quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
I've tried Harry's twice. The blades don't seem to last nearly as long as Gillette's.

I must have been doing something wrong. I was getting a week out of the Mach 3 before I would notice them getting “grabby”. With the Harry’s (5 bladed), I get a month or close to it before I notice any degradation.

Schick injector. One blade can last me a month.

That’s one, single, blade. 7 come in an injector pack for about 5 bucks.

Been using them since 2004 or earlier.

quote:

Originally posted by doublesharp:
I use a safety razor and double edge blades. I like Feather or Shark brand blades and they cost about a dime ea when you buy them 100 at a time on Amazon.

And as a head shaver getting at least 3 uses per blade, it doesn't get any better.

I started using Gillette razors over 50 years ago, but the last few years they turned to crap. The Mexican-made disposables chattered across my tough beard and slashed me up pretty good, so I switched to their "better" stuff, which never give me a suitably-close shave. I might as well use an electric razor.

The Schick Hydro 5 mentioned earlier seems to work better than the new Gillette stuff, giving a close shave just like I want, but not as close as the old Gillette (pre-Mexican) disposables.

Unfortunately, I lost my double-edge razor about 10 years ago, so after reading this thread I may look for a replacement. In the meantime, I'm happy with the Schick Hydro 5.

Just recently I went retro.

http://vanderhagen.com/TRADITIONAL-SAFETY-RAZOR-SET

The first shave, my face looked like hamburger helper. I am now comfortable with it.

The price of the new razors/cartridges is stupid.

One thing I discovered as an impoverished engineering student was to use warm not hot rinse water on the razor blades as it greatly increases the life span of blades. Thin stainless steel heated up and forced over an irregular load (ie your non-flat face and stubble spacing) is much more prone to permanent deformity if heated too much.

I only have to shave one weekend a month and two weeks a year, but the Hydro 3 is my go to. I have a hard time finding them sometimes so I will go to the Mach 3 if I have no other choice.

I noticed the biggest difference is with the expensive shaving cream. I will never go back to the cheap store bought cream.

I’ve used Mach 3 for years. My preference was for the Turbo, which I guess had a sort of silicone insert surrounding the blades, which made the shave feel smoother. The OP mentioned the changes Gillette has made. A few months ago, Gillette replaced the Mach 3 and Mach 3 Turbo blades with one choice only—I believe they are calling it Turbo, but it’s not the same blade. Gillette, recognizing that they have several competitors undercutting them in price (like Harry’s), reconfigured the blades and lowered the price, albeit not substantially. I still use them.

I look at 5-blade razors and just think it 40% more gimmicky than 3. I shaved a long time with a double-edged razor, but I do think the Mach 3 is better, and I definitely cut myself more often with the double-edge.

When the Fusion first came out, I had been using the Mach 3 and I was satisfied with it. A funny thing happened, My neighbor who at the time was stationed in Iraq wrote me a letter saying his unit got a sample Fusion in the mail. Mine was sitting in the package it came in still. My neighbor asked if I could buy as many as $100 would buy and could I ship them to Iraq. I don't remember how many I was able to buy, but I did send them and his friends were the best shaved bomb squad in his area.

Get into Double-Edge razors. I got tired of paying the higher prices for Gillette and those other fancy cartridges. You'll save a ton of money going this route in the long-run.

For someone just starting I would get the following from ItalianBarber:

Razorock Tech2 (a very easy and mild razor for a beginner) $10
Or a Razorock Old Type Open Comb (slightly more aggressive but efficient razor) $15
A razor sampler pack (this will allow you to try a bunch of razors and find the one that works best for you.) $10
A decent brush (synthetic or boar is less expensive than badger) $10
Soap/Aftershave (I start friends out with ItalianBarber's house Amici soap and aftershave) $20
Blade Bank $2 (I like putting the old blades in here instead of just tossing it in the trash. I can dispose of the bank once it's filled)

Just to give you an idea, you can 100 razors for $10-15. If you change out that razor once a week, you'll have close to 2 year's supply.

Once I started it became another addiction. I enjoyed trying out new soaps and aftershaves.

I've been waiting for someone to make a 7 bladed cartridge razor. 5 just isn't sufficient.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
After a lot of swearing and use of cutting tools, I finally got the razors out of the package. I don't know what the fuck Gillette was thinking when they decided how to package these things.

Theft concerns

I use schick xtreme 3 sensitive from Walmart...

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
I’ve used Mach 3 for years. My preference was for the Turbo, which I guess had a sort of silicone insert surrounding the blades, which made the shave feel smoother. The OP mentioned the changes Gillette has made. A few months ago, Gillette replaced the Mach 3 and Mach 3 Turbo blades with one choice only—I believe they are calling it Turbo, but it’s not the same blade. Gillette, recognizing that they have several competitors undercutting them in price (like Harry’s), reconfigured the blades and lowered the price, albeit not substantially. I still use them.

I look at 5-blade razors and just think it 40% more gimmicky than 3. I shaved a long time with a double-edged razor, but I do think the Mach 3 is better, and I definitely cut myself more often with the double-edge.

I used the five bladed Harry’s because they didn’t have a three. When she was shopping, the wife called and asked if I wanted a five blade or a seven blade? WTF!?! It took a while to get used to as it felt like shaving with a surfboard for a while. With it feeling so big and clumsy, I was afraid I’d cut myself. Never have. It wasn’t frequent with the Mach three, but it did happen. After a year or so with the Harry’s (following many years with the Mach three), I am used to it and dont mind it. If they were the same price and lasted the same, I’d probably use the Mach three, but I get a month out of a Harry’s blade and a week out of a Mach three blade.

Being an old "stick in the mud," I use a two blade Track-Two razor. Not very popular but I like it. Mostly need to buy blades on line because most stores don't stock them.

I was buying the Gillete three blade bulk packs at Costco for a while. Very long lasting, a great buy.
Don't currently have a Costco membership, found Gillete Sensor 2, pack of 52 on Amazon for 35 bucks. Seem just as good. If I get near the blade life I did from the triple blade I'm set for a few year.

Another delighted Dorco Pace 6 shaver here. Amazon.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
November '16, I switched to Dorco (they make Dollar Shave Club's too) after 2+ decades of getting gouged on my Sensor Excel. I'm very happy with their Pace 6 Plus

THIS ^^^

I tried Harry's razors and Dollar Shave Club/Dorco razors upon seeing both of them recommended here and was happy with the Dorco Pace 6 razors.

Like several posters, I am still on the Trac II. I haven't seen these blades in a retail store for over ten years. Still available online with a little searching, thank goodness.

I have had to repair my handle at least twice. Last time I really did a job on it, screwed a sheet metal screw into the end of the plastic handle after soldering the blade carrier to it. I think this has lasted close to 20 years without showing any sign of failure. IIRC, I used to go through handles every other year or so, even the solid brass ones. The little sheet metal "fingers" that captured the blade carrier would fatigue, get wobbly, and fail, or the brass flanges would erode down to nothing.

I don't change blades often, once or twice a year, shave every day. I have three unused blades left, so I have to either find a source to buy more, or adopt a new system before 2020 rolls around. The real Gilette-brand blades keep their edge a lot longer than the aftermarket ones do. I can get a year out of a Gilette, maybe only 6-7 months out of an aftermarket blade.

I have occasionally tried other systems, but haven't found anything that I like as much, or as inexpensive.

Hey this is the 21st Century, why are we still using blades like the cavemen?!?!?!