Safety razor and straight razor reviews from Thomas Hargrove: 20+ years of wet shaving experience in every assessment.
After 23 years of testing razors and grooming tools, I can tell you the best body trimmer that actually works is one with a high-quality motor, multiple length guards, and waterproof design—anything less will leave you with uneven results and buyer’s remorse. The market is flooded with cheap plastic trimmers that die after six months,…
Do All Electrical Shavers Feel Like They Are Plucking Your Hairs or Is Mine Just Trash? No, electric shavers shouldn’t feel like they’re plucking your beard hair—if yours does, something’s wrong with either the shaver itself or how you’re using it. After testing over 300 razors in my 23 years of wet shaving, I’ve seen…
After spending two decades perfecting my wet shave technique with everything from straight razors to vintage safety razors, I’ll admit that electric head shavers initially struck me as the easy way out. But here’s the truth: if you want the smoothest bald shave without daily blade maintenance, a quality rotary electric head shaver can deliver…
Wet shaving changed my life 23 years ago when I picked up my grandfather’s 1959 Gillette Fatboy—and once you understand the technique, you’ll never go back to disposable cartridges. This guide covers everything you need to start wet shaving properly, from choosing your first razor to mastering the angle that gives you the closest shave…
Difference Between Open Comb and Closed Comb Razor After 22 years of daily shaving and testing over 300 razors, I can tell you the difference between open comb and closed comb razors comes down to one thing: the safety bar. An open comb razor has teeth along the guard that let more lather through and…
After testing over 300 safety razors in 23 years of wet shaving, I can tell you the best safety razor for beginners is a mild, three-piece design with a closed comb—specifically something like the Edwin Jagger DE89 or Merkur 34C. These razors forgive poor angle and pressure while still delivering a clean shave, which is…
After testing over 300 safety razors in 23 years of wet shaving, I can tell you the most important factor in choosing your first (or next) safety razor: blade gap and exposure — these two measurements determine how aggressive the shave feels and how much technique you’ll need to master. Everything else — weight, handle…
Safety Razor vs Cartridge for Head Shaving: Which Is Better? After shaving my head for fifteen years with both safety razors and cartridges, I can tell you this: safety razors deliver a closer, more economical shave with less irritation once you master the technique, but cartridges are faster and more forgiving for beginners. The choice…
How to Safely Dispose of Safety Razor Blades After 23 years of wet shaving and going through thousands of blades, I’ll tell you straight: the safest way to dispose of safety razor blades is in a dedicated blade bank or puncture-proof container that you seal and trash once full. Don’t throw loose blades in the…
Best Safety Razor for Shaving Under the Nose After 23 years of daily shaving and testing over 300 razors, I can tell you the best razor for getting under the nose isn’t about aggression or blade exposure—it’s about head geometry and precision control. The Merkur 34C has been my go-to for tight spaces for the…