Is The Plow™ 2.0 discontinued?

We talk a lot about trimming and shaving, we make male grooming tools, and we maintain a blog dedicated to grooming knowledge. Despite all of that, if you try to order a razor from us, you might have difficulty finding it. Not seeing the Plow 2.0 has led many people to ask us if The Plow™ 2.0 safety razor from MANSCAPED™ is discontinued. We have good news. Our safety razor is still available, but it's now open to the general male public, i.e., you, instead of being reserved for members. Keep reading, and we'll show you how to get one. More importantly, we'll show you what to do with it.

Grooming with a safety razor

Safety razors are still the gold standard when it comes to shaving, and there are a lot of reasons for that. Mostly, it comes down to some key advantages. Safety razors are much safer and easier to maintain than their modern replacements, but even when you are grooming, the safety razor offers benefits that you should consider.

The first significant advantage of using a safety razor is that it reduces irritation. Irritation is reduced because modern disposable razors tend to have multiple blades. The philosophy is that having more blades minimizes the number of strokes it takes to shave and reduces irritation; this isn't quite right. With a disposable razor, multiple blades make a single unit last longer before it needs to be replaced.

With a safety razor, you don't have to worry about that so much. You get a pack of blades, and you can replace them whenever you need to. So, you don't need multiple blades on a single razor. The good news is that this reduces irritation when you shave. With multiple blades, you get several times the stress and irritation on the skin with each razor's pass. When you have just one blade on your safety razor, you minimize the strain on your skin.

The other great advantage of a safety razor is that you aren't going to feel pushed to use a blade past its prime. Refill blades are cheap, and changing them is easy. If a blade starts to feel dull, you just swap it for a fresh one. Even if you want to be ultra conservationally minded, you can sharpen dull blades rather than disposing of them. You still never have to shave with a dull blade. Ever.

History of the safety razor

Safety razors have been around a lot longer than most people realize. The first iteration of the concept was developed in France around 1762. The idea was that a protective device could make shaving a little easier, and that way, people wouldn't have to pay for a professional shave as often.

In the 1900s, the concept was improved and expanded. People figured out how to mass-produce safety razors, and they were considered the safest and best way to shave. You could find a safety razor in every home for decades following.

In 1970, the first cartridge razor hit the market, and from there, the prevalence of safety razors began to fall. Today, safety razors are making a huge comeback as people have realized they are safer, cheaper, and better for the environment than disposable cartridge razors.

How to use a safety razor

Safety razors have a bunch of advantages, but using them does require a bit of skill. They are not just like your disposable blades, and until you learn how to use them, they can leave you with cuts and other problems. Thankfully, this isn't rocket science. The secrets to using a safety razor are few and easily mastered, and we have them all ready for you right here.

Steps to using a safety razor

The steps to using a safety razor are pretty easy. The first step is hygiene. Make sure your razor and blades are clean. Get a fresh, sharp blade into the razor if you need to.

When you have a clean instrument, you want to prepare the flesh on your face, so some things can help. If you have the chance, take a warm shower or wash your face with warm water to soften the hair follicles. If you don't have time, you can get a washcloth, treat it with warm water, and gently massage the area you're about to shave.

The third step is obvious and simple, but you never want to skip it. Apply shaving gel or cream to the area you're about to groom. Shaving without lubrication is just plain crazy.

With the prep work complete, you're ready to apply the blade to the flesh. Make sure you keep the skin taut wherever you are shaving. You want to apply the blade with a 30 to 45-degree angle. You don't need any pressure on the blade — you keep it sharp for this reason. Going with the grain, you want to shave using short, controlled strokes. You'll find that the hair is removed quite easily.

As you're shaving, replace the blade if it begins to feel dull, and apply more lubricant if you feel the need.

Once you're done, clean the area well (but not vigorously). You want to remove any clipped hairs. A shower at this point is acceptable, or you can wipe yourself down with a washcloth. Apply your aftershave and/or moisturizer, and move on with your day.

Integrating into your daily routine

Once you get comfortable with your safety razor, you'll see that shaving isn't that big a deal. Despite the ease, you might not need to do it daily (unless you're a Sasquatch). For a lot of guys, a few times a week is enough to keep things clean. Some guys only need to shave every few weeks. It depends on how much of a five o'clock shadow or beard you want to maintain.

Considering that you may not shave daily, how do you make it a part of your routine? The trick is to take care of your face every day, regardless of whether you shave. You should be doing skincare every single day (primarily moisturizing and applying SPF). For some of you sensitive-to-aging guys, you may throw in a serum or two. We won't judge.

Why The Plow 2.0?

So, after all of this talk about safety razors, which one should you use? We were always going to recommend The Plow 2.0 razor. We designed it. We use it. We love it.

But, if you want a compelling reason to choose The Plow over other safety razors, we have plenty of them ready for you. The Plow is a razor designed exclusively for your handsome mug and is engineered for the contours of your face. 

Upgraded from the original

The Plow™ was our original shaving masterpiece. It was weighted, safe, easy to clean, and built for shaving your face. We took that and improved on every concept to design The Plow 2.0. It is made from solid brass to have a great balance and be extremely durable. The gunmetal gray coating makes it look modern and sleek. The angle was tuned to reduce the risk of razor burn, and the finish makes it cleaner and safer than the original.

How to get The Plow 2.0

MANSCAPED The Plow 2.0 is not discontinued. You can now get it on the website, along with all of the other grooming goodies you want and need. Our entire purpose is to help you be the best man you can be. That's why we design specialty tools for grooming. It's also why we maintain our website — the conclave of knowledge that can help with everything from trimming your pubes to throwing a classy dinner party. Whatever it is that you're after, we want to be a resource that helps you get it.