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Cartridge razors have been the razor of choice for men around the world since before most of us can remember. Because they are popular, they must be the best, right? At least that’s what I thought until a friend introduced me to a safety razor and I never looked back.
If you are a regular reader of this site, you will know that we believe in buying something once and using it a for long time rather than constantly purchasing disposable items. A safety razor is the epitome of this kind of purchase and it is something that all men should consider.
What is a safety Razor?
Safety razors vary from traditional cartridge razors in that only one blade is contact with your skin rather than a number of blades.
Safety razors have been around since the old days (whenever they were). They are like those razors you may have seen in your grandfather’s bathroom. They come in a range of styles, materials, and colors but are most commonly found in stainless steel as seen below.
10 Reasons to Use A Safety Razor
Modern advancements have generally made things better; I wouldn’t buy a computer that was designed twenty years ago. However, some things (and more than one might believe) have actually gotten worse instead of better.
Razors fall in the latter category. I made the switch from a cartridge razor five years ago and I can attest to its benefits which include the following.
01 Safety razors result in a closer shave
02 Safety razors are cheaper (a lot cheaper)
03 Safety razors are better from the environment
04 Safety razors cause less irritation
05 Safety razors have wider choice of blades
06 Safety razors are easier to travel with
07 Safety razors are more pleasurable to shave with
08 Safety razors look great
09 Safety razors are easier to clean
10 Safety razors allow for a wider choice of shaving lubricants
Read on to learn more about these benefits and if a safety razor might be for you.
01 Safety razors result in a closer shave
One of the most important reasons to switch to a safety razor is that it results in a closer shave.
There are various options in terms of razor heads that you can choose, some leaving more of the blade exposed giving a closer shave and some being more closed, resulting in a safer shave.
A safety bar head, which leaves much of the blade covered, is the ‘safest’ choice reducing the chance of accidentally cutting yourself while open comb heads offer an extremely close shave but require much care.
A closed comb head lies in the middle of these two extremes offering the best of both worlds. I have personally been using a closed comb head for the past four years and couldn’t be happier. While shaving takes a little longer, I can get a great shave and almost never nick myself. Despite what you may think or have hear, adjusting to shaving with a safety razor is very easy and it won’t take much time before it becomes second nature.
Regardless of what kind you choose, in my experience, these razors give you a closer shave. The only downside is that it takes a little longer to get the job done.
02 Safety razors are cheaper (a lot cheaper)
This is a huge reason to make the change to a safety razor.
Aside from allowing for a better shave, over the long term, using a safety razor is significantly cheaper than using a modern cartridge system. This is mainly due to the blades being much cheaper.
You can buy 100 safety razor blades from the highly-rated brand Astra for just $12. For those of you who are lazy, this works out to just $0.12 per blade. Compare this to one Gillette5 cartridge which costs more than two dollars per cartridge.
It should be said that safety razors, do, however, cost a little more upfront. Good quality stainless steel safety razors range from about $20 to well over $100. I got mine from my good friends at manlystuff.com about five years ago and continue to use it on a daily basis.
This travel razor retails for less than $40 and I have been more than happy with it. An extra benefit of this one is that unscrews to become very compact when traveling. It’s weighty and feels very significant and I don’t ever see myself having to replace it which again saves on costs.
03 Safety razors are better from the environment
Popular cartridge razors are made from plastic and designed to disposable. The cartridges also contain plastic and packaged in plastic.
Good quality safety razors are made from stainless steel and the blades are generally sold in tiny carboard packages. I am not an environmental expert but as far as I can see, safety razors are better for the environment in every way.
If you are a regular reader here, you will know that I am a huge fan of buying higher quality items and using them for as long as possible, thereby reducing the need to shop and also minimizing waste. This couldn’t be better exemplified than by a quality safety razor.
04 Safety razors cause less irritation
As well as offering a closer shave, the single blade system of a safety razor causes less irritation than multiple blade cartridges.
The problem with cartridge razors is that typically the first blade does most of the cutting and as result becomes dull before the rest of the blades. Most guys, or girls, continue using this cartridge as most of the blades are still sharp. However, as the first dull blade rubs on the skin it pulls the skin which can cause razor burn and ingrown hairs.
With only one blade on the skin at a time, this is less likely to happen with a safety razor. Yes, the blade will go dull, but it can be changed easily and economically and there is only one blade to pull on your skin as opposed to three, four, or even five.
As someone who often had irritation from shaving in the past, I couldn’t recommend using a safety razor with a new blade more.
05 Safety razors have wider choice of blades
When you buy a modern cartridge razor, you are tied to that system. People generally continue buying the blades that fit the razor handle they invested in. Not only can this be expensive, but it is also sub-optimal.
With these cartridges, you have little if any choice in what kind of blade you want. The problem with this is that everyone has different hair types, shaving feel preferences and skin types. In contrast, with a safety razor, you are not stuck to one type of blade and can try as many as you want.
There is a huge range of blades available from different brands, and they are all way more affordable than cartridges meaning that you can easily try out different blades to find out which works best for you. You can even buy variety of packs to try out as many as possible.
Pick out the best blade that enables you to trim your beard successfully. This will ensure that your beard will not make you look fat.
06 Safety razors are easier to travel with
Modern cartridge razors can take up a surprising amount of space in your toiletry bag when traveling.
Even though safety razors are generally heavier, they take up much less space due to the small size of the blades.
Better yet, travel versions of safety razors can be unscrewed and result in a tiny package.
07 Safety razors are more pleasurable to shave with
While this is subjective, for me the combination of weight and the choice of blades to suit one makes shaving a much more pleasurable experience.
When you first get a safety razor, it feels like you have stepped back in time or that you are James Bond.
Shaving becomes an occasion rather than a chore.
08 Safety razors look great
For anyone that values simple and elegant design, it is hard to disagree that safety razors trump modern cartridge razors in terms of style.
Gone are the days of plastic and logos and here are the days of simplicity and stainless steel.
09 Safety razors are easier to clean
Four or five blades might seem like a good idea. I mean, more is always better, right? Maybe not. Not only do more blades result in more irritation for the reasons described earlier in this post, they are also harder to clean.
Cleaning the blades of safety razor is considerably easier without needing to do unscrew anything but if it does get clogged up, one simply has to unscrew the head and it can be washed clean in a jiffy. The same cannot be said for a cartridge razor.
10 Safety razors allow for a wider choice of shaving lubricants
Cartridge razors are designed to be used with mass-produced shaving foam or gel. These foams and gels are thinner than what might be desired for a smooth shave. However, due to the closeness of the blades, they do not cause cartridge razors to become clogged.
Safety razors, on the other hand, clog less easily. As a result, one can use whatever lubricant they choose. You could use the same foam that you use with a cartridge razor or you could upgrade to a thicker, more luxurious shaving soap to keep your shave silky smooth.
So, there you have it. I am obviously a big fan of the safety razor and would encourage anyone to try it.
