Eco-Shaving?

[Christ]

I have one of those "speed" things... I don't use cream or water, never have. Sometimes, I shave in the shower, so I use soap, since its' already there, but I don't go out of my way to turn the water on while shaving.

Ironically, I've never cut myself shaving, and my dad never showed me how to shave. I started out w/ a strap razor (what you all call straight razors) at about 14 Y/O, b/c I got tired of having a few large patches of hair that would only grow so long, but would get all wiry and such.

[ecomax]

After 2 decades of shaving, I've found that the best compromise for being green and getting a nice shave is:


1. Shave using 5 drops of shavesecret (you can buy this at your local Xmart store, or online at www.ShaveSecret.com)


2. Shave using your favorite razor


** NOW, HERE COMES THE CRITICAL PART!

3. When you're done having, rinse the blade well, and keep it immersed in alcohol when you put it away for the next day's shave.

--> It's not the cutting of hairs which makes the blades become dull, it's the oxidation/corrosion due to being exposed to air !


I've reused the same "disposable" Bic Twin razor for 6 months straight an it's still 95% as sharp as new. I always get a nice clean, smooth shave even after using it for MONTHS!

The Shave Secret stuff is awesome. Before this, I had experimented with various natural creams from Trader Joes, Whole Foods, etc. They were nice.
But man this stuff really cuts down on waste. I use 5 drops, and no aftershave at all, because it leaves a nice conditioning (thin) film afterwards, even after rinsing.

If anyone is interested, I can share more info on my process and also how I made my own storage thing for the razor to stay immersed in alcohol without evaporation occurring.

HTH

[alohaspirit]

will regular rubbing alcohol do?

[ecomax]

Hmm, I'm not sure.
FWIW, I use isopropyl alcohol (that's what the label says), and I've never tried it using "rubbing alcohol"

The article in Wikipedia seems to imply they are the same? (not clear to me)
Isopropyl alcohol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

HTH

[UfoTofU]

Originally Posted by ecomax

FWIW, I use isopropyl alcohol (that's what the label says), and I've never tried it using "rubbing alcohol"

They're the same

[Tango Charlie]

Originally Posted by ecomax

If anyone is interested, I can share more info on my process and also how I made my own storage thing for the razor to stay immersed in alcohol without evaporation occurring.
HTH

Post up some pics and tell us more about it. I'm sure that I'm not the only one that would be interested.

[jonathan150cc]

This whole thread got me thinking...

I've always had an affinity for old school technology, I'm talking before plastic, when everything was metal, wood, leather, or glass.

Someone should start a thread reviving some of these old ideas and how they can be applied to the eco-friendly side of living.

Much like this shaving idea with the soap foam and the safety razor, old school tech is, by it's very nature, practical, cheap, easy on resources and usually 100% recyclable or reuseable.

Who's with me?

[NiHaoMike]

Here's a new tip I found:
After shaving, rinse the razor, shake it to remove some water, and wipe it off backwards with a small piece of toilet paper. Then put a few drops of mineral oil on the razor and let it coat the edge of the blade. Not only does the mineral oil reduce corrosion but it also helps shaving the next time.

[RedDevil]

Okay, this was all way before my time here.

I cannot shave manually - I've tried, I've bled - as my skin is not flat enough. Even foam and cartridge shavers don't work; I've seen the foam go pink, then red...
Electric ever since.

Problem is, I'm not too happy with that either.
There is only two brands you can buy over here, and they both have problems.
Brawn cuts both beard and skin.
Furlips cuts neither. They go blunt within weeks and get horrible in a year or two.
I can replace the heads of my Furlips at the price of a new shaver!

Seventeen years ago my grandfather died. I inherited his old Philips (*) shaver that he had used for 5 years or so, and put a lot of years on that, with the original heads.
One day the heads got damaged because the protective cap had dislodged itself (a common problem with Furlips) in my luggage roll on the back of my bike. One out of three heads was destroyed, the other two just had some dimples.
((*) they deserve one correct reference for making a decent shaver back then)

I replaced the damaged head with a new one. That head went completely blunt after a year or two, but the old dimpled heads kept on shaving well so I kept using it.

Finally the battery died, and the trimmer was broke, and it was falling apart anyway.
Got me a new Furlips, heads went blunt. But the old heads did fit, more or less. Kept shaving with the two dimpled old heads and swapping the least blunt of all the new heads till two years ago. Batteries dieing again, had to buy new.

My wife had some kind of bonus buy plan; got me a free new Furlips with her points. It does not fit the old heads, and by now the new ones are, you guessed it.

So, I'm done with Furlips and reluctant to go back to Brawn.
I know there are other brands like Panasonic and Remington, but cannot find them in the shops so have to rely on reviews and other people's experiences.

Any advice on them? Do they stay sharp for more than a season or have reasonably priced head replacements? And do they shave agreeably well?

(I've had a small beard as a student, but my wife prefers me shaven)

[user removed]

I use an electric shaver mostly then touch up with a disposable balde. Best time for me is after a shower. I seldom have any cuts and my beard is heavy, hair grows just about everywhere on my face, except my forehead. Cut my own hair with some help from the wife, haven't paid a barber in decades.

regards
Mech