Frugal shaving

[bishop]

I am a traditional wetshaving enthusiast, partially out of being frugal and partially because it's a way of indulging myself. (Great balance, huh?) I also like that I'm not throwing away oodles of plastic (cartridges) that will take forever to decompose.

I could go on for pages about this, but I will approach it from a cost perspective.

Think about your average Gillette cartridge razor. Much like a printer: cheap initial cost (razor/printer), but high recurring cost (blades/ink). With Gillette's latest, the Fusion, you get 4 cartridges for nearly $20. The company loses money on their razor sales but makes huge profits on the blades.

I replaced my cartridge razor with a new Merkur HD double-edged razor about a year ago. That cost me $30 initially. The blades (depending on what brand you get and from what seller) cost mere cents. I bought a bulk package of Wilkinson Sword blades on eBay for $20. There were 100 blades in the box...so $0.20 per blade.

I recently bought two antique Gillette razors that cleaned up nicely and shave wonderfully. Those cost me $12 combined.

To be fair, I have to warn that the cream/soap/brush side of this hobby did offset my savings a bit. But that was to try different things and determine what was best for my face. I'm leveling out now. But in the interest of frugality, you could buy a decent shaving brush and Williams mug soap pretty cheaply.

I also make my own aftershave. I buy aloe vera gel and witch hazel and mix the two with a bit of either peppermint or tea tree oil. A bottle each of AV and WH can yield several months' worth of aftershave.

Bottom line, though: ditch the cartridge razor and get a classic DE razor. You'll have less recurring cost and you'll get a much better shaving experience.

A great resource: http://www.badgerandblade.com
My shaving blog: http://fowlerjk.wordpress.com

[purplefdu]

*hides post from husband* he would agree with you 150% but doesn't quite have the knowledge to pick one out himself. Also probably wouldn't work too well when he's running late for work and needs to shave.

[Rebecca]

a great way to make those razors last longer:

Rinse thoroughly after each use and dry off with either 1) rubbing alcohol or 2) blowing your hair dryer over it. Then store it somewhere away from moisture.

I swear they last 10x longer.

[Solinvicta]

Originally Posted by purplefdu

*hides post from husband* he would agree with you 150% but doesn't quite have the knowledge to pick one out himself. Also probably wouldn't work too well when he's running late for work and needs to shave.

Actually, I found that picking out one myself wasn't too hard to do, since it seems like the options are pretty limited these days. Also, you can get Merkur razors through Amazon without much trouble, or if you can track down an old-time pharmacy (I found one near harvard square in Boston).

I think you're right about the time issue. If I spend the same rushed amount of time with a double-edge razor or say, a Mach 3, I can probably get a better shave with the Mach 3. But, it really only takes an extra couple of minutes to shave with the double-edged one properly and get as good or better a shave.

[lucille]

I tried the old style razors back in the 70's and peeled a huge chunk of skin on my leg. I don't think I could bring myself to use the old single blade ones again after that. But I am so disgusted with the cost of most commercial razor blades. My hubby uses mach3 and they are something like $8 for maybe 4 blades. So far the cheapest I have found were bic soleils disposable for about $1 each in a pack of 4. I have problems with the super cheap ones cutting skin though. Would love to find a happy medium of cost effective and usable.

[Solinvicta]

I did have a bit of a problem in the being, when I switched over. I got a few small cuts around my neck, when I foolishly tried going "against the grain" to get a little closer.

Since then, I've been a bit more cautious, and haven't had problems, even though I'm using fairly generic razors in the thing. But, you do have to be careful to use less pressure than you would with something like a Mach3. (I've read the adage "let the weight of the razor do the work" over and over on the Internet)

[Tightwad]

Mach 3 are still the best razors we have found. Insane refill prices, but that is how they make their money.

Nothing useful to add on how to make razors last longer, but I did discover a secret on not needing to use cream or soap when shaving my legs. Three bath beads into a bubblebath will lightly coat your skin with oil and soaking in the water softens hair so you can just shave your bare skin, nothing else needed. MUCH more effective than any products I have used.

[stopware]

I just started two weeks ago with the wet shave method. I bought a Merkur 187 for about $37. It is a great shave and I should save $30 to $45 a year. Also I can shave less with a closer shave!!!


Is a great resource: http://www.badgerandblade.com

[lucille]

Originally Posted by Tightwad

Mach 3 are still the best razors we have found. Insane refill prices, but that is how they make their money.

Nothing useful to add on how to make razors last longer, but I did discover a secret on not needing to use cream or soap when shaving my legs. Three bath beads into a bubblebath will lightly coat your skin with oil and soaking in the water softens hair so you can just shave your bare skin, nothing else needed. MUCH more effective than any products I have used.

Someone tipped me off on this about the Mach 3 turbo blades. The disposable Mach 3 razors use the exact same blade head as you find in the packs of replacement blades. They said you can remove the blade head by pushing down the tab in the back with a stick or end of a toothbrush. The blade head will pop off. Now you have 4 blade heads for about $4.79 rather than 4 for $8.99.

[EnergyBoomer]

I use a mug with a round bar of William shaving soap too. The bar of soap costs about one dollar and lasts about three months. How much does your can of spray foam cost and how long does it last?

When traveling I leave the mug home and take a Round Tupperware type plastic container that has a snap on lid.

The brush is the problem. I love my old shaving brush but I have not been able to find a replacement that is as good. My old one is about worn out after 30 years of use. It keeps getting shorter. The bristles do not fall out like with the new brushes. I may have to find one at an antique store.

Any suggestions?