"Your status as a shaver is still amateur? We all come here to see if you wanna go pro".
As you know, we often place battles between 2 products. Purely to paint a pure image what the exact differences are so that you can make a clear choice based on this which product you want to use. In this context, it is high time that we once opposed 2 popular shaving instruments.
Especially because we regularly get the question: what is the best razor? A Safety Razor Or the widely used cartridge razors? Both have really very different characteristics when it comes to comfortable shaving.
What are the biggest differences between a safety razor and cartridge razor?
First of all there is of course a big difference in design. But also in materials between these 2 ramparts. Safety, sustainability and the final costs per shaving instrument also play a considerable role. Of course also the blades themselves. For example, the Safety Razor has 1 double -sided knife on the fixed shaving head Cartridge Razor 3 to 7 blades grouped in a plastic cassette.
A safety razor therefore has 1 double -sided knife in the fixed head. The knife itself is covered by a comb, base plate and top plate. There are also safety razors with a shaving head with a butterfly closure. This makes it slightly more vulnerable but even easier to place a double blade. Because the average safety razor is (much) heavier than the plastic variant, you don't have to put pressure on the skin yourself. That is the case with the very light cartridge razor. Another difference?
With a Safety Razor you can choose Double Blade blades from an enormous amount of brands from an enormous amount of brands. That has to do with its universal fit. So you have the choice of many qualities of steel and shark. You can experiment with great experimentation.
Tip: The Safety Razor also has a brother. A best safety razor but with a twisted head. For men with heavy beard hairs a very comfortable alternative to the straight safety razor. Read in the article, What is a Slant Safety Razor, Everything about the functioning of this also very good razor.
Which materials do a Safety Razor and Cartridge razor consist of?
Safety Razor
- Stainless steel or aluminum body with possibly a nickel coating
- Fixed Metals/Aluminum Drawing Shaving Head
Cartridge razor
- Plastic holder
- Rubber grip
- Loose plastic cassette with a rubber strip, plastic comb and the metal blades incorporated into it
How does a cartridge work?
Take the Gillette Fusion5 Proglide Equipped with a plastic cassette with 5 blades on board. While we also have one Mach3 could take as an example. The design remains the same in principle. The advantage of a cartridge razor is that you need little technology to achieve a fairly smooth shave.
The instrument is light to use and the head of this razor runs with every movement you make over the skin. You have to go crazy if you want to injure yourself. This is also because the 5 blades are tightened.
The cartridge is characterized by the blades, the Lubricant (rubber) strip and the comb. The blades are pre -set to the ideal cutting corner. Then it doesn't really matter how you hold the razor. The strip is there to reduce irritation while the comb does its best to flatten the skin so that the blades can glide over the skin more easily.
In addition to participating over the skin, the head of most cartridge rangers can also tilt from left to right. This keeps the blades on the skin when they cross the contours of the face.
Advantages cartridge razor:
- Due to the materials used, Cartidge Razors have a comfortable grip. This is partly due to the presence of the rubber lines. This way the holder stays in the hand. Even if your hands are wet or covered with shaving soap
- Shaving is easy. You don't really have to concentrate to prevent shaving errors or wounds. Such a cassette with blades is very forgiving. Whatever type you use
- You don't really have to maintain a cartridge razor. Rinse well with warm water is sufficient
Disadvantages cartridge razor:
- You have to scrape several times, up to 6x, with the cartridge over the same piece of skin to achieve results so that the skin is more damaged. In this case 6x a shaving movement x 5 blades = 30x over the skin to achieve smooth skin
- Not the best blades when you have sensitive skin
- Blades are generally of lesser quality than the steel of the Double Blades
- Chance of shaving fire because you have to scrape over the skin much more often
- Chance of ingrown hairs. The hairs are pulled out of the skin and then cut off by several blades so that the hairs can shoot back under the skin and there is an ingrown hair resulting in inflammations
- With a cartridge razor it is difficult to estimate the exact location you should start from the Bakkebaard
- It is more difficult to rinse the hair and soap residues from the cassette
- You cannot use other brands of razor blades so it is not possible to experiment with other types of blades
- It shaves (much) less smooth than a safety razor while you have to scrape over the skin much more often with cartridge blades
- Financially empty. The disposable cartridges are very expensive!
- Much impact on the environment due to various plastics materials and packaging
As you can see, there are quite a few hooks and eyes on a cartridge razor. In our article, which razor is the best for you, by the way, we go much deeper into the differences between multiple razors.
How does a safety razor work?
With a safety razor you have to display a little more technology than with a cartridge razor. The Safety Razor is available with a closed and one open comb. The Safety Razor with closed comb is the most popular.
Also recommended for beginners. At the end of the base plate is a continuous conductor who accompanies the blade over the skin. This design exposes the skin less to the knife. So very comfortable.
With a safety razor with an open comb, the continuous conductor is missing. Then the base plate often ends in ribbed teeth. Because of the open comb, many users experience the Safety Razor as a lot more aggressively. You also have to shave with more policy to prevent shaving errors. You place a safety razor in a position of 30 degrees On the skin and then you can maneuver fantastic over the face.
Result: you glide over the skin with less resistance. With an open comb you have access to more knife surface so that you covers even more skin. With this you achieve an even smoother result. A safety razor with open comb works excellent with heavy beard hairs. Try to control it with a cartridge knife ... Good Luck.
Advantages Safety Razor:
- You only have to glide over the skin 1 to 2 times to achieve a very smooth result
- You come with the knife directly under the nostrils
- Shaving much more comfortably for men with sensitive skin
- Much less chance of shaving fire, ingrown hairs and acne
- A much smoother end result than with a cartridge razor
- Saving a lot of money compared to a cartridge razor
- Much better for the environment (!)
Disadvantages Safety Razor:
- You could label the higher entry price for a Safety Razor as a disadvantage. However, you can make it as expensive as you want. You already have a good safety razor for 4 tens and you have that with the much cheaper Double Blade blades Like this earned back.
- It requires more technology than shaving with a cartridge razor
- The steel of a safety razor, and in particular the thread, must be cleaned regularly
In our blog, Perfect shaving: the use of a safety razor, we will go even more deeply to the functioning of this, in our eyes, dear razor On the market.
What is cheaper to use? A safety razor or a cartridge razor?
To immediately fall with the door in your bathroom: in the end you are with a safety razor always cheaper out. Pure through the double blade blades that you have in very many variants for little can purchase. The payback time of the Safety Razor itself depends on how much money you want to spend.
For example, for less than 4 tens you can have a very good razor like the Mühle R89 Safety Razor purchase where you years you can move forward. Or possibly invest in a fantastic Feather WS-D2 Safety Razor. If you have a Safety Razor good maintenance, you can actually do it all your life. It doesn't get more sustainable and cheaper.
Why cheaper?
Quite simple. Take a look at the prices of the average disposable cartridge razor blade. For a Gillette Mach3 you pay around € 4.00. Per knife. With some competitors of another brand you may be a euro cheaper. But: this remains a lot of money.
Bizarre actually. For a knife that you don't even skip sublime with. You often get the holder for free if you decide to get started with a cartridge. How!
But what does a Double Edge Blade razor blade cost?
Hold on ... the average price for a good razor blade in a safety razor is on average between 25 and 40 cents. Repetition: The average price for a good razor blade in a safety razor is on average between 25 and 40 cents. A disposable cartridge knife is therefore on average more than 10x more expensive. Cuckoo!
Just as sharp: suppose you from the age of 20one Until you 80one Shavers and you use a new blade on average every week. So uses 52 blades per year. 60 years.
Disposable cartridge knife (60 years) - on average 1 new knife per week
3,120 weeks x € 4.00 = € 12,480.00
Costs Double Edge Blade knife (60 years) - On average 1 new knife per week
3,120 weeks x € 0.40 = € 1248.00
Of course there are also men who shave 4 or 5 times a week instead of 7 times a week and that naturally influences the costs. But the above calculation example does indicate what a huge price difference there is between a disposable cartridge knife and a full steel double blade knife. Even if you only shave 3 times a week, you will still save considerably.
How many shaving a razor blade is?
First, let's take a closer look at the disposable cartridge blades. For example, the average Mach3 or Fusion cassettes from Gillette. Take by the bank you can perform an average of 5-7 shaves with these razor blades. These are of course the averages but also our experience.
Some users believe it after 5x shaving and you also have men who manage to pair out 10 shields. We would particularly advise against the latter.
The same also applies to the Double Blade knives. If you go for the loafers and the cheapest versions you can use such a double blade for about 5/6 times. The choice is huge. One of the loafers are the Derby Double Edge Blades. Only € 0.10 cents each and you can already shave very comfortably with it.
The writer of this article is very enthusiastic about the Wilkinson Sword Double Edge Blades After about 8 to 9 times I notice that things are going a little less smoothly.
Tip: Check our extensive range with the Best Double Edge Blades. Also try to vary with different sharpenes and brands. Many Safety Razor Addicts have preceded you and now have the ultimate Safety Razor and Double Edge Blades Combination (s) that make Scheeren Wellness.
Sustainability Safety Razor vs cartridge razor
We can be brief about that. Due to the many diverse components that a cartridge razor contains, this also ensures much more waste. There is quite a few different types of plastic, rubber, ink and metal. The holder of a cartridge also lasts for a certain period of time. So you will also throw away some of them during your life.
Source USA Today: Still, Billions of Plastic Razors and Refill Blade Cartridges Get Tossed in Landfills Each Year. With a safety razor you only have to deal with a wafer -thin steel razor blade that you can save and, for example, hand in separately. That's it. A good holder can certainly last throughout your life. Crystal clear and a no-brainer.
Tip: use a razor. Then you can store the used double -sided blades in a safe and good way and be able to throw them away in the recycle container later.
Summary Safety Razor vs cartridge razor
In fact you have to see a cartridge safety razor such as a printer and his toners. The printing system itself is relatively very cheap but when it comes to the toners you will spend money. That is the earnings model. That is actually the case with Cartridge Razors. There will, no matter what, will always be fans who want nothing more than to shave with a cartridge razor.
And here too you have a lot of choice in the cartridge rangers such as the Mühle - Gillette Mach3 Purist or do you want to chic you can also opt for a Mühle - Gillette Fusion Sophist.
And the winner is!
It may now be clear that when it comes to shaving comfort, costs and the environment, it is not about the best Safety Razor. Not comparable with a cartridge razor. The latter has become extremely popular because of the enormous marketing budgets that have been spent on it in the last 30 years. As a result, you are nevertheless conditioned and it is purely that you use a plastic razor from ease. Purely out of convenience.
But you can't compare it with the selensation and the super smooth effect that you achieve with a safety razor. In short, a cartridge razor is not a single party for the ruler in shaving. The Safety Razor. Also the best razor for the woman. The ladies are a big fan. Just read in our article: Why the Safety Razor is the best razor for women. In short: with such a solid instrument you shave oldskool But always Cutting Edge. Grandpa wasn't that bad yet!
Tip: Check the 10 best Safety Razors Which we have put together for you. Easy right?
If you still have questions or comments, we would like to hear from you. For now? Shave That!
Success & greeting,
Your friends, The Alpha Men