Last time I was gonna by blades at the local store was about 10 years ago. I was sufficiently miffed at the corporatocracy’s price skimming and gouging that I hopped on the intertubes and bought about $20 worth of twin- or triple-blade cartridges from India. And there will likely be inventory on hand when I die.
Ooh, yes but no. Those 42-blade razors are garbage, but the Holy Grail of close shaves (imo) is the safety razor. Feels much more comfortable to use, and, well, is safer.
That and the fact that I bought $20 in razors like 2 years ago and I’ve yet to buy more.
I will say that I do get more razor nicks using a safety razor but it’s pretty effective at getting that good close shave + I save money and it’s better for the environment
Absolutely horrendous for shaving your head though, unless you happen to have a perfectly nice round head, I suppose.
I love my safety razor. The ritual of shaving is soo much better with a brush and soap bowl rather than squirty cream from a can.
It’s a learned skill though and does take practice, I recommend the book Leisureguys guide to Gourmet shaving.
Get a multi pack of blades and work out which ones you like best.
I bought 50 blades and a box of Arko sticks for like $30 a decade ago and I’m still going through them.
Can’t you use squirty cream from can with a safety razor?
Yes, that’s what I use.
It’s just that safety razors are often considered to be a thing of shaving enthusiasts, and if you go through that rabbit hole, you commonly go all the way.
No, it’s physically impossible /s
Yeah, that’s what I do. Works fine. Saves money to not be buying heads all the time.
Of course you can, I just really like the ritual with the brush and soap.
I prefer electrolysis.
They’re definitely cheaper than using cartridge razors, but personally I found decent cartridge razors just get a closer shave than safety razors. And it wasn’t for failing to learn how to use a safety razor either. I used one for several years, got good at it, but later switched back to cartridge razors on a whim and found that they simply get reliably closer shave than a single blade does. I still use soap and a brush rather than canned shaving cream, because it is much better and more economical, but for me the closer shave that comes with a cartridge razor is worth the price.
It seems to depend on your face and skin. For me, single-bladed safety razors deliver a closer shave with less irritation compared to cartridge, and I experimented quite much with both.
Still, the cult of safety razors is sometimes overblown. Just pick what fits you best.
hashtag not sponsored, my current razor is a Leaf. great little thing, it takes three single-sided blades (or 1.5 normal ones snapped it half) and is used just like a cartridge razor. it’s a bit expensive at €80 or so, but it’s completely metal so i expect it to outlast most other stuff in my bathroom.
Quite an interesting concept for genuine cartridge aficionados
