Can a safety razor be used with regular shaving gel?

[alexanderkarelin16]

I have been thinking about making the switch to safety razors since the "Fusion Proglide Power Megatron 3000" sucks. I don't have an issue with the price of it, just the shave. I can only do one pass with the grain, or I get irritation and ingrown hairs. Since I can't do more than a pass, I'm stuck with a crappy shave. So, can a safety razor be used with regular shaving gel?

[deafficianado]

Welcome to B & B!!! Sure, you can use a safety razor with that "canned goo". But it would be better with soap & brush or in combination with for Super lather. May your journey for the perfect shave be a good one.

[Agravic]

Welcome to B+B!

A safety razor can be used with any lubricating medium, including 'regular shaving gel' aka 'canned goo'. Hang around this forum long enough though, and you will discover a whole new wonderful way of shaving.

[PugslyCat]

Welcome aboard the good ship B&B!!

Yes, you can use a safety razor with shaving gel or foam.

Wikipedia tells us that Rise, the first commercial canned foam in the United States came to market in 1949. Canned foam had a 2/3 market share within the decade. At that time EVERYBODY shaved with a straight razor or a DE.

[phattonez]

Welcome aboard the good ship B&B!!

Yes, you can use a safety razor with shaving gel or foam.

Wikipedia tells us that Rise, the first commercial canned foam in the United States came to market in 1949. Canned foam had a 2/3 market share within the decade. At that time EVERYBODY shaved with a straight razor or a DE.

I'm curious about the history of this, what it was like when DE shavers and shave soap were universal and then cartridge razors and foam came to dominate. Is there any place I could read about this?

[Patman27]

If you aren't in the mood for the brush set up, Kiss My Face has brushless cream which is really nice. If you decide to start using a brush, you can use the KMF to whip up a nice lather. They sell it in whole foods and many other places too.

I've also heard of some Barbasol dogmatics, but I am not one of them myself. YMMV

And Welcome!

[fisca]

i'd say loads of people do this because the slowest part of DE shaving is making the lather. my uncle started DE shaving again because of me, and he still uses shave gel.

[HoosierTrooper]

At that time EVERYBODY shaved with a straight razor or a DE.

Or a GEM, Ever-Ready, Treet, Star and a few other brands of SE. Or a Schick injector.

[HoosierTrooper]

I'm curious about the history of this, what it was like when DE shavers and shave soap were universal and then cartridge razors and foam came to dominate. Is there any place I could read about this?

It gets discussed regularly here at B&B. The first cartridge razors showed up in 1970 (Wilkinson Bonded system) and 1971(Gillette Trac II). There were also band razors in the mid 60's that some consider cartridges. When the cartridge systems, especially the Trac II, hit the market in the 70's they were an instant success because they were so much quicker and safer.

Keep in mind that things related to shaving get way over romanticized here because it's kind of a hobby for most members. Back in those days shaving was just another chore that had to be done, no different than combing one's hair or brushing their teeth before they headed off to work.

You'll see guys use phrases like "zen-like experience", "morning ritual", "me time" etc when they describe their daily shave. I seriously doubt many guys "back in the day" used those kinds of phrases if the topic of shaving happened to come up at the workplace.

[michiganlover]

Sure you can use canned goo with your DE Razor. Barbasol works quite well, it just makes for a super boring shave!!

[KcHighLife]

You'll see guys use phrases like "zen-like experience", "morning ritual", "me time" etc when they describe their daily shave. I seriously doubt many guys "back in the day" used those kinds of phrases if the topic of shaving happened to come up at the workplace.

Great point!

[Dusty1]

Keep in mind that things related to shaving get way over romanticized here because it's kind of a hobby for most members.

I agree. Although I thought the whole brush thing was cheesy and wanted to get aroud it myself, but now building lather is one of my favorite parts. With all the great scents and wonderful performance of the soaps and creams, I would at least try it out for the whole experience.

One more thing, I'm also prone to ingrown hairs, and it will take a bit if experience in finding the right razor/blade setup, as well as evolution to your technique before they are a thing of the past. Enjoy your shave!

[duokun]

you CAN use regular shaving gel/cream with a DE/SE/Straight razor, but why would you want to when therte are such better products. honestly, i would say give a traditional soap or cream a shot, i think you might like it a lot more than canned goo. i personally get a lot better results with shaving cream and a brush than I ever did with canned stuff and a cat razor.

If you aren't in the mood for the brush set up, Kiss My Face has brushless cream which is really nice. If you decide to start using a brush, you can use the KMF to whip up a nice lather. They sell it in whole foods and many other places too.

I've also heard of some Barbasol dogmatics, but I am not one of them myself. YMMV

And Welcome!

i bought some KMF to use when i was in a bit of a rush and didnt want to use and then clean up the bowl and brush, and i thought it was ok. i made a test lather the other night when i was bored using the KMF with a brush, and man was i impressed. i need to try it for an actual shave now.

Or a GEM, Ever-Ready, Treet, Star and a few other brands of SE. Or a Schick injector.

thanks for mentioning that! gotta show some love for the Single Edge razors.

[cb91710]

So, can a safety razor be used with regular shaving gel?

The quantum singularity will cause the universe to implode!!!!!!!!!!

[Slash McCoy]

Sure. You can also put regular unleaded in your 600HP custom Maserati or your race tuned Shelby Cobra. When you put aside the brush in favor of the canned goo, you are giving up a lot. But you can still shave.

[CharlieFoxtrot]

Sure you can use canned goo with your DE Razor. Barbasol works quite well, it just makes for a super boring shave!!

Well said sir.

[The Kiwi]

I have been thinking about making the switch to safety razors since the "Fusion Proglide Power Megatron 3000" sucks. I don't have an issue with the price of it, just the shave. I can only do one pass with the grain, or I get irritation and ingrown hairs. Since I can't do more than a pass, I'm stuck with a crappy shave. So, can a safety razor be used with regular shaving gel?

When the word "safety" is used, all it does it set the straights apart. A safety razor has some type of a "guard" mechanism that restricts the exposure of the blade(s) to the shaver's skin. Cartridge razors are safety razors, same as DEs, Injectors, and SEs. Many cartridge systems, (and for me, most electric shavers) can easily irritate the skin. Part of the attraction of shaving with the more traditional, or you can call them, the classic bladed razors, is the shaving products that were associated with them at the height of popularity ~~ shave creams, shave mugs, shave soaps, etc.

Shave Gels are somewhat less "wet", since they are designed more for convenience and speed of use, than for physical comfort, although some that are labelled "sensitive skin" are wetter in practice. If drying effects on the skin are not a problem, some gels are slightly better than others, but almost all canned products contain petroleum-derived hydrocarbon chemicals, such as propane, which affects the majority of users with varying degrees of skin dryness.

Best of all canned shaves is Barbasol, but it still uses the hydrocarbons. It is my understanding that you can place the amount you need to use in an intermediate container, be it a bowl, cup, or mug, and allow the hydrocarbons to evaporate (stir the foam around) before applying it to your face. Personally, I have kept a can of Barbasol in my bathroom, and in my travel kit, for years, for occasions when I feel hurried, and I use it straight from the can.

Welcome aboard the good ship B&B!!

Yes, you can use a safety razor with shaving gel or foam.

Wikipedia tells us that Rise, the first commercial canned foam in the United States came to market in 1949. Canned foam had a 2/3 market share within the decade. At that time EVERYBODY shaved with a straight razor or a DE.

I'm curious about the history of this, what it was like when DE shavers and shave soap were universal and then cartridge razors and foam came to dominate. Is there any place I could read about this?

I was there at the time; but I can tell you both that very, VERY few straight razor shavers were still using those every day, and electric shavers were the fastest growing segment. I was nine in 1949, and canned foam did very rapidly displace cup and mug soaps. It may also have displaced some shave creams also. However, as fast as the canned shave products for shaving gained ground, the overall "Wet Shaving" population had stopped growing.

Many men older than myself changed from safety razors to electric shavers. My own generation was using electrics almost exclusively as we started to shave; personally, I was unable to do so. I was in the minority at college using my Schick Injector. It wasn't until the late 1960s, when I was 25 / 26 and on up from there, that I was regularly using DEs and mug shaving soaps.

Younger men than myself turned away from electrics to some extent, and were very quick to follow the TracII razor's lead, because it was easy to use, like the Schick Injectors are.

[PugslyCat]

Wikipedia tells us that Rise, the first commercial canned foam in the United States came to market in 1949. Canned foam had a 2/3 market share within the decade.

I'm curious about the history of this, what it was like when DE shavers and shave soap were universal and then cartridge razors and foam came to dominate. Is there any place I could read about this?

The Wikipedia article about the rise of canned foam is here.

At that time EVERYBODY shaved with a straight razor or a DE.

Or a GEM, Ever-Ready, Treet, Star and a few other brands of SE. Or a Schick injector.

Yea, I way over simplified. It would have been more correct to state that "EVERYBODY who was using lathering products was doing so in conjuction with a traditional shaving method and not a modern cartridge system."

[Rodeoflyer]

You could use a brush with canned goo too - but why would you?

[JLuger]

If you pick up a DE and order online, maybe get a stick of Arko or something for a couple of bucks, just to try a shave soap. You can get it wet, rub it on your face, then use your hands to rub up a nice lubricating foam. I'm laid up with a broken ankle, and have to shower sitting on a stool, since I can't put weigh on it. My Merkur and Arko in the shower are delivering excellent shaves, though I miss my other soaps and straight.

Welcome my friend!