In my dream world, I shave about as often as a Roberts man in all my Duck Dynasty glory. In the real world, I have a job that requires me to look clean cut and professional. Therefore I slog through the daily chore of shaving my face. Of course, getting older means also shaving my neck, ears and other places I never used to shave. Too much information? Okay, I'll move on...
Thoroughly enjoying The Art of Manliness and other testosterone pumping how-to's, I have always wanted to purchase a manly straight razor and give it a shot. Would it REALLY give me a "closer" shave? Anything that means I don't have to shave as often would be a plus.
Enter stage left: the safety razor.
After researching straight razors and the full traditional wet shave experience, I landed on the safety razor as the smarter starting point. Unlike a straight razor (which requires a strop, a honing stone, and a serious learning curve), a safety razor gives you that old-school close shave without needing to become a barber to use it correctly. You load a fresh double-edge blade, build a lather with a good brush and shaving soap, and get to work.
Why Bother Switching From a Cartridge Razor?
If you've been using those 5-blade cartridge razors from the big brands, you already know the pain — both in shaving performance and wallet performance. Replacement cartridges can run $4-6 each, and you go through them fast. A pack of 100 double-edge safety razor blades costs less than $15 and will last you two years. The math is brutal in favor of the old way.
Beyond the cost, the shave quality is genuinely better. One sharp blade cutting cleanly is more effective and less irritating than five blades dragging across your skin repeatedly.
What You Actually Need
The setup is simple: a quality safety razor, a badger hair brush, a shaving soap or cream, and blades. That's it. The whole kit costs around $50-80 upfront and then next to nothing to maintain. Compare that to the cartridge razor racket and you'll never look back.
I picked up a Merkur safety razor, a Van Der Hagen shave set, and a pack of Astra blades. My first shave was rough — technique matters — but by the third shave I was hooked. Close, smooth, and no razor burn.
The Art of Manliness has a great primer on wet shaving if you want to go deep on technique. But really, you just need to learn the 30-degree angle rule and let the weight of the razor do the work rather than pressing down.
The Verdict
If you're looking to level up your daily routine, save money, and feel a little more like the man your grandfather was — make the switch. Your face will thank you, your wallet will thank you, and honestly it just feels cool to shave the right way for once.
🪒 Men's Wet Shaving Gear
- Safety Razor — Chrome double-edge safety razors from top brands. #1 Best Seller options with 20,000+ reviews. Start here.
- Double-Edge Blades (100-Pack) — Astra, Feather, Derby — buy in bulk and shave for pennies. Amazon's Choice with tens of thousands of reviews.
- Badger Hair Shaving Brush — Builds a rich lather and lifts beard hair for a closer shave. Top-rated options from $15-45.
- Shaving Soap Puck — Traditional shaving soap lasts months. Amazon's Choice for men's wet shaving with 10,000+ reviews.
- Straight Razor Starter Kit — For the truly adventurous. Includes strop and beginner-friendly blade. Top-rated kits available.
Affiliate Disclosure: Links above are Amazon affiliate links. Purchases support The Orange Jeep Dad blog at no extra cost to you.
