Foo - Shavers,

I don't shave my legs. just my face, but.... Has anyone else noticed the price of shavers and ESPECIALLY replacement blades has gone completely nuts? You cannot find a decent shaver handle for less than 9-10 bucks, and while they used to come with 4-5 cartridges, now you're lucky to get two? How long long will it be before only the rich can shave? You can pay $150 for a decent electric, but at least it's only a one time charge:lol: You can spend nearly twice that on disposables per year if you're not careful. Time for someone to step in like with he price of breakfast cereals a few years back. Those are creeping back up there again too. Sigh....,,,,BD

This was inspired after seeing a a FOUR pack of blade cartridges for well over $20.

I use Gillette Fusion blades on my face and my legs. :)
I buy them from Amazon. Cheapest place I've found online but I'm always looking for cheaper sites.

And whatever happened to generic blades? The original manufacturers must have won some major lawsuit, am I right? They have all but vanished. Most times they were as good as or better than the originals, hehe.,,,,BD

I use a three of four blade generic disposable from Krogers. $4 for 4 and they last me a month or two.
Shave in the shower and the blades seem to last quite a bit longer.

I have noticed the prices have gotten insane, too. I wonder why. I can't see how raw materials would be getting more expensive, so it's probably artificial inflation.

You can start looking for coupons and combine them with 2-for-1 deals, my sister-in-law has done that and actually gotten razors for free (not the replacement blades, though, so you'll have extra handles all over the place). I just grew a beard instead.

My annoyance is that all I can find are the razors with blade counts that come dangerously close to needing scientific notation to count. I can't find single or double blade razors anymore, just the 3+ razors with blades so close together that they clog up the moment it touches my face.

Buy a Schick injector from your local antique store. Clean with Barbicide and buy some blades from the store.

$10 for the shaver and $5 for the blades.

BTW, the cartridge war started when Gillette got ticked that the double edge razors they put out in the 1900s could be used with generic blades. They really could not do anything about it until the 1960s or 70s when the Atra came into being. Proprietary handle for proprietary blades. Money!!

Buy an old fashioned butterfly safety razor (http://www.amazon.com/Parker-Butterfly-Double-Safety-Razor/dp/B003NTHWLU/). I use one. The blades are extremely inexpensive. The razor will last decades.

Moved from General Cycling Discussion to Foo.

I buy the disposable Schick Quattro for women, when they go on sale at $ 4 for a three-pack of razors. I buy several packs and use a new razor every two weeks. I change out the razor on payday, so it is easy to remember. I shave my face, neck and head every day in the shower. I switched over to the women's razor after reading on the Internet that you get less nicks and cuts shaving your head with one. I am here to tell you that is absolutely true. I used to use the Schick's four-blade disposable for men, and I would nick or cut my head at least weekly. Since switching, no more cuts and nicks.

+1 I love my Parker.

I buy the disposable Schick Quattro for women, when they go on sale at $ 4 for a three-pack of razors. I buy several packs and use a new razor every two weeks. I change out the razor on payday, so it is easy to remember. I shave my face, neck and head every day in the shower. I switched over to the women's razor after reading on the Internet that you get less nicks and cuts shaving your head with one. I am here to tell you that is absolutely true. I used to use the Schick's four-blade disposable for men, and I would nick or cut my head at least weekly. Since switching, no more cuts and nicks.

Interesting. I think I will give that a try. Though I rarely cut my head when shaving. I suppose the shave could be improved.

check out the other shaving thread currently on page one of foo, and there have been previous threads, iirc.

Basically, in terms of low expense/best bang per buck per shave, imho, it's:

1. Straight Razor - lasts longer than you or your kids; just needs extra care to shave with, and a little skill to sharpen well.

2. Single or double edge safety razor - the razor lasts a lifetime and costs about $50. give or take...for blades, shop around online and you can get bulk packaging for about $.05/blade, which - if you use a new blade for each shave and you shave 6 days/week - comes out to 1.20/month, or $15.60/year.

3. Electric Razor - I am guessing here b/c Idk how much they all cost, or how long they'd last, or what you need to do in terms of sharpening the blades.

4. Cartridges - last time I checked, my brand (Gillette Mach 3) was costing me about $300+/year. No thanks. I now go with option #2

2. Single or double edge safety razor - the razor lasts a lifetime and costs about $50. give or take...for blades, shop around online and you can get bulk packaging for about $.05/blade, which - if you use a new blade for each shave and you shave 6 days/week - comes out to 1.20/month, or $15.60/year.

Do the blades need to be changed at each shave? I make my mach 3s last for a month but barely and am looking at other options.

My facial hair is so coarse that new blades and dull blades seem pretty close in feel. I just shave until it gets hard to pull with that cartridge. Makes things last a long time. People can actually hear the noise of my shaving (blade cutting through hair, not yells of pain) through doors, I've had people ask about it repeatedly. This is with new blades too.

check out the other shaving thread currently on page one of foo, and there have been previous threads, iirc.

Basically, in terms of low expense/best bang per buck per shave, imho, it's:

1. Straight Razor - lasts longer than you or your kids; just needs extra care to shave with, and a little skill to sharpen well.

2. Single or double edge safety razor - the razor lasts a lifetime and costs about $50. give or take...for blades, shop around online and you can get bulk packaging for about $.05/blade, which - if you use a new blade for each shave and you shave 6 days/week - comes out to 1.20/month, or $15.60/year.

3. Electric Razor - I am guessing here b/c Idk how much they all cost, or how long they'd last, or what you need to do in terms of sharpening the blades.

4. Cartridges - last time I checked, my brand (Gillette Mach 3) was costing me about $300+/year. No thanks. I now go with option #2


Do folks shave their head with a safety razor?

Do folks shave their head with a safety razor?

With practice it can be done. You'll probably nick yourself at first.

Gem razors are the best for leg shaving.

Do folks shave their head with a safety razor?
Real men shave their heads with a straight razor.

Do folks shave their head with a safety razor?

I have never tried this, but I have read enough cautionary tales against it to try. The classic safety razors are not that good with curves and bumps, which my head offers in abundance. I figure it costs me about $ 3 per month to shave, and that is cheap enough for me.

I searched for Foo? Thanks for the move! I tried a antique shaver, but the result was a very tender face and some nasty nicks. I think my shaver wasn't the best even when new. There were high and low dollar ones even back when. You can get a new one for just over 40, but I just never went through with it. It was a VERY close shave, but any little bump became a flesh wound.:lol: Maybe I will try it again sometime soon. I like my Braun electric, but it takes twice as long as a blade and has to be done pre-shower. Otherwise it tears my face up from the lack of skin oil.,,,,BD

And whatever happened to generic blades?

I recently found a pack of generic blades for my Gilette Fusion something-or-other razor at the local Duane Reade drug store

...and they sucked. Really overtly pisspoor compared to the Gillette-branded equivalents.

Real men shave their heads with a straight razor.

real men don't need to shave their heads....nature takes care of it for us.

Do the blades need to be changed at each shave? I make my mach 3s last for a month but barely and am looking at other options.

well, ymmv, of course - depends on your skin and your shaving cream, how well you rinse the blade etc. But fwiw, I can get about 4 comfortable shaves out of a Mach 3 cartridge before I notice it not working well to the point I have to use more pressure and get nicks as a result. The same thing happens after maybe two shaves with the safety DE razor - and if you start adjusting your technique, you will get cut more easily; the cartridges are far more forgiving for sloppiness.

So, my two cents: Yes, you will go through more blades than cartridges, but the cost offset is so great that it is still better economy.

The one caveat I would stress is I have found that DE safety shaves require more time - about twice as long or longer in the AM - if that is an issue, think twice. You need to shave more slowly, doing very short strokes and rinsing more often. You should also do more prep - hot towel on the face (or at least a good washing with warm water), pre-shave oil, good lathering with a brush. I guess the bottom line is, I prefer the DE b/c it is a nice experience, and I like the savings.

But the truth is, If I am running late I still might use the cartridge I keep around for legs and I can use that in the shower, without a mirror or lather. I just double check around the nose and mouth in the mirror after the shower, splash on after shave, and I'm out the door. I would never try that with a DE safety, but I'd much rather give myself 10 extra minutes and do it right.

Finally - I did try a DE on my head, and no, I would stick with a cartridge there. Or maybe one of those finger ring head razors (I've not tried one yet myself, the Mach 3 works fine)

I'll add that I have no experience shaving with a straight razor, but the technique with a cartridge is quite different than a DE imo.

I started with a DE (at age 12) and got an Atra when they were introduced, maybe 4-5 years later. I noticed right away you could shave faster and with less cuts/bleeding. You also could be less careful - longer strokes, sloppy control. I did like how you could get in closer under the nose and around the earlobes with much more ease, due to the smaller surface, compared to the DE head.

Going back to the DE a few years ago, I had to slow down, and take more care. But I also realized b/c the average DE razor is heavier than a cartridge handle, you needn't apply so much pressure - you can let the razor's weight work for you. I'll add that I own several vintage Gillettes, and the Blue tips and black handle Super Speeds, which were marketed for lighter beards are much lighter weight than the red tips, which were intended for coarse beards. The fat Boy (adjustable) SS is the heaviest. Of course the different types also had a different blade angle and varying amount of blade exposed, but the weight also factored in.

Once you adjust to the weight and get the technique down, you can get in all the tight spots and get a nice close shave with no nicks. As i said, imo it requires more time and care, and a little extra prep.

PS - if you buy a vintage razor on ebay, yard sale , etc. it's a good idea to get it cleaned and sterilized before you use it.

real men don't need to shave their heads....nature takes care of it for us.

Lazy nature. "Lets take away half your hair and stop. "
Grr

I use a womens razor like a Quattro or a Venus for my legs and a 50's Gillette safety razor with NOS vintage blades for my face. For cream, I often use conditioner for my legs (in the shower) and I'm still using shave gel for my face, though I want to eventually get into proper wet shaving one of these days.

If you are really into it, check out badgerandblade.com

If you are really into it, check out badgerandblade.com

+1

btw I tried an 'anti-bump' shave gel by Neutrogena - never again...I'm going back to my shave cream asap. Wet shave with brush, ftw. I may try the pre-shave oil again as well...I think it's just grape-seed oil or almond oil, so I may try to get it cheaper somewhere, instead of one of the pricey shaving brands.

I did like how you could get in closer under the nose and around the earlobes with much more ease, due to the smaller surface, compared to the DE head.

Apparently, pgoat = BF's resident wookie :p

well, I've seen much worse, but yeah, I needs more manscaping than some...I blame my genes...

I use an electric (cost in the $40-50 range) and replacement blades for it are ~$25. Or at least that what it was like 3 years ago the last time I replaced. They say you should do it about every 18 months or so, but I have a beard a lot of the time so I really only regularly shave my neck and upper cheeks unless I've gotten rid of the beard for a while. Pretty much they change models of electrics and don't support the old ones such that I'll buy one replacement blade and then they won't make them anymore but about the time I need another the battery has stopped holding a charge so I just buy a new electric. Basically, then I'm looking at ~$75 for the razor and one replacement every 7 or so years, but then like I said I have a beard and even when I don't I only shave my face. Have tried shaving elsewhere and using that nair for men crap, but that's not my style.

Y'all spend too much.

For my face, I use the same Atra I've used for over 25 years. Generic replacement cartridges run less than 30 cents apiece in packs of 10. For my legs in the shower, I use cheapo disposable twin blades I buy at the grocery store for $1.32 for a 6 pack.

Buy an old fashioned butterfly safety razor (http://www.amazon.com/Parker-Butterfly-Double-Safety-Razor/dp/B003NTHWLU/). I use one. The blades are extremely inexpensive. The razor will last decades.

I use a Gillette which is over 100 years old, and has been passed down generation to generation in my family. One of these days I'll buy a newer one and use that one instead, but until then I'm enjoying using it. I go through about 8 dollars worth of blades every 6 months, which would be cheaper if I ordered from the web.

The only thing I don't like is that I always dry shaved before I started using this thing, and of course that ended after the first time I used it. :eek:

Welcome back, Michigander!
What's up?

I really like the Gillette Fusion, the blades actually last a lot longer then my previous Schick 3 bladed job, so the cost is about the same maybe less for the blades over the long haul. I tried a butterfly system but the thing cut my face a lot so I tossed it. I'm so so with electrics because they don't shave close enough and the battery doesn't last long enough and sometimes I go places where there is no electricity for days; but I did buy a Bruan P60 battery shaver that uses 2 AA batteries and this will shave for a month on one set of bats. I take the Braun camping and touring, doesn't shave as close as a blade but it will clean you up adequately.

I don't shave my legs though.