this post was submitted on 20 Jan 2024
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[–] [email protected] 31 points 9 months ago (20 children)

I use those blades in present day.

When I put in a new blade, I keep the wax paper wrapper, then rewrap the discarded blade in said wax paper before discarding it.

Give or take twelve years into this endeavor, I've had zero issues with this system.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Safety razors are great! They're way cheaper than "conventional" (3, 4, 5 blade) razor blades. They shave a lot closer, and you can get a variety of different grades of blades to fit your comfort level.

The only reason the expensive multi-blade disposable razor cartridge became popular was because Gillette enshitified their razors to maximize profit.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

As someone whose grandfather was a carpenter for Gillette in Massachusetts from after WWII until a few years before his death, I’ve got to say that while i use safety razors because of the price, I do get a far superior shave in less time with the “fuck everything it, we’re doing five blades” (basically the 3+ blades modern razors). I just don’t like having to take out a second mortgage for refills.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago

Could it be that the blade + razor aggressiveness combo you were using is not equivalent to a cartridge razor? Personally with a nice blade and 1960s Gillette Slim Adjustable on the higher settings it gets insanely close even going with the grain, much closer than I've gotten with plastic cartridge options.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago (3 children)

I have this (I am sure irrational) fear that if I use a safety razor, I will cut the shit out of myself. Which, I realize, goes against the word 'safety' in the name.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You do have to be a little more delicate because it is easier to cut yourself but it doesn't take long to get a feel for it. I doubt I cut myself any more than I did with a 4 blade cartridge.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (4 children)

I'll have to try to get over my fear and try it. How does it do when you haven't shaved in a few days? Because I'm very lazy about that.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago (1 children)

That's one area where safety razors are the clear winner. Multi-blade cartridges tend to get "clogged" by long hair. Safety razors don't.

I probably shave once a week unless I have someplace to be. I can make a full pass, flip it over and make another with no problem. The hair just rinses right out.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago
[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

It takes a few weeks for your face to get used to being shaved by a safety razor but once it is, my god.

It's like the MSPaint Erase Tool in real life. I used to do electric razor only going over and over and over

Now it's like almost pornographic how easy it is to shave -- one swipe down, two, three, four.. half the face is hairless.

Four swipes left, left side is hairless.

Four swipes under the moustache and bam.

Highly recommended getting over the beginner's curve, watch some YouTube videos but here's a Linux primer on how to do it:

  1. Fill shaving cream bowl or basin with warm (not hot water).
  2. Allow horsehair brush to soak in basin for 1-5 minutes.
  3. Shake excess water off the brush
  4. Add about half a toothpaste brush amount of shaving cream to the basin, stir into a rich lather, consistency of yogurt. If it's foaming up/running there's too much water. I recommend PRORASO, Menthol (Refresh). One $10 tube lasts 3-6 months. Extremely cost effective.
  5. Run some warm/hot water on a very low pour from sink. This is used to wash hair off your razor between passes.
  6. Sterilize your safety razor with a 55-75% isopropyl alcohol spray. This is optional but prevents any kind of infections, because these razors basically slice open everything including pimples.
  7. Lather up your face. Sides, bottom, moustache, whatever.
  8. Don't apply excess/heavy pressure, these razors are extremely sharp. Go down in a stripe, flip razor over, do another stripe. Down cuts hair, holding at a mild angle, across (left right) cuts your skin, so never try to slide the razor across your face.
  9. Go slow, practice, once your face is used to it, it becomes second nature and shaving is 10× more pleasurable and convenient than those disposable razors or whatever.
  10. It's good enough that I recommend it to other people. I'm a man, few things make me actually feel like a man more than a good/proper shave.
[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

If you use an electric beard trimmer to cut the long stubble down first it works better. Any razor does, but especially safety razors, since there’s only one cutting blade per side and when it’s clogged with longer hairs must be fully cleaned out for a perfect shave.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

That generally is what I do, but there are still a lot of long hairs that the trimmer doesn't catch.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Much better than a multi-blade cartridge in that regard. It doesn't get clogged with hair.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

You have to shave lighter. Once you get used to it, they work incredibly well.

With a 3-5 mini razor Mach something, you can push pretty hard before you cut yourself.

Safety razors it's much lighter touch but it still shaves very close. I bought one of these 10 years ago and it's still going strong. Safety razors are cheap to buy and once you get used to it, works just as well if not better.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

You'll cut yourself in the beginning, but once you get the angle and pressure right it's quick and easy.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago

I have really enjoyed the experience and cannot imagine going back to disposables that get guarded more securely than fort Knox and require a credit application to purchase.

I do not, however, generally go about the general population proselytizing about it. Those people annoy me.

It's simply a solid shave for an affordable price.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The little plastic magazine my DE blades come in have a little slot in the back for used blades, just slide them in and then when the magazine is empty chuck the whole thing. Wrankles me a little bit that the steel is ending up in a landfill, but most things you put in the recycle bin does too because society doesn't work, so.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago

On the other hand, it's not 6 blades at a time, the handle, and the little slimy strip thing.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Get yourself a blade bank and put your used blades in it. They are a cheap and safe way to dispose of your razor blades.

[–] derpgon 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Does the bank give me interest? Otherwise I am not interested.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Yeah, but they do sometimes take a cut off the top.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Been 'wet shaving' since I started shaving a very long time ago and never stopped. When the blade slots went away in the back of the medicine cabinets in every bathroom, I made a blade bank from a steel can with a lid that I cut a slot in. I takes me years to fill it.

***For those too young to have seen it. The medicine cabinet in every bathroom used to have a slot in the back of it to drop used razor blades into when they got dull. The would simply fall in between the studs in the wall and pretty much just rust away since the blade back then were made of plain high carbon steel. I remember helping to do several bathroom remodels and when pulling the cabinet and the plaster and lath wall, we would find a small pile of rusted to nearly dust razor blades.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

I also use a can.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I try to remember to use the old paper, but usually I despose of them in a cardboard toilet paper roll with one end pinched shut.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago (5 children)

why not return it to a slot on pakaging? isn't it there for that purpose?

front:

front view of razor package

and back

back view of razor package

[–] [email protected] 13 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I replied to another comment with the same question that I have never encountered this packaging. I get a cardboard box. Sometimes the blades inside are subdivided into little plastic capsules of five, sometimes they're just stacked in the box. But that slot is entirely new to me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Sorry missed that one,.

My contry is just on the beggining of environmental awakening so most stuff is plastic packaging.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

i just got these exact razors in the UK, but some blades such as Astras come in cardboard packaging

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Ooh,

yea we're few decades behind on environmental stuff here south.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Because the blades I get aren’t packaged this way. Is that a reusable outer package? I’ve never seen anything like that.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Hi,

Actually these are standard, run of the mill, cheapest ones.

Wilkinson is like budget alternative to glide in safety razor category, You can usually get this packaging with this cheap plastic handle:

Wilkinson Sword Blades Classic

Classic Double Edge Razor Blades

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

That sort of packaging is only on the blades that are more expensive than the blades the price conscious commenters have been quoting the cost of

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Those are my favorite blades

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Why not just use the new wrapper for the old blade? That way you don't need to keep the wrapper until you throw the blade away

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (4 children)

What are you going to wrap the last blade in if you forget to buy new ones?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago

Painter’s tape.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Why wrap it until you've bought new blades? Unless you're planning to stop shaving for years, in which case the blade might rust.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

This is where that saying "one is none" comes in. Have enough blades. Buy more well before you run out

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

That's what I do. I suppose I didn't articulate that well.

I do it a little bit differently in keeping the very first wrapper so that when I get to the very last blade, there's a wrapper to put it in.

Minute variations, same end results.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The little boxes they come in usually come with a little slot to dispose of the old razors. I just put the used and unwrapped razors into that.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I have not encountered such packaging. What brand do you use?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

I usually buy Feather but I’ve seen it on plenty of other brands!

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago

I thought thats what's you're supposed to do. Wrap the blade in the wax wrap it came in, then break it up by bending it in the wax before throwing it away in the trash (still in the wax).

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago

I just put mine in an empty tin. It'll take forever to fill it up, and once you do, just tape it up and put it in metal recycling.

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