I've been hanging out here for awhile now so it's 'bout time I 'fessed up. I'm using DE razors (again) and enjoying it for the first time in my life. I used a Gillette DE adjustable from the early 70s when I joined the Navy to the mid 80s. Hated it because I needed to use a styptic pencil each time I shaved! (No one ever taught me how to shave, so left to my own devices, I employed the same philosophy I used when shooting pool -- "if you can't shoot good, shoot hard!")
I switched over to a Track II and stayed with that model through its various "improvements": Atra, Atra Plus, Sensor, Sensor Plus, what have you. Then Gillette came out with the Mach 3, so I gave that a try. While the comfort of the shave was improved, I hated that floppy head so I went back to the Sensor. I wasn't interested in trying any of their newer floppy-headed razors. What can I say? They flop and I just couldn't stand that feature in the M-3.
Then Gillette introduced a three blade cartridge for their Sensor handle, the "Sensor 3." It had the improved comfort that the M-3 offered without the floppiness. I thought I was in shave heaven.
Then I came to SRP and fell in love with straight razor shaving.
I kept my Gillette Sensor 3 to use on days that I didn't have time for my hour-long ritual. But a few months ago I ran into a problem. The drugstores in my area stopped stocking the Sensor 3 blades and substituted a generic brand I'd never heard of. I tried a pack and was sorely disappointed. That's when I started to read this forum.
It occurred to me that in the 2+ years I've been shaving with a straight, I've developed some pretty decent skills removing hair from my face without the corresponding nicks and gouges of daze gone by. OF COURSE those skills will transfer to a DE!
I hit eBay for a couple of DE razors and picked up some blades and never looked back. I'm a happy camper now. If only I had known this back in the 70s. Oh well.
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This is what started it. According to mr-razor.com it's a 1940s Gold Tech. Fairly mild shave. Gave me a good first experience (this time around).
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My second purchase was a birth year razor, just for the coolness factor. It's a Gillette 1953 TTO Tech, date code Y 2. Again, a nice mild shave.
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I just could not resist this 1961 Fat Boy Adustable, date code G 2. Whatever it is about that handle. . . .
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Of course, I had to give the razor I used during my six year enlistment and a few years beyond another chance. So I picked up this 1972 Black Handle Super Adjustable, date code S 2. (Sure wish I'd kept the razors I'd bought back then.)
Just when I thought I had RAD beat, too. ;-)
Namaste,
Morty -_-