The Safety Razor

[erictank]

Who's the black-and-white dude with the facial hair?

Looks kind of like Danny McBride.

Second one is Jackie Chan.

Had no idea it was a meme.

[roo_ster]

When I look at tutorials for the DESR on youtube, all these guys are making 2, 3, 4 passes with the razor.

WTH is this all about?  OCD?  DESR can't shave as close?

[mtnbkr]

OCD and/or the ability to make multiple passes without razor burn. 

I've found the first pass is as close as a cartridge razor.  However, because it isn't as prone to causing razor burn, I can make 1-2 more passes, getting much closer shaves.  If I want the closest shave, I'll do two passes with the grain, then a final pass perpendicular to the grain.  If I did even two passes with a multiblade cartridge razor, I'd get razor burn.

The first pass is enough, but getting that "Baby butt smooth" shave is a novelty for me, so I frequently do the 2-3 pass thing even if it isn't necessary.

Chris

[lupinus]

When I look at tutorials for the DESR on youtube, all these guys are making 2, 3, 4 passes with the razor.

WTH is this all about?  OCD?  DESR can't shave as close?

It can shave just as close, and for most is can shave closer. But that requires technique, one of which is the concept of multiple passes. Pass one with the grain of the beard, pass two is across the grain of the beard. This, and probably just the one for most people, will get you a reasonably close shave and is where I usually stop. Three or four gets into across the grain from another direction and/or against the grain of the beard. The reason for this is that you get a more comfortable shave by gradual reduction of the beard on each pass, lathering between passes to maintain the lubrication offered by the lather and not shaving over the same area twice on the same pass. You can cheat a bit, and I often do when I'm in a hurry, but it's better doing it with multiple passes.

If you are watching the videos on youtube, I highly recommend Mantic59. His series is probably the most informative and best done on there.

[Perd Hapley]

You are all metrosexuals.

[Monkeyleg]

You are all metrosexuals.

Metrosexuals = people who are sexually attracted to cities?

Fistful shaves with an 18th century plow blade.

[erictank]

Metrosexuals = people who are sexually attracted to cities?

Fistful shaves with an 18th century plow blade.

Which would explain the bristles in his avatar.

My wife prefers me clean shaven. I find it useful to comply with this preference.

And there's nothing wrong with doing so in the most effective and comfortable manner, either.

[Perd Hapley]

Just teasin', guys.


Ack-shally Monkeyleg, "metro" means mother. Methinks the person who coined that neologism was unaware of that.

[Monkeyleg]

Where did you find that? I don't find "mother" in any dictionaries.

[mtnbkr]

I found this on Gentlemint.com (<shakes fist at Ben>) today: Weber Razor, made in the USA.  I may pick one up just to support the company.  At $20, they're pretty inexpensive.

Chris

[AmbulanceDriver]

Nice find Chris!  I was about to pull the trigger on the Engrish packaged ChiComm razor, but instead I think I will order that one...

Well...  Turns out that the HANDLE is $20...  The razor itself is sold out.  Found a review that lists the price of the whole razor is $55....

Still might jump on it, as the reviews are very positive on the razor.

[mtnbkr]

Oh, completely missed that it was just the handle for $20.

Chris

[Ben]

I found this on Gentlemint.com (<shakes fist at Ben>) today: Weber Razor, made in the USA.  I may pick one up just to support the company.  At $20, they're pretty inexpensive.

Chris

That's a nice looking razor! Plus my devious plan of having Chris spend all hist time looking for the best things on Gentlemint so I don't have to is working out perfectly. 

[GigaBuist]

I received my 100 pack of Derby blades last night.  Tried one out this morning and I can give them a thumbs up.  I don't even see any point in trying another brand, for me, at this point because I'm that happy with them.

And it'll take me nearly two years to use these up.  Got them from Amazon for $9.90.

[Ben]

You are all metrosexuals.

Perhaps if we were using women's shaving products, and on more than our beards. You will be hard-pressed to stick us with the metrosexual label though, for shaving like your grandpa (or in my case, because I'm an old codger, going back to how I started out shaving). Unless your grandpa is a metrosexual.  

[Perd Hapley]

Where did you find that? I don't find "mother" in any dictionaries.

Here:

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=metropolitan
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/metropolis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis

Some sources say that it means uterus:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/metro

Perhaps if we were using women's shaving products, and on more than our beards. You will be hard-pressed to stick us with the metrosexual label though, for shaving like your grandpa (or in my case, because I'm an old codger, going back to how I started out shaving). Unless your grandpa is a metrosexual.  

But your grandpa didn't get together with other metrosexuals on the internet to coo over their new razors, discuss shaving techniques, and brag about their baby-smooth faces. 

[Ben]

But your grandpa didn't get together with other metrosexuals on the internet to coo over their new razors, discuss shaving techniques, and brag about their baby-smooth faces. 

That's only because there was no Internet. What do you think all those old-timers that used to sit on rocking chairs in front of the general store used to talk about? (Somehow this should translate into a Far Side cartoon)

[Monkeyleg]

[seeker_two]

There will be no throat slitting on my watch.

What about gnawing off his own arm?....is that acceptable?.....

[AmbulanceDriver]

Took the plunge, ordered the weishi razor and palmolive stick as well as the sampler pack, a brush, and a small alum block for after the shave...

[TechMan]

What about gnawing off his own arm?....is that acceptable?.....

Seeker_two that is not nice.

[seeker_two]

Seeker_two that is not nice.

Never said I was nice.....snarky & excessively cute, perhaps.....but never nice....
 

[Ben]

Hey, how are you guys disposing of your old blades? I seem to recall back when I was first using a DE, the blade packs came with a little "storage area" on the bottom for old blades, then you just threw the whole shootin' match of blades and container away. None of the new blade packages I ordered have that.

Also, total tangent, but I got some of that Arko soap just for kicks and because of the neat label and tried some this morning. You know that whole olfactory - memory link? Kicked in full bore when I used the soap. I had a vivid image from when I was a little kid and my dad would let me "shave" with him. He would lather up my face and then take the blade out of his razor and let me shave with it. That Arko soap smells exactly like the bar soap he used for shaving when I was a little kid. I had totally forgotten about it until i used the soap stick this morning. Made me smile. :)

[lupinus]

Yeah a lot of blades no longer have the little slot in the back. In fact, a lot of the better blades just come in a little cardboard box with each blade individually wrapped in paper.

Next time you're at the supermarket pick up a can of cheap stock/broth. Use a chef's knife you don't care about, or something similar, and whack a slot of appropriate size in the top of the can. Drain the broth out, remove the wrapper from the outside, and rinse it out well with hot water. Making the slot a tad oversized helps. Instant blade bank for about 60 cents...and will probably hold darn near several years worth of blades. If you're feeling the need to make it less silvery can ugly you can hit it with some spray paint.

[mtnbkr]

I throw mine in my kids' rooms.  They're used, they aren't that sharp anymore.

Chris