What Shaves Better...

Which shaves better: disposables or double-edge razors?

Of course, it's a trick question similar to asking what drives better: Ford or Chevy? Of course, the answer depends on many other variables beyond vehicle manufacturer such as type of road, what is being transported, and the other individual factors that matter to you.

Same with razors.

If a man is just taking a standard shave, which is a single with-grain pass, and is using a light touch (that is, not pressing the razor excessively against the face, and just letting the sharp blade do the work) the shave is likely to be safe but probably not too close irrespective of what gear is being used. At least that's been my experience when using razors with between one and three blades in the shave head.

Which brings up a point: the four-, five-, six-, and even seven-bladed razors appear to be designed for the man who will only take a single pass in his shave. For some men this is a matter of expediency; they don't want to take the time to cover real estate twice. (Yet many of us know that touch-up strokes for a closer shave don't have to take much time -- or even a distinct second pass. See my article on the regional unishave.) Other standard-shave takers aren't even aware of the possibility of safe second passes; many think this is a formula for in-grown hairs.

I suppose that if a man is determined to take only a single pass, then a multi-bladed razor with more than three blades might give a better shave. (In my limited triple-blade experience, three blades aren't much better than one for a single pass, and may be more irritating when used for multiple passes or multiple strokes in the same spot. I have no experience with more than three blades.)

If I limit my discussion to single-bladed options such as a DE razor compared to the Bic Sensitive disposable, then it depends on DE choices. With razor-and-blade combinations that are well suited to my skin and beard, I can get a more comfortable, more effective, more face-friendly shave with my DE gear. If I choose a razor-and-blade combination that is poorly suited to my face, the Bic will give the superior shave.

I must also come back to the point that DE shaving is a more ecologically-responsible choice. If one deposits used DE blades in a steel recycle bank and then follows through and recycles them, there is very little that ends up in a land fill. I know that there are grizzled guys out there who are scoffing, believing that disposable razors pose no significant ecological burden. But of course, one has to look at the big picture. If millions of men (perhaps billions) are using disposable razors, then the ecological burden is significant. The whole idea of routinely and constantly using any disposable product is incredibly stupid and irresponsible unless the product is easily and quickly degraded into harmless, common, earth-friendly materials -- and how many disposable products meet those criteria? (Hint: virtually none.)

     

So make mine old school, please. Any day I'll take a vintage Gillette Tech or a Merkur 15C open-comb razor with a Personna Platinum-Chrome blade (the red label), thanks very much.

Happy shaving!

Carry-On Traveler's Razor Options: Bic 3 Vs. Gillette 2

Following up on yesterday's article, today I shaved with the Bic Comfort 3 disposable and just used

water and bath soap as shave lubricants. The purpose of this type of trial is to find good alternatives when traveling very light; that is, just taking airline carry-on luggage with minimalist packing that requires the least gear and with the lowest weight.

The Bic Comfort 3 disposable is a fixed head (non-pivoting) triple-bladed design with a lubricating comfort strip. Today was my second shave with this particular razor, but unlike the first shave, which was done with shave soap, today's shave was conducted using bath soap.

The touchstone for today's shave is similar shaves with the Gillette Custom Plus Pivot (Gillette CPP) -- a two-bladed, pivoting-head design with a comfort strip. I have found this Gillette razor to offer a good, low-risk shave without the need to use specialized shave soap; bath soap will do when traveling light.

So this morning I tried the same on-the-road bath-soap process with the Bic Comfort 3 (Bic C3) that I have used with the Gillette CPP; that is, just lubricating my shave with water and bath soap.

Bottom line was that the Bic C3 was slightly inferior to the Gillette CPP in the following ways:

• Even though the Bic had fewer shaves on it, it tugged noticably. It was as though the blades weren't as sharp right out of the package or degraded much more quickly after the single preceding shave.
• The Bic shave was more irritating, leaving a more lingering burning sensation when bath soap is used instead of shave soap.

So my verdict at this point is as follows: the Gillette CPP is a better travel razor than the Bic C3 when one is going to travel extremely light and only rely on bath soap with water as a shave lubricant. The Gillette disposable can provide a very close shave with less irritation when one makes the necessary strokes from various directions. However, if one is not concerned about a close shave and is willing to only take a standard shave (that is, a single with-grain pass), then both razors can perform about equally. Even under those single-pass qualifications, I would suggest that the Gillette is the better razor because it can be purchased less expensively.

Happy shaving and may your luggage always be light!