In a bi-directional razor having an elongated hand grip and a single bi-directional razor head adapted for manual shaving in two opposite directions without lifting the razor head from an area of a user's skin to be shaved during movements of the razor head in the opposite directions, the single bi-directional razor head with a flexible guard system connectable to the elongated hand grip, comprising:
- the single razor head arranged to have generally planar face areas which contact the skin of the user and having first and second front guard structures and at least one rear guard structure with an outer surface substantially centrally located on the razor head, with the first front guard structure and central rear guard structure defining at least in substantial part a first working plane, and with the second front guard structure and the central rear guard structure defining at least in substantial part a second working plane, with at least one of the first and second working planes being in general contact with the skin of a user whenever the user is cutting hair while shaving, and with the first and second working planes of the razor head being angled with respect to one another in the range of about 5 degrees to about 20 degrees, and generally intersecting one another near the outer surface of the central rear guard structure;
- the single razor head having an overall generally elongated oblong shape with first and second end portions, first and second generally parallel longitudinal edges extending between the end portions, and a longitudinal axis generally running parallel to and located substantially equidistantly between the first and second longitudinal edges;
- at least a first, elongated, narrow razor blade strip extending along substantially the length of the razor head and having an inner portion supported by the razor head and an outer portion having an elongated razor-sharp edge normally disposed substantially in the first working plane, at least the outer portion of the first razor blade strip extending at an acute angle relative to the first working plane and projecting generally toward the first longitudinal edge and away from the longitudinal axis;
- at least a second elongated, narrow razor blade strip extending along substantially the length of the razor head and having an inner portion supported by the razor head and an outer portion having an elongated razor-sharp edge normally disposed in the second working plane, at least the outer portion of the second razor blade strip extending at an acute angle relative to the second working plane and projecting generally toward the second longitudinal edge and away from the first razor blade strip, so that the outer portions of the first and second razor blade strips extend in generally opposite directions to one another;
- a first elongated flexible guard structure forming at least part of the first front guard structure, located in close proximity to the first longitudinal edge of the head, and having a long substantially straight edge tip region that is capable of elastically deforming upon being pressed into a user's skin during shaving, the straight edge tip region forming a long, substantially straight, first skin-contacting area which is arranged to contact a user's skin just before the first razor blade strip does during shaving in a first direction, the first flexible guard structure being at least a substantial portion of that part of the first front guard structure that helps define the first working plane;
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- a second elongated flexible guard structure forming at least part of the second front guard structure, located in close proximity to the second longitudinal edge of the head, and having a long substantially straight edge tip region that is capable of elastically deforming upon being pressed into a user's skin during shaving, the straight edge tip region forming a long, substantially straight, second skin-contacting area which is arranged to contact a user's skin just before the second razor blade strip does during shaving in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, the second flexible guard structure being at least a substantial portion of that part of the second front guard structure that helps define the second working plane, and
- wherein the razor head is arranged and connectable to the hand grip such that when the razor head is connected to the hand grip the user may manually grasp the hand grip and slide the razor head back and forth in the first and second opposite directions upon his skin to shave hair from the area of the skin to be shaved without the user having to lift the razor head from the skin and without the user having to change his manner of holding the hand grip during the back and forth sliding movement upon his skin.