Who Shaves With A Safety Razor?

[RetiredGypsy]

I found a coupon for $5 off a package of refills at the local warehouse store, and even so this thing would cost something like $40 for 16 razors.

Has anyone hated enough the cost of keeping their face or legs or wherever smooth that they've gone back to the safety razor? Has it been worth the learning curve?

 

[brucethebroker]

I don't use one, but have sold a couple of vintage razors on ebay. I found a seller who sold 40 or 50 new in package Gillette (made in India) double edge blades for around $10 or so. I bought them to include a 10 pack with each razor sold. The price was much better than buying 5 or 10 at CVS.

 

[RobbieB]

Yeah, I do, or did anyway for a while before I got some of my old fav Shick Injector handles off ebay. Blades are still made but not the handles.

I still have my double edge Edwin Jagger, but I don't use it anymore.

They are both way better than the "multi-blade manglers" that are the fashion currently.

 

[CardsFan]

I have a beard, so a cheap disposable razor, twice a week works fine. About $10 for a years supply. And the last can of shave cream lasted over a year!

 

[ugeauxgirl]

I use a disposable razor- during the summer anyway. Winter (even around here) gives me eczema so I use an electric razor then. My mom gave me a 4 blade razor she got at Dollar General and it is the bomb. My husband says its the best disposable razor he's ever used and they last a really long time, but are not cheap, even at DG.

 

[easysurfer]

Electric for me all the way. Haven't used a manual blade in many years. My old reliable triple head Norelco bit the dust a few months ago, so I decided to use a two AA battery operated twin head Norelco til I got a new one. I like the AA battery operated one so much that I just decide to use that as my only razor.

 

[bingybear]

I just use a beard trimmer... no need for a razor at all. skip the shaving lotion too.

 

[Hyperborea]

I messed about with safety razors for a while and gave it up. It was way more hassle than it was worth. I've still got a selection of blades and two handles. I went back to my 2 blade Gillette cartridge razor and a Panasonic foil electric.

One interesting trick that I picked up a few years ago was that you can strop the cartridge blades. Essentially, you run the cartridge backwards against your forearm using the handle. I got up to almost two years at one point with a cartridge before giving up and using a new one. There is some degradation over time even with the stropping but up to about 6 months or so (depending on how often you shave and your hair) there seems to be none for me.

This is the video that first told me about this technique -

 

[aaronc879]

I have never used anything other than an electric razor for my face. To be honest, if someone gave me a razor and a can of shaving cream I wouldn't know what to do with it. I just never found a reason to deal with all of that.

 

[Major Tom]

I switched from disposable razors to a Merkur safety razor about 5 years ago and haven't looked back. The replacement blades are cheap, and although it's not a whole lot of plastic, I feel good about throwing the occasional blunt metal blade away instead of the plastic disposable razors.

It's a simple, cheap, and elegant way to shave, in my opinion.

 

[Gumby]

I use a straight razor. The only ongoing cost is a new disc of soap every few months, and a new badger brush every few years.

 

[Hyperborea]

I have never used anything other than an electric razor for my face. To be honest, if someone gave me a razor and a can of shaving cream I wouldn't know what to do with it. I just never found a reason to deal with all of that.

I find that shaving with an electric is quicker and easier if I'm consistently shaving every or every other day. Beyond that the electric takes a lot more work to shave and do a good job. If I've let it go for 3/4 or more days then the blade does a quicker cleaner shave.

 

[Sunset]

I used an electric for years, dragging it over my face. Still have it.

I bought a 7 blade razor and 20 blades to go with it. for 1/2 price and free shipping from Dorco .

Then they had double razor with 30 blades go in sale for 1/2 price so I bought that too, just to try it out.

http://cdn2.bigcommerce.com/server2...es/1347/1__23485.1466313848.1280.1280.jpg?c=2

Now I shave with the double blade one, unless I have cut myself too much the day before
It does take practice, but makes the shaving more exciting !!

They run sales often, so I find this is a good site: http://www.dorcousa.com/

 

[Gumby]

It does take practice, but makes the shaving more exciting !!

Go with the straight for even more excitement.

 

[HFWR]

Electric, Remington something something, augmented by the occasional skim over with a cheapo supremo twinblade. I do spring for the teflon strip version. [emoji41]

 

[nash031]

I second Dorco, learned on this forum. They supply Dollar Shave Club, so you can buy direct from the manufacturer for less as often as you want. My hair is fine, so I don't need to change blades as often.

I have a safety razor, but haven't gotten around to messing with it... yet.

 

[Souschef]

I have never used anything other than an electric razor for my face. To be honest, if someone gave me a razor and a can of shaving cream I wouldn't know what to do with it. I just never found a reason to deal with all of that.

I am 78, and my wife still cannot believe I never used a razor. I have used electric from the time I was old enough to shave

 

[FIREd]

I use either a safety razor or a straight razor - depending on how steady my hand is that day...

 

[Sunset]

I am 78, and my wife still cannot believe I never used a razor. I have used electric from the time I was old enough to shave

I grew up living on an island with no electricity, so nobody used electric razors.
So I got to see my father using the straight razor on the back porch every morning shaving. My dad had a white "pencil" that stops bleeding quickly.

I would see my Uncle very often with little bits of kleenex stuck on the cut spots

 

[Souschef]

I grew up living on an island with no electricity, so nobody used electric razors.
So I got to see my father using the straight razor on the back porch every morning shaving. My dad had a white "pencil" that stops bleeding quickly.

I would see my Uncle very often with little bits of kleenex stuck on the cut spots

My dad had one of those pencils too. It was called a styptic pencil This is a short stick of medication. Anhydrous aluminium sulfate is the main ingredient and acts as a vasoconstrictor in order to disable blood flow. The stick is applied directly to the bleeding site

 

[aaronc879]

I find that shaving with an electric is quicker and easier if I'm consistently shaving every or every other day. Beyond that the electric takes a lot more work to shave and do a good job. If I've let it go for 3/4 or more days then the blade does a quicker cleaner shave.

That makes sense. I tried going more than 1 day without shaving in the past and it was noticeably more difficult to use my electric razor. Now I shave every day or skip one day at most. I'm a rather casual person and don't have a job that requires a perfect clean shave so I usually just do a quick 30 second or 1 minute shave. Very easy with the electric razor.

 

[ERD50]

Been using this since 2010:

https://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Long-Handled-Safety-Razor/dp/B000NL0T1G

100 of the ASTRA blades for $10. Each lasts me weeks.

I bought some disposable razors when I went on vacation, figured they'd be light and I wouldn't take any back with me, saving a little space on the return trip. The disposables were horrendous, just dragged through a one-day stubble. These ASTRA blades just glide through the occasional 3-day stubble (I get lazy once in a while) like nothing.

Cheap shaving soap, that lasts 6 months or so. I should maybe try 'splurging' on a higher end soap/creme.

-ERD50

 

[Hillbilly]

I went to a safety razor about 5 years ago and never looked back. Like the Astra, Feather and Personna blades best. Took a little time getting use to the chin area. A little Bay Rum splash afterwards, I'm good for the day.

I've looked at the straight razors and have my grandfather's but I'm not ready for that challenge (yet).

 

[ER Eddie]

Didn't even know what a safety razor was. Had to look it up.

 

[Sunset]

If anyone wants to try out one of those 6 blade razors for cheap, Dorco has a flash sale:
Dorco Pace 6 Plus, Six Blade Shaving Razor System With Trimmer, SXA5000
It's the handle and 2 cartridges. Use code: LoveP6P at checkout to get it for $2.99 shipped