SMF

So, after 30 years of shaving with cheap disposable plastic razors, and gillette trac 2 cartridges, i became interested in double edge shaving. Not that i ever had problems with the disposables, but just wanted to try something new. So 3 years ago i bought a merkur double edge razor, and 100 dorco double edge blades on ebay. Although i didn't notice a real difference in the shave, i enjoyed experimenting with the different shaving soaps, using a brush, hot lather, pride of owning a quality piece... (I especially liked the price of the blades, compared to the cartidges)....I recently started experimenting with a straight edge, but that's another story...It took about 3 years of de shaving to learn how to get the right angle, right pressure, realize that i need at least a second pass, etc. Yesterday just for kicks i shaved with my old gillette trac 2, and used a can of barbasol shaving cream(what everyone here calls 'goo') that resulted in a good shave, that was quick and easy, didn't have to worry about the angle, or pressure, no nicks, or cuts...my questioin is, before i buy another 100 double edge razors, why should i continue with double edge shaving? what do you find better about it?

You said it yourself.

Thanks,
Mike

PS: Also try using your DE with the Barbasol and see if you get a good shave.

defrank wrote:...I especially liked the price of the blades, compared to the cartidges...

...what do you find better about it?

I use a DE because I prefer it to using a cartridge system. I do, however, use Bic sensitives when I travel by air so I can take it on board in my carry-on bag.

If you need to ask the question IMO you don't have the right blade, razor, something is missing in your shave.

In no particular order, for me obviously:

1. If I match the closeness I get from blades to the shave I get with carts a few days later I'll also have a huge bunch of in-grown hairs. I simply can't do with a cart what I can with a blade.

2. Shaving has gone from a hated chore that I'd put off as long as possible to something I enjoy doing. I've written that many times since taking up a blade and every time I mean it as sincerely as the very first time I wrote it. I simply can't imagine a morning w/o a fine shave.

3. It's far less expensive if that's one goal.

4. The products are better, but even using the good products you might be able turn a cart shave into something enjoyable. I don't know. I haven't touched a cartridge since picking up a blade. I have 'em, I just don't need them yet since I don't put myself through the TSAs crap.

5. I've begun collecting and using a collection of vintage razors. I haven't seen a vintage cartridge that interested me yet. Yes, I have a few from years gone by. 100 years from now there will be little interest in the long defunct cartridges, but the vintage razors (I have no doubt) will still be around.

6. In the event of TEOTWAWKI, I'll be clean shaven and washed and the rest of humanity will be chewing their beards as they eat rats cooked over an open fire. I have, conservatively and shaving every day, 38 years of shaving before I need to buy another blade. Those blades are in a very small area and I doubt that they cost more than $300. Try that with cartridges. Soaps too are quite concentrated and there are some inexpensive ones that can be stocked up on that work great. Try that with goop.

7. Picking up the blade has taught me how to "do things". Like making my own fantastic Bay Rum. I can put up a few gallons of Bay Rum and have enough for the 40 years of the blades and soap that I squirreled away. I give blade shaving credit for that- I never would have delved into BR had it not been for the blade. Menthol AS too, I never would have even thought of such a thing. Yeah, I know I need to get out more. Hey, it's rural Maine. FWIW, I have the makin's for 5 gallons of Bay Rum even now as I write. Those basic "teas" just require the finishing touches.

8. The wife wouldn't like me as much 'cause I'd be miserable.

9. The wife wouldn't like me as much 'cause she likes my BBS face.

10. If I went back to carts the gents wouldn't want me here any more. OK, so I made that one up. I think they might still let me in.

I didn't know that I could shave daily without irritation until I found safety razors and SE razor in particular. Cartridges always led to horrible results with terrible irritation for me. I hated the idea of shaving. Now I love it. 'nuff said!

I know that for me I get as good a shave with my Mach 3 as I do with a DE. I have said many times that the razor is the least of the equation. Prep, soap/crams and the brush are much more important to me and my quest for shaving perfection. YMMV of course.

-Tye

For me, irritation was a driving factor. I imagine that technique improvements would allow me to get a decent shave from a cartridge now and there are many here that do just that. However, I have not had a desire to try because of many of the reasons stated above. The key reason for me being that I enjoy the experience of a DE (and now a SE) with a top quality cream or soap, a brush, and a little bit of time.

Regarding the goo reference, I have always taken it to mean the aerosol gels that take up most of the shelf space in the shaving aisle. After I learned about a multi-pass shaving I reapplied a "sensitive" version of one of these to my face for a 2nd pass and it burned. I do not mean it was uncomfortable it hurt. I immediately rinsed my face which was left red and slightly swollen. Barbasol on the other hand has always struck me as a pretty straight forward product that does not add a lot of extra chemicals.

Personally, I think the benefits cannot be measured...or at least measured exclusively...in one shave.

My argument and main reason for trying DE shaving was the fact that with the cartridges, I experienced painful ingrown hairs and major irritation on my neck and chin areas.

Within a couple of weeks of starting my DE journey, those were in the past. I have never looked back.

From another angle...I imagine one can enjoy all of the fine products that AD affords us with a Fusion type razor. But I want the full experience. All of those wonderful products are most effectively enjoyed using a traditional approach to shaving in my opinion.

Oh...and it is much less expensive.

I have so many reasons i'm sure to miss most.

main one is no ingrowns, the cartridges are to much money.

i love the real of a real razor, and the mechanics too..

i love making a lather.. i like have a selection of scents and soaps

razors and blades even though i only use two razors and one blade brand

still i have the choice, its want my father and grandfather and uncles used

and i love my shave after a de shave

just for starters
marc

It's more fun.

Chicks dig a guy who shaves with a DE & brush. That's more than enough reason for me.

Mike

I love the brush and I love the freedom of being able to decide to shave without a brush.

I love finding a "new" can of Barbasol "now with menthol", as a matter of fact I did exactly that 2 weeks ago!

I love waking up and knowing I'll have some fresly grown whiskers that are in need of removal each and every single morning.

I love the endless variety of (soaps and creams). . .(razors). . .(blades). . .(other stuff) spread out before me and the fact that I'll pick one and it'll be wonderful.

I love the 15 to 20 minutes this takes, and I love the other 23 hours and 45 minutes or so of my day, during which I can feel like I've received a special gift that will last me the rest of my life, every morning, until I can't do it any more.

I believe it was William F. Buckley, Jr., who said a fine lunch was the only sensual pleasure a man could have during the day. The fellow obviously didn't know how to shave.

Hello defrank, I say keep using the cartridge and the goo. Keep at it for a few months. Then go back to the DE for a few weeks. See if you notice a difference in anything. If you don't enjoy the DE and lather more at that point or don't derive any other benefit then act accordingly.

Over the years I myself have given other things a try including Gillette's contemporary offerings of the time. I've given them a fair shot, I think by using them for a while and then switching back to my straight razor. Every time I did it I knew why I preferred the straight. It just trumped everything in terms of pleasure and performance in my hands for whatever reason. I haven't experimented in years because it's the same old story repeated. I hope one day you get to that point.

Chris

Squire wrote:It's more fun.

This. It's more fun to shave with traditional equipment than multi-blade cartridges and canned gels and foams. DE shaving takes a bit a dedication and skill. But once you know, you know.

Shaving with a DE or straight gives you a feeling that you got to punch your man card for the day.

Squire wrote:It's more fun.

Squire summed it up in just a few words.

The only thing that I'd add is that the few minutes of self indulgence is a real morale booster to start the day.

Bobwhite wrote:

Squire wrote:It's more fun.

Squire summed it up in just a few words.

The only thing that I'd add is that the few minutes of self indulgence is a real morale booster to start the day.

Agree there!!!

Joined: 28 Jul 2008
Posts: 9

The information above shows me that you're just not as into it as we are.

No fault, no foul.

ateace wrote:Joined: 28 Jul 2008
Posts: 9

The information above shows me that you're just not as into it as we are.

No fault, no foul.

Bingo.

If you're getting neither better results nor any pleasure from it...there's your answer.