Double blade cartridge razors

[menefrego]

Hi all,

I did search the forums for this and there's a bit of back and forth on various double blade cartridge options, but I wanted to try and get an updated consensus on readily available drug store brands. Which of these three pictured below (Gilette Sensor Excel, AtraPlus, and Trac II Plus) are preferred, and why, and what handle can I buy that's compatible? Not including other blades because I want to stick to what's easily available at drug stores near me - that's NYC so no Walmart.

I was a DE safety shaver for years but I never found it to be just right for my skin, and I'm looking for a simpler shave that's still better and cheaper than the new multi-blade gizmos. I'm fond of the single blade cartridges, but I don't like the idea of using disposables from an environmental perspective.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[Billy T.]

Ridiculous prices.

 

[marktyers]

Gillette Guard?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

Prices for twin-blade carts, when you can locate them, is going to be the factor. I like the Sensor, but I got my blades online for about .75 cents per cartridge.

Lot of handle choices for the old Gillette Trac II. Few, if any, for the Sensor. I use a Bump Fighter handle for my Trac II carts.

 

[knife5000]

I use BiC single blade. Very cheap and I got 45 shaves.

Sent from my Huawei P9 Lite using Tapatalk

 

[shave/brush]

I like the Trac II because it does not have a pivot head. I feel I have more control over razors that do not have a pivot head.
Many different handles to choose from. Just Google it.

 

[GenericBryce]

Hi all,

I did search the forums for this and there's a bit of back and forth on various double blade cartridge options, but I wanted to try and get an updated consensus on readily available drug store brands. Which of these three pictured below (Gilette Sensor Excel, AtraPlus, and Trac II Plus) are preferred, and why, and what handle can I buy that's compatible? Not including other blades because I want to stick to what's easily available at drug stores near me - that's NYC so no Walmart.

View attachment 1022550

I was a DE safety shaver for years but I never found it to be just right for my skin, and I'm looking for a simpler shave that's still better and cheaper than the new multi-blade gizmos. I'm fond of the single blade cartridges, but I don't like the idea of using disposables from an environmental perspective.

Thanks for your feedback!

An alta compatible handle :

Amazon.com: Lord Premium Plus Twin Blade Razor with pivoting Head: Health & Personal Care

Buy Lord Premium Plus Twin Blade Razor with pivoting Head on Amazon.com ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders

www.amazon.com

Tracii compatible handle

Amazon.com: 7oclock Pii Trac Ii Razor (Compatible With Tracii Blades) by 7oclock: Beauty

Amazon.com: 7oclock Pii Trac Ii Razor (Compatible With Tracii Blades) by 7oclock: Beauty

www.amazon.com

The sensor Excel handle

Amazon.com: Handle for Sensor, Sensor Excel, Sensor3: Beauty

Amazon.com: Handle for Sensor, Sensor Excel, Sensor3: Beauty

www.amazon.com

Though I've never tried any of the above, I have tried the Bic Hybrid Comfort three and they are currently producing a twin blade version:

BIC Flex2 Hybrid Men's Twin Blade Razor, One Handle 10 Cartridges

Shavers

www.shopbic.com

When I was using the comfort 3 1 blade would last 2 weeks. That puts the Bic Flex 3 Razor, if you can get 14 shaves out of it, 46¢/shave.

 

[GenericBryce]

Hi all,

I did search the forums for this and there's a bit of back and forth on various double blade cartridge options, but I wanted to try and get an updated consensus on readily available drug store brands. Which of these three pictured below (Gilette Sensor Excel, AtraPlus, and Trac II Plus) are preferred, and why, and what handle can I buy that's compatible? Not including other blades because I want to stick to what's easily available at drug stores near me - that's NYC so no Walmart.

View attachment 1022550

I was a DE safety shaver for years but I never found it to be just right for my skin, and I'm looking for a simpler shave that's still better and cheaper than the new multi-blade gizmos. I'm fond of the single blade cartridges, but I don't like the idea of using disposables from an environmental perspective.

Thanks for your feedback!

An alta compatible handle :

Amazon.com: Lord Premium Plus Twin Blade Razor with pivoting Head: Health & Personal Care

Buy Lord Premium Plus Twin Blade Razor with pivoting Head on Amazon.com ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders

www.amazon.com

Tracii compatible handle

Amazon.com: 7oclock Pii Trac Ii Razor (Compatible With Tracii Blades) by 7oclock: Beauty

Amazon.com: 7oclock Pii Trac Ii Razor (Compatible With Tracii Blades) by 7oclock: Beauty

www.amazon.com

The sensor Excel handle

Amazon.com: Handle for Sensor, Sensor Excel, Sensor3: Beauty

Amazon.com: Handle for Sensor, Sensor Excel, Sensor3: Beauty

www.amazon.com

Though I've never tried any of the above, I have tried the Bic Hybrid Comfort three and they are currently producing a twin blade version:

BIC Flex2 Hybrid Men's Twin Blade Razor, One Handle 10 Cartridges

Shavers

www.shopbic.com

When I was using the comfort 3 1 blade would last 2 weeks. That puts the Bic Flex 3 Razor, if you can get 14 shaves out of it, 46¢/shave.

 

[Halfblade]

Try using a Gillette Guard razor with the single blade pivoting head. 96 spare cartridges available on Amazon for about $25.

 

[Joncr]

The Sensor Excel gives me te best shave of the three. Amazon has a heavy metal handle that dampens the vibrations/chatter of the cart during the shave. It is made by Taconic Shave and is available there, on the Taconic Shave sight and that auction sight. The currently manufactured handle by Gillette handle is reportedly very light. there are original handles available on that auction sight, but they are fairly expensive, IMHO.

 

[FireDragon76]

The Sensor Excel gives me te best shave of the three. Amazon has a heavy metal handle that dampens the vibrations/chatter of the cart during the shave. It is made by Taconic Shave and is available there, on the Taconic Shave sight and that auction sight. The currently manufactured handle by Gillette handle is reportedly very light. there are original handles available on that auction sight, but they are fairly expensive, IMHO.

There's also an Indian Vector3 handle available made by Gillette in India, that should be compatible with Sensor and Sensor Excel. It has a shape more like a Mach 3, but with the central pivot of the Sensor.

 

[Joncr]

That Vector3 is the ultra light handle Gillette makes now, that I was referring to

 

[Halfblade]

There's also an Indian Vector3 handle available made by Gillette in India, that should be compatible with Sensor and Sensor Excel. It has a shape more like a Mach 3, but with the central pivot of the Sensor.

Vector 3 is a decent handle, & though lighter, it is grippier than the original. I have both.

 

[FireDragon76]

The original Sensor Excel has hardly any grip on the top, which is strange as that's where I tend to grip it, similar to a DE. I think the designers thought people were going to hold it like a pencil.

 

[menefrego]

Thanks folks. It sounds like the Trac II is well-liked and the easiest to find a handle for, so I'll give that a go.

Out of curiosity, is the Atra basically a Trac II with a pivot head?

The Sensor Excel is probably disqualified for me on price alone honestly - and yes the prices for all of these are pretty bad. That's NYC for you.

 

[menefrego]

Try using a Gillette Guard razor with the single blade pivoting head. 96 spare cartridges available on Amazon for about $25.

Sounds perfect but I'm looking not to rely on Amazon.

 

[njpaddy]

In almost 40 year use of carts, after switching from a Schick injector in the early 1970s, a Sensor 2-blade was my favorite, with Quattro a close second. 10 years ago this month I switched to DE. After 8-10 months of using a DE, I took my favorite Excel on vacation for "convenience". The first shave with that favorite Excel was so bad, I tossed it in the trash and didn't shave again until I got home to my DE. After shaving with a DE, I could never go back to using a cart.