I've been using a safety razor for at least 5 years now. I have two Merkurs and a 1950 vintage Gillette Fat Boy. I prefer the Merkurs over the Fat Boy despite the reverence given to the latter by the shaving community.
I finally concluded that shaving products companies have a problem in delivering their share holders dividends from always growing revenue. Once you have a good razor, you really have no need to buy another one unless the next best thing is invented. One way companies can keep the stream of cash flowing is to constantly change shaving platforms: Great news America! We just discovered that 5 blades will shave you better than three so you should buy our newest razor. I decided to jump off that bandwagon.
The only downside to using a safety razor, IMHO, is time. If your only goal is to get the best possible shave in the least amount of time, use your cartridge razor with row upon row of blades. Only when I need to get out of the house fast will I reach for a cartridge razor, which for me is a Sensor Excel. (I stopped being Gillette's sucker with the two-blade cartridge). The pathway to a close shave using a safety razor is light pressure taking multiple passes with the grain, across the grain, and against the grain...with re-lathering between each pass. Wet shaving with a safety razor is a self-pampering experience.
As for soaps, my top 3 are Tabac, Mitchell's Wool Fat, & Cella...probably in that order.
I finally concluded that shaving products companies have a problem in delivering their share holders dividends from always growing revenue. Once you have a good razor, you really have no need to buy another one unless the next best thing is invented. One way companies can keep the stream of cash flowing is to constantly change shaving platforms: Great news America! We just discovered that 5 blades will shave you better than three so you should buy our newest razor. I decided to jump off that bandwagon.
The only downside to using a safety razor, IMHO, is time. If your only goal is to get the best possible shave in the least amount of time, use your cartridge razor with row upon row of blades. Only when I need to get out of the house fast will I reach for a cartridge razor, which for me is a Sensor Excel. (I stopped being Gillette's sucker with the two-blade cartridge). The pathway to a close shave using a safety razor is light pressure taking multiple passes with the grain, across the grain, and against the grain...with re-lathering between each pass. Wet shaving with a safety razor is a self-pampering experience.
As for soaps, my top 3 are Tabac, Mitchell's Wool Fat, & Cella...probably in that order.