A saetey razor, a safety razor, my kingdom for a saftey razor!

[jake_fink]

Frustrated after gift -hunting for a decent, butterfly-style safety razor for a friend... all the shops now have are razors that look like safety razors of yore but that take the dozen-bladed, plastic do-thingy blades that go on those razors with really sad little, churched-up, juvenile, transformer-fan names like Turbo, Mach III, Fusion Power, Nitro, etc. Why don't they just call them Spiderman and Wolverine, or Zoom Zoom and Big Guns and be done with it.

Had I known finding something as simple as a safety razor for a man and not an adolescent sucker was going to be so tough I'd have ordered online a few weeks ago.

When are grown-ups going to grow up!?!?

 

[Johnnysan]

Jake,

I'm not sure where you live, but I've had incredible luck finding decent safety razors at local antique malls and shops. I have two older Gillette's that were virtually brand new and in their original cases - each for around $15. I brought them home and sterilized them in boiling water before putting them to use. They have been in service for over three years now and blades are much easier to buy than one might expect.

I know that there are some sources for new razors on the Internet, but some of them are quite expensive. Good luck and don't give up the search!

 

[jake_fink]

Jake,

I'm not sure where you live, but I've had incredible luck finding decent safety razors at local antique malls and shops. I have two older Gillette's that were virtually brand new and in their original cases - each for around $15. I brought them home and sterilized them in boiling water before putting them to use. They have been in service for over three years now and blades are much easier to buy than one might expect.

I know that there are some sources for new razors on the Internet, but some of them are quite expensive. Good luck and don't give up the search!

Cheers!

I did end up buying a vintage razor from my favourite vintage shop in town. The giftee, however, is not much of a vintage guy. Hope he can handle it.

 

[Ecuador Jim]

eBay is full of safety razors for sale. Sterilize and enjoy. If you're looking for something new, ClassicShaving.com has a great selection of mostly Merkur DE safety razors, and all of the accessories needed for a classic shave.

They may even entice you into trying a straight razor. More classic options, and the opportunity to discover that shaving should be and enjoyable experience and not a chore.

If you need a brush up on technique, check out Badger and Blade.

 

[John in Covina]

classicshaving.com

Classic Shaving is a good outfit to deal with. I have bought from them previously. I have a Merkur DE from them that is a fine razor. (I have several straights but the last time I tried to sharpen them I could not put a decent edge on any of them. SO I have been using the Merkur alot lately.)

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I -promise- to find you a safety razor...if you promise to give me that kingdom you say you have.

 

[John in Covina]

Copper wire anyone?

One thing is after the twin blade came out, the natural steps have lead to more and more blades stacked on the razor. THere was any early Saturday Night Live fake commercial about the number of blades if I recall correctly, and now we are there with razors that resembal Venitian Blinds!

For some these are fine razors, but I prefer to do things as Dad and Grandfather did with either a Double Edge Safety or a Straight Razor. One difference is the mutiblades need to be rinsed out as the whisker stubble collects between the blades and becomes a really rough scrubbing surface.

The average man's beard is as hard as copper wire of the same diameter, collected between the blades is a wire brush for your skin, so rinse that sucker a lot! On a DE or straight the glump of soap and whiskers tends to simply move back out of place as you go, so rinsing off is not quite the same imperative as a multibladed superduper razor.

 

[panamag8or]

I am one of the biggest proponents of traditional wetshaving here, but i must make a confession. On a whim, I bought a disposable power razor from of all people... Old Spice. It is a 4-blade razor. I went through regular prep and whipped up some C&E Almond, and...

What a shave! 2 passes and some touch-up, and I was done, with no razor burn at all. I guess what they say is true: it's all in the prep and using a real cream.

I am going to get a mach 3 power razor now, just to lessen the number of blades scraping my face.

 

[PeeWee]

I thought they made razors safer by going disposable in the 70's. I love the Fusion razor by Gillette. I shave my head slicker than a peeled onion everyday with one....safely

 

[Feraud]

Cheers!

I did end up buying a vintage razor from my favourite vintage shop in town. The giftee, however, is not much of a vintage guy. Hope he can handle it.

Good to read you found the razor. Let us hope the giftee appreciates the gift.

I use the same safety razor I acquired from my dad over 20 yrs. ago.
It is time to get one for my son.

 

[cooncatbob]

I shave my melon 3 times a week with one of these.
Bob.

 

[de Stokesay]

"I have several straights but the last time I tried to sharpen them I could not put a decent edge on any of them. SO I have been using the Merkur alot lately"

John, this sometimes happens if the blade is allowed to get too dull between sharpenings. I am not sure what you use for a hone, but the key, when this happens, is to use a coarser-grit stone (about 1000 grit or so) first, until the blade starts to bite into your arm-hairs when moved parallel to your arm about 1/4" above the skin. When this happens, move to your regular hone (which should probably be about 4000 grit or better), followed by a good stopping and you will be back in business. Sometimes the edge just gets too dull for the fine hone to do the job, but don't worry, this entire process will take about 5 minutes per razor.

Good luck

 

[Edward]

I thought they made razors safer by going disposable in the 70's. I love the Fusion razor by Gillette. I shave my head slicker than a peeled onion everyday with one....safely

I use the same thing.... every day over the chin, every other day over the skull. Forgot my razor when heading to the folks for ten days and ended up borrowing a single-blade Bic disposable from Dad. Ouch. Amazing how much smoother and more comfortable a shave I get with the Fusion. I'd love to be able to use a vintage style razor.... there's little cooler than the idea of standing in front of a mirror, braces hanging, white A-shirt on and shaving with a cut-throat, or a saftey razor at a push, but alas it's not going to give me the better shave, and likely I'd cut off half my skin as well.

 

[de Stokesay]

You might be surprised Edward. The reason that I gave up on safety razors is that even when new, they are never as sharp as a straight razor. Unfortunately, I have heavy stubble and thin skin on my face which is a combination that causes one to look like one has been attacked by a crazed cat after shaving. Seriously, even after using an electric shaver, I am left bleeding in a half-dozen places. [huh] Fortunately, after taking up the straight blade, assuming of course that it is kept really sharp which is not hard to do, I rarely if ever nick myself now. If I do, a splash of cold water and it stops bleeding right away, unlike before.

If you get an old razor and put some time into sharpening it, this can be quite an inexpensive way to shave. Try it, you might like it.

 

[jake_fink]

I -promise- to find you a safety razor...if you promise to give me that kingdom you say you have.

lol Did I say "kingdom"? I meant "best wishes".

Good to read you found the razor. Let us hope the giftee appreciates the gift.

I use the same safety razor I acquired from my dad over 20 yrs. ago.
It is time to get one for my son.

He loved. And he's so well-shaven now it's kind of creepy. He looks older.
*Note to self: Don't mention that older thing to him.

 

[Vardeman Sneed]

Only straight razors for me.

I do have to disagree with 'de Stokesay'. Typically DE (safety razor) blades are much sharper than a straight razor blade. The reason that a well honed straight razor in the hands of an accomplished shaver will give a better shave than a safety razor is primarily due to the constant change in the blade angle of a straight compared to the fixed blade angle of a safety razor.

Either way, both straight razors and safety razors will give superior shaves compared to cartridge razors (trac2, mach3, fusion, quattro, etc.).

Bob

 

[FedoraGent]

The Lure of Straight Edged Razors

Years ago, when I was staying with my folks...I left my vintage straight edge there. My father has been using it ever since. Therefore, I think I'll be looking at that site that you folks listed for a new one. I haven't had a close cut like that unless I goto the barber and he does it for me. I need a new one...

FG.

 

[Vardeman Sneed]

FedoraGent: You might want to check out this thread on StraightRazorPlace:

http://www.straightrazorplace.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17059

I started shaving with a straight razor last March. I gave away my canned goo and expensive cartridge razors after my second straight razor shave. I have never looked back.

I recommend StraightRazorPlace for information on Straight Razors. BadgerandBlade http://badgerandblade.com/for information on Safety Razors and everything else shaving wise.

Bob

 

[Edward]

You might be surprised Edward. The reason that I gave up on safety razors is that even when new, they are never as sharp as a straight razor. Unfortunately, I have heavy stubble and thin skin on my face which is a combination that causes one to look like one has been attacked by a crazed cat after shaving. Seriously, even after using an electric shaver, I am left bleeding in a half-dozen places. [huh] Fortunately, after taking up the straight blade, assuming of course that it is kept really sharp which is not hard to do, I rarely if ever nick myself now. If I do, a splash of cold water and it stops bleeding right away, unlike before.

If you get an old razor and put some time into sharpening it, this can be quite an inexpensive way to shave. Try it, you might like it.

I can't say I'm not tempted, I just know how clumsy I am with even a safety razor!! heh. Maybe one day when I have more time on my hands.... Next time I'm gonig out for a big social occasion, though, I'm tempted to treat myself to a proper shave with a straight razor at the barbour's - all over the head. "All off bar the eyebrows!" lol

 

[Bigfeet]

I shave my melon 3 times a week with one of these.
Bob.

You shave your head with that, and have no issues? I ask as I am bald and shave my head daily. I would love to be able to use one of those.


Thanks,
Bigfeet