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Generic Sensor Blades

After a late lunch today with my wife at Outback, we stopped by our Baker's grocery store for a few items. Looked into the shaving section and found Kroger brand "Flexible Twin Blade Cartridges with lubricating strip for men - fits any Sensor Razor." First non-Gillette sensor blades I have ever seen. A pack of 5 cost $3.99 plus tax. There is no manufacturer listed on the outside of the package; just says Distributed by the Kroger Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. I haven't opened the pack yet, nor tried the blade, but will try to remember to report back when I do for anyone who may be interested. John
 
I tried this with Target brand Sensor-style blades. Most painful and ineffective shave ever (in my cartridge days, this is really saying something).

Let us know how it goes, though; I still use a Sensor now and then for sculpting facial hair experiments, and make this face :mad: every time I have to drop the cash for Gillette cartridges.
 
To my knowledge, there are generic blades that fit the Sensor razor, but they are not a true copy of the original, as Gillette still holds the patent on the "spring loaded blades". Therefore, the generics are going to be poor quality at best, but more than likely a wretched shave. :mad::mad:
 
Was just on the phone with a Kroger customer service rep who says that these blades were made in the U.S. by the only company approved by the FDA to manufacture surgical blades to exacting standards (or something like that). She was not able to tell me what company made them. Haven't tried them yet, but will after the current blade in my Sensor gets dull and will report back. Would mention that the packaging indicates "One or more U.S. Patents apply:...", then it lists the numbers.
 
Finally decided that maybe the Gillette cartridge I had in the Sensor could be replaced, so I tried the Kroger "generic" for the first time just about a hour ago. Interesting! While the generic didn't seem to shave like it was as sharp (some drag), it worked well and I believe I got as good a shave (maybe better). Did my usual 2 plus passes; had not shaved since day before yesterday; worked quite well. I will continue with it to check consistency and longevity.
 
I had some Dollar General branded Sensor blades. I'm guessing they were an ASR product as well. They provided decent results, but the actual shave was not as comfortable compared to using Gillettes. I'm interested in how the Personna Sensor compatible cartridges are.
 
I had some Dollar General branded Sensor blades. I'm guessing they were an ASR product as well. They provided decent results, but the actual shave was not as comfortable compared to using Gillettes. I'm interested in how the Personna Sensor compatible cartridges are.

Well, I can report that the Dollar General Atra blades are wretched.
 
I tried a Tri-Flexx blade on a Gillette Sensor handle today.

I got a very close, very fine shave, but not with the same ease that that a genuine Sensor blade gives.

These A.S.R. Tri-Flexx seem to be the only Sensor substitute around.

Does anyone know of anything else that fits the Sensor handle?

- Mike
 
Another nice shave with the Tri Flexx today.

Flexx on the left, genuine Sensor (non-Excel) on the right. Sensor is "old stock", from about 8 years ago.
 
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I have been using generic Sensor blades that I bought at Kmart. They seem to work quite well and have three blades instead of Gillettes two.
 
I have been using generic Sensor blades that I bought at Kmart. They seem to work quite well and have three blades instead of Gillettes two.

In all honestly, those are probably the Personna Tri Flexx, just re-branded for K-Mart's in house brand. Personna does that a lot. :tongue_sm
 
The Sensor blades blow away the TriFlexx blades. I think the "spring" action of the blades makes a huge difference...at least for me it does.
 
Tried a Sensor (quite used, non-Excel type, old stock) after a few days with the Flexx.

Sensor is just so easy to get a close shave with, and so hard to nick yourself with.

I like the double setup, rather than triple, and the "spring" blade action.

So, I have ordered some new Sensors, in spite of the cost.

Great system. Flexx is OK if you find yourself without true Sensors to use on your Sensor-system handle.

- Mike
 
In all honestly, those are probably the Personna Tri Flexx, just re-branded for K-Mart's in house brand. Personna does that a lot. :tongue_sm

I thought they might the ASR/Personna Flexx blades, but I had a look while in KMart today, and saw that they were manufactured in Korea. This makes me think that they are a Dorco product.

They had Korean TracII clones, and Korean Double Edged blades, as well. I looks as if K-Mart may have signed a big supply contract with Dorco.

- Mike
 
I have tried both the Dollar General twin blade Sensor cartridge and the Kroger brand one. The DG blades are marked Made in Korea. To my eye, the two blades are too far apart like they took a 3-blade cartridge and left out the middle blade. The Kroger twin-blad cartridge says Made in Germany. The Kroger cartridges are much better IMHO! :thumbup1: Like several folks said already, the Gillette Sensor blades are the best but way to expensive. The Kroger ones are good enough that that is what I'll buy in the future. I shave my bald spot with either a Sensor or Atra. I use a Merkur 1904 razor with Derby blades on my face most of the time. I use the cartridge razors once in a while for a change.

Norm
 
I bought and tried the K-mart Sensor 3 clone yesterday. I was looking forward to trying it today, and did get DFS both times.

Their brand name is Smart Sense.

This is a 3 bladed cartridge which shaves very well, and is almost as easy to use as a genuine Sensor. I think the Sensor (plain, two blade, no Excel) is the most maneuverable, easiest cartridge there is. The K-Mart cartridge is very close.

I prefer this cartridge to the ASR Flexx.

Priced at $4.99 for 4, which is a good deal cheaper than Sensors can be had.

I wish they were two bladed and cheaper. Still, "two thumbs up". :thumbup:
 
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I recently bought some dollar general brand cartridges,for 3.50 i couldnt pass them up.
On the box it says no brand but when i opened them it says dorco right on the cartridge.
These were the 3 blade version, so far i dont believe you need more then 2 blades but anyway. Besides a little tugging and a nick or two probably do to my own recklessness i got a very comfortable close shave. These razors actually did better on my neck then a new hydro 3 razor.
 
Sensor 2 blades are horrible, the blades are to far apart and the spring action makes the blades fold flat and dont cut any hair,im lucky i didnt bleed to death
 
The Sensor and then Sensor Excel was my blade from 1994-2011. I started using them in law school and only now have abandoned them. I strongly suspect that Gillette's patent on something crucial to the model is about to run out because supplies in my area have suddenly become limited, scaled down in units per package, and much more expensive. Also, the Sensor blade is no longer showing up on Gillette's website.

The Sensor was very good. The Sensor Excel was fantastic. 17 years of Sensor blades ought to speak volumes of my opinion of the product.

When I couldn't find the real blades, I tried the store brands. OhHellNo! The knock-off Sensor blade is what sent me to the computer screen to finally buy a DE handle and blades. I'll never look back so long as I'm convinced that the Sensor is being 86'ed. I refuse to spend $3 per cartridge.
 
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