Comments on: Generic Brand Safety Razors – Frugal?

By: barb

barb — Fri, 07 May 2010 17:44:53 +0000

Great idea about disposing of used blades in a can!
Better yet……….you can resharpen each blade side (4x).
Most better blades last longer and resharpen easier.
It also helps if you do not store blades in bathroom….too much moisture.It melts your soap faster too. Store bathroom stuff in hall closets.

By: Bit2

Bit2 — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:26:13 +0000

A couple things:
1) Mantic59′svideos (Mark) are a great learning aid and is what got e interested in DE shaving.
2) A solution for a Blade Bank is just that a cheap ceramic bank you get at a Dollar store. You can still recycle the steel if needed and it keeps the trash safe.
3) There are better blades available online i.e. Amazon.com & eBay. I like Sharks, Bluebirds and various Gillette brands (Green, Yellow & Black Boxes). They remain relatively inexpensive.

By: Brian D

Brian D — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 02:51:52 +0000

Just stumbled across this via a link on Mark’s mantic59 blog. Fascinating topic material.

The “slot” on the back of the bargain brand blade box is actually a throwback to an earlier design – old houses used to have the disposal slot built right into the medicine cabinet, with the slot leading to a ‘blade safe’. (Ask your grandpa.) In such a market, the slot-on-the-box would have been seen as extra waste!

If you’re concerned about safe disposal of DE razor blades on a budget, you can build a simple version of the old-style ‘blade safes’ with relative ease: Take a can of liquid soup, tomato juice, or similar (note: liquids only (i.e no noodle soups), and preferably a metal can over a stiff cardstock (i.e. lemonade) can), drill two holes in one end and drain instead of using a can opener. Rinse the can thoroughly. Then, cut a slit in the side near one end. Blades at the end of their life slide right in and there’s no lid to open. When the can’s full, press the slit closed and you’re good to go on disposal.

You don’t need to do this often (one can lasts for ages; look at how large it is compared to the blades), and the added cost of doing this is essentially nil if you’re already using canned liquids (it just takes longer to open and drain).