Shaving is something that every man has to do, regrettably. I say that it is regrettable, because ideally we would all have a full beard, hunt with knives, and rely on our wits to survive. But with such regret, the majority of us join the workforce, give up much of our manliness, and shave off the beard we were born to grow. How exactly shave that beard off, is most likely according to our culture. In America, it seems that the Mach III is king. I’ve been using the Mach III since college, aka, when I was first able to grow facial hair and shave off that facial hair. But in other developed countries, it seems, people are not so enamored with the Mach III in all its glory, and many use what is referred to as, “The safety Razor." What is the safety razor? Its that razor that you saw in your grandpas junk drawer before he switched to an electric razor in the late 80s. You know, that silver piece of metal with flecks of old man stubble in it. You were confused by it, and couldn't open it, thank god. Now, you've got to try it. Why?
Did you know 2 BILLION disposable razors are thrown out per year?
That alone is enough to make me want to switch to a safety razor. Not only that, but it is cheap as all heck. Mach III blades are close to a ransom, while a new blade for a safety razor is anywhere between 15 and 40 cents. That's right. Cents.
Recently I was able to interview Chadd Bennett, founder of Retro Razor. Retro Razor sells brand spankin’ new models of the classic safety razor that grandpa used to use.
Manly Vintage: Welcome to Manlyvintage, Mr. Bennett.
Chadd: Thanks for having Manly Vintage!
Manly Vintage: I wanted to start our interview off with a story. I kid you not, my 2 year old son came to me the other day going, "Ouchie!" with three thin razor marks on his pinkie!
Chadd: from a Mach 3?
Manly Vintage: of course!
Chadd: so....perhaps we are OK!
Manly Vintage: Lol yeah the mach 3 isn't that safe!
Chadd: with just 1 blade, we are safer 
in jest...
Manly Vintage: Do the blades retract into the razor when you're done with it?
Chadd: It actually has about the same exposure as a Mach 3. It’s the new and used blades that you need to keep an eye on. They're safety razors compared to a straight razor ... but with removable blades without the plastic casing, they are a tad dangerous if you do not dispose of them carefully.
Manly Vintage: What about like a lid you can put on them? I bet keeping them in a bag or box would help
Chadd: Exactly...new blades are in a box and I cut a small slit in a plastic bottle to put the old one in...
Manly Vintage: So I know you've told the story one hundred times, but how did you get the idea for these razors?
Chadd: I was working on a tour Rick Steves, and while traveling through Italy, in the Cinque Terre, I discovered the secret to the Ultra-Close shave…It was a classic Safety Razor. I was surprised that fashion-forward Italian Men and Women used old-style shaving, but as I learned more, I came to understand that Classic Shaving is so amazing that Gillette and Schick – the original inventors of Safety Razors, have been suppressing it in favor of high profit multi-blade razors.
Manly Vintage: Why is classic shaving so amazing? It seems like it takes more time.
Chadd: It definitely takes a bit more time...there is just one blade. But the shave is close, there tends to be less irritation (more than two blades, the extra pretty much drag across the skin, the blades are .10-.25 cents, so you save a ton of cash, and it looks hella cool!
Manly Vintage: How often do you have to change blades?
Chadd: I usually go about 3-4 shaves before changing - I have a heavy beard
Manly Vintage: Is there a standard blade that can be used in all safety razors? Or do yours use a custom one?
Chadd: That is the beaut...it's Open Source. There was a slight change in blade design in the 1930's but since then it has stayed the same. 50% of the world use them and you can customize your shave as each brand is different in terms of performance vs. gentleness
Manly Vintage: So its standardized like the VHS tape. You can either make a really good blade, or a really good razor, but either way, they need to be interchangeable.
Chadd: exactly...
Manly Vintage: tell Manly Vintage about the business side of it. Do you feel like you're a little guy going up against the giant?
Chadd: Not really...when it comes down to it, most people will want the convenience of a multi-blade but there will be a small devoted band of brothers and sisters that will see the light
Manly Vintage: Have you seen an upswing in business since the rise of "mad men"?
Chadd: It's tough to tell...since our sales are primarily through Amazon, you can only make so many assumptions from a name and address. That being said, sales have been on the rise since we started it a year ago
Manly Vintage: Are you in any brick and mortars? What are your plans for that?
Chadd: Just a few...we tend to be pretty selective
Manly Vintage: I'm sure there are a ton of boutique shops that would fit your clientèle. Or even barber shops.
Chadd: Wholesale is a pain - the margins are even thinner, and since we are a small company its tough to make a buck that route. Right now we are in 2 awesome barbershops, one hipster boutique, and two Natural green stores. My mission is to give the best quality razor and a sampler of blades for under $36 and that is tough when wholesaling
Manly Vintage: I have a friend with a big ole beard and sensitive skin. He’s tried the mach 3 and it is too irritating. Do you contend that a retro razor might be an option for him?
Chadd: The razor we sourced is designed for sensitive skin (which is why it is great for beginners). However, pair it with a sharp blade and he will be good to go. For instance the Derby Extra from Turkey. Stainless Steel base, with Ceramic, Tungsten and Platinum edges and Teflon coating for Non-Stick.
Manly Vintage: Wow you know your razors!
Chadd: Do I sound like a guy at the state fair or what
Manly Vintage: lol
Chadd: Drives my wife bonkers...which is an interesting side bar - we are seeing a huge upswing in ladies using it for legs
Chadd: How much does the newfangled Venus cost? $3.50 for one replacement blade.
Manly Vintage: That’s insane. It makes sense that you would see an upswing in sales to women then too. I'm seriously buying a retro razor right now. Thanks for the chat!
Chadd: sure thing, take care!
Definitly a great way to shave. I recently started using a Merkur saftey razor and love it. Make sure you get a badger brush while you’re at it.
I’m definitely going to give it a shot.
Jayson, You should be getting a Razor soon!
For a great starter brush, the Tweezerman Badger brush listed on RetroRazor.com is about the best $12 you can spend. Then you can ask for one of the $50-150 Silvertip Badger brushes once you convince your Sig-O that this is not a passing fancy!
And as I mentioned when we chatted, don’t be afraid to pick up some vintage razor handles (and sterilize the heck out of them to get the old man gunk out). They are fun to collect!
For a great starter brush, the Tweezerman Badger brush listed on RetroRazor.com is about the best $12 you can spend. Then you can ask for one of the $50-150 Silvertip Badger brushes once you convince your Sig-O that this is not a passing fancy!
<img style=”width: 57px; height: 96px; cursor: pointer;” src=”//js-kit.com/blob/KnBD2en6V_oXFZjl4AZENw.jpg”/>
And as I mentioned when we chatted, don’t be afraid to pick up some vintage razor handles (and sterilize the heck out of them to get the old man gunk out). They are fun to collect!