Thursday, December 2, 2010

A Wonderful Safety Razor

It has been awhile since I posted here - very busy.  One thing I want to do is a review of rice cookers, since we recently bought our third cooker.  We have a Sanyo, a Zojirushi, and a Tiger.  Our favorite is the Tiger, but more to come.

I did want to talk off topic about shaving.  I have the ideal gift idea for the man in your life who is a wet shaver (or wants to be - it really is the best way IMO).  I have a stout beard but a sensitive face.  I long ago abandoned the electric - just too poor of a shave.  For a long while, I used a straight razor, and still do on occasion.  It gives a great shave, but takes a lot of time, and there is always the inevitable nick unless you do it every day.  It is definitely not for everybody, and really not for me when such great double edge safety razors are so inexpensive.

The widely available multi-blade cartridges are to me an abomination.  The cost is ridiculous, they don't last long, they cut the whiskers below the skin, which then irritate the face as they grow back, and the plastic cartridges will contaminate our world for many years to come.  Then there are the aerosol cans of awful shave lotion.  And the teflon strips that are there because the shave cream is so awful.

The old double edge safety razor with a badger brush and shaving soap or creme can't be beat.  You get a smooth shave that feels and looks good.  It is inexpensive over time and is better for the environment.  It is so cheap that you are not tempted to push things with a dull blade.

I have a fairly large collection of razors, and am always willing to try something new.  I was using a (expensive) Merkur Vision Adjustable, which did pretty well.  But I had read glowing reports about the reasonably priced Muhle 89R (non adjustable) in shaving circles.  Since I needed some new shaving cream and more blades, I ordered one.  Wow.  I now see why so many people who could and would buy anything are moving to this shaver.

Here is what it looks like (from Lees Safety Razors, where I got it) http://www.leesrazors.com/products/Muhle-R89-Safety-Razor.html
Lee says that the Jagger for $41 has the same head and shaves just as well.  It is perhaps not as beautifully finished as the Muhle.  The Muhle is just amazing.

It comes with a single Derby blade, which turned out to be excellent.  I will order some more of those blades.  This combo shaved very close with no irritation.  That is what others have noted, and I agree.  With most razors, it is easy to get a close shave if you don't mind ripping your face a bit.  And easy to get a comfy shave if you don't go close.  But the Muhle razor is the best of all worlds and does not need to be adjustable.  I haven't heard of a single person who has not gotten great shaves with this, and I am very enthusiastic, as is Farley.  She noticed how my face was Baby Bottom Smooth for most of the day.

Amazon sells Gillette Mach III blades, 12 for $24.  That is about $2.00 each, and they don't last long.  Lees sells the Derby's 15 for $7.50.  That is $.50 each and a fourth the price of the Gillettes, and they shave better and are more durable.  You will be kinder to the environment, your face, your loved one, and your wallet by going Double Edge.  If you use 120 blades per year, you will spend $60 per year on blades versus $240 for Mach III.

You will also save money and feel (and smell) better with a quality shaving soap or creme over the cheap [in quality] stuff that is sold in aerosol cans.  Lee is a guy who will help you out.  You will also need some type of brush, but the less expensive ones are fine.  In fact, I prefer them because I like a stiff brush.

So I think that this makes a great gift.  It actually saves money and wins in every department.  Marketing is amazing.  It convinces people that they want bad food and bad shaves for more money.

8 comments:

  1. Hmmm..... how come it costs me money every time you or Farley review a new thing?

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  2. It's definitely a huge improvement. Bob has always been quite kissable, but now? Look out dear!-)

    Mrs D...maybe we should change the blog name to The Enablers?

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  3. Between razor and brush you have to spend close to $125. Not a very economical solution. You can buy Gillets at much lower price than $2 per blade when you buy somewhat bulk or wait for the deals that come up every now and then.

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  4. Sorry, but the Anonymous post above is bogus IMO. First, where do you buy Gillette Mach III blades for cheap? I could not find any for less than $2 per blade in quantity. Please post a link if you claim that they cost less.

    Next, the double edge blades are also less in quantity. The excellent Derby blades are $12.45 per 100 with free shipping on ebay. 100 Gillette Mach II are going to run over $200. That is quite a difference for a year's worth of blades.

    The figures I used were from a single source as much as possible. The Muhle razor is a luxury item. The Merkur 1904 razor is also excellent, will last a lifetime, and is preferred by many. It costs $28 at retail. http://www.leesrazors.com/products/Merkur-1904.html The Weishi is under $20.

    A perfectly good bristle brush costs $17.50 at Lees. http://www.leesrazors.com/categories/Shaving-Brushes/Beginner-Brushes/ The brush and razor are one time costs. So you can get into great wet shaving for significantly less than half of the $125 you quote.
    100 Gillette Mach III blades alone are going to cost way more than that. And that does not take into account the poorer shave quality and environmental damage that accompany the Gillette blades and the tremendous difference in the recurring cost of blades.

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  5. Well, Bob and Farley, you ARE enablers. I figured the cost of my Venus shaver and new heads and in a year I will have paid for my new safety razor. Wish I had noticed the mention of the Jagger razor with the same head for 20 bucks less, but I am delighted with this razor. It's the best I've ever used.

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  6. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Hope you have a great holiday. Lucille

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  7. Thats what i was wondering. What happened?

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  8. Delighted that I found your site, fantastic info. I will
    bookmark and try to visit more frequently.

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