First some shaving history - I started shaving in 1979 when I was fourteen years old and used a double-head Philips rotary battery from the seventies that could take 4 normal dry zinc-chloride HP7 /LR6 batteries, nickel-cadmium or Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable batteries plus it had a socket for a mains adapter - that was okay for quick dry shaves.
I also had a Braun battery foil electric shaver and a newer 1986 Philips double head rotary which was nowhere near as well made as my mid seventies Philips dual rotary battery model.
All electric shavers were unsatisfactory for me and my fiance because they didn`t get close enough.
On normal workdays I used BIC white single blade disposables and the blue plastic twin blade Gillette disposables - I didn`t bother with cartridge razors for decades.
I did try Aldi supermarket 5 blade cartridge razors in my forties but they were no better than the BIC and Gillette plastic disposables but much more expensive.
Finally in my mid-fifties I tried cheap new cut-throat razors and vintage carbon steel and stainless straight razors which were fiddly and a pain to sharpen and hone but when working well were fantastic and unsurpassed.They were just too much high-maintenance for me personally at the time.
I had a couple of no brand Chinese safety razors so I tried them with cheap Chinese DE blades and Wilkinson Sword and Gillette stainless steel blades which were okay but not as smooth or as close as an on-song straight razor.
After owning good but inexpensive Japanese carbon knives and one bespoke powdered steel English Cai-Dao I decided to push the boat out a little further regarding wet shaving tackle.
I gave away all my vintage brass and zinc alloy English, German, American and Japanese safety razors - some over a hundred years old many decades ago.
All I was left with was one Chinese cheap safety razor worth about a dollar - new haha!
So I decided to get some decent Japanese blades and bought 50 Feather brand blades which I never heard of until yesterday.
I looked at the reviews after I bought them.Everybody said that they were the sharpest in the World at 32 Bess and were dangerous for DE safety razor newbies.
Nevermind - I used a Feather blade for the first time this morning and Oh My God - what a revelation - smooth, quick and brilliant - not one nick or cut or shaving rash - just slight irritation which went after an hour.
Japanese Feather blades are so worth it - one pass gets closer than 5-6 strokes with a Wilkinson Sword or Gillette blade - those American brands are like shaving with a blunt disposable in comparison.
So today I ordered two heavy Chinese safety razors - one plain stainless and one zinc/aluminium alloy that are good quality but less than $20 dollars for both shipped.
The black Sparkly brand safety razor cost about $7-8 dollars and the SharpyCo stainless one was about $10-11 dollars.So I got two bargains that will last but obviously they are not heirloom razors.
The only blades I`ll be using from now on will be Japanese Feather brand which are not expensive for the quality offered - 50 blades for less than £20 pounds delivered.
I`ll show some pictures when the two new razors come - they`re both still on order.
Has anybody else considered using a budget handle and head combination in conjunction with top of the line blades?