Best shave ever
A few months ago my friend Bernie told me about his experiences shaving with old style safety razors. At the time it sounded like more trouble than it was worth and the community of weirdly fanatical DE (double edge razor) shavers seemed a bit like the Robert Bly/Iron John folks to me. However, I then got to thinking about the amount of plastic, metal, and money I throw out every week with my disposable cartridges. Then, Bernie posted a picture of his new Merkur Open Comb razor and I decided to look into it a bit. I discovered that I can use all steel blades with a steel disposal safe (about $0.99 to hold many blades) and recycle the whole thing. Being a beginner, I ordered the Merkur 34C recommended on many online sites:
Essentially, it is three pieces of steel (four if you count the blade): a guard, a handle, and an adjustment nut at the base of the handle:
Simple, clean, and sustainable. The only things more sustainable are a straight razor, for which I am just not manly/dedicated enough right now, or a full beard, which I only grow seasonally (and skipped this year entirely).
My kit arrived while I was out of town, so I only just got to try the razor for the first time today. It was probably the best shave I’ve ever had (which, as those of you who are aware of my hairiness know, can be an issue). I’m still getting the hang of working around the nose and chin, but I didn’t come out of it with any more nicks than I do from cartridge razors. Plus, I think this is the first time I’ve had a truly clean shave since I was 17. Shaving does require a bit more care and effort, but a week of practice will solve that. I also think I might prefer a razor with a longer handle in the future (for $30 I’m not that concerned with buying another down the road and passing this one along).
Anyway, this shave was so good I am actually beginning to understand the weird culture of DE shaving and the need to share strange personal grooming experiences online (hence this post). I don’t think I’ll be going in for the fancy boar bristle brushes, and the reasonably green shaving cream I keep confusing with the toothpaste of the same brand still works just fine (yes, Scott, I know you hate it), but I really love my new razor.