. Worth the pain as it only needs doing every 10 days or so.
That's basically the opposite of a straight razor, a straight is hard to handle, very likely to hack you to bits, and requires infinitely more maintenance than any other sort of razor!
I am bearded too at the moment, I use my DE razor for the neckline and I use tweezers to pluck the hairs to maintain my cheek line. Reason is that I'm always paranoid that I'll take too much off the cheek, plucking allows extra control and consideration over each hair. Worth the pain as it only needs doing every 10 days or so.
Soldato
You can also buy half blades so that you don't have to snap them. The other reason that this is useful is that it's nice to use the paper the new blades came in to wrap the old blades before they go in the bin, but this isn't possible if you're still using the paper.
Some here.
I love using a straight edge razor, though more often than not I use the safety razor as it's just nicer. That's for trimming around my beard.
Soldato
Never tried a cut throat myself, but I use a DE razor and that's pretty good at keeping lines - I also have a bag of old classic Rolls Razors, which I've yet to get around to putting on eBay - though I couldn't get the knack of those!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pack-cuchi...1513006196&sr=8-3&keywords=derby+razor+blades
These are the ones I got (£4.99 now) and I did say you could snap the DE blades in half.
I got a metal can money box from cheap shop for a pound to put my old blades in, had it for 4+ years and still not even half filled it.
These are the ones I got (£4.99 now) and I did say you could snap the DE blades in half.
I got a metal can money box from cheap shop for a pound to put my old blades in, had it for 4+ years and still not even half filled it.
Soldato
I think if you are careful you'll get use to a cut throat pretty quickly so long as you pre-scrub, use shaving foam and most importantly use a sharp edge.
Don't bother with a £50 proper razor and get a disposable to start. Cheep and cheerful. I started on that and went on to buy myself quite a nice one and didn't use it for a while because keeping a honed blade was a bit of effort at the start. Keeping a straight edge honed is harder than the actual shave as a beginner imo, as they rarely ever come shave ready and require some taking it to a sanding block and then finishing on the strop when you first get them, with the odd touch up on the strop every few shaves. Whether you go disposable or not, a bit of Johnsons babyoil on the blade after use stops it rusting after your done with it.
I've never used a double edge safety razor, so i can't comment on that. I will say that no electric razor has come close to the clean shave i get from any manual razor and that i would choose a sharp, cheap disposable blade over a poorly maintained blade any day. A blunt blades make for much harder shaves with far more cuts. I use my razor mainly to maintain a clean neck and sharp, defined line around my jaw.
Don't bother with a £50 proper razor and get a disposable to start. Cheep and cheerful. I started on that and went on to buy myself quite a nice one and didn't use it for a while because keeping a honed blade was a bit of effort at the start. Keeping a straight edge honed is harder than the actual shave as a beginner imo, as they rarely ever come shave ready and require some taking it to a sanding block and then finishing on the strop when you first get them, with the odd touch up on the strop every few shaves. Whether you go disposable or not, a bit of Johnsons babyoil on the blade after use stops it rusting after your done with it.
I've never used a double edge safety razor, so i can't comment on that. I will say that no electric razor has come close to the clean shave i get from any manual razor and that i would choose a sharp, cheap disposable blade over a poorly maintained blade any day. A blunt blades make for much harder shaves with far more cuts. I use my razor mainly to maintain a clean neck and sharp, defined line around my jaw.
Caporegime
Cheers all, yeh I think I’ll probab give the straight razor a miss. I’m going to go for the DE razor, one of the Merkur ones as they seem to be highly regarded??
After reading some more, it seems I was after a shavette, which you can change the blades out on. Ain’t got time for a straight razor which involves stropping and honing lol.
But even the shavette seems a bit too dangerous for me so DE razor it is.
After reading some more, it seems I was after a shavette, which you can change the blades out on. Ain’t got time for a straight razor which involves stropping and honing lol.
But even the shavette seems a bit too dangerous for me so DE razor it is.
Associate
I'd stick with the mach3 If I were you.
I had a cut throat razor not long after I started shaving, I used it for about a week after which I lost my bottle & gave it to my barber, iirc I liked my throat too much.
I had a cut throat razor not long after I started shaving, I used it for about a week after which I lost my bottle & gave it to my barber, iirc I liked my throat too much.
Caporegime
My Grandad has used a cut-throat for decades, I watched him shave a couple of times when I was younger. The speed he did it at was ludicrous. 
Associate
My Grandad has used a cut-throat for decades, I watched him shave a couple of times when I was younger. The speed he did it at was ludicrous.
Was is throat covered in bits of paper when he finished, mine was.
Caporegime
for a beginner DE shaver I can thoroughly reccomend the Edwin Jagger DE89. Ive had mine for nearly a year and only used about 15 blades in that time (Feather platinum blades I dont shave every day though).
I've had no issues with and not cut myself so far either. I also used to find cheap disposables gave me shaving rash but a DE razor with a good sharp blade that costs a fraction of the branded disposables and gives a great shave.
I've had no issues with and not cut myself so far either. I also used to find cheap disposables gave me shaving rash but a DE razor with a good sharp blade that costs a fraction of the branded disposables and gives a great shave.
While not cheap Wilkinsons Sword Hydro 5 has been a massive improvement over like the Mach 3, etc. for me and give 95% of the quality of a good proper time taken with skill DE/Shavette shave in considerably less time and can handle longer hair growth no problem.
Associate
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Can anyone comment on whether a DE or cut-throat or shavette helps with shaving rash? I can't use normal disposable razor's because my face is in agony for days.
Largely it comes down to technique and skiin type - the gel or foam, etc. you use can have massive implications as well.
IMO a DE takes more skill (and probably time) than a disposable to get an irritation free result but is capable of less irritation than a cheap disposable.
Associate
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Ta! I've used traditional soap you make a lather from & gel, both tend to be bad. Maybe I just have sensitive skin. I ask as I wondered if it might be the number of blades they have, as with each pass over it's giving more irritation.
I think I do have a DE somewhere so might try and find it and give it a go.
Might only work for me but the least irritation I've ever got from shaving:
Gillette Fusion Proglide gel - I usually work some into my beard area, etc. in the shower beforehand to help soften up any hair growth then redo when I'm about to shave.
Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5 - I usually have the somewhat useless gel flap pushed back for maximum control
When I'm done with the shave either an Alum block or alcohol based aftershave
Finish up with a moisturiser if using alcohol based stuff i.e. Dove Men Care Post Shave Balm or can just use it anyhow to held reduce any irritation.
I've got great low irritation results from use a DE and even cut throat but it takes so much more time to get the same results I get with the Hydro 5.
Soldato
If your razor is sharp, i would say skin irritation is almost always down to how prepared your skin is prior to shaving. Some peoples skin is far more irritable than others and some days are certainly worse than others but usually good preparation prior to taking the edge can minimize irritation and cuts.Facial scrubs with hot water and hot showers just before lathering and shaving can make all the difference.
I've used oil, gel and foam and found oil to be the best without prep work but after a shower/scrub and hot water, foam or gel.
I've used oil, gel and foam and found oil to be the best without prep work but after a shower/scrub and hot water, foam or gel.