If you shave, get a shaving handle that uses a simple disposable razor. The razor lasts much longer than anything at your local store and provides a better shave.

Submitted by bi_polar2bear t3_115hlr4 in BuyItForLife

I purchased a Hensen razor, the aluminum handle, and since I purchased through a YouTube link, I got 100 razors for free, which saved me $5. Since I have a beard and use an electric razor during the week, I use the Hensen once a week. I've used the same blade, which has 2 sides, since September. If it was a razor from the store, I would've used 3 razors @ $8 a piece. So a 5 cent razor, which has 2 sides lasts 6 months, versus 3 razors @ $24. In less than a year, I will break even and have 98 razors to use. I don't work or affiliate with that company, just passing along info that old school razors are much better than the scam being sold as "a better shave.

59

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

jwatt38 t1_j91r8vs wrote

Safety razors for the win. I bought my handle nearly a decade ago from a local beauty supply store and paid maybe $5, $10, whatever, the blades are so cheap I literally don’t even consider it a cost when I have to buy some, which is almost never because I do the beard thing. But when I do shave, it’s a far better shave with nearly zero irritation. What little irritation I do get is most likely poor shaving technique on my part. I bought a cheap brush too and it’s lasted just as long. It may be a boars hair but I doubt it. Shaving soaps last a good long time too and are pretty cheap like the blades. It’s both frugal and BIFL.

37

bi_polar2bear OP t1_j91sxo6 wrote

The reason I got the Hensen was because it has the correct angle. Grated, I didn't research other options, which I normally do, because the recommendation came from an engineer YouTube host who used it for over a month. If engineers recommend something, it's usually a solid recommendation, plus the dude rarely recommends products.

7

ClownDiaper t1_j93pnjp wrote

Grady from Practical Engineering? I did the exact same thing and love it!

2

Fruitndveg t1_j9b88so wrote

Doesn’t really apply to razors though. It’s entirely subjective, I’ve tried the lot over the years, modern, vintage gillette, adjustable, non adjustable and the one I’ve picked from the lot is an under engineered, no fuss simple plastic wilko sword. It’s miles more comfortable than any other safety razor I own.

1

ConBroMitch t1_j91xnwm wrote

Yep. Safety razors are great.

Pro tip: you can extend the useful life of your blades by preventing oxidation. When not in use, keep your razor head/blade submerged in mineral oil. (Can be found at the pharmacy for $2-3)

Shaving 2-3x a week and my blade lasts 2 months.

Pro tip #2: get your shaving soap etc. from Stirling soap. They’re incredible.

17

rwrwrw44 t1_j91qmeo wrote

This is so true, my initial spend was $70ish on the Mekur 38 and 100 Astra blades. That was 6 or 7 years ago. Just down to the last 20 blades. And the best shave every time!

10

SizzlingSpit t1_j91lpyp wrote

If you keep the blades in high percent alcohol they will keep even longer. The blades edge rusts from the water and deteriorate quickly.

9

autoposting_system t1_j91ohcc wrote

I've always just kept them extremely dry and that's worked for me.

Thanks, I'll try this

4

caturdayz t1_j92aih8 wrote

Check out r/wicked_edge for all you could ever want to know about this.

9

PeriqueFreak t1_j92qvk6 wrote

Seconded. Been wetshaving for nearly two decades now. Always nice to see people waking up to the scam. Multi-blade cartridge style razors are way too expensive, wasteful, and actually promote a less comfortable shave.

The initial investment *can be* a little steep. $20-$30 for a vintage SuperSpeed in good condition, $50-$80 for a nice badger brush, $15 for a blade sampler to figure out which blade your face likes, and $10-$15 for soap. But you can always start with just the handle and blades and whatever can-o-foam you already have and get the brush/soap later on.

Of course if you end up being a "collector" it can get very expensive. But even then, at least you'll still get a better quality shave than those cartridge razors.

8

Skinnyninja27 t1_j924sr8 wrote

This is why the Leaf Razor is superior.

8

crimsonknight4 t1_j92hgqs wrote

Yes! Got a Leaf a few months ago and absolutely love it. No learning curve from my regular razors

7

Devobserves t1_j9cai1v wrote

Is it really that easy? I honestly cringe every time I need to buy razors and I shave daily.

1

crimsonknight4 t1_j9cesor wrote

I mean, I haven’t tried shaving my face, so idk if that’s any different, but I have not had a single issue with shaving legs or pits with my Leaf. The head pivots just like a normal razor. Only thing that felt different was the heaviness cuz I was used to using disposables and the Leaf is solid metal.

1

SmplTon t1_j91yhdv wrote

A lone straight razor advocate here, I’ve been using the same one for four years and with routine care it scares the hair off my face.

5

bi_polar2bear OP t1_j92rhgx wrote

I had a barber use a straight razor once, and I had razor burn for days. I really wanted to see if I could switch to one, so I went to a professional who was known for their shaves. Unfortunately, it would've taken months for me to get used to it. Not everyone has that issue, though I did.

3

SmplTon t1_j92tl84 wrote

Totally reasonable; it’s something that takes a lot of patience and that will have inevitable painful lessons. I came up using safety razors so changing my mindset from “whip whip whip” to slow and thoughtful was difficult and slicey. For longevity I don’t think they can be beat, but they are in no way convenient. The razor burn thing sounds like it might have been bad technique

3

Qkix t1_j933iwt wrote

I use a shavette, like a straight razor but with replaceable blades. Focuses the mind.

I haven't bought a regular straight razor because the good ones seem really expensive.

1

Obers022222 t1_j95szvd wrote

Shavettes are so fun. And while stainless steel safety razors are usually pretty pricey, all my shavettes are stainless and dirt cheap. They are built for life for the cost of a few dollars.

2

omw_to_valhalla t1_j94zmvr wrote

I love my straight razor!

I have very tough beard hair and sensitive skin. It gives me the least irritation of any shave I've had.

I also really enjoy the old-school nature of the straight razor ritual.

1

moldygrape t1_j92vlca wrote

I love safety razors but I always end up leaving a crime scene in my bathroom. Damn knees

3

xStarjun t1_j93cj2q wrote

Yeah i feel like safety razors are great on the face but man they are not forgiving on bony bits like knees.

3

TheEnquirer1138 t1_j93nly4 wrote

I'm back to using a safety razor again too. Change the blades frequently. Every 4-6 shaves. it helps prevent ingrown hairs. They're cheap enough to where you don't have to worry about going through one every week or so.

If you're just starting off, buy a sample pack of blades so you can try out different ones. Use each blade to see if there are any that definitely don't feel good. A lot of people love Personna blades but they gave me awful razor burn in a mild razor on the mildest setting. Meanwhile Wilkinson Sword blades which are hit or miss for people, worked really well for me.

Once you've got a few blades that feel decent to you, use one type of razor exclusively for about 2 months then change it up. You'll be able to feel out the differences between each one more easily.

As a couple other people suggested, use Stirling Soap for your shaving soap. Mountain Man is a nice, not too overpowering scent. If you get aftershave directly from them on a lot of their splashes, you can actually set the menthol amount to either nothing to Macaulay Culkin levels of burn. I'd start with none or the regular amount.

3

Dr_Fred t1_j927qv4 wrote

Can you keep it in the shower or will it rust?

2

bi_polar2bear OP t1_j92rx3m wrote

If you kept it in mineral oil, I couldn't see why not. It is very thin steel for the blade. The handle is aircraft grade aluminum. I kept my razor in a cat proof cup on the sink and flick the water out after the final rinse, and didn't get rust.

1

mnistor1 t1_j9359eu wrote

I have a love hate with double edge safety razors. I bought a Merkur futur several years ago and go through phases of using that or a typical multi blade razor. The futur is awesome but I cut myself every single shave whereas the multi blade razor I can shave at least twice as fast with 0 cuts so I often stop using the futur because besides feeling awesome and cool, why would I choose to suffer? I may just have to adjust it down to “1” which is the least exposed adjustment and see if I have any better luck because I love it as an item but ultimately it feels like a net loser for the sake of “being cool”.

2

Kidan6 t1_j947zxs wrote

The futur is famously aggressive, even at its mildest setting. You might just need to get a gentler safety razor

3

OrganMeat t1_j94grra wrote

Another vote for trying literally any other type of safety razor than a Futur. They are too aggressive imo, and especially for a beginner.

2

mnistor1 t1_j95hi4h wrote

Thank you both, what are your favorites? I’m willing to try another.

2

OrganMeat t1_j97fdim wrote

I think a vintage Gillette Tech (~$20), Merkur 34 ($50), Maggard Razors
V3 head (~$25), or Razorock Game Changer .68 ($55) are all very good
starter options. Investing in good soap and a brush is also essential
because good lather helps to minimize irritation. For what it's worth, I put together a starter kit for my brother in law with a vintage Gillette Tech, and he loves it. Still uses it every single day.

Come join us over in the daily questions thread at r/Wetshaving if you have more questions, or feel free to PM me if you want any more info.

1

MrR-YGuy t1_j91u4c5 wrote

I don’t have much to shave and I just go to the dollar store and buy a 10 packs of razors for $4. My hair also doesn’t grow back that quickly so it can last me more than 2 months sometimes. That’s only about $24/year.

1

huge43 t1_j91xfdc wrote

Same here, but I have a beard so I only shave my neck + cheek area. But my hair grows fast so I shave 2-3 times a week. I've been using the same shitty disposable razor for over a year probably.

0

MrR-YGuy t1_j91zudm wrote

Seriously if I clean it after each use I could use a single disposable razor for almost a month

2

[deleted] t1_j923a08 wrote

[deleted]

1

ForgedByLasers t1_j92dnob wrote

I frequently had ingrown hairs and bump from razors like the mach 3. I use a safety razor now with some sensitive skin proraso shaving soap and the problem actually cleared itself up. Though I do not shave my head so I cants comment there.

2

EnvironmentalPea4721 t1_j93ga3v wrote

Yeah so I’ll have to say - safety is king for the beard, but the newer ones are MUCH better for the head. I slipped once with the safety and had a 5cm cut that bled for about 2 hours? Absolute crime scene in the shower.

I think it’s an individual thing though, I’ve just found the commercial multi-bladed are a little more idiot proof, which helps me.

2

mumblemumblething t1_j92xwmq wrote

I don’t shave my head, but get bumps and irritation on my face until I used the feather blades, which seem to be super sharp. I also found I can’t reuse them either because that causes irritation, too.

1

omw_to_valhalla t1_j94zyzy wrote

I get bumps on my neck from shaving. A safety razor drastically reduced them.

I eventually switched to a straight razor. That's been the least bumps and irritation for me.

1

Veritas-IV t1_j968ili wrote

>Any men who shave their head out there, or who have some bumps and occasional ingrown hairs on the chin line and have success with these?

Head shaver here.

I have used safety razors for years. When I shaved my face daily, my standard was a Merkur 39C slant. It's famously aggressive, but I had my technique down and found it to be the best. I have tried numerous others and could always get close shaves. Even with experience and a good technique, I could never get a great shave on my head so I stuck with a Mach3 for that task.

Then I tried the Henson AL13. It was a gamechanger for me. I found it as easy to use on my head as any disposable. I highly recommend Henson Shaving for head shavers. It is a great product. My only complaint is that it's aluminum (personal preference.) I've been toying with the idea of buying their titanium version but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

1

Carramrod525 t1_j92rnw7 wrote

Anyone shave their balls with one of these?

1

xStarjun t1_j93cp51 wrote

I have with a safety razor, it ain't safe. Definitely use a cartridge razor for your balls lol.

2

omw_to_valhalla t1_j94zubk wrote

I do! I have no issues shaving them with my safety razor.

Pulling the skin tight is key to avoiding cuts.

2

MugShots t1_j93i18l wrote

solid advice.

I <3 my merkur double edge razor.

That reminds me, I need some new blades. :p

1

ReferHvacGuy t1_j93ml7m wrote

Yeah I have a Wilkinson sword, thing cost like $20. Had it for 4 years, I’ve maybe changed the blade 5 times.

1

themcsame t1_j93tpbc wrote

I'm not entirely sure the 'better shave' is that much of a scam. I think it's a case of YMMV. But yes, the price difference is utterly insane.

Personally, I do find traditional blades tend to offer a better, quicker shave, for whatever reason I seem to be a bit more prone to cutting myself while shaving with safety razors (add that to the list of 'safety' things I've managed to injure myself with, having avoided doing so with 'regular' variants). I'm not too bothered about it on the face or neck, though I will say my Henson has cut a mole right where my moustache line is just about every time I've used it.

Sucks really cause the Henson is a pretty solid piece of kit. But sadly, it just doesn't seem to agree with me as well as current razors. It doesn't stop me from offering it up as a means of saving money to people however, but I tend to follow with a "YMMV" disclaimer because of my experience.

1

dexter_024 t1_j95853g wrote

I’ve never found a razor that shaves as good (close without irritation) as a safety razor to boot. Not only are they indestructible and cheap, they’re also damn good.

1

pabo81 t1_j95atg6 wrote

While I will concede that safety razors are far superior in quality to the disposable ones (ex: gilette mach3), I just can’t seem to get my skin used to them. I’ve tried to switch a couple times in the past and I end up with really irritated skin and quite often several wicked cuts.

1

KoKoboto t1_j95kmy6 wrote

I use some basic Gillette razor with the curving feature on the ball. I shave once every 1-2 weeks usually and each razor lasts me probably a year before I replace it.

Another important part for longevity is properly treating your razor. I always clean it and dry it then put it in a space where it won't get dirty.

My mate used the same razor type and had to replace his within 3 months

1

Dothemath2 t1_j95o3vy wrote

I use straight razors, still perfectly fine with maintenance after 15 years.

1

mcluse657 t1_j96lu8z wrote

My son uses Harry's from Walmart.

1