Thanks Paul, I may give that a whirl.I've tried lots of razors over the years. The Merkur 34C is the easiest, least dangerous of the lot. Certainly less "cutty" than vintage Gillette razors.
I’m far from convinced the electric shavers are more green than DE. Unless you’re a collector it’s likely that one DE razor will last you a lifetime or two razors max. Electric razors still use consumables, yes less frequently than a DE but the DE consumables are simpler to produce and are to a standard so are interchangeable. Plastic is involved with electric razors and new tooling for each new model, none of that is a good thing and batteries aren’t great vs using hand power shave.We could say they are recycled when used up, although mine is ten years old now and still going strong so not sure how long they last.
My general but not perfected rule is generally to remove any short use materials when alternatives are available.
That's a bit more like it, a positive contribution. Thank you.
I want something to go in the travel bag, ideally with a box or bag so it doesn't savage me when I'm looking for something else.
I'm not bothered about luxury, or something to display my taste and sophistication to the room cleaner. It's just a razor.
I don't want a razor that I have to handle like a chainsaw on full throttle, my old Gillette needs a little more care than a modern multi blade lubri glide auto polish you'll be beating them off with a shitty stick sunshine version, but it's not savage.
I got into all this, another money wasting fad to add onto the long list. I have a Merkur Futur somewhere and a stash of Feathers.
I can mostly resist the Shiny so don’t have too many razors, and got most of them FoC or at very advantageous prices, ditto brushes.
My particular rabbit hole is shaving soaps, especially artisanal ones. I’ve got at least 5 years supply of those and SWMBO has put her foot down so I can only get new ones as gifts or when one runs out. I’m mostly going along with that so far…
I mostly use Taylor of Old Bond St shaving cream, and have a small stash of blades that would probably last me about five years were I to let them diminish. Some are favourites like Polsilvers and the Black Treets. Feathers are ok, got quite a few, but they do tend to cut me, I get more nicks with them than any other. Green and Black Gillettes too work well for me, but perhaps not as smooth as others. I also like my pot of Mitchell’s Wool Fat soap, and will stock up on Proraso when I go to Italy next summer if we’re actually allowed to go!
Proraso is great. My fave so far is Geo F Trumper closely followed by Taylor of Bond Street. What more obscure products are in this league or better?
TK Maxx have had Proraso stuff in lately…
Proraso preshave creme is wonderful. Can be used as aftershave & moisturiser too.
The correct answer from an ecological point of view is to grow a long beard and then cut that and use the trimmings to make a warming fire or possibly a duvet.