Thread: First Safety Razor - did I leap too soon!?

Hi Guys,

Just about to move off of Cartridges. The tips I've read about shaving generally have really improved my shaves and result in less burn/irritation - even with cartridges.

I ordered a Wilkinson Sword Safety razor from the Bay. It's new and called "Wilkinson Sword Classic Double Edge DE Safety Razor" by the seller. After perusing the forum I'm worried I may have just bought a duff item. The old adage - you get what you pay for - is springing to mind. Luckily it didn't cost a fortune so I haven't lost out that much.

I'm on a budget with an upcoming house move, so any cheap starter razors you could recommend would be great.

Thank you!

Limosos

The Wilkinson DE is a decent DE razor to cut your teeth on. You won't be able to hand it down to your great grand kids (it's plastic) but it gives a good mild shave from what I have heard. It certainly won't slice and dice you unless you slide sideways too much or something.

You might not have too much to worry about Wilkinson Sword Classic DE Razor — BruceOnShaving.com . Delrin seems to be a pretty tough synthetic material and sometimes synthetics can be better than traditional materials for certain uses.

Bob

If you don't like it, you can find a number of old Gillettes (Superspeeds or Techs) for very cheap prices on the bay and they give good shaves, more than serviceable and in general are user friendly and not too aggressive for a new shaver. They are metal and will last a lifetime and more (and already have).

How does this look guys?

#RARE# Vintage Gillette 1938 -45 Fat Handle Tech Razor. Nice | eBay

i have one of those.
Nice shaver IMHO.
that one shows some brassing and condition issues.
They are NOT rare here.

Mike

Originally Posted by Limosos

I ordered a Wilkinson Sword Safety razor from the Bay. It's new and called "Wilkinson Sword Classic Double Edge DE Safety Razor" by the seller. After perusing the forum I'm worried I may have just bought a duff item. The old adage - you get what you pay for - is springing to mind. Luckily it didn't cost a fortune so I haven't lost out that much.

In my collection, I have a Merkur Futur, a Merkur 15C, a Gillette Superspeed flare tip, and one of those razors you've just bought. It's a cheap and cheerful DE, and used when I feel like having a change.

Also, you say you're on a budget. For blades, try the Tesco branded DE blades for size. £1.99 for 10, and they're almost as sharp as Derby or Feather blades.

I woudln't be worried about it. Getting a cheap DE to start is probably the smart move anyways. It will help you decide whether or not this is something you want to pursue without investing too much.

My first DE was a Weishi (less than $20 new) and my second was a Merkur Futur. Now i've also got a couple straight razors in the quiver.

It's a natural progression... Don't assume your first razor will be your last

Originally Posted by Limosos

Hi Guys,

Just about to move off of Cartridges. The tips I've read about shaving generally have really improved my shaves and result in less burn/irritation - even with cartridges.

I ordered a Wilkinson Sword Safety razor from the Bay. It's new and called "Wilkinson Sword Classic Double Edge DE Safety Razor" by the seller. After perusing the forum I'm worried I may have just bought a duff item. The old adage - you get what you pay for - is springing to mind. Luckily it didn't cost a fortune so I haven't lost out that much.

I'm on a budget with an upcoming house move, so any cheap starter razors you could recommend would be great.

Thank you!

Limosos

I think you will be glad you did, because I used multiblade razors for 40 years and never really achieved a comfort level. I went back and forth between those and electric razors.

The DE is so much kinder to your face and the results were much better for me. Whether you decide to stick with the Wilkinson or upgrade to another, you can justify the expense because you are going to save a lot of money by not using cartridge razors.

I'm hoping you are using a nice soap or cream with a brush and not a canned gel or foam. The gel gunks up the razor and the foam offers zero protection.

Well, I just had my first shave.... And it was pretty rough. My Wilkinson hasnt arrived yet, but I saw a cheap DE razor in Boots - their own brand.

I'm not sure if it was a cheap razor or poor technique - probably a combo of both - but it felt rough all the way through, I've got real irritation on my neck and a nicked myself about 5 times. I don't know if its quite an aggressive razor, there's 1.5mm to 2mm of blade showing.

I'm hoping my Wilkinson Sword isn't like this or DE might not be for me!

Ouch.