“Our blades are designed for your face and not recommended for head shaving.”
Harry’s The Truman 5-blade razor set has this written disclaimer on the packaging inside the shaver set I own. it doesn’t say why they recommend against using the razor for head shaving. They just suggest you shouldn’t.
Further investigation shows that the Harry’s website also suggests the same thing, with no specifics given as to why. The suggestion is simply to use the razors for face shaving only.
I decided to take a closer look at why this is the case.
Spoiler alert: Harry’s doesn’t actually say anywhere (as far as I can tell) specifically why you shouldn’t use their razor to shave your head, other than you shouldn’t.
So of course, I used it to shave my head anyways.
Below, I’ll detail my experiences. Yes, plural. Because I use the razor to shave my head regularly.
Why shouldn’t you use the Harry’s razor for head shaving?
Good question. I don’t have an answer as Harry’s doesn’t provide one.
So I’ll assume that the suggestion to only use their razors for face shaving is simply a legal requirement so that they don’t get in trouble when some dude inevitably shaves a piece off the tip of his ear, cuts off his eyebrows or otherwise does something bad, using their razor.
With five blades, you can obviously do more damage (i.e. cuts) if you don’t do things the right way so I imagine that the company is just protecting itself by limiting the use of its products. Fair enough.
But that doesn’t mean that I can’t use the razor for head shaving, right?
My experiences shaving my head with the Harry’s razor
I’ve been shaving my head exclusively with the Harry’s razor for a few months and have had no trouble of any kind. Early on, I cut my head at the back once but then again, I occasionally cut my head with other razors too.
So in terms of safety, I have no issues to report and no reason at this point to stop using the razor.
What about the results?
I find the quality of head shaving with the Harry’s razor to be really good! If I run my hand over my scalp after shaving, it’s very smooth. Better than some other razor products I’ve bought, that’s for sure.
I also have no specific proof that it has led to skin irritation or other side effects like ingrown hairs, which I have had issues with when shaving in general. I don’t know that the result is better in this regard, but I don’t think it’s worse when compared to other razor brands.
I’ve cut myself many more times with a double edge razor that’s for sure.
I also find that the razor blade glides on my scalp really easily. I don’t notice any dragging at all. In fact, the only time I have noticed a slight drag was when I was using the razor on my face but even then it wasn’t a big deal and I knew it was because the blade needed to be replaced.
Benefits of this style of razor for head shaving
When you shave your head, is it in front of a mirror where you can kind of see what you’re doing, at least from the front and sides?
Or do you shave in the shower like I do and use experience and feel to find your way around?
Either way, you know that you need a reliable razor with a handle that is easy to grip that won’t slip and lead to cuts.
In that regard, the design of the Harry’s razor handle is very good in my opinion. Here are the design benefits of The Truman shaver model which is their original product and the model that I own:
Rubberized handle: The orange rubber handle is contoured and easy to hold. It has a dimple pattern to offer extra grip. I find it easy to hold and even in the shower with water running, I don’t lose grip ever.
Weighted core: The bottom of the handle is weighted so it feels (as the literature describes) kind of like holding a fountain pen. I found it comfortable to hold and easy to shave with.
Pull off blade: The blade cartridge easily snaps on the shaving head and easily pulls off when it’s time for replacement. No complaints here.
The product is German-engineered and also made in Germany in case you wanted to know.
And for the record, Harry’s the company was sold to Edgewell Personal Care in 2019 for $1.4 billion. Edgewell owns (among other things) both Schick and Wilkinson Sword brands which are also major razor companies.
Summary
While Harry’s recommends not using their razor for shaving your head, I do it regularly and have no complaints. In fact, I plan on continuing to do so. I find the results to be very good in terms of getting a close shave and I really can’t say I notice any side effects such as cuts or skin irritation.
Since I haven’t come across any specific reason not to use the razor on my head, I will assume the suggestion from the manufacturer to avoid doing so is simply the company protecting themselves legally, for whatever reason.