If you had to choose a modern safety razor ...

sarkozy

If you really had to choose a safety razor, what would you go for? Personally, I have a long beard and mostly trim with an electric shaver, but I still need to shave around it. I'm broke and can't afford the more expensive Gillette razors and, to be honest, I don't see the point in them.

I much prefer my 'old fashioned' Sensor Excel II (when I have razors). I also think it looks better, but there's something pleasing about its simplicity. By contrast, any of these new razors look like robots or something.

I was just wondering because with all the talk about old fashioned safety razors here, I don't shave frequently enough to invest in one of those, but was wondering what the gurus thought.

It seems to me, the real thing, the real pleasure in shaving is actually all the preparation - hot towel on the face, soften the hairs, etc. I reckon Gillette has prioritised speed over time and preparation on this front.

beardybrewer

We've had a few threads here where we post links to some place like shaving.ie to set someone up on a budget. It can be done easily enough but there is an upfront cost. The bonus would be, if you have more restraint than we do and don't test out a dozen different razors/brushes/soaps, that it really can save money in the long run. There's another thread here on getting 100 top quality blades for €12. That would last me a year, longer for you as you shave less often. Razors cost 30 quid, but that will be the last razor you ever need to buy. And as the blades are only a few cents, you can change them every 2-3 shaves so you will always get a quality shave.

hitemfrank

If I had to choose one of the modern cartridge type razors and not a DE type, I would probably go with one with as few blades a possible. It should in theory clog up less and should last a decent amount of time.

So that would probably be a BIC I guess.

sarkozy

Interesting. Do you think the disposables are good? I just find a 2-blade ... satisfactory.

hitemfrank

Can't actually remember the last time I used one so I'm basing my answer on pure speculation. I have heard that the Sensor Excell II is one of the best cartridge razors Gillette made.

The last cartridge razor I used was a Gillette with 4 blades (Fusion?) and that was piss poor.

uncle_sam_ie

sarkozy wrote: »

Interesting. Do you think the disposables are good? I just find a 2-blade ... satisfactory.

You have to remember the way multi-blade cartridges work. The first blade is dull to catch the whisker and pull it so the second sharp blade can come along and cut it. The blades after those two are just a marketing scam really. The theory is you're suppose to get a "closer shave" but, it can also lead to ingrown hairs and razor bumps. Especially for people with curly hair. Once the second blade goes dull your shave can get really uncomfortable. When you first use a single DE razor you will notice how very sharp the blade is. That's because it's not pulling. Modern razors do have the advantage of making shaving easier because you don't have to worry about angle or pressure. But, once you learn how to use a DE razor properly it becomes just as easy. But, if I was stuck and had to use a modern razor, I'd go with the Gillette Mach3. I never liked disposables.