OT: Your Morning Shave - Straight Razor, Safety Razor, Mach 28?

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I prefer an electric razor. I started with a Philishave (because that's what my dad used), tried a Braun but found it didn't shave as close as the Philishave, went back to the Philishave and have been using it ever since. No fuss, no muss and no blades to replace.

Gary
 
Somewhere I may have an old double sided safety razor from the 70's - with a little adjuster that clicks into different settings to adjust the gap between the blade and the guide. I never found it made much difference, though. I stopped using it when the replacement blades got harder to find and as expensive, if not more so, than the newer cartridge style razor blades.

Yeah, the anti-fog coating on the mirror does seem to wear off - I have some liquid castile soap in the shower that I just coat the mirror with before shaving - it prevents fog for as long as I need to shave. To save water, I shut off the shower as well (we're under water rationing here) during the shaving process, which helps to cut down on fog.
 
Quattro and Others:

I've tried the Mach 3, the Quattro, and that five-bladed thing from Schick, and I came to the same conclusion with all three - their blades are too close together to rinse clean under today's water-miser faucet aerators. If you don't rinse the cartridge really clean, the soap and skin oils left between the blades shorten their life, due to tiny amounts of corrosion that you can't see. However, due to the extra-fine tolerances of a razor blade's edge, it is enough to notice while shaving. It takes a pretty forceful blast of hot water to knock everything out of the eensy-teensy spaces between the blades, and today's faucets just can't deliver that.

It's not that the cartridges don't do what they're supposed to do. When you break out a fresh one, they're fine. But I find that they get significantly dull in about five days, due to the problem I've described. Blame it on the need to conserve water. And at the price of genuine Gillette or Schick cartridges, five days is an unacceptable lifespan, IMHO.
 
Don't try

an old fashioned straight razor on your face until you can shave the foam soap off a balloon without popping it. I understand that is the training in barber school. I watched my grandfather shave with one and he made it look easy. I about cut my throat when I tried it. I had to start shaving at 12. There was no way my grandmother was going to let me have facial hair. In the army I had to shave twice a day.

I grew a beard in until the grey got the better of it a few years ago. I decided to grow it back for this winter but when it filled out that second week and I saw it was solid grey I trimmed it back to a goatee.

I am experimenting with a few different razors now. So far I'm not happy with any and the price for cartridges is way to much considering how quick I go through them. I do, however, still use the shaving mug soap and brush. And I'm glad to have gramps shaving mug that his grandfather had.

I may end up growing the beard back after all is said and done but I certainly didn't like being called "Santa" over the holidays.
 
I use the Gillette fusion 5 bladed thingy and get around 2 weeks out of a cartridge before it gets dull.

I never have any issues rinsing it out under a low flow aerator, just swish it through the water in the basin first and then a quick rinse under the tap.

Over here, those cartridges are about $14AUD for 4 cartridges or $24 for 8. I used to use Mach 3 and tried to go back purely for cost, but found the shave rough by comparision and left my sensitive skin badly inflamed. The 5 Bladed ones are so good for sensitive skin because they are a bit more inneffectual. Its kind of like shaving for dummies.

Michael uses a Phillishave and has done since he was around 15. The last one he got has the auto cleaning and lubing and whilst it works ok day to day, with more than a couple of days growth, he blade shaves first before going back to electric the next day, with a heavy growth the Philishave takes to long and gets to hot to really do the job.
 
I've been using shaving "cream" out of a tube for quite a while now. I find it provides a smoother shaving experience than foam and you only use very little of it at a time. Various brands are out there and I usually buy the cheapest. Currently I have Neutrogena but have also used bargain brands like Mens Zone and they are just as good.

How about some pix of those 12 noon shadows on you guys who have the heavy beards???? 5PM shadows are welcome also, along with two or three day stubble!
 
~It takes a pretty forceful blast of hot water to knock everything out of the eensy-teensy spaces.....


One can always bang it against their hand to dry it and clean it. Makes it more pleasant the next time it is put up to one's face.
 
Speaking of shaving, my grandafther used to use Skin Bracer brand after-shave so consistently, that I believed it to be cologne.

Bought a bottle with which to re-fill my reed diffuser (air "freshening" device) in the bathroom.

I really don't care for "product" on the face to prepare for or after a shave.

Once a year or so I'll let the barber shave me. That is always a good treat. I'll even let him do the face in the store/shop occasionally (ONLY KIDDING!)

ah memories!
 
Anybody here seen the ads on TV for the "Smooth-Away" hair removal system? I'm tempted to try it. Not on my face, but where another guy's face sometimes can end up.
 
for what it's worth...I only use the Mach 3..have for years.and yes I agree the blades are getting extrememly pricey..however..I shave in the shower..everyday...I've found that if the first thing I do is wash my face with soap then rinse then apply shaving cream/gel..the shave is smoother and my blade will last longer. I've thought about tring the double edge blades like my did used...but I hate the thought of cutting my face up..nothing worse than leaving the house with tolite paper clining to your face.

Also: The story is...if you rub shaving cream on your mirror then wipe dry with a paper towel..you will have a fog free mirror
 
Ahh, the beard.

When I was doing the "yuppie path to partner" 25-30 years ago, I sported a trimmmed beard. During a business lunch, our "senior partner" decided to give me some crap about the beard in the presence of a client. So I said, "I look at it like pubic hair. It's serves no real purpose, but I feel silly shaving it off." He never mentioned it again.
 
Plain old Schick twin blade disposable for the cheek/neck areas. No creams, lathers, gels, strips, etc. Just hop out of the shower, towel off, and shave. Each one lasts a couple of weeks or so, and I can get a pack of 10 for a few bucks at Sprawl-Mart. I found that the twin blade models with the thin or trim heads were actually harder to get at the right angle, and I don't feel like foostering around at 5:45am!

Chuck
 
Several days of accumulation.

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