View Full Version : Straight Razors
theblackknight
04-18-10, 17:21
I'm getting tired of paying for razors.
To anybody here that uses them full time, is the upfront cost and upkeep cheaper in the long run then me paying 24 buck per 8 pack of mach5 razors every 2 weeks?
Men have been using them far longer than Bics... Get online and I'm certain there is a strait razor forum/info that will help.
The upfront cost is kinda pricey for straight razors. Once you factor in the strap, brush, stone, and actual blade. After that your just paying for the soap.
http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/sharpen/instrazor.html
Some good information...I don't have the time to prep the blade (and I have a baby face haha) so I get by on disposable razors. Good luck!
K.L. Davis
04-18-10, 20:03
Only way to shave...
Do some searching, but a few rules that will help:
Don't buy a cheap ($14.00) razor, but don't go too crazy ($200.00) - get a decent razor and find out if you will use it, then you can upgrade later if you want.
Start small, learn to shave the easy to get to and flat parts of your face (sideburns) and finish with a regular razor... increase the area you shave with your straight razor a little at a time.
Learn to take care of the blade and keep it sharp - or go for one of the Feather Razors from Japan, replaceable blades... price is good I can not get a regular razor as sharp as their blades!
Important - When you first start, you will nick yourself... if you drop the razor let it fall, do NOT try to catch it... and think about where it is falling! Seriously, not a good idea to shave naked, most recommend wearing shoes when you shave even.
Great site for almost anything you can imagine.
http://theartofshaving.com/
Important - When you first start, you will nick yourself... if you drop the razor let it fall, do NOT try to catch it... and think about where it is falling! Seriously, not a good idea to shave naked, most recommend wearing shoes when you shave even.
I just cringed when I read your last sentence.
Have you tried the Fusion? I get 12 shaves out of one blade.
I have a really thick beard and I can tell a marked difference dpending on when I shave. Shave at the end of a nice hot shower and you can get by with fairly cheap (upper end disposable) razors. Shave in a hurry and it will suck, no matter how good of a razor you get. If you can stand the break-in period, there are some nice electrics on the market. I was never able to put up with 30-45 days of razor burn to let my face get used to one though.
P.S. From the title, I thought this thread was going to be about young kids that dye their hair, wear funny clothes, and eat lots of illegal drugs.
This topic comes up from time to time where I work and many people are not aware of this. Did you know that you can buy razors on Ebay?? I buy my Gillette Mach 3 blades from ebay and pay about .45 cents on the dollar for them compared to Wally world.
I'm getting tired of paying for razors.
To anybody here that uses them full time, is the upfront cost and upkeep cheaper in the long run then me paying 24 buck per 8 pack of mach5 razors every 2 weeks?
You use 8 Mach 5 blades in 14 days? You must have whiskers of steel wool growing on skin of concrete. :D
Another alternative you may want to check out is a safety razor. Less upkeep and easier to use than a safety razor plus I pay about $15 for a 100 pack of razors.
This topic comes up from time to time where I work and many people are not aware of this. Did you know that you can buy razors on Ebay?? I buy my Gillette Mach 3 blades from ebay and pay about .45 cents on the dollar for them compared to Wally world.
I don't care for the Mach 3. Got a recommended seller that carries the Quattro or Mach 5 blades?
I just cringed when I read your last sentence.
Yeah, I'll never use a straight razor.
If you dry your razors after you use them you can get MANY more shaves out of them. I have been using the same razor for the last two months and it is still going strong. Leaving them wet deteriorates them far faster than the shave itself. They will still get dull, but if you just dry the blades with your towel it will triple their life.
woodandsteel
04-19-10, 11:47
I just cringed when I read your last sentence.
Me too!:eek:
I don't know if I would ever use a Straight Razor. But, I am thinking about going to the soap mug and brush method for the shaving lotion part. Growning up, my dad had the mug and brush, and I swear I shaved better with that than I do now with all the different brands and styles of commercial saving cream.
If you dry your razors after you use them you can get MANY more shaves out of them. I have been using the same razor for the last two months and it is still going strong. Leaving them wet deteriorates them far faster than the shave itself. They will still get dull, but if you just dry the blades with your towel it will triple their life.
I never knew this. I'll have to try this. I usually get about 3 weeks out of a disposable gillette sensor blade. I'm still using the old two blade razor. Anything else seems to tear my skin up especially on the neck.
I never knew this. I'll have to try this. I usually get about 3 weeks out of a disposable gillette sensor blade. I'm still using the old two blade razor. Anything else seems to tear my skin up especially on the neck.
I have been told the opposite, that keeping them wet is the key. A few years ago, I tried a product that you immerse the blade in when not in use. I forget the name. When I used it, I did get longer life out of the blades, consistent with the marketing.
A colleague does the same thing and claims the same results, but immerses his blade in baby oil.
I don't know which method is better or why.
Douse the blade with rubbing alcohol for a final rinse. This will wash away the water and help cut the foam buildup. Even better is to store the blade in a cup of rubbing alcohol, but I can't seem to keep it from evaporating too quickly when I do this.
My barber shaves my neck with a straight blade, and I usually have it shaven again in between cuts. I would love to get into shaving with a straight blade, but I don't know that I could get away with shaving the night before, and I know I don't have the presence of mind in the mornings to keep from slitting my throat.
I have been told the opposite, that keeping them wet is the key. A few years ago, I tried a product that you immerse the blade in when not in use. I forget the name. When I used it, I did get longer life out of the blades, consistent with the marketing.
A colleague does the same thing and claims the same results, but immerses his blade in baby oil.
I don't know which method is better or why.
I could see it if it is in oil. I mean think about it, we oil stuff to preserve it. Then again maybe it is the slow drying of the blade that causes it to degrade. So if you dry it quickly or just keep it wet it will last longer. All I know is that since I was told what I was told mine have lasted longer.
PrivateCitizen
04-19-10, 22:55
Just like a BCG …
Pat the razor dry and hit it with some lube. An inch of glycerine in a small dish or cup works wonders.
Hah, you know, maybe someone should try some SLiP 2k … seriously …
This is precisely why I have a beard. :D
I could see it if it is in oil. I mean think about it, we oil stuff to preserve it. Then again maybe it is the slow drying of the blade that causes it to degrade. So if you dry it quickly or just keep it wet it will last longer. All I know is that since I was told what I was told mine have lasted longer.
it's leaving water on the blade. if you store it dry but blow off all the water it helps. if you store it wet in oil, it displaces the water. doesn't really matter which, as long as you get the water off it.
I personally have used a straight razor for almost 10 years and wouldn't go back to disposables if you paid me. Two things happen when you shave with a straight razor. 1) you pay attention to what you're doing so you don't open a vein. and 2) you s-l-o-w the hell down. the combination of those two things means you actually start to enjoy shaving.
High Desert
04-20-10, 16:39
You might look at this in the short term.
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Personal_Care___Shaving_Supplies___Disposable_Razor_Sharpener___36731?Args=
Best regards,
HD
This may be common knowledge, but I was taught to do this by a salty old Master Chief when we would get extended and run our of razors underway:
Soak the old, dull, gunked up razors in hot water. Cut a piece of thin cardboard (like a notebook backing) to the width of the razor, and run the razor WITH the grain against it about 30 times. It will give new life to a razor that was headed for the trash.
I suppose this is like using a leather strap on a straight razor, but it really works in a pinch. I still keep a piece of cardboard in my medicine cabinet in case I run out of razors and am in a hurry.
^ That is called stropping, and as you figured it is the same thing as using a leather strop. It works best on very thing blades and if done properly and often the time between sharpening of a blade can be extended significantly. All that is happening is the micro-serrations on the blade are getting bent through use, stropping the blade will straighten them back out though eventually they will break and it will have to be sharpened. This is also what is happening when you use a honing steel on a larger knife, the strop doesn't really cut it on thicker blades like that.. You can also use polishing compounds (ie Jeweler's Rouge) to make this process more aggressive and give the blade a nice mirror finish.
It's hard to believe that leather or cardboard for that matter would sharpen a steel blade so quickly, but it sure does.
the Bamster
04-21-10, 06:56
I remember the black fellas in the army getting the bumpies, looked as if the face exploded after a shave..... i always felt bad for em.
Heavy Metal
04-21-10, 09:26
Just like a BCG …
Pat the razor dry and hit it with some lube. An inch of glycerine in a small dish or cup works wonders.
Hah, you know, maybe someone should try some SLiP 2k … seriously …
I have found a new use for Ballistol!
I own two straight razors, one was my dad's, the other was grand dads .Never have had the cojones to shave with either one, LOL probably cut my throat if I shaved in the AM, just takes too long to wake up, you know. Both are some very fine damascus steel though, Quality today is probably not as good.
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