Advice on safety razors DE

• Advice on safety razors DE by _Dan_ on 15 Apr, 2017 21:43
• So having buzzed my hair for a long time, I recently tried a few full shaves with just a normal cartridge razor.  Tried a mach 3 and a fusion. Both seemed to do an alright job and it seemed some what smooth, seem to of avoided any burn/irritation but did get a bump on the side of my lower neck however ive alwasy been prone to bumps there.
  
  Im planning on keeping the fully shaved head but i realised that using a cartridge razor might end up quite expensive over time (may consider one of the monthly subscriptions shavekit here in the uk has decent reviews) - but from what i gathered the other and possibily better /cheaper option would be to use a safety razor
  
  I have 0 clue on what models are good for head shaving though, along with what blades to go with. I've tried searching around a bit to try get a general idea but some of the info is a bit old. From what i gather certain safety razors are more 'mild' where as others are more aggressive - being someone who's never used one, I don't really want to pick something up thats going to annihilate my scalp the first time i try to use it.
  
  So just wondering what peoples current opinions are on what a good safety razor for head shaving would be and what blades work well / any tips / products that may also help.
  Thanks
• #1 by BigJinTX on 16 Apr, 2017 06:06
• I use a safety razor on my face and head.  It's one of the few things that has "changed my life".  It's a learned skill; I'd suggest the forums at www.badgerandblade.com and youtube videos.  I learned a lot there before getting my first safety razor.  Also,  if you don't already,  get you some proper shave soap and a decent brush.   That protection makes a world of difference over the canned goop for me.  Good luck.
• #2 by Laser Man on 19 Apr, 2017 05:57
• I have a Merkur 33C which has a nice weight and feel to it. A DE will give a nice smooth shave if you take it slowly and carefully.  Cartridge razors are designed to keep the blades at good (safe) angle at all times.  With a DE, the angle depends on your hand, so it is far less forgiving, hence the need to take your time.
  
  As far as blades, there is a large variety available.  I've used Merkur, Wilkinson Sword, and Van Der Hagen and gotten good results with all three.
  
  Use any good gel or cream and you should have no problem.  Avoid the canned foams since you'll be shaving more slowly and they don't hold the moisture as well. 
• #3 by Conservator on 20 Apr, 2017 15:30
• When I first started shaving my head I used whatever DE, SE, or injector razor I used to shave my face.  I have over 20 different razors and I began to realize that switching that often was not the best thing for my head!  I then began to realize I was getting the best shaves when I was using an injector razor and now I have an injector I use on my head every day. 
  
  
  
  
• #4 by _Dan_ on 22 Apr, 2017 14:12
• yeah ive no idea what an injector razor even is....i'll have to look in to that
  
  thanks for the replies though
  
  i guess i was trying to see if the model of DE determined how forgiving it would be in terms of not slicing up my head for someone new to DE shaving. As i hear some reviewers on youtube mention how some DE's ar emore 'aggressive' which i figured related to how the blade was positioned in it and how precise you had to be whilst using it.
• #5 by jk7143 on 24 May, 2017 03:12
• I just started using DE safety razor for about a month now. After learning how to use it, I guarantee you it's the best shave ever. I use a muhle r89 twist with personna blue lab blades. It's a pretty mild razor compared to the R47. I have not tried any other razors, but I heard the murker 34c HD is also a good mild razor to start with. You have to take your time with safety razor and learn the angle where it cuts. Do not put to much pressure when shaving or you will cut yourself. I cut myself the first few shaves and was ready to call quits and go back to using the Mach 3. I cut a thin layer of skin of my head and was bleeding like crazy, lol. After watching videos and learning some technique I got the hang of it. It just takes time bro. Hope you find a good razor man. Enjoy shaving!
• #6 by jk7143 on 24 May, 2017 03:20
• Oh yeah, one more thing. What that gentlemen said, get yourself some soap and a decent brush. It really does help, brotha. That shaving cream or gel in a can stuff... it sucks. I never went back once I started using soap.
• #7 by Christian S on 01 Jun, 2017 15:11
• If you're looking for a great quality razor, but don't want to spend a lot (uncertain if you'll like it, etc...) check out Maggard Razors.
  http://www.maggardrazors.com/product-category/safety-razors/maggard-razors-safety-razors/
  
  Their MR1 is really popular and is pretty cheap.
  http://www.maggardrazors.com/product/maggard-razors-mr1-chrome-safety-razor/
• #8 by gwsmallwood on 02 Jun, 2017 10:18
• Injectors are a good option if you want something that still feels like a cartridge, although the DE blades are cheaper.  If you want to go the DE route, I highly recommend an adjustable.  Pick up a Parker Variant or a Merkur Progress and you'll be set.  Set it to 3 and leave it there for a month while you learn to shave with it.  After the first month is over, you can start adjusting it and see what works best.
• #9 by _Dan_ on 02 Jun, 2017 16:01
• I actually ended up  picking up the Merkur 34c as it seemed to have a good number of recommendations for someone just getting in to safety razor shaving
  
  only really had 2 chances to try it out so far and i guess as to be expected...didn't go great.
  Turns out i have 2 rather annoying moles that really do not seem to agree with DE razors...never had an issue with them before with my mach 3, but  the first shave with the DE nearly ripped them both off my head...so not the best of starts.  On the 'easy' areas of the head i actually found it qutie smooth, relatively easy to get a BBS finish, but on some of the more awkward spots i ended up picking up my mach 3 after i knicked myself again around my temple area.  The cuts were also pretty bad in terms of taking a while to heal up. 
  Second time round t hings went a bit better but i didnt risk it around the moles and just grabbed my mach 3, every where else i used the DE and only ended up with 1 minor cut.
  
  definitely a learning process. Chances are i was rushing a bit too much. Oh and the blade i used both time was a persona platinum i think, not sure how much of a role that played, it was just the first one out the sample pack that i chose.
  
  recently just been sticking with the mach 3 again as i've simply not had chance to have a shave where i could actually take my time, which i guess is the downside of DE shaving.  Where as even though im relatively new to shaving my head, with a mach 3 i can typically get it BBS in about 10 minutes.
  
  still will give the DE some more chances and myself more time to learn in the future.