Wet shave ??

[jeltz]

Like goo_mason I use both straight razors and double edge ones, I also have experience of Neil Miller's abilities to sharpen straight razors which are top notch.

It amazes me that Gillette and Wilkinson Sword have managed to keep the whole this new razor is better than all that have gone before going so long. The fact is that 5 blades means 5 X more skin scraped away with each stroke (i.e. more chance of razor burn) and if you can lift the bristle before cutting it then the blades not sharp enough it should slice straight through not tug the hair up!

I started shaving the old fashioned way in January and its gone from being a chore to a bit of "me" time when the wife and kids don't bother me and I concentrate on one thing so the stresses of the day are forgotten. I often shave on an evening and because its a mighty close shave that I get the following day its still closer than when I pushed an electric razor across my face in the morning.

I no longer suffer from ingrown hairs or razor burn, and I'm pleased to have stepped off the Gillette/Wilkinson sword band wagon.

I would say that its cheaper but I've spent a fortune buying about 8 double edge razors, 5 straight razors, a couple of shaving brushes and various shaving creams and soaps. But at least next year I won't have to buy anything!

 

[tyred]

 But at least next year I won't have to buy anything!

That's what you think. Then you discover a brand of soap you haven't tried...

 

[Klaus]

That's what you think. Then you discover a brand of soap you haven't tried...

You are so right - I always get tempted by by ebay. Have bought from Poland and Canada even.
And a supply of Indian Alum blocks, etc etc

 

[Piemaster]

After 2/3 weeks with a DE razor I can't see me going back to a cartridge system again.

I never had any intention of going for the gilette fusion as I immediately thought 'marketing gimick'. Was checking in Morrisons yesterday and pleased to find they do DE blades - I'll give a try sometime but it won't be for a while as I've got 10 packs of a variety of others to try first.
Morrisons DE blades £1.99 / 10 ; Gillette fusion £10.98 / 4

 

[jeltz]

That's what you think. Then you discover a brand of soap you haven't tried...

True, and even if I maintain a steely resolve it doesn't always help. Mrs J returned from shopping on Sunday with a tube of Body Shop Maca Root Shave Cream because she was buying other stuff and there was some kind of offer which meant it only added 50p to the final cost!! (I'm guessing a 3 for 2 kind of thing)

 

[Norm]

I bought a tub of that 2 weeks ago. Good stuff - I use it daily with my Fusion.

 

[tyred]

 - I use it daily with my Fusion. 

If you are happy to pay over ten times as much as you need to for a razor blade, that's fine by me.

 

[Norm]

Yup, I have never found anything that shaves as well as the Fusion. One shot and it's done with no drag, no burn, completely smooth and never any cuts.

I also reckon it saves a minutes or two each morning.

I've tried the DE blades and I consider the Fusion better. How many of those who are decrying the new blades have actually tried them?

As for the cost difference, it's a few pence per day. The difference is so small it's even worth discussing, IMO.

 

[jeltz]

How many of those who are decrying the new blades have actually tried them?

Well I have, I used to use a Wilkinson Sword Quattro Titanium but got razor burn and ingrown hairs so I only wet shaved twice a week and used a Philishave electric the rest of the time. I tried a Fusion but found the blades became blunt quickly and the shave was more uncomfortable than the Quattro.

Personally I never found any multiblade that improved on the Wilkinson Sword protector, but we are all different.

 

[goo_mason]

Yup, I have never found anything that shaves as well as the Fusion. One shot and it's done with no drag, no burn, completely smooth and never any cuts.

I also reckon it saves a minutes or two each morning.

I've tried the DE blades and I consider the Fusion better. How many of those who are decrying the new blades have actually tried them?

As for the cost difference, it's a few pence per day. The difference is so small it's even worth discussing, IMO.

Each to their own - whatever works for your skin, really. I've used cartridge systems since I was around 18 and stopped exactly a year ago at the age of 42 after buying my Merkur Futur DE razor. Up until then, shaving was a chore and something to be done as infrequently as possible. I often got razor burn and ingrowns. Now, as Jeltz says, it's an incredibly relaxing process and my way of unwinding after I get in from work, and I get an incredibly close shave with no nicks and zero irritation. I shave daily now, and have a rather large collection of vintage DEs, SEs and straights and way too many soaps, AS balms and aftershaves....