My first experience with a DE safety razor was in about 1999 after picking up my grandfather’s three piece razor. I knew nothing about what it meant to use a safety razor. With nothing but shaving gel and some razors from the local supermarket I completely destroyed myself, but being a persistent bugger I kept going back for more until I started to it’s effectiveness.
Fast forward to July 2018 and the thought of my grandfather’s razor and the experience I had with it still haunts me, but I knew there had to be more to it. With a lot of research on the Men’s Biz webpage, and many online tutorials later, I locked myself in for a haircut and a brand new Merkur Futur Satin. But it didn’t stop there, as the razor is just the beginning. With some great advice, some pre-shave cream, a shave brush and the shave cream to go with this outstanding razor, I was ready to go again.
So what did I learn?
1. After 23 years of shaving everyday in the Australian Army, and kind of hating the chore, it’s now an enjoyable experience.
2. Find a routine that works for you. Don’t cut corners, take your time to prepare before you even reach for the razor.
3. Try different products, especially the razors. Everyone is different and one brand of razor may not be ideal for the next.
4. Take your time - did I say that already? Well I’ll say it again!
5. Short, light strokes of the razor otherwise you will be taking off more than hair.
So what about the razor itself you ask? Solid (no, not heavy), adjustable depending on user need and experience (start on 1-1.5 for gods sake), modern design and balanced. The razor does the work, not you! I haven’t shaved with other razors and I’m sure some others are great, but I would recommend this one to anyone!
Now that I’ve re-discovered safety razor shaving I’ll never turn back. It’s now a part of my routine and you know what - somehow it makes me feel connected to my grandfather! Looking forward to trying more products for the loca crew at Men’s Biz!
