Razors???

My sons seem to think they can't get a good shave without the expensive triple bladed razors but my grandfather used to get a very smooth shave from his old razor that took the actual razor blades.

I buy simple razors from the dollar store for my own use and I shave every time I get in the shower. This reduces the wear on the blade of having to shave through the Serengeti and, along with clean undies, always keeps me ready for a car accident...

It only takes a few seconds each time if you already have oft-shorn legs. I can make a package of six razors last for over a year or more with this method.

hqueen13 said:

FarmerChick said:

hubby shaves his head
he likes Mach 3 or that new Fusion that just came out.
expensive but worth it to him to have a better razor than a disposable.

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I think the Mach3's are what we use, both of us. How many shaves does he get out of a blade when he does his whole head? My other half complains that he can't get more than one shave out of a blade doing his entire head and face.

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Oh I am sure he does more than one shave with a blade. He does his whole head...the Mr. Clean look. I will ask him how many he gets. If he used a new blade for every head shave I couldn't afford those blades. My gosh they are expensive. I buy on sale, with a $2 or 3 off coupon and then they are STILL expensive
but he has little 'maintenance' compared to my gal stuff so I buy those replacements for him. In the end he doesn't cost that much to maintain lol

My gosh! Are razors really that expensive? I haven't bought one in so long, I guess I didn't realize. I haven't used a razor since I stopped working in 2001.

I have electric hair clippers that I use to cut my own hair and to trim my beard. I let both grow without grooming through the fall and winter, then the moment it starts to warm up the clippers come out and everything but my moustache is cut off to the nub!

FarmerChick said:

Oh I am sure he does more than one shave with a blade. He does his whole head...the Mr. Clean look. I will ask him how many he gets. If he used a new blade for every head shave I couldn't afford those blades. My gosh they are expensive. I buy on sale, with a $2 or 3 off coupon and then they are STILL expensive
but he has little 'maintenance' compared to my gal stuff so I buy those replacements for him. In the end he doesn't cost that much to maintain lol

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He picks them up online for roughly $1.00 or less per blade on ebay. I don't know where they came from, but they work as well as whatever you buy in the store even if they might be some sort of black market. I just can't stomach the 2 or 3.00 per blade that you pay retail, even if we bought the HUGE multipack at BJ's. What a racket.
And yup, I have a "Mr. Clean" too
I am interested in some of these options to maintain blades a little more, I'll have to give it a try and see if I can get a little more life out of them.

ebay
I never thought for a second to look for razor replacements--good to know

I love the Mr. Clean look

Beekissed said:

My sons seem to think they can't get a good shave without the expensive triple bladed razors but my grandfather used to get a very smooth shave from his old razor that took the actual razor blades.

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I know this is a little OT, but does your medicine cabinet in the bathroom have the little slit where you deposit used blades...?

I WISH!

Even the expensive cartridge-style razor heads will last much longer if you thoroughly rinse them and dry them after use. I hate them, because they are so expensive and they turn into plastic garbage after a week or so. I can't get my hub to use anything else, and it -is- his face, to he gets to chose. I too am past the age of caring about body hair, though I shave occasionally. I wax my beard, though, otherwise I'd be an creepy old broad with a Fu Manchu.

You can strop disposable razors on clean denim, which lengthens their life a bit. Also, soaking whiskers before shaving helps because its just easier to cut through the hair. Hurts less, too.

~gd said:

k15n1 said:

Am i the only one who uses a straight razor?
Well I did until recently, with old age I find that my hands sometimes shake and the harder I try to control it the more they shake. Really POs me because I have been doing fine work with my hands for hobbies all my life. Anyway I must disagree with your item #1 you can get a nasty slash with a straight razor, but unless you do something really stupid with a double edged safety razor all you will get is nicked which is easily fixed with TP or a stepic stick/powder. I was shocked by the prices they are now asking for razors, strops and even shaving mugs and brushes. It seems that they have gone the way of the fountain pen and are more for show than they are for go. I beleive the cheapest safety razor was just over $15 and important parts were made of plastic! I passed on that and bought a all metal model for $29.99. I went with double edge because I couldn't even find the older single edge product and I had my grandfather's mechanical stropping machine [hand cranked] Have you ever seen one of these? they strop both edges at the same time and then flip the blade over to do the other side. I agree, diamond is way to course for a strop. and stainless steel is soft. I get my strop powder [cesium oxide] from a gem polishing supply house, it gets finer and finer as it is used. ~gd

A couple of notes:

1. Safety razor is a markrting term invented to sell a new product, and does not reflect any real danger
2. A strop can be made from any bit of wood and scrap leather
3. Many razors are sold as luxury items, but you should be able to find one for less than 20$
4. You dont need a diamond stone to touch up your blade---a bit of abbrasive powder on the saude side of ypur strop is adequate
5. Its really not that hard---even i can do it

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!

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One of the kids at the office peeled a strip of skin off his face w a disposable razor, so im not sure a straight razor is worse than that. Ive cut myself on occasion, but a clean cut sure heals a lot faster than what he did to himself. I agree that there is some degree of risk, but im not sure its more than youwould have with a disposable razor. Its a a marketing term, which is not to be relied upon.

Straight razors have other advantages. For example, by adjusting the angle of the blade, you can shave against tne grain (2nd pass) to get a close shave wo the ingrown hairs that multi-blade systems can produce. After learning to get a razor passably sharp, sharpening anything else is EASY.