Harry's Razors

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soonerwings

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Ok safety razor peeps... School me. I'm ASSuming that double edged blades can be rotated to the other side when the first side gets dull?

Any suggested brands? Merkur? Parker?

What about the blades themselves? When I see a box of 100 blades selling for $12 I automatically think they're poor quality?


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HarveyDanger

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Safety razors are open on both sides so you use both.

Merkur are the standard for starting, you can research and find better ones but you usually don't know exactly what you want in a razor until you practice. Merkur are a safe bet

That's pretty standard on cost

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cody6766

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Safety razor for me!
Yup, for a few years now. Even won the wife over.

Ok safety razor peeps... School me. I'm ASSuming that double edged blades can be rotated to the other side when the first side gets dull?

Any suggested brands? Merkur? Parker?

What about the blades themselves? When I see a box of 100 blades selling for $12 I automatically think they're poor quality?
the razor leaves both ends open. Some guys will make a pass with one side and just rotate as they fill up with soap and hair. I tend to try to shave half of my face with one side and half with the other to keep them even. It's not at all necessary, but it makes sense to me and all pans out the same in the end.

Blade brands? I like Shark, Asra and Feather. Others like other brands, just like people like different beers. Your best bet is to buy a sample pack and see what you like best. Buy 50-100 of them and then try another sample pack to see if your preferences changed. I liked a less sharp blade when I started (shark) and moved up as I got better with the razor (Astra, recently Feather). I got too much irritation with Feathers early on.

Razor brands...there are plenty. You can snag a vintage Gillette Super Speed off etsy for around $20. That's the way I'd go if you're curious. It's cool to have a still functioning piece from the 60's and they work as well, or better than their modern counterparts. A Merkur off of Amazon is also a good buy. I started with a 34c. I prefer the way old Gillette razors open compared to the twist-off merkurs. If you want to spend a little more money, get a vintage Gillette Slim adjustable or a Merkur Futur. I use the Futur most of the time and love that I can tweak blade gap to adjust how the razor shaves. I also have a Slim and can attest to their quality.

As for blade cost, they're just cheap. My feathers were about 2x the cost of the last Astras I bought, and it's still dirt cheap. I was paying around $10 per 100 blades for Astras. It's not an indication of quality. It's an indication of production cost, marketing cost and demand.

As for blade life, I have the wonderful superpower of having a thick ass beard and sensitive, sissy skin. I dull blades fast, and am made very aware of it by irritation when I do. I got 4 pretty good shaves out of a Mach 3, and one crappy one on Friday. Now I easily get 5 good shaves, and possibly 6 or 7, with a DE razor. I just pop a new blade in every week to ensure they stay sharp and I stay irritation free.

Initial conversion cost is a little high, especially if you want to use a good soap and brush. Honestly, you'll probably leave your canned goo if you go that route, even if you keep your cart razor. I buy my shave soaps and aftershave from www.stirlingsoap.com. Some of their scents suck, but I'm picky. Their soaps are all top notch and there are scents you'll like. I also use their witch hazel aftershave. I got my brush from someone who makes custom ones, but a good badger brush isn't terribly expensive. Some are, but there's no need to spend $200 on a brush unless you just want to.

check out www.badgerandblade.com to get some info on wet shaving. It cost me some cash up front, but it's saved me A LOT in the long run.

Sorry for the thread jack...to get back on subject, I"m sure Harry's are better than spending big bucks on Gillettes scam, but i've never used them.
 

SoonerP226

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I've been using Harry's razors for the better part of a year. They're on par with the Gillette Fusion razors I'd been using, and they're about half the price, assuming you get the same usage out of them. I usually got about two weeks out of the Fusions, and I get about two weeks out of the Harry's razors, so it works out to be cheaper for me. (I should also note that I have a beard, so I'm only shaving my neck and cheeks; if you're shaving your whole face, YMMV significantly.)

If you do try Harry's, you can use the code TWIT5 (from the TWiT.tv podcast network) to get $5 off your first order.

I'm not a purist when it comes to shaving; all I care about is looking presentable for work and not getting my face cut up in the process. My sister once asked me if I ever went to the barber shop and got a shave to treat myself; I told her that when I want to treat myself I don't shave at all. When I retire, I'm gonna throw my razors in the burn barrel. I'll keep the beard trimmer so I don't look like the unabomber, but the closest I'll get to a razor after that day will be when the nice lady at the barber shop shaves around my ears and the back of my neck.
 

Cohiba

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I love my Merkur Futur!!!

[Broken External Image]

and my

Merkur Progress...
parisiangentleman.fr_wp_content_uploads_2015_05_Merkur_Progress.jpg


Both are adjustable razors and I will never have another razor that isn't adjustable............unless it's a straight razor. My concern with a straight is that I might cut up my face so I stay away from a straight razor. I have my barber give me a straight razor cut once in a while.


My Murker razors with;

Feather DE razor blades...
i128.photobucket.com_albums_p175_ntguy_F1.jpg


Derby Blades....
www.friday.com_bbum_wp_content_uploads_2009_11_Derby_Scaled.jpg



or Shark blades.........
www.theshaveshed.com.au_media_catalog_product_cache_1_image_9d11bfd395b6dec00711fa48f3affe9d9a.jpg



Either C.O. Bigelow or Proraso...........I hear they're the same.
thecloseshave.com_wp_content_uploads_2013_10_ceo2.jpg


thecloseshave.com_wp_content_uploads_2013_10_IMG_20131022_194225.jpg




********If you want to get into shaving gear, men's fragrance, and fine gentleman's accoutrements*******

Start with Badger and Blade...........http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forum.php
 

donner

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Ok safety razor peeps... School me. I'm ASSuming that double edged blades can be rotated to the other side when the first side gets dull?

Any suggested brands? Merkur? Parker?

What about the blades themselves? When I see a box of 100 blades selling for $12 I automatically think they're poor quality?


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This will sound odd, but watch some youtube videos on technique. It's all technique. And once you have it down you'll never go back (unless the TSA makes you on a trip).

As others have said, it's not so much a matter of which is the 'best' blade, but which works best for you and your beard. I've got some blades i'd be happy to send you to try, but there are companies online that offer sampler packs. Just because one doesn't work for you doesn't mean that safety razors don't.

Oh, and feathers are awesome blades, but can punish you if your technique is off. Others are a bit more forgiving.

On a final note, one thing you'll find with wet shaving is that the prep matters as much or more than the blade. A good soap (or cream) and brush is the best thing you can do to really start moving shaving from work to pleasant.
 

Apogee

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Did the safety razor thing before I grew out my beard, absolutely the best method.

Since I have grown out my beard, and just need minor trimming I switched to Harry's and like them a lot. Only major gripe is the handle is so smooth, it's difficult to keep a good grip on it when your hands are wet.
 

cody6766

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. My concern with a straight is that I might cut up my face so I stay away from a straight razor.
It's not bad. I have a couple and got to what it'd call a 'kind of acceptable' skill level with them. When they bite, they bite hard, but just like a DE, taking your time is key.

A youtube video does sound odd, but is needed for guys wanting to go with a DE or straight. The whole 'dad teaching son to shave' concept was lost on me until I got into wet shaving. Now it makes sense. It really helps to have someone explain how to best shave and how to hold the razor. I bet those videos would also help the guys using carts as they get into face prep, products (god...that sounds something politically incorrect), and technique.

Wet shavers are kind of like vegans or gluten free people when a razor thread comes up, so I feel kind of bad chaffing it with promos for my bias...but not bad enough to stop. I'd stick to PM for the DE promo stuff, but I think the suggestions for technique and product recommendations can help the cart guys. Also, I always appreciate when someone shows me a new research rabbit hole to follow, even if I never buy the stuff.
 

dennishoddy

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Scrape my face with a dollar general double razor that comes with the razor and 4 replacement blades for $1.99. Each replacement lasts a couple of weeks with my sparse facial hair.
There are no replacement razors blades. You buy the whole razor and blades for $1.99. Lasts for months.
 

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