The Antiquated Double-Edged Razor

Hi Ariel,

My favorite razor is the double-edged razor. You might think they aren’t sold anymore, but they are. There are many used ones available on Ebay for a hefty price as they are now collectibles. Fortunately, you can buy new and they range from cheap to extremely high quality. Same with the razor blades. Here’s how I found out about the excellent quality of these dated shaving implements and why they are better and cheaper than contemporary razors.

A few of years ago the cost of my Gillette Sensor refills were getting so expensive that they were almost the cost of the three-bladed ones. I imagine Gillette was hiking the price up to encourage faithful users to upgrade. The 3, 4, and 5-bladed razors are no better despite their exorbitant cost.

Over time I also found the quality of my shaves degrading. Maybe my face was changing and not the razor, but in any case, they were making my rugged good-looks a little too rugged.

So I figured if the higher end razors were performing on the same level as disposable razors, I might as well use the cheaper disposables. I was saving a ton of money, but the quality was still poor. But what was I to do? The only option was to buy the really expensive and really stupid 5-bladed razors that really don’t work that well anyway.

Electric razors just don’t cut it for me. I’ve tried a couple and they didn’t give me a close shave and the up front cost was expensive. I prefer a wet shave.

At my wits end, I began asking my coworkers what they used and they all used either electric razors or the gimmicky 3 to 5-bladed razors. I just couldn’t bring myself to spend that much money on those over-rated, over-priced lacerators.

Then I consulted my good friend the Internet. In a short while I noticed a few communities of men who use double-edged razors, straight razors, even the Shick Injector. Tons of great information.

After reading a bunch, I decided on trying the Shick Injector, but you cannot buy them new anymore. You can still get the blade refills, but who knows for how long? The Injectors can be purchased used online, but they are collector items and finding one at a reasonable price is difficult. I found one, but the performance was lacking. A bit too aggressive.

With no other options left, I decided to try the double-edged razors. There is an amazing variety to choose from, each with differing shaving characteristics.

You have three basic styles: The three piece, the two piece, and the one piece twist-to-open (or butterfly open). No one style is a better than the other, but I prefer the TTO because I can operate it one handed without the need to set pieces on the counter. I don’t have a counter, so this design works great for me.

I tried an all-metal Parker TTO, but it was of poor quality. It shaved fine on one side, but the other side exfoliated my face down to the upper part of the subdermal skin layer. I was a bloody mess.

On to another one. This one was an Edwin Jagger three-piece model for about $40 dollars and was of excellent quality, but it was a bit too aggressive for my delicate face. The handle was a bit short and the smooth, heavy, all-metal design made it hard to hold onto. I could have dealt with the weight, but the short, slippery handle cramped my hand.

The next one was a Japanese TTO model, the Feather for $20 and was partly made of plastic. It’s handle is knurled, a big plus, and the handle is of adequate length, another big plus. The light weight is much more manageable compared to an all-metal razor. Despite the cost and the partly plastic construction this one gives me the best shave I have ever had. It shaves evenly on both sides and is of excellent quality with no rust, peeling, or other failures after more than a year.

A razor can be only as good as the blades you put in it. Variety packs of many different brands are commonly offered. I got one of these and tried many. Some were terrible like the Wilkinson, some were OK, and only a couple were very good. Some brands were good but had too many duds; quality control seemed to be lacking.

Again, the Feather brand was by far the winner. Some people say they are too sharp for beginners, but I disagree. Yes, they are Ninja sharp, but they work well with the mild Feather razor. I would use them only in the least aggressive razors. This brand does the best job, gets the most shaves per blade, and has the fewest duds. No matter what brand you get, you are going to get some duds. Feathers have very few. Another sign of high quality.

I purchased $50 worth (A 100-pack) of blades; they are cheaper in bulk and you spend far less on shipping costs on a single purchase. Now instead of spending $2 or more a week on shaving, I now spend about 30 cents a week and get a better shave to boot. I am so tickled to have learned this.

Girls shave, too, so I figured this Hub would help you out. Every person is different and the Feather may not work for you. No razor is made to work for everyone, but this is an inexpensive way to get your feet wet on the double-edged razor and have a good chance of it working for you.

You should look for:

1) A handle length of 3 ½ inches. This is not the overall length, but the length of the handle alone.

2) The handle should be knurled. Some handles are bulbous and may work well, but smooth handles are harder to handle especially when wet.

3) Go with a quality brand like Feather, Edwin Jagger, Merkur, etc.

4) Use a quality lotion or cream to lubricate. This is topic for another Hub, but poor lubrication will thwart the best razors. Quality lotion is cheap; don’t skimp on this one.

5) Try a variety pack of blades with Feather being one of the brands offered. Not everyone does well with the Feather, but most like it.

6) Check out the reviews on the forums. They are male-dominated, but the information about aggressiveness, quality control, cost, etcetera is excellent despite the lack of female input.

Lubrastrips, blade suspension systems, microfins, Hydro razors, and the like are all gimmicks used to fleece the consumer. All you need is a quality razor/blade/lotion combination that works for you. The double-edged razor is alive and well! Don’t let the antiquated nature of these fine tools scare you from trying them.

Love You Oodles and Gobs,
Dad :)