Ooh, yes but no. Those 42-blade razors are garbage, but the Holy Grail of close shaves (imo) is the safety razor. Feels much more comfortable to use, and, well, is safer.
That and the fact that I bought $20 in razors like 2 years ago and I’ve yet to buy more.
I love my safety razor. The ritual of shaving is soo much better with a brush and soap bowl rather than squirty cream from a can.
It’s a learned skill though and does take practice, I recommend the book Leisureguys guide to Gourmet shaving.
Get a multi pack of blades and work out which ones you like best.
I bought 50 blades and a box of Arko sticks for like $30 a decade ago and I’m still going through them.
Can’t you use squirty cream from can with a safety razor?
Of course you can, I just really like the ritual with the brush and soap.
I prefer electrolysis.
They’re definitely cheaper than using cartridge razors, but personally I found decent cartridge razors just get a closer shave than safety razors. And it wasn’t for failing to learn how to use a safety razor either. I used one for several years, got good at it, but later switched back to cartridge razors on a whim and found that they simply get reliably closer shave than a single blade does. I still use soap and a brush rather than canned shaving cream, because it is much better and more economical, but for me the closer shave that comes with a cartridge razor is worth the price.
Last time I was gonna by blades at the local store was about 10 years ago. I was sufficiently miffed at the corporatocracy’s price skimming and gouging that I hopped on the intertubes and bought about $20 worth of twin- or triple-blade cartridges from India. And there will likely be inventory on hand when I die.