Thread: I think I'm in trouble. Help with DE?

GILLETTE SLIM ADJUSTABLE RAZOR. Any thoughts as to what are good blades for this razor? I have apparently been bit by the DE bug and wanted to try it and sever all ties with the dreaded disposable razor! How do the settings work? 1-9? what is the softest and what is the closest. I am thinking I need to start on the gentlest setting and get technique down. Thoughts shaving family? I know this is a very ambiguous question and will get many different answers but all thoughts welcome for my DE newbie self!

Paul

Hello, Paul:

I have the Gillette slim adjustable and its rotund cousin, the Fatboy. A 2 or 3 setting usually works fine for me — and I have tree trunks for a beard, according to the noble Lynn. For blades in the two Gillettes, I use the Gillette 7 O'Clock "Sharp Edge," in the yellow pack, and the Personna "Red Pack."

Regards,

Obie

The best thing to do is get a blade sampler and try all the combinations to find the best fit for your razor.

As for the settings, many guys like to use their adjustables like a fixed head DE, that is stick to one setting. Personally I use what I have dubbed the "5-4-3 routine": Setting 5 for WTG, 4 for XTG and 3 for touch ups and ATG. Works like a charm

Originally Posted by Ryan82

The best thing to do is get a blade sampler and try all the combinations to find the best fit for your razor.

As for the settings, many guys like to use their adjustables like a fixed head DE, that is stick to one setting. Personally I use what I have dubbed the "5-4-3 routine": Setting 5 for WTG, 4 for XTG and 3 for touch ups and ATG. Works like a charm

Very interesting! My son straight shaves with a Henckles Friodur 8/8 but is looking at the military after graduation from High School next year! He'll no doubt need to use a DE until he is assigned a duty station!

Thanks for the input!

I have a few Slim Adjustables as well as the Fatboy, and some of the latter Super Adjustables in Gillette. One of the easiest on my face (notice it's "my" face) has been the Israeli Personna and also one I really never thought about until I tried it out the other day, a Super-Max Super Platinum blade from India. It gave me an outstanding close shave the other day with a new Merkur FUTUR razor and I've had remarkable results with it in the Gillette Adjustable 195 Fatboy. I set my Gillettes on about 7 and then drop down to about 3 on the other passes if needed. There is one guy, who has a blog, "Bruce On Shaving" and he uses 3 different razors for the 3 passes. He has an aggressive razor for the first pass, a middle of the road for the second pass, and a fairly mild shaver for any 3rd or subsequent passes to sort of "buff" the whiskers. With the Merkur, I did a 2 pass and it was so close and smooth I did not need the 3rd pass.

I would suggest the Israeli Personnas as they are generally found all over and at a decent price, along with Voskhod Teflon coated(Russian). The Voskhod (pronounced Voss Cod (like fish)), is a little tricky to find, and hopefully someone will just send you a blade or 3 to try. Really, setting at 5 should not be too much if you have no issues shaving with a straight. Don't press, go with your beard growth on the first pass, and let the lather soften the whiskers first for a minute or two. It may be the most softest smoothest shave you've ever had, as well as close. I dare say closer than any striaght that I have used.
I have shaved about 2 weeks now with nothing but different DE razors and an assortment of blades. I have not once, cut my self, nicked myself, nor even got a weeper using the DE. You should have no problems at all with good blades.

Keep your eye out at Dollar General stores as they sometimes have their DG double edge razor blades in the white blade holder for one buck. Look on the back and if there is a sticker that says "Blades made in Israel" you have the Israeli Personna blades for $1.00 for 5 of them.

Like any thing else a DE shave and the "right" blade are subject to the user and his ability to use the razor. The blade that works the best for me may be the worst for someone else. As suggested above, get yourself a blade sampler and have at it. I would suggest you use the whole pack of blades before trying another. I would further suggest you try one setting and stick with it for awhile. Trying to adjust to many things at once will get you no where fast. As your technique improves then you can start switching things up. One thing to remember, once you have gone through the sampler, go back to the first blade you tried and try it again. Often times people find that the first blade was not as bad as they had thought because again, your technique has improved.
Enjoy the shave.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

The best thing to do is get a blade sampler and try all the combinations to find the best fit for your razor.

As for the settings, many guys like to use their adjustables like a fixed head DE, that is stick to one setting. Personally I use what I have dubbed the "5-4-3 routine": Setting 5 for WTG, 4 for XTG and 3 for touch ups and ATG. Works like a charm

So the lower the number the less agressive the shave??? 1 being lots of stuble and 9 taking exfoliation to a new level? How will it compare to Str8's?

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Very interesting! My son straight shaves with a Henckles Friodur 8/8 but is looking at the military after graduation from High School next year! He'll no doubt need to use a DE until he is assigned a duty station!

Thanks for the input!

Granted I was enlisted and in basic in 85' and now an officer in a MUCH more gentle Army but I doubt in basic he will have time for more then just a quick warmish water shave with a disposable.. Sad but true.

Originally Posted by Str8Shooter

So the lower the number the less agressive the shave??? 1 being lots of stuble and 9 taking exfoliation to a new level? How will it compare to Str8's?

You got it. That's the beauty of adjustable DE's, they can be super mild or extremely aggressive. That's why I like the "5-4-3" approach; 5 is a good middle setting to take off a couple day's stubble with ease (you could always up the setting if more stubble removal is required), 4 is nice for XTG, and 3 is so smooth on the final pass that you won't even know you're shaving. This is with the right blade for your razor, of course....

How does this compare to a straight? That's a tough question. Other than the fact they can be both mild and aggressive at the same time, they provide different shaves. With a bit of practice DE's are quite easy to master. Sorry I can't be more specific than that.

Originally Posted by Str8Shooter

So the lower the number the less agressive the shave??? 1 being lots of stuble and 9 taking exfoliation to a new level? How will it compare to Str8's?


Granted I was enlisted and in basic in 85' and now an officer in a MUCH more gentle Army but I doubt in basic he will have time for more then just a quick warmish water shave with a disposable.. Sad but true.

Your correct, he will not have the luxury of time in basic but once he is assigned he will be good to go. I keep several of our servicemen supplied with blades, soap and ASB who are in Iraq now. They tell me that they even take their gear in their rucks when out on missions but really enjoy the shave when they get back into base.
I have pictures of the guys shaving in blown out compounds, pretty wild. One guy even sent me an Iraq DE razor he found. It is like a knock off of a Gillette Tech but really cheaply made.
Even they have been able to teach this old dog new tricks. One I never thought about was when in the hot climates, don't use a shave cream, it melts and renders it unusable.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

You got it. That's the beauty of adjustable DE's, they can be super mild or extremely aggressive. That's why I like the "5-4-3" approach; 5 is a good middle setting to take off a couple day's stubble with ease (you could always up the setting if more stubble removal is required), 4 is nice for XTG, and 3 is so smooth on the final pass that you won't even know you're shaving. This is with the right blade for your razor, of course....

How does this compare to a straight? That's a tough question. Other than the fact they can be both mild and aggressive at the same time, they provide different shaves. With a bit of practice DE's are quite easy to master. Sorry I can't be more specific than that.

Thanks Ryan