Why A Safety Razor

For 29 years - except for a short fling with an terrible electric shaver - I used a multi-bladed cartridge razor thinking that was the absolute best instrument for the job. Every few years I'd purchase the new mannequin with yet another blade only to find it done the job exactly the same - that is - to go away me with a horrible red rash and irritable skin that would have to be shaved once more the following day and rarely allowed to heal.

By likelihood sooner or later I stumbled on a safety razor. I was instantly taken by it is old fashioned design and high quality appearance. Then I heard that these things were truly supposed to provide you a greater shave than cartridge razors comparable to your Gillettes and Wilkinson Swords, and that the blades value considerably less. I immediately bought one to present it a go but anticipated to be disappointed.

Getting used to utilizing it was a bit of a learning curve. I would turn into accustomed to having no regard for the angle of the blade and urgent the razor to my face, after three passes with the safety razor my skin nonetheless felt slightly irritated and I had a number of tiny weeping cuts.

However, I still felt quite a bit less irritation compared to my old cartridge razor so determined to present the safety razor a month's trial, keeping the triple bladed razor helpful till I would made my mind up or was in a rush. Nonetheless, I've nonetheless but to use it.

After doing my research, studying the correct blade angle and realising that the weight of the razor applies the pressure slightly than my hand, the safety razor was providing wonderful shaves. I went from skipping a days shaving every time I may to let my skin heal to shaving day by day with no rash or irritation. I learnt how the hair on my face grows in all completely different directions and the best combinations of strokes to use to cut them. I learnt about appropriate preparation pre-shave which is something I'll go into in a future post. Best of all, shaving turned from a torturous each day chore to be endured into a soothing, meditative ritual.

So how can a design that was all but deserted forty years ago supply a superior experience to the trendy design that changed it? Why was the design of the safety razor replaced in any respect? To reply the primary question we should take a look at how the cartridge razor works. In all the adverts we're told that these products supply the closest shave doable, however how do they do that?

The design is such that the lowest blade within the cartridge both cuts the hair or pulls it. If it cuts the hair it's going to also pull the hair slightly out of the skin and the second blade will minimize it again before it fully retracts back into the skin. If it pulls the hair it is going to do the identical thing, pulling the follicle forward and letting the second (or third, or forth) blade lower the hair higher up earlier than the hair retreats. This provides an in depth shave, but may depart the hair cut beneath the extent of the skin. This is what should be blamed for my every day discomfort. I wonder how many men with 'pseudofolliculitis barbae' or 'razor rash' proceed to shave with these razors that worsen or cause their condition.

As for the question of why the safety razor design was abandoned, my view is that it was a intelligent advertising and marketing trick by a very giant razor wetshaving manufacturer, maybe the inventor of the 'loss leader' advertising strategy, however I will go away it there.

With a safety razor, I discovered that I might get a shave that felt as shut, i.e I couldn't really feel that hair was present or make that scratchy sound you get once you run your fingers over your 5 O'Clock shadow, but not so shut that it caused me irritation.