Thread: Best DE's for Newbies?

I've heard good things from the PAA Double-open comb. It is not an aggressive razor though.
Also, there is a clone of old gilette models called the Razorock OLD type that is apparently really good.

Personally, I'm using a Futur clone, the MingShi 2000s. Its OK, but nothing that makes me feel like suggesting it to others.

Aloha!

Edwin Jagger DE-89 or Merkur 34c.

Game, set and match for a noob.

Both of these have small blade reveals that yield a very mild shave. Even if the noob presses a bit with a moderate blade installed, he/she will be OK and should escape razor burn and come away with little or no nicks or cuts.
You can even put Feather blades in these and with a minimal amount of care, get an astounding shave even if you have limited DE experience. They are very forgiving razors.

I still use them (I have both) for my Feather, SuperMax Titanium and Bolzano blades. No razor burn and a super BBS shave every time.

-Zip

I started with 34C which was great and mild, but if I had to do it all over again I would say go with a Rockwell 6c. And as far as young kids go which I have 2 and razors I keep mine out of reach and it’s all good. You have to be willing to take the extra effort to secure items like razors, knives and guns.

Originally Posted by lslick23

I started with 34C which was great and mild, but if I had to do it all over again I would say go with a Rockwell 6c. And as far as young kids go which I have 2 and razors I keep mine out of reach and it’s all good. You have to be willing to take the extra effort to secure items like razors, knives and guns.

I too started with a Merkur 34C and still use it as part of my rotation (started 10 years ago) its agresiveness is what I would call medium, but paired with a mild blade (like the green astra) makes it a winning combo.

Now, if you're willing to wait, (and I hope I don't hurt feelings here) you could buy a Ming Shi razor, it's a chinese Merkur Futur clone. Don't be fooled by the price, it's a great adjustable razor and feels good on the hand.I

Red gillette, green astra and Derby have been my favourite blades but maybe it's best if you get him a mix pack and let him find which brand he likes the most

The three piece Gillette Tech in the post above is good.

For a new razor, I would recommend a Merkur 38HD or a Merkur 34C. Someone mentioned the 34C. The 38HD is the head as the 34C with a thicker longer handle. I like the extra weight.

I also like to comments about not providing the Feather blades. I really like the Gillette Platinums.

I've read the posts and agree, no matter which DE he starts with there will be a learning curve. I started with a Merkur 34C many years ago. Relatively mild on the aggression scale but when learning I still had my share of cuts. Now I use a SR exclusively, and just use the 34C for clean up here and there. I've been using Feather blades for years and really like them. For a new shaver I guess best advice I'd give is start slow. No matter what DE you start with you have to be careful until you figure it out. As far as kids and razors, I see this the same way I see my firearms. Have to be locked up and safe, that's a part of responsible ownership. I'd be interested to hear how he's doing and what he started with.

Originally Posted by GreenRipper

So, to set this up, I have a close friend in whom I've developed an interest in traditional wet shaving. While he has shown some interest in trying a straight razor he's more than a bit worried about his young sons gaining access to it and injuring themselves. I'm currently putting together a "starter kit" for him and while I'm going to give him a vintage straight I'm afraid that he's going balk at this "danger" to his children.

All of that said, I'm already considering a fallback in the form of a safety razor. The only real problem here is that I switched to a straight directly from a cartridge so my knowledge of DE's and SE's is minimal. Thus I come, once again, to beg opinions from the community. What models would you recommend for someone new to DE's and wet shaving? The primary parameters here are that the razor be relatively inexpensive, readily available and a good choice for a newbie.

I do know enough that if I am forced to invest in a DE for him I will also be looking for a variety pack of blades so that he can attempt to find the combination that best works for him.

Maybe I'll get lucky and he'll take to straights like a duck to water...

You beat me to it! I was going to ask the same question for my son. He's a 20 year old corporal in the Marine Corp at Camp Pendleton. The price of Fusion razors even at the px let alone off camp is really chapping his ass! He has watched me with a straight and likes that idea but I wonder about the time factor 16 hour days are normal for him as armory master.
I have a small collection of straights no safety's. I'm thinking this would be the time for both of us to get one, Merkur looks attractive to me as well as Edwin's razors. I'm also one who jumped from Mach III to straight.
So thanks for the input guys, we'll see which way we both jump!

I believe one should not begin with an adjustable DE, as there are too many temptations to keep trying different levels and never really learning the razor at all. The Edwin Jagger 89 and Merkur 34c are generally agreed to be the best starter DEs because they are good quality and mild razors.

However, if price is an issue, I would recommend a Parker or else a a vintage Gillette Tech. The Parkers are quite well made, although I don’t know what model would be a good mild option (I have an open comb that is quite aggressive). Techs tend to be easy to find and cheap, however your friend would need a bit of guidance in knowing what to look for in a used razor.

After that, as many others have already stated, the blades need to be tried to find out what works best for the particular razor/skin/beard combination. A sampler pack is the best option.