Thread: 1st DE for a 17 year old

I use a Merkur HD with short handle. I love it. It is a fixed head razor but is quite forgiving... And more friendly with the wallet than others.

DEs? Electric? What's going on up there? It's positively un-Australian. Hirlau, make sure you send it via airmail, because we've stopped the boats.

James.

The oldest is sooooooo busy in his life he doesn't have time to get a decent shave in, his girl got the electric now there is no hope for him LOL
The youngest is a bit more open to wet shaving but at once a week max doesn't think,he has the fine motive skills to wield a str8 but I am trying to steer him right early towards the best shaves he can have.

That's OK Substance - there's nothing wrong with a young man shaving his wild oats as it were. We've all been there, and now we are all here, so there's definitely hope.

James.

Something heavy is a good starter. Prevents the user from applying pressure to their face with the razor. Weight promotes good technique and a steady angle with a straight draw. Plus, if I know teenagers, they will be in a rush hand the time. Heavier models are mor forgiving. If you are going to buy new look for models marked as heavyweight.

Gillette Tech gets my vote. Mild yet with a good blade like a Personna lab or Polsilver SI it's very efficient. Plus there an absolute abundance of them so they can be had cheap.

Originally Posted by Wayne1963

Jumping away from the vintage theme of this thread, the mildest yet still very effective razors I know of are the Edwin Jagger DE89 and the Merkur Progress. Just my 2c.

I'd second the EJ DE89. They have the fine fit-and-finish aesthetics that would make anyone proud to own it and, perhaps, encourage sticking with it. It's an overall good razor with good balance.

On the other side, staying new, I'd also say a Lord L6 gives me a shave on-par with the EJDE89 but fit-and-finish is reflected in its much lower price. It's my travel razor.

Originally Posted by Substance

The oldest is sooooooo busy in his life he doesn't have time to get a decent shave in, his girl got the electric now there is no hope for him LOL

Originally Posted by Substance

The youngest is a bit more open to wet shaving but at once a week max doesn't think,he has the fine motive skills to wield a str8 but I am trying to steer him right early towards the best shaves he can have.

I think that's ok. It's a good time to get him a safety razor (I think a Str8 might be too advanced for him, heck I have troubles handling my shavette... on the other hand, I am not known for being carefull with sharp objects haha)

I am thinking, if the GF of the older one gave him an electric razor, that means she likes him when he shaves. In my short experience with women, when a girl likes his man shaved, she loves it when he shaves old style. Maybe that serves as an incentive?

I think she just likes the patches evened out more than anything LOL
I've gotta give him some credit, he has managed to get the gappy dirt stain on his top lip to grow out & is hoping it will continue into some handle bars
it has been over 18 months or so far & holding strong for what looks like a couple of months growth at about 1/2" LOL

I would recommend a Gillette Slim. They sell for less than Fatboy. He can dial in more aggressiveness as his experience level grows.