Couple months in as DE newbie - Thoughts so far
Having had a couple of months now to settle in with DE shaving I'm starting to know and understand the differences among razors and blades. On blades, among ones I've used thus far here is how I personally rank them in order of preference for performance:
1. Gillette Silver Blue - Good and sharp without being hyper-sharp. Gives nice 2-pass shave. Seems to be useable 3-4 times before changing.
2. Wilkinson Sword - sharp enough to do job OK but not great. Pulls beard if more than 3-4 day growth. Dulls quickly, 2 uses max.
3. Derby - For me, only decent and even only for a single use. Have to repeat over same areas multiple times and commit too much pressure to get close shave.
4. Astra - Freebies that came with two razors I purchased. Did not like at all. Pulled the skin, only blade that gave my face irritation.
The two razors I've been using are a Muhle R89 and Merkur 33c.
Muhle - Really a beautiful piece! Gorgeous finish and jeweled handle. Nice substantial handle and a bit longer than the standard stubby while not as long as a "long handle" model. For my paws that small bit of extra real estate in the handle make a world of difference in comfort. It just seems easier for me to have a comfortable, firm grip on the razor and don't struggle to keep it in my hands.
I'm still a newb but the Muhle R89 seems to be a very mildly aggressive head design and a bit pressure is needed to really get a close shave. Under the nose is a bit tough with that head design but I suspect many DE razors are the same. On aggressiveness, again..very mild. I literally have not shed a drop of blood using the Muhle even with my very first foray into DE shaving. For those who have zero experience in wet shaving with any type of razor I'd say the Muhle R89 is a really good choice to start with. While I absolutely love the look and feel of it I'm already starting to feel I need something with a bit more bite.
Merkur 33C - Tiny handle, not very comfy for my paws. Nice finish, though nowhere near that of the Muhle and considering I got the Muhle during the Thanksgiving week sales for about $10 more than the Merkur I am even more in love with the look of the Muhle. Shaving is what its about though when we are talking razors and the Merkur 33C outshines the Muhle R89. It seems to be just enough more aggressive so as to give a closer shave with fewer passes over the same area. It just seems to have a slightly different angle with more surface area making contact. Head design is about the same, maybe just slightly easier under the nose although the tiny handle of this particular Merkur is a real impediment for me and I am constantly re-positioning it in my hand and trying not to drop it. I imagine the larger Barber Pole version of the Merkur would be much more comfortable for me.
All my experience and observations with the blades and two different razors were done using the same green tube Proraso shave cream lathered up with the same Pure Badger brush. Also, I only shave 3x a week so when I do I've got some growth to cut through so that certainly affects the longevity of the blades I used.
I probably won't even bother using the rest of the Derby and Astra blades I have (not many) because I simply do not like using them. I'll finish up the Wilkinson Sword and Silver Blues and next try the seemingly much heralded Feather blades and also the 7 O'Clock. Unless the Feather blades make a significant difference I think an open comb DE razor or some other known more aggressive DE model may be in my near future.
Regards and Happy New Year!
Natty
