Dollar Shave Club...anyone try it?

[jplinville]

I've been looking at ways to save a few bucks lately, and realized my wife was paying about $4 per blade for me. Now, my last blade lasted me about a month, so that isn't bad, but this site sells a blade VERY similar, 4 blades and a handle for $9 a month...and I set it to order every two months. That gives me more blades for only $1 more, plus I can cancel it.

I've ordered my first months worth of blades, and am waiting on delivery, which should come in this week.

Has anyone else done this? Are the blades as good as they say they are? Do they last as long as your last blade?


www.dollarshaveclub.com


I'm hoping I didn't waste money here...but I've wasted more in the past on useless stuff. Hopefully this isn't another wasteful money savings idea.

[Skid Row Joe]

Jon, I took a cue from listening to the Clark Howard radio show, in that I now use a disposable, double blade plastic shaver up to 4 months or so by doing two steps to it at every shave.

First, as Clark Howard suggested to extend the life of the blade(s) - dry it after use. However, I also do something else - I have an old toothbrush that I "clear" the blades with from the hair and scum left in the blade cowling area during, and after shaving. I shave in the shower without shave cream for many, many years, simply use the shaver as my face is being inundated by the shower water.

You might find that because of the two practices of clearing the razor-rim from hair - and drying the clean shaver after each use, I'd wager one blade will last you for weeks, and perhaps months! No more costly shaving cream either!

That's my method, mainly because I hate wasting money for ANY reason - once I've discovered and identified something that was just a better idea/routine! Kind of an old habit (being frugal/saving money) I've had for 40+ years now.

[Hickster]

I'm a DE/Safety razor shaver. A years worth of blades cost me $12 on Amazon, and my razor was ten. (astra blades and a 1940 Gillette Tech razor) I no longer deal with razor burn or dull blades-3-4 days and I swap them out.

If that in no way interests you, you can save big by ditching the cans of goo and picking up a stick of Arko and a cheap brush. Arko is amazing.

[JB3]

you can save the most money by growing a full beard. the money ive saved in no razors products, no shaving creams has been surprising.

though admittedly, i do not keep my beard neat, but jump from haircut to haircut going from neat to extremely scruffy and doing zero beard maintenance and trimming in between. grow something majestic to go with the stash. the wife might like it, mine surprisingly likes my beard even unkempt

[jplinville]

I use Van Der Hagen shave soap, and have for years. So far, it's the only lather that keeps the blade from skipping.

I tried the DE blade awhile back, but didn't like the results. I bought a new holder, but found the one the my grandfather used to give the best results...and it still wasn't a good experience. I shave my head as well as most of my face while in the shower, and the DE caused razor rash on the sides and back of my head. Too painful for my liking.

If my hands were steady, I'd used the straight razor. I've had some of my best shaves with it, but since I enjoy NOT bleeding out from slashes to my neck, I put that up a few years ago.

Joe, that method worked for my dad for years, but the cheap plastic blades and I have never gotten along. I can still see the faint scars from my last encounter with them. They work fine for my son, who's only been shaving for a year, but I cringe everytime I see them. I'm not much a fan of pain, and that's what those blades always gave me.

I used to go to a barber buddy of mine years ago. Once a week I'd go in for a perfect shave. My face never felt better after those shaves, and my cheap blades would keep me looking professional between straight razor visits. He was the only person I trusted with a blade near my throat...

I've been trying to save money with my blades for a few years, but always end up back to the Fusion Proglide. It's given me the closest shave so far. I'll use a new blade on my face, and when it is a few weeks old, I put it on the handle in the shower for use on my head. I'm just trying to get that close of a shave without paying through the nose. It's also the only disposable with a straight razor that I know of other than these, that I can use to shave around my mustache...and I think everyone knows how much that mustache means to me. If I were to screw up and ruin the 'stache, I'm not sure I could show my face around the kids. They don't remember me without one, as I've had a 'chu since 1995, and it's now the longest I've ever grown it...12.5" from corner of my lips to the tips. When held out to the sides, it's 25" end to end. Heck...the last time my wife saw me without a 'stache was when I was 7 and she was my babysitter!

[jplinville]

Originally Posted by JB3

you can save the most money by growing a full beard. the money ive saved in no razors products, no shaving creams has been surprising.

though admittedly, i do not keep my beard neat, but jump from haircut to haircut going from neat to extremely scruffy and doing zero beard maintenance and trimming in between. grow something majestic to go with the stash. the wife might like it, mine surprisingly likes my beard even unkempt

LOL I did that a few years ago...grew the sides out a few inches while keeping my chin a bit bare, but leaving a finger width patch in the center. It looked great, and she loved it until I was prescribed the CPAP. I wasn't able to get a seal on the sides. We tried shaving a strip on the sides, separating the 'burns from the 'stache and comb them together during the day, and it worked for awhile until summer set in.

It looked really good with the shaved head...scared the hell out of people when we'd go to the stores. I loved it...LOL

[Hickster]

Some DE blades are much more forgiving than others. While technique is most of it, I still get irritation with a couple of brands-most notably Feathers which are the sharpest blades I know of.

PM me if you're interested, I can send you a sampler pack of different brands. Maybe one will work for you.

[jplinville]

Originally Posted by Hickster

Some DE blades are much more forgiving than others. While technique is most of it, I still get irritation with a couple of brands-most notably Feathers which are the sharpest blades I know of.

PM me if you're interested, I can send you a sampler pack of different brands. Maybe one will work for you.

I appreciate the offer, and may take you up on it if these blades don't do the trick.

My DE holder used to belong to my long gone grandfather. With it came two, 40 year old boxes of Wilkinson Sword blades, of which I used one box. They were good. I bought a new box and they must have been sharpened with a 36 grit wheel. That's an exaggeration, of course, but that's what it felt like. I've tried others with basically the same effect. I assume they altered the honing process or angle over the years, but something isn't the same as it used to be, that's for certain.

[INSIDIOUS]

Tom Waits - Burma Shave (Summertime) - part 1 - YouTube

[elchivito]

In this world

of toil and sin

head go bald

but not chin

Burma Shave

[Hickster]

Originally Posted by jplinville

I appreciate the offer, and may take you up on it if these blades don't do the trick.

My DE holder used to belong to my long gone grandfather. With it came two, 40 year old boxes of Wilkinson Sword blades, of which I used one box. They were good. I bought a new box and they must have been sharpened with a 36 grit wheel. That's an exaggeration, of course, but that's what it felt like. I've tried others with basically the same effect. I assume they altered the honing process or angle over the years, but something isn't the same as it used to be, that's for certain.

Wilkinsons are not my favorite, either. Especially if I do a three pass shave.

[elchivito]

I buy my DE blades on Amazon and get a hundred for around 18 bucks. I have a heavy beard and shave m-f during the school year. A blade lasts me about a week. I use a Gillette Fat Boy from my birth year. Wilkinsons do, indeed, suck. I usually get an assortment of brands, most of which seem to be made in Egypt or Turkey.
JP I looked at that website and it looks pretty awesome for multi-blade type razors. Their other products are interesting too. You sure can't beat a buck a month for two twin blade heads, a sturdy looking handle with S/H included. Let us know how it turns out.

[jplinville]

Well...they showed up in today's mail.

The handle is substantial feeling due to the weight...quite hefty with lots of rubber grips on it. Seems like it would be easily controlled. They also sent a sample of Shave Butter. I'm not interested in their other products, but may give this a try out of curiosity.

[elchivito]

which blades did you get?

[jplinville]

The Executive. It's the closest to the Fusion Proglide