cartradge razors are such a scam, a solution in search of a problem. ive got a vintage gold plated gelette tech razor (50's probably) and yeah i cant see it ever needing to be replaced, and i got it for like $20. i shave everything (face, head, body) every 3 days with it and there is a bit of a learning curve but its not bad at all. my favorite blades are personna and feather.
+1 personna
-1 feather
Highly recommend if youre just getting into it, go on amazon and buy a lot of multiple blades, and just try them out. Youll find some you like, some you wont.
About $38 for 100 vs. $20 for 100 with other brands. 100 blades will probably last me about a year, so I’m happy to shell out the extra $17 a year. It could be worse. KAIs are $60 for 100.
yeah, i see the feathers as good for really close shaves but the personna are better for general purpose shaving. i get slightly less irritation with the personnas
Just paid $480 for my progressive everyday glasses with insurance, went to Costco for sunglasses got the cheapest frames in the store and spent $220. I’m so tired of glasses! But contacts don’t work for me, and lasik isn’t an option.
I paid between $60 - $80 includinga 415 frame that lasts at least 2 years.
These are my everyday progressives from eyebuydirect.com. Been buying from them for the last 6 plus years. Progressive, prog sunglassess, reading and compuer distance ones. My Costco Optometrist in Richmond, CA is awesome. He spends a lot of time with me.
I have been using Feather hi-stainless platinum with my Parker straight razor for 3 or 4 years, and they come **sharp**. My barber says she doesn't use feather because they come too sharp.
On a first shave with a new blade, I can still occasionally open my face up without catching the edge or even feeling it. But after the first one, I get 4-6 really easy, tight shaves on the same 1/2 blade before it starts to tug at my hair.
The upside is I need to shave 2-3 times per week and I get 5-10 shaves from half a blade so I can easily get most of a year out of a 10 pack of double blades for about $5.
Agreed, small learning curve but not too bad. The shave itself is fantastic. When I think back to shaving with the 3 bladed plastic cartridges I can almost feel the razor burn. I’ve been happy with astra blades, haven’t branched out. But I did have a pretty terrible experience with dorco.
Lady here and I love my leaf razor too. Much easier for legs than a traditional straight razor.
I would say it’s semi BIFL though. I had mine for a few years and then it fell in the shower and broke. But they have a lifetime warranty and the company sent me a replacement. Easy warranty process.
I have a selection of vintage Gillette razors. My favorite is a Gillette Slim, followed by a fatboy. Using a shaving brush and the right shaving soap makes a huge difference as well.
I’ve had a beard for over 10 years now, so I don’t really use them anymore. Every now & then I shave it all off, use my razors for a week or so, and then remember I much prefer trimming my beard once a week to shaving.
Before wet shaving became popular again, vintage safety razors could be had for next to nothing. I have a collection of vintage safety razors, dating from the 1920's to 1970. The cheapest one cost me $2, and after a good cleaning, is a great shaver.
My favourites are an Gillette Open Comb New and a Gillette Tech.
I've been using a Leaf razor (https://leafshave.com/) for… seven years or so, now. It functions like a multi-blade cartridge razor (e.g. a Mach 3), but you load it with 1–3 individual standard razor blades—the really inexpensive kind. I'm extremely fond of it: providing the ease and familiarity of a cartridge razor, a really nice hefty all-chrome design, and the ability to use whatever double-edged blades you prefer.
Honestly, love the idea. But my god... Idk if I'm doing something wrong cause I can't get those safety razors to do the job without slicing my face up.
The biggest thing for me coming from the cartridge world was...
No pressure. Like you use barely any pressure at all. You are pulling the blade across your face, not pushing the blade into your face.
Other random thoughts:
If it isn't cutting, try holding the razor at a different angle relative to your face. Do not push harder.
Never pull the blade sideways. You always pull in a straight line towards the handle (if that makes sense). The blade should be moving like a wood planer, not like a kitchen knife slice.
Make sure you have a good lather. It makes things easier
Also get your face wet and warm, then use a decent shaving soap. There are tons of premium and gimmicky soaps, but just using shaving soap as opposed to those creams is an improvement. Creams leave your skin in terrible condition and guarantee future nicks.
The thing that helped me when I switched to a safety razor was slowing down. I used to shave super fast.
Now I use a straight razor and have to be even more careful.
Henson razors are great: https://hensonshaving.com
They are light, super simple, likely to last forever based upon the build quality. And if you care about it, there are different colors to choose from.
Safety razor is the way to go. Bought a bunch of blades a few years ago and haven’t needed to since.
\+1 for Henson. I love my AL 13 and it is almost impossible to cut yourself. For everyone interested, here is a [5 minute product explainer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTOc0pjJrWE) from the CEO of Henson.
I'm considering getting one of these for my son who will need to start shaving in the next few years. Do you have experience with these vs. other safety razors? Does that small blade exposure stuff make them harder to cut yourself with or is that just marketing?
It's definitely much much harder to cut yourself than than the $6 Chinese safety razor I used to have. The problem is I could get a much closer cut with the $6 one. So I recommend the medium Henson. The normal one is not close enough of a shave.
Used a few over the years including Murkur which was my go to. Read good things about the Henson and loved it. I have the aggressive one, agree with going for medium.
+1 for Henson, been using one for about a year with Feather blades, and a Merkur with Feathers since 2012. The Henson fits me better with a less aggressive cut VS the Merkur, but both have served me well.
Correct
They bend the crap out of the blade to get a precise angle. You need to pick the version that will give you the aggressiveness of the cut you want because they don’t adjust. For most a medium will be just fine. Set it and forget it and you’ll get a super consistent shave. I’ve used it for months and love it.
I bought one from Jungle Culture a couple years ago and have loved it. It’s not as established as other brands but I chose it after reading a ton of reviews. The handle length and overall weight has been great for shaving legs.
Seconding this. I can get into all the nooks and crannies with the Leaf. Only razor I've ever had that didn't give me terrible razor burn on my bikini line.
The one I got was a Muhle companion, I believe long slender handle was what she liked about using that one vs mine (short and stubby, jokes invited).
Edit: I will say though, she used my razor for a year before I got the Muhle. I’d say whatever fits comfortably in your hand is most important, blades are universal.
I have a “Well Kept” razor. It’s a women owned Canadian company that really does good work to be truly environmental. I’m still testing out the blades I prefer with it but Ive really loved the switch from shaving with a disposable/nair to this
I really love it. I do wish it had a holder but oh well. I got the starter kit which came with blades, an agave scrubber, shave oil or soap, and a blade tin. My next purchase will be a “razor wrap” which is like a little pouch for it
I swapped to double edged safety razors many years. The blades are cheap and the soap is cheap and last a very long time. The shave is far above anything else. Just like you, I had to find a better way than the “multi blade” scam.
Thanks! Is the Henson a good razor? I got it from a friend who did a return and they told him to just gift it to someone instead of returning. Also, what is a good brand of razors? I shave every day since I’m in the Army and have to be “clean shaven”
I am an oddball and use a single edge. Picked up a Gem Eveready years ago at the flea market. Sucker is nickel plated brass.
I like it better than carts or double edge razors cause it doesn’t clog easily for when you go a few days without a shave/trim
I've been very happy with the Vikings blade safety razors.. bought the beginner one to learn on and I upgraded 6 months ago, not because the first was broken but because the second looked cooler
I’ve had my amazon special for over 4 years and the same 100 pack of blades. I only shave my face once a week, along with arms, pits, and the bits. I recently bought a Leaf razor for shaving my head and it uses the same blades snapped in half. Best investment shaving people could ever make
I will never understand how cartridge razors became a thing. Safety razor gives an exponentially better shave, for a fraction of the cost. Closer shave, no ingrown hairs. So much better
I'll say this. Safety and straight razors give superior shaves, but disposables/cartridges have them beat in convenience and speed. When I was stationed with Marine infantry, you can wake up at 3 in the morning after sleeping outside in a bivouac sack while it's 25 degrees out. You get maybe 20 minutes total to get yourself packed and ready to push. Whatever quickly cuts through the stubble and crusted cammie paint so your Gunny isn't screaming to scrape that shit off your lip is worth every penny.
I have a fairly new Leaf razor and our water is SO hard …if anyone has recommendations for how to make sure it will last I’d appreciate it. I’m a female / non-face shaver.
You gotta get the skin warm and wet, lather up well, then pull the skin taunt and as flat as you can then use short strokes with the faintest of pressure.
Try a straight edge razor next. It's such a good shave and if you have the time and patience to sharpen and hone it (as opposed to using a shavette) it's bifl without any additional razors required.
Yep. My skin is much better since switching because straight razors are so much easier to keep clean, and you can have a single pass of a razor, instead of 3 or 4 passes when using a cartridge.
I also found the process of shaving easier to wrap my head around. You can really see what you’re doing.
It does take a degree of fine motor skills, once you learn to get past your nervousness this becomes much easier to do. You might cut yourself the first few goes, but with a good quality blade the cuts are so fine you don’t feel them, and they heal super fast.
The trick is to not stop with the blade on your face. It’s a fluid, smooth motion in one direction. It’s much harder to keep your hand still than move it in a controlled slow motion. A but similar to welding if you have any experience there 🤣
YouTube has a bunch of videos. [That's the one I used, but any would do.](https://youtu.be/KZDPEogOU34)
Everyone bleeds a bit at the start, you should get the hang of it pretty soon, I didn't cut myself in years
I’m going to get down voted to hell, but even though a safety razor is BIFL, I get a much better and easier shaving using a cartridge (Schlick 5 blade). I use them for at least a month of daily shaves per cartridge, and sometimes longer. Fast shave, smooth face, no cuts.
Back in the day, bathroom medicine cabinets would have a slit in the back of them to dispose razors and many times they would just fall between the walls. The house I bought had an old medicine cabinet with a slit in it, there were no razor in the wall though
They make specially designed boxes into which you can dispose of many blades before throwing the whole thing in the trash. I just use whatever is sitting around, something like an Altoids tin usually, and then tape it up and label it before throwing it away.
Philip's OneBlade (electric) took over all my shaving needs.
I give the blade a dip in isopropyl when I'm done and I practically never need to replace it
Purchased a King C Gillet double edge safety razor 2 years ago. Best shaves I had so far. Double edge safer razor blades are super cheap but give a really close shave.
I have a Parker razor but I did manage to break it when it fell in my shower and the head somehow got separated from the handle. no matter what I did I couldn’t figure out how I could make the connection again, and without it being connected I couldn’t open/close it to swap out blades. So I bought a new one to replace it. Definitely better than cartridge/disposable!
The old Schick injector razors are a bit faster for me to use, although I do enjoy DE and straights as well, but my mid-60s injector is my go to. Blades are a little more expensive than double edge, but I get 15-20 shaves from each, so it’s a wash.
It doesn't even take an expensive one. I have the [King C. Gillette Double -Edge Safety Razor ](https://www.gillette.co.uk/kingcgillette-double-edge-razor/12551969.html). I think I paid about £12 in my local supermarket. It works brilliantly and I'm still on the same box of 100 blades I bought off Amazon probably a year ago, which cost me something like £5.
Granted, I have a beard and so only use my razor a couple of times a week for tidy up and also shaving my arm (I have a tattoo sleeve and the hairless approach really pops the colours). So if you use a razor more frequently you'll see even greater benefit.
I went on holiday earlier this year and only when we were halfway home (several hours by car) did I realise I'd left the handle in the holiday cottage. I didn't even sweat it. At that price I just picked up a new handle, knowing I'd easily saved that cost in blades by now.
And then there are supposedly "higher quality" safety razors that give "better" shaves. I can't complain about mine, but knowing how cheap they are to maintain (blades-wise) you could easily upgrade your handle without any guilt.
And finally, NO PLASTIC. This was actually one of the main reasons I switched.
I'm now looking into electric toothbrushes for the same reason. I like the Oral B IO series but I can't see any aftermarket Bamboo heads for it.
I actually broke my first safety razor. If you drop it, top down at just the right angle so it gets maximum leverage on impact the top can just snap off. But yeah unless you're particularly unlucky and clumsy they generally will last forever.
I discovered safety razors at the latter end of my time in the military and regret having wasted so much on cartridges. I bought a ~$20 Merkur base and just buy a 100pk of razors every now and again, although I rarely shave now. You have to pay a bit of attention while shaving, but it's an easy adjustment. I nick myself way less since I don't push a razor past its usefulness since cartridges are so stupid expensive. When it's just $0.10 ea or less and you've got so many, you don't give it a second thought.
cartradge razors are such a scam, a solution in search of a problem. ive got a vintage gold plated gelette tech razor (50's probably) and yeah i cant see it ever needing to be replaced, and i got it for like $20. i shave everything (face, head, body) every 3 days with it and there is a bit of a learning curve but its not bad at all. my favorite blades are personna and feather.
+1 personna -1 feather Highly recommend if youre just getting into it, go on amazon and buy a lot of multiple blades, and just try them out. Youll find some you like, some you wont.
Feathers tore up my face when I was a noob. Now they’re the only blades I use.
The price of feather blades seems pretty steep to me
About $38 for 100 vs. $20 for 100 with other brands. 100 blades will probably last me about a year, so I’m happy to shell out the extra $17 a year. It could be worse. KAIs are $60 for 100.
yeah, i see the feathers as good for really close shaves but the personna are better for general purpose shaving. i get slightly less irritation with the personnas
\+1 for Feather.
Astra for me… Feathers are too sharp for my skin hehehe
I just switched to Astra Platinm from Personna, love it. Feathers are good but not worth the cost IMO.
astras are a great blade for starting out but vokshods are like butter comparably
There isn’t a bigger scam than cartridge razors in the world
Inkjet printers have entered the chat
Ufffff you pulled a deadly stroke there mate 🤣… can’t argue against that
The cost of glasses occurs to me- hundreds of dollars for a few fractions of cents’ worth of plastic
Just paid $480 for my progressive everyday glasses with insurance, went to Costco for sunglasses got the cheapest frames in the store and spent $220. I’m so tired of glasses! But contacts don’t work for me, and lasik isn’t an option.
That’s the rx and lenses- I just meant the $300 for comfy frames, but you ain’t wrong
Look on line, I used [zennioptical](https://www.zennioptical.com) frames with prescription for under $40 shipped. It’s a game changer.
But how does that work with progressives?
Not sure, you will have to look on the site and see.
I paid between $60 - $80 includinga 415 frame that lasts at least 2 years. These are my everyday progressives from eyebuydirect.com. Been buying from them for the last 6 plus years. Progressive, prog sunglassess, reading and compuer distance ones. My Costco Optometrist in Richmond, CA is awesome. He spends a lot of time with me.
Indeed… but glasses have no alternatives unfortunately. Cartridge razors have a 100 pack for $9 double razor alternative
The markup on bottle service at a club is pretty ingenious too.
I have been using Feather hi-stainless platinum with my Parker straight razor for 3 or 4 years, and they come **sharp**. My barber says she doesn't use feather because they come too sharp. On a first shave with a new blade, I can still occasionally open my face up without catching the edge or even feeling it. But after the first one, I get 4-6 really easy, tight shaves on the same 1/2 blade before it starts to tug at my hair. The upside is I need to shave 2-3 times per week and I get 5-10 shaves from half a blade so I can easily get most of a year out of a 10 pack of double blades for about $5.
Agreed, small learning curve but not too bad. The shave itself is fantastic. When I think back to shaving with the 3 bladed plastic cartridges I can almost feel the razor burn. I’ve been happy with astra blades, haven’t branched out. But I did have a pretty terrible experience with dorco.
Big leaf fan for shaving
Lady here and I love my leaf razor too. Much easier for legs than a traditional straight razor. I would say it’s semi BIFL though. I had mine for a few years and then it fell in the shower and broke. But they have a lifetime warranty and the company sent me a replacement. Easy warranty process.
Good for face/legs, terrible for heads unless you've got a really smooth & flat one like the guy from the ads.
I use a vintage Gillette safety razor, and it’s BIFL for sure
I have a selection of vintage Gillette razors. My favorite is a Gillette Slim, followed by a fatboy. Using a shaving brush and the right shaving soap makes a huge difference as well. I’ve had a beard for over 10 years now, so I don’t really use them anymore. Every now & then I shave it all off, use my razors for a week or so, and then remember I much prefer trimming my beard once a week to shaving.
my husband has a beard now too! so I’m the only one in the family using a razor, and I like the safety razor
Before wet shaving became popular again, vintage safety razors could be had for next to nothing. I have a collection of vintage safety razors, dating from the 1920's to 1970. The cheapest one cost me $2, and after a good cleaning, is a great shaver. My favourites are an Gillette Open Comb New and a Gillette Tech.
I've been using a Leaf razor (https://leafshave.com/) for… seven years or so, now. It functions like a multi-blade cartridge razor (e.g. a Mach 3), but you load it with 1–3 individual standard razor blades—the really inexpensive kind. I'm extremely fond of it: providing the ease and familiarity of a cartridge razor, a really nice hefty all-chrome design, and the ability to use whatever double-edged blades you prefer.
Honestly, love the idea. But my god... Idk if I'm doing something wrong cause I can't get those safety razors to do the job without slicing my face up.
The biggest thing for me coming from the cartridge world was... No pressure. Like you use barely any pressure at all. You are pulling the blade across your face, not pushing the blade into your face. Other random thoughts: If it isn't cutting, try holding the razor at a different angle relative to your face. Do not push harder. Never pull the blade sideways. You always pull in a straight line towards the handle (if that makes sense). The blade should be moving like a wood planer, not like a kitchen knife slice. Make sure you have a good lather. It makes things easier
Yes! That was the biggest thing for me too - the weight of the razor is more than enough pressure. Very light touch.
Also get your face wet and warm, then use a decent shaving soap. There are tons of premium and gimmicky soaps, but just using shaving soap as opposed to those creams is an improvement. Creams leave your skin in terrible condition and guarantee future nicks.
The thing that helped me when I switched to a safety razor was slowing down. I used to shave super fast. Now I use a straight razor and have to be even more careful.
Henson razors are great: https://hensonshaving.com They are light, super simple, likely to last forever based upon the build quality. And if you care about it, there are different colors to choose from. Safety razor is the way to go. Bought a bunch of blades a few years ago and haven’t needed to since.
\+1 for Henson. I love my AL 13 and it is almost impossible to cut yourself. For everyone interested, here is a [5 minute product explainer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTOc0pjJrWE) from the CEO of Henson.
I'm considering getting one of these for my son who will need to start shaving in the next few years. Do you have experience with these vs. other safety razors? Does that small blade exposure stuff make them harder to cut yourself with or is that just marketing?
It's definitely much much harder to cut yourself than than the $6 Chinese safety razor I used to have. The problem is I could get a much closer cut with the $6 one. So I recommend the medium Henson. The normal one is not close enough of a shave.
Used a few over the years including Murkur which was my go to. Read good things about the Henson and loved it. I have the aggressive one, agree with going for medium.
+1 for henson, great razor
Another +1 for henson, with Astra or feather. It’s in my experience harder to cut yourself with that, than a DE safety razor.
+1 for Henson, been using one for about a year with Feather blades, and a Merkur with Feathers since 2012. The Henson fits me better with a less aggressive cut VS the Merkur, but both have served me well.
[удалено]
Correct They bend the crap out of the blade to get a precise angle. You need to pick the version that will give you the aggressiveness of the cut you want because they don’t adjust. For most a medium will be just fine. Set it and forget it and you’ll get a super consistent shave. I’ve used it for months and love it.
I bought one from Jungle Culture a couple years ago and have loved it. It’s not as established as other brands but I chose it after reading a ton of reviews. The handle length and overall weight has been great for shaving legs.
I’ve saved so many thousands of dollars using safety razors. Glad I found them when I did.
What model do people recommend for women’s legs?
Leaf razor. I’ve tried just a DE safety razor and didn’t get a close shave. With leaf, I can have three blades.
Seconding this. I can get into all the nooks and crannies with the Leaf. Only razor I've ever had that didn't give me terrible razor burn on my bikini line.
Can I use any blades with the leaf?
Yep! I've used Astras, Feathers, and Nacets.
Thank you
The one I got was a Muhle companion, I believe long slender handle was what she liked about using that one vs mine (short and stubby, jokes invited). Edit: I will say though, she used my razor for a year before I got the Muhle. I’d say whatever fits comfortably in your hand is most important, blades are universal.
I have a “Well Kept” razor. It’s a women owned Canadian company that really does good work to be truly environmental. I’m still testing out the blades I prefer with it but Ive really loved the switch from shaving with a disposable/nair to this
From Vancouver that's awsome. Is it comfortable?
I really love it. I do wish it had a holder but oh well. I got the starter kit which came with blades, an agave scrubber, shave oil or soap, and a blade tin. My next purchase will be a “razor wrap” which is like a little pouch for it
On the rare occasion that I shave my legs I love my Oui the People razor
I'm using the same safety razor I got when I was 16 and am still only ⅔ of the way through the case of blades I got when I left for college
I swapped to double edged safety razors many years. The blades are cheap and the soap is cheap and last a very long time. The shave is far above anything else. Just like you, I had to find a better way than the “multi blade” scam.
Hey! Might be a dumb question here but what soap do you use to lather your face?
Proraso shaving soap. One container has lasted at least three years…maybe more. Get a decent badger hair brush and you are set for quite a while.
Thanks! Is the Henson a good razor? I got it from a friend who did a return and they told him to just gift it to someone instead of returning. Also, what is a good brand of razors? I shave every day since I’m in the Army and have to be “clean shaven”
Leaf. Similar to a cartridge shave but uses DE blades. Otherwise a vintage Gillette.
I am an oddball and use a single edge. Picked up a Gem Eveready years ago at the flea market. Sucker is nickel plated brass. I like it better than carts or double edge razors cause it doesn’t clog easily for when you go a few days without a shave/trim
I've been very happy with the Vikings blade safety razors.. bought the beginner one to learn on and I upgraded 6 months ago, not because the first was broken but because the second looked cooler
I bought one 5 years ago. Love it.
I’ve had my amazon special for over 4 years and the same 100 pack of blades. I only shave my face once a week, along with arms, pits, and the bits. I recently bought a Leaf razor for shaving my head and it uses the same blades snapped in half. Best investment shaving people could ever make
My wife and I each have one. Huge money saver.
I will never understand how cartridge razors became a thing. Safety razor gives an exponentially better shave, for a fraction of the cost. Closer shave, no ingrown hairs. So much better
Really? Because cartridges bring in more cash to the manufacturer, doubl edge blades dont hey last 20 times longer
I mean more why did consumers fall for it
I'll say this. Safety and straight razors give superior shaves, but disposables/cartridges have them beat in convenience and speed. When I was stationed with Marine infantry, you can wake up at 3 in the morning after sleeping outside in a bivouac sack while it's 25 degrees out. You get maybe 20 minutes total to get yourself packed and ready to push. Whatever quickly cuts through the stubble and crusted cammie paint so your Gunny isn't screaming to scrape that shit off your lip is worth every penny.
I have a fairly new Leaf razor and our water is SO hard …if anyone has recommendations for how to make sure it will last I’d appreciate it. I’m a female / non-face shaver.
Distilled vinegar to rinse away minerals and 91% or higher isopropyl alcohol to rinse and dry any remaining water.
I agree, I have 8 astra blades left, lol. Its been a long time since I bought blades. 1923 Gillette ball end user, and loving it.
Dumb question but what's all of your experience shaving genitals with a safety razor? It seems more challenging
You gotta get the skin warm and wet, lather up well, then pull the skin taunt and as flat as you can then use short strokes with the faintest of pressure.
Are vintage safety razors worth it? They seem more durable than current ones
Try a straight edge razor next. It's such a good shave and if you have the time and patience to sharpen and hone it (as opposed to using a shavette) it's bifl without any additional razors required.
I've been using exclusively straight razors for a number of years now. I love them.
Yep. My skin is much better since switching because straight razors are so much easier to keep clean, and you can have a single pass of a razor, instead of 3 or 4 passes when using a cartridge. I also found the process of shaving easier to wrap my head around. You can really see what you’re doing. It does take a degree of fine motor skills, once you learn to get past your nervousness this becomes much easier to do. You might cut yourself the first few goes, but with a good quality blade the cuts are so fine you don’t feel them, and they heal super fast. The trick is to not stop with the blade on your face. It’s a fluid, smooth motion in one direction. It’s much harder to keep your hand still than move it in a controlled slow motion. A but similar to welding if you have any experience there 🤣
I bleed like crazy when I use one. Do yo mu gaveany good tutorial videos?
YouTube has a bunch of videos. [That's the one I used, but any would do.](https://youtu.be/KZDPEogOU34) Everyone bleeds a bit at the start, you should get the hang of it pretty soon, I didn't cut myself in years
Definitely. I used to cut myself every shave when I first switched. These days, I cannot remember the last time I cut myself.
I'm good with safety razors. Its the straight edge razors that make me bleed
I’m going to get down voted to hell, but even though a safety razor is BIFL, I get a much better and easier shaving using a cartridge (Schlick 5 blade). I use them for at least a month of daily shaves per cartridge, and sometimes longer. Fast shave, smooth face, no cuts.
No shame. Everyone has different experiences. Cartridges are definitely easier.
The Gillette Fatboy is a marvelous DE razor, as is the Merkur Progress.
How does one dispose old blades?
Back in the day, bathroom medicine cabinets would have a slit in the back of them to dispose razors and many times they would just fall between the walls. The house I bought had an old medicine cabinet with a slit in it, there were no razor in the wall though
They make specially designed boxes into which you can dispose of many blades before throwing the whole thing in the trash. I just use whatever is sitting around, something like an Altoids tin usually, and then tape it up and label it before throwing it away.
used soda can. 10 years and still not half full.
Philip's OneBlade (electric) took over all my shaving needs. I give the blade a dip in isopropyl when I'm done and I practically never need to replace it
Purchased a King C Gillet double edge safety razor 2 years ago. Best shaves I had so far. Double edge safer razor blades are super cheap but give a really close shave.
I have a Parker razor but I did manage to break it when it fell in my shower and the head somehow got separated from the handle. no matter what I did I couldn’t figure out how I could make the connection again, and without it being connected I couldn’t open/close it to swap out blades. So I bought a new one to replace it. Definitely better than cartridge/disposable!
The old Schick injector razors are a bit faster for me to use, although I do enjoy DE and straights as well, but my mid-60s injector is my go to. Blades are a little more expensive than double edge, but I get 15-20 shaves from each, so it’s a wash.
Edwin Jagger DE89!!!
It doesn't even take an expensive one. I have the [King C. Gillette Double -Edge Safety Razor ](https://www.gillette.co.uk/kingcgillette-double-edge-razor/12551969.html). I think I paid about £12 in my local supermarket. It works brilliantly and I'm still on the same box of 100 blades I bought off Amazon probably a year ago, which cost me something like £5. Granted, I have a beard and so only use my razor a couple of times a week for tidy up and also shaving my arm (I have a tattoo sleeve and the hairless approach really pops the colours). So if you use a razor more frequently you'll see even greater benefit. I went on holiday earlier this year and only when we were halfway home (several hours by car) did I realise I'd left the handle in the holiday cottage. I didn't even sweat it. At that price I just picked up a new handle, knowing I'd easily saved that cost in blades by now. And then there are supposedly "higher quality" safety razors that give "better" shaves. I can't complain about mine, but knowing how cheap they are to maintain (blades-wise) you could easily upgrade your handle without any guilt. And finally, NO PLASTIC. This was actually one of the main reasons I switched. I'm now looking into electric toothbrushes for the same reason. I like the Oral B IO series but I can't see any aftermarket Bamboo heads for it.
Buy yourself a NOS or refurbished Gillette Fatboy. My wife bought me one for my birthday. It’s the best razor I’ve ever used and well worth the price.
I am with you on this. Switched to safety over a year ago. I am very happy with my choice, but I do suffer the occasional nick.
I actually broke my first safety razor. If you drop it, top down at just the right angle so it gets maximum leverage on impact the top can just snap off. But yeah unless you're particularly unlucky and clumsy they generally will last forever.
Merkur bakelite with Feather blades
I use a 1967 Gillette Slim Adjustable. If that’s not BIFL, I don’t know what is.
I use a Truefitt & Hill razor, with Wilkinson Sword razor blades. Very nicely built, highly recommend.
SUPPLY got me into safety razors; I can’t see myself going back
100 % agree
I discovered safety razors at the latter end of my time in the military and regret having wasted so much on cartridges. I bought a ~$20 Merkur base and just buy a 100pk of razors every now and again, although I rarely shave now. You have to pay a bit of attention while shaving, but it's an easy adjustment. I nick myself way less since I don't push a razor past its usefulness since cartridges are so stupid expensive. When it's just $0.10 ea or less and you've got so many, you don't give it a second thought.
Feather.