Posted on 06/03/2023 7:04:04 AM PDT by ConservativeInPA
A few weekends ago I posted a vanity asking for recommendations about shaving alternatives to typical disposable razors, such as from Gillette or Bic.
Thank you for all your recommendations.
Today, I’d like to share the results of my new shaving experience. This comes after two and a half weeks and two double edge razor blades of experience.
I wanted a good close shave, using an inexpensive, non-woke American made product. I am pleased to say, I am now fully suffering from toxic masculinity. Gillette, you can shove your razors where the sun doesn’t shine. Hopefully those blades will be jagged and rusty. (Ouch)
I now wet shave using a safety razor from Western Razor Co.. The safety razor has a one-time cost of $60. It’s an investment in a quality hunk of steel. It most certainly will last a lifetime and I will pass it down to my grandson so he can suffer from toxic masculinity too.
The safety razor came with five double edged razor blades. Western Razor Co. does not manufacture the razor blades. They resell double edged razor blades from Razor Blade Co. The double edge razor blades are branded as “Personna” and are made in Verona, VA USA.
I haven’t bought or researched where I can purchase the double edge razor blades, although they are available on Amazon for $16.49 in a quantity of 100, so they cost about 16 cents per blade. That is far less than a typical Gillette disposable blade or any of their competitors.
The safety razor is a heavy hunk of metal compared to the cheap plastic used by any of the manufacturers of disposable razors. It feels different because of its weight, but after two weeks it is barely noticeable. Wet shaving is something to get used to, but certainly nothing difficult.
I’ve been through two double edged razor blades. The first blade I used for a week and a half, approximately 9 shaves. I skipped a day or two. The last shave with that blade there was noticeable drag while shaving through my whiskers and I nicked myself three times. A sharp blade did not nick me. I will be replacing the second blade this morning. I used it for a week, in which I skipped one day, so a total of 6 shaves. That makes the cost per shave 2.7 cents.
I am getting the closest shaves that I have ever had. The process of wet shaving takes slightly longer than using foamy shaving cream and disposable blades, but is much more enjoyable. I truly find it relaxing as if I am pampering myself. I have even brought of retirement a heavy terry cloth bath robe to wear while I am shaving. I allow it to warm from the steam created by the shower.
It is well worth the little extra time to shave since I can plan my day in my head and contemplate what and how I will be doing things.
I have not successfully sourced an American made shaving soap/cream. I am currently using Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream. It’s made in the UK and I haven’t detected any wokeness on my face. It is a fine product. I will have to replace it in a year as it does not require a significant quantity to get enough lather to shave. If I can find a suitably priced American made product I will try it.
I realized that I have been susceptible to marketing. All my life I have been using disposable razor blades, beginning with two blades and more recently five blades. I had two major misconceptions. First, two or more blades is better than one, which you get with a double edged blade (one blade per side). Second, the disposable razors are somehow safer than a safety razor. I’ve cut and nicked myself with disposables countless times. I am fairly certain that I will have less of that using double edged blades if I replace then after a week’s use. There’s no need to stretch the use of a double edged blade due to price. That was the cause of any shaving accidents that I had in the past.
Final conclusion: sometimes old stuff works better. Don’t be fooled by marketing.
A real man's shaving bowl is made from the skull of an enemy that he slew with his bare hands!
I forget which company I started buying from but it was either West Coast Shaving or Italian Barber (Canada). Signed up on Badger and Blade (yes, a forum specifically for shaving). I learned that there are mild medium and aggressive razors. Also the material the razor is made from makes a huge difference. When I started the new wet shaving journey with the three piece double edged safety razors I was buying aluminum out the zinc alloy known as Zamack. They are light and seemingly good for beginners looking for a mild shave, but I was pairing it with cheap Derby Extra blades that were from the same pack of 100 from back in the 90s. Those are the worst blades. You don't know how bad something is until you find something that works. I Bobby a Blackland Blackbird razor and it came with Personna blades known as Lab Blues made in Verona, VA. That was a game changer. Now I can go 100 shaves with the same blade. In the past 5 years I can't actually recall ever throwing away a blade even. I have old derby blades i still use for opening boxes (of more shaving gear). I remember thinking about Feather blades being the sharpest and people on the B&B forum raving about them and I was using them in the beginning and they were super sharp and I always looked like Fresh Kruger was my barber. Feather blades on my early aluminum Razorock razors were horrible. Once I learned how smooth Stainless Steel razors are and paired with my personal favorite Lab Blues blades I then realized i loved heavy brass handles and I prefer the most aggressive razors with the largest blade gaps. I'm nose using a Wolfman WR1 with a 1.10 gap and a WR2 with a 2.00 gap. Probably too much information. But I can go on all day.
Lol
Faggots use Gillette products.
Seems amazingly expensive.
Nothing beats a straight razor, though.
I leave my face wet after getting out of the shower and put on barbasol and use a Harry’s triple blade razor. When done I go over face again with a Panasonic wet/dry electric razor and rinse and dry my wet razor with wife’s hair dryer. Throw on aftershave and I’m done.
I have a German made straight razor circa 1920’s that I had professionally sharpened but haven’t had the nerve to try it yet.
I actually agree with this and I see the YouTube videos of these guys making this thick layers of foam. And I basically swirl the brush in the soap got like 2 seconds and have enough lubrication for the 1 and 1/2 passes that it’s all anyone really needs. 3 passes is unnecessary and I’m sure it is promoted by the industry to sell more products.
I do exactly the same thing (Dial soap)...except in the shower and with a Bic disposable. Two passes...down and up...leaves my face smooth as a baby’s behinny. After shaving, I adjust the sprinkler head to the small-diameter single stream spray mode and blow out the detritus between the blades. Get more mileage outta the disposables. Cheap, efficient and a great end-product.
I understand they are a good product, but they are not American made. I also understand they are very sharp and unforgiving (what I assume is very aggressive). My beard is thick and I was considering using Feather blades as a back up if the ones that came with the safety razor did not work well. They did work well, I’ll stick with American made.
“ Norelco electric razor. Pretty good results. On occasions when neatness is important: Gillette...shaving cream...45 seconds...very good results.”
Philips Norelco electric razor for me. Had mine two years now. Reliable and comes with 1/3/5 trimming attachments.
I have tried everything from disposables to high end shaving tools where I spent almost three hours “relearning to shave.” (Fathers Day gift) Also various electric devices.
My father bought one in the 60s Im still using. I guess Id have to do some gazintas to know for sure.
Real men don’t talk about shaving like it’s some kind of manly man task. Only little boys are enamored by it.
Some years ago my dad was traveling frequently and accumulated a bunch of unused hotel disposable razors. He gave them to me and I threw them all out after a few shaves.
I’ll save that for a barber shop, if I can ever find a traditional one again.
Gasoline and a match.
be prepared to slap yourself silly.
Someone on tiktok will have to try this now.:)
Something the safety razor is good for is if you skip shaving for a couple or few days, loosen the razor a little in a safety razor to scrape off the heavy whiskers, they wash out easily, and then you can use your normal razor.
Proud of its’ associated “toxic masculinity”, I’ve been using my father’s WWII vintage double edged razor for the past few decades. He carried that razor on the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Normandy, and the Battle of the Bulge. It provides an excellent shave, but one drawback is thaty it makes one want to storm a beach.
That is a feature, not a defect. Lol
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