+1 on that. I would look for a Fat Boy or better yet for the price a slim adjustable. I have had the others you mention and IMO there is no comparison to a Gillette adjustable with a good blade.
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Thankoyou for all the replys guys, certainly food for thought.
I haven't given up using the straights, not by a long shot its just that my wife has been I'll and in between looking after her, going to work and taking care of an 18 month old monster I just haven't had the time or energy to relax and enjoy a straight shave :(
It normally takes me about an hour for a straight shave but with the DE I can have a decent shave in about 20 mins, at the sink with a nice warm lather in the scuttle :)
At the moment I think I'm fairly set on the muhle r41, working on the theory if I need to be really quick or just can't be bothers I can use the Gillette tech; which to be honest does work well for me and unless you are complete idiot seems quite difficult to actually cut yourself ! If on the other hand if a have a bit more time but not enough for a straight shave I can grab the R41 and have something (from what I have read) that comes close to my true love......the straight shave :D
Well that's my thinking at the moment anyway!
I would recommend a Maggard razor. They are much more aggressive than a Tech, but not so aggressive that you might have problems adjusting to the difference. They are based on an EJ or Merkur, but the general consensus is that they are a bit more aggressive. Mine is a wonderful shaver, at a decent price point.
Some of these razors are much more aggressive than the Tech... maybe just go up one step more aggressive than the Tech and still not cut yourself up. Something like a Gillette 40s style SuperSpeed are more aggressive but still not likely to cut you up
Agree with the super speed--the 40's style was made up to third quarter (if I recall correctly) '54 and can be had for very little. They were made to last. Just make sure the doors open correctly.
Your choices for your second razor are a BIG leap in aggressiveness compared to the Tech. I advise a middle of the road razor, namely the Edwin Jagger DE89. It is mild without being wimpy. I can get just as close with it as I can with my Merkur Slant, albeit with just a tad more work. I don't own one, but from what I've read, the Merkur HD is a great medium aggressive razor also.
A Gillette Tech is one of my regular razors - mild, but a nice shave.
I got a Merkur 37c. Was a bit worried the first time, but with due respect, definitely a closer shave and no blood transfusion required.
Would not try an against-the-grain pass for a good while - or maybe not ever with a slant.