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To those who claim that safety razors are better: How do you imagine that can happen, biomechanically?
Cartridge razors guarantee the perfect angulation, and they aren't too sensitive to the pressure either. Plus, a single stroke with a Hydro 5 is like 5 strokes with a safety razor.
To those who claim that safety razors are better: How do you imagine that can happen, biomechanically?
Cartridge razors guarantee the perfect angulation, and they aren't too sensitive to the pressure either. Plus, a single stroke with a Hydro 5 is like 5 strokes with a safety razor.
What they guarantee is a *consistent* angle, not necessarily the best angle *for you*.
This is typical of all tools. You get the "homeowner" or "hobby" grade stuff that has minimal adjustments and will work OK for a guy who is not really interested in "the max" on the particular job being done. Then you get the professional grade stuff that takes more skill to use, more knowledge to set up, but is *capable* of better work, given a sufficiently skilled craftsman.
I, personally, have mostly used a Trac-II razor, sterling silver handle, that I got in college, back when most people majored in flint knapping. It's just a relic of my mis-spent youth, that I can use most every day. I do shave in the shower, contains the mess, and at the end of the shower my (now rather scrawny) beard is wetted down well, and easier to cut off. I sometimes use Bic single blade disposables, like at the gym. My beard is scrawny anymore, I'm not military or police, so getting the closest possible shave is not that big a priority for me. Which is unusual, I generally gravitate to pro type tools for whatever I am doing. "Do it right or don't do it at all".
I do have a few straight razors. When my beard was fuller, for several years I made it a habit to grow the beard in the fall, wear it all winter, then shave it off in spring. This has more value to keeping you warm in winter yet cool in summer than people who have not tried it would think. The spring shave was easier to do with a straight razor. It is slow, and, yeah, you do have to be careful.
My Dad used DE safety razors back in the day, but I don't have any practical way to keep one in the shower, the Trac-II hangs on a plastic hanger made for holding such razors on the wall of the shower. So I have never given the DE safety razor a real trial, maybe it would work better for me, if I got one and made an effort.
To those who claim that safety razors are better: How do you imagine that can happen, biomechanically?
Cartridge razors guarantee the perfect angulation, and they aren't too sensitive to the pressure either. Plus, a single stroke with a Hydro 5 is like 5 strokes with a safety razor.
OP, it looks like you are just looking for validation for your choice of a razor. Is that it, or is there more to this thread?
OP, it looks like you are just looking for validation for your choice of a razor. Is that it, or is there more to this thread?
That is one of the more irritating things I find on this board, while most posters with some seniority don't do it, so many people ask a question, but then get back into the thread, apparently looking only for validation, not for new information.
Sigh. As Rickover stated so succinctly: "Face facts."
If I didn't occasionally discard an idea and replace it with a better idea gleaned from other people's posts on here, I wouldn't have any reason to be here.
"Sit down before fact with an open mind. Be prepared to give up every preconceived notion. Follow humbly wherever and to whatever abyss Nature leads or you learnnothing. Don’t push out figures when facts are going in the opposite direction. "
These may be rather heavy thoughts to trot out in a discussion of what razor to use, but, the underlying aspect of only seeking affirmation that one is already right, rather than trying to learn something, is actually a pretty heavy topic.
OP, it looks like you are just looking for validation for your choice of a razor. Is that it, or is there more to this thread?
I'm just asking people advocating safety razors to explain themselves. Simply saying X is better than Y is not particularly interesting or worth commenting -- just vote in the poll.
. . .
Personally, for the last 20 years or so I've been shaving in the shower with my regular soap. All the little hairs go down the drain; no mess to clean up at the sink.
Yeah! The shower! I agree - BEST way to shave is in the shower. It's the moisture - the whiskers shave better when they've absorbed all that nice hot moisture. And the skin usually does better, too, 'cause it's more flexible. I also find the blades rinse cleaner under the shower spray than under a faucet. That helps too.
The difference some people think they find between the old fashioned safety single blade, and the disposable or cartridge razors COULD be just a particular brand design. The brands and styles vary slightly in the distance between the blade and the holder, and in the gap between blades. I can't shave with Bic disposables - I'd end up in the hospital from blood loss!
I think my handle is a Trac-2, not sure. I've been buying generic twin blade cartridges for too long, and I don't remember. It was just a cheap plastic and steel handle, but it's lasted a long time.
I was using the Gillette fusion for many years and no matter how new the cartridge was or changing of creams nothing worked. Stumbled, razor burn, ingrown hairs. I made the switch about 6 years ago to the DE with a badger brush, pre shave oil, and lather cream. About a year ago I switched to a shaving soap and have never looked back. It takes about 5-7 minutes to shave after a shower, but I go 2-3 days betweens shaves easily. I’ve been trying different blades, Merkur were nice, Gillette’s sucked, the Astras I have now are nice but super sharp. I may flip back to Merkur but for $10 you get a years worth of blades, so the cost savings over locked down $50 packs of cartridges is annoying.
Btw I have sensitive skin and am prone to burn so this new method has saved me so much in aggravation and pain.
I use a cartridge razor. Gillette or something like that. The blades are ridiculously expensive but I don't have to buy them very often since I only shave about twice a week now, after shaving every day for many years.
I initially tried switching to Safety Razor because "cartridge" blades are so expensive. However, I found that it takes me a lot longer to shave with one than with the cartridge type (and not cut myself). Now I have been using the cartridge when I'm getting ready for work and the DE on the weekends when I'm not so pressed for time. I do use the badger-brush and soap for both; I don't think I bought a can of shaving cream/gel in over 5 years.
It's kind of interesting that the votes are 50/50 so far, yet very few stores actually sell double-edged safety razors or blades for them, meaning that very few people ever buy them.
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