Of course you are already familiar with the standard disposable razor blades that are often advertised. What you may not know yet is that there are other, better and cheaper alternatives to cartridge razor blades . In this article we will explain to you in detail what the best razor is.
Of course, it remains rather personal which razor is best for you. For example, it depends on what type of beard hair and skin you have. To make the choice a little easier for you, we've listed the best razors for you. Even if you are still happy with a simple shaver with a disposable cartridge, just because you've been used to it for years, it can't hurt to learn more.
Sharpness of the razor blade
Most men think that the sharpest razors are automatically the best razors. That is true in most cases. The sharper the blade, the smoother the result will be. However, you have to learn to deal with it. Because you also run the risk of cutting yourself earlier. But: with a sharper razor blade a better result can be achieved. If you master the technique well, the sharpest blade is ideal for sensitive skin and somewhat thicker beard hairs. The skin is less stressed because the blade only has to slide over the skin and hair once. If you have less thick beard hairs, you can possibly get started with a less sharp knife. Although we prefer the sharper variants.
Which razors exist?
We can divide razors into a number of types.
- The well-known disposable razor ( Cartridge Razor )
- The classic scraper ( Safety Razor )
- The open barber knife ( Shavette or Straight Razor )
The razors with disposable cartridge are of course very well known. Both Gillette and Wilkinson have been successfully selling these convenient products for decades. The razor blades with disposable cartridge are in themselves great for a good shave. But in our view, they are not among the best razor blades. It certainly does not mean that a disposable cassette with more blades also provides a more comfortable and better shave than with a single blade. Due to the design and encapsulated blades, they are fairly forgiving.
If you really want to take a step and take wet shaving to a (much) higher level, we advise you to get started with a safety razor. With this razor, equipped with double edge blades (double-sided) blade, you can shave the skin very smoothly. You will just have to take a little more time because shaving with a safety razor requires a little more technique than the standard disposable variant. In our article ' The use of a safety razor ' you get a perfect picture of how to handle such a shaving instrument!
With a shavette or straight razor knife you end up in a completely different league. These razors, which are mainly used by barbers, are very professional tools with which you really have to learn how to shave. You provide a shavette with an interchangeable single-edge blade , while the open razor consists of 1 piece of metal. You have to sharpen these regularly with a sharpening stone .
When you master the art you can achieve a super smooth result, but you really have to work with policy. By the way, with these types of razors you have zero margin of safety. So if you put the knife to the skin unconcentrated, there is a good chance that you will injure yourself. So much so that you can't stop the bleeding with the best alum yourself. Not even a plaster. Utmost concentration is therefore required!
The best double edge blade blades
As we mentioned above, shaving with a double edge blade is a fantastic way to shave your stubble with a super smooth skin as a result. Yes, it requires a bit more technique and patience than with a disposable cartridge as you know from Gillette, but the result is unprecedented. Apart from the fact that handling a weighty full metal safety razor is an experience. You have a serious tool in your hands. Let's name a number of advantages compared to the disposable variants:
- Very accurate result and a nicer experience
- Shave less often because the end result is smoother
- Less chance of irritated skin
- There is a lot of variation in double edge blades
- The double-sided razor blades are much cheaper
Many men who now shave with a double edge blade safety razor come from the Gillette cartridge scene. They also thought this was 'the standard' in shaving. And you don't take that step so quickly. But once you switch to a safety razor you will never go back to the disposable circuit. So what is the best double edge blade? That depends entirely on what sharpness you consider comfortable. We naturally have the best safety razor blades on our virtual shelves.
Our tip: If you have not shaved with a safety razor before, we advise you to start with the least aggressive blades available. Good safety razor blades to start with are those from DERBY . These double edge blades come in a sharpness of 1 on a scale of 5. Great to start with. Blue Bird's superior double edge blades are also perfect for loading your razor blade. Read our article ' How to avoid the most common shaving mistakes ' to get well prepared.
The best single edge blades
Single edge blades are actually double edge blades but cut in half. Single edge blades are used in single edge razors such as the Razorock but mostly used in shavettes. As for example in the Proraso Barber Razor Shavette . Exactly the same as the double edge blades in terms of sharpness (scale 1-5) and quality. Compared to cartridge razors such as a Fusion Proglide or Mach 3 from Gillette, only 1 blade goes over the skin with a single edge blade, in contrast to the 3 or 5 blades of the single edge or double edge blades.
We naturally have the best razor blades with a single edge in stock. There is a wide choice here and in different sharpnesses. The single edge razor blades from Kai Captain Mild Protouch are the ultimate. But they are of course also available at a lower price. By the way, you can find the best razor blades here .
The best safety razors
There is a lot of choice in safety razors. You can make it as crazy as you want. For example, there are excellent entry-level instruments from 20 euros, but you can also go wild on very high-quality instruments from well over 1000 euros. To make it easy for you, we have listed the 10 best safety razors for you. If you have not worked with a safety razor before, we advise you to choose 1 copy from here.
Do yourself a favor to throw away the standard bottles of home, garden and kitchen shaving foam or gel and choose from the best shaving soaps . You don't know what you're going through when you tackle the beard hairs with a safety razor plus a traditional shaving soap. A good shaving brush is of course indispensable. Of course we also have the best shaving brush for you. If you want to make it completely easy for yourself, check out 1 of our shaving & starter sets . In addition to the safety razor, a variant has also been devised. The Slant safety razor. You can read all about it in our blog ' What is a slant safety razor '.
Tip: with a good safety razor you will save a lot on your razor blades. The double blade razor blades are many times cheaper than the disposable cartridges from Gillette, for example. They also last just as long, if not longer.
The best straight razors
Of course we also have a very good collection of straight razors for die hard shaving enthusiasts. These razors are for enthusiasts who love pure traditional shaving. They come in 1 piece, often very high quality, metal that you have to sharpen regularly and shavettes that you provide with a single edge razor blade. As indicated earlier, you can shave insanely smooth with these types of razors. But: it requires technique. And calmness. You will find the best straight razors in our very wide range of excellent quality.
If you opt for the shavette, we also have a large selection of sublime shaving instruments. You have the so-called Bluebeards Revenge , the razor Shibumi and, for example, the Abysso from The Good Fellas Smile. Each brand with its own characteristics. Anyway, you will find the best shavette razors in our digital shaving boutique.
Tip: ask your barber if he can explain exactly how to shave with a straight razor or open blade. Learning the right technique is very important.
The best cartridge razor
The real shaving fanatic leaves a cartridge razor for what it is. Perhaps useful for a weekend away, but you prefer to grab a really important shaving instrument in your fists. Like the famous safety razor. OK, you can shave fine with a cartridge razor, although men with sensitive skin often have problems because the multitude of blades (3 to 5) simply have more impact on the skin than 1 blade. You can read all about it in the article ' How to avoid the most common shaving mistakes '.
If you want to go fancy, check out one of our best gillette cartridges compressed in a MÜHLE holder. The Fusion Sophist made of high-quality porcelain. Pretty F1 ain't it? You can go Monaco if you want. Immerse yourself in the special combination and in Meissen porcelain Gillette Mach3 Set Edition . After all, it is almost Sinterklaas. And Christmas. Of course we also have the lower entry work if you look at our Muhle Shaving Set collection.
How do you choose between razors?
Making the choice between the different razors is not always easy. By purely testing and varying, you can determine which blade best suits your type of skin and hair. The smoothness of the razor, also known as the smoothness , indicates how forgiving the razor is. The smoothness is determined by the cutting angle of the razor blade. A very sharp razor blade has an unfriendly cutting angle, so you are more likely to cut yourself if you have a less good shaving technique.
With a smoother (less sharp) knife you will generally cut yourself less quickly. So if you suffer from rough skin or acne you will have to choose a slightly less aggressive razor. If you have sensitive skin and you have thicker beard hairs, a sharp knife is the better option. Because with a less sharp knife you have to go over sensitive skin and hair more often. This increases the chance of irritation and razor burn .
Tip: Before you order double or single edge blades, always check the sharpness of the blades. There is a scale of 1 to 5. For example, try out 2 or 3 types in different sharpnesses. Then you will soon find out which type of knife suits you best. Don't worry. We have the best razor blades for you.
Which razor blade is best for the balls?
Shave the balls. Manscaping . Of course you want to keep the crown jewels smooth, fresh & shiny. Of course caution is advised because if you don't want to cut yourself somewhere, it's in that very thin ball skin. Even if you ever want to order your (prospective) in-laws to look after your offspring… The best way to shave your balls without damage? Simple: a good sharp and fresh knife. So a brand new gillette cartridge or preferably, a new blade in the best safety razor. Sharpness 3 to 5.
If you have not shaved the balls with a safety razor before, you can also opt for a slightly lower sharpness. For example, 2-3 on a scale of 5. You can read everything about safely shaving the balls in our blog 'How do you shave your balls? And how do you take care of your scrotum? '
Tip: Use the Happy Nuts Comfort Cream after shaving . Against sweat, chafing and unwanted odors at your balls.
Which razor blade is best for women?
The collections of The Alpha Men are naturally based on men. However, we happen to know that the women in our area now like to shave with a safety razor. Of course the Gillette cartridge blades also work, but we get a lot of positive feedback from the ladies when it comes to shaving with a safety razor with a double blade blade. The high-tech Henson AL13 Safety Razor is not only a beauty, but a very comfortable razor for the legs and armpits of women. The Mühle safety razor R41 in the color Rose Gold is also very popular with the ladies. It is excellent to navigate over the skin too!
Equipped with, for example, one of the best Mühle double edge blades with a sharpness of 3 on a scale of 5, a perfect combination. And then the lady will have enough blades for the next 2 to 3 years! Almost Sinterklaas and Christmas... Not only you but also mom in the gloria.
Tip: read our blog, 'Why is a safety razor the best razor for women '. Then you know enough.
Which razor blades are best for sensitive skin?
As described above, it is best to choose a razor that is as sharp as possible for sensitive skin . The disadvantages of disposable cartridges, for example, may be that the skin is more often touched by the multiple blades. So not through 1 but 3 to 5 blades. So in those cases you scrape 3 to 5 times over the skin in 1 stroke. That is why we recommend using a safety razor with 1 double blade blade. That is simply the best razor. Equipped with a Double blade razor blade with a strength of 4 or 5 on the scale of 1 to 5.
Of course it can differ per person. It's more or less a journey to shaving perfection. In which you automatically get the best results with the best safety razor blades or the best razor blades in a shavette.
What are the sharpest razor blades?
Let's list a few for you:
Feather 81S Double Edge Blades
ASTRA Superior Stainless Double Edge Blades
Perma-Sharp Super Double Edge Blades
Gillette Double Edge Edge Blades
With this detailed overview, we hope to help you make a choice in choosing the best razor, the best safety razor blades or possibly an open barber's knife. Like most of us, it's a journey of discovery towards perfection. By trying as much as possible you eventually put together your best razors. With an emphasis on razors because more and more men have a collection. And that is not surprising when you see how much choice and amazing qualities there are in shaving instruments and safety razor blades.
If you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you! We're always here to help you out!
Good luck & greetings!
Your friends,
The Alpha Men.