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How to Use a Safety Razor Like Your Grandpa Did

Article Author
May 13, 2016
Will McGee

Tips On How to Use a Safety Razor.

Today, we’re going a little old school. Although they may be what your grandfather used to shave his face long ago, using a safety razor offers significant advantages that modern forms of shaving simply can’t provide. Newer isn’t always better, and safety razors are a testament to that.

What benefits you may ask?

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The Reduced Price

Well, for starters, using a safety razor will save you a large chunk of change in the long run. Walk into any store and an 8 pack of 4 blade cartridge razors will cost around $20. That’s a lot of money for something that will seemingly last a very short time. For those that are not mathematically inclined, that comes to $2.50 per cartridge.

How does that compare to the price of a safety razor? A standard safety razor will cost no more than $0.25. That’s a minimum savings of $2.25 per razor! If we factor in the “lifespan” of a safety razor (which will last several days longer than your standard 4 blade cartridge, you’ll save even more! A few bucks here and a few bucks there may not seem like a lot at first, but over the course of a year, two years, twenty years, that’s some serious moolah.

More Precise, Consistent Shave

Basics for Using a Safety Razor

Here’s how it works…

I’m going to outline the steps necessary to maximize the effectiveness of every shave you have from here on out. Ready?

Step #1 - Prep Your Facial Hair

Whether you’re using a safety razor, beard trimmer, disposable blade, etc this first step will always be the same. It’s important to prep your face before a shave to soften the hairs so that they cut easier and cause no irritation.

The easiest way to prep your facial hair is to shave immediately after stepping out of the shower. The humidity and increased temperature from the shower should soften and hydrate the facial hair enough for it to be shaved.

If you don’t have the opportunity to shower, wetting your face with some warm water or placing a hot towel on your face will be adequate enough to soften the hair.

Step #2 – The Lather Phase

Take a coffee mug and place about a nickel sized dollop of shaving cream at the bottom. Then, using your shaving brush, swirl the cream around to create a nice thick lather. Use the brush to apply the lather evenly across your face.

Step #3 – Time to Shave

Unlike using standard cartridge razors, using a safety razor requires a bit of technique and finesse. Once you gotten the hang of it though, you’ll be able to shave effortlessly with the help of a safety razor.

Keys to a successful shave;

  • Use a very small amount of pressure
  • Angle the blade away from the face (the more the better)
  • Shave WITH the grain of your face

You won’t want to use much pressure (if any at all) because the weight of the safety razor will take care of that for you and too much pressure may lead to a cut.

The most difficult part is getting used to angling the blade. The best angle for a shave is somewhere in the 30-45 degree range. This may take some getting used to. An easy method for finding this angle is to put the razor head directly on your cheek, while the handle is parallel to the floor. Then, slowly lower the handle until the razor can cut your hair.

Pro Tip: Check out my on the best de blades here.  I have nice list there to choose from to get you started.

Step #4 – Post Shave

Splash some cold water on your face to rinse it clean. The cold water will help close your pores. Then, liberally splash your favorite brand of aftershave on the shaved area. Voila! You’ve just given yourself the best shave you’ve ever had.

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Conclusion On How to Use a Safety Razor

Sometimes, the old tried and true methods are also the most effective. Not only will using a safety razor save you a bundle, but it will provide a closeness that you won’t find with the standard cartridge blades that are used today. Hopefully, this short tutorial helped you make the decision to finally switch to using a safety razor. Good luck and happy shaving! You can check out our favorite safety razor here which is the Merkur 180.

Article Author
I put together various reviews on Electric Shavers out there so other men will have the information they need to purchase the one that is right for their needs. If you have any questions please contact me

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