Follow Up to Hygiene Article- Shaving

After reading Patriotman’s article on Hygiene, I wanted to put some information out there on a great way to put back shaving supplies inexpensively- replaceable blade straight razors, or “shavettes” and “safety razors” Depending on whether you keep a beard or not, you may not need a razor regularly, but it is still important to have the ability to shave for hygiene purposes.

While it is a great idea to put back some inexpensive disposable razors, and you definitely should, there is an even cheaper way to stock up in bulk, that takes up even less space, and that is what is razors that use old fashioned double edge razor blades. There are a few different ways to use them, with the two main ones being double edged “safety razors” that many of us grew up seeing our parents or grandparents use, and straight razors that take replaceable blades. Both of them work very well, both of them have a learning curve to them, and both of them can give you a great shave for pennies, or less.

Advantages

So what advantages do these two types of razors offer?

First, once you purchase the razor itself, the only thing you have to continue buying are blades. The razor should set you back less than $20, and blades normally run $15 or less for 100 blades. I can normally get around 6 shaves per blade before they dull and start causing razor burn, although that could be stretched out easily if needed. At a price of 15 cents per blade, and getting 6 shaves per blade, it costs approximately 2.5 cents per shave. At this cost, it is easy and inexpensive to put back literally a lifetime supply of blades.

Second- if you are prone to razor burn and ingrown hairs when using the latest, greatest miracle razor with fifteen blades, you may find that the issue vanishes entirely with old-school shaving methods. If we look at a four bladed razor, and you make two passes over your face, you literally have eight passes of a blade over your skin. Using a safety razor or straight razor, if you make three passes (as I do) you only have a blade passing across your skin three times, which leads to less skin irritation and less hairs getting pushed over and becoming ingrown.

Third- if you are carrying the razor with you, a razor and a five pack of blades take up about as much room as a permanent marker, and since everything comes apart, it is much easier to keep sanitary and prevent buildup of crud on the blades.

There are a few drawbacks to using these styles of razors- they can be a little more dangerous than cartridge razors, and they also can be a little more time consuming to use. Neither of these are huge drawbacks, and both can be negated with a little time, patience, and practice.

Safety Razors

Lets start by looking at the safety razor, since it is a little less intimidating for the uninitiated user, and is less likely to injure them. Most safety razors will look something like this:

All safety razors have a handle, and a head that holds a double edged blade so that you can shave with it without having to worry about cutting yourself too badly. There are a few different styles, such as the “butterfly” razor which opens up to hold the blade, and multi piece razors that are disassembled, a blade is placed in, and then they are put back together. Further, there are straight blade and slant blade styles, and they can be purchased in different sizes. While this all can be confusing, they all work basically the same way and any of them should work for you in a pinch- the differences may come into play as experience develops your preferences. You can purchase safety razors new for under $20, or you can spend hundreds of dollars on them- I haven’t found the more expensive ones to work any better than the first one I ever bought at Walmart for $12. If you shop around flea markets and antique shops, you can also find vintage razors for just a few dollars, just make sure they aren’t missing pieces and be sure to disinfect them VERY well. While I rarely use a safety razor anymore, my preference is for Merkur razors– they are a German made razor, and while they are a little more expensive than some razors, they are still affordable and are very high quality.

When using safety razors, you would normally want to wet your face down well, with warm water if you have it, and then lather up well. I prefer using shaving soap and a brush (more on that later) but shaving cream or gel can be used too. Hold the end of the razor handle and shave with light pressure. A good way to start is to hold the handle with your thumb and forefinger while letting the weight of the razor provide the pressure. If you bear down on the blade you will discover quickly just how painful razor burn can be. You will also have to figure out the correct angle to keep the blade in relation to your skin- look at a modern razor blade and the angle the blade travels across your skin to get a rough idea. Once you have made your first pass, re-lather your face, make a second pass, re-lather and make your third pass. For me, that is enough for a close, smooth shave, with no razor burn. I make the first pass with the grain, second pass perpendicular to the grain, and the final pass against the grain. It takes practice to get the hang of, and you will find out exactly what works best for you, most likely with some nicks and cuts along the way. Here is a short video that shows how to do it.

Once you have finished your shave, take the razor apart, wash the razor and blade, and dry everything thoroughly before storing it.

Shavettes

Next, lets examine the “shavette” or Replaceable blade straight razor. This is my personal preference for shaving, but it does require a little more practice to get the hang of, and requires a little more concentration to avoid cutting yourself. At the same time, a shavette is a little easier to use and maintain than a true straight razor. Shavettes look something like this:

The pictured razor, a Parker SRB, is an excellent starter razor that will serve the experienced user just fine as well. It is what I personally use, and is an excellent value for $20. I am using the same one I have been using for the last six years, and it is still in perfect condition even after much use and a fair bit of traveling with it. It uses half of a double edged razor blade- the blade is snapped in half while it is still in the paper envelope that it comes in, and then one half is inserted into the holder. Just like the safety razor, you do NOT want to put pressure on the blade as it travels across your skin, and you will have to figure out through trial and error what the proper travel angle is for the blade. It should go without saying, but do NOT pull the blade across your skin sideways, unless you would like a nice new facial scar. This applies to safety razors too, as they also have an exposed blade. This video gives a good tutorial on how to use one of these razors, and the Parker SR1 that he is using is virtually identical to the Parker SRB that is linked above. Just like the safety razor, once your shave is complete, wash everything, dry it, and store it.

Blades

Since we are looking at systems using double edged blades, lets look at some of the options out there. Most of the blades come from other parts of the world where they are still widely used, with some of the better ones coming from Egypt, Israel, Russia, Poland, etc. Even some of the “American” brand name blades, are made overseas. Gilette blades, for example, are made in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the same factory as the Russian brand “Rapira” They are both good blades that I personally can’t tell a difference in, other than the Rapira often being considerably less expensive. Currently, Rapira blades are $12.99/100 where Gilette Silver Blue are $19.99/100.

There are a myriad of options out there, and you will likely find that you prefer some blades over others, so it is advisable to buy a small number of each to try before you rush out and buy a thousand blades. Some of the brands that I have had good luck with over the years are Astra, Ladas, Voskhod, Personna, Shark, Dorco, Bolzano, Rapira, and Gilette Silver Blue.

Lather

Along with blades, you are going to need some way to lather up if you are going to shave, even if you choose to use modern multiblade cartridge razors. You can use aerosol gels or creams, tubes of cream, soap pucks or sticks, or if you really want to, you can get by with bar soap, although it isn’t the best choice. I use shaving soap and a shaving brush as opposed to aerosol shaving creams and gels, for few different reasons. First, shaving soap is much, much less expensive. A cake of shaving soap will last me anywhere from six months to a year and a half, depending on how often I shave. When I still used shaving cream, I was lucky to get a month out of a can. My go-to brand of shaving soap is Arko, which is a Turkish soap. It works well and is CHEAP

Second, shaving soap has more body to it and gives a much better quality shave with less irritation than most of the aerosol offerings. All it takes to lather shaving soap is water, a shaving brush and a bowl or mug of some sort. Why not make your shave enjoyable? Here is a quick video showing how to lather shaving soap.

Third, shaving soap stores without having to worry about aerosol cans losing their pressure. Since we are talking about preparedness here, it is nice to have a product that has a practically indefinite shelf life.

Aftershave

Last but not least, when you finish shaving using your preferred method, you need to take care of your face. I normally rinse the leftover soap off my face, and then splash some cool water on it, which helps close your pores, dry it and then use some aftershave. While not absolutely necessary, these steps help close your pores and get rid of any bacteria before it can cause irritation or other problems.

 

Shaving is definitely a luxury compared to keeping food on our tables and defending our homes, but it is a luxury that is easy and inexpensive to plan ahead for. Sometimes maintaining small luxuries and remnants of normalcy in our day to day lives can make hardships a little more tolerable. While shaving gear is not a glamorous subject, hopefully you have found something that will find useful.

Spread the love
                

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

About the Author: wwes

WWES is a high school vocational teacher in North Carolina who teaches students how to grow plants and livestock, along with welding and metal fabrication. He is always looking to grow his knowledge base, and enjoys increasing his self sufficiency through growing and preserving food, as well as raising livestock.

15 Comments

  1. MAs Casa June 27, 2022 at 13:26

    Converted to a safety razor five years ago; bought a Merkur 34C ($25) and 50 blades ($5). I swap the blades every 7-14 days. Considerable savings and better shave than the disposables.

    • wwes June 27, 2022 at 13:36

      It’s hard to beat the Merkur razors for the money, even if they have jumped up in price a some.
      Once I tried the safey razor I knew I’d never go back to a cartridge razor. Then once I switched to the shavette I was hooked. I also have some good straight razors, and know how to use and maintain them, but I do not like using them as good as the shavettes.

  2. CPL Antero Rokka June 27, 2022 at 13:37

    A good read, Thanks!

    I’ve always been told that ancient Greek and Roman soldiers went into battle closely shaved. Alexander the Great always went into battle clean-shaven. Many explanations abound for this–my fave is that no enemy opponent could yank or grip your beard. Being an old free-style wrestler and judo adherent, you learn that: “he who controls the head, controls the opponent.” Seems reasonable.

    In 500 BC It became popular for men to crop their hair very short and shave the face in Greece. Alexander the Great is responsible for this as he was obsessed with shaving. He shaved even during war and would not be seen going to battle with a five o clock shadow. Like the Middle East culture Greeks back then considered it an aesthetic and a practical approach to personal hygiene.

    The razor was introduced in the bronze age and according to some Roman historians, the razor was introduced into Ancient Rome by Lucius Tarquinius Priscus who was king of Rome from 616 to 579 BC (this was during the Roman Kingdom era, prior to the Roman Republic and the much later Roman Empire).

    https://moderngent.com/history-of-shaving/

  3. PBRStreetGang June 27, 2022 at 14:02

    This is gold for anyone still shaving with a $15 Gillette Gucci razor. I switched to the safety style razors years ago, the kind where you unscrew the base and change out the disposable razor. Can’t even remember when exactly but I ordered the cheap stainless steel handle and two boxes of 100 blades. Fast forward at least 4-5 years and I’m barely halfway through the first box. Everything combined was maybe $50. The lessons definitely two-fold, first I’m all set as far as prepping goes and more importantly for the near-term I’m not spending ridiculous money just to shave my face. Wish I learned this lesson as a younger man, hahaha. Appreciate you putting up these often not thought about yet important posts.

    • wwes June 27, 2022 at 21:50

      It is amazing how much money it saves over buying the ridiculously expensive cartridges.

  4. mechmedic June 27, 2022 at 15:55

    I’ve been using a Merkur 34C for about 4 years now. I was always prone to razer burn and those god awful bumps. But once I switched, they disappeared. I’ve grown really fond of the Stirling Soap Company soap. It is made in America with Beef Tallow and the company is conservative. I’ve also been lucky with the voshkod blades. They are the best blades for my skin and razor but only last about 2-3 shaves. If you have sensitive skin you may find aftershave balms to work better for you than the splashes. It’s all a big game of trial and error. The trial packs are awesome to see what works best for you. Shaving isn’t meant to be a sprint, it’s an experience for you to enjoy. Take care of your face, it’s the only one you got.
    Great info brother!

    • wwes June 27, 2022 at 21:58

      I have one of the slant bar Merkur razors and it is outstanding. but once I started using the Parker SRB I rarely use the safety razors anymore. I really like the shavettes. With either one though, my experiences parallel yours- the bumps and razor burn pretty much vanished, unless I get careless and do something stupid.
      I think the trial and error is half of the fun. I haven’t tried anything from Stirling yet, but I have really liked the offerings from Barrister and Mann.

      I used to hate shaving when I was using the Gilette Mach 3 I was given as a teenager, now it is actually enjoyable!

  5. KBYN June 27, 2022 at 17:14

    I always buy cakes of shaving soap that have kaolin clay in them. I find it helps prevent razor burn, and I need no aftershave.

    • wwes June 27, 2022 at 22:02

      The only ones I have tried with Kaolin Clay are from Van Yulay soaps, and they have given a very creamy lather. I still use aftershave with them, but could probably get by without it.

  6. Milo Mindbender June 27, 2022 at 18:42

    I keep a spare in my field kit just in case I get activated again. I have been using a double edged safety razor for about 2 decades, and have acquired several over the years. It gives a good shave with low weight, and minimal mess. I used a kimchi bowl from the KATUSA snack bar as my shaving bowl for years until it disappeared. It helps to have everything on hand and yes hot water is a big deal with both the soap and shave.

    • wwes June 27, 2022 at 22:06

      Hot water definitely makes it better, even though cold water can work. I have one of the antique Old Spice shaving mugs, but what I normally use is actually a little Pioneer Woman bowl that I found in the cooking aisle at Walmart years ago. It was about the right size and shape, and was only $2, so I bought it and have been using it ever since.

  7. 13-1A June 27, 2022 at 18:58

    Excellent article WWES! The modern shaving industry has been designed to be completely unsustainable and create dependence on disposable blades as per King Gillette’s original heroin dealer style business model. I opted out of that scam decades ago. My shaving tools of choice – a brace of three or four vintage cut throat (aka straight) razors and the hone and strop to maintain them and reset the edge where required; and an awesome 1920s vintage “Rolls Razor” kit which is basically a chunk of straight razor blade with a handle. The razor’s case includes a hone and a strop which automatically positions the blade for optimum angle of honing or stropping. The Rolls Razor is far less intimidating than a cut throat razor and they are still quite inexpensive. Despite not being manufactured since the 1950s you can still find new-old-stock blades and replacement parts of all types in antique stores and online. When it comes to lather, you can use any type of bar soap for shaving if you have a good shaving brush. You don’t need specialised shaving soap as long as you wash your face thoroughly after shaving with hot water.

    • wwes June 27, 2022 at 22:10

      Thank you very much! I never got overly comfortable with my straight razors. I can use them, but I just don’t like them as well as the shavettes.
      It is enlightening to realize that you don’t have to pay ridiculous prices for new blades all the time, and that you can have a better shave to boot.

  8. Gandalf Carlin June 27, 2022 at 20:55

    Gillette is woke rainbow bathhouse and the best a maam can get. Schick is fine.
    I stock up at the church pantry and have a nice stockpile with some Gillette in there. Oh hell no on the $40 refill pack from Gillette.
    They are only needed for cheek, chin and neck if you have a long beard.
    It takes scissors, safety razors, electric shaver for proper beard maintenance.
    There are some barbers left in Capital City and rural for the ultimate close shave and hot towel treatment, some will have shelled peanuts roasting on the wood burning stove in the winter.

  9. ralph k June 28, 2022 at 10:45

    Interesting subject matter, obviously everyone has an opinion. Personally, I use an Edwin Jagger razor, made in England. Very good tool especially when combined with a Feather razor blade, from Japan. Best blades ever. Also have a Merkur Futur adjustable razor. However it is NOT for beginners. If you adjust too much, you will be doing a split thickness skin graft donation from your face. For advanced shavers only. Hair conditioner works well with warm water for setting up your beard for the shave also. When I feel really daring, I use my straight razor my grandad gave me. Very macho indeed, but you better know how to use it properly or you will need to be typed and crossed for a unit of blood.

Comments are closed.

GUNS N GEAR

Categories

Archives

Spread the love