3 Best Safety Razors For Beginners 

If you’re watching this in the future. Late 20’s early 30’s means 1920’s and 1930’s

The Henson without question. I'll take the Henson everyday , it is amazing IMO. The Henson and the Karve Overlander are my favorite everyday razors. No nicks, no cuts, BBS shaves.

In January of this year I started traditional wet shaving with the Henson AL13++. Some months later I purchased the AL13+ and gave the AL13++ to my son. The Henson is a great razor for the beginner. I also bought a Karve CB with four different base plates, SB A to D. With the Karve you need to watch your technique a bit more, but the mild plates (A/B) help reduce your chances of getting nicked.

Thank you for the analysis on these razors. I'm still new to the game of safety razors, and your advice provides perspective. Look forward to your next review.

Thank you for your video! I'm debating between the Henson and the Supply.

Got the leaf twig. I love it.

Good video, man, as always. I haven't tried the Leaf, but out of the other two, I would honestly recommend the Henson. Here's why. When I first got into this, the Supply got me into the game (the earlier Supply before the one you show here). It was the first razor I'd ever used in my life and for the most part, starting out, it was quite good, but this one you still had to be a tad bit concerned about shaving angle. I also got a Rockwell 6C as a backup just to try double edge razors, too. As a bit of time went along, I wanted to look into other blade options other than the packaged Supply and Rockwell blades. When I checked the injector side, I could only find some Schick injector blades. So I bought those and used them for two shaves, and I probably got the worst shaves I'd ever had since using the Supply razor. But when I went to the Rockwell side, there were SO MANY damn blades across the board, I'd be spending my whole life finding a blade that would suit me. And that overwhelming amount of options helped me understand that SOMEWHERE there was a blade for me and my face and comfort. As such, I got rid of the Supply and went full double edge. With the Henson, the angle of the shave is idiot proof and you don't have to focus on any angles whatsoever. But the game changer...comes down to the blades. Because THERE IS A BLADE that will give you the perfect shave with the Henson SOMEWHERE, but it is about FINDING IT. Once you do...really...the extra few dollars for the razor justify the amazing shaves that you will get, bar-none. (I recently shaved with the Henson using a Perma-Sharp blade and it might have been one of the best shaves I'd ever had, and you already know how many razors I've used.) Just make sure to try the different Henson types, like the "Medium" and "Aggressive" options, to see which one is right for you because the "Mild" is TOO mild to me.

Looking forward to watching this later

I'd recommend the Merkur 34C for new wet-shavers. I like the 2-piece, easy to work with, and you get a mild but effective shave. Good price also. I think the Henson is over-rated. It's OK but I'm not thrilled with mine.

Howzit from Hawaii! Really enjoy your videos. Even though I am a 10+ year wet shaver, still so much to learn and you make it funny and fun. Love the Thorn and Supply (great customer service from Supply too) I always recommend them for beginners. But, seriously, am I the only person who hates the Henson? I have never been so butchered by a razor, not even by my Feather shavette. I haven't even been able to finish a full shave with it. My friend put it best when he tried the Henson, "I've never actively hated a razor while using it" Looking forward to more videos from you. Cheers

Great video. Im pretty interested in getting into this. Do you have a tutorial video or a playlist for people who are brand new to this?

Hard to beat the twig, love that thing. Most of all I like the ergonomics of the head design. Easy to get under the nose, and under the neck it is effortless

I've been using a Wilkinson sword classic for almost a year now. It's way better than the Gillette I used previously. Any tips for a better shave and maybe some razor recommendations.

I’m 62, have not used a safety razor for nearly 40 years. I’ve decided to go back where I started, and picked up an adjustable razor, and presently accumulating the rest of the stuff I need. I should have done more research before selecting the adjustable. Some things I’ve read, is when just starting out, get a variety pack of razors, and try different ones to find what works. I would imagine it’s hard to zero in the blade that works when you’re adjusting the razor. The razor did come with 5 blades. Maybe start with those, adjust as I get the hang of it, and stick with these blades. Wish me luck.

Great video! 👍👍👍👍👍

i'd also recommend the rockwell 6c as beginners adjustable razor. not sure people want to buy special blades for the supply

Very nice insight on those three razors. When choosing one, go for the hotdog 😂

What's the alternative to "wet shaving?" I always wet my face with hot wash cloth, then cream. I do that with a cartridge type.

I just moved over to Timeless. I got the Bronze, Aluminum and Titanium. I haven't used the Titanium yet but already I feel like I've kicked my shaving game up a notch. Effortless shaves with no cuts, grazes or sting from the aftershave.

Great vid! 😁👍🏼

The first safety razor I got was the king c gillette. It's a good razor but now with my Rockwell 6s I haven't used it in a while.

I’m a Mach 3 guy right now but considering a change due to cost of the cartridges. I shave every day due to military standards at work. I shave with the grain first then against. I also shave my head. Which would you recommend for head and face?

Nice beginner's guide!

So I have what's probably an odd question but what would you think is a good starter for women? I have quite coarse full hair so I have to shave a bit more often than average so I've been using a safety razor lately since they're much more economical for me but I'd love extra opinions on what to get next since the one I have is decent but doesn't really get as close as I need it to.

How's the gold coating on the leaf razor holding up ?

Greg i think your mileage may vary. I tried all three. I had supplys first razor and the version 2. No matter what i tried, i kept getting nicks with it. I would rank them Twig / Thorn 1, Henson 2, and the supply 3 but that is my opinion.

Do you think there would be a difference in opinion for legs?

Nice choice, i target the leaf twig for my next razor. Supply is cool but having a proprietary razor is a deal breaker. Henson is just above my price range

I'm very clean and all my grooming tools are stainless steel and easy to clean, i.e. disassembles with no hidden parts, so I can scrub ALL parts with bleach. Can you recommend a safety razor like that?

Henson blades are about $.10 apiece. The supply are close to a dollar apiece on their website

Which kind gives the closest shave?

Is Henson milder than the Muhle R89?

Very interesting video as always Greg. I very much agree that all three would be excellent beginner razors. But my ranking would be different. Personally, I feel the Henson is the easiest to learn because the shave angle is built into the design. That’s true of the Supply too, but I find the blade angle makes it a little more difficult to shave with. And while I invariably get a nick with the Supply razor (despite their ‘nick proof’ technology) I almost never do with the Henson. The Twig is somewhere in between. So my ranking is: (1) the Henson; (2) the Twig; and (3) the Supply. I guess that confirms the YMMV adage.

Get an adjustable. Solves all problems

Id go for the supply SE. 1. The blades can shave off over a weeks worth of growth without razor burn because of the thickness of the blade. No real need for adjustments. 2. The blades last longer and the injector magazine has a blade bank and is recyclable. 3. Angle isnt hard to find. 4. Easy to clean. 5. Materials will last a lifetime. 6. They have a silicone sleeve for shower use, which can also make it easier to shave with. 7. Because of the injector system, you have less chances of cutting yourself. 8. The design is balanced and has a nice heft to it allowing you to use the razors weight to do the work for you mostly. I have heard that the Hensons light weight can make it easy to put too much pressure on your face resulting in knicks and cuts. Plus, with the Henson the mild has been said to be too mild, which means more passes if you dont shave as much. But if you wanna be safe about it, a murkur 34c would be the best overall option. Getting technique down is vital for a beginner. But that also requires a learning curve. All depends on what you want to do.

Been wet shaving for about 10 years. I have all three of these razors. I agree the AL13 is a good transition/beginner razor. As for the Supply SE and Twig-- they’re actually more dangerous than most of my DEs. They give you a false sense of security and can easily bight you in the ass Keep up the good work! 👍

Ah thought you didn’t like the Henson.

mustard, ketchup, or mustard and ketchup? Think I might have to run these numbers over on IG.

👍👍💈💈💈

Too much focus is given to which razor someone should use if new to safety razors. Just steer them away from crazy aggressive ones and they’ll be fine.

Great video, Greg (as always). Can’t argue with your conclusions, although I don’t have the Supply in my collection. My only comment is that if we’re supportive of people getting into the hobby, maybe the best place to start is with an actual DE razor (a mild one). There’s always going to be a learning curve, so why not start with a traditionally shaped DE razor? Otherwise you have to learn about other blades and loading techniques before you start on the real thing. I’m no Henson fanboy, but a newbie could do much worse than starting with one. If it’s too mild, or not their cup of tea for some other reason, there are many other options. So down the rabbit hole they go… Cheers. 👍🪒