DE shaving

Anybody else use an old double edge safety razor to shave? I just got a '64 Gillette SuperSpeed and have used it the past couple of days. It really is a whole new experience when you take the time to shave correctly. You don't need 500 blades and vibrating handles. My skin looks a lot better too. Ingrown hairs are almost gone.

 

Sure thing. Here's a pic of a similar razor to what I have.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2282/2280246681_7220bcfc91.jpg

You can get blades almost anywhere still. My first pack I bought from WalMart. I just ordered a sampler pack from Amazon.com.

There's a whole shaving subculture at badgerandblade.com plus that is basically what The Art of Shaving stores are trying to sell, just at a very high markup. Selling what's old as new.

 

I picked up the SuperSpeed on ebay for $15 shipped. A pack of 10 blades cost me $4. So for $20 I have 10wks worth of shaving. Compare that to Mach3 or Fusion or whatever the new ones are. Better shave and much, much cheaper.

 

I'll do my best. First there are two camps, vintage and modern. Vintage is the original classics like the Gillette SuperSpeed that I use. Then there are modern ones, like the Merkur. Both have benefits and drawbacks. I like the originals because the price is hard to beat. Then there are fixed and adjustable razors. With fixed razors, you put in the blade and that's it. No mess, no fuss but you only get the shave that it gives you. With adjustable you can make the shave closer if you want by opening up how far the blade is from the base. I get a great shave from the fixed myself, so I see no need to change.

It gets even more confusing when you start getting into "shaving routines" such as using shaving soap or cream in a mug with a badger hair brush, using a hot towel to soften the beard, then using the brush to apply the lather, using your fingers to massage it in to get all the oils and dirt off, rinsing, then reapplying the lather to shave, then doing it again if you want to get closer.

I just use the hot towel, apply shave soap, shave, use moisturizer for post shave. My neck looks 1000% better and I rarely have an ingrown hair now. You have to remember to let the razor do the work for you. No pushing it on the skin and dragging it across like with a mach3. Just let the weight naturally pull it down your face. You may have to go over it again if you want to get closer, but thats ok. If you try to push it into the skin to get closer like a modern razor you'll look like Nick Cage in Face-Off.