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So I’ve Been Saving My Disposable Razors Lately…

razorLike the title says, I’ve been saving my disposable razors lately; I’m up to about a dozen now. Why? Because it dawned on me a month or two ago that a luxury such as the ability to shave could become an expensive one in tough times.

Granted, there are far more important worries such as food and water but I figured saving my razor heads was something ultra easy to accomplish and didn’t take up much space. The problem with this paticular act of saving razor heads is that the entire reason why I throw them away in the first place is because they get dull and don’t do a good job of shaving any longer… I wonder if I’ll even use them?

Maybe it’s simply a better idea to purchase a straight razor and whatever I need to keep it sharp? That’s been a tried-and-true method for hundreds of years.

Anyway, I’ve also noticed that I have a harder time throwing out otherwise useless things like soda cans, shreds from my paper shredder, and even cardboard because I know that I can utilize these things for various solar projects just for fun or if I needed them. Eventually, my organized self takes over and to the curb they go.

This does beg the question…

While I don’t feel like I’m in danger of becoming either a hoarder or extreme cheapskate [both are links to articles I’ve written about them], I am beginning to wonder… “Is this the moment where it all starts?” After all, these people had to start somewhere too!

I’ve got to believe that I’m organized enough to never let that happen, but who knows what the future holds. Will I kick myself 5 or 10 years down the road because I DIDN’T save this stuff? I would assume that I could take a stroll to many suburban homes or, heaven forbid, the local dump and procure truckload after truckload of otherwise “useless” stuff if I really needed to.

Suffice it to say that I think it’s less about saving these things and more about the know-how. In this way I can look at nearly any object and turn it into something useful; sadly, this isn’t my strong suit… but I’m trying. So, what normally throw away items have you been hanging on to or outright stockpiling?

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Damian Brindle

Discover the 5 Minute Survival Blueprint course and get yourself prepared fast, easy, and inexpensively! It’s my gift from one prepper to another. 🙂

Comments

14 responses to “So I’ve Been Saving My Disposable Razors Lately…”

  1. Practical Parsimony

    If you put your dispoable razor in a jar with an inch or so of alcohol in the bottom, the razor will stay sharper longer. Little bits of rust are part of th dulling of a razor.

    Reply
  2. cheryl

    I recently read an article that talked about a gadget that sharpens your shavers. Maybe hanging onto your old disposable blades isn’t such a bad idea. Below is a link to one on Amazon, though I’ve also seen them on other websites.

    http://www.amazon.com/RazorPit-Razor-Blade-Sharpener-Black/dp/B004W2UMDW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357872103&sr=8-1&keywords=razor+sharpener

    Reply
    1. millenniumfly

      Sweet! I just bought it!! Considering I spend at least several dollars for a set of five razors if I can simply double the life of a single razor this gadget is going to pay off in no time. Thank you, Cheryl.

      Reply
  3. ted

    About a 18 months ago I switched to a Gillette Buterfly Adustable Safety Razor manufactured in 1966 (the year I was born) bought on Ebay for about 30 bucks. The blades I use are Wilkinson Sword from Walmart, $1.62 per 10. I get 3-4 good shaves per blade. I pick up 2 packs couple times a month, In the past year I have stored 200 blades, bundles of a hundred with a silca gel packet in two plastic bags. They take up less room than a pack of cards and are enough for years of use. The saftey razor has a bit of a learning curve but within two weeks I had the hang of it and now MUCH prefer it to modern plastic behemoths.
    The funny thing is there is a whole cult with tons of info about making the switch but I’ve not found anyone else who switched for prepping reasons. I also save the used ones, I figure little sharp bits of stainless might come in useful some day. Just my 2cents
    (Oh and the blades, for something so small, seemingly simple and disposable you might be as amazed as I continuously am every single time I watch this and see how freakin complicated it really is to make them)
    http://youtu.be/e9PnTPIKd3g

    Reply
    1. millenniumfly

      I’ll have to check that out. Only problem is that I shave my head as well, which could get a bit tricky with a straight razor.

      Reply
  4. T.R.

    Go ahead and toss away your disposable razors , and get one of the old ones that take the full size razor blades . Easier to store boxes of razor blades than packs of disposables . A straight razor is the best option , but they are not user friendly at first . After cutting my self too many times , i picked up an electric …….can be recharged with solar if you need to .

    Reply
  5. AniOre

    PS ~ regarding the razors. If dull they’d be of no use. The dollar store in my area sell the disposables in bulk for just a dollar. I’ve picked up several bags of these and its stored in my hygiene box of stuff. But it probably be prudent to learn how to load an old fashioned shaver with a two sided razor blade…because those can be resharpened for longer use, and a box of razors are also inexpensive.

    Reply
  6. AniOre

    LOL I had posted a similar worry on my FB 😉 I have bins for composting stuff, but even that I have containers for the coffee grounds, separated for my gardening and egg shells too ; and then add in the recycle soda cans for money return, milk jugs saved for other uses, plastic 2 liter bottles for storing rice, and other dry items but also many other projects can be made out of them. And my worry is I started to clean and keep the tin cans, which of course have their own bin ~ there’s always a use for them later too. And all the stuff you purchase comes in that thin cardboard containers, I had a stack of this to go to the recycle bin for pick up ..but then saw a video on how to turn your cardboard and paper shreds into compressed bricks for your woodstove. I purchased a 4 brick compressor and now have my bin for that too …. If its all organized, does it make you a hoarder? LOL tho I did have too much stored up and not being used, and that did require a trip to the recycle center. 😉 I’m a clothes hound too and have found the Good Will department called As Is , you go thru clothes prior to being sent to the stores and buy by cents on the lb. I’ve found 100.00 Rock n Republic jeans and other named brand items, ie Coldwater Creek etc in excellent condition …several outfits for the price below 10.00. Key to make this also not a hoarding situation, is you bring a bag of clothes to donate when you go shopping. 🙂 Ok thats off the subject ..but main point …only keep what you will use (wear) ect and recycle what you don’t. 🙂

    Reply
    1. millenniumfly

      So long as it’s organized, you’re ok. 😉

      Reply
  7. Suni

    This was an interesting article. I have had the very thought I might becoming a hoarder. I decided if I use something within a years time and have a place for it than no problem. I save all drier lint to use as fire starter. Clean the lint screen from your dryer and when you have enough mix with ordinary Vaseline stuff inside a water proof bottle and there you have it, to use when ever it is needed.

    Reply
    1. millenniumfly

      One of these days I’m going to try the dryer lint and Vaseline idea… just got to remember to save the dryer lint!

      Reply
      1. T.R.

        There is a product you can get at some grocery stores , or auto parts places , its called Nev- r -dull , or nevr-dull , its cleaning product for all metals , good stuff , shines , gets rid of tarnish , removes light rust . Basically what it is , is a can of HIGHLY FLAMMABLE solvent impregnated fiber “fluff” , like a giant cotton ball , you just pinch off a piece , clean whatever you need to then either toss it away or put back into the can . If you save the used wads in a container , any spark will set it on fire when you need it .

        Reply
  8. Gadabout

    My Uncle used to joke about my Aunt hanging her used teabags on the line to use over again!!! I actually never saw her do it but she was a product of the depression and very frugal. Her husband grew up in a wealthier family.

    Why don’t you just go to a big box store and get a couple of bags of new disposable razors? They won’t take up any more room than saving old ones.

    Reply
  9. Fr. Chuck

    M+ Former Airborne Catholic Chaplain. I save many, many plastic bags. Multi-purpose. In addition to food I include new winter sox, tooth brush, small bottle of hand sanitizer, lip balm, small pkg tissue, bar of soap, bic lighter, etc. I have lots of blades for shaving. Over time guys will look like cavemen. Sorry, Ladies, no home perms. St Padre Pio tells us “Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry.” Besides, we’re just pilgrims here. We have a life beyond the beyond!

    Reply

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