Thread: DE Razor Opinion

For the money I think there are much better choices out there but as they say, YMMV. You may want to consider the Astra Superior Platinum or perhaps the Indian made Wilkinson blade (by Gillette). They are both middle of the road blades that would be appropriate for those new to DE shaving and, they are relatively inexpensive.

Originally Posted by Jeltz

Not tried one myself but I understand them to be OK (very mild) and cheap enough that if you don't like DE shaving then not a great loss.

Don't expect a great shave from one, for that you need to look at something with a bit more quality. I'm a fan of the Edwin Jagger DE89 and the Merkur 34C also has a great reputation.

I hope it’s okay to resuscitate an old thread. If this can help a new safety razor shaver, I would be very happy.

In my opinion, the OP should go directly to an Edwin Jagger DE89 instead of getting the Wilkinson razor. Let me explain why based on my one month with a DE. I initially bought the Wilkinson for the same reason many do: limit financial loss in case I don’t like shaving with a safety razor. It was a big step for the better compared to disposable twin blade razors, there’s no doubt about it. After a month, I decided to buy a DE89 with which I shaved last night. What a difference the razor made! A good analogy would be the Wilkinson being economy class and the DE89 being first class seat. No irritation at all.

Don’t get me wrong. I strongly believe that in the hands of experienced shavers, the Wilkinson razor can be a wonderful tool. But in the hands of a newbie, it can discourage the new shaver from taking the DE route. As newbies, we read everywhere that we should let the weight of the razor do all the work. Well, most of the weight of the Wilkinson razor is in the handle.Therefore, a bit of pressure is needed at times, which in the end can cause some irritation.

So my newbie advice to other newbies: make a better investment which you’ll not regret, buy a better razor as your first one. You don’t need to spend a ton of money either. The DE89 cost about $35 online in Canada.