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Posted: 11/14/2018 4:59:31 PM EDT
I typically use a Norelco electric razor, and occasionally a Mach 3. I have been thinking about switching to a 'safety razor'. I have heard they work better than the disposable or cartridge razors and with less irritation. One might also make a good Christmas gift for some people I know.
Anyone have experience with these? Brands to look at or stay away from? What kind of price range I should be expecting? Thoughts/opinions? Any advice would be appreciated. -K |
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Grow a beard, hippy.
If you want to shave use the mach 3. Fucking safety razors suck. |
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I've had a Merkur for about ten years now and I love it. I've tried all sorts of blades from expensive to cheap and my favorite are the ones I get at Dollar General. They are a pack of 5 for $1.
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Just FYI, there is an arfcom shaving subforum.
I use an Edwin Jagger DE89 razor with Astra Superior Platinum blades (box of 100 for $10 on amazon). If you decide to get a double edge safety razor then do yourself a favor and get a sample pack of blades as not all work the same on all faces. |
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I thought shaving was supposed to hurt like hell when I was younger and would shave with disposable razors.
I started trimming the hair with an electric razor then shaving with the disposable razor to get the clean/smooth shave I desired. Somebody on here mentioned that safety razors are the cows tits so I ordered one. Holy hell what a difference. I now just shave with a safety razor with gillette 7 o'clock blades no matter how long my beard is with absolutely no pain, no irritation, and I actually enjoy shaving. It really was a game changer for me. Plus I bought a 100 pk of blades for $10 and have been using them for over 5 years. Haha |
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Merkur razor and feather blades are what you seek... I like the heft of the Futur adjustable but honestly I keep it on 1-2 wiht a Feather blade so one of the fixed razors would work just as well as it is one of their most aggressive designs iirc. A 34c is a good starter razor I use it for my travel bag.
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Safety razors are great. I used an electric for more than 20 years, and was plagued with ingrown wiskers. Now, none.
I like a heavier razor myself, to do the work on the first pass. So many options. As far as a starter kit for soap, brush, etc, Van Der Hagen is a decent setup to get started, see if you like it. Their razor isn't too bad, itself. Many better ones out there, but don't spend the money until you know if you like this style of shave. |
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They work well but its easier to cut yourself if you aren't careful. Less irritation.
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Cost is why I prefer them, I spent 20 bucks on blades a decade ago and I'm still using that stash. Get the biggest sample pack you can find, all blades aren't created equal, I ended up preferring Wilkinson Sword blades so that's what I bought a big stash of.
For razors I have blue tip Gillettes and Schick Kronas, I either use Cremo Creme or Kells Original soap, I've never used a brush to make lather, just my hands. |
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Feather blades
Whatever razor you want Prosaro shaving soap Decent badger brush They really are that much better. It doesn't matter if you shave every day or have a 5 day beard, it'll work just fine with no irritation. Only drawback is it takes longer to shave and it's easier to nick yourself. |
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They're different. Cheaper for sure over the long haul. You have to actually use some technique with them though--soften the whiskers, pull the skin taught, and use the minimum # strokes and pressure to get the job done.
I like them though. Downsides, IME (i've only used my one double edged razor) is it's a little easier to cut your self--thus the comment above about having to apply actual techniques. |
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Quoted:
Just FYI, there is an arfcom shaving subforum. I use an Edwin Jagger DE89 razor with Astra Superior Platinum blades (box of 100 for $10 on amazon). If you decide to get a double edge safety razor then do yourself a favor and get a sample pack of blades as not all work the same on all faces. View Quote |
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Thank you all for the replies! I will be looking at your suggestions to order tomorrow.
I am seeing mention of double bladed razors... That implies there are single bladed razors. Why is one preferable to the other? Is it literally just that there is an edge on both sides? Or is there a 'practical' difference besides having two edges? Edit: What is a 'feather' blade? I'm assuming it's a really light/thin blade? -K |
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https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/Everyone_remember_their_andamp_quot_first_timeandamp_quot__/5-1892730/ I did a thread. View Quote -K |
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Merkur long handle with Astra blades. You can get the blades on Amazon for about $10.00 per hundred.
Don't forget a shaving mug and soap. A nice brush to apply the soap is also nice. |
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Merkur razor and feather blades are what you seek... I like the heft of the Futur adjustable but honestly I keep it on 1-2 wiht a Feather blade so one of the fixed razors would work just as well as it is one of their most aggressive designs iirc. A 34c is a good starter razor I use it for my travel bag. View Quote |
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Merkur razor and feather blades are what you seek... I like the heft of the Futur adjustable but honestly I keep it on 1-2 wiht a Feather blade so one of the fixed razors would work just as well as it is one of their most aggressive designs iirc. A 34c is a good starter razor I use it for my travel bag. View Quote |
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Quoted:
Thank you all for the replies! I will be looking at your suggestions to order tomorrow. I am seeing mention of double bladed razors... That implies there are single bladed razors. Why is one preferable to the other? Is it literally just that there is an edge on both sides? Or is there a 'practical' difference besides having two edges? Edit: What is a 'feather' blade? I'm assuming it's a really light/thin blade? -K View Quote Anyone that tell you DE razors suck either has a really thin beard and so can shave with anything, or doesn't know how to use it properly. DE razors rule. I have a very thick beard and nothing else will cut as close with no irritation than a DE razor. |
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Quoted:
Thank you all for the replies! I will be looking at your suggestions to order tomorrow. I am seeing mention of double bladed razors... That implies there are single bladed razors. Why is one preferable to the other? Is it literally just that there is an edge on both sides? Or is there a 'practical' difference besides having two edges? Edit: What is a 'feather' blade? I'm assuming it's a really light/thin blade? -K View Quote Attached File Feather is a brand of blade, and is one of the sharpest out there. Too sharp for me, I got too many nicks when I tried them. The Astra blades I mentioned work best for me. All double edge blades are the same shape and fit in any double edge safety razor. |
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There is a learning curve, but you will quickly get the hang of it.
Buying a sample pack of blades is a solid recommendation. Blade preference tends to vary. Some love feathers, others different brands. None produced a bad shave for me. Personally, I Like Gillette 7 O'Clocks. Use them for a week, and toss them. And, if you are like many, you will try to turn it into an art form. The perfect shave. You will be reading shaving forums, sampling different soaps/shaving creams, and mixing your own pre-shave oils. Ordering antique razors. Sampling post-shave creams. Shaving before you go out on Saturday night. While I have not gone off the deep end chasing the perfect shave, a Merkur 34C and a decent cream/soap gives me the best shaves I've had in my life. One thing is certain, I will not go back to the replaceable head Trac 2/Mach 3 razors. |
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Quoted:
Thank you all for the replies! I will be looking at your suggestions to order tomorrow. I am seeing mention of double bladed razors... That implies there are single bladed razors. Why is one preferable to the other? Is it literally just that there is an edge on both sides? Or is there a 'practical' difference besides having two edges? Edit: What is a 'feather' blade? I'm assuming it's a really light/thin blade? -K View Quote Now its easy..Just take your time. |
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Get a mercur slant bar.
Load blade same angle as slant Feather blades are best. Thank me later. Edit for reason. I stoped shaving 4 or 5 years ago and grew a beard. I still shave cheecks and neck but can’t be arsed messing around with soap and brush etc. With the slant bar I don’t need to. pretty much any blade is smooth as anything no rash. Can’t do that with any other of my de razors |
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Feather is a brand name. They tend to be the sharpest. Sharpest isnt always best for people. I use a Merkur razor and Gillette blades with Proraso shaving cream.
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Went the safety razor route. Always ended up with razor burn no matter the blade. Went back to cartridges and razor burn went away.
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I switched over 6-7 years ago and don't understand why the world moved to the expensive, plastic, ingrown-producing garbage.
Tailor of Old Bond Street shave cream. Astra blades and I *think* a merkur 34. A superior shave for less than $20 per year. |
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They're great but be careful. These aren't the dull, rusty blades you've using. These are sharp and will mess you up if you don't take your time. That being said, its a great shave.
I use Astra blades btw |
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Went the safety razor route. Always ended up with razor burn no matter the blade. Went back to cartridges and razor burn went away. View Quote |
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With DE I find its best to shave only down in one direction. Not up against the hair. I use to have bad irritation and ingrown hairs and stuff from disposables... zero with the Japanese death blade. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Went the safety razor route. Always ended up with razor burn no matter the blade. Went back to cartridges and razor burn went away. |
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Lucky you if an electric razor works for you, in my case I haven't been able to use one since I was 14. I've been using a safety razor for 15+ years after getting tired of the Gillette Rape syndicate. Understand you have to re-learn how to shave exactly and it does take slightly longer than a disposable BIC/Gillette cartridge. The trade off is a far better shave, less irritation and less cost....
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Quoted:
With DE I find its best to shave only down in one direction. Not up against the hair. I use to have bad irritation and ingrown hairs and stuff from disposables... zero with the Japanese death blade. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Went the safety razor route. Always ended up with razor burn no matter the blade. Went back to cartridges and razor burn went away. |
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I like merkur long handle, feather blades are great but I been using Shark for a few years which are good too, Amazon screwed my order and sent me 2 cases instead of 2 5 packs so my great grandchildren will be shaving with these blades.
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I have this one.
it's better than the Merkur Progress adjustables. I use Personna blades and Proraso cream in the toothpaste tube. Parker adjustable Attached File |
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You guys are fancy...
I just use my Clippers, no guard to mow down the bushes I call sideburns. Then I use a rechargeable wet/dry razor to make it fairly smooth.. The mustache and chin (Goatee) only get trimmed with the clippers and a #3 or 4... |
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There's no reason to buy expensive razors with twenty blades in a single cartridge. Safety razors are amazing and cheap. I've only cut myself probably 3-4 times in fifteen years.
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I sell refurbished safety razors in my shop and stand behind them. They'll give you a closer shave with less razor burn. And with some care, a razor will last you a lifetime. The ones I sell in my shop are anywhere from 50-90 years old are are still going strong. I highly recommend giving it a try. https://i.imgur.com/K5IihK5.jpg View Quote |
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Quoted:
Thank you all for the replies! I will be looking at your suggestions to order tomorrow. I am seeing mention of double bladed razors... That implies there are single bladed razors. Why is one preferable to the other? Is it literally just that there is an edge on both sides? Or is there a 'practical' difference besides having two edges? Edit: What is a 'feather' blade? I'm assuming it's a really light/thin blade? -K View Quote Single edge for cocaine. |
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Technology has improved since the dark ages when they were commonplace.
Schick Xtreme 3 FTW. |
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Technology has improved since the dark ages when they were commonplace. Schick Xtreme 3 FTW. View Quote But I have to wonder why, if new razors are so good why do they always tear my neck up and cost so much? This is one of those rare cases where the old way actually is better. Cheaper, closer, less irritation. Just takes a little more prep time and technique though. |
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The cost savings alone are worth switching. Used to use a Gillette Mach 3 turbo and I would spend about $25/mo on blades that never gave me a satisfactory shave. Switched to a safety razor for a couple years, bought a hundred pack of blades and barely put a dent in that pack. I eventually switched to a straight blade razor with the replaceable feather blades. Both have a bit of a learning curve. Expect to draw some blood in your first few weeks of using either one. But they are both more controllable and you can get as close of a shave as you like, with enough time. Both cost a fraction in replacement blades compared to any cartridge razor. I've been using the straight blade razor for about 3 years and still have more than half of the hundred pack that I bought for that. And a pack of 100 blades costs half or the same as a 4 pack of blades for the cartridge razor I used to have.
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I use a Merkur 34C, mostly with Personna blades, about $12 per 100.
I don't bother with those shave soaps and brush etc. I just used shave gel and shave in right in the shower. Makes cleanup easy. |
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DE safety razors not only work better than cartridge razors but the blades are cheaper as well.
Just buy quality blades, before I started letting my beard grow out I liked Astras. You can get a carton of 100 blades for ~10 bucks Amazon Link |
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