Shaving Myths......

1. You cannot get an irritation free and BBS shave from a cartridge.

Nonsense. I can. Just as wyze0ne doesn't need pre-shave prep, broad over reaching statements are also ridiculous. Never say never.

2. Using an alcohol based after shave is good for you.

Maybe in 1965 when nothing else was available but this isn't 1965 anymore. It should be intuitively obvious to anyone that willingly taking a masochist approach and slapping on the burn, when soothing balms exist that also take care of nicks, would be masochistic and unnecessary and intuitively NOT good for you when alternatives exist. Few people willingly give themselves pain.  

3. Canned shaving cream, or as used in the virtual community as the derogatory term "canned goo" is the evil spawn of the devil.

If this were true, then the millions upon millions of people who have been using it since the early 1950s would be dead from it. Find 10 cases of anyone dying or falling sick from using canned shaving cream.

4. Chubby brushes and stiff backbones is the defacto standard. Floppy brushes are poor and to be avoided.

Nonsense. I have a very floppy brush and it works great for creams. In fact, it works on everything.

5. Nobody need buy any shaving soap more expensive than (fill in your choice (e.g., arko, CO bigelow, Williams).

ROFL. The same can be said of Edge then.

6. The Razor industry, all kinds, is booming in the US

FALSE. Annual growth from 2011 to 2016 is (-.9%)

7. Canned Shaving Cream (aka goo) is the most popular shaving cream sold in the US

FALSE. Gel is the most popular.

8. "Shaving" is more popular than ever.

FALSE. Its flatlined since 2011 hurt by things like casual Friday and the ever popular three day stubble.

9. Disposable razors are a dying breed.

FALSE. Sales jumped $23M https://www.creditdonkey.com/shaving-statistics.html  

10. Cartridge razors simple pieces of plastic easy to make.

FALSE  http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/news/a6833/razors

"[Gillete] spent around $750m in research and development costs [for the profusion]  

it represents the very apex of precision engineering and medical know-how, literally cutting-edge science. Take Gillette's Fusion ProGlide Power Razor. It contains more than 60 different parts. It's so complicated there's only two factories in the world that can make it. Each of its six blades are spot-welded 13 times – that's 78 welds per cartridge. (Gillette does more welding than many car manufacturers.) Those six blades are now so thin – far thinner than, say, a surgeon's scalpel – that scientists have to examine them using atomic microscopes, the same ones Nasa uses. At their tips, they measure 25 nanometers, a figure that's smaller than the wave of visible light.

11. Edge thickness of a DE blade is smaller than a cartridge blade (not discussing the angle or hardness)

See article above. cartridge blade is 25 nm. See http://www.bushcraftuk.com/downloads/pdf...shexps.pdf Gillette DE blade .35 microns or 350 nm

  Or this could all be nonsense.

Man, I feel somewhat depressed after reading your post.    

It reminds me of the day when I found out that Santa was not real.

The Tech is a beginner razor. It is, but it's also good enough for any experience shaver and works as well as any razor out there.

The shaving brush will lift the hairs for shaving and exfoliate when you lather. Maybe if you are using a Beaver Hair Brush.

2-band badger is better than 3-band and Boars aren't as soft as Badger. Not if you get a good 3 band, it's got just as much backbone and face feel. Semogues are as soft as any luxurious $$$ badger I own, they are just not as flashy or prestigious and are easy to obtain.

I can lather my MdC in 0.2 seconds or 1/4 of a swirl. BS and if you can, you get a crappy lather.

The FB cuts under my nose better than the Slim. Then you don't know how to use a razor properly.

When you buy a used soap, just lather it, it's self cleaning. Mmmmm, nope. At least scrape the top layer off and remove the mystery hairs.

Agreed 120%, Bruce.

But

2-bands just more often than not seem to be made so they have better flow through and soft tips with ample amounts of backbone. But I own several well constructed 3-bands that are equally as great performers as my top 2-bands.

I do feel my badgers give my face and beard a better massage and exfoliation than my softer synthetics.

1. You cannot get an irritation free and BBS shave from a cartridge.

Nonsense. I can. Just as wyze0ne doesn't need pre-shave prep, broad over reaching statements are also ridiculous. Never say never.

2. Using an alcohol based after shave is good for you.

Maybe in 1965 when nothing else was available but this isn't 1965 anymore. It should be intuitively obvious to anyone that willingly taking a masochist approach and slapping on the burn, when soothing balms exist that also take care of nicks, would be masochistic and unnecessary and intuitively NOT good for you when alternatives exist. Few people willingly give themselves pain.  

3. Canned shaving cream, or as used in the virtual community as the derogatory term "canned goo" is the evil spawn of the devil.

If this were true, then the millions upon millions of people who have been using it since the early 1950s would be dead from it. Find 10 cases of anyone dying or falling sick from using canned shaving cream.

4. Chubby brushes and stiff backbones is the defacto standard. Floppy brushes are poor and to be avoided.

Nonsense. I have a very floppy brush and it works great for creams. In fact, it works on everything.

5. Nobody need buy any shaving soap more expensive than (fill in your choice (e.g., arko, CO bigelow, Williams).

ROFL. The same can be said of Edge then.

6. The Razor industry, all kinds, is booming in the US

FALSE. Annual growth from 2011 to 2016 is (-.9%)

7. Canned Shaving Cream (aka goo) is the most popular shaving cream sold in the US

FALSE. Gel is the most popular.

8. "Shaving" is more popular than ever.

FALSE. Its flatlined since 2011 hurt by things like casual Friday and the ever popular three day stubble.

9. Disposable razors are a dying breed.

FALSE. Sales jumped $23M https://www.creditdonkey.com/shaving-statistics.html  

10. Cartridge razors simple pieces of plastic easy to make.

FALSE  http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/news/a6833/razors

"[Gillete] spent around $750m in research and development costs [for the profusion]  

it represents the very apex of precision engineering and medical know-how, literally cutting-edge science. Take Gillette's Fusion ProGlide Power Razor. It contains more than 60 different parts. It's so complicated there's only two factories in the world that can make it. Each of its six blades are spot-welded 13 times – that's 78 welds per cartridge. (Gillette does more welding than many car manufacturers.) Those six blades are now so thin – far thinner than, say, a surgeon's scalpel – that scientists have to examine them using atomic microscopes, the same ones Nasa uses. At their tips, they measure 25 nanometers, a figure that's smaller than the wave of visible light.

11. Edge thickness of a DE blade is smaller than a cartridge blade (not discussing the angle or hardness)

See article above. cartridge blade is 25 nm. See http://www.bushcraftuk.com/downloads/pdf...shexps.pdf Gillette DE blade .35 microns or 350 nm

  Or this could all be nonsense.

Excellent great post, Grim

grim, I loved your post, especially the very last line.

1. Shaving soaps are slicker than shaving creams

2. Shaving creams are slicker than shaving soaps.

3. "BLANK"(insert any shaving hardware/software here) is the ultimate all-time best ever.  If you don't agree, you are an inept moron.  

This is a very interesting and useful thread.


My biggest and most adamant disagreement is:

"[Gillete] spent around $750m in research and development costs [for the profusion]  ... I tried that bit of Gillette hyperbole,  much of which and more is repeated here,  that expensive mechanical monstrosity and tested it in my own studiously unscientific way for a whole month. $750 million down the drain in my opinion.

Mickey Oberman I'm not sure exactly what you are disagreeing with. Please explain. The OP asked for myths. My sentence was:

"Cartridge razors [are] simple pieces of plastic easy to make"

That was my "myth" - cartridges are simple and easy to make .... this is backed up by research to include:

- There are 78 spot welds in each cartridge.
- The blades are 25 nanometers on the edge, shorter than the wavelength of light (meaning you cannot see them)
- Only two factories have the complexity to build them.

So what part of the "myth" "that cartridges are simple pieces of plastic" Do you not agree with?

Do you think doing 78 spot welds on a tiny little cartridge is simple?
Do you think hone an edge less than the wavelength of light is simple?

I'm confused by your comment.

The biggest myth is any generalized statement that is made to sound as though it is universally true.

The only universally true statement in the entirety of this hobby is this: Your Mileage May Vary...

We all have different skin and hair, and we all have different sensitivities. Invariably, our experiences will vary...

2. Using an alcohol based after shave is good for you.

Maybe in 1965 when nothing else was available but this isn't 1965 anymore. It should be intuitively obvious to anyone that willingly taking a masochist approach and slapping on the burn, when soothing balms exist that also take care of nicks, would be masochistic and unnecessary and intuitively NOT good for you when alternatives exist. Few people willingly give themselves pain.  


6. The Razor industry, all kinds, is booming in the US

FALSE. Annual growth from 2011 to 2016 is (-.9%)

8. "Shaving" is more popular than ever.

FALSE. Its flatlined since 2011 hurt by things like casual Friday and the ever popular three day stubble.

Using alcohol based after shave is part of the ritual that I enjoy. I don't get enough burn to make it uncomfortable. In line with grim's point, I'll also say that after the alcohol goes Aloe if needed followed by a modern high quality lotion.

It makes perfect sense to me that shaving is not growing based on grim's comments. His comments made me think back to when I signed on with FedEx in 1991. Customer facing male employees required to be clean shaven. If the boss saw you skipping a day he would address it with you. Then, we all had to wear a suit everyday.

We had it easier than the guys at UPS though. They couldn't leave their desk without putting their suit jacket on.

Myth 1: Anybody can get a good shave with any razor.
People mean well when they say this, and it's nearly true. I can get a good shave with just about any razor I've tried. However, there are definitely razors that work better for me than others.

Myth 2: Sharper blades give smoother shaves.
Also, not completely false or true. It depends. I tend to steer away from Feathers because they are, indeed, "too sharp". They tear me up. Kai's, on the other hand, are just as sharp (if not sharper) and give me a much better shave.

Both of those are untrue. Even beside the hair/skin differences, it depends very much on your shave routine. WTG, XTG, ATG, or all of the above?

I break both of these guidelines for optimal shaves every day:

1) Shower before you shave
2) Use warm/hot water when shaving

Me too.

I love using alcohol based splashes, as long as I have no irritation or razor burn. Honestly, I haven't gotten burn or irritation in many, many months...

I even really like using a Cat o'Nine Tails splash. It's very invigorating and feels AWESOME on a cold day!