This and also underarm shaving. I worry that I would cut myself quite a bit in those hard-to-reach and tricky areas.
Yes, I am very thin and muscular so my armpits are quite literally pits. 
Very different than shaving relatively expansive smooth surfaces like your face, legs, or head. If anyone has any experience trying it, please chime in.
I think the concerns about cuts are being far overblown. When I got my Merkur a few years I also got a new styptic pencil. The styptic pencil is still in the blister pack, never even been opened.
I cut myself constantly all over when I used to use women’s two-bladed cartridges… maybe I’m just clumsy.
I never used a Schick injector; my grandfather had one and I always thought it was the coolest thing. Og only knows how many blades I wasted playing with that thing.
My dad used a butterfly opening safety razor, and I have a couple of them on my knick-knack shelf along with pocket watches, film cameras, and a Nakashuma Mark 4 model in a leatherette case with holes in it.
I currently use a Braun self-cleaning electric, but I’ve been thinking about finding a safety razor and giving it a try. Good information all around here.
Thanks!
I have not gone in for investing in a fancy new double-edge, though Merkur has a reputation. I got an old Gillette Tech for $5 on eBay years ago, and spent twice as much on a pack of Derby razors, as they were mentioned favorably on the message boards at Straight Razor Place. I haven’t felt any great need for an upgrade, though. The Tech is reliable, made up of three unbreakable steel parts that screw together firmly. I don’t clean the thing regularly, so some soap scum builds up and traces of rust, but I have found that the baking-soda-and-dish-detergent treatment clears that right up.
I did once have an inexpensive (about $20) razor with plastic parts whose silo-doors slipped at one point, causing a bit of a cut. All-metal ones are probably more reliable, but I’m more comfortable trusting my skin to the screw-together style.
You can see why the industry moved away from these razors. The damned things last forever. One of the zillions made in the 60’s is just as good now as it ever was, and there’s little to upsell you on in terms of the blades themselves. That weird modern shape of the standard razors is the result of a patent-and-knockoff fight that was pretty much over a century ago, and so modern blades probably fit very old razors that were designed to foil off-brand blade makers. There are a lot of wonderful vintage razors to find out there, but I just haven’t gotten around to shopping around, because what I’ve got has served its purpose inexpensively and without trouble for many years.
Okay, my Parker came in the mail today! Whee! I decided to use the Shark sample blades that came with the razor.
As soon as I got in the tub it became clear I had no idea what I was doing. How am I supposed to angle the blade? I had it at about a 70-80 degree angle for the majority of the shave. This must be wrong, because otherwise why have the blade be double-edged? I only ever used one edge.
The scariest part was doing the back of my legs because I can’t see, and I have to use my non-dominant hand. I cut myself once, but it didn’t even hurt. Some parts of me are silky smooth, some parts are prickly. Some parts have some razor burn. Honestly that’s usually what happened with my old cartridge razor.
So for my first run, I guess not bad?
Cutting yourself once and having zome razor burn when you’re using a new kind of razor for the first time (with subpar blades) is good for a first run.
Remember that double edge razors typically don’t need much pressure.
The point of double edge blades is that you need to rinse the hair/foam off half as often and can potentially shave twice as much.
I think you have a misconception. The double edge doesn’t describe the way the edge is ground, it’s to distinguish the blade from one with only one sharp side, like these.
Thanks. I did get a sampler pack that includes 7 o Clock blades so after I’m through with this one I’ll give them a shot.
I do see I was more or less doing it correctly, only I need to angle the razor a little further down.
How funny, my Edwin Jagger arrived today and I’m all excited about using it (and yes indeed, it’s right purty). I also ordered some special soap that hasn’t arrived yet, but I may go ahead and shave without it instead of waiting.
PS I went with the Jagger because it’s supposedly more forgiving of beginners.
Shave #2 went a bit more smoothly… I thought I got 7 o clock blades in my sampler but they were actually 7am blades:smack:, so I tried the 7am blades. I liked them better than the Shark. I guess I will have to order some 7 o clock blades because I am curious.
I think I mostly got the angle right, but I’m still nervous so my hands shake and I’m having trouble stabilizing my legs for some reason. However things seemed a lot less razor-burny this time… I applied zero pressure to the razor, thereby erring on the side of caution. Still a little prickly. Am I supposed to shave the same area twice? I’ve only ever shaved my legs against the grain, but I’ve seen advice to do it with the grain first… which is utterly baffling to me.
Overall, I think it’s just a matter of me becoming more confident with what I’m doing.
At any rate, the shaves I’m getting with the safety razor are no worse than the shaves I got with my Venus razor, so it’s already worth it on the basis of cost savings alone.
Yes, first with the grain. Then reapply the foam. And then another pass against the grain. At least this works for facial hair, which I would think would be tougher than what you’re shaving.
Getting a result that’s as good as what you used to get on the second shave is encouraging. As you learn the technique, find the blade(s) that work best and possibly use better foam, it’ll only get better.
All right, a few shaves in and I’m officially committed. Ordered my badger brush, shaving soap and a stand today. I’m getting decent shaves with my Skintimate Shave Gel but I know they would be better with actual soap. I have very sensitive skin. A lot of them claim to have very ‘‘masculine’’ scents so I went with Proraso Sensitive Skin, which has oatmeal and green tea and sounds more like something you’d get in a woman’s bath product.
Decided to hold out on trying out new blade types. I tried the Astra stainless and it was superior to all the others I tried. Then I tried the Astra platinum today and whooo, baby those are sharp! I did cut myself but again, the blades are so sharp you hardly feel it. I’m not sure if they are TOO sharp for me right now, so I am going to switch back and forth between the two types of Astra blades for a while to find which I like better. I’m partial to Astra brand because you can get 100 blades for $10 on Amazon.
I’m just updating for anyone who is curious what the experience is like. Particularly for women, because I found zero resources for women when I started. The adventure continues…
Something the ladies might like to try: Kiss My Face Moisture Shave.
They are inexpensive, likely to be available at a local health food store or supermarket, get very good reviews on the shaving forums, and come in several not-particularly-masculine scents (as well as unscented.) This old hippy likes the Patchouli.
I’ve been using a safety razor since a few weeks before this thread started. I’ve tried a couple soaps and a few creams, more than a few blades, all on a Parker 92R. I’m not crazy about the puck soaps, at all. I really like Proraso cream, which is Italian and also sold under the C.O. Bigelow brand at Bath & Body Works and online retailers. I also have a cream from Taconic and one from Taylor of Old Bond Street. These are both pretty nice, but I like them a bit less than Proraso and they were both more expensive.
The blades, I’m still trying to work out. I bought a sampler pack, and after that a 10 pack of Feather and another of Merkur. Both of those are premium brands, and while cheap compared to Gillette cartridges, they’re pretty expensive compared to other DE blades. Like 4-5x as much. I like them both, but not four times better than some others I’ve tried. I probably have enough blades to last me the rest of the year, and then I’ll probably switch to Derby or Astra, both of which are very inexpensive in 100 packs. Unless one of the blades I haven’t tried works really well for me.
I’ve also started using aftershave for the first time, ever. Lucky Tiger is really good for skin conditioning and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to women. It’s a very light citric fragrance that doesn’t stick around and wouldn’t clash with any other fragrances you use. Since starting old school shaving, I actually wanted something a bit more fragrant, so after the Lucky Tiger is air dried, I go back with Oogalala Bay Rum and Sandalwood aftershave that I think smells fantastic. I may smell like an anachronism, but frankly, I don’t care. I love it.
One thing I haven’t seen mentioned that has really improved the experience for me is an alum block. Once you’re done with your warm foam shave, you splash cold water to close the pores, and rub the alum block all over. Closes the pores and seals up nicks.
If anyone wants to try a blade they don’t have, I’m happy to send you a sample. I have tried:
Feather
Merkur
Shark (I’ll send you 10, if you want them)
Astra
Derby
Durablade 7am
Have not tried:
Dorco ST300
Dorco ST301
Trig
Bic Chrome Patinum
Durablade Sharp
The Shark was the only one I didn’t like very much. I got five of these with my razor and ten more in the sampler I bought. Go figure. PM me if you want a blade or three listed above.
I bought a Gilette Slim from 1962 on ebay last week and is due to arrive imminently. I took a look at the Badger and Blade forums for some other equipment suggestions and will be ready to start as soon as the razor arrives. This is actually perfect timing; I just had my bathroom gutted and remodeled, so this is a great way to get a little more enjoyment out of my investment. I got a sampler pack of blades and will definitely report once I am able to start.
Do I need to bleach the razor or is a good boil all that is really necessary?
I took the plunge and bought the same razor as olivesmarch4th. Arrived in the mail yesterday and did my first shave yesterday. I really liked it. A bit more clumsy right now than my old razor, but as of now (although I may come to rue these words in time) I think my fears of cutting myself were overrated. I used the same astra stainless steel blades as olives.
Could someone explain why using the soap/brush combo is better than just plain ol’ shaving lotion? Is it because regular lotion is drying?
My package arrived today. I was expecting an excellent used Gillette Slim. Instead I got a piece of shit stamped pocketknife. More hassle. My beautiful bathroom is almost done, too. I will have to whine petulantly some more and take this pathetic excuse for a knife to the post office.
Shaving soap with good brush softens the hair better and provides more lubrication, at least according to the propaganda.