I Want a Straight Razor to Last My Entire Life
@JohnnyH
In my experience, yes a safety razor can cut through 1 or even 2 weeks stubble, but it takes 2-4 passes instead of the usual 1-2. I don't have a problem with the razor stalling or pulling hairs, but sometimes my skin gets raw and inflamed when I make more than 2 passes over the same area. A fresh razor blade cuts through thick hair more easily but is also less forgiving about errors that lead to nicks. FWIW I have a fast-growing beard and sensitive skin, so YMMV.
In my experience, yes a safety razor can cut through 1 or even 2 weeks stubble, but it takes 2-4 passes instead of the usual 1-2. I don't have a problem with the razor stalling or pulling hairs, but sometimes my skin gets raw and inflamed when I make more than 2 passes over the same area. A fresh razor blade cuts through thick hair more easily but is also less forgiving about errors that lead to nicks. FWIW I have a fast-growing beard and sensitive skin, so YMMV.
I use a Mach3 blade for shaving but don't find it expensive. I buy the blades in bulk on ebay for about a dollar each. Shave after showering and if you take care of the blades by drying them after use and rubbing a few times across your forearm or a strop then the blades can last for months.
I shave 2-3 times a week and my total spend on blades per year is $10-$15.
I shave 2-3 times a week and my total spend on blades per year is $10-$15.
Like Jacob has pointed out, a good honing strop (two, really: most people ruin the first getting used to it) and related honing/sharpening equipment can run you $150+ in setup alone, and requires a ton of practice to shave correctly. Even with brand new razors, you should send them off to be professionally honed, at around another $100. :/
While there is less retraining to shave with a safety razor (I use one now, myself), it is also a lot cheaper to maintain. Between decent shaving cream which may run $6-12 a year, a brush which - when maintained - should last years at a cost of maybe $1 or less a year, and blades which'll run under $1 a year, you might come out better. As KevinW states, a safety razor does require more passes (look at LeisureGuy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving for help, available at most libraries - now in it's sixth edition), but I find myself able to get a better, closer shave. Blades can be found in most drug stores, grocery stores, and even Walmarts and some Targets. Walmart has Wilkinson Sword Brand* for $1.78 for a 10-pack, not too badly priced. CVS has store-brand Personnas for $10 for two 10-packs, badly priced, IMO.
Caveat emptor regarding safety razors: not all blades are made the same; you should get a blade sampler pack from Amazon or the like to see which blade works best for you; just because Feathers are very highly regarded doesn't mean they won't eat your face; conversely, just because Wilkinson Sword Brand (especially the commonly-found-in-the-US variety) is "mediocre" doesn't mean it won't work wonderfully for you. Faces are all different, so experiment.
* - Just because a brand is Wilkinson or Personna or Derby doesn't mean it's not made by different companies under the same name; half of the fun is trying to figure out who makes what where.
If you want a decent safety razor, I have a stash of used but fully functional, cheap-as-dirt antique store-closeout finds; send me a PM and I'll clean one up and send one to you.
While there is less retraining to shave with a safety razor (I use one now, myself), it is also a lot cheaper to maintain. Between decent shaving cream which may run $6-12 a year, a brush which - when maintained - should last years at a cost of maybe $1 or less a year, and blades which'll run under $1 a year, you might come out better. As KevinW states, a safety razor does require more passes (look at LeisureGuy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving for help, available at most libraries - now in it's sixth edition), but I find myself able to get a better, closer shave. Blades can be found in most drug stores, grocery stores, and even Walmarts and some Targets. Walmart has Wilkinson Sword Brand* for $1.78 for a 10-pack, not too badly priced. CVS has store-brand Personnas for $10 for two 10-packs, badly priced, IMO.
Caveat emptor regarding safety razors: not all blades are made the same; you should get a blade sampler pack from Amazon or the like to see which blade works best for you; just because Feathers are very highly regarded doesn't mean they won't eat your face; conversely, just because Wilkinson Sword Brand (especially the commonly-found-in-the-US variety) is "mediocre" doesn't mean it won't work wonderfully for you. Faces are all different, so experiment.
* - Just because a brand is Wilkinson or Personna or Derby doesn't mean it's not made by different companies under the same name; half of the fun is trying to figure out who makes what where.
If you want a decent safety razor, I have a stash of used but fully functional, cheap-as-dirt antique store-closeout finds; send me a PM and I'll clean one up and send one to you.
Hi , here is a counter or clarifying video to the jeans sharpening video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyxBfGcH ... creen&NR=1
explains the function of stropping a blade, and how you can't really sharpen disposables since you only have access to one edge. This guy seems to know of what he speaks..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyxBfGcH ... creen&NR=1
explains the function of stropping a blade, and how you can't really sharpen disposables since you only have access to one edge. This guy seems to know of what he speaks..
I use a safety razor and I think it is about as cheap as you can get for shaving. The razor should last my entire life. Blades cost eight cents and last about a month. I use shaving oil rather than soap and now that I'm going to make my own I expect it to only cost me two or three bucks a year. A year's worth of shaving should easily be less than $5.
MMM....I seem to recall a post on WiseBread www.wisebread.com a couple of years ago by one their writers about straight razors...rather long as i recall...Micheal was the writers first name though I think you can search the topic.
I saw a post near the beginning about Straight razors being trendy??? Really? America is one of the only countries that you can't still get a straight razor shave. A lot of countries actually still go to their local barber a few times a week to have him shave them. When I'm in Dubai it only costs me about 5 dollars for a straight razor shave that usually lasts me 5 days minimum before stubble starts to come back. Now, I'm not some barely hair there smooth face. I'm a wooly mammoth of a person. My beard now is at 2 inches and is only 3 weeks old. That's how fast my facial hair grows. So 20/month for someone to shave me there is a good deal.
What I don't get..and maybe some people have never really had a good close shave don't know. But it's not just a razor and cream. Every barber in any country I go to usually applies 3 or 4 different things to my face BEFORE he starts shaving me. I also get ingrown hairs very easily. So when they plow through those spots (which they say is neccessar) I bleed like a sieve. Which is the reason most barber shops in the US won't do them anymore due to blood pathogen concerns. BUT.. they have a solution for that though.. Theres some cream that gets rubbed on my face, burns like a bat out of Hell, but the bleeding stops in a few short seconds. Then this special after shave that smells of lysol is applied which they say is what helps stop the ingrown hairs from coming back. (and it works. I only get ingrown hairs when I try to shave myself. Now I just wait until I travel to some place with a good barber). Then lotion goes on my face, and they massage you, and finally baby powder goes on your face. I get ALL of that done for $5 bucks.
I got off topic a little, sorry.. I just am confused at how anyone could think that shaving like this(the PROPER way) can think this is cheaper than an electric or disposable where all you need is maybe some shaving cream. I 100% think that if you want to go the straight razor route you visit some prepper websites and learn how to make your own ointments for shaving. Then you'll be saving. OTHERWISE, stick with a good disposable or safety razor. I have a good electric that I've had for 4 years now. I keep the blades oiled up and never had to replace them yet. I paid 85 bucks for it I believe. But 85/4 = a buttload of savings.
Hope that helps others because if you don't use those ointments and things with skin like mine, my face would be on fire for weeks.
What I don't get..and maybe some people have never really had a good close shave don't know. But it's not just a razor and cream. Every barber in any country I go to usually applies 3 or 4 different things to my face BEFORE he starts shaving me. I also get ingrown hairs very easily. So when they plow through those spots (which they say is neccessar) I bleed like a sieve. Which is the reason most barber shops in the US won't do them anymore due to blood pathogen concerns. BUT.. they have a solution for that though.. Theres some cream that gets rubbed on my face, burns like a bat out of Hell, but the bleeding stops in a few short seconds. Then this special after shave that smells of lysol is applied which they say is what helps stop the ingrown hairs from coming back. (and it works. I only get ingrown hairs when I try to shave myself. Now I just wait until I travel to some place with a good barber). Then lotion goes on my face, and they massage you, and finally baby powder goes on your face. I get ALL of that done for $5 bucks.
I got off topic a little, sorry.. I just am confused at how anyone could think that shaving like this(the PROPER way) can think this is cheaper than an electric or disposable where all you need is maybe some shaving cream. I 100% think that if you want to go the straight razor route you visit some prepper websites and learn how to make your own ointments for shaving. Then you'll be saving. OTHERWISE, stick with a good disposable or safety razor. I have a good electric that I've had for 4 years now. I keep the blades oiled up and never had to replace them yet. I paid 85 bucks for it I believe. But 85/4 = a buttload of savings.
Hope that helps others because if you don't use those ointments and things with skin like mine, my face would be on fire for weeks.
My shaving odyssey continues.
My Dad recently bought a new Norelco, his old failed in some way (forget to get specifics)... Anyway his old one was from the 70s(!) with almost daily use! He had to buy new steel blade housing 10 years ago because they wore away before the electronics quit. Incredible.
... If I could put the guts of a beastly 70s Norelco into the waterproof housing of my dead Norelco, the world would be mine.
He also gave me his old safety razor, which is an old Gillette from UK and actually sells for $50 used on ebay.
First shave with it; hit the week old with my hair trimmer to knock it back. Then attempted a hand lather with my diluted, aerated Bronners... That pretty much sucked: left quiet a bit, not close, irritating, time consuming (prob user error).
So I guess it's down the rabbit hole with brush, bowl, stand and all that... Starting to miss the minimalist nature of the electric.
My Dad recently bought a new Norelco, his old failed in some way (forget to get specifics)... Anyway his old one was from the 70s(!) with almost daily use! He had to buy new steel blade housing 10 years ago because they wore away before the electronics quit. Incredible.
... If I could put the guts of a beastly 70s Norelco into the waterproof housing of my dead Norelco, the world would be mine.
He also gave me his old safety razor, which is an old Gillette from UK and actually sells for $50 used on ebay.
First shave with it; hit the week old with my hair trimmer to knock it back. Then attempted a hand lather with my diluted, aerated Bronners... That pretty much sucked: left quiet a bit, not close, irritating, time consuming (prob user error).
So I guess it's down the rabbit hole with brush, bowl, stand and all that... Starting to miss the minimalist nature of the electric.
I rarely shave clean. I have cheap beard trimmer ($15? that is about 8 years old). I buzz it on the lowest guard and works well for me.
For the 2-3 times/year I shave clean I use a mach 3 that Gillette sent me on my 18th birthday over 10 years ago.
Probably use one new cartridge / year. So that 6 pack of replacements I got as a Christmas stocking stuffer have lasted awhile!
For the 2-3 times/year I shave clean I use a mach 3 that Gillette sent me on my 18th birthday over 10 years ago.
Probably use one new cartridge / year. So that 6 pack of replacements I got as a Christmas stocking stuffer have lasted awhile!
i started using a safety razor people here suggested....I got a sampler pack of blades that I ordered on Ebay for it...
I love it...The safety razor gives me best shave i've ever had and like others mentioned, packs of blades are dirt cheap on places like Ebay. This is the most economical way I see for shaving.
I love it...The safety razor gives me best shave i've ever had and like others mentioned, packs of blades are dirt cheap on places like Ebay. This is the most economical way I see for shaving.