Razors and blades are very YMMV, but in terms of blades, in general, if your beard is very thick and wiry (as in individual hairs are very thick and strong), you'll probably want a blade on the sharper end of things like a feather, astra, or maybe one of the Gillettes ( yellow, blue, or black pack). If you have a softer beard and sensitive skin, you'll want a milder blade like a crystal, shark, or maybe even a derby.

As for vintage razors, vintage Gillettes can still be had pretty reasonably in a lot of cases ( techs are very mild, and most superspeeds are medium to mild). In vintage, an adjustable Gillette comes in 3 basic types. The fatboy is the oldest (and most expensive by far)and has a larger head which some like, but many don't. The "slim" is a very well made razor and almost universally well viewed. Many also like the "super adjustable", which is similar to the other two, but 1 setting milder (a 5 on it is like a 4 on a slim or fatboy), and comes in a long handle version which is popular with some shavers. Open comb razors are generally older ( pre 1950s), and the majority are of the "old" and "new" type. They are considered somewhat agressive by some shavers, but aren't anythign crazy, especially if you're used a straight. In terms of price, a superspeed or tech with some scuffs ans scratches can be had for as little as like 10 bucks if you look around on forums or Ebay. An open comb maybe 15-30, with old being cheaper than new in general. Slims are around 25 last I checked, super adjustables are 20ish, and fatboys often are as much as 50+ Those are prices for user grade. near mint, boxed, or NOS can run into the hundreds easily, especially on more desirable models. If you want a vintage piece, Id' suggest a superspeed or a slim to start, but almost all the old gillettes are great razors.

In terms of new razors the Merkur HD head is very similar to the head of the EJ89 and Muhle, and that "head" is the most popular modern razor by far (even the merkur progress adjustable uses it more or less). The futur is a *VERY* agressive razor ( it is the same on 1 that a vintage gillette slim is on 7, as I recall), but is very popular with many shavers, so aggression isn't the entire story. If you want a modern fixed head, an HD is a great starter ( as are the similar Muhle and EJ versions). if you want adjustable, the progress will serve well, and if you want to try something a bit different that many swear by, pick up a progress. They're all great razors.