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You may have heard of a safety razor, or maybe you haven’t. They’re a great solution to the plastic disposable razors most people use today. If you’ve heard of a safety razor, you may still be wondering, “is a safety razor right for me?” So let me help you decide - continue reading for more information.

What is a Safety Razor?

I talk a lot about my safety razor assuming people know what I’m talking about but the blank stares I receive from family and friends who aren’t waist-deep in sustainability communities made me realize that safety razors may require some explanation.

Safety razors come in many shapes and sizes, but essentially what makes it a safety razor is that it has a:

metal handle (plastic alternative)
removable (and recyclable) stainless steel blade
blade guard

Is a Safety Razor Safer than My Plastic Razor?

The short answer is no - it’s still a blade and you have to learn how to use it. The safety razor got it’s name in 1880. It was called a safety razor in comparison to the straight razor and a guard razor (which is just a straight razor with - you guessed it - a guard). There are two main types of safety razors - a single-edged and a double-edged (I’ll deep dive into these in another article so stay tuned!). I use a double-edged blade as pictured below.

Why I was Hesitant to Make the Change

Safety

For some reason I was under the impression that safety razors were very hard to use and I’d cut myself a lot. I found this to be untrue. Don’t get me wrong, it takes some getting used to but I watched a video on how to use one and took it slow my first few shaves. The razor has a guard (to keep you safe) so there’s a technique to it. You have to be careful around knees and pits because a safety razor doesn’t have an articulating head like plastic razors do (see the difference below). But you quickly get used to the technique; after a few shaves I didn’t have any problems.

Another fear I had was around replacing the blades myself. But that too isn’t a big deal - just don’t hold it by the razor edge.

Disposal

When the blades are done you have to dispose of them safely (which you should already be doing with your other razor blades). Since the blades are recyclable, I keep them in a mason jar until it’s full, then I take them to scrap metal recycling at my nearest recycling depot. But be sure to double check that your depot accepts this.

Cost

The price is usually around $50 CAD and includes the handle and 5 blades. For comparison’s sake, a men’s Gilette with 4 cartridges can be $20-30. But once you have the handle, safety razor blades are very inexpensive (I’m talking cents, not dollars per blade). They’re super compact so you can buy them in packs of 100. But don’t be fooled by the price, they may be inexpensive but these blades are sharp and make for a great shave.

What I Like about Safety Razors

I don’t just like my safety razor - I love it. It’s such a good shave - no red bumps, very smooth. I tried legs, pits, bikini, even the hard to reach areas. I didn’t get any knicks on my first try (though I was being extremely careful). Since I’ve become more comfortable with it, I’ve had one knick on a skin tag but it didn’t feel any different than a normal razor would have.

I find the shave lasts a bit longer than previous razors and the hair is less prominent when it comes back.

It's eco-friendly! No plastic and recyclable blades - nuff said. I also love how inexpensive the blades are.

Another great thing about safety razors is they come in many different shapes and sizes to fit your specific shaving needs. Shaving a your face probably requires a different tools than shaving your legs.

So, is a Safety Razor Right for ME?

If you have the means to spend the upfront cost and are looking forward to the cost savings over time, want a plastic-free alternative to shaving, and are willing to take a short amount of time to learn the technique then a safety razor may be right for you. But this certainly isn’t for everyone.

A safety razor may not be a good fit if you:

like to shave fast and loose
can’t afford the upfront cost
don’t shave - some people prefer waxing or sugaring, some people trim, some people have had laser hair removal

Another reason that a friend shared about why she doesn’t shave is because she’s immunocompromised. If she knicks herself shaving it means a hospital visit and IVs. So what she uses is a sort of electric razor. She finds she only has to change the blades about twice a year which seems pretty sustainable to me.

Have you tried a safety razor? If so, what did you think? Looking forward to hearing about your experience with safety razors in the comments.

Check back soon for a deep dive into safety razors - the technique, the different styles and what they work best for. We’ll also get into different shave soaps, brushes, dishes, and beard oils!

Is a safety razor right for me?