O.K., I admit it, I am one of those men who have a really heavy beard! Back in the day, it was black, now it is virtually all gray, but it’s still thick and it still wants to be cut at least once a day. I probably should shave twice a day actually, but that is way too much bother.
I started to shave when I was fourteen, had to go to daily shaving at 15. In the dubious advantage category, the State of Idaho’s legal age for beer was 18 at the time, and with the 5 o’clock shadow already well developed, as long as I stayed away from Moscow, which had a college and always id checked, I and my buddies could go to a small town tavern and drink once we had someone with a license to drive. Luckily, we were a pretty well behaved bunch and never, somehow, got into fights or so plastered that we could not safely drive home.
Lately I’ve been seeing the ads on TV for the old school safety razors, and have been thinking about them. As I said above, I have a really heavy beard, so heavy I can’t use an electric razor, they dull too quickly and do not give me a reasonable shave, and irritate my skin to boot. I’ve used a multi-blade razor for years now, but wow, they are expensive and I’m not convinced I get any better a shave with them than a safety razor. I did not even know they still made safety razors and blades till I saw the guy from Pawn Stars flogging them on Fox News a few days ago.
I decided to give one a try, though I ended up purchasing my new razor through Amazon, for about three dollars more I got twice as many blades and since I’m a Prime member, two day shipping too. It should arrive Friday, so next week I’ll come back and tell you how it goes. Probably have not shaved with that kind of razor in 40 years, so it will be an interesting experience. Oh, and yes, I do have a styptic pencil!
Could Not Duplicate (CND) 
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My Christmas present to myself last year was a couple of old-fashioned straight razors and the necessary accessories. I’ve found that the shaving soap/brush is the most significant part of the kit, because I get a much closer shave than I used to, even with my triple-blade disposable.
Unless I’m traveling I always use my shaving soap and brush, and yes, it does an excellent job with multi-blade razors. I’ve had to return to my multis because I get way too much skin irritation with a standard double edge blade, and even the stainless steel only last for a couple of shaves. (Even with my brutally tough beard, an inheritance from Dad, I can get a week to ten days of shaves out of a multi-blade cartridge) Have never had the nerve to try a straight razor.