Why would you use modern razors??

[sandmountainslim]

I have been DE shaving for ten years and using the mug and brush for five and I can't for the life of me figure out why SO MANY people have never even tried traditional shaving! Almost everyone I know uses either an electric "razor" or one of the new multi-blade things and I just don't understand the logic. I was trying to convince one of my friends today to go the wetshaving route with a DE and mug. What is the advantage of a muti-blader? The blades are expensive and the shave you get is no better than from my 40's Superspeed.
Also why not use a mug and brush? It is better for your skin and smells way better than the canned barbasol or edge stuff that seems so popular.
When I shave not only to I get a close relaxing shaving experience but I also get to see the Ship Grand Turk Why would you miss that experience?
Wp

 

[pocketwatch]

Most people haven't heard of it before I found out when I googled for discount mach3 blades, but once they try it out they're trapped!

 

[michiganlover]

Why would you use modern razors??

Well for the most part, it is big business marketing that results in brainwashing, along with a large dose of laziness.

Also, it is fully possible that the younger crowd may of had absolutely no exposure to anything except for multi-blade razors, and canned goos.

I am age 32, and can remember my father shaving with a aluminum handled Atra. I am sure he never used a DE razor when I was a child.

 

[gollum83]

Well you do realize that some of us youngsters didn't even know DE's and like even existed any more. Yeesh, cut us some slack will ya?

 

[Mike in Cincy]

A lot of people like myself get more ingrown hairs from a DE razor than the Mach 3. I can get a closer, more comfortable shave with the Mach 3 or Sensor. However, I will NOT revert back to canned goo.

 

[Shane]

There are lots of people that are stuck in new=better. Sometimes that's true. Not with shaving.

 

[john parker]

Started off shaving with a Gillette, red blades and my Dad's boar brush. Switched to canned goo when I went to college because I didn't take my Dad's brush and canned goo was convenient. Stopped shaving with the Gillette many years later when I got stuck in Denver and had to borrow a comrade's Schnick that used the "dial thru" blade. It gave me a great shave, so I switched. Then the "dial thru" blades were discontinued. At this point I started with a Sensor. No cuts, no weepers, no fussing with blade angle, good shave. And there are no American blades for the Gillette. Just over a year ago I stumbled across Badger and Blade, got a C&E BBB and an assortment (now) of creams, and I am happy as a clam. Don't plan on changing razors again as long as I can get cartridges for my Sensor, and the first inkling I get that they will be discontinued I will buy a case! Why the "new" razor? Because things kept getting discontinued out from under me.

 

[Koss]

I never even knew what DE's were. Never seen a shaving brush... or soap... or creams in my life. I'm 26.

How did I find out? Funny story... amazon. It popped up as a related search, or products linked to something I was looking at. I ended up spending an hour or so reading reviews, and putting the pieces together. After I got my basic kit, it was about 4 or 5 months afterwards that I found B&B. The rest is (recent) history!

I have not touched a cartridge or disposable since my DE came in the mail.

 

[Matt P]

The only answer to this question is ignorance. I would guess that most guys born after 1975 have never seen a safety razor.

What we need is a new TV show on Discovery hosted by Mike Row from Dirty Jobs or that guy who does the XX beer commercials (The most interesting man in the world). They could call it Man Skills or something. Every week would involve the history and methods behind a manly skill. You know things like shaving, sighting a rifle, sweeping a lady off her feet.

Keep trying to spread the art. I got my brother and my cousin using DEs and wet shaving. We defeat the shavepocolypse by strength in numbers!

 

[dbconlin]

Most people view shaving as a chore. Cartridges actually do a pretty good job of acheiving the task quickly, painlessly, and with verylittle skill required. Most people don't know other options exist. And if they hear about it from a friend, they don't see any point in taking longer and enduring more hassle to accomplish this necessary task, especially with the perceived (and somewhat real) risk of additional pain and bloodletting.

 

[Fairchild86]

I think most people shave with a cartridge razor because they have never heard of a DE or wet shaving. That was the case for myself until I finally got tired of the ridiculous cartridge prices and then did a little research.

 

[sandmountainslim]

The only answer to this question is ignorance. I would guess that most guys born after 1975 have never seen a safety razor.

Thats probably true.
I was born in '70 but from the age of 2 I lived with my grandfather who always shaved with a DE but he switched back and forth between a mug and brush and Edge gel for some reason When I started shaving I used his Superspeed and promptly cut myself on the throat so I laid the SS up and never picked it up again until almost ten years after he had died. I had spent my shaving life using Barbasol and Bic disposables but once I got the hang of using the old Gillette and the brush that was it for me.
Wp

 

[jasonboyd]

I can remember as a kid playing with the DE razors after my parents quit using them and got rid of all the blades. I'd "shave" when I took a bath. I'd never been around anything accept "new" razors, I tried everything from 2 blades to 5 blades, and was settled in with the Quatro. Then looking for a better brush, I found B&B and quickly got suckered into DE shaving. I have since found the old DE razors of my parents (2 Fatboys, Pink Lady gillette, and a Fat Handled Tech), but my dad is too sturburn to let me have them, so I'll continue to use what I have and one day I'll have the family collection to add to my collection.

 

[gollum83]

I never even knew what DE's were. Never seen a shaving brush... or soap... or creams in my life. I'm 26.

How did I find out? Funny story... amazon. It popped up as a related search, or products linked to something I was looking at. I ended up spending an hour or so reading reviews, and putting the pieces together. After I got my basic kit, it was about 4 or 5 months afterwards that I found B&B. The rest is (recent) history!

I have not touched a cartridge or disposable since my DE came in the mail.

I had a similar experience. I was looking into possibly getting into straight shaving, stumbled upon DE razors, thought "Hmm, that looks interesting...", did some research, eased into wet shaving, got my first DE a few months later, and things kind of snowballed after that.

The only answer to this question is ignorance. I would guess that most guys born after 1975 have never seen a safety razor.

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

 

[mdunn]

plus lots of guys get a pretty decent shave from an M3. Its easy, much easier than going out of your way to find and learn wetshaving.

 

[mretzloff]

There are lots of people that are stuck in new=better.

^ This. ^

 

[Antique Hoosier]

Most people view shaving as a chore..... Most people don't know other options exist....

EXACTLY ( I share this definative opinion).

 

[Proinsias]

Mach3 or something similar gets the job done, I used one this afternoon.

What is the advantage of the newfangled multibalded or electric systems with some canned goo? It takes the hair off of your face quickly and efficiently. No prep and one pass does the job they need done. No blood.

I would argue that if your friend were to change from an electric or mach3 to a superspeed and shaving soap he wouldn't get as good a shave, it would take time and effort and many bad shaves.

People have different priorities. I like to make time for a good shave and good tea, others are happy with teabag tea and a mach3 as it gives them more time to enjoy other things which I put less emphasis on.

 

[Schmitty_78]

What is the advantage of the newfangled multibalded or electric systems with some canned goo? It takes the hair off of your face quickly and efficiently. No prep and one pass does the job they need done. No blood.

I would argue that if your friend were to change from an electric or mach3 to a superspeed and shaving soap he wouldn't get as good a shave, it would take time and effort and many bad shaves.

Here is the issue that I have with the electric - it takes me FOREVER!!! I have also watched people use the electric and I don't really see the time savings. Granted, they are using the razor while driving. What I also notice are all the spots they missed, there red face, and the fact that they have whisker dust all over their shirt. I got tired of all that. It actually takes me less time with a DE then an electric ANY day. Now, to be fair, that is me.

I used cartridges because that is what I saw at the store. You don't see DE razors when you go to the drug store. I saw the soap and bowl, but I never thought that it would actually do anything. I also never noticed that old fashion blades were being sold. I asked my father why he stopped using one. He has been using a tract II since the day they came out. He hates the new stuff, but he is content with the shave he gets.

Why did I switch? My wife was out of town and I had to pick up cartridges for myself. I almost had a heart attack that we were paying about $4 PER CARTRIDGE !!! I started looking online when I ran across an article on "How to get that perfect shave" (CLICK HERE to see it). I thought I would give it a try and I have never looked back. I have since brought one brother with me and I am working on more. But people I talk to just can't believe that I spend 10 minutes shaving. They don't understand that shaving has become a highlight of my day. So... take it as you will.

 

[Drubbing]

I'm 44 and never thought of DE shaving til recently, when an unrelated forum I hang in brought up 'other obsessions'. I had just gone over to an electric, as like others, young and old, shaving had long become a dull chore, best got over with a quick as possible. It was a terrible shave that really wasn't that much quicker than goo and a cart to get passable results - and there are always patches they simply refuse to shave properly.

I've taken a 360 degree turn in my attitude and now enjoy shaving. I think this is a nicer way to look at it, and with 3 young kids, I now value my own time more; sometimes you've just got to slow things down or you go nutso.

And many men of all ages feel the same about shaving - that it's just got to be got over with - so the big companies tune their advertising and proucts towards this 'ideal'. As already mentioned elsewhere, Gillete is a multi-national behemoth. Anyone who can afford Tiger Woods - and to a less degree, Federer, to spruik their gear has to be.

But the latest carts aren't really any better than the original Excel; they're only using the sort of hydroxy-fruit acid-neutroceutical pseudo in-house 'science', beloved of the face cream industry, to sell the idea that more blades are better. All I can see is they cost more. 8 Fusions cost over $25 bucks here (or is it 4?).

But a lot of younger people feel that if it's 'new' technology, then it's better. Like they feel that Wikipedia and Google are able to provide the best, most up to date info on anything. And whilst these sources have pros and cons, they're good technolgies often dumbed down by the users.

But, again like Gillete, everyone has heard of Google. Who uses online academic databases for everyday research?

The rant endeth.