Safety razors offer a simple, more sustainable alternative to proprietary cartridge razors. In recent years, numerous well-designed options have arrived on the market.
They use standard razor blades, which can be found anywhere and recycled in most places. Given the lack of moving parts and robust construction, they can last more than a lifetime.
Shaving with a safety razor can take some time to learn. Once mastered, the experience can be a meditative form of self care.
I’m suggesting four razors in this guide. Each could be the last you would ever need.
My favorite aesthetically, the Hone is easy to pick up for beginners.
Hone is the creative manifestation of industrial designer Andrew Mitchell. It all started with the Type 15, a razor made from machined brass. The line has since expanded to include razors in aluminum, titanium, and stainless steel. Hone also makes their own brush. I tried the Type 15a aluminum model in silver.
Aesthetically, it is the most beautiful razor that I have seen on the market. The proportions and curves are clearly the result of a lengthy design process. Yet they seem natural or even obvious. The handle is thick, yet comfortable. The curve where the head and handle meet makes the perfect spot to rest a finger.
A rectangular stand holds the razor horizontally when not in use. In the circular cutout holding the handle is a subtle hone logo.
The quality of the machining and anodization are nearly on par with Apple’s aluminum products. I had to look quite close to see any difference in the tint or texture of the metal.
The head weighs a bit more than the handle, allowing me to rely on the weight distribution to do a lot of the work. It is smooth apart from a subtle Hone logo engraved on one side. The extreme curve of the cap and zero blade exposure make for a great combination. The razor is quite mild, meaning less irritation or nicks. It’s also efficient, meaning that it takes fewer passes for a smooth shave.
Fitting and removing blades follows a procedure similar to most safety razors. While firmly gripping the head away from the blade, the handle can be rotated counter clockwise to disassemble it into its three constituent parts. The turning action is smooth and free of noise or resistance.
A large slot on either side of the guard bar helps to quickly flush out stubble and shaving cream between passes. This removes the need to fully disassemble the razor to clean out debris, as is the case with some other razors.
Hone is dedicated to longevity, providing replacement parts in case of damage or loss.
This is a classic adjustable design that is thoroughly German in form and function.
Merkur is a company founded in Solingen Germany at the turn of the 20th century. Coming to market back in 1983, the Merkur Futur may be the first of the modern minimalist safety razors. At its heart, it is an adjustable razor, with a handle that turns to change the blade gap.
Available in a few different finishes, the Futur I chose is clad in lustrous polished chrome. Its shape is reminiscent to other products from Germany at the time like electronics from Braun.
Absent are the knurling and ornamentation present in classic safety razors. The handle features a narrow section that boosts grip. Above the grip are engraved numbers denoting the setting. The lowest, 1, refers to the smallest blade gap or mildest setting. The gap can be continuous adjusted till 6.5 at its most aggressive.
In practice, I preferred to use the more aggressive settings in large, flatter sections of my face, while I used the milder setting for hard-to-reach areas. Overall, I found this razor a bit harder to learn than the Hone, but a bit more efficient if I carefully use one of the more aggressive modes.
Fitting and removing blades is a little different when compared to most safety razors. The top of the head is held on by springs. One side has a little shelf under which you must place a finger. While being careful not to touch the blade, you can remove the head, exposing the blade and springs.
Four slots underneath the head help to flush out debris. Yet, I found that I still needed to disassemble the razor after using it to fully clean it as some stubble would gather inside.
Just like Hone, Merkur offers replacements parts.
With its intricate adjustment mechanism, this is a showcase of precision engineering and manufacturing.
Tatara is a company out of Portugal specializing in a range of CNC machined safety razors. The company’s name, model names, and logo all borrow from the Japanese sword making tradition. Read a thread on Damn Fine Shave if you are interested in the history of both the Tatara and Muramasa names.
The Muramasa is Tatara’s adjustable followup to the several fixed razors it released previously. What makes it different to other adjustable razors like the Merkur Futur is how each setting changes both the blade gap and the blade exposure. Gap goes from 0.6mm at setting 1 to 0.9mm at setting 5. Exposure ranges from -0.17mm to 0.17mm.
At first glance, the most standout aspect of the razor is its size. Both the head and handle are much smaller than the others I am recommending here. The machining and finishes are impeccable. I can’t find any areas for improvement. The razor is free from logos and branding aside from faint engraved Tatara logos on the underside.
A simple rounded base holds the razor vertically when not in use. A thin plastic liner prevents any metal-to-metal contact.
The handle features a radial dimple pattern that gets smaller until disappearing at the end. The dimple motif is mirrored in the comb-like pattern on the guard bar.
One of the dimples near the head acts as a window under which the shaving setting can be seen. It is quite small, which could be difficult to see for some. Turning the upper section of the handle that attaches to the head continuously swings the window across all the settings. You can, of course, stop at a setting between two numbers, but you won’t be able to know at a glance since the window will be empty.
Holding the head and turning the bottom section of the handle disassembles the razor smoothly. The middle section houses the adjustable mechanism.
Tatara includes a special key to remove a retention ring within the collar of the head to completely disassemble the adjustment assembly for cleaning.
I adjusted between passes in a similar manner to with the Merkur Futur. I used aggressive settings for larger, flatter sections of my face, and milder settings for hard-to-reach areas. Similar to the Merkur, the lather channels are four smaller slots that don’t fully flush out stubble and shaving cream.
Tatara doesn’t sell replacement parts aside from the key and vibration-damping o-rings. However, I confirmed with their customer service department that they will do their best to provide parts or service when needed.
This minimal single edge razor offers a steep learning curve towards a satisfying, economical shave.
The Angle Razor is the simplest razor that I have found. Its design gets close to a traditional fixed straight razor while sticking to replaceable blades. It started as an Indiegogo campaign in 2016 and has continued as a series-production product.
The Angle razor stands out for its aesthetic simplicity. Both the razor and its stand are machined from aluminum.
The razor has a simple cylindrical handle with a beveled, slightly tilted head. The surface of the handle offers enough grip to engender trust during the shaving process. The beveled edge near the exposed blade allows me to be as aggressive or mild as I want by tilting the blade.
The cylindrical holder mimics the shape of the handle. It has a pleasant rounded edge that is interrupted by the indentation in which the razor sits. The stand sits on a base made of anti-slip silicone.
The head features a high-luster anodized finish, with a brass pin that functions as a pivot when opening the head. The handle and the stand are finished in a rougher anodization closer to the feel of raw aluminum. The confusing result is that the handle and head don’t seamlessly blend together.
The quality of the machining is good enough, but there are imperfections and asymmetries that can be seen at a close glance. Unscrewing and screwing the handle can be a noisy and shaky affair due to imperfections in the machining.
At first, I found the completely exposed blade a challenge to get used to. With patience and practice, I finally got the hang of it. The lightness of the razor helped me be deliberate.
I can easily get to tight spots that other razors might have trouble with. I can also cut myself worse than with other razors. This razor design leaves everything up to technique.
One big benefit is that since it only uses a single edge, I don’t have to manage the wear on two sides of a razor blade. I used both single edge blades and double edge blades that I broke in half.
It, more than any other, taught me to forget all else, slow down, and focus on the shave.
In addition to the razor, Angle sells accessories, including an attractive brush and bowl set.
The razor should appear elegant enough that one can place it out in the open. Affordances like the seams between pieces should encourage intuitively disassembly and assembly.
The texture and shape of the handle should make it easy to manipulate the razor. The mechanism for securing the blade should allow operation without accidentally cutting oneself.
The materials used should be resistant to wear or corrosion. Weight should be well-suited to the style of shaving encouraged by the razor. The finish should be consistent. All parts should be strong enough to resist a possible fall from the hand.
Any moving parts should be robust enough to last more than a lifetime without needing servicing or parts replacement.
I began my search online in shaving communities such as Badger & Blade, Damn Fine Shave, and The Shave Den. I compiled a short list of razors that broke away from the traditional highly-machined look and presented more minimal forms.
I read in-depth reviews to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of each. At this point, I removed a few from the list. I then purchased or acquired from the manufacturer every remaining one.
Then, I shaved with each razor with a variety of creams applied using a shaving brush. I used blades from a 100 blade sampler pack. A few that I tried and enjoyed were Derby Premium, Astra Superior Platinum, and Feather New Hi-Stainless. The idea was to vary everything but the razor in order to narrow in on the unique qualities of each razor. This process took a few months.
These are some razors that nearly made the list and why I decided not to recommend them.
