rm -rf

These type of shave cream tubes work great for traveling. I'd usually transfer it to a smaller squeeze bottle. I like that I know how much is left, unlike the travel size pressurized cans.
An example from Target. 6 ounces.

IPassGas

+1 for Panasonic shaver
+1 for cool breeze on my face
+1 for more kisses
+1 for sunglasses off = better eye contact

John N

I was telling my wife about safety razors. She wanted if they would good for shaving her legs. Comments?

Tourist in MSN

Gillette marketed a Lady Gillette razor, an internet search will identify that.

Otherwise I am clueless on that topic.

tcs

Women's fashion pre-WWI



King* Gillette wins a contract to provide all the Doughboys of the US Expeditionary Force with safety razor kits**.

The veterans take their safety razors home.

Women's fashion in the mid-1920s:



So obviously the safety razor does a good job of removing leg and underarm hair. There are variations within the type: a degree of 'aggressiveness', handle length and diameter, weight and balance, etc. Personal preference.

You know how bike&gear manufacturers will offer the same designs but in pastel colors for women cyclists? Yeah, safety razor manufacturers offer the same razors but in rose gold.
Often 'leg shaving' safety razors will have longer handles; this is apparently something that got worked out empirically over the last century.




*Yep, that was his first name: 'King'.

**You really, really wanted to be shaved smooth in the trenches so your gas mask would seal.

imi

I think all you no-shave bearded neaderthals are forgetting the weight-weenie aspect. By bringing a razor you are actually shaving off weight every morning.

And don’t get me started on those long-haired hippies among us!

Thankfully we are all serious cyclists and we shave our legs at least once a day.

djb

I just wanted to say how that made me laugh

djb

yup.
My grandfather had burn marks on his back his whole life from hunkering down during a gas attack, the mustard gas or chlorine gas or whatever it was would settle down onto everyone, hunched over making sure the gas mask was on tightly--but you'd be scared ****less out of your skin, especially if as my grandfather, as a stretcherbearer, you've seen and helped the poor bastards who didn't have masks or whatever--so , so scared you'd be sweating like a pig, and the gas falling down onto your wet shirt would react with the sweat and burn your back...

just part of the fun and games at 17 years old in the trenches of WW 1, along with going out and collecting the dead, filling up burlap bags with body parts , and of course, carrying stretchers of horribly wounded guys that you probably knew.....

garryg

I,m with the Duzer,electric all the way. I think i can go a month without charging it. No need to find/use water. No mess ,no fuss.

Jim246

As I learned in the marines, you need to shave every morning so that your gas mask seals. Who amongst us hasn't needed it while touring?

Other tips, use a brush and a stick because it is the only solution which will not freeze in the arctic, nor go off in the desert. Use the hot water in which you heated your breakfast ration pack.

Finally, if you have a field inspection, clean the razor with your toothbrush after you use it [Edit: yes that is disgusting!]. Otherwise you might find yourself crawling for it. Been there done that...

Bogey Speedwell

I generally shave 5-7 times a week, and that includes my entire bald zzz head, I’ve just never had a desire to leave the multi blade cartridges. There are so many angles to get a clean shave on my round head, I would think a single blade could cause more irritation or blood loss.

There has to be a reason why my fathers generation quit using them, yes?

saddlesores

the way i learned it was........way back around the great war, when the doughboys started returning from europe with thoughts of parisian ladies of ill repute in their heads --- clean-shaven working ladies, cause it cut down on the infestations and objectionable aromas......

.....and poor mary jane with her gorilla legs just couldn't compete.

50PlusCycling

There are countless combinations when it comes to safety razors and blades. When you find the right combination you get a shave in which is effortless, smooth as butter, and no razor burn. Travel razors suck, I have never found one which I like. I settled on a NOS Gillette Aristocrat, and either Gillette Bleue Extra blades (common in Europe), or Nacets. You need to practice to find the right technique, it took me about a year to get it just right. Prepping your face properly makes a huge difference in comfort and closeness, I make sure to warm up my face with hot water in the shower or tub, and use a good soap, I like the Kent SB soaps with lanolin. Don’t use the toxic soaps common in Eastern Europe. Once you get it together, nothing shaves more comfortably, closely, and cheaply as a safety razor.

tcs

Hey, everybody makes their own decision - it's their bike tour, after all.

SAG-supported bike tour, staying in motels/B&Bs? Why not?

Self-contained, credit card bike touring? Hmm. Perhaps you'd need to be a shave hobbyist (NTTAWWT) to tote the gear & associated consumables on your bike.

Self-contained, camping bike tour? Suggest that Panasonic ES3831 up thread.

50PlusCycling

I shaved in the field in the Army. Our sergeant was a hard-ass, “You will shave 365 days per year, and if I ever catch you unshaved…” Deserts, swamps, woods, wherever, I found a way to shave every morning.

adventurepdx

Yes, because when everyone goes on a tour they bring their full-sized toiletries with them.

There's this thing called travel size. You can get travel sized "wet shave" stuff, just like you can get travel size shampoo. Below is a kit that my girlfriend bought me.

adventurepdx

I can't speak for shaving heads, but I've gotten a smoother and less irritating shave since switching to a "single blade" almost ten years ago.
Here is more on that:
https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/why-de-is-better/

It was more due to the desire of Gillette and company to sell more (and more expensive) razor blades than anything. Much easier to make money when you can sell a four or five pack of "Mach 6" blades or whatever for $20 (and have to buy another pack in a month) then a five pack of double-sided blades (that may last longer than a month) for $3. So it was in Gillette's best interest to make a single-blade razor sound inferior, especially since it's easy to believe more blades equals better shave.

Bogey Speedwell

good points….but I’m still a little hesitant to pull a single blade across my bald head, much less contact on axis y At least I feel better with more contact on axis x with multiple blades. Plus the plane thing is a hindrance. But it definitely opens my mind I may have to try one.

drlogik 

I've been using a DE razor for about 20 years now. My current one is a very basic Merkur. I love it! The razors made now are far better than what was made 20 years ago. Gone are the days that nicks were the norm. They are as easy to use as a disposable Bic, shave closer than a multi-blade razor and don't give razor burn. I use Feather brand blades from Japan. Super high quality, scary sharp (no, really, scary sharp) and last for many shaves.

Tony Marley

Certainly in Africa, safety blades are easy to find. Cartridge types would be more problematic upcountry.

gauvins

Thanks for the info.

Tourist in MSN

Someone could read that and conclude they need a LOT of stuff to use a razor with replaceable blades (non-cartridge). From that article you need:
1 - A razor handle that comes with a head
2 - The right blades
3 - A high-fat shaving cream
4 - An aftershave or an aftershave balm, because they help to soothe your skin
5 - A styptic pencil, in case you cut yourself because it stops the bleeding

I posted this photo above in a previous post, repeating it here:



1 - One of those blade holders is the one I use at home, one is from my gym bag (35mm plastic film cartridge case as my protective case for it), the other is just another one I have. They are all vintage Gillette 1-9 adjustable razor blade holders. The ones with black handles appear to have a dissimilar metal corrosion issue inside the handle, if you are buying a used one and have a choice, I would lean away from the black ones. That said, the longer handle black one is the one I like to use, the longer handle feels better in my XL glove size hand. I have no idea what these sell for on the used market, I have had these since the 1980s. I did buy them used back then, before I bought these I used Schick brand injector razors.

2 - When I started to have trouble buying double edge blades in stores, I switched to buying Dorco blades in bulk on-line. They are cheap and just as good as the ones I used to buy before that. I have several more years worth in storage, do not remember what they cost.

3 - Shaving creams must have something I am allergic to, every one I have tried gives me a rash. I use soap. At home, use liquid hand soap, at the gym I use a bar of glycerin based soap, for travel I use whatever bar of soap I have for the shower, usually Ivory.

4 - I do not use.

5 - Have never owned one.

I think BobG said it best when he said how much you need to invest in this stuff, below.

For travel, I also use a Bic razor like BobG does, TSA does not confiscate it.

saddlesores

i'm on vacation.
why shave?

well.....unless crossing land borders in certain circumstances.
depends on situation.

UniChris

Being able to get a face seal sufficient to get the benefit of a high quality mask when going into a store to buy things is pretty much why I bother to shave these days, and the only reason I'd do so on a bike trip.

BobG

If I can't take a shower shaving is the next best thing. Shaving is refreshing and gives the illusion of having showered. An itchy two day stubble makes me feel grubby.