Safety razors, over-rated internet hipster fad

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Posted: 7/24/2013 8:12:44 PM EDT

My wife bought me a merker razor, badger hair brush and all that other shit as a present, even though I have a beard. She gets in to these internet fads a few months after they get popular on reddit or wherever and migrate over to the soccer moms on facebook.

Bless her heart I will humor her and try using it for a while. I watched the youtube vids and read the forum threads. I shaved my beard off for a week with this thing and it fucking sucks. It takes at least twice as long as when I use my trusted little Gillette Sensor I normally use to shave my neck beard with. Then I am supposed to do 3 passes?? Who has time for this shit every morning except for pretentious unemployed retro-wannabe hipsters, and super old retired dudes? It's way less maneuverable than the Sensor. It does not shave any closer. What's the point?

I'll stick with this:

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:14:16 PM EDT

[#1]

then stick with it, some people don't have the required skills to shave with a DE

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:17:04 PM EDT

[#2]

I just use disposable Bics. They work fine.

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:17:07 PM EDT

[#3]

There's a reason they aren't used anymore. They suck compared to todays razors.

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:18:01 PM EDT

[#4]

Pics of wife using the merker razor?

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:18:02 PM EDT

[#5]

Who does three passes? Why?

I just do one seems to work fine. I don't use it everyday, but it's nice to have a hot shave with a safety razor every now and then.

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:20:37 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
There's a reason they aren't used anymore. They suck compared to todays razors.

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No, it's because Gilette figured out that if you're forced to buy their cartridges that are complete shit and wear out, but what else are you gonna shave with, they can charge tons of money for them. The DE safety razor is what the rest of the world shaves with, even though gilette is trying to change that.

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:24:44 PM EDT

[#7]

I still use a Trac II--but blades are getting hard to find. Fighting change, one shave at a time!

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:31:48 PM EDT

[#8]

It takes a whole 5 minutes to shave 3 passes, I can even shave the night before and still have a baby butt smooth shave in the morning oooooo the horrors.

ETA: What razor blades did you use? Merkur razor blades suck I like feathers and astras.

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:33:27 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:

No, it's because Gilette figured out that if you're forced to buy their cartridges that are complete shit and wear out, but what else are you gonna shave with, they can charge tons of money for them. The DE safety razor is what the rest of the world shaves with, even though gilette is trying to change that.

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
There's a reason they aren't used anymore. They suck compared to todays razors.

No, it's because Gilette figured out that if you're forced to buy their cartridges that are complete shit and wear out, but what else are you gonna shave with, they can charge tons of money for them. The DE safety razor is what the rest of the world shaves with, even though gilette is trying to change that.

By percentages, alot of the rest of the world shits in bowls or generally wherever they want to on the ground, don't brush their teeth very much and in general have SHIT for personal hygiene as far as our standards are concerned.

ETA: I have a full beard year round so I could give a hoot.

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:36:26 PM EDT

[#10]

I used a safety razor and badger brush for a few months a couple years ago. The reason was; I heard it helped with razor burn/bumps. It was a huge pain in the ass but sort of helped. Then I bought a mirror and just shave in the shower, which eliminated the problem completely. So I stick with Mach 3s that cost more than a fucking tank of gas.

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:47:59 PM EDT

[#11]

Some people think microwave dinners are just as good and much faster. <shrugs>

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:50:41 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:

There's a reason they aren't used anymore. TheyTheir profit margins suck compared to todays razors.

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FIFY

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:52:00 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
There's a reason they aren't used anymore. They suck compared to todays razors.

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Posted: 7/24/2013 8:54:05 PM EDT

[#14]

I follow this tutorial personally.

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:55:05 PM EDT

[#15]

With a double edge safety razor I spend about $40 a year now on shaving.

I used to spend that every two months on cartrateges.

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:55:34 PM EDT

[#16]

I get just as smooth with my DE and I shave my head and face. Only thing I use a mach for is the boys. Used to use a straight edge, but it takes too long. Its the best shave out there though

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:58:12 PM EDT

[#17]

I just shave around my goatee every couple of days with a cheap ass single blade bic. The fancy triple blade things tend to clog up with my hair and become worthless.

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:59:38 PM EDT

[#18]

The reason they aren't used anymore is because people wanted everything done faster at the time. Now we have razors with 5 blades that do the same thing as a DE with one blade.

The biggest problem people have with these is they use crap blades and crap soap/cream and expect the best shave ever.

Posted: 7/24/2013 9:03:36 PM EDT

[#19]

I don't like the 5 blade ones either. Seems like the extra blades are purely for marketing. A Bic does the job fine.

Posted: 7/24/2013 9:03:44 PM EDT

[#20]

I can't shave with any of the "new-ish" razor designs. Seriously, how do people do it?
The first blade is there to pull your hair up for a closer shave, and then the second blade pulls it too, and the third blade, well it's there to pull your hair, while the fourth blade also pulls your hair. Then the fifth blade finally gets caught in the hair and you have to stop that pass and try again. Fuck that. Gillette and Schick both suck hard.

Posted: 7/24/2013 9:07:26 PM EDT

[#21]

You can shave off a five day beard with a safety razor.
Try that with your bic, or five bladed whateverthefuck.

Posted: 7/24/2013 9:08:57 PM EDT

[#22]

Give the items back to your wife as a gift.

My fiancee is the first woman I've ever met who uses an old-school straight razor, shaving mug, soap, and brush to make...uh, let's just say, every single delicate contour of her body absolutely smooth as glass. I've been with girls who shaved (modern razors) and waxed, but NOTHING beats the feel of what that old-school steel razor can do. And she never has any irritation or scrapes.

Spoken, of course, by he who is a fan of giving oral as much as receiving it

Posted: 7/24/2013 9:19:51 PM EDT

[#23]

It's way cheaper and just as good. I haven't spent any money on shaving in over a year. I have more Arko soap than I know what to do with (12 sticks for $15), and 100 Astra blades is $11.

1 pass should be good enough for most social work. A second pass across the grain if you wanna be really thorough. Never considered a 3rd pass.

Less maneuverable? Learn to maintain angle. It's pretty much basic coordination. There's youtube videos for this.

Posted: 7/24/2013 9:30:37 PM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
There's a reason they aren't used anymore. They suck compared to todays razors.

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Posted: 7/24/2013 9:33:43 PM EDT

[#25]

I use a DE safety razor but I don't bother with the brush and whipping up lather. I just use regular shaving gel. DE razors are so much cheaper than cartridge razors. $20 bought me enough razors to last me years.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Posted: 7/24/2013 9:36:35 PM EDT

[#26]

Been through mach3s, foil electrics, norelco electric, mach5s, and a 60s Gillette adjustable DE.

I don't see myself switching from the DE and a proper lather (imo the lather is a where the magic is at)

<----employed engineer in my 20s so I guess OPs assessment is wrong.

Posted: 7/24/2013 9:48:53 PM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
There's a reason they aren't used anymore. They suck compared to todays razors.

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This right here.

Posted: 7/24/2013 9:49:58 PM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:

I follow this tutorial personally.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZB8HRrJ0KM

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Harley is correct.

Posted: 7/24/2013 9:52:24 PM EDT

[#29]

Never felt the need.

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Posted: 7/24/2013 9:55:00 PM EDT

[#30]

I love my Gillette Sensor, two blades is plenty.

Posted: 7/24/2013 10:04:55 PM EDT

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:
I still use a Trac II--but blades are getting hard to find. Fighting change, one shave at a time!

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Quoted:
I still use a Trac II--but blades are getting hard to find. Fighting change, one shave at a time!

http://www.amazon.com/Personna-Cartridges-Lubricating-Gillette-Razors/dp/B002A6KFI4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374731993&sr=8-2&keywords=Trac+2+blades

50 of them for $20. Buy two and you'll get a crap-ton of blades with free shipping.

I use them for when I'm too bleary eyed or in too much of a hurry to do the safety razor thing. Using a brush and decent shaving soap or cream, I think the Trac-II probably does a better job than the safety razor as long as the cartridge is clean and sharp, but the modern things with 3, 4, 5, or 87 blades just cut me to ribbons so I'm not touching them.

ETA:

Quoted:
You can shave off a five day beard with a safety razor.
Try that with your bic, or five bladed whateverthefuck.

Oh, this is very, very true...

Posted: 7/24/2013 10:05:05 PM EDT

[#32]

Quote History

Quoted:
There's a reason they aren't used anymore. They suck compared to todays razors.

View Quote

Pretty much this.

Kind of hard-headed friend at work tried to sell me on the benefits of shaving with a safety razor. I got to hear his sales pitch for about 2 hours in the truck until I forcefully changed the topic of discussion.
Said the DE razors are only $.25 a piece and they don't "scrape as much skin off your face" or something as the Mach 3

I've got a secret tho.
I don't use any of the Mach 3 Fusion whatever Gillette products that you see ads for on TV everyday. The ones I purchased always seemed to give me razor burn and the blades didn't last very long.
Instead I've been using the much less popular Schick products for years now, the Quattro and now their newer Hydro.
I have thick facial hair and full coverage. I've been shaving since I was 16 and I'm not one of these baby faced guys who in their 30's still just get a little fuzz on their upper lip and maybe on their jawline. I have to shave everyday for work too.
But I can use ONE Schick razor catridge for an entire month. Half the time changing the cartridge just seems optional, they last that long. My friend also scoffed that most of the time I don't even use shaving cream, don't have to, the lube strip on the razor does just fine. On Mondays I do use shaving cream and for a close shave I use the Edge gel with the beard softeners, no fancy badger hair brush.
Finally the key to a great shave is to get the Schick Hydro razor that vibrates. This will give you the best shave. Screw those old safety razors, no thanks and screw the Gillette products.

Posted: 7/24/2013 10:05:47 PM EDT

[#33]

Ever since I started shaving I would get awful razor burn on my neck. Tried everything to reduce or rid of it with no luck.

I first tried DE over a year ago thanks to a thread about it in Team. My current kit is a 1950s Gillette Super Speed Flare Tip, Wilkinson Swords blades, a tub of Proraso Ultra-Sensitive, an old school boar-hair brush = cleanest, closest, most comfortable shave I've ever had. Once you learn how to do it properly(which isn't hard at all) the routine becomes quicker. I can do a two-pass shave in roughly the same amount of time I spent shaving with one of those stupid 154-blade cartridges. Once you figure out the technique, your favorite soap, and your favorite blade you'll love it.

Posted: 7/24/2013 10:10:27 PM EDT

[#34]

Quote History

Quoted:

Been through mach3s, foil electrics, norelco electric, mach5s, and a 60s Gillette adjustable DE.

I don't see myself switching from the DE and a proper lather (imo the lather is a where the magic is at)

<----employed engineer in my 20s so I guess OPs assessment is wrong.

View Quote

I love my merkur and feather blades but I agree that the soap and brush method is where the magic happens. My preferred handle and blade combo just doesn't do as well with cream from a can. YMMV

Posted: 7/24/2013 10:42:21 PM EDT

[#35]

I've tried the latest 5 blade razor. They work pretty well. It hangs out in my travel gear. They fail when you go over a day or so without shaving. They plug up.

I've been using a safety razor since I started. It is simple and works. They don't plug up. I just do a single pass, no fancy lotions or tonics.

The high tech solutions are expensive marketing gimmicks.

Posted: 7/24/2013 10:44:34 PM EDT

[#36]

In before wife registers an account to do a callout thread.

Posted: 7/24/2013 10:51:45 PM EDT

[#37]

I use a safety razor or a straight razor.... depends on if it's the weekend or not. I have a really thick beard and it looks like I've got a 5 o'clock shadow immediately after I finish shaving so I'd burn up Gillette cartridges after one shave and it was getting expensive so I made the switch. I found though that I liked the 2 blade razor better than all this 5 blade shit... more of something doesn't necessarily make it better. The French obviously don't understand this concept.

Posted: 7/24/2013 10:56:01 PM EDT

[#38]

I use a DE razor and a shave brush. While I like the DE razor I love the soap and brush! I will never go back to crappy can shaving cream or shaving gels, a brush and good soap is well worth the extra 30 seconds of effort.

Posted: 7/24/2013 10:58:12 PM EDT

[#39]

Quote History

Quoted:

This right here.

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Quoted:

Quoted:
There's a reason they aren't used anymore. They suck compared to todays razors.

This right here.

+2

Posted: 7/24/2013 11:16:00 PM EDT

[#40]

How many shaves do you guys get out of a DE blade?

Posted: 7/24/2013 11:47:03 PM EDT

[#41]

Do y'all even know what a "safety razor" is?

Judging from some of the responses many don't.

There's no "cartridge". No sharpening of blades.

One blade, sharp on two sides. Lasts about 2-3 shaves per side. 1930's tech, basically a piece of shit. There's nothing magic about them or even nostalgic other than they look kinda cool.

They're what I learned to shave with and anyone who uses one nowadays is an idiot. Or a Hipster. Idiot hipster, there ya go.

Fusion for TMFW.

Posted: 7/25/2013 12:06:55 AM EDT

[#42]

Right you are, OP.

I used a DE for years and tried to convince myself that it was better than modern razors. It wasn't. Using a DE, I would get a horrible, nasty ingrown/infected hair every few months, and that was with using a quality glycerine based shave soap. Went back to a cartridge razor and all my problems went away. They may work for some people, but they definitely aren't all that. You can have my Gillette Fusion Pro Glide (still use a brush and soap) when you pry it from my cold, dead hands, but I do intend on trying Dorco USA's more affordable alternatives.

Posted: 7/25/2013 12:15:30 AM EDT

[#43]

http://www.dorcousa.com/

Hands down the best razors for the money. If you use cartridge razors or disposables these are far less expensive and work just as good if not better.

Posted: 7/25/2013 12:39:44 AM EDT

[#44]

Right after college I shaved with a straight razor for a few months. It was time consuming but it was kind of nice to get back to the spirit of shaving and to know how it was done back in the day. Got a few cuts but picked it up pretty fast. I think that shaving with a straight razor is something that every man should do for just a short while to know what it was like. I realized how much time I was wasting and went back to the Mach 3!

Posted: 7/25/2013 12:43:18 AM EDT

[#45]

Quote History

Quoted:
It takes a whole 5 minutes to shave 3 passes, I can even shave the night before and still have a baby butt smooth shave in the morning oooooo the horrors.

ETA: What razor blades did you use? Merkur razor blades suck I like feathers and astras.

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This. I bought a hundred pack variety assortment last year of all sorts of DE razors. They are all not created equal. Feathers are insanely sharp. Ive come to like Dorco and Supermax brands, except the dorco doesn't seem to last as many shaves. Ive found that while a multi blade requires less passes, the first pass if there is more than just stubble take much longer than a DE because the blades get clogged after a quarter inch stroke. I prefer the lather of the brush and shave soap but if Im in a pinch and dont have time I always have a back up gel.

Posted: 7/25/2013 12:51:12 AM EDT

[#46]

Quote History

Quoted:

This. I bought a hundred pack variety assortment last year of all sorts of DE razors. They are all not created equal. Feathers are insanely sharp. Ive come to like Dorco and Supermax brands, except the dorco doesn't seem to last as many shaves. Ive found that while a multi blade requires less passes, the first pass if there is more than just stubble take much longer than a DE because the blades get clogged after a quarter inch stroke. I prefer the lather of the brush and shave soap but if Im in a pinch and dont have time I always have a back up gel.

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Quoted:

Quoted:
It takes a whole 5 minutes to shave 3 passes, I can even shave the night before and still have a baby butt smooth shave in the morning oooooo the horrors.

ETA: What razor blades did you use? Merkur razor blades suck I like feathers and astras.

This. I bought a hundred pack variety assortment last year of all sorts of DE razors. They are all not created equal. Feathers are insanely sharp. Ive come to like Dorco and Supermax brands, except the dorco doesn't seem to last as many shaves. Ive found that while a multi blade requires less passes, the first pass if there is more than just stubble take much longer than a DE because the blades get clogged after a quarter inch stroke. I prefer the lather of the brush and shave soap but if Im in a pinch and dont have time I always have a back up gel.

Holy shit.

Just ridiculous.

Shave.

Multi-passes? Back-up gel?

Run a Fusion under hot water for one second all the stubble is gone.

What sort of powder and balm should one slather upon his face after the harshness of a shave?

Sweet Jebus.

This is just another symptom....

Posted: 7/25/2013 1:26:55 AM EDT

[#47]

There should be a company that makes a razor handle that can accept a cartridge from most of the major manufacturers so that you're not stuck with the one brand when the others go on sale at Target.