Thread: SR shavers needs advice for a DE

I've been De shaving for 18 months now and straight shaving for about a month. My DE still gives me a closer shave but that's probably just down to my technique with a straight. I'm at the point of giving up (again!) on straights as the results are so hit and miss. I've tried most DEs from Fatboys, slim adjustables, red tips, rockets to the modern DE89, Meuhle 41 etc. The only one I've kept and use every day is a Mergress, basically a pimped Merkur Progress adjustable. I went through a load of different blades and only recently found that a Shark stainless steel blade from egypt worked best for me. With a De you can vary the angle to suit yourself. I find it more manoeuvrable and shaving against the grain on tough stubble under my chin is a breeze with the DE compared to the patchy results with a straight. I love the whole straight shaving idea but it just doesn't work for me. At least with a DE I still get the prep, brush and soap experience. As with everything it's trial and error to find what suits you as far as DE and blade combo goes. I really wish I hadn't just watched that SE video as I'm now tempted..........

I looked at some DE/SR shaving vidz in the beginning, and see most ppl do 3 passes with it, i think the reason why you have problem with SR shaving is hesitating, maybe the blade aint so sharpe and also you havent learned which way you hair goes all over the face (usaly its not a mirror of your your other side), like i have: it goes towards my neck on left side and upwards on my right side. Cause with SR you just need a sharp blade and stretched skin and no hesistating cause thats when it gets you. I Also Would Recommend that you get to test Merkur Futur 700 if youre going to continue with DE shaving only, i was amazed with that DE razor compared to the others i have. What SR do you use and do you hone it yourself or send it out to someone else?

I bought a Thiers Issard Le Grelot, Dovo Bismarck, both new that came allegedly shave ready so I sent them to Neil miller of the Strop Shop for honing and also bought a vintage CVH from Neil which he honed so they are all certainly sharp enough. I mapped my face when I started DE shaving so I know what direction my hair is growing in and I made sure I was stretching my skin as I do thet with my DE anyway. I just couldn't get a close enough finish. I'll be selling my straights and Big Daddy strop as it's just not working for me

You could always try my favorite DE: the Merkur Futur. It's pricey, and an adjustable, but if you open it all the way up the angle is very close to that of a straight razor (I find that mine works fine for me set on 3.5). It's also very hefty at around 4 oz.

I've never had any problems with any stroke direction other than ATG passes (with any razor). My skin and ATG passes just do not get along.

Yeah just like i said, you should buy or test Merkur Futur 700 since the SR dont work for you, I thought Gillette fatboy adjustable butterfly that i got from my dead grandfather was the best till i got the Merkur Futur 700, No DE beats that razor that i know about. Its a shame that SR dont work 4 you cause its easier on your face then a DE and also closer and better shave with SR i have noticed, cause the DE have problems around chin, ears, nose, lips. Did you try different angels with your SR, and different ways of holding the razor? How long is it between the time you got it honed and last time you used your SR? Another possibility is to search for SR shavers near your town and see if they can meet and help you with a real shave with pointers! Dont know if you have someone close to you that can help, but i would have asked an old barber that have a shop or are retired and want to teach away some tricks. Maybe a father/grandfather have used SR before.

I bought the Dovo and TI at same time then once I received them allegedly shave ready I sent them off for honing and used them straight away after that for about 3-4 weeks. I get a great shave on my face with a straight it's just on my neck I really struggle to get close. All the areas you say you experience problems with a DE I find more difficult with a straight! My Mergress is a nicely weighted Merkur progress adjustable with the plastic adjustment knob replaced with a metal one. I really wanted straight shaving to work for me but I've tried twice now for a reasonable number of weeks and always had to finish with a DE as I need to be clean shaven for work so it takes me even longer to shave. I've tried it, it didn't work for me so I move on. Just need to get rid of the straights now.