Safety and cut throat razors – Are they worth trying?
So you might know that, despite being happy with my Azor, i’ve been toying with the idea of trying a double-edge safety razor for a while now. Well hopefully i’ll be trying one out next week and i’ll be able to write up a diary to document my experiences with it. I’ll test it out for a week or two and then post my findings. As always you can get daily updates/pictures of what i’m testing on my Twitter page.
Today we’ll be talking about two classic alternatives to the cartridge razor; the safety and the cut throat. Since I have no experience with either, the experts at Shaving Shack have kindly offered to explain them both to you!
These traditional razors have been used for many years and are generally recommended for those who are already competent and experienced wet shavers. Both these types of razors are still popular male grooming products today, especially with those looking for a closer shave. If you are looking for something that will give you the best quality shave around, then listen to those who use them, who still argue that this is the only way to shave!
Safety razors
The safety razor is a razor that protects the skin from all but the very edge of the blade itself. Despite the fact that the ‘safety’ aspect prevents the possibility of any serious injury to the user, it still requires an amount of skill and attention to detail when performing the shave.
There are quite a number of variations on safety razors available these days including the range of quality products on offer from Parker and Merkur.
Cut throat razors
The cut throat razor or straight razor as it is also known is a traditional open straight edge razor that has been used as a tried and tested way to shave for a long time. These razors, with a blade that can fold into its handle, have to be used with caution as they are extremely sharp razors, but without the safety feature. At one time, these razors were the main way that most men used to shave. These cut throat razors do require a considerable amount of skill to use, and this can be honed through practice, but as long as you take care during shaving the results can be phenomenal.
These razors still give shavers the best possible results, and many men will testify to this fact, but if you are still new to traditional razors, help and advice is available as to the best ways to get the most out of them.
So, have you tried either one of these? Maybe gone to a barber shop to have a cut throat shave? If you have, please email me or leave a comment with your take on it!
Remember to visit Shaving Shack and take a look at their male grooming products – including the razors and cut throat razors mentioned in this article!
Disclaimer: I wasn’t paid to post this on my blog, Shaving Shack are just doing me a favour by loaning me their expertise!
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My experience with a DE Safety razor has involved not a few nicks and small cuts, but also some of the most pleasant minutes of my morning, and a much closer, less irritating shave. And I just feel like a bit of a bad-ass
I’ve been using a cutthroat for some time now and, yes they do have a learning curve, but if you respect the fact that you are using one of the sharpest instruments known to man, you’ll survive the process unscathed. Nicks and cuts usually come from careless behaviour or not paying attention to the task at hand.
A cutthroat razor will give you the best shave of your life provided you put in the time to learn how to use one, and maintain it’s edge, either by doing your own honeing, another learning curve, or having someone accomplished do it for you. You’ll still need to learn to use a strop.
Most people espouse time issues or the percieved danger of cutthroat use. Yes, it will take a little longer to shave, but mainly because what you are doing is applying correct shaving technique. This isn’t about squirting some canned foam into the hand and slapping it on, then quickly running a multi blade vibrator up and down your face. No, what we are doing is creating some man time for ourselves, we’re taking back our share of the bathroom from our time consuming wives and teenage daughters. Working up a fragrent lather on a brush, massaging it into our face before manning up to the open razor of choice. The one that you will one day pass on to your own son and he to his, Try that with a Mach 3…Gee thanks dad…Not!
Men had been using cutthroat razors for hundreds of years before King Camp Gilette came up with his idea of selling a razor handle at a loss and making profits on the sale of the disposable blades that inevitably end up at the local dump as landfill.
On that note, if the thought of facing up to a cutthroat razor for a shave after a big session on the turps the night before doesn’t tickle your fancy, the next best thing is the DE or Safety razor. The learning curve is less the maintenance is minimal, the hardest thing about these is working through a few different brands of blades to find one that suits you and your face best. Once that’s done, you just order the blades in bulk and save yourself hundreds or thousands of dollars over your shaving life. The blades can be deposited into a sealed tin and the whole thing can be recycled when the tin is full. And the shaves are almost equal to the quality and longevity of a cutthroat shave.
For the record I have, in my years, shaved with in order of use, Bic disposables, twin blade cartridge heads (Gilette Sensor), triple blade cartridge heads (Gilette Mach 3) and a Philishave 8894 (Like what Bond used in his Pierce Brosnan personna). The Bic’s were garbage, cartidge heads worked fine until I knew better, the electric was just a waste of time and money, as the shave had no last to it.
I now use a Dovo with imitation mother of pearl handles, gold plated etching and 5/8″ wide blade, a Geisen and Forthoff Timor also 5/8. A vintage Bengall 6/8″ and a vintage Wostenholm with a 13/16″ wide blade. For those days when the night before was a bit on the rough side I have a Merkur 34c HD safety razor. Of course you don’t need all those cutthroats, but it’s like art, if it’s affordable you buy it. Anyway that’s my take on your invite to help add to your blog. Hope it was of some use to you.
Mick
I got a safety razor about 8 months ago and it’s brilliant. I got a Merkur HD 34c, along with 6 razor blades. I’ve still not bought another pack of blades. Granted, I only shave a few times a week, but the blades stay sharp, and if I was using a modern multi blade razor, I’d have definitely needed to buy more blades by now.
Also, when I do need to buy blades they cost barely anything.
The shave itself is great too. Just as close as a modern multi blade razor on the first pass, then if I need it any closer I just lather up and shave again.
I honestly don’t see why people use modern razors, they’re more expensive and not as good.
i collect antique razors mostly gillette’s but a few cut throats. the tr cadman and sons strait razor shaves very well. my valet auto strop single edge razor shaves extremely well very close shave handy to sharpen because of the strop that runs through to sharpen it. the best comes of a few of my gillette 3 piece tech that takes double edge blades a bit mild a shave for any one with a coarse beard. gillette super speeds shave well and are affordable and will shave as well as a merkur.
I started shaving with a DE Merkur Vision safety razor a couple of years ago. I don’t miss the days of the disposable razors at all! The shave a guy get’s with this type of shaving is simply awesome. I’m contemplating trying a cut throat but I just don’t know if I want to invest the time in having to strop and hone the razor. I’m sure I will eventually try it but I have been putting it off for now. I almost feel sorry for the guys out there shaving with an electric shaver and using disposable blades. If they only knew….
Have had a slit throat 4 weeks now, getting an amazing close shave an now really enjoy shaving!