Shopping for new blades for my old razor I realized that the gel used on the blades could not be vegan. I didn’t want to check online if they were vegan and as I realized that the blades for my old razor cost about the same as a saftey razor + 5 blades, I bought the safety razor.
Like it so far, was a little concerened to cut myself but slow and steady wins the raze (haha, get it…?) It leaves a tiny, tiny stubble, but maybe that is just me getting used to the new razor. What I like is that it is much easier to clean, since you can remove the blade and rinse it off or even disinfect it. Should I disinfect my blade? Dullsters on the internet, what is your wisdom?
I tried it, didn’t like it for me. Better than the multiblade razors but my skin is really sensitive, especially on my face.
I prefer using a electric clipper. Easier on my skin.
First, Welcome to the club! I’m old and my very first razor, (I still have it and shave with it), is a Gillette slim Adjustable that I’ve been using for 50+ years.
There is a seemingly a lot to learn about DE shaving. And your Daddy and Grandpa can’t teach you about it anymore. I’m going to recommend you peruse Badger & Blade. They are very welcoming to everyone about “wet shaving” as they refer to it. And they are more than happy to guide you on your way to a happy shave that fits your face. Warning: RAS (Razor Acquisition Syndrome) is a real thing. And you can quickly find yourself with a stable of different razors and an addiction of wanting ALL the razors.
The advice I will give here are 3 things.
While I’m proud of you for venturing into a better shave, your first razor is a TTO (twist to open) and cheap ones tend to fail very quickly. I would tell you that a 3 piece razor is far sturdier and longer lasting and not much more expensive considering they can last a lifetime or more. If you search Amazon for 3pc safety razors you can find them. QShave is pretty good (I have one of them) and the Parkers are a staple. But pick the one you like.
Razor blades are very much a YMMV that depends on your razor and face for the best and most comfortable shave. And you will need to get some sample packs to try different brands and blade types. So don’t buy 100 of them until you know what you like and don’t like. Badger & Blade can get you started and someone may even send you a few of their favorite blades to try because you are new, and they want you to succeed.
To get a BBS (baby butt smooth) shave mostly requires you to do more than one pass depending on your beard type. Generally for the closest shave, 3 passes are done. First pass is shaving downwards. Second is across the face. And the third is upwards. You may even need to retouch certain areas of your face also. I do that if I need that BBS shave. But it’s up to you to decide how many passes you want to do when you shave.
Bonus: Shaving with brush and soap.
You do NOT need to go this far. But you will eventually be lather curious. Know that there are good vegan choices in brushes and soaps. There are some very excellent synthetic brushes that rival the finest badger hair made, and they are not expensive. And while tallow based soaps are often the grail for many shavers, there are very good vegan approved soaps too.
Good Luck in your journey!
You can reuse your blades but make sure it’s properly cleaned before storing, also make sure there’s no rust on it, same goes for razor. As for the blades https://myblades.com/, best blades I’ve used.
I don’t disinfect my blades, just replace them about once a week. It cost me around $13 for 100 replacement blades so could easily replace more regularly and not stress about cost. The quality of shave improves with time as you learn the contours of your face, whisker grain etc. I’m told different brands and models of safety razor give varying degrees of closeness too, but can’t comment as I’ve only ever used one. An alum stick or styptic pencil is a worthwhile investment, as it helps stop nicks from bleeding too much and calms skin irritation. I find it to be an infinitely more enjoyable experience over using a disposable razor.
One tip for beginners is to experiment with the angle of the razor head on your skin. You’re probably holding too coarse of an angle.
Blades dull noticeably after three uses. They are cheap, and you are going for a premium experience. Why skimp? Also, it’s good practice to flip them each shave.
I’ve been shaving with a safety razor and a straight razor for well over 20 years at this point. What works for me doesn’t necessarily work for others, and our skin/hair is all of different needs and consistency. So grain of salt here.
When you start using a safety razor it takes both practice, and time for your skin and routines to start to adapt. It goes pretty quickly, and you’ll find your shaves get better and better every time for the next month or so. I shave usually 3 times a week, sometimes more depending on what’s going on, and I use my safety razor probably 95% of the time. I don’t disinfect it or really do much of anything to it, it’s very unlike the straight razor (which is an entire production - it’s a rewarding shave but it’s slow and you have to do some work to your blade pre/post shave). I also am lucky enough to have facial hair thats pretty soft, so I can go a month to a month and a half without changing the blade, depending on what brand of blades I’m using. I do find the feather blades to be better than most, but I also have had decent enough luck with Derby blades, and they are much cheaper. Find what works for you, try to get your hands on a few different manufacturers and try them all out as they all have some differences.
Get a stand, and get a brush. I prefer shaving soap, but good soap or creme is a must. While you are showering, soak your brush in a bowl with warmer (but not scalding hot) water. Be generous with the shaving creme, make a big ol mess, and learn to enjoy the process. Biggest tip, is to not apply any force at first. Let the weight of the razor do the work (that’s why it’s so heavy). Also just do two with the grain passes at first, until your skin adapts, and it will quickly. I do a first past with the grain, second rep is against the grain, third is again with the grain. That’s what works for me.
One thing I haven’t seen mentioned is safe disposal. You’ll need to pick up a razor blade slot for the house (landlord probably wouldn’t be happy): https://maggardrazors.com/products/maggard-razors-blade-bank-used-blades-lifetime-wall-slot
Every 10 pack of razors I’ve bought has a little slot in the back for old razors. I’d that not a common thing?
Or you can get a sharps bucket, which are cheap enough and incredibly easy to make
Small mason jar, cut up a plastic lid, cut a slot in it.
I bought a 100 pack and every 5 come in a separate little box. I rewrap the used blade in the new one’s paper and slide them back into one of the boxes.
There should be a slot on the back to slide old blades into
My uncle’s house had one of these.
I’m like how do you clean the blades out?
And he said you don’t, they just pile up in the wall.
Just seems like an unsanitary way to dump old blades to fester, LOL
How does metal fester?
So in my uncles case the house was already 100 years old. Imagine the dead skin cells being dumped into the wall with the razor, possible still wet. So you have a wall growing bacteria and mold off of skin residue and dampness. Just nasty disposal method.
Put them in an altoids tin, when its full bring it to the metal recycle place for melting.
Or an altoids tin, or similar
Just need a large steel can that broth or juice come in. Use some type of blade or chisel to punch out a slot.
Save broth or juice in another container.
Clean out can. Even a small soup can size can hold a lot of blades.
A pill bottle works just as well, as long as the top is wide enough.
Here’s a few words of self-proclaimed wisdom: use soap or cream with a decent brush. Avoid the foam or the gel. Soap does not have to be expensive. If you live in or near Germany, buy the Palmolive stuff. It’s dirt cheap and works well.
Your choice of blade is personal. I personally love the Feathers or green Astras and avoid Personna or Lord like the plague. Some Gillette blades are quite decent too (I like the ones you buy in France). Some shaving shops offfer starter sets with multiple brands.
When you shave, do at least two passes: one with the grain and one across the grain. Some people do against the grain as well, but others prefer not to due to ingrown hairs.
Finally, there is a nice wet shaving community with its own lemmy instance. It is a nice community.
I ran out of shaving soap a while back and just started using hand soap instead. Works fine with a badger brush.
I use Wilkinson Sword gel that you can get in Rossman or DM in Germany. After using all sorts of foams and gels, this one is actually good compared to everything from other brands. It is also telling since it usually is out of stock or low quantity in both Rossman and DM shops. It is also not so expensive.
I don’t bother disinfecting the blade beyond a rinse between shaves. I’ll definitely clean the razor a little between blades though.
As others have said the stubble thing will improve with practice. If I need an insanely close shave for some reason though I’ll do a second shave “against the grain”. So if normally I shave from my temple pulling down to my chin, with the handle down next to my chin, I’ll flip the whole thing. I’ll pull from my chin up to the temple, with the handle up next to me temple.
Again that’s only on occasion when I need true glass smooth.
This is crazy. I was just thinking about these razors in the shower about ten minutes ago.
Can I ask you something? Do you think they’d be good for manscaping?
Fine I’ll respond with experience… It’s fine, I’ve had no issues. I’ve been using a DE for about 15 years and tried manscaping a year ago with it, just take it slow, steady, and most important be present (conscious of what you are doing). You won’t get everything baby smooth though, too much loose skin, but you will get close. If you are trying to get your balls smooth, it’s easier to use a shaveless cream.
Dunno, I do use a (separate) DE razor for that, but it’s a razor that is quite different in its effect, i.e. I didn’t like how it worked for facial hair, but it was great for body hair. In my case it’s a Chinese knock-off of Mercur Futur 700, ironically the latter I also tried and liked less than the knock-off
Maybe, maybe not. Like many things in life it’s a YMMV. To be honest, I have tried it with my trusty old Gillette Slim Adjustable set a 2. It worked fine and I consider it no more dangerous than a 12 bladed monstrosity, but manscaping down there is not really my bag. But I do shave my head with either that Slim or a GEM Featherweight single edge razor. Again-- YMMV
Good is the wrong word. Effective? Yeah. Too sharp? Yeah. I would not recommend taking a blade to your own genitalia. While it can be done, you yourself have neither the appropriate viewing angle nor leverage to do the job properly.
Electric trimmers are what you want. Get a small attachment (because bare clippers can still grab skin, and ouch) at the very least.
Do not shave down there! It’s warm and moist almost all the time. Use an electric trimmer. Much safer.
As an owner of a safety razor who haven’t tried to do such a thing - I vote “NO!” DERs are too sharp to get anywhere near my private and important parts.
Definitely not.
No clue 🙈 Was wondering abour their use in private areas as well but so have only done the armpits
No
Definitely my preferred mode of shaving. I got one from Henson since they’re Canadian, been loving it the last few years. They also sell a big pack of blades for dirt cheap and they work really well. Highly recommended.
Ditto Henson. Less money sent to the fucking Trumpist regime.
Plus 1 for Henson, feels like a buy it for life product. The cheap ones all rust/flake eventually.
Welcome to the world of wet shaving! A few comments: To avoid stubble, I’ll do a second round of shaving. Once I’ve shaved, I’ll slap on another layer of shaving soap and do it again.
Also, blades make a huge difference. I’ve been using Feather blades - I think they’re manufactured in Japan - for about a decade now and they’re sharper and smoother than anything else I’ve tried. Avoid Crystal brand.
Question:
Why is this called “wet shaving”? What about a safety razor makes it “wetter” than a disposable?
To contrast it to shaving with an electric razor, which is dry.
I looked it up just to be sure, “wet shaving” is basically what you think of with the idea of classic shaving, hot soapy water, then warm lather applied with a brush, and a single blade razor.
It’s not so much about the alternative being just dragging a dry cartridge razor across your skin (I hope no crazy people are out here doing that) but moreso about the prep and process of using a thick lather and regularly rinsing the razor blade during the process. It’s more time consuming but it’s often more comfortable, and a lot easier to cut hairs that have difficult grain/growth patterns
dragging a dry cartridge razor across your skin (I hope no crazy people are out here doing that)
… In the woods, in the morning, no water at all, no light, usually eyes closed for focus, before they order us to fall in for inspection.
Welcome to the infantry.
That makes sense… I assumed that was the case, but was hoping to hear from practitioners of the art. I’ve not shaved my face in… almost 25 years now probably, so I’m a bit rusty. Closest thing I get is my barber using a straight razor to shape up the lines.
25 years? I assume you’ve at least trimmed it and you’re not running around with a beard down to your toes. But yeah I used to do it, still do if there’s an occasion to. Once I started shaving my head too it just got easier to get cheap razors and do everything at once in the shower. I probably should do it again someday soon just for the experience again
Oh yeah, I trim it weekly, reset shape at the barber. It’s just been that long since I was clean shaven.
The term wet shaving is an odd one. In my opinion we should call it Classic Shaving.
I have a can of Barbosol for the kids and have tried it for DE shaving - it works fine because I keep my skin wet.
Welcome to the super cheap shaving club!
I recommend the Leasureguys guide to gourmet shaving, it’s a real deep dive into shaving with a safety razor.
I’d recommend getting yourself a blade trial pack, a few places on the net do them, and try out a selection of blades to see what your preference turns out to. Different combos of blade and razor, skin and hair types will have quite different results
For wet shaving I do 3 passes for a really close shave, with the grain, across and finally against. If I’m short on time I only do the first two and it’s presentable.
I just rinse my blade after but I only typically keep a blade for 4 or 5 shaves.
I’d recommend getting a good quality brush and an alum block for after, it will help you improve your technique too as the stingy bits are more irritated so you can focus on that for next time.
I switched to a safety razor about a year and a half ago. I’ll never switch back to a cartridge razor. I agree, your skin probably still needs to get acclimated to the new razors. I use very little gel now and my shaves are very similar to a Gillette. I only rinse mine and blow it dry and my razors last for a few weeks, I don’t disinfect.
I got into “wet shaving” a couple years ago. I still have all my stuff and still occasionally use my safety razor. I’ve also upgraded my kit with a straight razor so I can get really nice straight beard/necklines if I want to put in the effort.The straight razor uses the same disposable blades so it’s very convenient. I don’t go all out every day, there’s a lot of technique involved and I usually just clean up my neck with a cheaper razor. But it’s nice to have the kit to pamper myself if I want.
I’d disinfect before/after every use personally but I don’t use mine every day. It’s pretty simple, just soak it all in some isopropyl alcohol for a few minutes then wipe everything down. The blades are dirt cheap so there’s no reason to hang onto them, they start dulling pretty quickly.
Enjoy the shave! It can be a pretty wholesome, meditative experience, may your blades never be dull.
Nothing beats a straight razor shave, but (imo) you need an actual straight blade, not those replaceable ones. The replaceable ones are just a longer version of the safety razor. They’ll still do a great job, don’t get me wrong. But an actual straight razor shave, once you get the hang of it, holy cow.
You should be able to get a stubble-less shave with more practice. It might be the angle you’re using it at, but could be the design of your particular tool.
