You might think a sharp razor is more likely to cut you, but that’s just not true for a number of reasons.
Why is a Dull Razor Less Helpful Than a Sharp Razor?
If a razor is dull then it doesn’t cut hair effectively. You notice this as you shave and so will shave more vigorously – applying more pressure or shaving the scrubbing the same area. This easily leads to rashes, cuts and razor bumps. A sharp blade shaves effortlessly and is much gentler on your skin.
Improve Your Shave
One reason we all tend to keep using razor blades are longer than we should – see how long do razor blades last – is because of the expense. Not to mention the feeling of waste when we throw out a cartridge.
One easy way round this is to invest in a double edge safety razor. These more traditional razors use classic double edge blades that are extremely cheap – and recyclable. One blade definitely shaves better than several in a cartridge and with much less irritation of the skin.
See our list of the best safety razors to try today.
Dull razors may seem less likely to cut you than a sharp razor. However, with a sharp razor shaving tends to be effortless and controlled. With dull razors you tend to compensate for the bad blade without realizing it – pushing harder and not using a good technique.
Razor blades dull naturally with use within a few shaves. If you’re looking to dull one entirely such as for a craft project you probably need to grind the blade until its blunt – perhaps against a wall or a grinding stone. You can protect your fingers by wrapping the other side in layers of fabric or paper. But you still need to be very careful and this is probably unsafe.
A first time shaver would get on well with a classic like the Merkur 34c or 23c.
