From Straight Razors to Flexible Shaving

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Men’s grooming has come a long way since the days when a cut-throat, straight razor was the only option.

Shaving with a straight razor requires an extremely steady hand, as well as time, patience and preparation – with the average guy’s life busier than ever, there’s not always time for all of that.

Sure, you might be a traditionalist, or you might feel as though using a cut-throat razor fits in with your quirky image, but familiarise yourself with the latest shaving innovations from Gillette, and you might just find yourself changing the way you shave forever.

shaving with a cut-throat razor

What is a Straight Razor?

A straight razor is often also referred to as a cut-throat razor. It consists of a long, single blade that folds back into its handle for easy storage.

The blade of a straight razor needs to be extremely sharp and made from quality stainless steel to prevent any irritation when shaving, so there can be a lot of razor maintenance involved if this is your chosen method.

Shaving with a straight razor also requires quite a bit of extra equipment, including shaving cream, a shaving brush, and a hone or a strop.

What is a Hone?

A hone, or honing stone, is a tool that you can use to sharpen a straight razor blade to keep it in the best possible condition to stop it from becoming blunt and irritating your skin.

What is a Strop?

A razor strop is a leather strip that’s an alternative to a hone for polishing the edge of a straight razor to keep your shave close and your skin free from irritation.

You might receive a shave with a straight razor if you visit your barber for a professional shave, but having to use all of that equipment at home can quickly clutter your bathroom, and it won’t be the easiest to pack when you’re travelling. However, there are so many more modern, more flexible ways to shave, all from the comfort of your own home.

Modern, Innovative Shaving from Gillette

At Gillette, we’ve always been at the forefront of shaving innovation, and we’re still constantly developing and innovating our products to bring you the best quality and performance, so you can always be at your best.

A Safety Razor for the 21st Century

In 2020, we launched the King C. Gillette Double Edge Razor – a safety razor for the modern gent, inspired by the original razor launched by Gillette founder King Camp Gillette in 1901.

This innovative razor comes with a choice of two cutting edges, a safety cap to hold the double-edged, high-quality stainless steel blade in place, and an anti-friction coating for a more comfortable shave.

Advanced, Re-engineered Razor Blades

You can enjoy a super-precise shave with our Gillette Fusion5 Razor Blades – each one features five anti-friction blades with thinner, finer edges and an advanced low-resistance coating to effortlessly cut your facial hair as close to the skin as possible for a brilliantly smooth finish.

Razor Handles with FlexBall Technology

You’ll find FlexBall technology built into the handle of our ProGlide Razor, which is designed to glide across every curve and contour of your face, capturing virtually every hair for a seriously smooth shave.

A Hot Towel Shave in Your Own Home

The cut-throat razor might have been part of the traditional hot towel shave delivered by barbers, but you can now enjoy the sensation of a hot towel shave with a much safer razor in your own home thanks to the GilletteLabs Heated Razor.

Providing soothing warmth at your preferred temperature at the touch of a button, the Heated Razor offers the ultimate luxury in shaving, transforming the task into an experience you’ll look forward to every time.

Make sure you never run out of blades for your Heated Razor and get access to exclusive discounts by signing up to receive blade refills delivered to your door – you’ll save on your blades when you subscribe too!

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Get Razor Blades Delivered to Your Door

Gillette shaving subscriptions bring razor blades direct to your door. You can sign up for free (you just need to pay for postage and packaging), and you’ll receive blades at your chosen frequency, making sure you never run out of sharp blades.

There’s even an option for reducing irritation on sensitive skin, the SkinGuard Sensitive subscription, which includes extra protection between the blade and your skin for greater comfort and less chance of razor bumps and razor burn.

Get My Free Starter Kit

Whether you’re using a straight razor or the Heated Razor, sharp blades are essential for a precise shave that’s less likely to irritate your skin, and joining Gillette’s shave club is a much easier option than having to use a strop or hone every few days.