Achieve the Perfect Shave With Our Favorite Single Blade Razors (2025)

I've already written at length about this Bevel kit. It's the purchase that turned me fully off of cartridge razors in the first place. If you're starting out in your wet shaving journey, this is as good of a kit as you can get, and most of that comes down to Bevel's creams and oils. It's everything you need, and it comes under $100. Once you figure out what you want—like an old-school boar hair brush, different blades, or scented creams—you can start to play with it on your own.

The only thing I'd say about the razor is the single bar guard doesn't make this a great razor for waiting a few days between shaves. I've got thick, coarse beard hair, and I like to take almost a full week between shaves to get some scruff going. The single bar guard makes it tough if I go too long between shaves. Hair gets caught, and it requires a bit more care.

If you don't like the kit, a King C. Gillette is as classic of a razor as you'll find on this list. King Camp Gillette patented the first safety razor back in the early 1900s, and the full name has been attached to this line of razors since. Now, it's more of a budget option, with chrome plating across the razor, but Gillette still makes decent stainless steel blades. Though, I'd swap out them out for more high end blades.

One note with this razor is that it's a closed comb razor. Similar to the single bar Bevel, it can be rough going for thick, coarse, or long hair. But for a daily shaver, this is as capable of a razor as you'll find.

Half of the switch to a single-blade razor is the look and feel of it compared to the cheap plastic of modern cartridges. It's all part of the ritual, and it's why guys on the internet care so much about all of this stuff. So for something that's still in the range of a starter razor, but has a bit more of a luxe feel and the potential to be your forever razor, I think a Merkur 34C is one of the best models.

It's made of brass, zinc, and a bit of chrome plating. Not heavy stainless steel, but it's dense enough that it still has a nice heavy weight to it. Colloquially, it even gets called the Merkur HD, short for Heavy Duty. It does a great job of mimicking more expensive razors in look and feel with more affordable materials.

One note I will make is that it has a bit of a short handle issue. For me, it would never be a problem. But guys with big hands will always comment that about the 34C. If you're unsure, and don't have a retailer in your town, order through this Amazon link, and you can get a refund if needed.

I've been mentioning the comb and bar of these razors as downsides for someone with my hair and shaving habits, and the solution is open comb. This is where the teeth that run over your shaving cream are wider spaced, and more of the razor blade is exposed. This leads to a more "aggressive" shave, meaning you get a closer cut, and there's less room for error when it comes to nicks. For me though, it's the perfect tradeoff. I can be lazy with my shaving for a few days, and when I hack through all the stubble I've grown, the hair is still going to glide off my face.

As for the material, look at the price and you'll get an idea. This is one of Mühle's more affordable options. It's chrome plated, plenty durable but not as fancy as full stainless steel. I'd think of this as the second upgrade you might hit in a shaving journey, when you're tooling around with an open comb.

Though it's a bit self-explanatory, I want to say this is not a true beginner's razor, especially if you're ever shaving your head. Open comb is something you should try after you already have a handle on what you want from a safety razor. That said, it's not that difficult to use, so you shouldn't feel intimidated by it or anything. Just make sure it's what you want before buying.

Before you get into the custom stuff North of $200, or a straight razor habit, this is the grail razor. It's the one I've been eyeing, at least. Edwin Jagger is, funnily, a pretty young brand for the style of product it makes, only kicking off in 1988. But it's family run, with a tradition in Sheffield, England's metalworking, and Edwin Jagger has become a well-respected name in the razor world.

The 3One6 launched in 2019 as the company's high-end fashion option. This full stainless steel one is the gem in my eye, but there's a suite of colorful anodized aluminum handles. The packaging is luxe, and the razor is known to perform like a dream. On top of it all, I'm susceptible to the marketing pull of a historic work town, and Sheffield is as core of a spot for metallurgy as there is in all the world.

The word of caution I'd give here is for the anodized aluminum handles. They look great, and they're plenty durable. I don't have personal experience with it, but I know it just makes the razors a bit lighter in hand. I'd go for this full stainless steel with a knurled handle, but that's personal preference.

A lot of the shopping experience of single blade razors becomes finding the one that's your perfect fit, which is a combination of the comb, angle, weight, and whatnot. That's a lot of shopping, and it's why guys can get turned off and revert back to cartridge razors. (Don't do that.) The solution, in my opinion, is to make an adjustable Razor like Rockwell does. The 6S is a fully stainless steel razor with six options for the blade gap.

The adjustable gap is made with three different double-sided base plates that the razor sits on. The numbering is simple: Five and six are for coarser, longer hair. Three and four are middle of the road. One and two are super close shaves for daily upkeep. It's great if you're irregular with your shaving or share a razor with your partner.

If you look up user reviews of this razor, the positives all say it's the last razor you need. I'd have to agree. Unless you want to grab an antique adjustable razor, this is as good as you're going to get. If you're a hardcore buy-once, buy-for-life guy, this is the razor I'd recommend.

This is not "The Best Straight Razor," that'd be a crazy title to give. It's a great straight razor, but it's really just a fill-in for the whole straight razor category because it's so fast and personal that I couldn't really direct you to one place to buy a straight razor. The best advice I can give is to start vintage. Buy something at an antique mall or off eBay, fix the blade up, and use that to figure out if straight razor shaving is for you.

If you prefer something brand new, though, Dovo is one of the best names in the game, and I love the tortoise shell handle on this guy. The materials are top, and that blade will hold a lovely shaving edge. This one is also a half hollow blade. That's a great starter blade, as it's in the middle of a wedge blade (thicker, for coarse hair) and a hollow ground blade (thin, for fine hair).

Why use a safety or straight razor? What's the benefit?

Compared to multi-blade razors, the benefits are obvious. First, multiple blades can cut your beard too close, especially if your hair is thick or coarse. That leads to an increase in ingrown hairs. Second, most multi-blade razors are just made of plastic. Metal razors aren't inherently better, so much as they're guaranteed to last a lifetime. It's about the buy-for-life mentality.

How long does a safety razor last?

The razor will last forever, most likely. Individual blades will last anywhere from a week to a month, depending how often you shave and how sensitive your skin is. Luckily, replacement razor blades are dirt cheap.

How do you dispose of razor blades?

Don't toss them in the trash. What I do is collect them in an old can. Once the can fills up—this will probably take years—I'll either send them to a metal recycling service, or if I'm lazy, just close up the can and toss it in the trash. The main thing is that you make sure you don't have loose razor blades in the garbage.

It's not more difficult. That's just what the big plastic razor lobby wants you to think. It requires a bit of technique, but it takes all of 30 seconds to learn.

First, you prep your skin: Part of the single blade shaving thing is all the old school prep. Use a pre-shave oil to get your whiskers standing. Then use a brush and old-school cream to work up a lather.

Pull your skin taught: You should already do this with your drugstore razors, but a gentle tug against the grain of your beard hair will make it easier for the razor to work.

Hold the razor at a 30° to 40° ish degree angle: It varies from person to person, but this is where all the technique comes in. To find your angle, start with the head of the razor on your face. Slowly drop the razors edge towards your skin, and you should be able to feel the blade's edge on your cheek somewhere near 30°. That's your shaving angle.

Go with the grain of your hair: You can do against the grain at the end on stubborn sections, but shaving with the grain of your hair prevents irritation.

Also, understand the grain of your beard: Chances are your beard hair does not grow all in one direction. For example, all the hair on my jaw grows downward, but buy left cheek grows slightly more horizontal than my right. And on my neck, there's a big cowlick on the left side that requires some hand contortions to shave with the grain. You'll always be trying to find the direction your hair grows. Don't stress learning this before you start, it'll be apparent if you're looking for it.

Short strokes, no pressure: This is what scares guys about old-school razors. There's more blade exposed to your face, and too much pressure can give you a nick. Don't worry, it's simple. Once you find your cutting angle, just let the razor do the work.

Post shave: Congrats, you did an old-school shave. Why not use an old-school after shave like your old man did.