Thoughts on new Gillette Flexball

[one cut]

how about they develop the "forever blade" this blade that goes with the new flex ball razor is guaranteed to last you twice as long as normal blades. It feels like it lasts forever !

Teck department : so what is the difference between the normal blades and the "forever blade "
Marketing: the price.

 

[cb91710]

Went to Walmart for an unrelated purchase and saw this. 10 bucks and it's mine
View attachment 457384

Still NA here... whole row of the above hang-tags coming soon.

They will be common place soon enough. Are you going to try the free foam gel as well as the razor?

sure, why not? might as well.

While I'll pitch it when I get mine, I used the Edge gel for years and it's a pretty decent product.

 

[Captain Murphy]

Of course it refers to Gillette (flexball) today.

They had so many great razors in the past. (Old, New, Superspeed, Aristocrat, etc) they should have kept them.

I agree...the fatboy's were imho the pinnacle of shaving tech. I wish they were still in production...

 

[lunchman]

Figured I'd give the FlexBall a try - why not? Shaved as well as my previous Fusion, not quite sure I get the need for the Flexball. It sure didn't seem to move in either of those directions while I was using it. The head pivots up and down just like other Fusions, but the side to side action? Perhaps my face just doesn't need it. I'll keep it in the rotation though. I've always gotten decent shaves out of the Fusions.

 

[4freek]

Was in a couple of stores yesterday and saw the automated display, The whole thing was a joke, Rotating skin and one razor that flex's and one that doesn't.

First thing I thought to myself is, Who shaves without moving the handle to match the general contour of the face?

Why do advertisers think the general population is stupid?

 

[JerYnkFan]

Saw it this morning at Walmart for 26.22. What happened to the give you the handle for free?

 

[Pepin]

With all of the great shaving products that we are aware of, and having several sources to purchase from, why bother with the flexball gimmick?

The money is better spent on soaps, creams, aftershaves, colognes, vintage razors (DE, SE, injector, straight), modern razors, scuttles, brushes, etc.

 

[hecticXx]

just seems like it would slip and slice you, and really i don't see the need for a 'pivoting' head. i mean, what good does it supposedly do? conform to your face better? it seems like it would be unwieldy. we arent shaving rolling hills and jagged mountaintops here.

 

[hecticXx]

plus, cartridges just suck. everyone admit it

just takes the fun out of everything we are about on this forum.

cartridges. pfft.

 

[hecticXx]

Was in a couple of stores yesterday and saw the automated display, The whole thing was a joke, Rotating skin and one razor that flex's and one that doesn't.

First thing I thought to myself is, Who shaves without moving the handle to match the general contour of the face?

Why do advertisers think the general population is stupid?

exactly! who is so sucked into the hustle and bustle of modern consumerism that they can't match their face with simple wrist movement. its almost as if people have become robots, who expect some sort of new technology to come out that will magically fix all their problems.

 

[dabrock]

Was in a couple of stores yesterday and saw the automated display, The whole thing was a joke, Rotating skin and one razor that flex's and one that doesn't.

First thing I thought to myself is, Who shaves without moving the handle to match the general contour of the face?

Why do advertisers think the general population is stupid?

Not so much stupid as gullible I would say. If you think about the fact that you normally adjust your wrist to keep the blade in contact with the skin you would wonder why you would need the razor to do it. I'm sure it's a fine razor for those who like carts but I don't see any real reason for it other than to sell more products with options no one actually needs.

 

[Toothpick]

Figured I'd give the FlexBall a try - why not? Shaved as well as my previous Fusion, not quite sure I get the need for the Flexball. It sure didn't seem to move in either of those directions while I was using it. The head pivots up and down just like other Fusions, but the side to side action? Perhaps my face just doesn't need it. I'll keep it in the rotation though. I've always gotten decent shaves out of the Fusions.

I had the same experience. It didn't flex side to side at all.

Why do advertisers think the general population is stupid?

Because they mostly are. Gullible and generally believe anything.

 

[mrb7]

Why do advertisers think the general population is stupid?

No one in this world, so far as I know ... has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby. -- H. L. Menken 'Notes On Journalism' in the Chicago Tribune (19 September 1926)

The second sentence is often paraphrased as "No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people." (The Yale Book of Quotations, 2006, p. 512)

 

[cb91710]

First thing I thought to myself is, Who shaves without moving the handle to match the general contour of the face?

Why do advertisers think the general population is stupid?

The exact same comments could have been made in 1977 when the pivoting head of the Atra came out as an alternative to the Trac-II.
After all, who shaves without moving the handle to match the curve of their chin?

Yet today, only a few members here that still use carts stick with the Trac-II. Most are running the Mach-3, Fusion, or the Atra's followup, the Sensor (blades are still available for it).

 

[cb91710]

plus, cartridges just suck. everyone admit it

just takes the fun out of everything we are about on this forum.

cartridges. pfft.

LOL... They do take the fun out of it, but even when I use the straight for my headshave, I still use the Fusion for cleanup around my ears.
I like my ears where they are... though one is a little higher than it should be. The straight does a good job, but maneuvering around the ears without being able to see is tough.

 

[Badgergramps]

Yup, ears and that last bit you missed on your apple after you've put all your gear away.

 

[mrb7]

maneuvering around the ears without being able to see is tough.

Use the Force, Rich. Use the Force.

 

[Russjones16]

lol my proglide is in some dump somewhere so I do not think that I will be getting the new flexball lol I love my De's too much

 

[Tarquinius]

All you gentlemen have bashed this new razor.

Well, I've no connection to P&G, but went ahead and tried the new razor today.
Picked it up from the local AOS store, who told me that, if I was not totally happy, they'd be happy to take it back for full refund.
Shaved with it today, and I was impressed with the shave.
Naturally, a fresh Fusion cart and my normal full prep.
I only had to do a single pass on one day's growth, but it shaved smooth, clean and no irritation.
Perhaps the ball plus the springs help keep the blade pressure even.
Anyway, the shave was as nice as the previous day with a Feather DX.
Downsides...besides the cost of the handle and the cartridges, I wonder if the ball mechanics and trim will hold up or be a pain to keep clean, after extended use.
So, for what it's worth, that's my initial impression; I'll have to give it a few more shaves before deciding whether to hold onto it longterm.

Blast away, if you wish!
YMMV.

That's exactly what I was waiting for. Someone that actually tries it before giving it a yay or nay. Thanks!

 

[cb91710]

Bought one today.

Not expecting miracles, but I needed new blades anyways and it was only $12.