Anyone shave with a saftey razor?

Fletch Helical

Fletch Helical

Joined
Sep 29, 2009
Messages
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I'm getting a bit tired of spending 20 bucks every time I need to buy replacement heads for my razor. So I've been thinking about going old school with my shaving (I don't think I have the guts to go straight razor). I've been doing some researching and it seems like it might be worthwhile. However I've also noticed that shaves like that are a bit more time consuming as well. I kind of like having my shave take a couple minutes so I was wondering if there is a bit faster way to go about it and also looking for any overall input from anyone who has gone back to the original shave methods versus the more modern trend of throw away shavers and blades.
 
I'm not sure what you're asking about, Fletch. Doesn't everyone shave with their pocket knife like I do?? :confused::confused:


;) I'm curious as to the answer as well. I'm one of those guys who uses the worn out replacement blade on my razor until it's working more like a pair of tweezers than a blade simply because I'm too lazy to go to the store. That and it builds character :D.

--nathan
 
I switched over to a DE safety razor about a month ago and couldn't be happier. There are so many choices out there for razors, blades and soaps that you can custom tailor your shave to suit your face and beard style. My average shave times with the DE are about 30 minutes, but I shave in the evening so it doesn't interrupt my morning routine. If I need to shave in the morning I just get up a little earlier. The big thing with traditional shaving is that to get a close shave you need to make multiple passes and lather between each. I usually go with 4 passes and a touch up to get anything I missed.

Some bonuses with traditional shaving are the irritation is little to none once you find the right blade and soap. The soaps seem to help your skin feel smoother and softer. and finally it's only 30 to 45 minutes, give yourself that little bit of time to pamper yourself. Your worth it aren't you?
If you decide to go this way a good starter razor is the Edwin Jager 89L or the Merkur 38C. Get yourself a good badger brush and a sampler selection of blades. I got 60 blades for less then the price of 4 Fusion blades and I am getting about 4-5 shaves per blade. Thats about the same as I was getting with the fusion so its a huge savings there.

Warning if you make the switch you will start to faceterbate, where you are constantly rubbing your face because its feels so good and you want to shave again so you have to check the growth of your beard:p
 
unky_gumbi said:
I got 60 blades for less then the price of 4 Fusion blades and I am getting about 4-5 shaves per blade. Thats about the same as I was getting with the fusion so its a huge savings there.
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Holy cow, you must have awfully sensitive skin. I get 20 - 30 shaves per blade. A 4-pack lasts me four months. You know how they say to shave until the blue strip turns white? I shave until the white strip is gone. Granted, the last few shaves aren't as comfortable as the first few... but I don't care. It's only when I start nicking myself that I think about changing the blade.

As an aside, I should also mention I use bar soap as my lubricant, and I shave in the shower without a mirror (sense of touch only). I never understood the whole ritual of staring at yourself while shaving. Pointless. it doesn't have to be barber shop perfect.

- Greg
 
Greg, you just described my morning shave to a "T". Bar soap in the shower with a fogged up mirror (I have a goatee...it helps to see what I'm doing a little bit). It takes me about 30-45 seconds to shave all by my chin and upper lip. :D And I use a Fusion blade for at least a month, sometimes two.

However, I do see the benefits of a good old-fashioned shave and a little pampering. I just like sleep too much to get up early just to shave :D

--nathan
 
I've heard about how people seem to get obsessed with shaving like that. I can't imagine taking that long to shave. I don't mind spoiling myself a bit but jeez who wants to spend that much time shaving? I'm a bot surprised though that you haven't tried sharpening one of the blades yet Unk.
 
Fletch Helical said:
I've heard about how people seem to get obsessed with shaving like that. I can't imagine taking that long to shave. I don't mind spoiling myself a bit but jeez who wants to spend that much time shaving? I'm a bot surprised though that you haven't tried sharpening one of the blades yet Unk.
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No need to take as long as I do to shave, I am off work on Workers Compensation till about the end of November if I am lucky, longer if the surgery doesn't take, so I have all the time in the world:D I could zip through a complete 4 pass shave in about 15 minutes but I enjoy the time too much. And there is no reason to try sharpen the blades at an average price of 33 cents a blade why bother, if it feels like its starting to pull I put in a new one.
 
I usually shave with a straight, but sometimes I go with a DE - usually when I'm really in a hurry. The time it takes to shave depends on how close you want to shave and how prone you are to irritation. I can knock out a decent work-a-day, single pass shave with a DE in about 5 minutes, including lathering with a brush. It will take some practice and patience to get good enough, but I think the DE is a great way to go. No more being treated like a bitch by Gillette and Schick :jerkit: with their neon orange and chrome, plastic, 6 bladed, $3 per-cartridge :rolleyes: razors. It's just not necessary. Go for it. TheShaveDen.com is a pretty good forum for info on DE shaving.

Jordan
 
tryppyr said:
Holy cow, you must have awfully sensitive skin. I get 20 - 30 shaves per blade. A 4-pack lasts me four months. You know how they say to shave until the blue strip turns white? I shave until the white strip is gone. Granted, the last few shaves aren't as comfortable as the first few... but I don't care. It's only when I start nicking myself that I think about changing the blade.

As an aside, I should also mention I use bar soap as my lubricant, and I shave in the shower without a mirror (sense of touch only). I never understood the whole ritual of staring at yourself while shaving. Pointless. it doesn't have to be barber shop perfect.

- Greg
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Yeah I have a real tough beard and extremely sensitive skin, I would shave twice and have to wait 4 days till my neck recovered from the shave because it would break out into a rash after the second shave. My beard grows quickly and is thick too. I am one of those people that with a standard cartridge razor would get 3 o'clock shadow:o I can get a closer shave that lasts all day and no rash with the DE and good soap. I have tried a few of the cheaper soaps and they didn't work for me, and bar soap makes my skin flake all over my body, I have to buy special soap to bath with:( If you are lucky enough to be able to shave with bar soap just think how nice it would be to shave with something that is meant to be shaved with like some Proraso shave cream or soap ($9.00), or something from Taylor Of Bond Street ($16.00). The average shaving soap only cost about $6.00 and would out last 3-4 cans of standard canned cream.
 
Been shaving with the same adjustable razor frame since the 70's, blades are getting a little rare the only place lately is walgreens.
Ken
 
Japanese Feather blades are available by mail order if you're running out of local options. DrIdiot from ebay is a great seller. Very reputable guy from Singapore. You can end-run ebay and order direct from him. The more you buy the more you save. Go for the 200 pack! :cool:

Out of respect for the spam rules I won't post a link, but a quick search over at the Badger and Blade forum should point you in the right direction.
 
I noticed a lot of traditional shaves opt for the brush and soap route. I don't see many use it with canned shave cream. Is it kind of taboo to do that? And I'm aware there are some good forums out there but as it stands right now I belong to too many forums as it is. I'm hoping to avoid joining another.
 
Don't worry about taboo. Use what works. A double edged safety razor and a can of Barbasol is about all a fellow really needs. Well, a bottle of Old Spice too. That combination of products has survived the test of time. :)
 
On a side note,
I love remodeling old houses from the 30's to the 50's. When you rip out the wall and old medicine cabinet, you find several thousand old blue blades. Most people today don't have any idea what the tiny slit in the medicine cabinet was for.

An old man I knew kept a baby food jar of baby oil on his sink. When done shaving, he would wash and dry the razor blade, and set the blade in the jar of oil. He swore that the blades lasted ten times longer.
 
There is no taboo around here as to how or what you shave with, this in a knife forum:p Go for the brush and soap though, its much better then the canned stuff by a long shot. I haven't tried it yet but I have been told oils are even better. I was talking to a guy yesterday that says he shaves with peanut butter, but I think he's just a little off his rocker:confused:
 
I have been using the single edge Bic disposables without any lubricant since I was 13 (except at my first couple Ashokans where I'd show off by shaving with the knife off my belt, but I got past that :D ) I never considered using a safety razor until now, seems like it isn't likely to be any less of a good shave than the Bic ( I never could get a decent shave with the scifi inspired multiblade type razors, they just seemed to grab and pull and plug up even when I tried them with the shaving cream)
At some point I'll have to get daring and buy a straight razor from one of my friends who make them and try it, but I am not that obsessed with my face at the moment

-Page
 
Well I think I'm gonna go ahead and get me one. I tried calling and ordering today but the place I was going to get them from is closed for the weekend. I've settled on a Merkur classic as the razor. And I'm going to get 2 10 packs of Merkur double edge blades and a 5 pack of feather blades. I've read the feathers are like scary sharp but I'll save them till my technique gets better I think. Of anyone has any comments on my choices please feel free to let me know. I'm holding off on the soap and brush for now to see if I like the shave and also don't open an artery doing it. I don't have a thick growth as far as facial hair is concerned so I'm not going to go with anything too extreme as far as an aggressive style razor goes.

I was planning on going through classic shave .com unless anyone knows a better/cheaper resource.
 
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My advice? Don't jump into this with a brand new Merkur. I blew a huge wad on a Merkur Futur and, while the razor is okay, I overspent big time. Visit the trade forum over at Badger and Blade. Pick up a user grade Gillette for around twenty bucks shipped. Ask the seller to send you some blades. For a few bucks extra most of the sellers over there will throw in quite an assortment of blades for you to try. You will need to go to your local Sally Beauty supply store and buy a container of Barbacide to santitize the razor after you clean it with an old toothbrush.

Go cheap. This is DE shaving after all. Check out some of Gollnick's posts over in the personal grooming forum. He's got this figured out to something like 15 cents per shave. :)
 
Well the Merkur classic brand new costs like 28 bucks. From what I've read its a great starter razor. Like I mentioned earlier I belong to too many forums as it is. I belong to about 8 or 9 various forums that relate to various interests. I'm REALLY trying to avoid joining another. Although maybe I'll check it out though I have until the weekend ends before I can order it anyway. But I appreciate the input.
 
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