3 ms·

Surely at some price point people will just move back to old fashioned safety razors. Mine costs me a few cents per blade and gives a very close shave.

by bmcleod 17y ago

olliesaunders 17y ago
Yeah I do that too. Even then I shave as rarely as I can bare to, both to save blades and time. The old safety razors take some getting use to and practise but I consider that part of the fun.
- karzeem 17y ago
  I got pretty obsessed with safety razors and wetshaving a little while ago. The blade is unquestionably less forgiving than your standard 3-5 blade Shave System™, and you have to unlearn some sloppy technique that pivoting-head razors promote. I.e. you have to pay attention to the angle at which you're placing the blade against your skin. But I pretty quickly got to a point where cuts were even less common than they were before I started using the safety razor, and I think my experience is pretty much the norm for anyone who sticks with it for 5-10 shaves. It takes a bit longer, but it's a better shave with less irritation, and the ritual of it is a lot of fun. And some of the shaving creams that you apply with a brush (I'm thinking specifically of Taylor of Old Bond Street's rose-scented one) smell absolutely incredible.
  - perfectshave 17y ago
    I am a Merkur razor user and I love it. It really permits a close shave while still offering maximum protection from razor burn. I also use a badger shaving brush. It feels great to pamper myself. Check out what my merkur razor looks like: http://www.fendrihan.com/merkur-barber-pole-opencomb-classic-razor-p-75.html http://www.fendrihan.com/merkur-barber-pole-opencomb-classic...
  - pxlpshr 17y ago
    I am very obsessed with safety razors. Been hooked on it for about 2 years now and haven't gone back: 1) save a ton of money 2) feel like I have that "best shave of my life" at least once a week. 3) local product I use is much better for the face. It is definitely an adjustment, I'd venture to say it took me about 3 months of experimenting (shaving 3-4 times a week) before I was getting extremely close shaves. The best analogy I've heard is that using a safety razor is like driving a manual sports car. It's a lost art of being a man. I started with a basic $20 razor and common mekur blades... But about a year ago I upgraded to Markur Futur, and more recently switched to Feather (japanese) blades. If you haven't tried the Feather blades, definitely encourage you to do so. http://www.truefittandhill.com/catImages/large_MerkurFuturSatin.jpg http://www.truefittandhill.com/catImages/large_MerkurFuturSa... http://www.fendrihan.com/images/feather_10.jpg http://www.fendrihan.com/images/feather_10.jpg
    - bmelton 17y ago
      I personally like the Derby blades I picked up off of Amazon, they still get just as close as anything else I've used, but they somehow feel 'softer' than all the others. Perhaps more forgiving is a better phrase. What's so great about the Feathers?
      - pxlpshr 17y ago
        I second the softer feel, the Feathers seem a lot less stiff than the common merkur blades I was using. They also feel sharper, I think the blade conforms better against my boney face and less irritation. I've been meaning to order this actually, maybe I'll do it today. http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=295 http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info...
      - Rabidmonkey1 17y ago
        Feathers are made by a Japanese surgical tool company. They are considered by many to be the sharpest blade you can purchase. That said, practice with Merkur or Derby's before you graduate to feathers. I bought the Derbys on Amazon as well (100 pack for 15 bucks! Two year supply, basically, instead of a stretched 2 month supply for 30 dollar Gillettes) but I have to say I prefer the feeling of the Merkurs. Still, the price is right for the Derbys, though I do want to try feathers in the future.
  - dave_au 17y ago
    I'd be interested in knowing how many of the safety razor using folk in here made the switch after this http://www.shaveblog.com/2006/03/welcome-new-york-times-readers.html http://www.shaveblog.com/2006/03/welcome-new-york-times-read... did a lap of the internet a little while back. I made the switch after coming across it, haven't looked back.
zargon 17y ago
I switched to wetshaving with badger hair and a safety razor because of irritation from cartridge razors. A few months later I was in a mad rush and used my cartridge razor with a new cartridge -- it felt like it was ripping my face off. I hadn't realized just how bad the cartridges were till then.

Surely at some price point people will just move back to old fashioned safety razors. Mine costs me a few cents per blade and gives a very close shave.

by bmcleod 17y ago

Surely at some price point people will just move back to old fashioned safety razors. Mine costs me a few cents per blade and gives a very close shave.

olliesaunders 17y ago

Yeah I do that too. Even then I shave as rarely as I can bare to, both to save blades and time. The old safety razors take some getting use to and practise but I consider that part of the fun.

karzeem 17y ago
I got pretty obsessed with safety razors and wetshaving a little while ago. The blade is unquestionably less forgiving than your standard 3-5 blade Shave System™, and you have to unlearn some sloppy technique that pivoting-head razors promote. I.e. you have to pay attention to the angle at which you're placing the blade against your skin. But I pretty quickly got to a point where cuts were even less common than they were before I started using the safety razor, and I think my experience is pretty much the norm for anyone who sticks with it for 5-10 shaves. It takes a bit longer, but it's a better shave with less irritation, and the ritual of it is a lot of fun. And some of the shaving creams that you apply with a brush (I'm thinking specifically of Taylor of Old Bond Street's rose-scented one) smell absolutely incredible.
- perfectshave 17y ago
  I am a Merkur razor user and I love it. It really permits a close shave while still offering maximum protection from razor burn. I also use a badger shaving brush. It feels great to pamper myself. Check out what my merkur razor looks like: http://www.fendrihan.com/merkur-barber-pole-opencomb-classic-razor-p-75.html http://www.fendrihan.com/merkur-barber-pole-opencomb-classic...
- pxlpshr 17y ago
  I am very obsessed with safety razors. Been hooked on it for about 2 years now and haven't gone back: 1) save a ton of money 2) feel like I have that "best shave of my life" at least once a week. 3) local product I use is much better for the face. It is definitely an adjustment, I'd venture to say it took me about 3 months of experimenting (shaving 3-4 times a week) before I was getting extremely close shaves. The best analogy I've heard is that using a safety razor is like driving a manual sports car. It's a lost art of being a man. I started with a basic $20 razor and common mekur blades... But about a year ago I upgraded to Markur Futur, and more recently switched to Feather (japanese) blades. If you haven't tried the Feather blades, definitely encourage you to do so. http://www.truefittandhill.com/catImages/large_MerkurFuturSatin.jpg http://www.truefittandhill.com/catImages/large_MerkurFuturSa... http://www.fendrihan.com/images/feather_10.jpg http://www.fendrihan.com/images/feather_10.jpg
  - bmelton 17y ago
    I personally like the Derby blades I picked up off of Amazon, they still get just as close as anything else I've used, but they somehow feel 'softer' than all the others. Perhaps more forgiving is a better phrase. What's so great about the Feathers?
    - pxlpshr 17y ago
      I second the softer feel, the Feathers seem a lot less stiff than the common merkur blades I was using. They also feel sharper, I think the blade conforms better against my boney face and less irritation. I've been meaning to order this actually, maybe I'll do it today. http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=295 http://westcoastshaving.com/index.php?main_page=product_info...
    - Rabidmonkey1 17y ago
      Feathers are made by a Japanese surgical tool company. They are considered by many to be the sharpest blade you can purchase. That said, practice with Merkur or Derby's before you graduate to feathers. I bought the Derbys on Amazon as well (100 pack for 15 bucks! Two year supply, basically, instead of a stretched 2 month supply for 30 dollar Gillettes) but I have to say I prefer the feeling of the Merkurs. Still, the price is right for the Derbys, though I do want to try feathers in the future.
- dave_au 17y ago
  I'd be interested in knowing how many of the safety razor using folk in here made the switch after this http://www.shaveblog.com/2006/03/welcome-new-york-times-readers.html http://www.shaveblog.com/2006/03/welcome-new-york-times-read... did a lap of the internet a little while back. I made the switch after coming across it, haven't looked back.

zargon 17y ago

I switched to wetshaving with badger hair and a safety razor because of irritation from cartridge razors. A few months later I was in a mad rush and used my cartridge razor with a new cartridge -- it felt like it was ripping my face off. I hadn't realized just how bad the cartridges were till then.