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Shaving has been around for centuries. From the time when men used rocks to trim their beards, to now when the selection is numerous. For both woman and men there are several different annoyances and a litle bit of pain that goes into shaving. Thank to technology, improvements on pre and post shave products, this hassle has been reduced greatly. Ironically, some of the best tools for shaving still come from the 1800’s.
Whether you love a traditional look of the straight razor and shavettes or swear by the disposable cartridge razors that you see everywhere. There are many options.
Feather stainless steel safety razor. Picture from rakhyvel.nu
Some people even swear by the Japanese straight razor or the Kamisori razor that comes enriched in history and culture. In respects to the timeline and usefulness, somewhere between all these choices is the safety razor.
Safety razors were a huge improvement on the scarier to use straight razors that had been the main selection of shaving for thousand plus years. With a name that came from the consumer-friendly nature of the shaving instrument, safety razors were an enormous upgrade.
Safety razors have been around since 1800’s, they are the shaving tool of your grandfather’s grandfather. In fact, safety razors were a part of the standard *eld kit of every GI who fought in World War 1 (WWI). The need to use gas masks and safety equipment made shaving a must. Patented in early 1900’s by King Camp Gillette company, this was the upgrade most men waited on. Removing the hassle of maintenance that straight razors required, safety razors gave people an easier, safer and beer alternative to shaving.
For over a century you could have found a straight razor in every home. As electronic shavers and shavees grew in popularity, the safety razor lost some of its charm. With a name that inspires so much trust and a heavy stylish look the safety razors are making a comeback along with straight razors. But, what are they really? How safe are they really?
To today’s razor users, the safety razor might not seem so safe. In fact, there is an adjustment period that goes into learning how to properly shave with a safety razor. But historically, when the safety razors came out at the height popularity the straight razor,
they were the world changing in terms of safety. Not only were they much safer and easier to use but ook a lot less time to master. Compared to today’s disposable razors safety razors might not feel that safe, but in 1800-1900s they were life altering.
Let us get into the technical part of what a safety razor is. Safety razors are double edged razor blade that give the closest shave possible whist being gentle to the skin. This is done thanks to the protectve device positoned between the kin and the blade. Safety razors came about to reduce the skill needed for a risk-free shave, thus reducing the reliance on a professionals or barber.
The safety aspect of the shaving equipment is provided by the scalloped safety bar responsible for pushing your skin down and helping tighten the area around the razor. Tighter skin allows for a closer and cleaner shave. This safety bar gave its name to the name of the razor.
At this day and age, we usually depend on technology, with the mentality that newer is always better. While this might be true for cellphones and televisions, it doesn’t hold up for other inventions and innovations. Straight razors, shavettes, and safety razors might not be as easy to use as the disposable cartridge razors, their shave is still light years ahead.
What makes safety razors so much better than the cartridge razors that are in most bathrooms around the planet? The answer is several things, some of which are:
It is not all roses and butterflies when talking about safety razors. The advantages are clear and many but just like straight razor and the shavette there are a few things that can be seen as negatives. Few examples of this are:
There are three types of safety razors for shavers to pick from, the standard, adjustable and long handle safety razors. Each presents different advantages and or settings for you depending on your build, and ability. Let’s break down the differences between the razors so you can make the decision of which one is best for you.
Most razors do their jobs better when paired with the correct products. With safety razors, the quality of the shaving cream, soap, foam or gel does not matter as much. Most safety razors will work great with any of these items. With most razors, it is undeniable that as the quality of the product goes up, this is also true for safety razors. A good quality shaving lubricant can reduce the risk of irritation and cuts and nicks.
If you consider a good shave important, then it is important that you don’t slack on after shave products. These creams, gels, and balms can soothe the skin and provide it with nutrients that is necessary. If used correctly they will leave your skin feeling and smelling great.
Safety razors are quite easy to use, once you get a hang of the utensil. After you get familiar with the razor, shaving with it and maintaining it is a breeze. If you check out YouTube, it is full of people using their safety razor at speeds that are impressive.
Here is a simple guideline to using the safety razor properly:
When it comes to changing the blades of your safety razor does not have to be a difficult or complicated task. The type of safety razor and type of blade you have will determine the process it takes to change the blades. You can have a single piece, twist-to-open razors, two-piece razors, and three-piece razors. With blades, there are ones that come out of a magazine unwrapped, a type of magazine with the individual blades wrapped, or blades individually wrapped.
Say, if you have a three-piece safety razor, you can separate all parts of the head, allowing you to change and clean the razor thoroughly. The disassembly and reassembly can take some time to get a hang of, but after a few times should be a breeze.
Twist-to-open razor with unwrapped blades out of a magazine will allow for the easiest and most convenient combination. All you have to do is open the razor, pluck out the old blade and deposit the new blade in the slot, then twist to close, and you are done. Other combinations can be a little trickier and will require you to be more familiar with the blade and the razor.
With the blades, there may be a small dot of adhesive on the blade from the wrapper. The adhesive residue is a cause of annoyance for most people changing the blade on their razor. If the blade sticks to the top of the razor cap, simply grasp the razor by the ends of the blade gently push down.
The safety razor is an excellent shave for anyone who wants to have complete control over their shave without the increased risk of cuts that comes with straight razors. One of the most durable shaving tools in the world, these bad boys are made to last. Do not let the price tag of the razor fool you, in the long run it will pay for itself. Remember there is a 2500% difference in blades for the safety razor and buying cartridge razors.
Safety razors will make for a great purchase and bring you a truly close and clean shave. It can even be a skill and a hand me down to your kids some-day. There is just too much to like about this great razor, so use the information above to make the best choice for you. Lastly, do not let the YouTube videos fool you, this shaving machine is not meant to be used fast and easy at first. Do your due diligence in research and practice before trying to fly through a full shave.