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Anecdotes are not data. I use a Gillette, I just bought a 10 pack of blades for 16 dollars. That is going to last me a year, maybe longer. I shave properly.

Anecdotes are not data. I use a Gillette, I just bought a 10 pack of blades for 16 dollars. That is going to last me a year, maybe longer. I shave properly. Hot shower, proper technique never had razor burn ever. As the saying goes the poor craftsmen blames his tools.

jrockway 16y ago
Same experience, although the blades I use are $10/4 and I change them every week. I don't think much about shaving, and I get a close shave without razor burn. $10 is less than 10 minutes of my time, so it seems like a good deal to me. Though I am tempted to order a safety razor from Amazon to see what I'm missing...
hackermom 16y ago
This is by no means a slandering or questioning of your masculinity, but, if you can manage to go for a whole year on just 10 blades then maybe it is so that your particular stubble is playing into the equation? Some men have velvet skin and "peach fuzz" beard, and some men have leather skin and steel wool growing out of their chin.
- simonsarris 16y ago
  This is most likely it. Some of my friends can shave in the shower without having to use anything but water. I and others must use conditioner while in the shower plus cream or shaving soap (I've tried many) and its still an uphill battle. And yet I can't help but wonder if at least some of it is my technique. I was thinking of going to the barber for a shave, just to see how well he'd do.
  - chipsy 16y ago
    I use disposables in the shower, usually with soap and a bit of lathering time. I can draw a blade out for months at a time, and usually prefer it after the first few days since a dull blade is more forgiving. The caveat(if any) is that the technique requires a lot of slow passes - first with the grain a few times, then sideways a few times, then against the grain - so I end up with 15-20 minute showers. The skin preparation is a big part in how well it comes out in the end; a moist lather is the only reason I can work with dull blades. I compared my brother's technique against mine once. He took the cream, spread it on without lathering, and then practically rammed a fresh Mach 3 blade straight down his face, one stroke per section. Finished in under a minute. Suddenly, it became clear why he always had persistent five-o-clock shadow; as I told him upon seeing this, he wasn't really shaven by doing this, he just wouldn't get a beard.
- stonemetal 16y ago
  Perhaps, it does take me a day to get five o'clock shadow. Though if I go a day without shaving I can give my wife and daughter a rash from brushing up against it. Though that is neither here nor there, Gillette style razors are some of the most popular razors out there if they were really that poor they wouldn't have replaced their predecessors as they cost more and would perform poorly.
  - Groxx 16y ago
    >if they were really that poor... Unfortunately, this ignores the power of good advertisement. For example: the entire fashion industry relies on generating desire to have something, not on any intrinsic value.
dalore 16y ago
Anecdotes are not data, but then you proceed to use it as one?
- stonemetal 16y ago
  Gillette style razors are the mostly commonly used razors today. If they were really that bad at doing the job every other guy on the street would have razor burn and be actively looking for something else.
  - kd0amg 16y ago
    I don't think GP was suggesting that use of Gillette razors is atypical -- just your results.

jrockway 16y ago

Same experience, although the blades I use are $10/4 and I change them every week. I don't think much about shaving, and I get a close shave without razor burn. $10 is less than 10 minutes of my time, so it seems like a good deal to me. Though I am tempted to order a safety razor from Amazon to see what I'm missing...

hackermom 16y ago

This is by no means a slandering or questioning of your masculinity, but, if you can manage to go for a whole year on just 10 blades then maybe it is so that your particular stubble is playing into the equation? Some men have velvet skin and "peach fuzz" beard, and some men have leather skin and steel wool growing out of their chin.

simonsarris 16y ago
This is most likely it. Some of my friends can shave in the shower without having to use anything but water. I and others must use conditioner while in the shower plus cream or shaving soap (I've tried many) and its still an uphill battle. And yet I can't help but wonder if at least some of it is my technique. I was thinking of going to the barber for a shave, just to see how well he'd do.
- chipsy 16y ago
  I use disposables in the shower, usually with soap and a bit of lathering time. I can draw a blade out for months at a time, and usually prefer it after the first few days since a dull blade is more forgiving. The caveat(if any) is that the technique requires a lot of slow passes - first with the grain a few times, then sideways a few times, then against the grain - so I end up with 15-20 minute showers. The skin preparation is a big part in how well it comes out in the end; a moist lather is the only reason I can work with dull blades. I compared my brother's technique against mine once. He took the cream, spread it on without lathering, and then practically rammed a fresh Mach 3 blade straight down his face, one stroke per section. Finished in under a minute. Suddenly, it became clear why he always had persistent five-o-clock shadow; as I told him upon seeing this, he wasn't really shaven by doing this, he just wouldn't get a beard.
stonemetal 16y ago
Perhaps, it does take me a day to get five o'clock shadow. Though if I go a day without shaving I can give my wife and daughter a rash from brushing up against it. Though that is neither here nor there, Gillette style razors are some of the most popular razors out there if they were really that poor they wouldn't have replaced their predecessors as they cost more and would perform poorly.
- Groxx 16y ago
  >if they were really that poor... Unfortunately, this ignores the power of good advertisement. For example: the entire fashion industry relies on generating desire to have something, not on any intrinsic value.

dalore 16y ago

Anecdotes are not data, but then you proceed to use it as one?

stonemetal 16y ago
Gillette style razors are the mostly commonly used razors today. If they were really that bad at doing the job every other guy on the street would have razor burn and be actively looking for something else.
- kd0amg 16y ago
  I don't think GP was suggesting that use of Gillette razors is atypical -- just your results.