Hi Guys,
My wife usually does the shopping but she was on a trip so I did the shopping and I was absolutely floored by the cost of the triple edge blades my two boys and I had been using! Especially when I realized that my boys don't think you can use a blade for more than one shave! The Jack Benny really came out in me!
I started looking around and decided to give my father's old double edge razor a try and so far I've been pretty successful - I've been able to miss the carotid artery anyway
and haven't had any real problem with knicks, just the occasional razor burn and even at that it's not been bad.
My boys have given up though! Especially my 20 year old! He just couldn't shave without knicking himself up. He has a dimple on his chin and kept sliceing it off. It didn't help when I pointed out that eventually it'll get sliced down level and wont be a problem any more!
Evidently plastic surgery via double edge razor just doesn't appeal to him!
I told the boys they could use the DE and could even use a new blade for each shave, but I wasn't buying any more of the triple edge blades -> especially since I couldn't get them to shave more than once with them! They aren't happy but have now went out and spent their own money on triple edge razor blades and now they seem to be able to use them for a bit longer, imagine that!
Anyway, so far I'm doing OK but I'm wondering if a razor change isn't in order. My father has passed away and Mom just gave me Dad's old razor. She said the blades got hard to find so he quit using a DE years ago. The one we found isn't the one I remember him using, I remember him using one with a silver head and black handle and you twisted the bottom of the handle to open a trap door at the top to expose the blade. The one we found is a gold Gillette and I can't find a date on it anywhere. I think it's similar to the first one shown in the Gillette sticky and the author says he doesn't recommend it. I think I'm going to stick with this so I wouldn't mind spending ~$50 or so to buy a good razor. I don't have the camera handy, but I've attached a couple photos of a razor I found on eBay that's just like the one I'm using (though mine is in much better shape). Whatta ya think - get a new razor? If so, which one for a biginner?
Beyond that razor I'm using some Personna blades from Walmart. I think I'll order some Israeli Red Box blades shortly though. I've been using a new blade for each shave just because they are so cheap and I thought it would help eliminate a variable (i.e. did I get a sucky shave because I was doing something wrong or because the blade was dull? A new blade eliminates that question). I've also went completely retro and also picked up some Van Der Hagen Deluxe Shave Soap from Walmart and it seems to work well, though reading the soap reviews here I may splurge and try some Tabac. It isn't a huge lather, but works nicely. Even if I give up on using a DE razor I think I'll keep using shaving soap! I also picked up a shaving brush from Walmart - a Van Der Hagen boar hair brush. I know badger is recommended but this one seems to work fine for me, though I think I may order a Tweezerman badger brush just to compare.
Anyway, just checking in and thought I'd ask about my razor.
Take Care,
Steve
My wife usually does the shopping but she was on a trip so I did the shopping and I was absolutely floored by the cost of the triple edge blades my two boys and I had been using! Especially when I realized that my boys don't think you can use a blade for more than one shave! The Jack Benny really came out in me!
I started looking around and decided to give my father's old double edge razor a try and so far I've been pretty successful - I've been able to miss the carotid artery anyway
and haven't had any real problem with knicks, just the occasional razor burn and even at that it's not been bad.My boys have given up though! Especially my 20 year old! He just couldn't shave without knicking himself up. He has a dimple on his chin and kept sliceing it off. It didn't help when I pointed out that eventually it'll get sliced down level and wont be a problem any more!
Evidently plastic surgery via double edge razor just doesn't appeal to him!I told the boys they could use the DE and could even use a new blade for each shave, but I wasn't buying any more of the triple edge blades -> especially since I couldn't get them to shave more than once with them! They aren't happy but have now went out and spent their own money on triple edge razor blades and now they seem to be able to use them for a bit longer, imagine that!
Anyway, so far I'm doing OK but I'm wondering if a razor change isn't in order. My father has passed away and Mom just gave me Dad's old razor. She said the blades got hard to find so he quit using a DE years ago. The one we found isn't the one I remember him using, I remember him using one with a silver head and black handle and you twisted the bottom of the handle to open a trap door at the top to expose the blade. The one we found is a gold Gillette and I can't find a date on it anywhere. I think it's similar to the first one shown in the Gillette sticky and the author says he doesn't recommend it. I think I'm going to stick with this so I wouldn't mind spending ~$50 or so to buy a good razor. I don't have the camera handy, but I've attached a couple photos of a razor I found on eBay that's just like the one I'm using (though mine is in much better shape). Whatta ya think - get a new razor? If so, which one for a biginner?
Beyond that razor I'm using some Personna blades from Walmart. I think I'll order some Israeli Red Box blades shortly though. I've been using a new blade for each shave just because they are so cheap and I thought it would help eliminate a variable (i.e. did I get a sucky shave because I was doing something wrong or because the blade was dull? A new blade eliminates that question). I've also went completely retro and also picked up some Van Der Hagen Deluxe Shave Soap from Walmart and it seems to work well, though reading the soap reviews here I may splurge and try some Tabac. It isn't a huge lather, but works nicely. Even if I give up on using a DE razor I think I'll keep using shaving soap! I also picked up a shaving brush from Walmart - a Van Der Hagen boar hair brush. I know badger is recommended but this one seems to work fine for me, though I think I may order a Tweezerman badger brush just to compare.
Anyway, just checking in and thought I'd ask about my razor.
Take Care,
Steve
