Truth: Outside of DE razors...The humble disposable razor is the best.

[Bosh Hog]

DE razors are sexy. Great to look at. Feel great in your hands. Some are more than 100 years old. Passed on generations. You can’t pass a piece of cheap plastic on to anyone. DE shaving is a hobby. A life style. Something we give a lot of value. We have to move away from this use and toss lifestyle. Not just with razors. We have to start fixing stuff and not just toss it away and buy another. Anyway. Love my DE razors.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

DE razors are sexy. Great to look at. Feel great in your hands. Some are more than 100 years old. Passed on generations. You can’t pass a piece of cheap plastic on to anyone. DE shaving is a hobby. A life style. Something we give a lot of value. We have to move away from this use and toss lifestyle. Not just with razors. We have to start fixing stuff and not just toss it away and buy another. Anyway. Love my DE razors.

You are 100% right Bosh Hog, preach the gospel sir, preach it!

There is nothing like feeling a heavy weighted DE razor in your hand. You don't just see the quality, you feel the quality! And then, using that super grip textured handle that won't let your razor slip on you, you proceed to shave, while the weight of the razor, carries the blade through the cut. A tool for whisker weight reduction, a tool of refinement, the DE way of life that is.

And I tell you something else, as soon as I bring that silver tipped badger brush to my face, carrying nice warm lather from my scuttle, I get a face massage on top of the shaving experience. You could go to the barber and easily spend 50 to 100 bucks for such a professional service, I can do it at home on the cheap.

Well, looking at my shaving products selection beginning to inflate more and more down the rabbit hole I go, I can't honestly look at myself in the mirror anymore and say that its cheap. Lets just say, cheaper then the barber, ya, lets go with that! But ya, after converting over to the DE way of life, I will never go back to a cart razor again, especially one that is plastic.

I also agree with a previous comment, enjoy what you enjoy, and also, good review on your experience, providing your findings. But umm, I personally? I am going to stick with what makes me happy, and thats the DE.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Kids these days all say they are concerned about the planet yet half the things they buy are plastic, and the other half are electronic devices that they use every waking second and consume energy constantly, with batteries made of toxic minerals.

Compare the carbon footprint of a current teenager with us when we were kids, when all we had was a TV and a football. The kids blame older generations for the state of the environment and don’t seem to have a clue that their lifestyles are the cause.

Off-topic rant over. Couldn’t resist. But I kinda like it that I’m at the age when I can start sentences with “kids these days…”

We had bicycles, not phones.... it was a different time. When school got out the week before Memorial Day... my parents told me to be home by the third week of August so we could go shopping for school clothes. <eg> (evil grin)

"Parenting" had not yet been invented. No hovering parents. I'm sure some things have improved as result of the changes in our society... but some things have been going backwards as well. I could go on.... but I just talked it out with my wife to spare all of you.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

We had bicycles, not phones.... it was a different time. When school got out the week before Memorial Day... my parents told me to be home by the third week of August so we could go shopping for school clothes. <eg> (evil grin)

"Parenting" had not yet been invented. No hovering parents. I'm sure some things have improved as result of the changes in our society... but some things have been going backwards as well. I could go on.... but I just talked it out with my wife to spare all of you.

You tell your wife that she picked a good man to marry, a DE shaving man, there's no better.

 

[Possum092]

Female disposable razors maybe. They’re designed to shave larger areas without clogging or dulling, so they last and shave much better on the small area of your face. Plus they’re designed to shave pubic hair smoothly, so any facial hair will not be a problem. Market researchers learned you have to design female disposable razors much better than those targeting males, because momma does the household shopping and she will not tolerate a poor shave that rips her hose or looks bad in a bikini. Most guys will buy anything that is cheapest and shaves; not momma.

 

[gpjoe]

Yeah, you can get a decent shave with a cart, and yeah, it's faster than DE, and yeah, you don't have to fuss or fiddle as much, but I can say that I get a consistently better shave with DE versus carts or electric.

So carts win for time and convenience, neither of which is a considerations for me, being retired. Though if I was still working and needed to shave every day, I might feel diferently.

 

[borwish]

I've got to agree with @sarge6000 . I tried electrics and a few carts/disposables and settled on the what I believe is the same razor---Gillette Good News. I used them for years until Gillette told me that they hate me. I made the switch to DE. I've got a few Dorcos around that are similar, but not as good. In a hurry I could use one, but it wouldn't be as good as a DE.

I also tried several canned gel/foam options and settled on Barbasol with aloe.

 

[Filudo]

Try that Gillette Guard from India as mentioned above.....it's really good. I was reluctant and tried it....good stuff.
To all the people that bad mouth disposable razors because of the plastic, I just hope that they do not use plastic bottles (water) , don't use plastic bags for groceries, etc.......
BTW I use 95% DE or SE razors...but sometimes use a 2 bladed cart or 3 bladed disposable and of course the one blade Guard (and they all beat the Leaf....and one day I compared the cost of a Leaf vs the blue Personna disposable, it will take you 16 years to break even....and I bet that Leaf is not going to last 16yrs.....). Only used a 4 blade "cart" in the HeadShave...had to abort...horrible tugging....I have some 4,5 and 6blade carts.....and after this experience w the HeadShave I have never tried them.... . First use of a Mach 3 was last year....not impressed.

 

[JCarr]

Disposable cartridge razors always wreaked havoc on my neck. Have no idea why...but ever since moving to safety double edge, it's been a new world. Congrats on finding your shave nirvana.

 

[LRod]

To all the people that bad mouth disposable razors because of the plastic, I just hope that they do not use plastic bottles (water) , don't use plastic bags for groceries, etc.......

I don't think that's a fair assessment. Your statement is implying that someone who's totally stopped using plastic is the one that takes the trophy. We all use stuff that's bad for the planet no matter how hard we try to stop.
It's not as easy as it sounds! But if you eliminate at least one thing (in this case cartridges), you're at least doing something positive for the planet. Every little change helps!
Just my humble opinion!

 

[Messygoon]

Saw this thread when it originally posted, and thought to self, “Self, this should be fun,” and hit the watch button. Yet pleasantly uplifted by all at the gentlemanly responses. I learned a few things too. Such as the twin blade blue Gillette disposable recommended by @sarge6000 or the India Guard by @Jack Goossen should be in my travel bag. And the Gary Oldman “Everyone” gif… I laughed so hard I puddled. @silverlifter, if anyone starts a thread about which 6 B&B brothers you would invite to a dinner party, you’ve got a place card at my table.

 

[Phoenixkh]

You tell your wife that she picked a good man to marry, a DE shaving man, there's no better.

Thx, Chris.

 

[hairless wonder]

I can't speaking for others, but it takes me about as long to shave with a disposable razor as it does with a DE. The difference is that I got more razor burn with a disposable, but with a good DE (e.g., Fatip Grande) I don't get razor burn.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Female disposable razors maybe. They’re designed to shave larger areas without clogging or dulling, so they last and shave much better on the small area of your face. Plus they’re designed to shave pubic hair smoothly, so any facial hair will not be a problem. Market researchers learned you have to design female disposable razors much better than those targeting males, because momma does the household shopping and she will not tolerate a poor shave that rips her hose or looks bad in a bikini. Most guys will buy anything that is cheapest and shaves; not momma.

Yep. There's a bag of Bic Soleil 2 blade disposables under my sink and I have one that I sometimes use for cleanup on a couple small sideways growth spots on my neck. It's the right size, doesn't clog, and doesn't irritate my skin after a 3 pass shave. I'm pretty sure I've had the same one in my den for over a year.

 

[nemo]

"Truth: Outside of DE razors...The humble disposable razor is the best."

Nah: Next outside would be single edge razors (SE).

 

[Jack Goossen]

Disposable cartridge razors always wreaked havoc on my neck. Have no idea why...but ever since moving to safety double edge, it's been a new world. Congrats on finding your shave nirvana.

Most did for me too

 

[LRod]

I think the neck irritation comes from the fact that cartridge razors usually have more than one blade. As already mentioned by @Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker on post #14, you're essentially passing 2+ blades over an already delicate area in one swoop. The neckline is definitely more sensitive than the rest of your face and with a single blade DE, you give it time to rest between passes.
What are cartridge manufacturers up to right now, like 50 blades? Lol!!

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

And following Gillette's way of doing things, a 22-bladed razor, is going to cost you 50 dollars to buy, and then the replacement packs will cost you 100+ dollars. Your bank account will go bankrupped before you managed the years end.

 

[sarge6000]

I want to add very important precisions:

1. I own a solid DE razor (German brand). Problem I have with it is that if you go pretty fast, you inevitably butcher your face. The main advantage is the price which is unbeatable. However a humble two blade disposable is cheap as F, and has the added protection of a cartridge.

2. When it comes to cartridge, I don't denigrate any cartridge and obviously a Mach 3 or Fusion is superior to a 2 blade disposable. The problem is that when you do the math, you realise the Mach3/Fusion/other cartridge are ridiculously expensive. Now Gillette and other say: "You can use it for 15 shaves". I think that's nonsense. I don't even have a true man's beard (lol), I have a pretty fine beard, and I think that a mach 3/fusion cartridge lasts a week in terms of max effectiveness. If you keep it for 15 uses or 1 month like people do, you are getting a way inferior shave than a brand new disposable 1 or 2 blade razor which cuts like a scalpel when brand new.

So ultimately the cold calculation comes down to price. If the Mach 3 or Fusion recharges were 1/3 of the price or more I would consider them.

There's a reason that plenty of military enlisted men use the humble disposable. I am French and in the French foreign legion, nearly everyone uses a cheap disposable and they have requirement to be ultra-clean shaven on a daily basis. With a box of cheap shaving foam the good old disposable does the job every time at a cheaper price than any expensive cartridge.

And then comes the utility. If you have to shave daily in 5 minutes...Would you really use the DE razor?
It's entirely personal but I just like the added safety of the modern disposable...
And let's not even talk about cutthroat razors...I would kill myself shaving with this at 6-7am when I'm barely awake.

Ultimately guys I'm looking for utilitarianism and price here. I'm not looking for a fancy shave. Yes if I have 30 minutes, the hot towel on the face, the fancy eucalyptus & jojoba oil skin shaving cream, I would go with a slow DE razor shave. But I don't have the freaking time for that and want, when I need a 5 min utilitarian shave at 6-7am daily. And I'm sure lots of guys will sympathise. Respect to all using DE razors though!!!

 

[sarge6000]

DE razors are sexy. Great to look at. Feel great in your hands. Some are more than 100 years old. Passed on generations. You can’t pass a piece of cheap plastic on to anyone. DE shaving is a hobby. A life style. Something we give a lot of value. We have to move away from this use and toss lifestyle. Not just with razors. We have to start fixing stuff and not just toss it away and buy another. Anyway. Love my DE razors.

If it comes to that, I'll let an Italian barber give me a straight razor shave along with the hot towel and tra la la
But I'm talking about the daily shaving of the common working man that needs to be done quick at 6-7am.
I think there are two types of shaves here for me: The week day shave. And the Sunday, "I'm going to take my time", shave.