As some may know, I’m a huge fan of old-fashioned safety razors for shaving. I’m not sufficiently crazy to use a straight razor, and modern cartridge razors are a) quite expensive, b) quite wasteful, and c) not nearly as effective as older technology.
Gasp. What, companies figured out how to sell us something that they made money off of and we didn’t really need? An arrangement that benefits them but not us? Never!
Okay, sarcasm aside. It’s been a while since my Livejournal reviews of shaving gear, so I thought I would move some of it here – along with some tips and tricks. I’m not a serious shaving type, my beard is relatively light, and I shave every day; so these are focused on getting me out of the bathroom rather than providing the True Shaving Experience ™.
First: the razor. One of the advantages of a safety razor is that you can try different blades, and trust me – they’re all different. I suggest a sampler pack if you are just starting out. I prefer the so-called “Israeli” Personna blades (and it has nothing to do with being Jewish, actually). I will also use a Feather blade if I need the closest possible shave, but the Feathers are scarily sharp. My wife uses pretty much anything she can get her hands on (did I mention? Women can use safety razors too.)
Second: the soap. Many people enjoy shaving cream (in a tube, not the Godawful spray stuff) but I use a cake of soap. I have a little mug Jenn gave me as a gift to hold it. The cake never fits properly in the mug, but it melts (the soap, not the mug) in the microwave and solidifies as it cools. So tip number one: melt your soap and pour it into your container of choice.
Third: the brush. Get a real badger-hair brush, not a cheap knockoff. It’s worth it.
Finally, two technique tips that I’ve found really useful. I can’t take credit for these, and I’ve forgotten where I heard them, but it works.
To soap up your face, soak your brush for a few minutes in hot water. I normally fill the sink and plop in my brush, then shower. After your brush has soaked, squeeze it out. That’s right, squeeze it out. You’re trying to hydrate the bristles, not soak the whole thing. Don’t use a death grip or anything, but get most of the water out. Now swirl the brush over the soap until you get a thick buildup of a really small-grained foam. Dip this foam in hot water and build up foam on your face. It sounds complicated, but works much better than any other approach I’ve used.
The second tip: alcohol. When you are done shaving and have rinsed your razor, it will be wet, which will cause corrosion that decreases the edge on the blade. I have a small container of denatured alcohol (get it by the gallon at your local hardware store!) and dip the razor in before hanging it to dry. Again, it’s simple and works.
… okay, I remembered a third tip. I use one blade per week, and alternate which side I use each day so that I don’t dull one side before the other. I keep an eye on which side based on the name engraved in my razor 