Toilet paper and safety razors

Fixing and making things, what tools to get and what skills to learn, ...
BlueNote
Posts: 501
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2013 6:26 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Toilet paper and safety razors

Post by BlueNote »

I use mach 3 razors from Costco. I make them last an extremely long time (around 6 months but could probably go up to a year) by doing the following:

1. I spray rubbing alcohol on the blade before using it, it seems to help with razor burn.

2. Every once in awhile I strop the blade by running it backwards over a towel ~20 times.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_tFZXk4YJc. This has always brought the blade back to life for me.

3. When I'm done a I wash the blade off thoroughly in water and spray it again with rubbing alcohol. This last spray keeps the blade very dry and prevents corrosion.

I tried those old safety razors a long time ago and didn't like them (perhaps I didn't have good technique) but +1 on good shaving soap.

BRUTE
Posts: 3797
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 5:20 pm

Re: Toilet paper and safety razors

Post by BRUTE »

the technique for safety razors definitely has to be learned. it's not hard, but the strokes are short and small, and they come at an angle. not like the long strokes Mach3 and competition use.

bryan
Posts: 1061
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2014 2:01 am
Location: mostly Bay Area

Re: Toilet paper and safety razors

Post by bryan »

In case anyone is considering getting a portable bidet*, I would advise against.

I thought a portable bidet would be a good intro to bidets since it was very cheap, had high reviews, and maybe it would come in handy in a past/future nomadic life or maybe it's so good I will take it with me everywhere I go? Well, it's been at least a month since (experimenting and) using it and I would give it a 5.8/10.

The main issues I have with it are 1) the pressure is apparently not enough, even with a two handed squeeze, 2) this means I still still need to use a fair bit of TP to get everything perfectly clean like what I'm used to (just a fair reduction in amount of TP used w/ bidet). 3) I don't like poo water running down my butt cheeks (or my scrotum and balls if using two handed squeeze). 4) It's awkward to use most effectively (either with two hands to squeeze or one hand while the other keeps the balls elevated, squeezing the bidet as hard as possible while also trying to expose as much of your anus (anal canal?) as possible).

I'll continue to use it since I have it, but it is not a replacement for TP (unless you are a barbarian).

I imagine a stronger bidet would be better. Or maybe I need to invent a "single wipe" tool to compliment a bidet, something like a tampon/pipe cleaner hybrid which is flushable (degrades naturally). Or simply a soft but strong (and non-porous to water/poo particles) material that is flushable that you can wrap around a finger (though you wouldn't be able to rotate your finger as much as a pipe cleaner sort of thing).

[*] I really hate when Amazon groups completely separate items together to average the score, like here. The "styles" are hugely different and should be broken out into their own reviews/pages.

edit: of course the hand bidet pressure is a function of your grip strength. I guess I have a fairly normal grip strength for ~30yo male (no rock climbing..). But as I said, even with two hands it's not ideal.

User avatar
JWJones
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:44 pm
Location: Oregon
Contact:

Re: Toilet paper and safety razors

Post by JWJones »

We get our TP from Costco, their house brand (Kirkland) 30 rolls for $19 (.63¢ per roll).

I've been using a safety razor for a couple of years now, having replaced disposables. I use Shark blades (100 count from Amazon for $8.59).

We make our own bar soap (because we sell it) so we haven't purchased soap in three years. We make varieties specifically for shaving, too, which I use.

I don't believe anyone has mentioned the obvious way to avoid shaving costs/supplies: don't shave! Go full ZZ Top-mode, hahaha. Although not an option for me, personally, as I hate facial hair on myself. Maybe I'll give it a shot again when I reach FIRE, though, and try my hand at being a beach bum. :lol:

BRUTE
Posts: 3797
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 5:20 pm

Re: Toilet paper and safety razors

Post by BRUTE »

could JWJones elaborate on how shaving soap is different from regular soap? this has always interested brute.

User avatar
JWJones
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:44 pm
Location: Oregon
Contact:

Re: Toilet paper and safety razors

Post by JWJones »

BRUTE wrote:
Tue Oct 17, 2017 10:27 am
could JWJones elaborate on how shaving soap is different from regular soap? this has always interested brute.
Most name-brand, commercially available bar soap is what could be called "detergent soap," as they tend to contain a lot of crap that creates a harsh, drying soap.

The basic ingredients of soap are simply three things: water, fat, and lye (sodium hydroxide). In the old days the fat was generally animal tallow, these days it is generally vegetable oils.

The soap we make all have a few basic ingredients that are generally the same, for the base: Water, lye, coconut oil, palm oil, and olive oil.

Although you really can use any of the soap we make to shave with (and I do), we make several bars that are more conducive to shaving, that contain things such as cinnamon essential oil (helps draw the whiskers out for a better shave) and bentonite clay (good for the skin).

In my own experience, I used to shave with good-old Barbasol shaving cream, which contains alcohol, and tends to dry out the skin, amongst other horrible things.

Shaving with the soap we make, and a safety razor, leaves me with a clean, smooth shave, nick-free, and my skin is not dried-out.

BRUTE
Posts: 3797
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 5:20 pm

Re: Toilet paper and safety razors

Post by BRUTE »

lol for Jeffrey Tucker reference :)

brute has experienced that commercial bar soap is terrible for shaving. he uses one that came in a tub with a brush. that definitely works better, but the most important factor seems to be getting the skin really wet with really hot water.

User avatar
JWJones
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:44 pm
Location: Oregon
Contact:

Re: Toilet paper and safety razors

Post by JWJones »

BRUTE wrote:
Tue Oct 17, 2017 8:56 pm
lol for Jeffrey Tucker reference :)

brute has experienced that commercial bar soap is terrible for shaving. he uses one that came in a tub with a brush. that definitely works better, but the most important factor seems to be getting the skin really wet with really hot water.
I tried years ago to use the Jeffrey Tucker baby oil shaving method, but it was just too much for me, what a mess!

Yes, absolutely, the most important factor to shaving with a wet razor is prepping the skin with hot water.

Post Reply