When I became more environmentally conscious many years ago, I decided to switch to a safety razor to reduce plastic waste. I landed on a reputable safety razor with a 'mild' angle, something that would be good for sensitive skin. Even with a good shaving soap, I found that I would regularly still get some discomfort from razor burn, despite learning a solid technique.
Enter: the Henson. This was touted as a 'new' design of safety razor that fully supported the blade, making it particularly well suited for sensitive skin, and much harder to nick yourself.
Well, I've been using this thing for a few months now, and I can honestly say the marketing isn't an exaggeration, it's been a game-changer for me.
It really is MUCH harder to nick myself with this, to the point where I can press it against my skin firmly like a disposable, and I still don't get irritation. It's one of the most pleasant shaving experiences I've had, and I can heartily recommend one for anyone who wants a truly mild safety razor.
Its made of machined aluminum, and built to tight tolerances. I anticipate I'll be using this sucker quite literally for the rest of my life.
Though do bear in mind, If you have a thick beard or non-sensitive skin, the mild henson might not be ideal for you. As an example I still use my old razor with it's more exposed blade to shave my head, as this henson gets clogged up far too quickly for that application (unless the hair is already really short). But for the face with light facial hair? Perfection.
I started using a safety razor around 10 years ago. Highly recommend it. Takes a bit to get the technique down, but then you're golden. But what razor, blades, etc is HIGHLY personal. My face isn't your face. You'll have to experiment for what blades work for you, along with soap and post-shave.
But in 2015 I bought 100 blades for $22. I'm just starting to run out. So I've saved a ton of money and get a better shave.
I don't understand how you guys can use blades for so long. That's 1 blade per month. I tried about 20 brands. Feather was the best for me. I get 2 or 3 shaves. That's it. All other brands i got 1 shave. I blew through 50 blades (bought in May) in the last 6 months. By the 3rd shave I'm getting nicks from dull spots.
It has to be hair thickness or technique or something. I normally use feathers about 5-10 times before I feel uncomfortable tugging, but I hear a lot of people also say the same thing you do.
Yeah, I've been around wetshaving a little while now, and it all comes down to personal preference. I swear I saw on Reddit that someone had used the same blade for a year to "see if they could". Personally, the most I've gone is 12 shaves, but usually I swap em after one shave as I'm only shaving my head every 1-2 weeks and I feel they oxidise or something if I let them sit that long.
I have a beard, so I'm just shaving my neck and cheeks.