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!
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.
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.
You use 8 Mach 5 blades in 14 days? You must have whiskers of steel wool growing on skin of concrete. 
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.
I don’t care for the Mach 3. Got a recommended seller that carries the Quattro or Mach 5 blades?
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.
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.
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 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.
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 …