# Any favourite safety razor's/razor kits?



## newbiewoodworker (Aug 29, 2010)

**For some reason I cannot remember if I made a similar post about this once upon a time…*

With the holiday season coming up, I have begun contemplating my wish list.. I shall soon be moving into an apartment, so tools are out.

One thing that came to mind was my absolute hatred for those confangled 20 blade disposable razors that I have been using, which force you to shave up-down-side-to-side, and still touch it up in 20 minutes… So my thought was, why not upgrade to a more archaic form that is generally known to provide a better shave, an old fashioned safety razor. The kind which was popular prior to the cartridge razor.

This may sound insane for some of you. However for others this might ring true for all of us whose face always tends to express its hate for us after shaving…

Another plus is blades seem to be a lot cheaper compared to the price of cartridges(less than $1 a blade vs nearly $5 a cartridge for my current POS razor..)

I was also thinking of maybe a brush and some decent shaving soap, vs that spray can stuff….

However it is here where my head begins to spin: Merkur vs Jagger vs Muhle vs Parker, and so on… and then of course you have 10 different sharpnesses of blade, etc.

I was hoping maybe a few of you could shed some light on this situation.

Based on some of the other topics, I know a few of you use them, and I know some use straight razors. I personally would be afraid of the latter, since I certainly didn't inherit Irish luck, but rather with my luck I would..slip.. lol…

Obviously I am not looking for the 24 carrot Ivory handled one with the built in necktie tier and the adjustable butt scratcher, however at the same time nothing plastic…

Any ideas….? And yes, being a teenager asking about this, I am sure a few of you are already betting my next post will be asking about suspenders and a replica Mr. Rogers sweater…


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## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

I have a Rolls Safety Razor, the company is out of business, and the last person selling parts disappeared a few
years ago, so when I wear out this last blade, I do not know what I will do. My kids said they still remember
waking us to the whap-whap-whap sound of me stropping the blade in the morning, and I can remember 
when the old drugstore sold the round bars of shaving soap from a bulk container @ 2 for 25cents, so I 
guess in a couple of days I will qualify as an old timer. Sorry that I can not help you out with advice on any
of the new fangled stuff.


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## newbiewoodworker (Aug 29, 2010)

Aren't virtually all blades interchangeable? From my research on Google, atleast modern ones are all interchangeable, most even allowing you to use blades you might pick up at the hardware store(granted it probably wouldn't be the most pleasant of experiences…)

Its funny things you remember from early childhood; I remember to this day when I was maybe 5 or so, in the mornings I would "shave" with my grandfather, using an old butterfly style razor that had no blade in it… to this day I can remember it, similar to how I remember the almost exact floor plan of the house, granted not the dimensions to any scale of precision (perhaps this needs some explaining: My entire family, parents and grandparents, used to live in the same house, due to its large size permitting such, as well as the financial workings of a new relationship..)


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## newbiewoodworker (Aug 29, 2010)

I guess this forum has a lot of cartridge/cut throat shavers… Im surprised only one person posted!


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## tctaylor79 (Apr 19, 2011)

Hey Newbie, Great thread. I switched back to safety razor shaving a few years back and my face loves me for it. Check out www.classicshaving.com, lots of good information and all of the supplies you could possibly need. I personally use a Merkur with a closed comb, badger bristle brush and Classic's own brand shave soap. Let me know what you come up with, I'm always interested to see what others are shaving with.


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## newbiewoodworker (Aug 29, 2010)

Cheers thanks. I posted on a specialty forum, and it seems that everything except Mr. Wong's special is a YMMV.. but keep the suggestions coming.

Ahh so some have putrid smells to them? Good to know…


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

I use "bic for Sensitive skin",Have for years. Now before you label me a wimp, keep in mind that the Cherokee in my family lends to very tough hair and beards(wiry). I shave in the shower and use whatever shaving cream is on sale at Sam's.(edge, foamy doesn't matter) I get a lot of milage out of these cheapos and I think it has something to do with shaving in the shower and being able to rinse it out fully. Clark Howard (TV) said the other day he was using the same $.17 razor for 2 years. He attributes it to drying it after each use.
Bottom line you just have to find something that works for you.


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## newbiewoodworker (Aug 29, 2010)

BIC: Like the throw away cartridge, or a DE?


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

The throw away razor. Body and blade 10 in a pkg for a couple of bucks.


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## newbiewoodworker (Aug 29, 2010)

No offense by that is: A) a bit out of budget, and B) a straight razor is not a DE razor… Thanks anyway


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

I'd be afraid to shave with a $5,000.00 razor. Probably would cut my throat and then someone else would say"I have a $5,000.00 razor.


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## okwoodshop (Sep 15, 2009)

Well, don't tell her I said this but my wife has been using a little smoothaway pad with very fine abrasive paper on it so I am thinking about sticking my face to the belt sander,-just for a second-What do you think?? Seriously, look around antique stores,junk stores and flea markets. I found an old butterfly razor for 12.00 bucks, wishn it had a longer handle though.


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## newbiewoodworker (Aug 29, 2010)

Been there done that, there certainly have been times where I have thought about using the Blowtorch to help with some hair removal, lol…

Supposedly some Merkurs and Mohles have long handles, however I have read the short handle is critical to the design to prevent you from exerting too much pressure, and in turn it looking like your took a Jack-Plane to your face… lol


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

My GO555X could slick that right off, Newbie


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