Clear (ish) conscience shaving......

[Martin]

is not so simple..........
Accepting the fact that if I were to be truly green, I'd give up shaving my facial fungus altogether, or espouse a Victorian cutthroat and strop, I've been contemplating the readily available alternatives, and have got hopelessly bogged down...........
Much as it pains me to confess to such heresy, but the best shave I've found to date is using "Wilkinson Sword Sensitive" chuckaway razors at a cost of around £2 for 5 - these will give me 4-5 shaves per razor, so I get 3-4 weeks shaves for £2 (and fill landfill with a lot of unnecessary plastic and metal)
Whilst poorly recently, along came a substitute - a cheapie battery-powered electric job (cost around £9.99) - using rechargeable NIMH batteries, which I can recharge renewably (small solar charger), on the face of it, this looks like it MAY be more eco-friendly.........but is it?
- in 5 to 6 months, I'll have "written off" the cost of the leccy razor, but then I have to add the cost of the rechargeable batteries and charger (and take into account the damage incurred by the earth for them and the charger to be made) - so that means probably 18 months for financial "break even" point - by that time, the razor blade/foils will probably need replacing, as may the batteries, so you've got to factor in the cost of disposing of the batteries..............
At which point, you disappear under the piano and sit there rocking back and forth twiddling a lock of hair................

[mrsflibble]

grow the fungus.

[old tree man]

I have had facial hair for 25yrs fortunately jane loves a beard and i hate shaving
Russ

[Milims]

I know that Chris needs a shave when I get spots on my chin! The trouble is shaving has aways brought him out in really irritated skin so he's avoided it. However, whist shopping yesterday we discovered a shave oil for a grand total of 95 pence that contains only sun flower oil, lavender, menthol and maybe one other thing that I can't remember right now. The thing is, he shaved last night with it and has so far had no irritation! It could be the start of something good! As to his razors - he uses a wilkinson sword thingy but when they are no good for shaving his chin I use them on my legs and stuff and then they are deligated to the hard skin on my feet - I walk around barefoot most of the time! So we do have several uses out of one bade!

[Stonehead]

Beards with a weekly trim.

Otherwise, a razor and strop as you mention, or an old-fashioned safety razor, although good blades are increasingly hard to find. I have a 1960s Gillette stashed away should I ever change my mind and shave.

[snapdragon]

hmm, dragon shaves using those throwaways, (he was bearded but gave up when someone asked if he was santaclaus) he recently started using his xmas present battery rechargeable which seems to be an improvement (as far as landfil goes)

second son seems to have it right for his work situation - a close trim that looks like a longish six o'clock shadow and requires no razor

[Wombat]

Never trust a man with a beard!

I have had my facial fungus for over 30 years, but to look semi-acceptable in polite company I shave my neck once or twice a week. To do that I use a cut-throat, straight razor and strop. I must admit that i don't take it with me when I travel ( they cost over $200 and I would hate to loose them). So I do use a disposable so that I am acceptable to Mrs Wombat when I get off the plane on Friday night, but for the amount of use it gets, it lasts a loooooong time.

Another way that I have toyed with Martin, is an electric shaver plugged though an inverter to the 12 volt system.

Nev

[old tree man]

going to give not trimming it a go for a whole year if jane lets me she says i will end up looking like gandalf instead of topol , mind you at this minute i'm sure i noticed a wren trying to nest in it when i was planting some willow whips last week

Russ

[Stonehead]

going to give not trimming it a go for a whole year if jane lets me she says i will end up looking like gandalf instead of topol , mind you at this minute i'm sure i noticed a wren trying to nest in it when i was planting some willow whips last week

Russ

Something like this, then...



Or if you want small creatures, too...

[QuakerBear]

I like beards.

They open up a range of creative possibilities, and, if I were a man, I'd grow a beard. (No jokes about my existing 'tash please)

Mr. QB had one once and he kept it neat by trimming, he also looked absolutely stunning with it and I'd very much like to see its return.

Also I do feel that men are somewhat discriminated against by all this social preasure to be clean shaven. Shaving is time consuming and expensive. Face fungus is a perfectly natural aspect of a healthy male body. One might say the same about bottom burps, they're perfectly natural and we certianly shouldn't feel ashamed about them, but they're not always pleasent when in polite company. As such we do our best to keep them in till home time Beards have a similar caveat, they are natural but they can be made more polite by keeping them smart and well trimmed and brushed.

So go with a beard.

[old tree man]

Nice one stonehead
i will give it a go see how far i get
all the best

Russ

[Thurston Garden]

We (yes we both shave ) took a whole year to use up one of the Boot's hard shaving soaps. I think it cost £1.29. Even if you were only thinking about money, why would you spend £2/£3 or whatever the latest must have shave gel must cost. Then again if some celebrity uses it then we all must mustn't we?

We (yes both ) have goatee pretend beards but I let my fuzz grow until I am required in an office when I stoop to a blue disposable razor. Usually the blades rust before they go blunt.

We do have a friend with a veeeery loooong beard. He has no hair on his bonce though and I think he is just trying to make up for it.

[contadino]

I'm forced to shave because I get a rash if I don't shave regularly and the wife won't come near me unless I'm clean shaven. I used to use the Mach 3 type blades, but have gone back to the old-fashioned safety razor as I figured the blades will rust away and have no plastic on them. The prices of the modern blades is just extortionate, too, and I don't think you get a better shave.

I looked into using a cutthroat razor, but the only ones I could find were really expensive, and with blades costing me EUR 0.60 for 5, it just didn't seem to add up.

I use hard soap at the moment, and it lasts ages, but Contadina's got plans for soap making this year, and has a recipe for shaving soap so we'll see how that pans out. No harm trying.

[camillitech]

I had a beard for years but shaved it off when I started to use full face diving masks in 1985, as i've not used one for 5 years and only dive now for the odd bag of scallops I asked mrs C what she thought about me growing one again. A Most emphatic no was the answer

[Sky]

We (yes we both shave ) took a whole year to use up one of the Boot's hard shaving soaps. I think it cost £1.29. Even if you were only thinking about money, why would you spend £2/£3 or whatever the latest must have shave gel must cost. Then again if some celebrity uses it then we all must mustn't we?

We (yes both ) have goatee pretend beards but I let my fuzz grow until I am required in an office when I stoop to a blue disposable razor. Usually the blades rust before they go blunt.

We do have a friend with a veeeery loooong beard. He has no hair on his bonce though and I think he is just trying to make up for it.

Don't remember where I heard this tip but try sitting your disposable razer in a glass with a little olive oil in the bottom, it's supposed to stop the blade rusting and lengthen the life of the razor.