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Thread: Derby It isn't always the blade

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    Default Derby It isn't always the blade

    I think I just learned the lesson of proper face prep. This was my experience with Derby.
    1. I just used the Merkur blade that came with the razor. Day 2 I went to Derby. My technique and maybe lack of prep had me still at razor burn. I found it was better than Merkur but irritating. I now realize part of it was the severe irritation I was still having from bad technique and improper prep from Merkur.
    2. Try 2 was after I went through my sampler rotation and some I added. I found it even worse. It hardly cut the hair and my face was more cut up than I ever had with a straight. Maybe not. More numerous cuts but not as big the longer blade can do. Where I wasn't cut I had stratches. I hated the blade.
    I missed the tell tale sign. On taking out the blade my cream was caked on the blade. There was a large build up of cream behind the guard that did not wash off. The lesson my AOS cream is tricky sometimes. It can go on very thick and somehwat dry. In that stage it gives no protection. It might have been worse than no prep at all.
    3. Nice lather to the AOS cream it went on smooth and thin. The Derby blade wasn't bad. Nick free fairly close shave. Not my favorite but decent. I still had some irritation on my neck but the AS didn't burn like Hades and it didn't last for hours like the Merkur with very little prep.

    I think the lesson to me is soaking your brush, making sure you don't get too much cream, and making sure you have a good layer of protection of lather as oppossed to a gob of goop on your face is more important than the blade you use. Sometimes it isn't the blade and it isn't your technique. It is how you prepped your face. A bad face prep leads to a bad shave.

    That being said I have other blades that performed better under a bad face prep. Derby still isn't my favorite but it is not in the avoid it like the plague category it once was either.

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    Senior Member Mephisto's Avatar
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    I did not hate Derby, nor did I dislike the blade. I do not think I will get them again since Merkur(surprise) has become my fav so far. I do have some astra blades to check out.
    From their stillness came their non-action...Doing-nothing was accompanied by the feeling of satisfaction, anxieties and troubles find no place

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    Senior Member tiddle's Avatar
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    Prep is key, but I also found the derby blades kinda dull; they just pulled alot on my stiff stubble. I got much better shaves with no irritation when I switched to feathers and personna blue lab. YMMV as the saying goes.
    Mastering implies there is nothing more for you to learn of something... I prefer proficient enough to not totally screw it up.

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    Senior Member Chalito's Avatar
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    Prep is by far the most important part I find. I didn't dislike the Derbys, they were actually my first DE brand and I used them a lot. Since then I've become a big fan of Feathers and even a bigger fan of Astra SP and Gillette Silver Blues. Technique will always play a part, but face prep and beard softening is key.
    There is always a solution, whether it's already present or if you have to make it.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Getting the water ratio right when lathering a soap/cream is one of the keys to a close irritation free shave. Too thick might even be worse than too runny.

    Bob
    Life is a terminal illness in the end

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    The Hurdy Gurdy Man thebigspendur's Avatar
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    I've always felt this face prep thing is made more than it is. if you have some lube on your face you get a good shave. if you don't have that no other quality will matter. That's why you can shave using just water and get a good shave. Once you have a basic prep regimen which to me is a clean face and a soap with good lube properties you have the essentials. Everything else is just icing on the cake.

    Now I'm not recommending you should shave with water and I certainly appreciate a quality soap or cream but I'm just saying....
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    Quote Originally Posted by thebigspendur View Post
    I've always felt this face prep thing is made more than it is. if you have some lube on your face you get a good shave. if you don't have that no other quality will matter. That's why you can shave using just water and get a good shave. Once you have a basic prep regimen which to me is a clean face and a soap with good lube properties you have the essentials. Everything else is just icing on the cake.

    Now I'm not recommending you should shave with water and I certainly appreciate a quality soap or cream but I'm just saying....
    This certainly depends on your beard. If I prep well, it feels like I'm wiping the whiskers off my face as long as my blade is sharp. With poor or no prep I can't get a blade to cut no matter how sharp it is. For me, good prep is probably the most important part of getting a good shave.
    Last edited by feeltheburn; 07-27-2013 at 12:00 AM.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    It could be that you're using to much pressure? That would set my face on fire when I first started using a DE. Going over the same area over and over will do it too.
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    CHRIS

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    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Yea, with a DE use a light hand just as you would when using a straight.

    Bob
    Life is a terminal illness in the end

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    Senior Member Doryferon's Avatar
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    Derby is not a "bad" blade but compared to others does not shave so deep and does not last enough before start "pinching"
    I don't want a blade for 2 shaving only
    Mainly i use Open Comb so there is no room for such risk.

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