Does Shaving with a Safety Razor Take Longer than with a Disposable/Cartridge?

post #1 of 16

8/5/09 at 1:08pm

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ClassyGuy1

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Is shaving with a safety razor a LOT more time-consuming that shaving with a Mach 3 or a Fusion or something else?

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post #2 of 16

8/5/09 at 3:27pm

EnglishGent

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It does the first few times, but honestly once you get the technique down the act of shaving doesn't take any longer. I find I only take a little longer because I relax and enjoy my shave whereas in the mach 3 days I'd try to get it over with asap.

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post #3 of 16

8/6/09 at 12:33am

rich_202

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The short answer: Yes. But I tell you it is worth every minute.

The thing is, if you just shave one pass (like most do with a mach 3) then you should have about the same shave as a mach3 in about the same time. To get a truly great shave though, you have to do 3 passes. one with the grain, one accross, and one against the grain. (grain=direction of beard growth)

I highly suggest checking out www.badgerandblade.com

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post #4 of 16

8/6/09 at 3:40am

aizan

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not necessarily. actual shaving time is pretty much the same. for an everyday sort of shave, i wet my face with hot water and use a shaving cream (whips up faster). on saturday, i'll pull out the stops and take my time.

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post #5 of 16

8/6/09 at 10:53am

SoundItOff

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It may take slightly longer the first few times as you are getting used to it, but honestly after that it is pretty much the exact same as far as I'm concerned. I switched over to a safety razor about a year and a half ago and would never dream of going back to using a cartridge razor.

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post #6 of 16

8/6/09 at 2:56pm

NakedYoga

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SoundItOff

It may take slightly longer the first few times as you are getting used to it, but honestly after that it is pretty much the exact same as far as I'm concerned. I switched over to a safety razor about a year and a half ago and would never dream of going back to using a cartridge razor.

+1. Even once you get the shaving technique down, it will take a little longer because you'll have to whip up the lather (make sure you get a good quality badger hair brush for that... it makes a huge difference). But it really is worth it. Closer shave, and the non-aerosol cream leaves no irritation whatsoever. Replacing the blades is much cheaper than constantly having to buy new cartridges.

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post #7 of 16

8/6/09 at 3:43pm

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ClassyGuy1

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But the way I look at it, I am currently using a razor that has not 1, 2, 3, 4...but 5 blades, so isn't it safe to assume that the shave I'm currently getting goes 5 times faster than using a single-bladed Saftey Razor is going to go? And is there any way that I can use store-bought Gilette Shave Gel in a can for a safety razor, or do you pretty much [u]have to[u] buy a pricy cream and a brush and do the "mug and brush" thing?

Also, should I start out with a CVS or Walgreen's-bought safety razor to get the feel of it for a bit or should I immediately jump to a high-end safety razor or something like that Metur HD or whatever they are?

And do I buy single-edge razors to load into it or double-edge ones? And what is the difference?

Heck, what I really could use is a little step-by-step walk-through lesson of "How to Carefully Switch from a Cartridge to a Safety Razor"....Anyone care to help me with that one?

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post #8 of 16

8/6/09 at 4:05pm

Joffrey

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Quote:

Originally Posted by rich_202

The short answer: Yes. But I tell you it is worth every minute.

The thing is, if you just shave one pass (like most do with a mach 3) then you should have about the same shave as a mach3 in about the same time. To get a truly great shave though, you have to do 3 passes. one with the grain, one accross, and one against the grain. (grain=direction of beard growth)

I highly suggest checking out www.badgerandblade.com

I do shave with a 3 blade cartridge with two passes. You telling me this isn't necessary?

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post #9 of 16

8/6/09 at 5:05pm

RCG Tiburon

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ClassyGuy1

But the way I look at it, I am currently using a razor that has not 1, 2, 3, 4...but 5 blades, so isn't it safe to assume that the shave I'm currently getting goes 5 times faster than using a single-bladed Saftey Razor is going to go? And is there any way that I can use store-bought Gilette Shave Gel in a can for a safety razor, or do you pretty much [u]have to[u] buy a pricy cream and a brush and do the "mug and brush" thing?

Um... 1) Hell no. 5 blades = much more irritation. You're basically doing one pass with a single blade razor + shaving cream, and 4 MORE PASSES with NO LUBRICATION at all. Does that sound like your idea of fun? 2) The mug-and-brush thing is only pricy if you want to make it pricy, you can go down to your local Wall-2-Wall-Mart and buy a Van der Hagen shave kit (mug, brush, soap) for like $5. It's called "wetshaving" because you're using the brush to whip up water into the soap residue. This part is more important, strictly speaking, than switching to a DE razor. If there's one thing you change about your shave, make it this.

Quote:

Also, should I start out with a CVS or Walgreen's-bought safety razor to get the feel of it for a bit or should I immediately jump to a high-end safety razor or something like that Metur HD or whatever they are? And do I buy single-edge razors to load into it or double-edge ones? And what is the difference? Heck, what I really could use is a little step-by-step walk-through lesson of "How to Carefully Switch from a Cartridge to a Safety Razor"....Anyone care to help me with that one?

Go to Badger and Blade and lurk for a while. Generous members often do Pay It Forward (PIF), where they will give away razors, soaps or whole shaving kits to newbies. That's how I got my pack of a Feather Portable razor, 20-odd blades, 3 soaps, a brush and a tube of Proraso for absolutely free. Also search for Mantic59's videos on Youtube, he's got a comprehensive guide to switching: http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59

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post #10 of 16

8/6/09 at 9:54pm

Mr T

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I will join the chorus and tell you that shaving takes only a little more time but is infinitely more enjoyable with real razors and your favorite soap or cream. Once I made the switch shaving went from being a chore to being a quiet moment to myself before the day became hectic. I especially enjoy Tabac soap and recommend it.

Also, please visit the badger and blade...they are a wealth of information.

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post #11 of 16

8/6/09 at 9:56pm

luftvier

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I always used to get razor burn with cartridges. Not with safety razor, though! It takes the same amount of time and it's actually a pleasure to shave now, rather than a chore. It's a great morning ritual!

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post #12 of 16

8/7/09 at 8:39am