Against the Times

Posts Tagged ‘razors’


Review of a Parker Safety Razor

In Reviews on January 3, 2010 at 9:50 pm

Recall, dear reader, the sordid tale of the modern safety razor. What usually goes by the name of “razor” today is nothing more than a cog in a profit-making machine that cares not for craftsmanship nor even for the art of shaving. There are many reasons to avoid modern safety razors, such as:

  • they are ugly (not to mention déclassé)
  • they cause razor bumps
  • the cartridges are vastly overpriced and incompatible (Gillette Fusion cartridges cost $2.50-$3.50 per cartridge)
  • the handles need to be replaced every few years when obsoleted by models with more blades, vibrators, and racing stripes

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Razors and the Decline of Quality

In Musings on January 1, 2010 at 2:46 am

Prior to the 20th century, when a man wished to shave his beard, he would go see his barber or do so himself, but in either case, the relevant tool was a straight razor. The straight razor was durable, but dangerous since the blade was fully exposed. This potentially subjected the shavee to serious injury, especially if the shaver was unskilled. In 1901, King Camp Gillette invented the safety razor with disposable blades, changing the course of shaving history and creating a business model destined to fill the world with garbage for decades to come. Read the rest of this entry »