Thread: First DE shave a success

Finally got to try my first DE shave in over 30 years since when I was about 19 or so (and it ended badly). Out came the shiny new Muhle R89, fitted it with a Gillette Silver Blue blade, lathered up nice and hot with Proraso green and first pass, with some trepidation, got through without a mark . Lathered up again for second pass, even smoother and again, no issues. So two full passes, not even a scratch and as smooth as a babies bottom.

That's it, I'll never return to cartridge shavers again! It really was easier than I thought it would be, just needed to go slowly the first time and be sure not to exert too much pressure but it was smooth sailing after only a minute or two of getting the hang of it.

Thanks to all for previous suggestions, comments, etc. It all helped .

Natty

Grats man! Feels good when everything clicks together and you get a nice clean shave with no burn. Kinda like the first time you manage to really send a ball sailing at the driving range. Biggest hurdles now are overconfidence and complacency. They'll sneak up really quick if your not careful

Edit: how did you like that Muhle? Was it aggressive enough for you to avoid much touchup?

Originally Posted by KenWeir

Grats man! Feels good when everything clicks together and you get a nice clean shave with no burn. Kinda like the first time you manage to really send a ball sailing at the driving range. Biggest hurdles now are overconfidence and complacency. They'll sneak up really quick if your not careful

Edit: how did you like that Muhle? Was it aggressive enough for you to avoid much touchup?

Sound advice re: overconfidence and complacency. Duly noted!

Being an absolute newb to this I am reluctant to give an impression much more than a visual and "feel in hand" for the razor. I don't have anything else to compare to except the custom Trac II handle and cartridges I've been using for the last 25 years. Having said that, the Muhle certainly felt sturdy in hand, more so than the Merkur 33C I originally ordered. The handle is thicker and just a tad longer than the Merkur which suits my somewhat large paws. As for aggressiveness..hard to quantify where other DE Safety Razors are concerned since thjis is the only one I've used. I picked the Muhle (and Merkur) based on many reviews of it being moderately aggressive and a popular choice for new DE users. I can say, it did the trick just fine and with the Silver Blue blades I felt no grabbing/pulling or irritation and that was with a 3 day growth. I tried to test the limit a bit a few times with applying slightly more pressure and changing the angles to get more of a bite and it was very forgiving. I was very concerned under the nose and around the chin but got through it without issue despite tilting, canting and using corners of the razor. So I'm going to guess it isn't a very aggressive head design but after two passes I ended up with a smooth face and no blood drawn so I'll take that every time. LOL It may not be up to the level of more experienced users, certainly not those who are used to straight razors.

I had a chance to get the Muhle for the same price as the Merkur on a pre-Black Friday deal so I jumped at it and glad I did. I am now planning on gifting the unused Merkur, along with a Proraso selection to my dad.

Natty

Once the technique & muscle memory are down pat you'll have a better idea what you like/want. Sometimes changing the blade brand can make or break a good shave so I'm glad you started on one that works well for you. Same for lathering up for that matter. When I was getting ready to start with straights I practiced lathering up about a dozen times before touching razor to face. Our water is fairly hard so it took a little practice before I got a decent lather.

Originally Posted by KenWeir

Once the technique & muscle memory are down pat you'll have a better idea what you like/want. Sometimes changing the blade brand can make or break a good shave so I'm glad you started on one that works well for you. Same for lathering up for that matter. When I was getting ready to start with straights I practiced lathering up about a dozen times before touching razor to face. Our water is fairly hard so it took a little practice before I got a decent lather.

I would imagine water hardness would make a significant difference in feel and without a doubt lathering ability. I live in a rocky, mountainous area so we have both a PH neutralizer and softener so our water is really silky, almost slippery soft and neutral PH.

I fully expect that not every shave, especially in these first few weeks, is going to go as smoothly as it did today. I'm OK with that, and have to build that muscle memory and technique you spoke of.

OT - Just got back from Bed Bath and Beyond with the wife...had a 20% off entire purchase email coupon. Cleaned them out of Wilkinson Sword blades (only had four 5-packs left), got some Aqua Velva Ice Blue (cheap dime store stuff but oh how I really like it), and an EJ Badger brush with stand to give to my dad.

I had no idea bed bath & beyond sold wet shaving stuff. To be honest I've never actually been inside one.

2 for 2 . Second have with the Muhle and no blood drawn, no irritation.