Hello from Sydney
- Thread starter watchme
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2018
- Location
- Bunbury, Western Australia
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2016
- Location
- The "Wet Lord of Voodoo" Boogie Man
Gargravarr
Our resident snake charmer
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2020
- Location
- lutruwita
Welcome aboard @watchme, enjoy the rabbit hole 
On the other hand, if you like the idea, you could trawl ebay for something in the way of vintage Gillette razors, where there are some bargains to be had, along with a few unwelcome surprises. It's not my thing, but lots of people never leave that hole.
HTH...
My best suggestion (that doesn't involve spending a heap of money) would be a Mühle Rocca R94/5/6 depending on your preference for handle. Partner it with a nice sharp (but not too sharp) blade like a Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow, or a Minora Stainless and you're set. Others swear by the Merkur 34C, but I could never make that work for me, and I gave mine away.
On the other hand, if you like the idea, you could trawl ebay for something in the way of vintage Gillette razors, where there are some bargains to be had, along with a few unwelcome surprises. It's not my thing, but lots of people never leave that hole.
HTH...
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2016
- Location
- The "Wet Lord of Voodoo" Boogie Man
Speaking about the Merkur 34C or 34G both are the same head aggression, please trust me and watch this youtube below and you will also LOVE the Muhle Rocca R94. both are FANTASTIC razors must-have in your den as YMMV depending on your skin and stubble.Welcome aboard @watchme, enjoy the rabbit hole
My best suggestion (that doesn't involve spending a heap of money) would be a Mühle Rocca R94/5/6 depending on your preference for handle. Partner it with a nice sharp (but not too sharp) blade like a Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow, or a Minora Stainless and you're set. Others swear by the Merkur 34C, but I could never make that work for me, and I gave mine away.
On the other hand, if you like the idea, you could trawl ebay for something in the way of vintage Gillette razors, where there are some bargains to be had, along with a few unwelcome surprises. It's not my thing, but lots of people never leave that hole.
HTH...
Rusty Bridges
Owns a betacord/betamax
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2016
- Location
- Sydney
I'd like to counter this and suggest a Rockwell 6S (Stainless Steel) or 6C (Chrome). The stainless has a matte/satin like finish which some feel like it can stick but overall the preferred model however it is dearer being that the material is more durable and should also be a little bit heaver. The 6C being chrome is nice and shiny although that not the only thing to admire about it as many feel that the chrome model tends to glide over the skin better but I suspect that is more of a personal preference. The 6C being of a cheaper material (Zinc alloy, the same material used for the above mentioned razors) is also cheaper however it is subject to durability issues if you do not take good care of it.
The Rockwell 6 series is also whats known as an adjustable razor which will allow you to change base plates and flip them in accordance to the shave you would like or the type of shave you are more comfortable with. Whilst this all may sound complicated it truly isn't. The plates are numbered and there is even adequate paperwork to guide you which plate is suitable for the kind of shave and comfort to expect. Simply put the higher the numbers on the plates the larger the gap, the larger the gap the more aggressive the shave but given Rockwell's excellent design and performance many people can go all the way up to 6 and still feel very comfortable using it.
I myself spent a lot of time on the Rockwell 6S and could easily drop back into using it without complaints even though I have a plethora of razors now available to me (It's a slippery landslide. Believe us! lol).
I personally like the 6S so much that at some point I may pick up a 6C just because of the slickness factor and personal preference.
As far as blades go I feel like the guys hit the nail on the head. Minora blades are running hot favourites here right now but often enough you will hear Astra SP (AKA greens) getting a few votes and given you can pick up 100 of them in a neat box for $15 or less they are a worthwhile choice but I would highly recommend picking up a variety of small packs (usually they have 5 in each pack and sometimes even 10 blades) to start you off that way you aren't needlessly spending money on stuff that don't agree with your face, skill, razor or style of shaving. I will say the Rockwell 6 series razors tend to have a wider tolerance for blades so you can virtually not go wrong as far as blades are concerned there.
PolSilvers are really nice blades although they are harder to find now much to the same as Wizamets. Feathers are the arguably the sharpest but once you master them they almost have no equal. Another name you might here in this space is Gillette Silver Blue's which are also very good blades.
Once you find the blades you like then grab 100 or more depending on the finances, availability and how much you really like them. Eventually you'll start to familiarise the blades by country and manufacturing plants and generally anticipate the kind of shave you will get from them.
Half of the battle to avoid irritation in my experience and personal opinion is good shaving prep and getting a good lather so take your time experimenting with that and one thing I cannot state enough is to hydrate your lather. A dry lather is going to make your skin burn like the devils armpit so make sure you wet the neck and face before you start and also make sure to add enough water incrementally to your lather as you are whipping it up be that on your face or in a bowl. Once you start understanding fundamentals like hydration your shaves will improve significantly.
Given that you have mentioned irritation then I would suggest watching the pressure you are pushing the razor against your skin as well as the angle of the razor. Cartridge razors are forgiving and much more intuitive but honestly are irritation beasts so if you're coming from a cart razor then definitely take not of that.
Another tip I can offer is to take notice of your hair growth over time. I don't expect you to do the cotton ball trick or spend 10 to 20 minutes analysing your face and the direction the hair is growing but taking note of such things will help you avoid irritation as you will be able to understand which way the growth is occring so you can shaving with the growth and against the growth thus achieving a cleaner cut even BBS without so many passes which will invariably cause irritations. You simply don't want to do too many passes. Three passes max and maybe some clean up buffing if necessary but make sure you are lathering up your face between each pass. It's always tempting to just go at it for a quick cleanup without soap but its a mistake unless you are very a seasoned shaver and have confidence in the residual slickness a soap can leave and the other equipment you are using such as blade and razor.
As far as stores go in Australia they are all very good and will look after you however in this instance I can recommend VSHOD as you will find that the owner is very generous and as new customer if you keep buy specific stuff such as soaps he will toss in a bowl too and often when you buy a razor he will gift you some nice blades too. VSHOD has a nice variety to choose from and I could ramble on about blades all day long because there are simply so many which offer difference experiences.
VSHOD has a nice variety of inexpensive Razorock brushes that are very good bang for buck as too are their razors however I am going to hold firm on the Rockwell 6 series here.
I have probably gone wildly over the top and written way too much but there is honestly so much to say and so much to be excited about. You are onto a good thing here man so definitely stick with it and you will soon be enjoying not only smoother, cheaper shaves but it will no longer seem like a chore but a relaxing and exciting ritual.
If you have any other questions just ask. There are some really great people here with a lot of experience so don't hesitate.
Welcome and enjoy your stay here.
Btw I have a Merkur 34C and barely touch it but its not to say its a bad razor at all but I just feel the Rockwell has unseated it. I would also say I have sensitive skin too.
I am always learning and I have been shaving for many years but also a completely in this rabbit hole and as I read this thread within the first few moments @SpeedyPC has just about sold me on a Muhle Rocca and I wasn't even looking to buy a new razor since I just bought 5... like I saif its a slippery mudslide but just because you're going down so fast it doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself on the way down the rabbit hole. lol
The Rockwell 6 series is also whats known as an adjustable razor which will allow you to change base plates and flip them in accordance to the shave you would like or the type of shave you are more comfortable with. Whilst this all may sound complicated it truly isn't. The plates are numbered and there is even adequate paperwork to guide you which plate is suitable for the kind of shave and comfort to expect. Simply put the higher the numbers on the plates the larger the gap, the larger the gap the more aggressive the shave but given Rockwell's excellent design and performance many people can go all the way up to 6 and still feel very comfortable using it.
I myself spent a lot of time on the Rockwell 6S and could easily drop back into using it without complaints even though I have a plethora of razors now available to me (It's a slippery landslide. Believe us! lol).
I personally like the 6S so much that at some point I may pick up a 6C just because of the slickness factor and personal preference.
As far as blades go I feel like the guys hit the nail on the head. Minora blades are running hot favourites here right now but often enough you will hear Astra SP (AKA greens) getting a few votes and given you can pick up 100 of them in a neat box for $15 or less they are a worthwhile choice but I would highly recommend picking up a variety of small packs (usually they have 5 in each pack and sometimes even 10 blades) to start you off that way you aren't needlessly spending money on stuff that don't agree with your face, skill, razor or style of shaving. I will say the Rockwell 6 series razors tend to have a wider tolerance for blades so you can virtually not go wrong as far as blades are concerned there.
PolSilvers are really nice blades although they are harder to find now much to the same as Wizamets. Feathers are the arguably the sharpest but once you master them they almost have no equal. Another name you might here in this space is Gillette Silver Blue's which are also very good blades.
Once you find the blades you like then grab 100 or more depending on the finances, availability and how much you really like them. Eventually you'll start to familiarise the blades by country and manufacturing plants and generally anticipate the kind of shave you will get from them.
Half of the battle to avoid irritation in my experience and personal opinion is good shaving prep and getting a good lather so take your time experimenting with that and one thing I cannot state enough is to hydrate your lather. A dry lather is going to make your skin burn like the devils armpit so make sure you wet the neck and face before you start and also make sure to add enough water incrementally to your lather as you are whipping it up be that on your face or in a bowl. Once you start understanding fundamentals like hydration your shaves will improve significantly.
Given that you have mentioned irritation then I would suggest watching the pressure you are pushing the razor against your skin as well as the angle of the razor. Cartridge razors are forgiving and much more intuitive but honestly are irritation beasts so if you're coming from a cart razor then definitely take not of that.
Another tip I can offer is to take notice of your hair growth over time. I don't expect you to do the cotton ball trick or spend 10 to 20 minutes analysing your face and the direction the hair is growing but taking note of such things will help you avoid irritation as you will be able to understand which way the growth is occring so you can shaving with the growth and against the growth thus achieving a cleaner cut even BBS without so many passes which will invariably cause irritations. You simply don't want to do too many passes. Three passes max and maybe some clean up buffing if necessary but make sure you are lathering up your face between each pass. It's always tempting to just go at it for a quick cleanup without soap but its a mistake unless you are very a seasoned shaver and have confidence in the residual slickness a soap can leave and the other equipment you are using such as blade and razor.
As far as stores go in Australia they are all very good and will look after you however in this instance I can recommend VSHOD as you will find that the owner is very generous and as new customer if you keep buy specific stuff such as soaps he will toss in a bowl too and often when you buy a razor he will gift you some nice blades too. VSHOD has a nice variety to choose from and I could ramble on about blades all day long because there are simply so many which offer difference experiences.
VSHOD has a nice variety of inexpensive Razorock brushes that are very good bang for buck as too are their razors however I am going to hold firm on the Rockwell 6 series here.
I have probably gone wildly over the top and written way too much but there is honestly so much to say and so much to be excited about. You are onto a good thing here man so definitely stick with it and you will soon be enjoying not only smoother, cheaper shaves but it will no longer seem like a chore but a relaxing and exciting ritual.
If you have any other questions just ask. There are some really great people here with a lot of experience so don't hesitate.
Welcome and enjoy your stay here.
Btw I have a Merkur 34C and barely touch it but its not to say its a bad razor at all but I just feel the Rockwell has unseated it. I would also say I have sensitive skin too.
I am always learning and I have been shaving for many years but also a completely in this rabbit hole and as I read this thread within the first few moments @SpeedyPC has just about sold me on a Muhle Rocca and I wasn't even looking to buy a new razor since I just bought 5... like I saif its a slippery mudslide but just because you're going down so fast it doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself on the way down the rabbit hole. lol
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2016
- Location
- The "Wet Lord of Voodoo" Boogie Man
One more razor in your den for the Rocca R94 wouldn't even hurt your bare testicles while your swinging that rusty old fart baseball bat
Rusty Bridges
Owns a betacord/betamax
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2016
- Location
- Sydney
hahahahaha! Now I know I am going to have to take a swing at it or something.
I was considering the Edwin Jagger 3one6 instead but now I am like... Hmm, that Muhle does look really nice. We both know whats going to happen don't you? I'm going to end up buying both now. Thanks a lot buddy!! LoL
Rusty Bridges
Owns a betacord/betamax
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2016
- Location
- Sydney
The Rocca R94 is a nice razor especially now that it has gone through a few revisions and things have settled.
Oh Speaking of Edwin Jagger the DE89 is a nice starter razor too.
I should also mention in case it means anything to anyone but the Rockwell 6S is made in the US, The 6C is made in China, the Rocca r94 is made in Germany and the Edwin Jagger's are made in the UK.
Another thing worth mentioning is post shave. Grab yourself an Alum block, some Thayers or Humphreys witch hazel (Thayers is far more accessible) and a decent after shave. If you feel some minor prickling from hair on your face right after you wash up from your shave and go into the post shave then leave it at that and catch it next time but also take note that often at times once you leave your face to settle for a few minutes and if you've had a great that very low hair will vanish and you will have that smoothness you are after. Even a Damn Fine Shave (DFS) will give you those kinds of results.
Oh Speaking of Edwin Jagger the DE89 is a nice starter razor too.
I should also mention in case it means anything to anyone but the Rockwell 6S is made in the US, The 6C is made in China, the Rocca r94 is made in Germany and the Edwin Jagger's are made in the UK.
Another thing worth mentioning is post shave. Grab yourself an Alum block, some Thayers or Humphreys witch hazel (Thayers is far more accessible) and a decent after shave. If you feel some minor prickling from hair on your face right after you wash up from your shave and go into the post shave then leave it at that and catch it next time but also take note that often at times once you leave your face to settle for a few minutes and if you've had a great that very low hair will vanish and you will have that smoothness you are after. Even a Damn Fine Shave (DFS) will give you those kinds of results.
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2019
- Location
- Chalong, Thailand
bernie01
Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2019
- Location
- Otford, NSW
The Karve that was advertised here this morning with 3 different plates would be a great starter, at a great price; one of my favourite razors. Check out the BST pages.
Razor Burn
President of the TF Custom Brushes Fan Club
Grand Society
Da Menth Heads
2019 Charity Auction Winner
2020 Charity Auction Winner
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2017
- Location
- Canberra
Good advice so far @watchme but eventually you will need the 'real" thrill of steel against skin. Get a good 5/8" full hollow straight a strop and some hones and you are set for life.
you might look a bit ragged for a start but a straight is excellent as a long term entry into the rabbit hole.
An excellent low irritation razor is a GEM G-bar. It is a safety razor and easy to use because of the intuitive head design.
you might look a bit ragged for a start but a straight is excellent as a long term entry into the rabbit hole.An excellent low irritation razor is a GEM G-bar. It is a safety razor and easy to use because of the intuitive head design.
