Originally Posted by
DZEC
The difficulty with DE razors is that the attack angle of the blade and the amount of exposed cutting edge can vary ever so slightly from one plate or manufacturer to another and can make a huge difference in comfort and closeness of the shave.
The other variables are the blade you are using, the shave prep you do, the angle at which you hold the razor, the beard on your face and the shape(s) of your face. This of course is further complicated by how different blades work with different razors on different faces and whether the razor head is open or closed comb..
I suggest you get one of those razor blade sampler packs from one of the wet shaving vendors and see which blades work best for you with each razor. I used to swear by the Wilkinson stainless blades in my Merkur and Rockwell DEs, but now I favour the Gillete Super Blue blades. I guess playing with all the variables is part of the fun.
I only use my DE razors to shave my neck and much prefer a straight razor for my face to keep my beard lines true and I have found as you have that my straight razor shaves are much closer and last longer than shaves done with a DE.
I have nicked myself with a straight razor when I wasn’t paying close attention to what I was doing, but I have only really SLICED myself when using a safety razor in which I hadn’t properly seated the blade. That one involved a lot of blood and a long bandage.