Are there clipper guards for safety razors, or do safety razor trimmer heads exist?

[MovingToMars]

I'd like to swap this disposable Gillette razor/trimmer for something with a DE blade but I can't seem to find a replacement. I hope someone here has an idea.

This is a standard Gillette trimmer with a single blade. You use it like a rake, it's a very simple tool. Unsurprisingly, the single blade dulls quickly and then you throw the whole razor away. This disposable costs around $6-10 bucks a pop. (I paid 14.90 for my last 2-pack.) Obviously, I'd much rather use a trimmer with a replaceable DE blade. I thought something like this would be easy to find, but so far, I'm coming up empty.

I have found a pretty bonkers assortment of hairdressers combs with DE blades, a heart-shaped bangs-cutter, a back shaver with no less than 3 DE blades, and a razor head called THE BEAST, which I'm pretty sure is unsuitable for this purpose.

But surely, people do trim their beards and whatnot without electricity? Is there a safety razor with a guardless, narrow baseplate and a top cap that's very long in the tooth? (Maybe also figuratively, like a vintage one?) Or could I MacGyver something out of plastic clipper guards, maybe?

Any and all ideas are appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[NorthernSoul]

The best tools IMHO for cutting your beard manually are a set of good quality haircutting shears and a barber comb.

Most razor combs are made mainly to thin and shape hair or to add texture.

I have this one, which is made by the Seki Company (maker of Feather blades). It holds two DE blades back-to-back and is adjustable for depth of cut. One side trims, the other side texturizes. I use it mainly to blend and shape my hair after cutting with electric clippers.

 

[MovingToMars]

Most razor combs are made mainly to thin and shape hair or to add texture.

I have this one, which is made by the Seki Company (maker of Feather blades). It holds two DE blades back-to-back and is adjustable for depth of cut. One side trims, the other side texturizes. I use it mainly to blend and shape my hair after cutting with electric clippers.

Thank you for explaining! Looks like I never realised what the real purpose of a single-blade-trimmer was. I just bought one back in 2008 (probably?) and have gone through a bunch of them ever since. After reading your post, I found a DE blade with a comb in a barber webshop and it's called the 'Jaguar Thin Pro Thinning Tool'. So I guess the thing I've been using forever is in fact a thinner, not a trimmer (despite Gillette calling it a 'trimmer' on the package). Good to know.

Adjustable seems handy too, thanks for the picture! I should try one of these.

Admittedly, I had hoped for a reaction like: 'what do you mean, there are dozens of safety razor trimmers/thinners, available in a variety of different metals, you didn't search very well, did you?' But it seems like my disposable really doesn't have a direct substitute in the shape of a classic razor.

I'm left-handed, so I don't have the best relationship with actual shears. I thought of a solution though. If I can't get used to the hairdresser's thinner variety, I'll just melt the handle off one of the smaller combs, drill a hole through the middle and clamp it between a safety razor handle and cap, like a baseplate, see if that works.

 

[BigLeegr]

Some of the ones pictured are sold for horse hair care as well.
A few decades ago there was a version of these sold on TV as the Hair Magician by K-tel. I don't think they worked quite as well as one may have been led to believe they would. You can see some commercials from the 70's on YouTube.

 

[NorthernSoul]

I'm left-handed, so I don't have the best relationship with actual shears. I thought of a solution though. If I can't get used to the hairdresser's thinner variety, I'll just melt the handle off one of the smaller combs, drill a hole through the middle and clamp it between a safety razor handle and cap, like a baseplate, see if that works.

You can get left handed shears, for instance these ones:

Cutting with shears and a large tooth comb is the best main cutting method for the beard.

You can use the razor comb on your beard, but it will work better for doing the maintenance. Let's say your beard grows unevenly in some places, for example. You can get rid of that and make the shape very even.

The razor trimmer I showed above has a handle that can be switched between right and left handed.

BTW, when you use the razor comb, it is best to dampen the hair slightly first. You can use a spray bottle of water for this.

 

[MovingToMars]

Some of the ones pictured are sold for horse hair care as well.
A few decades ago there was a version of these sold on TV as the Hair Magician by K-tel. I don't think they worked quite as well as one may have been led to believe they would. You can see some commercials from the 70's on YouTube.

No way! I found some of them, I had no idea this used to be a thing. Those poor seventies kids! Some are still traumatised by Hair Magicians and other trimmers.

You can get left handed shears, for instance these ones. Cutting with shears and a large tooth comb is the best main cutting method for the beard.

You can use the razor comb on your beard, but it will work better for doing the maintenance. Let's say your beard grows unevenly in some places, for example. You can get rid of that and make the shape very even.

The razor trimmer I showed above has a handle that can be switched between right and left handed.

BTW, when you use the razor comb, it is best to dampen the hair slightly first. You can use a spray bottle of water for this.

Thank you, that makes sense. Yes, I always take a shower first, I doubt it would work well on dry hair. I actually bought left-handed hairdressing scissors during the last covid-lockdown but using it was a bit more complicated than I expected. Maybe it's just me, or I got the wrong tool after all. I'll give it another try.

Right, I was hoping you could move the handle to the left or right, that'd be brilliant! The Seki looks like a decent tool with a good quality comb, I'm going to see if there's a webshop that ships this to my country. Thanks!

 

[NorthernSoul]

I actually bought left-handed hairdressing scissors during the last covid-lockdown but using it was a bit more complicated than I expected. Maybe it's just me, or I got the wrong tool after all. I'll give it another try.

Common problem. There's one or two right ways and many wrong ways to hold shears when cutting hair.

The blade you hold with four fingers stays fixed. The blade with the thumb moves to do all the cutting action.

 

[APBinNCA]

I recently got a pair of symmetrical shears with a pinky rest on both finger loops so I can switch hands quickly when trimming my mustache. They were only 30 something USD and so far I find them very intuitive to use, but they don’t cut as well as my high end shears so I may have to fork out another 200 if I can’t get them sharper. Still great to have when you don’t want to be as careful as you should be with expensive shears.

 

[musicman1951]

This might be another consideration (probably cheaper in the long run).

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Norelco-Multigroom-attachment-MG3750/dp/B01K1HPA60/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=best+cordless+hair+trimmer&qid=1664542393&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI1LjU1IiwicXNhIjoiNC43OSIsInFzcCI6IjQuMjgifQ%3D%3D&sr=8-5