So for about 2 weeks now, I’ve started shaving with a straight razor (or cut-throat razor as the British sometimes call it). Here’s my kit:

 

Women I know think it’s slightly crazy and most guys I know think its totally bad ass. As I was starting my first cut-throat shave my wife posted on her Facebook: “So Sid has started shaving with a straight razor. Let the countdown to widow dom begin.”


L O L. In reality, I’ve had a thoroughly enjoyable time learning how to shave this way. So far I haven’t had any serious mishaps.

I first had the idea to do this about a year ago or so. Over the last 8 years or so the price of my Gillette Atra 2 cartridges have steadily increased. As time went on, not only did the prices go up but availability has been greatly reduced as well. So I briefly thought about switching from the razor my dad gave me 22 years ago to one of these new-fangled Mach 3 shavers with some crazy amount of blades. More blades do not make for a better shave. In fact, studies have shown them to push hairs back into the skin causing irritation and bumps for many men. And cost? much more than my old Atra 2’s. And forget about electric razors – they don’t work for me at all. (Besides a shave without hot water just seems uncivilized.) Around the same time, I started moving away from aerosol shaving creams and lathers. They are cheaper, but also end up in landfills with my discarded razor cartridges.

A perfect 50/50 split of economics and going green.

After these 2 weeks, I can now definitely say I am never going back to shaving with replaceable cartridges and I am getting some of the smoothest, closest shaves I’ve ever had!