@@kensurfs I tried DE razor first time today. For me it's at least a 2x better experience. it's faster, doesn't grip and will be a lot cheaper in the long run
I always enjoy watching an OPEN MINDED, TOLERANT and NON ELITIST perform a presentation! As much as I enjoy DE razors and accessories; I refuse to become militantly obsessed anti-cartridge or anything else a person wants to use in shaving. Well done and said. Good work! ;-)
WolfRanger2008 Thank you very much. I do like using my vintage Atra razors on occasion and I just found out that Dorco makes an outstanding blade that fit the Atras 👍💈
I'm not anti-cartridge, but I am very anti excessive plastic waste and unecessarily expensive stuff and also just fake information about "More blades = better" , I think ppl over exaggerate cartridge razors with it being bad when they're kinda just mediocre but at a high cost I'd only use cartridges with not more than 3 blades
@@tydshiin5783 I’m certainly not anti-cartridge. I think cartridge razors are the best. Never a nick or cut with cartridge razors. Double edge safety razors are good for the environment. However, they suck because you constantly get cuts and nicks with them.
I've abandoned cartrige razors about a year ago.. about 10 years i was shaving (gillette cartrige like mach3/fusion and nivea canned lather) not knowing the bliss of wet shaving with good brush and good shaving soap. had all irritation, ingrown hairs and red dots all over face and neck was very ashamed of my face condition. now i use only DE razors and its fun time to me not routine at all, and my skin is very grateful to me now cause improved tremendously. Last week, out of interest, I tried gillette fusion and it pulls, skin got irritated and i didn't get the pleasurable shaving.
I'm in the process of converting to wet shaving just to bee more old school than I already am_ it'll be a new hobby_ like you say, "Fun time"_ I've currently been using a Bull Dog bamboo handle razor, Bull Dog cartridge blades, and Barbasol canned cream_ I'm not at all disappointed with the Bull Dog stuff or Barbasol_ best shaves I've ever had thus far_ I'll prolly just move that stuff to my travel shave bag, and use the full wet shave lay-out at the house
Excellent side-by-side comparison! It did appear at the end that the cartridge side was more irritated. That became evident when you stated that the aftershave burned on the cartridge side more. I think this is DE for the win!
I use to use the fusion. Would only do 1 pass with it. It would actually break me out pretty good. Since I started using a DE, 2 passes gets it smooth. No razor burn. I'm enjoying shaving now where as before it was just a task...
Another good video Ken. I kind of feel like a tool for wasting so much money on modern cartridge razors. I lived in Boston for many years and they were the home team. After discovering your channel I started using vintage DE razors and have never enjoyed shaving so much. The cheap blades from Family Dollar suit me fine. Once you start looking you see great vintage stuff everywhere. What a great hobby.
True. I started to collect old DE razors. Found 4 of them on an antique-market. All from the early 20th century. Including a bakelite DE razor from Philips. 3 still had their original box. And one even the original blades it came with. My electric shaver was retired and I gave away my Gilette mach 3. Never going back there.
@@YamadaDesigns it's very reasonable... I paid $34.00 for my Merkur 34C long handle razor... $7.00 for a decent synthetic bristle lather brush... they sell expensive Boar Bristle ones too but I've never liked them find them itchy and scratchy. The blades are so cheap it's ridiculous... mine last so long I have to remind myself to change them.... never will I go back to $5 a pop cartridges.
You do three passes with both, but with the safety razor, which has only one blade instead of five, you have five times less stress on your skin. The winner in all classes is the safety razor.
I know im randomly asking but does someone know of a tool to log back into an Instagram account? I was dumb forgot my login password. I appreciate any tips you can give me.
@Deacon Felix Thanks so much for your reply. I found the site through google and Im trying it out atm. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
Outstanding shave Ken. I kept getting bad blades with my Fusion Proglide & their new Proshields are dang near $40 dollars for 4 blades but the traditional soaps & creams along with a brush makes a huge difference for the better in a shave.
Oh yeah I've gotten several like that & at $25+ dollars for 5 blades, that's not good at all. Their new Proshield blades are through the roof in terms of costs. They're about $40 dollars for 4 blades no joke.
Good vid, thanks. Personally, I use both d/e and Fusion Proglide, just depends on my mood. D/e gives me a closer, baby's butt type shave, but the Fusion is great for a quick 'n dirty shave that gets me 90 % there. One nice thing about the fusion is, it never nicks, cuts, scratches or reddens my face. I can use it 100 % dry (no cream, soap, water, or anything else) and it still does an adequate job and gets most of the stubble off my face without irritation. If I did that with a d/e I'd end up in the ER. So for me it comes down to, on any particular day, do I feel like having a phenomenal shave, or do I just want to shave and get on to other things. Both serve a useful purpose imho.
Though the cost of cartridge razors are more expensive than double edge razors, I never get a cut, or nick with cartridge razors. However, I always get many cuts and nicks with safety razors. Safety razors absolutely suck.
When I tried both, I feel that I tend to do more passes with cartridge blades just because they feel somehow soft and gentle because of their flex heads. It might actually be purely psychological and totally unnecessary. So yeah, it's very likely that those comfortable multiblade cartridges will cause you overdoing and scratching too much even if you don't need to. But my facial hair is soft, so I have less tendency to ingrown hair and cartridges work just fine for me.
SilentBob420BMFJ actually for most of us “fanboys “ as you say... the cartridge razors did consistently chew our faces up.... that’s why we switched lol.
@SilentBob420BMFJ There can be accumulative effect. Initially, I sometimes did too many passes because I didn't believe all the hair is really gone. While shaving, I didn't feel any discomfort, but I assume after shaving some people might have skin irritation etc., more than if they did only one pass with other kind of razor.
Thank you for the side by side review. I have grown up using cartridge razors, and though the safety razor was old fashion and not worth the work. Now I can see the advantage of safety razor shaving, with the higher quality shaving cream. I may try some of your suggestions, when I shave. Great video.
Great video Ken! I cringed when I saw you do a third pass with the unnecessary 5 bladed monster. 😖 DE is way better and I must say the Fusion always irritated my skin. The Mach 3, Sensor Excel, and Atra (Atra being the best) never irritated my skin when using those blades.
I switched over to DE (Gillette Slim Adjustable) from years and years of cartridge razors. As I got older and my beard filled in more and more cartridge razors will bring tears to my eyes when I get to my chin and around my neck. My beard is just too thick. And if I grit my teeth through it and pull it will give a close shave, but I get bad razor burn from cartridges. I developed this problem after a year in 130° in the Middle East. I have fair skin and a red beard. Switch over to the DE a few months back, I prefer Wilkinson sword German blades as my daily, and feathers if I have some growth. With both blades I get no irritation and zero pull. That’s the difference for me. A nice blade in a DE will just fall down my face, with even my favorite cartridge razor (Mach 3 turbo) I could press it to my face and let go and it will just hang there with 2-3 days growth.
I used the Mach 3 razors for years and always hated shaving. I tried every cartridge razor I could find. My hair is thick and course. Safety razors always seemed too old school but I have been using them and straight razors for over a year now. I will never go back to cartridge razors. Shaving is actually enjoyable now.
I’m getting into DE. Just ordered a couple of razors and a wide selection of blades. All because I have my granddad’s shaving mug. Wish I could find his razor... But today I tried out the technique. Took a shower, washed my face, used some pre shave lotion, used my new brush with my mug/soap, and did a 3 pass shave with a multi-blade cartridge. I never go through all this. Shave in the shower. Often use shampoo. Sometimes give a partial 2nd pass. But today my face feels so smooth. I really like the feeling. Now, the DE might add to this, but I doubt it. The process is the key in my opinion. And with DE, there is cost savings. Well, once a recoup my investment in all this apparatus. ;-)
Great video Ken. I gave up cartridge razors over five years ago. I use DE, Gem and straight razors. DE blades are so inexpensive. I will never go back to expensive cartridge razors.
Used a cartridge recently after using a shavette for the past year. My neck is still irritated three days later. If you have sensitive skin, there's no shave like a proper wet shave
just switched from cartridge to de safety. absolutely love it. still trying to figure out how to shave my neck without irritating the hell out of it. i went against the grain and WOW did it hurt when i applied the alum block. i tried doing a cross grain instead of against but it didn't feel like it was picking up anything. i'll have to try again tomorrow. everywhere else on my face i dont get irritation whether it be cartridge or de safety. my neck has always given me issues. my hair growth is so crazy i've never been able to figure it out
Yes you can't knock cartridge razors when you've used them for years until you tried d e razors you may like this way of shaving in all said and done its still shaving whatever you use the creams and soaps the cost is relative and not to get too carried away with expense.
Animal House, one of my favorite movies. I started using DE razors in 2013, and never looked back. That being said, use whatever works for you. Thanks for sharing the video, Ken!
I’m new to DE shaving, coming from every cartridge razor known to man kind.... personal favourite the Wilkinson Sword Hydro 3. I instantly noticed the much smoother tug free shave with the DE, and importantly for me, I am finally able to shave without irritating the shit out of my face the following day. I think it’s simple. With the DE that’s 3 nice clean smooth cuts through the hair... With the Gillette’s etc, that’s 5 tiny ass blades dragging through your hair every pass. I’m never going back. I LOVE shaving, 2 maybe 3 times a week usually and look forward to the whole soap, brush, 3 pass experience.
I used to dry shave with a Gillette Sensor and would stretch a cartridge out for months.I only shaved then cause it was a half too and did not enjoy it even when using cream or gels in a can.I got into wet shaving and love it to such that i actually can't wait for the next shave.The possibilities with wet shaving is practically endless.Thanks for the video.
I’m new to DE wet shaving. Your videos are very informative so I subscribed. I got all of the VDH shaving gear. I just ordered the Wilkinson ⚔️ classic blades hoping that they’ll be slightly sharper than the VDH blades. I don’t mind the VDH blades but I want a little smoother cut. We’ll see how that goes.
I know what you meant, but when I heard you say you're putting in a pack of blades into the merkur I couldn't stop laughing. The quest for the ultimate bbs shave has just taken a scary turn haha
I actually purchased a micro touch one safety razor today and I couldn’t find the vanderhagen set at my Walgreens so I picked up some vanderhagen shave cream in a tube and used it to shave tonight and my goodness my first wet shave and I’m in absolute love, I used the Vanderhagen cream, and for aftershave I used old spice classic cologne, look very forward to doing it again
It comes down to personal preference because we're all individuals and our facial contours and hair growth are different. I started on DE, then went cartridge for convenience. I've tried 'em all- some more than once and am still using a 40 year old Atra with Noxzema shave foam. I used Old Spice in a can before P&G foolishly discontinued it in favor of Gillette Foamy. IMO they discontinued the wrong product.
merkur 34c is the razor i use... works great as a daily razor. my favorite blade is Astra... i use them 3 times ... 4 maybe ... 2 a week lets say... and use the proraso as well as some artisan soaps... way better shave an no more nasty razor burn i used to have with gillette shaving goo and fusion cartridges.
April 2017 I got into wet shaving. Ordered a DE blade sample pack of of about 50 blades of various brands including Feather, Gillette Platinum, and Astra for $18USD on eBay. At the end of May 2018 I am STILL working my way through that sample pack.
I like how you are not pushing a biased agenda in your video - I have a Gillette Fusion Power and have a nice close shave with some passes, which I think is how it should be used (as you showed) - with each time getting smoother. I am going to be "pampering myself" with some Proraso White after shave cream and ProrasoRed Sandalwood soap ordered on Amazon, and APR Fenchurch aftershave.
Ive been trying this lately for the first time I had ordered a nice razor "vikings blade chieftain" after reading up about everything for awhile, which hasnt come in yet and also got a kit viking revolution. The reason why is because i looked for 2 hours for all the accessories and then i realized the chieftain was going to be a week for delivery so i said screw it and ordered the other kit just to get started! The safety part is very lame on that one, the blade sticks out like 1/8" but i wanted to start practicing so i use it anyhow until the one i wanted comes in. today i actually can say after seeing your techniques that i am really starting to get a close smoothe shave. It could be better but i went over a couple spots 3 times and i just wasnt able to maneuver at the angle i wanted to go to get it down. i was using some egyptian blade today, tried the wilkinson sword the past couple times and it was as you explained mild but it was better as a novice. This egyptian blade was called called shark and it felt good. I had no knicks on my first go but by the end i was knicked up like crazy. then I tried a new aftershave, tea tree and shea butter type (i like the menthol scent and also use a mentholish preshave elemis beard and shave oil i learned about from a cruize ship). The aftershave that came in the viking kit was like a cream and BOY was i not expecting the PAIN from the good stuff haha. i spent a very very long time not shaving at all and am trying to get into it now and your videos are helping so much thank you
V. interesting shave Ken. So he’s my 2 cents worth. Last month I visited the UK for a week, not wanting to misplace my DE razor I bought a Gillette Pro Glide (fusion or some 5 blade thing) and it was awful! The cartridge dragged and on the 2nd pass I could feel it like cutting my skin, very unpleasant. Now, upon returning to Switzerland I got myself a vintage Gillette Sensor Excel (France 98 World Cup edition), the difference was night & day! The Senor Excel cartridges were far superior in shave comfort, performance and there was less clogging. Also the Sensor was the first razor I ever shaved with. So to sum up I love the Sensor Excel for a travel shave 🪒, of course like many others I’ll always prefer my DE razors but y’a gotta admit the Sensor is one of their iconic cartridge razors 👍🏼.
Got into DE shaving a month and a half ago. Got a 1957 Gillette Fat boy, Parker 87R and A gold plated Gillette Aristacrat coming in the mail in the next 4 or 5 days. Loving Astra DE blades. I have the Vander Hagen wet shave set on the way from Amazon and can't wait to wet shave for the first time this Thursday. Shaving was just a normal task before I used a DE safety razor now I have fun with shaving. Great video!
My dad uses Harry's razors which are cartridge blades and loves them. I did buy him a brush and some good soad and aftershave, which he really enjoys. I have not used a cartridge razor in years, but I do not think I can get my dad use a DE razor. reat job on this video
It really does seem to come down to preference. I found I didn't like the way the Fusion pulled my skin even with a new cartridge while the DE seemed to glide even after three shaves with the same blade. Also felt like I had more control with a DE. Results were pretty much equal.
I used to use a Mach 3 until about 3 months ago - like you say..similar smoothness BUT the Mach I always had razor burn, the head clogged too easy and yes the price!! $$$. Now I have a few DE razors and same smoothness but little to no irritation plus now I can try open/closed comb, slant, TTO, 3 piece, vintage, new - real or synthetic brush - soaps!!! so much more!!
Honestly, it’s all about practise, preference & comfort. The Shave I get with the Fusion is so smooth with 1 with the grain pass and 2nd against the grain pass, it literally is baby smooth. Just 1 pass each. Stressing again: Practice, preference & comfort. Know your face and skin, Shave with what makes you happy!! Respect to all!! ❤️❤️
Really nice video and comparison Ken! I'm relatively new to wet shaving, about 4 months ago I decided to try it. Best decision I could've made! It's not scary afterall in fact it's fairly simple to adjust to using a DE razor. I love my Merkur 33C and will never go back to cartridge razors. Keep up the great videos!
I hated the Fusion and threw mine away. The Schick Hydro 5 is better. I am seriously considering trying a traditional safety razor. These videos are very helpful!
Finally, my first DE razor has arrived, it came with its own pack blades, but i went ahead and bought a 10 pack of Gillette Wilkinson sword as well. Will try it out today.
Used my first ever safety razor today (King C. Gillette), im never going back to cartridge razors...my face feels smooth. I didnt want to buy an expensive razor to begin with, but I think I will now!!!
The whole way cartridge razors are designed just makes a recipe for irritation by most users: The relatively broad surface area it covers means that you can really press down on the skin to cut off the hairs below the "resting level" of the skin. (That's why they cause bumps/ingrowns so often on people with nappy hair). Once the skin relaxes and bounces back to its original position, it covers the hair, producing the appearance of the closest shave achievable. That's the one thing where these razors can't be beat, but IMO the price you pay for it in all other aspects makes them not worth it.
I tried de for body shaving for over a few years but ultimately it took far too long and too much concentration to the point where I either wouldn’t shave or would cut myself up. It just wasn’t worth it to me. Now I’m all smooth again because with cartridge razors I can shave super fast. I find skin care is the most important part really after a shave
Golden Aristocrats are pretty fancy nice blast from the past. Must have been a sad day when he had to set it down that last time. My prayers are with him.
i use one disposable razor 5 times and its cheaper than de blade but i use wet shaving soaps and brushes. I get irritation and pimples from de blades. thanks for the review
I switched to de because I used to use electric since I started shaving 3 years ago, then I went to my dad's old Gillette contour which he lets me use, and it was great but I hated the tugging so last week I bought a 2 buck de and even that thing destroys the Gillette, and my skin is the least irritated it has ever been
Bad blades happen, but consider this, the per cost of a single bad cartridge is horrendous, what is it, US$3.00 -US$4.00 per blade cartridge? Compare that to your DE blades that cost less than US$0.15 - US$0.30 per blade? Also as someone else pointed out that fusion blade cartridge has 5 blades going at your skin at a time, that's like shaving 5 strokes vs per 1 stroke of your DE razor. As for blood thinning medication, yes I understand the issues. I have been on them since my minor stroke several years ago. Cuts bleed longer, healing takes longer and cuts reopen easier compared to before I was medication. But once I changed to a milder razor, or razors designed not to cut / adjustable razors, I no longer have that issue. Am using the Rockwell 6S now, and will be getting an adjustable soon. The Rockwell is a joy to use. Smooth and you can shave without fear. Even with feather blades, the Rockwell doesn't cut or nick especially if you use it on the R1 or R2 setting. I am more often using my 6S on R3 or R4 (I am much more careful when using R3 / R4 with feathers) but to be honest, as long as you don't rush, have decent technique, R3 still feels safe while still giving you a good shave. Great shave though, love Proraso Green and more so when you go all green (Pre shave, Soap, Post shave) I call it Menthol bombing your face. :)
My personal fave is Personna blades (made in Israel, BTW), followed by el cheapo "Daxon." Fave soap: old school William's. Old school aftershaves all the way...Brut, Old Spice, Clubman, and Aqua Velva. 4711 also great. Astra: great...but I'm boycotting Gillette.
I switched from a cartridge razor to a straight razor loaded with DE blades and I've not been troubled by razor burn since. Watching you shave I realise why. You shave in smooth, even strokes with the DE blade and go over and over with the cartridge. They may be more convenient but they're MUCH more expensive and they cause far more irritation than a single properly sharp blade held at the correct angle.
Great comparison shave Ken! I figured the cost of cartridge shaving to be about $150 per year just for the blade cartridges alone. If one buys DE blades in bulk, some great blades can be had for under $20 per 100. In my personal use, the would mean my blade consumption cost $7.81 per year. It would be a great savings if one has good self control and zero RAD, SAD, ASAD, etc.
MrPleers My experience was a pack of four Gillette Fusion cartridges cost about $15 and I used 10 packs a year. I shaved daily and they ended up clogging or became tuggy after 8 to 10 shaves. DE shaving is much better in the regard to me. YMMV.
yes for me shaving was a task i dread because of the irritation frm cartridge razors. going to safety razor is way better and I feel real good. I think ill enjoy shaving now
Keep in mind a thick quality shaving cream is perfect for safety razors but it clogs up cartridge razors. The cartridge might be better with a glycerin based soap that makes a thin lather
Eh, sure. But you shouldn't have to use a different lather to shave with a cartridge razor. And to be fair, even my Muhle R89 can get "clogged" with foam unless I rinse it about 5 times during one shave.
Gotta love that burn Ken. No carts for me, DE/SE all the way. Asylum RX takes no prisoners. Better be a real shaver to use this one. Nice comparison between the razors. The Merkur 34 is sweet, can't say much about the Fusion except i used to use them and hated them. Just my opine. Proraso is one of the greats, even with all the artisan products out there. Another sweet video, keep em coming. Enjoy!
@Kensurfs another great breakdown analysis about shaving. I'm loving my wet shaving journey. I do use cartridge blades from the dollar tree store and get 3x 5 blades for a $1.25 & they are as good as Gillette cartridges.
I had a packet which was never opened by me father and twas a Gillette Fusion which he got as a gift. I later shaved with it and felt good and then I discovered his safety razor with which he shaved and I then realised why the Gillette Fusion was never opened.
I am a head shaver and cannot get a solid shave from any DE on my head. I see others do it but maybe it’s the shape of my head I really don’t know...enter the Fusion 5 ( bingo).... it makes head shaving a joy it’s simple requires no mirror in the shower and I can get a baby smooth. Would I use it on my face, hell no. first off those cartilages are highway robbery in price, secondly the few times I’ve tried it on my face it feels like a lawnmower and it’s irritating on my skin. DE shaving is economical, 100 blades for $10 , I toss them every 3rd shave. DE shaving is more technical, more precise, easier and its historical. I love the different soaps and brushes I pair with DE shaving.I am groomed all the time because I enjoy the shave. My wife is always impressed with my clean shave. great show, Ken. Your comparison was spot on and very appreciated.
almost same here when i switched to DE razor, kept Fusion for my nape shave but after week or so i fully abandoned it. maybe the reason of you not getting solid head shave with DE is that you little bit insecure and afraid of getting cut. with cartrige its almost imposible to get cut if skin is well prepaired. try mild ones like westcoast shaving closed comb its really mild and i can cut myself with it if only pull sideways , soap with high residual slickness will benefit too.
Rishat Tukanov thanks for the comment, Rishat. I have several DE’s ranging from a mild Edwin Jagger up to the West Coast SLAM....yes you might be correct about being a little insecure moving a sharp DE over my head, I believe my technique is good but I just cannot get a tight baby smooth from my DE’s...yes if they took my Fusion away from me and left me with on DE’s I could manage but not sure if I’d get the baby smooth. You have inspired me to keep trying, I’d like nothing more than to toss the Fusion in the garbage can and only use DE’s I’d save a bunch of annual dollars that’s for sure. Thanks again👍 ( come to think of it I rarely use my good quality slick soaps on my head because I am usually in the shower using cheap Cremo which is barely a preshave soap...next time I’ll not shave in shower I’ll use my top brush and my best Italian soap, with Proraso preshave and see how that goes)
Willy Ward I use only DE for head shave and always get BBS. I always cut myself in beginning and tried cartridge but couldn't get good shave it gave me alway irritation and my head burn whole day so I keep trying with DE and now I get BBS smooth with any DE (my favorite is Rockwell 6S). I do only one pass AGT and touch up if needed and I shave without mirror.
I only switched to DE shaving because of the cost of the cartridges got insane. I'm now down the rabbit hole chasing the mad hatter! Got about 50 razors and about 2 dozen soaps and aftershaves. Glad I'm saving money...lol! Love the hobby and not going back to cartridges!
Nice comparison and I appreciate that you were fair to the cart's performance. That said, though, barring a dud, a four-pack of Fusion cartridges really is a year's supply. A single cartridge will easily last me 3+ months of daily 2-pass shaves. So it's not as outrageously expensive as it may seem at first.
On WHAT planet can you get 3 months of daily 2-pass shaves from any cartridge??? What are you shaving, only 3 hairs? Lol. I get about 2 weeks of daily 2-pass shaves from a cartridge razor, that is why I switched! The shave from the cartridge is close and comfortable though.
I have a pretty full beard, no worries. Even Gillette admitted users can get 35 shaves from a Fusion, which is a lot more than the week they used to say a cart lasted. If you do good skin prep, use good soap and properly dry the cart between shaves, yes, you can get 90 shaves out of a single Fusion cartridge. When you let a cart air-dry, deposits form on the blades that make the blades feel like they're going dull much more quickly.
It helps if you clean the cartridges, so that the inter-blade spaces do not "clog" (use high rate/pressure water-flow, e.g., under a BATHTUB faucet), and DRY(!!!) the blades. My DE blades also last me, on average, 3 months, because I remove them from the razor, and rinse, dry, then "cloth-strop" both sides of each edge (this takes about 10 seconds, total), after EVERY shave.
Thank you for the good share on shaving. I wanted to comment that after paying $35 on carts I’ve always found 2 or so clinkers in every batch of the 24-36 carts in the pkg. It’s such a rip-off.
I use a Gillette fusion ONLY for my head because it's all that works for my head. If it wasn't for me having to shave my head I wouldn't use a cartridge razor. I used to shave my face with an electric razor but switched to a safety razor maybe 5 days ago. I enjoy the safety razor shave routine. But still slight redness and irritation & knicks nothing severe. Not sure if irritation is my fault with what I'm using or how I'm shaving. Maybe my skin isn't used to it. We will see. Enjoy the videos
I use the fusion myself, I found around one bum cartridge per magazine. At five bucks a pop, that is way too much. Recently ordered a Parker 76 R safety razor, going to give the DE a try.( I shave face and head, so cartridge costs can really add up)
@@OZHKAR1 I got the Parker 76r. They can be ordered on line. the company has a broad line of DE razors.It came with six of their platinum blades which were nice. I just used feather ( blade brand reputed to be very sharp) for the first time and was very happy with the results. Being new to DE I tend to be very careful and this costs me a bit of time so that by the time i get to the other side of my face, I notice the lather starting to dry out or well, doesn’t feel as slick. For now i lather one side of my face, shave and then lather the other. I imagine once i feel i have mastery of technique, my shaving time will speed up and the partial lathering won’t be needed any longer.
@@spike.strat1318 I saw the razor, it got nice feedback and the quality looks good too. thanks for the tip, once I get better in this I'll give it a look. Nice that you got what you expected! I'll purchase cheap blades once I finish the ones that came with the razor, this DE thing it's very interesting and it has endless possibilities. I see in general that they use a lot of soap and as you say, you gotta be more professional so you don't waste it, another excellent tip, I'm using just water and regular face cream, not the professional shaving soap and it works good
That's not how it works, I use a DE safety razor but even I think that just because there's 3 blades does not mean one pass=3 passes.... perhaps if the blades were really far apart but they aren't... it's only one pass
Kensurfs yep - I just put it under water (in the sink), and gently scrub it with the toothbrush. Re the 20 shaves, that's 20 very light daily shaves, made even lighter by the fact that I touch up with an electric during the day. HOWEVER, currently experimenting with a DE - if I shave really close with it, seems I can go 24 hours without need to touch up.
I just tried almost the same shave. I used a Schick Hydra 5 which I always felt was smoother and better than Gillette. I used the same blade and my new Vintage Series Black Tiger razor. No contest My Aqua Velva gave me a clear winner same as you.
Just confirmed what Ive discovered you will get just as close with a good quality cartridge razor as you will a safety razor. If you prepare the skin.I use a Wilkinson Sword Hydro 3 and sometimes a safety razor.The Hydro gives a really close shave easy to do and I find does not clog up to much because you can get the water in behind the blades. So it really is down to preference.If you want a quick easy shave a good cartridge razor will do the job fine.If you are concerned about price well the safety razor blades are cheaper. But if cost is that important why not go the straight razor route. Gulp lol
Not long started watching your videos i used to used cartrige razors for years untill i found my old grandads safty razor and now i feel i enjoy shaving now more than i used to would love to try some of the old after shaves but unsure if i can fined the in scotland thank you for your informative videos 😀
Nice shave vid Ken. I'll still use cartridge razors when I travel and don't want to hunt for blades, but I'd rather not. Cartridge razors invariably caused more razor burns and irritation so I'm glad to be wet shaving. So much more relaxing. Also, thanks for the Captain's Choice Venture video cause it's keeping my ASAD going LoL
45 years old and just made the switch to DE Razor shaving.....Love it..
👍👍👍
@@kensurfs I tried DE razor first time today. For me it's at least a 2x better experience. it's faster, doesn't grip and will be a lot cheaper in the long run
I always enjoy watching an OPEN MINDED, TOLERANT and NON ELITIST perform a presentation! As much as I enjoy DE razors and accessories; I refuse to become militantly obsessed anti-cartridge or anything else a person wants to use in shaving. Well done and said. Good work! ;-)
WolfRanger2008 Thank you very much. I do like using my vintage Atra razors on occasion and I just found out that Dorco makes an outstanding blade that fit the Atras 👍💈
I use de razor for my face and a catridge one for my head and ofcoarse enough shaving cream
I'm not anti-cartridge, but I am very anti excessive plastic waste and unecessarily expensive stuff and also just fake information about "More blades = better" , I think ppl over exaggerate cartridge razors with it being bad when they're kinda just mediocre but at a high cost
I'd only use cartridges with not more than 3 blades
well said im the same - i still enjoy both
@@tydshiin5783 I’m certainly not anti-cartridge. I think cartridge razors are the best. Never a nick or cut with cartridge razors. Double edge safety razors are good for the environment. However, they suck because you constantly get cuts and nicks with them.
wow you are looking like a wwe referee in this video 😂
neil dsouza lol👍💈
neil dsouza no he is looking like a knobhead with that shirt
@@wevewonitsixtimeschampions7421 Keep your mouth shut this guy is probably as old as your dad you piece of shit
No it's a Newcastle United shirt from the UK premier league by the looks of it
Careful or you’ll be on a highway to hurt brotherrrrrrrr!
I've abandoned cartrige razors about a year ago.. about 10 years i was shaving (gillette cartrige like mach3/fusion and nivea canned lather) not knowing the bliss of wet shaving with good brush and good shaving soap. had all irritation, ingrown hairs and red dots all over face and neck was very ashamed of my face condition. now i use only DE razors and its fun time to me not routine at all, and my skin is very grateful to me now cause improved tremendously.
Last week, out of interest, I tried gillette fusion and it pulls, skin got irritated and i didn't get the pleasurable shaving.
Rishat Tukanov That happened to me, new blade too👍👍💈
cartrige is too much $ i spent way too much on them
Yeah, those cartridge razors pull. I prefer DE because they just glide through.
I'm in the process of converting to wet shaving just to bee more old school than I already am_ it'll be a new hobby_ like you say, "Fun time"_
I've currently been using a Bull Dog bamboo handle razor, Bull Dog cartridge blades, and Barbasol canned cream_ I'm not at all disappointed with the Bull Dog stuff or Barbasol_ best shaves I've ever had thus far_ I'll prolly just move that stuff to my travel shave bag, and use the full wet shave lay-out at the house
Why do we call shaving with a safety razor “wet” shaving while shaving with a cartridge razor still requires water?
Excellent side-by-side comparison! It did appear at the end that the cartridge side was more irritated. That became evident when you stated that the aftershave burned on the cartridge side more. I think this is DE for the win!
Cincy Shaves ... I don't get notifications for your videos anymore. I have to open your channel and check manually.
SGBass another subscriber said the same thing. I wonder what's up
most people who use cartridge do only 1 pass
Cincy Shaves I noticed that as well. A bit more red/irritated on the right side, and confirmed by the bigger reaction to the Floyd. Great vid, Ken!
BlackJoxer agreed. My first pass was terrible though👍💈
I use to use the fusion. Would only do 1 pass with it. It would actually break me out pretty good. Since I started using a DE, 2 passes gets it smooth. No razor burn. I'm enjoying shaving now where as before it was just a task...
The Bearded GOrilla That’s how it was with me. The Sensor and Atra are still an occasional use👍💈
Same here
Great shave today. Carts are ok. But I prefer my DE and my quiet time after work to relax with a nice brush and soap.
Warren Burch I agree 100%👍💈
How’d you start out with a safety razor (what purchases, what was your starting kit, first razor?)
@@YamadaDesigns start with merkur 34c and some astra blades and arko and a badger brush
Another good video Ken. I kind of feel like a tool for wasting so much money on modern cartridge razors. I lived in Boston for many years and they were the home team. After discovering your channel I started using vintage DE razors and have never enjoyed shaving so much. The cheap blades from Family Dollar suit me fine. Once you start looking you see great vintage stuff everywhere. What a great hobby.
jon louis Awesome Jon👍💈
True. I started to collect old DE razors. Found 4 of them on an antique-market. All from the early 20th century. Including a bakelite DE razor from Philips. 3 still had their original box. And one even the original blades it came with. My electric shaver was retired and I gave away my Gilette mach 3. Never going back there.
How much money do you waste on wet shaving, at least the up front costs of buying all the products?
@@YamadaDesigns it's very reasonable... I paid $34.00 for my Merkur 34C long handle razor... $7.00 for a decent synthetic bristle lather brush... they sell expensive Boar Bristle ones too but I've never liked them find them itchy and scratchy.
The blades are so cheap it's ridiculous... mine last so long I have to remind myself to change them.... never will I go back to $5 a pop cartridges.
I'm italian and I'm happy to see proraso used not only in Italy!
My favorite soaps👍👍👍
It’s quite popular amongst American shave enthusiasts. Viva Italia! 🇮🇹
Its used all over the world. Very popular in Norway aswell. Cheap and good quality product.
You do three passes with both, but with the safety razor, which has only one blade instead of five, you have five times less stress on your skin.
The winner in all classes is the safety razor.
Safety razors are great if you love getting cuts and nicks.
Dropped a like just for wearing the Newcastle shirt! Howay the lads!! 🤣
I know im randomly asking but does someone know of a tool to log back into an Instagram account?
I was dumb forgot my login password. I appreciate any tips you can give me.
@Alonzo Jericho Instablaster =)
@Deacon Felix Thanks so much for your reply. I found the site through google and Im trying it out atm.
Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
@Deacon Felix It did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
Thank you so much, you saved my account !
@Alonzo Jericho you are welcome :)
Outstanding shave Ken. I kept getting bad blades with my Fusion Proglide & their new Proshields are dang near $40 dollars for 4 blades but the traditional soaps & creams along with a brush makes a huge difference for the better in a shave.
Stephen Davidson I absolutely believe that was s brand new dud blade 👍💈
Oh yeah I've gotten several like that & at $25+ dollars for 5 blades, that's not good at all. Their new Proshield blades are through the roof in terms of costs. They're about $40 dollars for 4 blades no joke.
Ken you forgot to say “let’s get ready to ruuuuuuumble.”
abe frohman Yeahhhhh👍💈
abe frohman, that saying, believe it or not, is trademarked.
Thanks for being respectful to cartridges, Ken.
- A vintage cartridge fan
John Smith 👍💈💈
I love Proraso Green it was my first wet shaving soap thirty years ago. I always have some on hand .
abe frohman Me too. The Preshave is awesome👍💈
I hate and it was my first soap. Awful smell and dries skin
What other shaving soaps do you recommend?
Good vid, thanks. Personally, I use both d/e and Fusion Proglide, just depends on my mood. D/e gives me a closer, baby's butt type shave, but the Fusion is great for a quick 'n dirty shave that gets me 90 % there. One nice thing about the fusion is, it never nicks, cuts, scratches or reddens my face. I can use it 100 % dry (no cream, soap, water, or anything else) and it still does an adequate job and gets most of the stubble off my face without irritation. If I did that with a d/e I'd end up in the ER. So for me it comes down to, on any particular day, do I feel like having a phenomenal shave, or do I just want to shave and get on to other things. Both serve a useful purpose imho.
Good attitude.
Though the cost of cartridge razors are more expensive than double edge razors, I never get a cut, or nick with cartridge razors. However, I always get many cuts and nicks with safety razors. Safety razors absolutely suck.
Think about this; you just did 15 passes on the fusion side.😖
Daniel Jennings,
Yep...
...please refer to my original comment for this video... 😉💈
When I tried both, I feel that I tend to do more passes with cartridge blades just because they feel somehow soft and gentle because of their flex heads. It might actually be purely psychological and totally unnecessary. So yeah, it's very likely that those comfortable multiblade cartridges will cause you overdoing and scratching too much even if you don't need to. But my facial hair is soft, so I have less tendency to ingrown hair and cartridges work just fine for me.
SilentBob420BMFJ actually for most of us “fanboys “ as you say... the cartridge razors did consistently chew our faces up.... that’s why we switched lol.
SilentBob420BMFJ why are you hatin fool. Keep giving your jack to Gillette at 25 a month...
@SilentBob420BMFJ There can be accumulative effect. Initially, I sometimes did too many passes because I didn't believe all the hair is really gone. While shaving, I didn't feel any discomfort, but I assume after shaving some people might have skin irritation etc., more than if they did only one pass with other kind of razor.
Using warmed baby oil (mineral oil) under the soap makes shaving easier and skin smoother afterwards.
Good idea. I personally use just plain olive oil under the soap, have done for years - baby oil is probably slicker though.
Clogs your brushes..
Thank you for the side by side review. I have grown up using cartridge razors, and though the safety razor was old fashion and not worth the work. Now I can see the advantage of safety razor shaving, with the higher quality shaving cream. I may try some of your suggestions, when I shave. Great video.
Jason Yasumoto 👍👍💈
Hahahaha @ 11:10.
**Silence and suspense while shaving**
“There’s that Air Freshener!”
Love this dude!
Great video Ken! I cringed when I saw you do a third pass with the unnecessary 5 bladed monster. 😖 DE is way better and I must say the Fusion always irritated my skin. The Mach 3, Sensor Excel, and Atra (Atra being the best) never irritated my skin when using those blades.
bonoforeva I like both the Atra and Sensor when I use a cartridge👍💈
Also Ken, I love your videos bud. I have just started a shave channel myself and mate, you are smooth with your conversations.
AllyDz thank you👍👍
I can literally see the fusion drag your skin. these videos always prove i made the right decision with DE razors/wetshaving.
CynicFox he said that it was probably a bad blade
@@YamadaDesigns bad blade or not, 15 passes on your skin is never healthy hence the more painful sting.
I switched over to DE (Gillette Slim Adjustable) from years and years of cartridge razors. As I got older and my beard filled in more and more cartridge razors will bring tears to my eyes when I get to my chin and around my neck. My beard is just too thick. And if I grit my teeth through it and pull it will give a close shave, but I get bad razor burn from cartridges. I developed this problem after a year in 130° in the Middle East. I have fair skin and a red beard. Switch over to the DE a few months back, I prefer Wilkinson sword German blades as my daily, and feathers if I have some growth. With both blades I get no irritation and zero pull. That’s the difference for me. A nice blade in a DE will just fall down my face, with even my favorite cartridge razor (Mach 3 turbo) I could press it to my face and let go and it will just hang there with 2-3 days growth.
👍💈💈💈
I used the Mach 3 razors for years and always hated shaving. I tried every cartridge razor I could find. My hair is thick and course. Safety razors always seemed too old school but I have been using them and straight razors for over a year now. I will never go back to cartridge razors. Shaving is actually enjoyable now.
Love the Toon top, Merkur 34c is probably my favorite DE razor. Great shave and thanks for all the good info.
I’m getting into DE. Just ordered a couple of razors and a wide selection of blades. All because I have my granddad’s shaving mug. Wish I could find his razor...
But today I tried out the technique. Took a shower, washed my face, used some pre shave lotion, used my new brush with my mug/soap, and did a 3 pass shave with a multi-blade cartridge. I never go through all this. Shave in the shower. Often use shampoo. Sometimes give a partial 2nd pass. But today my face feels so smooth. I really like the feeling.
Now, the DE might add to this, but I doubt it. The process is the key in my opinion. And with DE, there is cost savings. Well, once a recoup my investment in all this apparatus. ;-)
3DayPriest I still use a vintage cartridge on occasion. But DE I got back into because of my dad👍👍💈
Great video Ken. I gave up cartridge razors over five years ago. I use DE, Gem and straight razors. DE blades are so inexpensive. I will never go back to expensive cartridge razors.
Dan Engel Jr Excellent Dan👍💈
Used a cartridge recently after using a shavette for the past year. My neck is still irritated three days later. If you have sensitive skin, there's no shave like a proper wet shave
Skylar Jon 👍💈
First time watching your videos, your personality makes watching a dude shaving interesting. I like you already.
just switched from cartridge to de safety. absolutely love it. still trying to figure out how to shave my neck without irritating the hell out of it. i went against the grain and WOW did it hurt when i applied the alum block. i tried doing a cross grain instead of against but it didn't feel like it was picking up anything. i'll have to try again tomorrow. everywhere else on my face i dont get irritation whether it be cartridge or de safety. my neck has always given me issues. my hair growth is so crazy i've never been able to figure it out
Same here. I bought a CVS ED razor and I always cut myself in the neck area. With cartridge was smooth and a little irritated but tolerated.
Yes you can't knock cartridge razors when you've used them for years until you tried d e razors you may like this way of shaving in all said and done its still shaving whatever you use the creams and soaps the cost is relative and not to get too carried away with expense.
👍👍
Animal House, one of my favorite movies.
I started using DE razors in 2013, and never looked back.
That being said, use whatever works for you.
Thanks for sharing the video, Ken!
The Spectre Thank you very much 👍💈
A cartridge razor...!? What a sacrifice to your fans! You're a brave man!
I’m new to DE shaving, coming from every cartridge razor known to man kind.... personal favourite the Wilkinson Sword Hydro 3.
I instantly noticed the much smoother tug free shave with the DE, and importantly for me, I am finally able to shave without irritating the shit out of my face the following day.
I think it’s simple. With the DE that’s 3 nice clean smooth cuts through the hair... With the Gillette’s etc, that’s 5 tiny ass blades dragging through your hair every pass.
I’m never going back. I LOVE shaving, 2 maybe 3 times a week usually and look forward to the whole soap, brush, 3 pass experience.
I used to dry shave with a Gillette Sensor and would stretch a cartridge out for months.I only shaved then cause it was a half too and did not enjoy it even when using cream or gels in a can.I got into wet shaving and love it to such that i actually can't wait for the next shave.The possibilities with wet shaving is practically endless.Thanks for the video.
I like to compare cartidge to de's like ballpoints to fountain pens.I use both but reach for my fountain pens 9 out of 10 times.
Troy Jenkins Thanks Troy👍💈
I’m new to DE wet shaving. Your videos are very informative so I subscribed. I got all of the VDH shaving gear. I just ordered the Wilkinson ⚔️ classic blades hoping that they’ll be slightly sharper than the VDH blades. I don’t mind the VDH blades but I want a little smoother cut. We’ll see how that goes.
Thanks man, I got inspired to use safety razor watching your videos..... Keep it up, Love from Bangladesh.
GAminG with Kaif Thank you👍💈
I know what you meant, but when I heard you say you're putting in a pack of blades into the merkur I couldn't stop laughing. The quest for the ultimate bbs shave has just taken a scary turn haha
That would be animal house Ken. Great comparison too!
Smokey 1471 One of my favorite movies of all time 👍💈
I actually purchased a micro touch one safety razor today and I couldn’t find the vanderhagen set at my Walgreens so I picked up some vanderhagen shave cream in a tube and used it to shave tonight and my goodness my first wet shave and I’m in absolute love, I used the Vanderhagen cream, and for aftershave I used old spice classic cologne, look very forward to doing it again
KikoliPS You’ll be hooked👍💈
It comes down to personal preference because we're all individuals and our facial contours and hair growth are different. I started on DE, then went cartridge for convenience. I've tried 'em all- some more than once and am still using a 40 year old Atra with Noxzema shave foam. I used Old Spice in a can before P&G foolishly discontinued it in favor of Gillette Foamy. IMO they discontinued the wrong product.
Jim Gallagher 👍💈
merkur 34c is the razor i use... works great as a daily razor. my favorite blade is Astra... i use them 3 times ... 4 maybe ... 2 a week lets say... and use the proraso as well as some artisan soaps... way better shave an no more nasty razor burn i used to have with gillette shaving goo and fusion cartridges.
666dynomax 👍💈💈
Hi Ken- Great side-by-side; thank you. Hope your week is going well! All the best!
Mike H Thanks Mike👍💈
"Eric Stratton rush chairman"... that's just brilliant. 🙂 Made my day. Great videos Ken. All the best.
April 2017 I got into wet shaving. Ordered a DE blade sample pack of of about 50 blades of various brands including Feather, Gillette Platinum, and Astra for $18USD on eBay. At the end of May 2018 I am STILL working my way through that sample pack.
Robbodo What are your favorites so far?
Kensurfs Astra and Feather!
I like how you are not pushing a biased agenda in your video - I have a Gillette Fusion Power and have a nice close shave with some passes, which I think is how it should be used (as you showed) - with each time getting smoother. I am going to be "pampering myself" with some Proraso White after shave cream and ProrasoRed Sandalwood soap ordered on Amazon, and APR Fenchurch aftershave.
Don’t know if you still look at this video and comments, but I saw the Newcastle shirt and just had to say something 😄😄 Greetings from Sunderland!
Ive been trying this lately for the first time
I had ordered a nice razor "vikings blade chieftain" after reading up about everything for awhile, which hasnt come in yet and also got a kit viking revolution. The reason why is because i looked for 2 hours for all the accessories and then i realized the chieftain was going to be a week for delivery so i said screw it and ordered the other kit just to get started!
The safety part is very lame on that one, the blade sticks out like 1/8" but i wanted to start practicing so i use it anyhow until the one i wanted comes in.
today i actually can say after seeing your techniques that i am really starting to get a close smoothe shave. It could be better but i went over a couple spots 3 times and i just wasnt able to maneuver at the angle i wanted to go to get it down. i was using some egyptian blade today, tried the wilkinson sword the past couple times and it was as you explained mild but it was better as a novice. This egyptian blade was called called shark and it felt good.
I had no knicks on my first go but by the end i was knicked up like crazy. then I tried a new aftershave, tea tree and shea butter type (i like the menthol scent and also use a mentholish preshave elemis beard and shave oil i learned about from a cruize ship). The aftershave that came in the viking kit was like a cream and BOY was i not expecting the PAIN from the good stuff haha. i spent a very very long time not shaving at all and am trying to get into it now and your videos are helping so much thank you
MooseJuice 👍💈💈
V. interesting shave Ken. So he’s my 2 cents worth. Last month I visited the UK for a week, not wanting to misplace my DE razor I bought a Gillette Pro Glide (fusion or some 5 blade thing) and it was awful! The cartridge dragged and on the 2nd pass I could feel it like cutting my skin, very unpleasant. Now, upon returning to Switzerland I got myself a vintage Gillette Sensor Excel (France 98 World Cup edition), the difference was night & day! The Senor Excel cartridges were far superior in shave comfort, performance and there was less clogging. Also the Sensor was the first razor I ever shaved with. So to sum up I love the Sensor Excel for a travel shave 🪒, of course like many others I’ll always prefer my DE razors but y’a gotta admit the Sensor is one of their iconic cartridge razors 👍🏼.
Got into DE shaving a month and a half ago. Got a 1957 Gillette Fat boy, Parker 87R and A gold plated Gillette Aristacrat coming in the mail in the next 4 or 5 days. Loving Astra DE blades. I have the Vander Hagen wet shave set on the way from Amazon and can't wait to wet shave for the first time this Thursday. Shaving was just a normal task before I used a DE safety razor now I have fun with shaving. Great video!
How do you get into wet shaving before actually wet shaving?
My dad uses Harry's razors which are cartridge blades and loves them. I did buy him a brush and some good soad and aftershave, which he really enjoys. I have not used a cartridge razor in years, but I do not think I can get my dad use a DE razor.
reat job on this video
Jess Erlund Thanks👍💈
It really does seem to come down to preference. I found I didn't like the way the Fusion pulled my skin even with a new cartridge while the DE seemed to glide even after three shaves with the same blade. Also felt like I had more control with a DE. Results were pretty much equal.
Robert Papps I agree Robert 👍💈
I used to use a Mach 3 until about 3 months ago - like you say..similar smoothness BUT the Mach I always had razor burn, the head clogged too easy and yes the price!! $$$. Now I have a few DE razors and same smoothness but little to no irritation plus now I can try open/closed comb, slant, TTO, 3 piece, vintage, new - real or synthetic brush - soaps!!! so much more!!
Honestly, it’s all about practise, preference & comfort. The Shave I get with the Fusion is so smooth with 1 with the grain pass and 2nd against the grain pass, it literally is baby smooth. Just 1 pass each.
Stressing again: Practice, preference & comfort.
Know your face and skin, Shave with what makes you happy!! Respect to all!! ❤️❤️
AllyDz 👍👍
Thanks for your honest opinion on cartridge razors. Unlike some others, like your videos
Malcolm Maxwell Thank you👍💈
I bought a double edge razor after the commercial came out, It's far superior and i'll never switch back, or support gillette ever again.
i recently turned DE, but i still kept the fusion 5 as i sometime really really have to rush to work
soon you'll learn how to rush with de. And this would be easier with milder ones
Really nice video and comparison Ken! I'm relatively new to wet shaving, about 4 months ago I decided to try it. Best decision I could've made! It's not scary afterall in fact it's fairly simple to adjust to using a DE razor. I love my Merkur 33C and will never go back to cartridge razors. Keep up the great videos!
Mark Trerise Thank you Mark👍💈
I hated the Fusion and threw mine away. The Schick Hydro 5 is better. I am seriously considering trying a traditional safety razor. These videos are very helpful!
Robert B. Thank you👍💈
I went with the Bevel. Love the sleek design! Just need to determine which blade will work best for me.
Imagine If this man be left on a remote island, how would he survive without a shave
He would find the sharpest lava rock imaginable.
Finally, my first DE razor has arrived, it came with its own pack blades, but i went ahead and bought a 10 pack of Gillette Wilkinson sword as well. Will try it out today.
Used my first ever safety razor today (King C. Gillette), im never going back to cartridge razors...my face feels smooth. I didnt want to buy an expensive razor to begin with, but I think I will now!!!
Great shirt youve got on there mate
Anthony Adams Thank you. I was born there👍💈
The whole way cartridge razors are designed just makes a recipe for irritation by most users: The relatively broad surface area it covers means that you can really press down on the skin to cut off the hairs below the "resting level" of the skin. (That's why they cause bumps/ingrowns so often on people with nappy hair). Once the skin relaxes and bounces back to its original position, it covers the hair, producing the appearance of the closest shave achievable. That's the one thing where these razors can't be beat, but IMO the price you pay for it in all other aspects makes them not worth it.
👍👍
I tried de for body shaving for over a few years but ultimately it took far too long and too much concentration to the point where I either wouldn’t shave or would cut myself up. It just wasn’t worth it to me. Now I’m all smooth again because with cartridge razors I can shave super fast. I find skin care is the most important part really after a shave
Man you are 1,000% correct...!
Golden Aristocrats are pretty fancy nice blast from the past. Must have been a sad day when he had to set it down that last time. My prayers are with him.
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i use one disposable razor 5 times and its cheaper than de blade but i use wet shaving soaps and brushes. I get irritation and pimples from de blades. thanks for the review
wet shaver Thank you. 👍👍💈💈
I switched to de because I used to use electric since I started shaving 3 years ago, then I went to my dad's old Gillette contour which he lets me use, and it was great but I hated the tugging so last week I bought a 2 buck de and even that thing destroys the Gillette, and my skin is the least irritated it has ever been
Bad blades happen, but consider this, the per cost of a single bad cartridge is horrendous, what is it, US$3.00 -US$4.00 per blade cartridge?
Compare that to your DE blades that cost less than US$0.15 - US$0.30 per blade?
Also as someone else pointed out that fusion blade cartridge has 5 blades going at your skin at a time, that's like shaving 5 strokes vs per 1 stroke of your DE razor.
As for blood thinning medication, yes I understand the issues. I have been on them since my minor stroke several years ago.
Cuts bleed longer, healing takes longer and cuts reopen easier compared to before I was medication.
But once I changed to a milder razor, or razors designed not to cut / adjustable razors, I no longer have that issue.
Am using the Rockwell 6S now, and will be getting an adjustable soon. The Rockwell is a joy to use. Smooth and you can shave without fear.
Even with feather blades, the Rockwell doesn't cut or nick especially if you use it on the R1 or R2 setting.
I am more often using my 6S on R3 or R4 (I am much more careful when using R3 / R4 with feathers) but to be honest, as long as you don't rush, have decent technique, R3 still feels safe while still giving you a good shave.
Great shave though, love Proraso Green and more so when you go all green (Pre shave, Soap, Post shave) I call it Menthol bombing your face. :)
Steven Lim Thanks Stephen👍💈
My personal fave is Personna blades (made in Israel, BTW), followed by el cheapo "Daxon." Fave soap: old school William's. Old school aftershaves all the way...Brut, Old Spice, Clubman, and Aqua Velva. 4711 also great. Astra: great...but I'm boycotting Gillette.
I switched from a cartridge razor to a straight razor loaded with DE blades and I've not been troubled by razor burn since. Watching you shave I realise why. You shave in smooth, even strokes with the DE blade and go over and over with the cartridge.
They may be more convenient but they're MUCH more expensive and they cause far more irritation than a single properly sharp blade held at the correct angle.
John Smithe Very true John👍👍💈
This man is very knowledgeable and has a large good selection of DE razors and lets his son use a Gillette Fusion?
He took my R41 with a Feather when I wasn't home and cut himself so bad he said he will never use a de razor again
that’s understandable then. Hopefully he changes his mind in the future.
👍👍
Great comparison shave Ken! I figured the cost of cartridge shaving to be about $150 per year just for the blade cartridges alone. If one buys DE blades in bulk, some great blades can be had for under $20 per 100. In my personal use, the would mean my blade consumption cost $7.81 per year. It would be a great savings if one has good self control and zero RAD, SAD, ASAD, etc.
Todd F One or two cool razors and a years worth of blades would be perfect👍💈
150 dollar a year ??? One single cartridge will last me 1 1/2 month.
MrPleers 👍👍
MrPleers My experience was a pack of four Gillette Fusion cartridges cost about $15 and I used 10 packs a year. I shaved daily and they ended up clogging or became tuggy after 8 to 10 shaves. DE shaving is much better in the regard to me. YMMV.
Todd F 👍👍
yes for me shaving was a task i dread because of the irritation frm cartridge razors. going to safety razor is way better and I feel real good. I think ill enjoy shaving now
Awesome. Welcome aboard💈💈👍👍
Keep in mind a thick quality shaving cream is perfect for safety razors but it clogs up cartridge razors. The cartridge might be better with a glycerin based soap that makes a thin lather
Oh yeah👍👍👍👍👍
Eh, sure. But you shouldn't have to use a different lather to shave with a cartridge razor. And to be fair, even my Muhle R89 can get "clogged" with foam unless I rinse it about 5 times during one shave.
Van der hagen is just about what I can find locally still learning to use
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Gotta love that burn Ken. No carts for me, DE/SE all the way. Asylum RX takes no prisoners. Better be a real shaver to use this one. Nice comparison between the razors. The Merkur 34 is sweet, can't say much about the Fusion except i used to use them and hated them. Just my opine. Proraso is one of the greats, even with all the artisan products out there. Another sweet video, keep em coming. Enjoy!
Terry M Thanks Terry👍💈
Just got a 1966 superspeed. Looking forward to starting the journey and have been watching your vids. And an NUFC fan too!! Nice!!! HTL!
The superspeed is awesome! :D
@Kensurfs another great breakdown analysis about shaving. I'm loving my wet shaving journey. I do use cartridge blades from the dollar tree store and get 3x 5 blades for a $1.25 & they are as good as Gillette cartridges.
I'am shaving for almost 2 years with DE safety razors and I'am very satisfied. I have about 10,000 DE blade.
I had a packet which was never opened by me father and twas a Gillette Fusion which he got as a gift. I later shaved with it and felt good and then I discovered his safety razor with which he shaved and I then realised why the Gillette Fusion was never opened.
Ursusdines Animalia 👍👍💈
A Newcastle United Fan, got to be a good bloke. Great review as well.
I would've loved your opinion for a day or two after the shave. For me that's when you tell the real difference.
Next day, no irritation and the stubble is coming back
I am a head shaver and cannot get a solid shave from any DE on my head. I see others do it but maybe it’s the shape of my head I really don’t know...enter the Fusion 5 ( bingo).... it makes head shaving a joy it’s simple requires no mirror in the shower and I can get a baby smooth. Would I use it on my face, hell no. first off those cartilages are highway robbery in price, secondly the few times I’ve tried it on my face it feels like a lawnmower and it’s irritating on my skin. DE shaving is economical, 100 blades for $10 , I toss them every 3rd shave. DE shaving is more technical, more precise, easier and its historical. I love the different soaps and brushes I pair with DE shaving.I am groomed all the time because I enjoy the shave. My wife is always impressed with my clean shave. great show, Ken. Your comparison was spot on and very appreciated.
almost same here when i switched to DE razor, kept Fusion for my nape shave but after week or so i fully abandoned it.
maybe the reason of you not getting solid head shave with DE is that you little bit insecure and afraid of getting cut. with cartrige its almost imposible to get cut if skin is well prepaired. try mild ones like westcoast shaving closed comb its really mild and i can cut myself with it if only pull sideways , soap with high residual slickness will benefit too.
Rishat Tukanov thanks for the comment, Rishat. I have several DE’s ranging from a mild Edwin Jagger up to the West Coast SLAM....yes you might be correct about being a little insecure moving a sharp DE over my head, I believe my technique is good but I just cannot get a tight baby smooth from my DE’s...yes if they took my Fusion away from me and left me with on DE’s I could manage but not sure if I’d get the baby smooth. You have inspired me to keep trying, I’d like nothing more than to toss the Fusion in the garbage can and only use DE’s I’d save a bunch of annual dollars that’s for sure. Thanks again👍 ( come to think of it I rarely use my good quality slick soaps on my head because I am usually in the shower using cheap Cremo which is barely a preshave soap...next time I’ll not shave in shower I’ll use my top brush and my best Italian soap, with Proraso preshave and see how that goes)
Willy Ward I use only DE for head shave and always get BBS.
I always cut myself in beginning and tried cartridge but couldn't get good shave it gave me alway irritation and my head burn whole day so I keep trying with DE and now I get BBS smooth with any DE (my favorite is Rockwell 6S).
I do only one pass AGT and touch up if needed and I shave without mirror.
Willy Ward Thanks Willy👍💈
I only switched to DE shaving because of the cost of the cartridges got insane. I'm now down the rabbit hole chasing the mad hatter! Got about 50 razors and about 2 dozen soaps and aftershaves. Glad I'm saving money...lol! Love the hobby and not going back to cartridges!
Burke Bair Awesome Burke👍💈
Nice comparison and I appreciate that you were fair to the cart's performance. That said, though, barring a dud, a four-pack of Fusion cartridges really is a year's supply. A single cartridge will easily last me 3+ months of daily 2-pass shaves. So it's not as outrageously expensive as it may seem at first.
trel I agree. Plus the first razor and blade are cheap👍💈
On WHAT planet can you get 3 months of daily 2-pass shaves from any cartridge??? What are you shaving, only 3 hairs? Lol. I get about 2 weeks of daily 2-pass shaves from a cartridge razor, that is why I switched! The shave from the cartridge is close and comfortable though.
I have a pretty full beard, no worries. Even Gillette admitted users can get 35 shaves from a Fusion, which is a lot more than the week they used to say a cart lasted. If you do good skin prep, use good soap and properly dry the cart between shaves, yes, you can get 90 shaves out of a single Fusion cartridge. When you let a cart air-dry, deposits form on the blades that make the blades feel like they're going dull much more quickly.
Ahhh. I never dry the blades. Perhaps that does lengthen their lifespan.
It helps if you clean the cartridges, so that the inter-blade spaces do not "clog" (use high rate/pressure water-flow, e.g., under a BATHTUB faucet), and DRY(!!!) the blades.
My DE blades also last me, on average, 3 months, because I remove them from the razor, and rinse, dry, then "cloth-strop" both sides of each edge (this takes about 10 seconds, total), after EVERY shave.
Thank you for the good share on shaving. I wanted to comment that after paying $35 on carts I’ve always found 2 or so clinkers in every batch of the 24-36 carts in the pkg. It’s such a rip-off.
I use a Gillette fusion ONLY for my head because it's all that works for my head. If it wasn't for me having to shave my head I wouldn't use a cartridge razor. I used to shave my face with an electric razor but switched to a safety razor maybe 5 days ago. I enjoy the safety razor shave routine. But still slight redness and irritation & knicks nothing severe. Not sure if irritation is my fault with what I'm using or how I'm shaving. Maybe my skin isn't used to it. We will see. Enjoy the videos
Great comparison shave Ken, always get good ideas from watching your videos, Thank you💈💈
Crispin Munoz Thanks Crispin👍💈
I use the fusion myself, I found around one bum cartridge per magazine. At five bucks a pop, that is way too much. Recently ordered a Parker 76 R safety razor, going to give the DE a try.( I shave face and head, so cartridge costs can really add up)
DE is cheaper, environmental friendly and it's way less irritating than disposable razors
@@OZHKAR1 Yes! loving the Parker razor I got.
@@spike.strat1318 I don't know that one, what model of that brand? I just started in the DE world and I just got the King C
@@OZHKAR1 I got the Parker 76r. They can be ordered on line. the company has a broad line of DE razors.It came with six of their platinum blades which were nice. I just used feather ( blade brand reputed to be very sharp) for the first time and was very happy with the results.
Being new to DE I tend to be very careful and this costs me a bit of time so that by the time i get to the other side of my face, I notice the lather starting to dry out or well, doesn’t feel as slick. For now i lather one side of my face, shave and then lather the other. I imagine once i feel i have mastery of technique, my shaving time will speed up and the partial lathering won’t be needed any longer.
@@spike.strat1318 I saw the razor, it got nice feedback and the quality looks good too. thanks for the tip, once I get better in this I'll give it a look. Nice that you got what you expected! I'll purchase cheap blades once I finish the ones that came with the razor, this DE thing it's very interesting and it has endless possibilities. I see in general that they use a lot of soap and as you say, you gotta be more professional so you don't waste it, another excellent tip, I'm using just water and regular face cream, not the professional shaving soap and it works good
Thanks for the informative video, Im new to wet shaving with safety razors and learning the process of building a lather etc.
howardbob sterngrant 👍👍Welcome
So random seeing a Newcastle too on this video haha I’m sure you’ll be happy to know about the take over
I did three passes on this side (Points on Gillette's side)
Me: You did 15 passes on that side :D
Justin Gold 👍👍👍💈
That's not how it works, I use a DE safety razor but even I think that just because there's 3 blades does not mean one pass=3 passes.... perhaps if the blades were really far apart but they aren't... it's only one pass
@@edwardal7980 I disagree
What do you mean? He did 3 passes
I get about 20 shaves out of the twin-blade Sensor Excel cartridge. I clean it with an old toothbrush. (and it cleans easily)
Greg Sullivan That’s a great idea. Cleans between the blades 👍💈
Kensurfs yep - I just put it under water (in the sink), and gently scrub it with the toothbrush. Re the 20 shaves, that's 20 very light daily shaves, made even lighter by the fact that I touch up with an electric during the day. HOWEVER, currently experimenting with a DE - if I shave really close with it, seems I can go 24 hours without need to touch up.
Greg Sullivan 👍👍💈
I just tried almost the same shave. I used a Schick Hydra 5 which I always felt was smoother and better than Gillette. I used the same blade and my new Vintage Series Black Tiger razor.
No contest
My Aqua Velva gave me a clear winner same as you.
Sheldon Cwinn Excellent Sheldon👍💈
Just confirmed what Ive discovered you will get just as close with a good quality cartridge razor as you will a safety razor. If you prepare the skin.I use a Wilkinson Sword Hydro 3 and sometimes a safety razor.The Hydro gives a really close shave easy to do and I find does not clog up to much because you can get the water in behind the blades. So it really is down to preference.If you want a quick easy shave a good cartridge razor will do the job fine.If you are concerned about price well the safety razor blades are cheaper. But if cost is that important why not go the straight razor route. Gulp lol
Not long started watching your videos i used to used cartrige razors for years untill i found my old grandads safty razor and now i feel i enjoy shaving now more than i used to would love to try some of the old after shaves but unsure if i can fined the in scotland thank you for your informative videos 😀
Thank you👍💈
Great movie Ken - “did we give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?” - classic keep up the good work
Ben Amidon Thanks Ben👍💈
I use the safety razor from Van Der Hagen. I shaved for the very first time and it was phenomenal. Didn’t cut myself at all
Awesome👍💈💈💈
Nice shave vid Ken. I'll still use cartridge razors when I travel and don't want to hunt for blades, but I'd rather not. Cartridge razors invariably caused more razor burns and irritation so I'm glad to be wet shaving. So much more relaxing.
Also, thanks for the Captain's Choice Venture video cause it's keeping my ASAD going LoL
Mike Nguyen Very good Mike👍💈