Returning to the Art of Shaving

Today, I'm revisiting an old topic -- shaving. In the past two years, I've come full circle from Gillette Fusion cartridge razor to Braun electric razor and now it's back to basics -- a good old fashioned double edge safety razor, the kind my father used to use (I can even remember my grandfather using a straight razor, I think.).

Previously, I had used a shaving brush and soap bowl, but still stuck with the trusty Fusion. So, when an Art of Shaving store opened in Portland, I decided to give it a try. My first purchase was a Merkur Futur, a heavy, Germany made razor with a dial on the handle to adjust the angle of the blade. Then, I decided to give the more dainty, English made Edwin Jagger a try. It's very nice, but the handle is a bit on the short side. Still, it seems to suite my needs a little more than the big German machine.

At first, I was very off-and-on about the whole idea. I was put off by the need to really slow down and take a whole different approach to shaving, even shaving two or three times to get a super close shave. After numerous cuts, I just gave up and went back to the Fusion. But, I keep coming back to the safety razor. I've now been using the Edwin Jagger for about a week with excellent results and liking the idea more every day.

I've been using a pre-oil (made from rape seed) to soften up the beard, but just read that I should be shaving after I get out of the shower, not before in order to better moisten my beard.

It does take longer to shave. This morning, I shaved twice because I watched a video where it was recommended. Also, learned that I should soak the razor in warm water before using as it makes a difference. I'm getting better and better at it and haven't had any major cuts in awhile. One of the tricks is to figure out how long a blade will last. I think it's going to be about a week. I could make one of those Fusion cartridges go a month.

One of the things I really like is that double edge shaving gives me a smaller footprint. No hunks of plastic and metal to throw away, just a very thin blade that is recyclable. And, the razor itself should last for years. In fact I asked a friend who's into antiquing to look for an antique razor. And, you'll definitely save money. Costco sells a 16-pack of Fusion cartridges for about $44, so that's less than $3 each. A double edge blade runs about 25 cents.

I also like the feel after using the double edge razor. It seems like more of an accomplishment and a throwback to a time when he lived in less of a throw away world and cared more about permanence. I'm not surprised that it took me several starts and stops to actually get to a point where I was using the safety razor for more than a day or two at a time. But, I think I finally may be hooked.

If you're inclined to go double edge, read this post from one of the commentators from Badger & Blade, a shaving website.