Eco-Shaving?
 

So I've always thought of myself as a pretty environmentally-friendly guy.
I recycle all that I can.
I take my own bags to the grocery store (when I can remember them.)
And I even got a Kill-A-Watt to reduce power usage around the house.

What then was I doing shaving with a disposable plastic razor and a virtually un-recyclable aerosol can of shaving cream?

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...yer/shave1.jpg


I guess the short answer is that I'm just cheap.

I know full well of King C. Gillette's "Razor and Blades" business model.

Buying a normal razor-blade just seems to be playing into the marketing of the big razor brands.
If you walk into your local big-box store, there is only one alternative that is given to the "Razor and Blades" model. Disposable razors.

So we have a choice: Cheap or Re-usable.

This all lead me to ask the million-dollar question(s):
"How did people shave before the advent of cartridge razors and aerosol shaving cream? And what about all those people in the third world, how do they shave?"

Enter Wikipedia to save the day with the Safety Razor.

There it is. Infinitely reusable AND cheap.
Since there is no co-mingling of plastic and steel (like in a cartridge blade) the blades are even recyclable. As for finding blades, I hear rumors of blades for sale on the interwebs for less than $0.10 each. I was pleasantly surprised to see that most drugstores still carry them, about $0.99 for 5 blades.

But where to find an old-school safety razor these days? Ebay, of course.
You can find any kind of safety razor on ebay, even the coveted 40's-era Gillette Super Speed. :thumbup:
Heck, there are even web sites that'll sell you a brand new safety razor for about $30.

And what about that can of aerosol shaving cream? Sure, it's steel, you could recycle it but it's got all that pressurized gas that most recyclers want absolutely nothing to do with.

Enter the shaving brush and shaving soap. The drug store had these for $5.99 and $1.29 respectively.


http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...yer/shave2.jpg



So now I'm set with my Eco-shaving kit!
But how does it compare to the "modern" shaving tools?
Pretty darn well I'd say.

I can safely say that I'll never go back to aerosol shaving cream again, the brush and soap just work sooo much better.

The razor took a little getting used to, but I'm getting along quite well with it. :cool:

I use the EV of shavers.... Electric shaver... I change the blade once a year - and the batteries have lasted 4 years and going strong....

And EV where disposables are gassers, "reusable" are diesels and safety razor and straight blade are the HPV's....

:D

My Norelco rechargable is 17 years old, and the batteries are finally starting to die this year. After that, I could probably use it while is plugged into the wall. When I bought it, it was the most expensive rechargable I could find: $80. I changed the blades only once.

Also, I abused it pretty badly, so it probably could have lasted much longer.

Another alternative is an ulta old-timey straight razor.

Must take a little work to figure how to sharpen those things right, but they sure look cool.

A friend just bought a true straight razor, figures it will last the rest of his life, strop it when it gets dull, completely recyclable as well, I've used the shaving soap a few times as well and I like the stuff, when I do shave I use it, but more often I just take a pair of buzz clippers and go for a trim, as it's getting warmer that trim will get closer and more often, no batteries there, and the buzz clippers can be taken apart to be serviced, so they should last for a good 20+ years.
if you have a double sided razor blade you can also sharpen old dull blades in a glass drinking glass, hold it in side the glass, and move it around, the glass has just enough imperfection to it that it will grind away at the edge, but is smooth enough that it will leave a fine edge, and the shape works both sharp edges of the blade at once.

Little late on the thread but I used a straight razor for about 5 years. It has a pretty steep learning curve(ouch). Just hit it on the strap a few times before each use. It was kind of fun but then I found an electric and have never though of going back.:)

http://www.cachebeauty.com/wholsale/...R_st_razor.jpg

When I used to shave, I used a straight razor that I got from my grand father, for awhile--I was a freshman in college and wanted to be different. Then I decided to grow a beard, and now I just trim with a scissors monthly or so, maybe trim my neck more often, and I think that the pair of quality barber scissors that my wife bought new 35 years ago got replaced a year or two ago, after doing haircuts and trims and beard trims for up to 5 people for many of those years. Grandpa's straight razor still seems fine, for what I need it for. I use whatever soap or shampoo is handy and shave in the shower after I am all wet.

Why shave??

My EV's batteries started dying after about 7-8 years, since then I've used it as a plug-in. Blades never replaced. This Christmas I wanted a set of new blades, but they cost 80% of a new EV, so I have new EV. I still use the old every week or two. For camping trips I use a disposable. I start to get used to it by the end of the trip, until then I'm donating blood.

I learned to shave using the Gillette Double Edge razor. It was a bloody experience. Must have used a roll or two of TP to stop the bleeding before the blades started to improve. I still have my fathers shaving mug, brush & mirror (see attachment for a similar mirror).

I started using the GEL Shaving Cream when it appeared on the market over 38 years ago.

Ya'll can have the eco-retro-cool looking 19th century shaving equipment. Personally I keep that equipment in the antique collection and continue shaving with GEL and MULTI-BLADED razors.

:D Facial skin is a terrible thing to waste. ;)

Never did like the strait razor ever since Mom used the razor strap on my buttock!

If you opened it up, you'd probably find that they used standard AA or AAA size NiCads--cheap to replace.

The other name for those things is "cut throat" with good reason.

A mate of mine had a wind up razor which he used on bushwalking and camping trips.
Wind the handle and shave just like an electric razor.
No idea where he got it or any other details but it seemed to work OK.
Personally I use a blade and gel in a can day to day and shave when I get back after camping.

Pete.

You just remimded me that a granduncle of mine also had one of those. It was Sowiet production, called Sputnik ;) I never had the chance to try it, b/c he died before I had anything to shave :(
I don't see why today's electric whirly razors couldn't come in a manual wind up version. They'd have at least one customer.

I just had a quick look at Google for "Wind up shaver" and they are still about.
No personal experience but they seem like a viable option.
You can also buy wind up remote TV controls.

Cheers , Pete.

I have a Panasonic Wet/Dry that I've been using for 10 years.
I haven't replaced the blades yet, but probably should start looking for some soon.
Very easy to clean - it works underwater!
Here's the new model:http://www.baldtothebone.com/images/...ear_shaver.jpg

Just wondering, how close a shave do you guys seem to get from an electric shaver (my fiance insinists that I have it smooth)? I've been using a manual blade with the disposable heads for years but only just realised how expensive it really is. I think it's time to invest in an electric, probably a cheapo one. Any suggestions?

My electric doesn't get my face as smooth as a disposable does, but after half a day what starts to grow isn't as rough. A few hours after shaving with the manual my face is not only rough, it's sharp! I guess the electric rounds the tips of the hairs it shaves.

well, I've heard, that you waste more water and other resources shaving with foam and razor, than shaving with electric razor. Just keep that in mind, if you're thinking about ecoshaving ;)

Given this is something you ate going to use on a daily basis buy the best you can afford.

Braun and Phillips both make excellent electrics.

Personally I have not used an electric for about twenty years and on those rare occasions I do now it still feels like a job half done to me.

Each to their own.

Pete.

I only shave every three weeks or so. I'm in college, so it's ok. I guess. Need to get a good razor blade, because the electrics I have suck.

I've had good luck with a Braun FreeControl 1000. Been using it for a few years now. Can't find them anymore.

It gets me nice and smooth. But has a few problems with the neck. I'm not sandpaper at the end of the day. It takes a few days to get to that point usually.

Thank you, AndrewJ, for inspiring me. I have long been hating spending WAY too much on cartridge razors (Sensor excel) and canned goo. After doing some reading on the 'Badger and Blade' forum, I started using the shaving soap and brush. Loved it! So I took the next step and ordered the '57 model Super Speed off of Ebay. It arrived in the mail today! Yay! Can't wait to try it out this weekend. :thumbup:

http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n...e/razor002.jpg

You guys using electric, phht. Might as well hand in your Man Cards right now...
j/k. :)

I have a straight razor on it's way to my house as we speak. :)

FWIW Coffee and/or energy drinks don't mix well with straight razors. You need a steady hand.

Now that I've gotten stitched up from my first bout, I can see what you mean.

On a related note, my father still shaves with a Gillette Super Speed his father gave him, many, many years ago.

Maybe because most women hates kissing men with stubble/beards as it hurts...? Once, after a day of growth, I accidentally rubbed my chin on my shoulder and it was extremely uncomfortable!

Dry electric ones aren't all that hot to be honest. They do a reasonable job but isn't *that* smooth - you can feel slight roughness. I have sensitive skin for shaving, so after 5 mins of shaving with a dry shaver, I have a bright red neck for a hour or so. For me, wet razors are the smoothest, and hurts only slightly and my neck reddens for 15 minutes (no, I'm not a redneck...). I've got an wet electric shaver and while it's smoother than the dry electric, it's not as smooth as the wet razor, but nearly there. It also hurts the least, I rarely get the red irritation.

I tend to shave with the wet electric every day, and wet razor once every two weeks. An unexpected bonus was that straight after shaving with the wet razor caused my ex to be all over my face for a while which was quite nice! Do keep on using the wet razor once in a while as a treat for your g/f. I use an old Gillette Sensor razor as they give the exact same result as the Sensor Excel, all of the Mach razors and, I assume, the OTT Fusion razors. I've tried out disposable razors, and other razors with replaceable heads but for me, the Sensor razor is the best modern razor that gives a good balance between cost and effectiveness. Of course, this might not be the same for you.

However, my wet shaver requires a gel cartridge that needs to be replaced each week which isn't too environmentally friendly. I've read that some people with my wet shaver use normal shaving gel instead of the cartridge. I tried that once and it seemed to work, but not as good. I should do this instead as the can is recycleable, while the cartridges aren't.

If you do get one, try not to drop your electric shaver though, they're not too tough - I once accidentally knocked my old dry razor off the bath edge and the plastic head smashed. Not too impressed!

I do want to try out the old safety razors but still a little nervous about trying those out, especially no-one will be able to show me how to use it, or phone an ambulance for me in case of an accident...

Getting to the point of this post, I agree with everyone else, that you should give the old safety razor a try first before plumbing for an electric. I don't know about costs, though.

At the end of the day, everyone is different, and different things work for different people.

I just use a disposable razor and plain water. Note that the razor itself only accounts for a small carbon footprint. The really bad stuff is the shaving cream that puts HFCs into the atmosphere when it's used. (HFC-134a has a GWP of 1400! The HFC-152a used nowadays is much better at only 122, but that's still 122 times as bad as an equivalent amount of CO2!)

The interesting part is that at Texas A&M University, a large percentage of environmentalists shave their legs. (Yes, I'm one of them.) The reason is because it gets hot in Texas, so shaving your legs keeps you cool, so you don't have to run the A/C as much, which saves energy! Also note that Jennie Chen (the world's best hypermiler - an Aggie!) shaves her legs in order to do better in hypermiling, and not just by reducing A/C use either. By shaving your legs just before driving, it puts you into a better mood when driving, which really helps MPG regardless of the weather!

And then there's waxing, but it's expensive.

The worlds best?? Gig Um.

It's "Gig 'em Green".

Ugh, that just tears my face into shreds. I did try that once, and never again!

Like I said, different things work for different people, it's just a question of finding the the most reasonable solution.

I hate Gillette but I love their Fusion... it shaves great with just liquid soap and a single cartridge lasts for months. You need some soap and water to wash your face regardless unless you like being green and any other color that happens to be on your skin.

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.

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

will regular rubbing alcohol do?

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

They're the same

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

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?

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.

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)

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