Am I alone?

[Myosin]

When did they come out with a a Mach5 cartridge?

Shaving is not so much of a hobby for me as it is a necessity that I have learned to make more enjoyable and easier. Nothing more than a means to an end.

I don't really know why people accept the notion of cartridges being faster than DE razors. It takes me almost the exact same amount of time to shave with both ( <1 minute)

Most people seem to think that they can just go rambo all over their face and don't have to properly prep and take their time with cartridges. As a result it's shorter and gives the notorious irritation most associate with cartridges.

 

[TheSauceBoss]

I don't understand. If you do everything the same, why is the cartridge faster? Or is it simply the number of passes that's different?

It is a Mach 3. I made a mistake. (Had Speed Racer on the brain)

But yes it is faster as I can make much longer strokes with much greater confidence that I am not going to get nicked. Heck, I can probably bang out the actual shaving portion of the 'ritual' with a cartridge in less than 2 minutes and still get a great close shave.

I take my time and use shorter strokes with a DE and as a result it takes longer. Not much but when you feel that you don't have to be as careful it seems quicker too.

Don't get me wrong here, I like the DE, I love the prep and all that goes with it, and will continue to use it. I was just wondering if people did revert back to a cartridge when in a rush.

And I do prep just the same whether I plan on using the DE or a cartridge.

Bobby A

 

[curtis909]

Most of us here are bonded by the simple pleasure of enjoying our shaves what we use and how we get there is truly up to each of us. Just saying....

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Nothing wrong with using a cartridge if it works for you. This site is about learning and sharing ideas about getting the best shave possible by whatever means are available.

Now I'm going to go superglue a Trac II cartridge to the top of a Mach 3 cartridge for one of those Speed Racer Mach 5's that all the cool kids are using these days!

 

[TheSauceBoss]

Nothing wrong with using a cartridge if it works for you. This site is about learning and sharing ideas about getting the best shave possible by whatever means are available.

Now I'm going to go superglue a Trac II cartridge to the top of a Mach 3 cartridge for one of those Speed Racer Mach 5's that all the cool kids are using these days!

LOL Make sure you get it high performance fuel 'Injectors'

Bobby A

 

[HoosierTrooper]

LOL Make sure you get it high performance fuel 'Injectors'

Bobby A

Bravo!

 

[workingdog]

I shaved on auto pilot with my M3. Pressure, lather, direction, angle really didnt matter and I got an OK shave.

DE shaving means I have to concentrate more on all of the above. It takes me a little longer and the results (excepting the occational weeper) are a lot better than with the M3.

My skin is in better condition and, in some strange way, shaving now sets me up for the day.

I may take my M3 on holidays but I'm thinking that a mild DE would be perfect the occational week in the sun.

 

[stevedi]

I tried DE shaving because, like so many others, I got tired of spending several dollars per Mach 3 cartridge. Once WalMart started locking them in a case like they were gold coins, I decided there had to be a better way. For me, that turned out to be Trac II cartridges. DW gave me a really nice Country Uncle set for my birthday, with a beautiful big-spread badger brush. Now I get a great blade shave for pennies/cartridge instead of dollars. I kind of think of cartridges as the next step in the evolution of the injector anyway, and the nice thing about the Trac II vs. the pivoting heads is that you control the angle of the blade better.

I too have a DE razor and use it occasionally, and I'm getting better at it. BUT, 3 decades of cartridge shaving is hard to un-learn, y'know? So for me, the cartridge IS much faster, and way more forgiving. YMMV!!

 

[kingfisher]

I tried DE shaving because, like so many others, I got tired of spending several dollars per Mach 3 cartridge. Once WalMart started locking them in a case like they were gold coins, I decided there had to be a better way. For me, that turned out to be Trac II cartridges. DW gave me a really nice Country Uncle set for my birthday, with a beautiful big-spread badger brush. Now I get a great blade shave for pennies/cartridge instead of dollars. I kind of think of cartridges as the next step in the evolution of the injector anyway, and the nice thing about the Trac II vs. the pivoting heads is that you control the angle of the blade better.

I too have a DE razor and use it occasionally, and I'm getting better at it. BUT, 3 decades of cartridge shaving is hard to un-learn, y'know? So for me, the cartridge IS much faster, and way more forgiving. YMMV!!

This was me for almost a year and a half.

Keep at it with the Trac II, but keep trying the DE once in a while, too.

Better yet, do the first WTG pass with the Trac II and then use the DE for a second, XTG pass. Do this every day for awhile. This is the method I used to become more facile with the DE. After doing this for a couple of months I tried the DE by itself and did pretty well. Now I prefer the DE and have a bunch of unused Trac II cartridges in my den.

 

[Rossmeister]

I use a cartridge for shaving the top of my back/shoulders. I don't feel comfortable using a DE for that yet. And the skin is much tougher there, so blades can be used for ages.

 

[rtt]

Funny, I had the same experience this morning except I used a sensor excel cart. My motivation was to compare DE vs sensor, now that I have been shaving with a DE for a couple of months.

It's a brain-dead shave, but it not as satisfying and for some reason, though it felt good at the time, it didn't last as long as my usual de shave either

 

[TheSauceBoss]

Funny, I had the same experience this morning except I used a sensor excel cart. My motivation was to compare DE vs sensor, now that I have been shaving with a DE for a couple of months.

It's a brain-dead shave, but it not as satisfying and for some reason, though it felt good at the time, it didn't last as long as my usual de shave either

I agree. The cartridge can give you a great shave but its not as satisfying as a DE.

An analogy: My pickup can get me to the beach just as easily as my Corvette. Guess which is the cartridge and guess which is the DE.

Pickup - Dependable but a bit boring (reliable shave) No tickets (weepers)

Vette - Much more attention when using it and the occasional weeper. : )

However the pre ritual, setting up (gas, adjusting seats and mirrors) and the after ritual (washing, waxing) are both enjoyable.

Eh a bit of a reach but dinner is almost ready.

Bobby A

 

[BlackBard]

I've been using cartridges - currently a Mach 3 - for decades. The M3 works fine for me. However, I have been using soap and a badger brush for more than 40 years.

I'm not sure why I wanted to try a DE again. Maybe it is the cost of cartridges, but I buy in bulk at Costco for $2.00 each and use two cartridges a month, so cost is not really much of a factor.

I just bought a slim and have 7 shaves on it, using a Personna medical prep blade. So far, nice shaves and no nicks or weepers, although the first few attempts were a little too tentative, resulting in shaves not as close as I get with my Mach 3. I'm going to give it more time to see if I want to continue with a DE. If I decide it is not for me, then I can happily go back to cartridges, knowing that it is the preparation, products and technique that make for a good shave. It's not really the razor. As has been pointed out, I think by Topgumby, "Technique trumps hardware."

 

[livingontheedge]

I use a straight razor and if I need to shave faster I will use a DE, I do not find using a cartridge razor to be noticeably faster, in fact, with the additional after shave creams and balms required to lessen the discomfort I find It takes longer, and the discomfort caused by the disposible lasts all day (unlike the shave) Because of a recent thread I timed myself and found my shaves, Prep. to cleanup in under 4 minutes with face lathering and two passes WTG and ATG. Therefore a potential saving of maybe 1 minute is not worth the all day discomfort caused by the cartridge, however YMMV.

 

[gull]

OP, as long as you're not using canned shaving cream, all is forgiven

 

[pauls51]

I gave up the Cart when I started using the DE.. Since then, I have used the cart a handful of times.... But I have found that a one pass WTG shave gives me the equivalent of a shave with the cart... So now, if I'm in a rush it's quicker to use my DE!!!

 

[Bit2]

What is a "Mach5"?

Probably one those new fangled razors!

JB

PS Tom, my local IGA is carrying TREET blades.

 

[Slivovitz]

There's no Mach 5 that I know of, but there is an M5. I think Personna makes it. Yes, I read that the OP actually meant Mach 3.

I actually tried soap and brush lathering with my old twin blade Atra before moving on to DE/SE/injector razors. Made a huge difference, so much that I questioned whether I really needed to take the next step. Much happier with my injectors now, though.

One thing I've noticed. On the rare occasions that I do pick up a cartridge these days, it seems I actually take almost as long as with any other razor. I'm pickier now about re-lathering between passes and doing touch-up.

 

[rolisrgti06]

I think, if I had to skip the rituals, I'd skip shaving on that particular day. Shaving makes me feel good. I don't skip it often.

I feel the same way. I tried to rush through the rituals one morning and my face paid the price. If I don't have time to do the job right, then I skip it.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Probably one those new fangled razors!

JB

PS Tom, my local IGA is carrying TREET blades.

The IGA's around here have them for $3.99 for 10. Have you tried one yet? I found some yellow pack Schick injectors at a little drugstore, $7.32 for 7. Can't wait to try one!