The safety razor has been used for over a century, but it is certainly not old-fashioned. On the contrary, this way of shaving is completely back. Besides that the razor has a beautiful appearance, it shaves fine, gives a smooth result and you also save money compared to the 'modern' razors.
The advantages
A safety razor was once invented as an alternative to the straight razor and is a way to shave wet. You place interchangeable blades in the razor, such as these double edge razor blades. The blades are cheap to purchase (unlike the blades for a cartridge system) and razor sharp. The sharp blade in the safety razor glides easily over the skin and cuts through the hair, while a cartridge system with several less sharp blades pulls on the hair and often causes irritation. If you want a smoother and more precise result, choose a safety razor .
Another big plus for the safety razor compared to the commonly used cartridge system: less waste and no plastic.
Place the blade in the razor
You place a double edge razor blade in a safety razor . But how do you do that without getting hurt? Easy ! Follow these steps or check out the video at the bottom of the page.
Screw closure (three-piece)
1. A razor with a screw closure is also called a three-piece . Because, you guessed it, it consists of three parts: the handle, the base plate and on top the top plate. Hold the top (i.e. the plates) at the sides and unscrew the handle.
2. Lay down the three separate parts and take a blade . It is best to hold the blades at the sides, because they are not sharp there.
3. Place the blade on the top plate, slide the base plate over it and finally screw on the handle. Twist it nice and tight so you can feel the tension.
Butterfly closure (one-piece, twist-to-open)
1. Another version is the safety razor with butterfly closure. This is also called one-piece and has a twist-to-open system. Turn the end of the handle and the two parts of the top plate open by themselves.
2. Grab a blade , holding it by the sides for safety. And place it on the base plate.
3. Now turn the handle the other way to close the two parts of the top plate again.
Two piece
1. If you have a two-piece safety razor, you also turn the wheel at the end of the handle. Now the top plate comes loose at the top.
2. Take off the top plate and put the blade on it.
3. Place the handle with the base plate on the top plate with the blade , press together and tighten with the wheel.
Shave with a safety razor
1. Cleanse your face and beard with warm water and pat the areas to be shaved with a warm damp towel. This prevents irritation after shaving.
2. Apply the shaving foam with the shaving brush to your face with straight, short strokes and then massage the foam in circular movements.
3. Fill a bowl with warm water in which you can rinse the safety razor while shaving.
4. Pull the skin taut with your fingers so that the blade glides easily over it and catches all the hairs. Shave in the direction of hair growth in diagonal strokes to prevent ingrown hairs. Make smooth movements, without applying pressure, let the sharpness of the blade do its job. In the meantime, knock off excess foam and hairs from the knife in the bowl with warm water.
5. After shaving, rinse your face with cold water and pat with a damp cold towel.
6. After use, rinse the razor with lukewarm water until all soap residue and hairs are gone. Then dry the knife thoroughly with a soft (hand) cloth.
