Best DE's for Newbies?

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...

I believe one of the trickier aspects of DEs is figuring out the right aggression level one prefers in a razor. Choosing that for someone else may be exceptionally difficult.

Many of the newer DE brands on the market now have a multitude of aggression levels available and that can make choices seem fairly difficult.

My recommendation is to look either for a vintage or a modern adjustable DE so that your friend can try out different aggression levels with just one razor. Once he finds his preferred level(s), he can then look at specific DEs that are comparable in aggression or just stick with the adjustable. Prices will vary, so checkout a few vendors and possibly eBay.

Cant go wrong with an Edwin Jagger DE89. One of the best modern designs of an old style DE. Not too aggressive.

I'd also say a modern or vintage adjustable for the same reasons as SemperFi mentioned in post #2. You just start at the lowest level of aggressiveness and slowly work your way up to a level that you are comfortable with. The only modern razor I have experience with that allows adjustability by changing base plates is the Rockwell 6C. I like aggressive DEs, Fat Boy @ 9, and use the Rockwell 6C with it's most aggressive base plate. It is a very smooth shaver even set up like that so I have no doubt at it's milder setting it would do well. It's not overly pricey either. Check the reviews of it out.

https://rockwellrazors.com/products/...razor-gunmetal

As far as danger to his kids go, they can get nasty cuts playing with a loaded DE or even just the blade if they are foolish enough to play with such things. They still have to be kept out of reach of kids.

Bob

Id say that if you want to spend a few bucks, a good starting razor is the EJ89 like was posted above. Its not real agressive. More a middle ground razor and the plating is well done. Step up from there and go with the Fatboy if you can find a nice one on ebay. Both of these are great choices but my all time favorite would be a Gillette Old. Great shavers and from days of old. Plus being made around the dates of our fathers or grandfathers is really cool.

Check out Meggards, and their de starter kit:DE Starter Kits | Product Categories | Maggard Razors Traditional Wet Shaving Products
I have one and so does my wife. Their house brand razors are solid. And later on you can buy a slant head or open comb that will fit the handle. Kits come with everything,even a sample pack of your choice of blades.

I like the Merkur 34C. It was my first after returning to DEs from cartridge and was very comfortable.

The choice of DE blade is also very important. I would not recommend a Feather for a newbie. Many online vendors offer a sampler of different DE blades so folks can find the one that combines best with their choice of razor and face/beard type.

I have a nasty scar on my finger from when I was a kid and decided to play with my dads injector razor and cartridge. Straight or DE they still have to be put safely away from children.

There are so many outfits making razors it's hard to recommend. You have feather and the Razorock lineup and the Merkur and the Edwin Jaeger and all the vintage Gillette pieces. We could go on and on.

Best bet is contact one of the on line retailers and discuss what you want with them. That way you will get the type of razor you want.

Thanks for the input, gentlemen. My initial approach is still going to be to give him a straight from my collection but at least I have a starting point if we need to start looking for a DE.

As far as the safety issue goes, we're all on the same page here. Anything with a blade can potentially bite a child and the realistic approach is to put those items out of easy reach and then teach the little ones to keep away from it. Of course all of this is easier said than done and no one tends to like it when their childless friends imply that you may be a bit overprotective. Being the childless friend in this equation, I admit that my razors live in a cabinet that is pretty much kid-height and I've been contemplating putting a lock on the room for those occasions when there are little ones visiting.

If you want to make your way into vintage, I would recommend a Gillette Fat Tech, 3 piece. I've given a few of these to friends who wanted to try DE shaving, and they really like them.They are plentiful, so not expensive. They shave mild and are great for figuring out the proper angle. Here's a pic of google of what they look like.

Attachment 285783

For a new razor, I'll recommend one that's already been suggested, and that's the Edwin Jagger DE89. Has a real nice weight to it, and the chrome finish is like nothing you've seen before. Mild shaver as well. Can't go wrong with either.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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...

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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!:rock:

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.