I've been bearded most of my life, mostly because I prefer a beard, but partly because my skin is quite sensitive and shaving would make me break out in a terrible rash. I shaved the morning of my wedding and spent the first week and a half of our honeymoon looking like I fell in stinging nettle.
I had read about traditional wet shaving working well for people who couldn't use disposables, but was initially put off by the high startup invesment. I did some hunting and finally found a smokin' deal online. In 2006, I bought a Merkur Futur, a midrange Colonel Conk badger brush and stand, Crabtree & Evelyn triple milled sandalwood shave soap in a teakwood bowl, a box of 100 Derby Extra blades and a 15 blade sample pack of Merkur Super, Astra Superior Stainless and Feather New Hi-Stainless, shipped over 4000km to my front door for a little over $100 CAD! (I said it was a smokin' deal)
For the first time in my life, I was able to shave without having intense irritation. I even actually
enjoyed shaving. Since then I've tried Merkur Progress and Gillette Fatboy razors, which my wife accidentally got rid of, and a a few different Colonel Conk glycerin soaps. My favorite razor by far would be the Futur. As much as I love the smell of the C&E sandalwood soap, I got a better shave with the CC glycerin soaps, and they're dirt cheap, even if they don't last as long as triple-milled. Another thing I like about the CC soap is that I could buy unscented, melt it in the microwave, add my own essential oils and pour it into any vessel I choose. For a while I kept my soap in a martini glass.
I liked the other blades, especially the Feathers, but not enough to justify buying more before I finish my big box of Derbys. The Derbys work great and they cost me 14.5¢/shave.
I was hoping someone with experience could tell me how much better are these Merkur Futur Razors than your average razor?
If, by "average razor" you mean a standard double-edge, not much better. It's a bit heavier, which I like, and it gives you the ability to adjust how agressive your edge is. Dialed to 1, you can be very sloppy and not worry much about cutting yourself. If I crank it up to 6, I can go from Grizzly Adams to James Bond without trimming first. The finish is very smooth compared to most other razors, so it can end up getting a bit slippery when it's wet and soapy. I started on the Futur, but it's not necessary and as somebody else already said, it's probably more confusing at first. You can get a standard DE for much cheaper and you may never need to upgrade.
If you mean your average, multi-blade cartridge razor, it's like comparing nighttime to daytime. In the long run you'll save money, get a much better shave and probably actually enjoy it.
I hope this helps.
(sorry for the long post)
