Your Shaving Equipment of Choice

maximumzero

About to buy a set of 15 razor blades for my Mach3 from Amazon. I've been using the thing for probably 5 years now and I have little to complain about outside of the usual razor gouging. While browsing Amazon I'm seeing a bunch of other razors, including some that are battery powered. Anyone use these things? Any recommendations for an alternative work trying or should I just stick with what works?

Rhesus Positive

This thread deals with the subject of wet shaving and safety razors in a scary amount of detail.

It'll be expensive swapping over, but you'll save a load of money in the long run.

Veevee

Max, I used a mach 3, then moved to the vibrating mach-whatever which was better than a plain mach 3, then moved to wet shaving which is an incredibly large step above cartridge shaving.

After the initial cost of entry, I've spent about $15 on shaving stuff (blades, soap, after shave cream) in the year since.

OnTheLastCastle

If you don't mind fashionable stubble, Wahl trimmers are the best of the best and very cheap. I tried to warn my roommate from buying a $50 one from like Norelco and surprise, surprise, it's a POS that barely works where my $10 and $20 Wahls trimmers are the best. (I dropped the $20 one and broke it, but the $10 one is just battery powered instead of chargeable, that's about the only difference)

Djeet

Before I let my beard grow a few months ago I used the same disposable razor blade this year by honing it on a pair of jeans. You will eventually lose any "moisturizing strips" that may be on the razor head.

I use the same process on the double-bladed disposeable razor I now use to clean up stray whiskers.

saggio

Merkur 34C with a boar hair brush and a block of shaving soap.

I get the best shaves of my life.

streever

I own and use a merkur, with a boar hair brush, and really fancy bond & taylor shaving cream from a tub that I mix up.

I'll be honest. It is not appreciably "better" (in terms of speed/closeness of shave) than my Mach 3 vibrating razor. That thing does a great job, and i can use it while I shower, with no cream at all and no nicks/burns.

My caveats:
I grow a luxurious and thick beard in a matter of minutes
I actually only use the merkur now

The reason I use the merkur is cost. It is so damn cheap. The cost of blades for the mach 3 in a month is less than what I spend in ONE YEAR on my merkur.

I've been wet shaving for about 3 years now, and it is not "better" in speed or any other metric except cost, but I personally enjoy the ritual of shaving with it. It is a nice thing to do for yourself in the morning.

DeathPrawn

Merkur + boar head brush is the way to go. People have already mentioned it's cheaper, a better shave (at least for some people), and a more enjoyable experience, but it's also far more environmentally-friendly - instead of big disposable hunks of plastic with a half-dozen blades in them, you've got single pieces of recyclable metal. Instead of aerosol cans filled with questionable toxins, you have the option of all-natural soaps made with pure essential oils (despite the ultra-hippiness of the site, Mama Bear's Soaps are fantastic and pretty darn cheap).

maximumzero

To be honest I'm not really looking to get into the whole safety razor thing, I was just seeing if someone had a suggestion in the market of razors with replaceable cartridges.

Murphy

If you're just using the basic Mach 3, you could certainly try the Gilette Fusion, or one of the vibrating ones if you like. They are comparable to the Mach 3, IMO. But I've never used a vibrating one.

toolbert

I've been using the Gilette Fusion with the vibrating function and it works quite well for me. It's given me the best shave that I've had in a long time and I like the little trimming blade. I've tried to go back to non-vibrating blades, but they never work as well.

streever

toolbert wrote: »

I've been using the Gilette Fusion with the vibrating function and it works quite well for me. It's given me the best shave that I've had in a long time and I like the little trimming blade. I've tried to go back to non-vibrating blades, but they never work as well.

Yea, I think the Mach 3 with vibrating is way better than without.

jefe414

streever wrote: »

toolbert wrote: »

I've been using the Gilette Fusion with the vibrating function and it works quite well for me. It's given me the best shave that I've had in a long time and I like the little trimming blade. I've tried to go back to non-vibrating blades, but they never work as well.

Yea, I think the Mach 3 with vibrating is way better than without.

I used the vibrating Mach 3 and actually was able to get a good shave (which for me was rare). It served me well until I was ready to make the jump to safety razors and true civilization.

maximumzero

Sweet, I'll throw the Fusion into my cart with the other blades and give it a go.

Rikushix

I have a Fusion and it suits me just fine. I buy the fusion cocoa butter shaving foam and that works just dandy too. After I finish shaving I lather with Nivea For Men Deep Cleaning face wash.

strebalicious

I find that anything more than 3 blades is just wasteful, mostly because they don't last as long. I can use the same Mach 3 blade for near a month and not really notice the difference (as in, not only was all the moisture from the little strip gone, but damn near the entire strip was gone as well). But with the Quattros and the Fusions and the Mock 6s, I find that after a few shaves they really start to irritate my face a lot more and don't get as good shaves. Of course, I'm one of those people that look like they have a permanent 5 o'clock shadow even when it feels as smooth as a new born's bottom.

Tavataar

http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showpost.php?p=15468848&postcount=3

I put together that list of wet shaving needs, all on Amazon, for another user.

Underwhelming

OnTheLastCastle wrote: »

If you don't mind fashionable stubble, Wahl trimmers are the best of the best and very cheap. I tried to warn my roommate from buying a $50 one from like Norelco and surprise, surprise, it's a POS that barely works where my $10 and $20 Wahls trimmers are the best. (I dropped the $20 one and broke it, but the $10 one is just battery powered instead of chargeable, that's about the only difference)

I've been using a Norelco or something with the guard on the shortest setting, 1, for about a month now. I'm LOVIN' it. Who knows if I'll ever go back to shaving a baby face.

I've gotta strongly advise you NOT to get a cheap razor. I found out the hard way that a razor is one thing not to skimp on. Specifically the Meijer brand Phazer 5. It felt like the hairs were being ripped from my face.

I have a different Norelco with the 3 circular rotating blades and it irritates my skin bad. My face is all red and sore all day after I use it. Trimmin' all the facial hair is the way to go!