Men's razors: Do we really need 5 or 6 blades ?

[steve2470]

Last edited Sat Apr 6, 2013, 09:52 PM - Edit history (1)

Today I went to help my son buy his first razor, and lo and behold, our local Walgreen's did not stock an ordinary two blade Gillette Trac razor blade handle.

If you want 5 or 6 blades, no problem.

I feel like Rip Van Winkle. WTH.

eta: My son was able to buy a handle online for two-blade razors. Apparently the two blade razor is going the way of the dinosaur. I've been shaving with two blades for almost 40 years, and my only complaint is I cut myself when I'm not careful LOL

/grumbles GET OFF MY LAWN lol

[ZombieHorde]

1. My razor has 37 blades and is five and a half inches long.

The handle has an extension so I can mow the lawn with it after I shave.

Just kidding, I would never mow the lawn.

[Stuart G]

2. here is the secret...are you ready???

Go to another store....get a two...cheaper the better...and.....
and the real secret to a great shave...hot water..hotter the better..lots of soap on the hot water..

[ConcernedCanuk]

23. My 62 year old face likes room temperature water.

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Tap water is too cool, so I keep a container handy just for that purpose.

Hot water makes my face blotch and sensitive.

I get no razor rash, skin is smoother -

I do not use soap or shaving cream either,

just hold a washcloth on my face to soften and lubricate with my own skin oils,

then start shaving.

Take an initial scrape, re-soak with a washcloth - do it again, and once more for a fine tune.

And -

I find two blades the most efficient.

Too many nooks and crannies in this old mug for a 5-blader to even touch!

CC

[pscot]

3. If you didn't need 5 blades

Gillette wouldn't give you 5 blades, would they.

[steve2470]

4. yes I bow down to the wisdom of Gillette

[ConcernedCanuk]

24. And ya know what happens when ya bend over for that

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don't ya??

[HarveyDarkey]

5. I've used a Mach 3 for years, seems to be universally available

works fine for me.

[Liberal Veteran]

6. The absolute minimum needed is 53 blades for a close shave.

Anything less is just barbarism.

[steve2470]

7. yea I agree

Silly me, I've been so barbaric for almost 40 years

[Paulie]

21. Barberism?

[Aristus]

8. Any more than 2 blades are really unnecessary.

Plus, multiple blades can contribute to a condition called pseudofolliculitis barbae. "Shaving bumps".

The more blades that shave a whisker, the narrower and sharper the hair gets, until it curls down under the skin, bringing all kinds of pathogenic bacteria with it, and causing the inflamed pustules of folliculitis.

It happens most commonly with African-American men, but I've had Caucasian men present with the condition, too. One of the most common associated factors is a razor with three or more blades.

I always found the "Blade Wars" to be faintly ridiculous. No need to blow your money on some super-duper fancy-schmancy 5-bladed razor. A 2-bladed one will work just as well.

[steve2470]

9. completely agree

I have no problem with someone else using a 5 bladed razor, but I was astonished to discover that the two bladed razors are really becoming extinct.

This was truly a "get off my yard" moment for me.

[pokerfan]

10. My razor only has two blades

but I can only use one at a time:



A puck of shaving soap lasts months:



Both better for the environment. Next step is probably a straight razor.

[steve2470]

11. yes my dad used to use that kind of razor blade. Worked perfect for him nt

[pokerfan]

19. You can get a perfectly cromulent shave with a safety razor

First, warm the skin and beard with hot water. Then lather. While I'm lathering, I have the shaver already standing in hot water so it's also hot.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to shaving is that the angle of the blade basically needs to be shallow as possible, i.e. the handle as close to perpendicular to the surface of the skin and still cut. Any steeper angle and all you're really doing is scraping off the beard and irritating the skin. Start with the head against the skin as shown below, then bring the handle down until you feel the edge catch the whiskers.



This is really the trickiest part to learn if you're transitioning from a cartridge system where the handle is designed to be closer to parallel with the skin but you will quickly get the hang of it.

Use as light of a touch as possible. Hold the razor by its end so the force is essentially little more than the weight of the metal hand itself.

Shave with the grain, not against.

After shaving, apply cold water to close up the pores, then I like to apply a skin conditioner.

[Liberal Veteran]

12. That last would be useful in every thriller where the medicine cabinet mirror is closed....

...to reveal the killer standing behind you.

[Chan790]

18. Me too. n/t

[Arctic Dave]

13. Depends on how smooth you want your legs to be.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5114592_shave-mens-legs.html

[Agschmid]

14. I've decided it's all about...

The shave cream, I love the sandalwood creme from Art of Shaving!

[DeSwiss]

15. What?! You don't use the 8-Blade Octaginator!?!?!

- And if you subscribe to the 8-Bladers Club, the Glick Company will send you 10, count 'em [font size=4]TEN[/font] pints of blood delivered right to your door each month!

K&R

[steve2470]

16. funny ! ty for that ! nt

[MiddleFingerMom]

17. During its first season, SNL started their practice of airing fake commercials just as they...

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... were going to sommercials. Well-written, filmed and produced. If not the first one, ONE of the first
on that show was about a "super-razor" --and I'm pretty sure it had exactly FIVE blades.
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It had the same animated graphic as the real razor (two-blades being a new concept that year or so) --
the first blade gently pulled on the hair and the second blade gently pulled on that, etc. etc. until the
5th blade sliced the hair cleanly, at which point the hair snapped back into your skin (presumably an
inch or so under the surface).
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Their punchline/slogan at the end of this "commercial"? "Because you'll buy anything we tell you".
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The rare times that I want that close a shave, I use a single-bladed disposable (double blades clog
up too quickly for me).
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[sakabatou]

20. That's Goku's razor

[Art_from_Ark]

22. Do we even need 2 blades?