Thought I'd never shave with a blade again

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On my last birthday, my youngest son bought me a little package from Bespoke Post containing a Maalim safety razor and accessories. I had sworn off safety razors decades ago, preferring disposables, and recently had been using a Norelco and not using blades at all. I was fine with the not-really-great closeness of the electric, because it's easy and quick. I felt bad because he had wasted his money on something that would sit on a shelf in my closet.

In fact, I felt bad enough that I had to try it. I had some trepidation, since I had suffered many cuts when I was learning to shave with a safety razor 40+ years ago. The worst shaving cut I ever got, though, was with one of those old Bic single-blade disposables. Then I had used two-blade, three-blade, four-blade etc. disposables as time went by. This razor came with some Astra blades which seemed impossibly thin and delicate. Turns out they are also impossibly sharp, unlike the stainless blades of my youth. I don't shave every day, and even if I skip shaving for a week, these blades, in combination with this razor, just glide over my skin, and cut very closely. Haven't cut myself yet.

I had seen some BITOG'ers posting about using safety razors, and I thought it was just nostalgia. I was wrong. These modern safety razors are something very different from what I experienced in the past.
 
I used the multi blade ones years ago till I bought a Murkur safety razor and never looked back. Good blades are way cheaper than buying those over priced multi blade replacements.
 
Been using an Edwin Jagger safety razor and Astra green double edge blades (Gillette) for years. Much closer and more comfortable shave then anything else I've tried. Takes longer, but not so much. My oldest brother was horrified I was using a safety razor :)
 
Can't stand the thought of not shaving with a razor. Granted I will never touch Gillette in my life; I really enjoy Harrys razors. Get it all at Target 🎯. Shave my head every day too and no nics.
 
My favorite razor handles are old Gillettes, but the beauty of them is that you can use whatever type of blades you want.

When I first started shaving with one, I bought two "sampler packs" on Amazon that left me with probably 25 different brands of blades. Some were absolute junk, some were okay, and some I immediately clicked with. For a long time, I settled on Derbys, which are around $15 for 200 from Amazon.

When I first started, I tried Feathers, which are sometimes held up as the gold standard in blades. I initially dismissed them because they cut me a bit too much, but saved a few more out of that initial 5 pack for later. I revisited them after several years of DE shaving, and found that I could use them without cutting and gave me a much better shave than the Derbys. They're a bit more expensive-around $10 for 50-but that's still a much more palatable price than even disposable single blade plastics. In addition, I would throw away a Derby after 3 days-I'd occasionally stretch it to a 4th day when traveling, but it was never pleasant. I usually go 4-5 days on a Feather(in fact I often find that they shave best days 2-4) but have stretched them to a week. So, even though they're more expensive, I use fewer of them, which offsets the cost somewhat.
 
I was on the dorco train for a while, it was fine.

Then I started going super cheap, and used the equate blue handle razors 5 for 99 cents. Not good, didn't shave well.

Now I'm going almost super cheap, BIC sensitive razors from wally for $2.79 for a pack. They work much better, but dorco is king to me.
 
My whiskers will give barbed wire a run for toughness.
I only shave twice a week because I find it easier on my face when the whiskers are a little longer and not so short and stiff.
I've used pretty much all the razors and creams,gels for the last 60 years of shaving.
I've finally settled in with the 4 blade from Dollar shave club and Bulldog shave gel.
 
When I have the time I use a Van Der Hagen DE razor I picked up somewhere. When it goes, I'll spring for one of the better names but so far no complaints. Blades have ranged from good to never-again (the Sputnik's I'm finishing up fall into the latter category).

I made the mistake of getting a pack of Barbasol twin-blade disposables. I get one decent shave out of them...maybe. And that's even if I use shave oil under the shaving cream. The other multi-blades they offer are fine, but stay away from the twin-blades. Have also been working on some Schick disposables. No complaints there.
 
When I was deployed to a country where men dont shave much (Afghanistan) I was the only one who used a safety razor at first. It worked out because I could buy blades overseas for dirt cheap.

Meanwhile, other guys were spending money selling eachother razors to get by. At the end of the deployment alot of people switched to safety razors.

For awhile there I was part of this subscription box called WetShaveClub. It was the safety razor version of DollarShaveClub (they werent affiliated) they would send 30 blades, a soap, aftershave, and a few other goodies every month for like 9$.

Sadly they are no longer around.

Anyway, I now use a Edwin Jagger handle with a Merkur top, as the Jagger head warped over years.

My suggestion is to find different variety packs on ebay and find what works for you. Dorcos were great at first for me, then I found something better in Shark Chrome, then Astras, then finally I settled on Feather yellow blades.

Try different soaps as well, Arko was always a good soap until I found Poraso in a tub.

As for aftershave, I used hundreds of them, as I once had to shave daily (Military),
Now I just use Thayers Rose Witch Hazel, but occasionally I'll pop out the Vegetal or Bay Rum pinaud.

Anyway, best of luck, get a styptic pen in case you need it!
 
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