Bic Metal vs. Gillette Guard: - Single blade shootout.

[Try em all]

6th shave with Gillette Guard

Used a soap like a shave stick again - rub on wet face, then face lather.

I think that this is going to be my fav. method of lathering with soaps.

WTG & XTG.

A little blade buffing on XTG.

A clear DFS.

My best outing with the Guard in the last six years.

 

[Try em all]

Bic Metal's seventh outing.
Soap applied like a stick & face lathered.
Rode the cap.
I've been treating the Bic with care, like an aggressive DE, so
no nicks, cuts or scratches.

WTG. & XTG. with blade buffing.
Tried ATG on the cheek & side-burn area.
Overall DFS as I have CCS on the rest of my face & close to BBS in patches on the side-burn area.

Neither the Guard nor the Bic show any signs of wear.

The Bic is just as effective as the first day, possibly because it has mostly been used riding the cap.

The Guard is known to have a long lifetime of at least a month or more for the 2017 cart.
I've taken the 2017 cart up to 70 consecutive shaves.
2013 model carts have lasted me 130 shaves, but 2013 carts start out a little rough, & should be used like a DE, with minimal pressure initially. They settle down after a while, which could be anywhere between 5 to 15 shaves , depending on the user.
2017 model carts seem to have the blade very slightly recessed, so they do not have any break in period, but at the cost of reduced cartridge life.

 

[StuMcB]

Ditched the guard into the bin last week. I just couldn't get a decent shave regardless of what I did. Not even swmbo could get a decent shave on her legs. I'll stick with my sensor, track 2 and Mach 3 for time being.

 

[Try em all]

Ditched the guard into the bin last week. I just couldn't get a decent shave regardless of what I did. Not even swmbo could get a decent shave on her legs. I'll stick with my sensor, track 2 and Mach 3 for time being.

If you're troubled by the Guard, you'll probably find Bic Metals considerably more problematic.

I, too find Sensors to be the best multiblade, with M3's a close second.
I prefer twin bladed Sensors to the triple bladed ones.

I suggest you try using the Guard for WTG, followed by your Sensor/M3 for XTG/ATG. I do this on days I'm in a hurry.

Perhaps there is something about your skin or beard that makes it difficult for you to use the Guard? Most experienced DE users have no difficulty with it, although a common complaint is that it does not shave as close as a DE or multiblade.

 

[Try em all]

Seventh shave with the Gillette Guard.
Old Spice Original cream NOS & Omega 10065 boar. I bowl lathered today, just for a change. Scent of Old Spice is overpowering, like that of Tabac & Axe creams.

Hassle free shave
WTG & XTG. A little ATG on cheeks & sideburns.
Slightly better than CCS below the chin, BBS in the areas above I was able to go ATG.
Overall, a little better than DFS.

 

[StuMcB]

Perhaps there is something about your skin or beard that makes it difficult for you to use the Guard? Most experienced DE users have no difficulty with it, although a common complaint is that it does not shave as close as a DE or multiblade


Not wrong there. I've been DE shaving since 13 (now 50) but 2 yrs ago I developed a rash on my face and had to ditch my favourite DE's and gear in favour of modern systems. Just some kind of allergy according to the doctor, pills and potions later and it's under control. I settled on the sensor and an old trusted G2 razor. Bought a M3 last year and found I got good shaves but as a tight wallet I'm always looking for better and cheaper alternatives, hence the guard razor. As I say just couldn't get on with it so into the bin. I've been regretting the sale of my cobra classic last year so have purchased a used chrome razorock hawk. Can't complain the vendor threw in 30 blades, brand new Omega boar and a tug of brand new Omega shave cream.

 

[Try em all]

Eighth Bic shave.
WTG & XTG
No change from 7th shave.
CCS, as I did not try ATG.

 

[Try em all]

Eighth Gillette Guard shave today.
Smooth, effortless shave.
BBS on cheeks &
CCS elsewhere.
Overall DFS.

 

[Try em all]

Eighth Bic shave.
Was running late for work.
Applied cream brushless.
WTG & XTG in 5½ minutes.
Not bad.
Although I can do it with the Guard in 3 minutes.
CCS.

 

[Try em all]

Apologies - yesterday was the Bic's ninth outing.
Today was the Guard's ninth.
Smooth shave, no problems or nicks , fast & comfortable.
WTG. & XTG.
CCS.

 

[Try em all]

Tenth shave with the Bic.
No issues as long as I stick to riding the cap as usual.
WTG & XTG.
Effective.
Might be losing its edge a teeny bit.
CCS.

Tomorrow will be the Guard's tenth shave.
After that, I plan on using both razors with inadequate lather - (read ordinary bath soap)
to test their abilities for travel, shower & under stressed or difficult conditions.
Many shower shavers use plain bath soap. Some use no soap at all.

Not sure how long I should continue the test.
12 days per razor? Two weeks? 20 days??

 

[Try em all]

Guards tenth.
No different from any of the previous shaves with this razor.
Nop sign of wear from the razor.
WTG, XTG
effortless.
Between CCS & DFS

 

[Try em all]

11th shave with Bic Metal.
Today's shave used ordinary bath soap applied like bath soap.
Soap used was made by Godrej, the same co. that makes excellent shaving creams like Godrej Menthol Mist & sensitive.
No brush, just the hand.
Rode the cap on the Bic.
WTG & XTG.
CCS, but barely.
No nicks or cuts.
The shave was slightly rougher than one with a shaving product, but not by very much.
Razor also didn't stick anywhere.
I found these things surprising.
I had expected a bigger difference. Perhaps single bladed plastic razors are less sensitive to the slickness of the product used?
I'm pretty sure that my DE's would not have been quite so tolerant of the bath soap, but I will have to test to be sure.

 

[-blake-]

Bic Metal's seventh outing.
Soap applied like a stick & face lathered.
Rode the cap.
I've been treating the Bic with care, like an aggressive DE, so
no nicks, cuts or scratches.

WTG. & XTG. with blade buffing.
Tried ATG on the cheek & side-burn area.
Overall DFS as I have CCS on the rest of my face & close to BBS in patches on the side-burn area.

Neither the Guard nor the Bic show any signs of wear.

The Bic is just as effective as the first day, possibly because it has mostly been used riding the cap.

The Guard is known to have a long lifetime of at least a month or more for the 2017 cart.
I've taken the 2017 cart up to 70 consecutive shaves.
2013 model carts have lasted me 130 shaves, but 2013 carts start out a little rough, & should be used like a DE, with minimal pressure initially. They settle down after a while, which could be anywhere between 5 to 15 shaves , depending on the user.
2017 model carts seem to have the blade very slightly recessed, so they do not have any break in period, but at the cost of reduced cartridge life.

I did not know the Guard is known to have a long lifetime. Your numbers are pretty amazing.

 

[Try em all]

I did not know the Guard is known to have a long lifetime. Your numbers are pretty amazing.

The longest I've experienced on any razor. I've started squirreling away the carts I bought in 2013.

And I'm not an Excalibur associate. My numbers are not unusual for them, as some of them have made a single DE blade last a year. My numbers are purely the work of the razor, & attributable to it. No special techniques were used to make the cartridge last longer

 

[Try em all]

11th shave with Gillette Guard.
Same bath soap as yesterday, applied by hand.
Two passes, WTG & XTG, with a little ATG on sideburns. I had some extra time to shave today, as I woke a few minutes before the morning alarm.
The Guard did not even seem to notice that the soap wasn't intended for shaving & that protection was non-existent & that slickness wasn't too good.
I got a smooth shave, smooth enough I could go ATG in the sideburn area. Much more comfortable than yesterday's Bic Metal shave, & much closer. I could not even have considered ATG yesterday.

DFS.

 

[Try em all]

12th shave with the Bic.
I tried a shower shave today, lubricated with bath soap.
I've never shaved in the shower before.
Since I could not see what I was doing without a mirror, I was a bit apprehensive
about bringing something sharp close to my face by feel alone.
I did just one pass as I was not comfortable shaving.
I was able to ride the cap all right, but since I could not see where I had shaved, I have missed spots.
End result is SAS or less, with missed spots.
I thought of using a cart to finish the shave in front of the mirror, but then it would not be a good test.

 

[-blake-]

11th shave with Gillette Guard.
Same bath soap as yesterday, applied by hand.
Two passes, WTG & XTG, with a little ATG on sideburns. I had some extra time to shave today, as I woke a few minutes before the morning alarm.
The Guard did not even seem to notice that the soap wasn't intended for shaving & that protection was non-existent & that slickness wasn't too good.
I got a smooth shave, smooth enough I could go ATG in the sideburn area. Much more comfortable than yesterday's Bic Metal shave, & much closer. I could not even have considered ATG yesterday.

DFS.

Today I shaved with the Guard and KMF Olive Oil soap. This was my first time shaving with ordinary bar soap. It was surprisingly comfortable. Olive oil soap is slick and has a nice post shave feel.

 

[FarmerTan]

12th shave with the Bic.
I tried a shower shave today, lubricated with bath soap.
I've never shaved in the shower before.
Since I could not see what I was doing without a mirror, I was a bit apprehensive
about bringing something sharp close to my face by feel alone.
I did just one pass as I was not comfortable shaving.
I was able to ride the cap all right, but since I could not see where I had shaved, I have missed spots.
End result is SAS or less, with missed spots.
I thought of using a cart to finish the shave in front of the mirror, but then it would not be a good test.

12th shave with the Bic.
I tried a shower shave today, lubricated with bath soap.
I've never shaved in the shower before.
Since I could not see what I was doing without a mirror, I was a bit apprehensive
about bringing something sharp close to my face by feel alone.
I did just one pass as I was not comfortable shaving.
I was able to ride the cap all right, but since I could not see where I had shaved, I have missed spots.
End result is SAS or less, with missed spots.
I thought of using a cart to finish the shave in front of the mirror, but then it would not be a good test.

I shave quite a bit lately in the shower. Since I no longer chase after a BBS shave, I bought a cheap hand held non glass mirror, which I hold in one hand, while I shave my exceedingly handsome face with my Bic Metal razor. Works fine and fast.

 

[Try em all]

12th shave with Gillette Guard.
Bath soap, no brush.
As the blade in this razor is protected, I had no apprehensions about using it.
I do not intend to use my DE's in the shower either.
I'm way too chicken to bring an unprotected blade that close to my eyes when I cannot see what I'm doing.
WTG, XTG, & a little ATG on the sideburn area.
Smooth trouble free shave.
CCS in parts, BBS on the sideburn area.
Overall DFS.
The Guard is much smoother as a shower shaver.
On this front, there is no comparison.
The Guard beats the Bic.

I bought a cheap hand held non glass mirror

What is it made out of?
I have a hand held magnifying shaving mirror, but its glass.
I've barely used it, as I prefer to stand in front of the sink.
Do not want to risk dropping it & getting shards in my foot.
Foot injuries take a long time to heal for diabetics.