Get a double-edge razor and a good badger hair brush. Big outlay at the start but replacement blades only cost 10s of cents and you get a way better shave.
Hmm... you missed the "straight razor" option. There, we can consider your blood to be a renewable resource, and free. Hence, this seems like the most responsible choice -- fiscally and environmentally.
So, with the saftey razor and brush technique, do you have to use shaving soap, or can you use cream?
I've used electrics. Had a Braun that shaved close enough to blade-close as to make no difference. It broke down after less than two months. My Kung-Fu was just too strong, I guess.
I think anything that makes the blade glide across your skin, and making the skin squishy enough to not get in the way, would work. I'm a woman though, so grain of salt.
Also, couldn't you have gotten a warranty replacement? I know warranty isn't a mandatory thing like here in the EU, but by Krishna, 2 months!
I also switched to the double sided safety razor and am more than pleased, definitely the best option. I have tried the soap and standard shaving gels/foam. All of them worked fine for me, but in the end the cost of the soap prompted me to stick with that. One advice though, don't get the super cheapest blades or the most expensive something cheapish or middle of the road is usually the best option. My 2 cents
Watto - you too with the mind reading then.... The expensive option gives a way better shave...but it costs in a way that annoys me. Panel 3 I particularly enjoyed
I really don't get what the big deal is. Maybe because the hair on my legs is finer (and blonde) I don't have to shave as often, but as soon as I discovered how easy a man's Norelco triple-spinny rechargeable electric is, I have only used a regular razor with soap maybe five times in the last twenty years! And I know for a fact I've only changed the blades on my Norelco ONCE. Women's electrics suck, but the Norelco men's works FAB!
I went with a compromise between the biker beard and the disposables. If you don't shave much area, and are relatively insensitive (this, according to my wife), a disposable lasts about six months before it's too dull and just starts yanking the hairs out.
I'll add my vote for a double-edged safety razor and a brush. I switched a few years ago and have always been happy with the results. I use shaving soap at the moment, but cream works as well.
read this & LOL :-) Check out our new King of Shaves Azor, http://www.shave.com - as good as gillette, far more affordable and much better than disposables! Happy to send you one FOC to try if you like - do get in touch if u like!
I have a full beard -- a 1 inch stripe along my jawline that goes up to my hair, plus the mustache. It's slightly annoying that it takes a couple minutes every day to make a full beard look decent (like shaving my cheeks and neck, and occassional "thinning" with clippers). You'd think that having a beard should be less work than being clean-shaven, but I think it's more.
I hope Scott finds a solution to his dilemma and lets us (me) know what works best. I currently keep changing disposable blades and find it wasteful. [I don't know how to use electric razors :( ]
Well, at least you know how to get rid of your spouse if you ever feel the need to. Just grow that Beard! I don't reccomend it though. I bet she is the central command center of the whole operation and without her you'd be walking around downtown laughing out loud to yourself. Hey that would be a good instruction- " how to tell if your going insane before you really do" I can tell you now it's a nice place to visit, but wouldn't want to live there.
I grow a full beard in less then a week... the electric razors last less then a month and if I use a disposable for more then 4-6 shaves its like dragging an angry cat across my face. I often just use water (no soaps, creams, etc)... and have the ability to dry shave if camping... although, that is most often the time I stop and grow my beard.
If you have time in the morning, try the electric razor with the electric shaving lotion. It shaves better than a normal razor and you get a "smooth" feel too.
I've been lucky enough to find a woman to marry me who likes the full beard and use electric for the clean up (including occasional trim/thinning), so yeah I guess it comes down to making sure you get a quality product (and controlling your kung fu, apparently) the first time. I like everyone's straight razor suggestion though. It's cool how the modern enviromentalist ethic is bringing back some stuff that got shoved aside over the last how-ever-many-years.
big bushy biker beards, for those times you have a surplus of the letter b and wish you could pull odd items out of your fro like the harlem globetrotters did in their cartoon in the 70s where they were superheroes, but you just don't have the hair for it...ahhhh, big bushy biker beards.
1 time at the pub we went into the back office to see how many pens and pencils I could hold in my beard (with the test involving shaking my head around to make sure they really stuck). I could get 7 in there. Not quite superglobetrotter level, but quite useful as a pencilcase alternative.
I use a double-edge razor and gilette shave gel. Blade cost at wal-mart has gone up to 1.96 for a 10 pack for me, but now for some reason they last me nearly a month instead of only a week. Go fig.
Warning: uber-post ahead. Scott, you don't have to use shaving soap with a safety razor - shaving cream is an option.
BUT consider this: a can of foam is, say $4 and lasts about a month with your amount of area to be shaved (guessing here). That's about $50 a year, and foam is quite messy. A "bar" of shave soap w/ a wooden bowl from Crabtree and Evelyn is $18; refills are $8. One bar will last a YEAR! Maybe a bit less for you. I think ti gives a much better shave than foam to boot. I've had the same wooden bowl since 1995 - better than ceramic as it won't break when dropped.
Now the brush. Using a brush just feels cool on the cheeks. I image it would feel great on a bald head It's much less messy than foam and actually takes me less time to use a brush with soap. See, saving resource (time, cans, trash) while getting pleasure.
Plus, if the cat starts yacking while you are shaving, you don't have to worry about chasing her with a hand full of foam - just drop the brush.
So... now I am thinking that a good Basic instructions strip could be "Paper or Plastic?" Some of the reasoning could be very similar to choosing a razor.... Some other of life's intractable problems include choosing a beverage (beer, wine, or Jack Daniel's), which friends to invite to a barbecue...
Keep it up, Scott! This is the most fun strip on the interwebs.
I can vouch for BI up there. The only reason that Norelco (or Philips as we know it over here) isn't marketed at the ladies is because they didn't want to tarnish the Macho image of men's shaving. The shavers are perfectly good for legs as my wife can testify. (I worked for Philips in the past).
No strange euphemism. Scott just seems to have bad timing when it comes to his cat throwing up. I can easily see the cat start to yack right as he has a hand full of shaving cream. The choice: rid the hands of shaving cream to save the carpet from cat vomit, or have a cat covered in shaving cream. Then have to wash said cat. See comic: How to wash a cat. I'm not sure which option is worse.
*Brad* ....assume for a moment if you will, a) that I have an indoor cat (though this would be more surrealistic and somewhat more humorous because my cat is an outdoor cat), b) that I have switched to a brush, bowl and straight razor (which I might soon enough), then if the cat started to yak while I was shaving, I fear I would cut my throat...
[...] Instructions comic in which the author/protagonist, Scott, weighs up his shaving options. You can read the full comic here, assuming you don’t read Basic Instructions already (and you [...]
September 13, 2009
Reader Comments (43)
Hey, at least all men have to shave is (generally) above the neck, that's a lot less territory to cover than a whole body.
Thank god his daily shaving ritual stays above the shoulders.
This is why I seriously consider facial electrolysis.
I don't like it when you peer inside my head and publish my thoughts as a comic. Please stop.
PS. I am not a cook.
;)
An old school safety razor is the best option though. Cheaper, faster and durable.
I use an electric razor. Problem solved!
Get a double-edge razor and a good badger hair brush. Big outlay at the start but replacement blades only cost 10s of cents and you get a way better shave.
Old fashioned saftey razors. LIke 2 cents per blade if you buy 100 at a time.
Hmm... you missed the "straight razor" option. There, we can consider your blood to be a renewable resource, and free. Hence, this seems like the most responsible choice -- fiscally and environmentally.
So, with the saftey razor and brush technique, do you have to use shaving soap, or can you use cream?
I've used electrics. Had a Braun that shaved close enough to blade-close as to make no difference. It broke down after less than two months. My Kung-Fu was just too strong, I guess.
I think anything that makes the blade glide across your skin, and making the skin squishy enough to not get in the way, would work. I'm a woman though, so grain of salt.
Also, couldn't you have gotten a warranty replacement? I know warranty isn't a mandatory thing like here in the EU, but by Krishna, 2 months!
I also switched to the double sided safety razor and am more than pleased, definitely the best option. I have tried the soap and standard shaving gels/foam. All of them worked fine for me, but in the end the cost of the soap prompted me to stick with that. One advice though, don't get the super cheapest blades or the most expensive something cheapish or middle of the road is usually the best option.
My 2 cents
Watto - you too with the mind reading then.... The expensive option gives a way better shave...but it costs in a way that annoys me. Panel 3 I particularly enjoyed
Next time, also hold your hands next to your beard and do a Goatse. ;-) Within minutes, your wife will force you to shave yourself completely! ;-)
hah! just saw a post on lifehacker about extending the life of disposable razor blades. lookit: http://lifehacker.com/5356529/extend-your-razors-life-with-a-pair-of-jeans
now you get the best of both worlds! hooray!
also, continue being funny. i love your comic.
I really don't get what the big deal is. Maybe because the hair on my legs is finer (and blonde) I don't have to shave as often, but as soon as I discovered how easy a man's Norelco triple-spinny rechargeable electric is, I have only used a regular razor with soap maybe five times in the last twenty years! And I know for a fact I've only changed the blades on my Norelco ONCE. Women's electrics suck, but the Norelco men's works FAB!
I went with a compromise between the biker beard and the disposables. If you don't shave much area, and are relatively insensitive (this, according to my wife), a disposable lasts about six months before it's too dull and just starts yanking the hairs out.
I'll add my vote for a double-edged safety razor and a brush. I switched a few years ago and have always been happy with the results. I use shaving soap at the moment, but cream works as well.
read this & LOL :-) Check out our new King of Shaves Azor, http://www.shave.com - as good as gillette, far more affordable and much better than disposables! Happy to send you one FOC to try if you like - do get in touch if u like!
I have a full beard -- a 1 inch stripe along my jawline that goes up to my hair, plus the mustache. It's slightly annoying that it takes a couple minutes every day to make a full beard look decent (like shaving my cheeks and neck, and occassional "thinning" with clippers). You'd think that having a beard should be less work than being clean-shaven, but I think it's more.
I hope Scott finds a solution to his dilemma and lets us (me) know what works best. I currently keep changing disposable blades and find it wasteful. [I don't know how to use electric razors :( ]
I use electric ones. Have never even tried shaving cream.
Well, at least you know how to get rid of your spouse if you ever feel the need to. Just grow that Beard! I don't reccomend it though. I bet she is the central command center of the whole operation and without her you'd be walking around downtown laughing out loud to yourself. Hey that would be a good instruction- " how to tell if your going insane before you really do" I can tell you now it's a nice place to visit, but wouldn't want to live there.
I grow a full beard in less then a week... the electric razors last less then a month and if I use a disposable for more then 4-6 shaves its like dragging an angry cat across my face. I often just use water (no soaps, creams, etc)... and have the ability to dry shave if camping... although, that is most often the time I stop and grow my beard.
I recommend you upgrade to a straight razor.
1) it's much much cheaper
2) it's better for the planet
3) it's hella macho
4) you can kill people with it when you go postal
If you have time in the morning, try the electric razor with the electric shaving lotion. It shaves better than a normal razor and you get a "smooth" feel too.
I've been lucky enough to find a woman to marry me who likes the full beard and use electric for the clean up (including occasional trim/thinning), so yeah I guess it comes down to making sure you get a quality product (and controlling your kung fu, apparently) the first time. I like everyone's straight razor suggestion though. It's cool how the modern enviromentalist ethic is bringing back some stuff that got shoved aside over the last how-ever-many-years.
big bushy biker beards, for those times you have a surplus of the letter b and wish you could pull odd items out of your fro like the harlem globetrotters did in their cartoon in the 70s where they were superheroes, but you just don't have the hair for it...ahhhh, big bushy biker beards.
+1 for the safety razor. Blades are super cheap, and it makes you feel sophisticated ;). I use this one: http://www.leesrazors.com/products/Merkur-Heavy-Duty-Razor-with-Gold-Plating.html
1 time at the pub we went into the back office to see how many pens and pencils I could hold in my beard (with the test involving shaking my head around to make sure they really stuck). I could get 7 in there. Not quite superglobetrotter level, but quite useful as a pencilcase alternative.
I use a double-edge razor and gilette shave gel. Blade cost at wal-mart has gone up to 1.96 for a 10 pack for me, but now for some reason they last me nearly a month instead of only a week. Go fig.
Warning: uber-post ahead. Scott, you don't have to use shaving soap with a safety razor - shaving cream is an option.
BUT consider this: a can of foam is, say $4 and lasts about a month with your amount of area to be shaved (guessing here). That's about $50 a year, and foam is quite messy. A "bar" of shave soap w/ a wooden bowl from Crabtree and Evelyn is $18; refills are $8. One bar will last a YEAR! Maybe a bit less for you. I think ti gives a much better shave than foam to boot. I've had the same wooden bowl since 1995 - better than ceramic as it won't break when dropped.
Now the brush. Using a brush just feels cool on the cheeks. I image it would feel great on a bald head It's much less messy than foam and actually takes me less time to use a brush with soap. See, saving resource (time, cans, trash) while getting pleasure.
Plus, if the cat starts yacking while you are shaving, you don't have to worry about chasing her with a hand full of foam - just drop the brush.
So... now I am thinking that a good Basic instructions strip could be "Paper or Plastic?" Some of the reasoning could be very similar to choosing a razor....
Some other of life's intractable problems include choosing a beverage (beer, wine, or Jack Daniel's), which friends to invite to a barbecue...
Keep it up, Scott! This is the most fun strip on the interwebs.
I can vouch for BI up there. The only reason that Norelco (or Philips as we know it over here) isn't marketed at the ladies is because they didn't want to tarnish the Macho image of men's shaving. The shavers are perfectly good for legs as my wife can testify. (I worked for Philips in the past).
"Plus, if the cat starts yacking while you are shaving, you don’t have to worry about chasing her with a hand full of foam – just drop the brush"
Is that some bizarre complicated euphemism? Do we even want to know?
No strange euphemism. Scott just seems to have bad timing when it comes to his cat throwing up. I can easily see the cat start to yack right as he has a hand full of shaving cream. The choice: rid the hands of shaving cream to save the carpet from cat vomit, or have a cat covered in shaving cream. Then have to wash said cat. See comic: How to wash a cat. I'm not sure which option is worse.
Do you have a Kung Fu Manchu?
*Brad* ....assume for a moment if you will, a) that I have an indoor cat (though this would be more surrealistic and somewhat more humorous because my cat is an outdoor cat), b) that I have switched to a brush, bowl and straight razor (which I might soon enough), then if the cat started to yak while I was shaving, I fear I would cut my throat...
There's a reason I don't use a straight razor....a brush a soap is suitably "old fashioned" for me.
[...] Instructions comic in which the author/protagonist, Scott, weighs up his shaving options. You can read the full comic here, assuming you don’t read Basic Instructions already (and you [...]