Gillette Atra Reintroduced

[Chevyguy]

Gentlemen,
Gillette has brought the atra back into the marketplace. In my quest to compare the fusion, and the mach-3, I decided to throw the atra into the competition. Atra was my second razor after the trac-2 that I got from my dad, used it up till I switched to the mach-3. Found this gillette vector plus on ebay for under eight dollars. Seems gillette is marketing this razor for the aisian and indonesian countries where the double edge razor is used mainly. I used it yesterday and got a bbs shave that was comfortable with less razor drag than the fusion or mach-3. Blades are cheaper too, bought a 10-pack of personnas at wal-mart for $3.54. Definately gonna put it into the rotation it's a keeper.

Clayton

 

[SteelCity]

Where can I purchase Atra blades without the goooooo strip?

 

[Chevyguy]

Where can I purchase Atra blades without the goooooo strip?

You can find them on ebay or you can actually remove them from the personnas that you buy from wal-mart.

Clayton

 

[SteelCity]

Thank you Sir.

 

[masonjarjar]

I didn't know it was out of production. I know the handle is different now than the one I have from the early 90's, but I still see them in the drugstores on occasion.

 

[Bobtrumpet]

My first wet shaving razor after I abandoned the electric from college. I really liked the Atra, as I recall, although I couldn't shave every day with one. The pivoting head worked much better than the TracII/Good News razors I tried and quickly abandoned.

I think I also recall the quality of the Atra blades getting worse as newer products started coming on line, but my memory of that is fairly hazy.

I tried the soap and brush back then, too (1981 or so), but since I didn't know how to make lather I got pretty crappy lather. I eventually went to just shower shaving with whatever bar was in the shower.

Edit: I never used the cartridges with the lubricatng strip. All the carts I ever used were plain.

 

[masonjarjar]

Where can I purchase Atra blades without the goooooo strip?

Actually, I hardly notice the goo strip is even there on the Personnas from Wal-mart. They must use a different material. Harder or something. Try them and see what you think. You won't be out much money.

I bought some Gillette Atra "Plus" Cartridges recently out of curiosity and the goo strip is still awful after all these years. Plus the blades were harsh. And they're expensive (10 for $10).

I have found a few places selling Gillette Atras (w/o strip) online but never ordered any.

-Mason

 

[Chevyguy]

I didn't know it was out of production. I know the handle is different now than the one I have from the early 90's, but I still see them in the drugstores on occasion.

From what I understand the only thing gillette still makes that carries the atra name are the blades. I haven't seen an atra plus razor in the stores for about two years.

Clayton

 

[masonjarjar]

From what I understand the only thing gillette still makes that carries the atra name are the blades. I haven't seen an atra plus razor in the stores for about two years.

Clayton

Hmm. Well maybe the ones I've been seeing are old stock then. All I know is that there's a drugstore about 10 minutes away that still has them on the racks..

 

[Chevyguy]

Hmm. Well maybe the ones I've been seeing are old stock then. All I know is that there's a drugstore about 10 minutes away that still has them on the racks..

What are they charging for them?.

Clayton

 

[masonjarjar]

What are they charging for them?.

Clayton

I think it was around 5 or 6 bucks. I'll check next time I'm there.

 

[Chevyguy]

I think it was around 5 or 6 bucks. I'll check next time I'm there.

Thanks Mason. Maybe work a deal out with you to get one or two sent out here to Oregon. I would like to have an original to go along with the vector plus I got from china. Funny thing gillette manufactures everything in China anymore. copyright on my vector plus was 2004 and then it said made in China.

Clayton

 

[Aevum]

3 bucks with shipping from dealextreme
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5871

4,60 if you want the base and some blades
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5857

 

[ClubmanRob]

I ordered this same Razor off of the same Chinese seller on Ebay over two weeks ago, still waiting for it to come. 7.95 plus free shipping.

In the meantime I did some research on it and found that this is Gillette's first cartridge razor to be marketed to India. According to what I read Indian shavers are primarily DE users, around 90% of them. Gillette has unsuccessfully tried marketing twin and three blades there before but the high cost ment they bombed in the market.

Supposedly this is slowly becoming a popular razor because of its comparably low price to previous cartridge razors.

 

[tom myers]

The Atra Plus shows up currently on Amazon.

Regards,
Tom

 

[Chevyguy]

I ordered this same Razor off of the same Chinese seller on Ebay over two weeks ago, still waiting for it to come. 7.95 plus free shipping.

In the meantime I did some research on it and found that this is Gillette's first cartridge razor to be marketed to India. According to what I read Indian shavers are primarily DE users, around 90% of them. Gillette has unsuccessfully tried marketing twin and three blades there before but the high cost ment they bombed in the market.

Supposedly this is slowly becoming a popular razor because of its comparably low price to previous cartridge razors.

Shipping from China can sometimes take over three weeks. I've had good luck so far with the ebayers over there.

Clayton

 

[New2DEShaving_Montreal]

Mason, I ordered Gillette Atra Plus from Ebay, $10 for a razor with two cartridges, and the handle is cheap plastic, very light weight, and the blades are TERRIBLY HARSH. Gave me a really bad painful shave. In the middle of my second shave, I pulled out my DE setup and used that instead. Saved my face but came out with a good few nicks that are still bugging me.

Actually, I hardly notice the goo strip is even there on the Personnas from Wal-mart. They must use a different material. Harder or something. Try them and see what you think. You won't be out much money.

I bought some Gillette Atra "Plus" Cartridges recently out of curiosity and the goo strip is still awful after all these years. Plus the blades were harsh. And they're expensive (10 for $10).

I have found a few places selling Gillette Atras (w/o strip) online but never ordered any.

-Mason

 

[jokerlola]

I got a heavy, brass trac II handle from my uncle. I bought some Gillette trac II blades and got a very good shave out of it. I recently bought some Personna trac II blades with no goo strip and they were so much better than the Gillettes. I think it's true that Gillette makes their other blades less sharp so you will switch to the Fusion.

 

[ClubmanRob]

Speak of the Devil...

Not five minutes after my post my GF walked in with the mail- on top was the padded envelope with Chinese characters on it. It was marked RAZOR on the customs sticker, so I dug in and am the proud owner of a new Vector/Contour/Atra.

First impression- this thing weighs less than a Good News Disposable. What I thought was chrome from the picture is painted plastic. The pivoting head is all over the place, and I doubt I'll be using the supplied cartridge. The comfort strip looks like it's melted.

I'll post a review after I get to use it.

 

[SteelCity]

Last week I picked up on the bay a Reed & Barton Sterling Silver Atra Razor. Would like to test drive this baby but having a hard time finding local goo-less blades.