Gillette's fight to get India away from DE shaving.

[Tester28]

Didn't quite get what the big breakthrough is with Guard.
Is it just one cutting edge on the carriage instead of 2/3/5?
Is that easier to rinse off?

I once had to shave when our water supply was cut off for some pump repairs.
I just used a mug of water and swirled the razor in there to get the hair out.
It wasn't pretty but it worked.

 

[Sabre]

Interesting I liked the part about an Indian taking up to 30 minutes to shave and it only takes 5 to 7 minutes here.

Largely due to better hardware and software but by choice some here take a lot more than 5 to 7 minutes as they have ceremonialized shaving as they have the means but moreso the time

I think if the average Indian can get 20 minutes of their day back from shaving by using a more modern, higher quality razor they will jump at the chance.

Sociologists could do a study on what causes people with means and time take what is normally a mundane dutiful activity and make it a fun pastime they get together and discuss.

Who is the average Indian? The 20 to 30% who live in poverty. The wide ranging middle classes who are now targeted by Champagne companies who could make up 40 to 70% of the population. If you can afford Champagne or Indian Sparkling wine from Moet, you surely can afford a Mach3.

 

[Chandu]

Who is the average Indian? The 20 to 30% who live in poverty. The wide ranging middle classes who are now targeted by Champagne companies who could make up 40 to 70% of the population. If you can afford Champagne or Indian Sparkling wine from Moet, you surely can afford a Mach3.

I take average in this case to be Gillette's target market for the Guard. Probably the poor all the way up to any income provided the user is not into the status of having a fancier costlier razor. It's entirely probable to me that many will avoid this razor because it's cheap, plastic and has no "status" appeal - both in India and the rest of the world.

One thing to consider is the Guard was designed specifically for the beards of Indians, the Fusion was not. So the Guard could be the best working razor for a lot of Indians and there are a LOT of Indians that can afford it. For those Indians who are only in DE shaving due to cost and not the ceremony, I think they will happily junk their DE razors for the Guard if given the chance.

I just came into possession of a Guard and have 1 shave under my belt with it. First results for me indicate it's a damn fine shaving instrument. DFS with a few spots of BBS with WTG and ATG and a little cleanup. It seems to shave closer than the Skin Guard that I have. It's quicker to get a DFS with this than my Feather Popular. Not quite as close as my Merkur 42c, Fatip Gentile or Schick Injector. Actually it shaves a lot like the Injector, quick, easy and well.

 

[Sabre]

I think countries like India and China are developing so fast that the Guard's share will diminish before we know it. Textile production left Morocco for China ten years ago, and now China's GDP per capita is 5 to 6 times of that of Morocco, so that production has left for Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. One report I saw stated that India will overtake China.

 

[Chandu]

Sabre, you may well be right. But, I have only come to the shaving as a hobby game recently and looking at the landscape, I can tell I'm more intrigued with software than hardware.

Sure, I'm trying some hardware but I will narrow it down to what I like and only have a few things. Probably one DE, one SE and a Cartridge. Right now, I'd have to say the Guard is likely to be my cartridge.

Personally I don't like the DE format, or SE gem all that much. The razor is too tall for my taste, lacks maneuverability. I really like the Injector/Artist Club/Cart format, though I might find the Artist Club a bit wide.

The head is narrower, and seem more maneuverable and I don't have a sharp edge to be mindful with around my nose and ears. It may sound blasphemous, but if it weren't for patents driving higher costs among other formats, I think the DE would have died long ago.

I can get a great shave with DE, but for those that don't or don't want to face the learning curve and just get things done, the Guard excels in that arena. What I'm saying is I'm an enthusiast, but with my limited experience, I could say goodbye to DE and not feel like I'm missing anything. SE and cartridges would be all I ever need.

I don't even care if my favorite razors all end up being plastic that is shunned by others and won't be a family heirloom. I don't buy into the whole buy the end all be all of razors and will it to your greatful offspring. I think many of us have a romanticism around razors, fathers and grandfathers that the fathers and grandfathers would find downright silly. We use that romanticism to open up the pocket book high end razors.

I suspect Gillette views the Guard as a disruptive technology in some markets and I think they are right on target.

YMMV of course.

 

[Spock88]

I just recently ordered the Gillette Guard from Amazon and it has become my Go to travel razor and for those days when I simply don't have the time to do a proper DE shave. I have been tempted to just use the guard at times just because it is much easier to use but I will say the blade was really sharp in my first 3-4 initial shaves. It's smoothed out a lot more now and is very comfortable.

 

[Chandu]

but I will say the blade was really sharp in my first 3-4 initial shaves. It's smoothed out a lot more now and is very comfortable.

I didn't notice any harshess. Maybe I got lucky or am just not that perceptive. I've only used it twice, but am smitten, if it gets even smoother, bonus!

It's the plastic fantastic!

 

[asingh]

I happened upon a Guard 2 months ago. And continued to use them past 60 days, purchased many more cutting heads. Quite a good tool. Addictive.

 

[snowman]

I didn't notice any harshess. Maybe I got lucky or am just not that perceptive. I've only used it twice, but am smitten, if it gets even smoother, bonus!

It's the plastic fantastic!

I've been meaning to post about my Gillette Guard experience for quite some time. A little background on me. I'm pretty old school when it comes to shaving. My favorite brush is a 26mm Brad Sears badger. My favorite soaps are generally triple milled and tallow based. I only use cream when traveling. I've used most of the vintage Gillette DE's and love them all. Like many I consider the Tech too mild but can get a BBS shave from it with a bit of effort. My favorite vintage Gillette is an open comb NEW. Of the current crop of razors my favorites are (in no particular order)
- ATT S1 slant
- RR GC84
- Karve SB C/D, OC B/C.

I'm well into middle age and have a thick coarse middle aged beard. Back in the '80's / 90's when I used carts for a while I liked the Sensor and Mach3. My beard was softer then. These days if I use either I get ingrowns, so I dont use them. The new Gillette SkinGuard...for me...works better than either the Mach3 or Sensor, but I still get some bumps and ingrowns. Multiblade carts just dont cut it (pun intended) for me any more.

A year or two ago I tried the Guard. Liked it...didnt love it. Thought it was cheap and mild. Set it aside. Back in January I tried the Skin Guard out of curiosity. After deciding it wasnt going to fly I grabbed one of the Guards collecting dust. Stuck with it for a couple weeks, got the technique down, and havent looked back. If you can get past the cheap plastic feel its a great tool. I am getting a month of shaves from one cart. Most months thats about 15-20 shaves. As a reference point, I get about 7 shaves out of a Feather DE blade in the above referenced razors.

If I do two passes (WTG / XTG) I get CCS. If I do three passes (WTG / XTG / XTG) I get DMF. Three passes and a wee bit of touch up (WTG / XTG / ATG) I get BBS. I have no issue with the razor clogging, and thats using triple milled tallow. I dont intentionally thin the lather. The razors design allows for a free flow of lather and whiskers. I dont rinse it any more often than my favorite DE's.

The first two shaves are good. The third shave it feels like its getting dull and I would normally toss it at this point...but I dont. The 4th shave it smooths out and then the damn thing stays smooth and sharp (enough) for another dozen or so shaves.

I have 8 handles, and ordered 96 carts off Amazon. Thats 8 years of shaves for about $30 bucks, assuming I only use the Guard, which I wont. My favorite razors will still get playing time.

Thats my experience with the Guard. Its not an heirloom, it isnt pretty, its cheap plastic but it works. Its a good tool at a good price.

I agree with @Chandu , it is the plastic fantastic.

 

[Chandu]

The more I use mine the more I like it. I'm at 6 shaves now on mine and it shows no sign of stopping yet. I will see how many I get. In a previous post I figured that if I got 10 shaves out of it, it was about the same cost as DE shaving. From your report and others I think I'll get well beyond 10.

 

[Spock88]

I think you'll get plenty of Shaves out of just one Guard head. I think I've used mine for at least 15 shaves and it's still going strong! Still sharp and smooth.

 

[Chandu]

I think you'll get plenty of Shaves out of just one Guard head. I think I've used mine for at least 15 shaves and it's still going strong! Still sharp and smooth.

In another thread I mentioned I got 11 shaves, but 11 left me a little tender, so I stropped on leather with some fine compound. The 12th shave was better and I started arm stropping after each shave. Some on the other thread think arm stropping doesn't help, well, I know I got three more great shaves that way, but I can't say it's due or not due to the arm stropping. So I'm going to shave without arm stropping and see when it degrades again and then see if arm stropping brings it back. (all of this is pointless beyond my self interest, anything that lasts 10+ shaves for me is great. I've not got that many shaves out of a DE blade ever. SE, yes. My Gem's and Injectors can go that many.

 

[Sabre]

I want to try the Kai version to compare.

 

[snowman]

I want to try the Kai version to compare.

Is that the Kamisori? I’ve been waiting to see if any reviews show up here.

 

[Sabre]

Is that the Kamisori? I’ve been waiting to see if any reviews show up here.

Yes, I haven't seen it on eBay yet.

 

[FireDragon76]

.. I think many of us have a romanticism around razors, fathers and grandfathers that the fathers and grandfathers would find downright silly. We use that romanticism to open up the pocket book high end razors. ...

The past few years are a time when romanticism and nostalgia have a great deal of potential political and economic dividends. Coincidence? I don't think so.

I suspect Gillette views the Guard as a disruptive technology in some markets and I think they are right on target.

It's much like the double edge razor was in that regard.

 

[simplifylife]

For me Gillette represents the big bad greedy corporations they show in the movies. I have tried almost all their razors. 2 blade Vector. 3 blade Mach 3. 5 blade Fusion. Disposables. Almost everything.

But have never been 100% happy with the shaves. I hve found that the blades they pack with their handles are excellent. Maybe act as a hook to attract customers and make them purchase subsequent cartridges. But the QC on cartridges seems to be so bad that out of a pack of 2 or 4 you will find one cartridge that gives you good 6-8 shaves and one cartridge that's bad right out of the box.

I have given up on Gillette especially cartridge shavers and gone back to good old DE shavers. Cheaper. And even if rhe blade is bad you dont burn a hole. Not to mention eco friendly.

 

[Ivo4u2]

They make nice blades and as others mentioned a guard with a decent handle will sell.
For now I find best of both world in the broman. Uses half de blades and a nice handle.
Still want to try a guard for the cabin luggage holidays.

 

[Chandu]

Interesting now that I see this thread resurface. All of the Gillette Guard are gone from Amazon. Maggard's has them still, but I wonder if they sell out will they have more. Is Gillette still making these for the Indian martket? Are they just having them removed from the US market more formally than before?

For me with Gillette products, the Skin Guard is the best for me. It just feels nicer to shave with than more blades and it gets almost as close.

 

[slybrewguy]

Interesting now that I see this thread resurface. All of the Gillette Guard are gone from Amazon. Maggard's has them still, but I wonder if they sell out will they have more. Is Gillette still making these for the Indian martket? Are they just having them removed from the US market more formally than before?

For me with Gillette products, the Skin Guard is the best for me. It just feels nicer to shave with than more blades and it gets almost as close.

All of the options available on Amazon for the Gillette guard were from sellers in India using Amazon as a host site. Even under 'normal' circumstances it took anywhere from 6-10 weeks to arrive to a US address from the date of shipping (which was usually a week after the order was placed). You would receive tracking info for India's version of USPS (India post or something like that) and it would sit in their customs for weeks. It's the same with eBay sales of the guard system. Maggard, wcs, IB, etc all carry them in stock so they are not subject to the long waits.