Today disposable safety razors are a $34 billion dollar industry. The funny thing is, rocket scientists even work in the safety razor industry. It seems shaving hair effectively is a serious business.
While big razor businesses are constantly looking for the next cutting-edge technology in tiny blades, the rest of us look at these sharp packages and wonder “there’s gotta be more we can do with these.” When a safety razor is the of the only sharp objects you’re allowed to bring onto an airplane, you might too be wondering what else it’s capable of.
In the next few paragraphs, I’ll give you exactly that.
1. A Surgical Tool for Snake Bites
Most snake bite kits will include a razor. But if your kit doesn’t have one or you accidentally grabbed your shaving kit instead, a safety razor should be your go-to surgical tool.
Of course, there is no real alternative to professional medical care when it comes to rattlesnake bites. Get to a medical professional as soon as you can and get a dose of antivenom and steroids/antibiotics.
But when you’re miles into your hike or run, it’s imperative you do something. A snake bite kit should include suction cups, a razor, disinfectant, antibiotic cream, and gauze. It should also include instructions on how to cut around the bite and suck the coagulated and poisonous blood out.
2. A Safety Razor as a Spoon
Ok, women’s safety razors are going to be more useful for this than men’s. But the wide end near the head or the thick and comfy end (women’s razor handle) can be scrapped and molded into a spoon.
If you lose your knife, you can try (wouldn’t recommend it) using the blades to scrape out a spoon. But this will be easiest if you have a sharp knife on hand. And what prepper goes without an essential such as a knife?
3. Three Razors as a Camera Tripod
You’re on an epic adventure and you want to capture yourself doing something epic. Then you realize you left your GoPro tripod at home. No worries! You did bring a pack of safety razors, some super glue and your old broken tripod for some reason.
You’ve got this! Simply glue the razor heads to the old tripod head, and then fill in the joints with glue. You will need to keep the razors stationary while the glue sets, but once they do, you’ve got a small portable tripod for any adventure.
4. Preparing a Surgical Site
If you don’t have access to medical care, whether that be due to inclement weather or the collapse of society as we know it, you might have to perform basic surgery yourself. While you should report to a medical professional when possible, sometimes you have no choice.
When preparing a site for surgery, it’s important you disinfect the site to reduce the chance of postoperative infection. If hair interferes with the surgery site, you will need to clip and shave the site.
If no scissors are available, you can use disposable razors to both cut and shave hair. When cutting hair with a safety razor, create tension in the hair and scrape at the hair until it breaks.
Be sure to not use the same razor for cutting as you do for shaving.
5. Seed and Plant Marker for Your Survival Garden
You’ve used all your popsicle sticks as kindling to build fires. It’s time to plant and you need a way to mark your plants in your garden. You’ve got a sharpie and safety razors.
Break that safety razor into pieces. Each blade could be a useful marker. Simply write the name of the plant on the razor and stick it in the ground. You can even use the handle if you have disposable safety razors.
Bonus: A Tracheotomy
I mentioned how safety razors are one of the only sharp objects you’re allowed on an airplane. If you have a peanut allergy, you’ll know that anaphylaxis is a scary thing. And one way to save a person who’s airway has closed up is to perform a tracheotomy.
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