Terrence Kennedy
Shaving often feels like a chore: Lather your face with water and shaving cream, flick the razor across your face, covered in nicks, bumps and other irritation. Fortunately, there’s a better way.
Double-edged razors, also known as ‘safety razors’, were what your grandpa used for shaving. They are a heavy-duty shaving tool that made for a slick, smooth shave.
While this way of shaving was once all the rage, that way was lost over the years. Instead, consumers were led to use flimsy, disposable razors. Despite being convenient, they pale in comparison to using the best straight razors for men.
"Double-edged razors, also known as ‘safety razors’, were what your grandpa used for shaving. They are a heavy-duty shaving tool that made for a slick, smooth shave."
There is hope though. There are a number of guys today who love to shave with safety razors, and the art is making a comeback. In fact, sales of safety razors have sky rocketed—the Art of Shaving store reported a 1000% increase in the sale of safety razors over the last 5 years!
Before sharing the best straight razors for men, let’s talk a little more about them and why you must have one:
The Best Safety Razors for Men
What are Safety Razors
Essentially these safety razors are a single blade with two sharp sides. Instead of having the entire blade exposed, it is covered by a guard, which only leaves the two edges of the blade revealed. This gives the users the benefits of a close shave, without risking a serious cut.
Using a single-blade safety razor, along with a high-quality shaving soap/oil, plus an aftershave lotion gives an incredible shave. If that experience isn’t enough here are a few more reasons:
- Cost: Using cartridges to shave really adds up over time, often $15-20 a month. This has spurned businesses like Dollar Shave Club that cuts costs on razors. But even these companies still cost more than using a single safety razor. A single razor and you’re good to go, as you can always sharpen the blade, and replacements are cheap.
- Convenience: Not only do you save money in the long run by not buying new razors and handles, but also with safety razors you don’t even have to leave your house unkempt as your blade will always stay sharp.
- Closer Shave: Safety razors, because of their sharper blade, can provide a much closer shave. Just make sure to practice your technique so you don’t cut yourself.
- Ritual: Taking the time to use your safety razor—lathering the foam, making subtle yet swift strokes—makes shaving like a ritual. It’ll make shaving something you look forward to instead of a regular drag.
What to Look for in the Best Safety Razor that will Suit You
Though all safety razors share similar characteristics, not all are created equal. Buying a poor–quality razor is definitely not something you’d want to do as it may lead to quite a bit of discomfort, among other things.
When evaluating the best safety razors for men, there are a few factors to keep in mind.
Here are some things to look for:
- Length of the Handle: More a matter of personal preference, the length of the handle varies slightly among razors, so take this into consideration. Hand size is one factor, although some people like longer handles for better grip, others say that longer handles can be awkward to hold.
- Razor Type: The ‘aggressiveness’ of the razor determines how easily the blade cuts hair (and skin). A more aggressive blade is good for guys who want a close shave done with ease, whereas guys who are newer to safety razors should stick with more moderate products.
- Cost: Double-edge razors won’t break the bank, but it’s certainly something to be viewed as an investment especially because you’ll be using it for long. Safety razors can be found for as low as $10 at an antique store, upwards of $100, and even more for luxury razors. Most razors, however, including the ones we recommend are priced somewhere in the range of $40-60. Check your budget to see which is the best fit for you. (Also note that you can pick up new blades for just a few bucks).
When it comes to getting cartridges, don’t worry about getting the right size. Safety razor blades are universal and all blades should fit any safety razor you buy. This is not to say that all blades are the same, so you may want to experiment with different blades to see which one is best, especially for your particular safety razor.
Mastering Technique
A lot of guys are intimidated by the thought of using a safety razor. To the novice, these razors can look scary, but in fact they’re quite simple to use. It just requires a bit of patience and learning the proper technique.
Fortunately there are a number of great resources online today to teach you how to properly use a safety razor. Check out this video for instance:
And if you’re looking for a community of wet shaving enthusiasts, who love using safety razor, check out the Reddit forum Wicked Edge. They all are more than happy to answer questions and provide insight to those looking to learn more.
Five of the Best Safety Razor for Men
There are a lot of great straight razors on the market in 2016. So if you’re looking to have the best shave of your life, free of cuts and irritation, you’re in luck!
Merkur Long Handle
Merkur is the premiere name in safety razors. In fact, this razor is by far and away the top selling safety razor on Amazon with over 4500 reviews!
This Merkur model is so popular because it does everything a straight razor should do: Be durable, easy to use, safe and easy to change razors in and out. The long-handled model has a long handle, as the name suggests. This makes gripping the razor easier for guys not used to double-edged blades.
The body of the razor, made with a chrome finish, will last the test of time. And it’s silver color makes it look expensive, though it’s quite affordable.
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Edwin Jagger DE89
Edwin Jagger is a popular brand name in the straight razor industry. Not only do they produce some of the best straight razors for men, but they also make shaving brushes and mugs—a great addition to any man’s bathroom!
One of the upsides to the DE89 is that it is lightweight. This is useful for those who are novices or don’t quite have a steady hand, as a heavier razor is harder to control. What that leads to is potentially more cuts and irritation
Highly recommended for beginners
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PARKER 99R
The Parker 99 touts itself as a ‘Super Heavyweight’ razor. Its brass frame gives it this extra weight—3.4 ounces to be exact—which is ideal for men who want excellent control. It also has a textured, 4 inch handle for a strong grip.
This model comes with 5 Shark Super Chrome blades—great for a close shave. Changing the blades is made easy too, as the Parker 99 utilizes a butterfly door design that allows users to easily switch their blades in and out.
The Parker 99, is designed for men with more experience, as its size requires a steady hand to maneuver.
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Merkur 34C
What separates the Merkur 34C from the long-handle version and similar products is that it boasts a thicker and heavier handle.
It’s designed with more experienced shavers in mind and even bears the nickname the ‘Heavy Classic.’
This is truly a well-made razor. It’s solid and rust resistant, so no worry about it aging.
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The Bluebeards Revenge Scimitar Double Edge Razor
The Scimitar razor from The Bluebeards Revenge got it right with design—it’s a sleek, all metal, chrome plated, three piece razor with the Bluebeard Revenge logo.
This razor was created for guys who are tired of getting a 5 O’clock shadow. It’s a close shave, which is great for guys looking for that, though it also requires experience to use properly.
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CONCLUSION
If you haven’t yet ditched your old razors, there’s simply no reason to use them anymore: They don’t provide a close or comfortable shave, they cost too much in the long run, and there’s no joy that comes from shaving.
The safety razor experience is unparalleled and shaving with one will make you feel like a real man. The above razors offer great quality and are a good place to start. You will be pleased with any of them, making your choice based on your experience with using a safety razor.
Still worried about cutting yourself? It won’t be an issue as long as you a.) Learn the technique using the sources previously mentioned b.) Get a good quality razor (like the ones we listed) and c.) Use a soft, gentle touch when shaving. Trust us—once you switch over you won’t be going back.