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Gillette Guard

So after reading about this disposable razor and seeing it added to a vendor I wanted to frequent, I decided to buy a few of these razors to try. I figured if it was as good as people say, I could use it for travel or a shave at home when I'm short on time.

This is a great razor. Loving how smooth, effortless, convenient, and close it shaves. I just ordered from the bay a series of 2 additional handles and 15 blades.

My question, for anyone with some experience... How long do the handles typically last? A few heads? A dozen? A hundred? Lol. Curious, because I was going to grab 30 more heads, but only have 4 handles (and 17 heads).

Thanks folks. [emoji846]
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
If I would have found this razor before switching to the DE I would have never switched. I would have never found B&B! Pretty sure I have used one for 10 shaves before. Maybe more. I think I did a thread somewhere.
 
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Chandu

I Waxed The Badger.
I got 11 from mine before I stropped and then it continued for a few more and then it was dead. So personally, I could go for about 10 and then onto the next one.
 
Awesome. That is amazing for a single cheap head.

Any idea how many heads you can switch out to a handle before the handle breaks or goes loose / funky / catawampus?
 

Chandu

I Waxed The Badger.
I'm not sure how long the handle lasts. I got a 10 pack of handles with heads. Someday I'll spring for the 96 from Amazon for $26. Surely that is as cheap as pretty much DE. Generally a better shave than a DE for me. By that I mean it's easier to get a DFS+ with zero irritation. I can do DFS+ or even BBS with a DE, but if technique is not spot on, I'll have a little irritation. I don't think I've had irritation from the Guard except when the blade had dulled and I insisted on buffing.

On the other hand, sometimes a challenge is enjoyable and I'm not fond of using and disposing of plastic vs steel I do recycle or try to, but as some have pointed out, does the stuff really get recycled. At least if the steel blades don't get recycled they decay into nothing bad for the environment quickly.
 
@mrdoug The engineering that went into this razor is, quite frankly, stunning. It's a very simple but surprisingly robust design. I currently have two Guard handles in use, my wife has one, and I lost one while traveling. I've used the two handles I have for a couple of years and they are still just fine; my wife hasn't complained about hers and I know she's harder on razors than I am. The handle I lost ran through at least a dozen carts with no signs of getting loose. At the price, I usually keep at least one unopened backup handle around just in case.
 
@mrdoug The engineering that went into this razor is, quite frankly, stunning. It's a very simple but surprisingly robust design. I currently have two Guard handles in use, my wife has one, and I lost one while traveling. I've used the two handles I have for a couple of years and they are still just fine; my wife hasn't complained about hers and I know she's harder on razors than I am. The handle I lost ran through at least a dozen carts with no signs of getting loose. At the price, I usually keep at least one unopened backup handle around just in case.
Awesome, thank you so much.

I figured so, but wanted to see if anyone had actual experience.

That said, I just ordered the large pack of heads. I should be set for years to come. [emoji106]
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
IIRC it was made for the India market. Where most men shave with none, or very little water. And it also has to be inexpensive so the market can afford it. The idea behind the single blade and large blade gap being it will rinse off easily in very little water. Like a single cup of water.
 
I'm not sure how long the handle lasts. I got a 10 pack of handles with heads. Someday I'll spring for the 96 from Amazon for $26. Surely that is as cheap as pretty much DE. Generally a better shave than a DE for me. By that I mean it's easier to get a DFS+ with zero irritation. I can do DFS+ or even BBS with a DE, but if technique is not spot on, I'll have a little irritation. I don't think I've had irritation from the Guard except when the blade had dulled and I insisted on buffing.

On the other hand, sometimes a challenge is enjoyable and I'm not fond of using and disposing of plastic vs steel I do recycle or try to, but as some have pointed out, does the stuff really get recycled. At least if the steel blades don't get recycled they decay into nothing bad for the environment quickly.
Lol. My goals were a lot lower. Just wanted to get some reassurance before I pulled the trigger on a 30 pack of heads. Seems they should last well enough, so I went ahead with the order.

Including my initial purchase of two handles from the US vendor (more expensive) I think I'm about $20 in for 4 handles and 49 heads. You just can't do that on a modern US sold Gillette system. Lol.

Thanks everyone! [emoji846]
 
Best cartridge ever made?

I always have a few of them, just in case.

It could have saved me thousands of euros. But then again, I wouldn't have the chance to participate in such a wonderful community.
 
Best cartridge ever made?

I always have a few of them, just in case.

It could have saved me thousands of euros. But then again, I wouldn't have the chance to participate in such a wonderful community.
Lol. I hear ya.

It won't ever replace the DE hobby, just a good travel or lazy shave. [emoji846]
 
So . . . this is different from the Gillette SkinGuard, with two blades, right?
Yep, it's a single blade semi disposable with a pivoting head.

... And it's cheap and it's awesome. [emoji16]
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Man do I love the Gillette Guard the story behind it on YouTube is also really cool, my advice is to get the carts that come with 6 and not the single wrapped carts I find the single wrapped replacements are really bad compared to the 6 pack ones
 
Man do I love the Gillette Guard the story behind it on YouTube is also really cool, my advice is to get the carts that come with 6 and not the single wrapped carts I find the single wrapped replacements are really bad compared to the 6 pack ones
.

I have found this as well! I thought I was crazy or maybe they were different production runs but ive had 1pk, 3pk, and 6pk all within the same production month and the 3pk and 6pk blades were noticably smoother then the 1pk blades... I wonder if they split their A and B stock?
 
I've used one cart way more than 10 times and it's still effective.

No issues with the handle, though the cart has popped free a couple of times (easily re-attached).
 
Hmm, I just bought a 96 pack of these cartridges (assuming these are singles), hopefully these aren't lemons!

I previously purchased 10 cartridge\handle combos and the first one has given me 9 comfortable and close shaves so far.
 
Hmm, I just bought a 96 pack of these cartridges (assuming these are singles), hopefully these aren't lemons!

I previously purchased 10 cartridge\handle combos and the first one has given me 9 comfortable and close shaves so far.
Yikes. I just ordered a large quantity too. Fingers crossed.
 
These really are amazing razors, such a wonderful piece of design for their purpose (ie: cheap as possible to produce with the best possible performance), if they were around 30 years ago I'd never have got into SEs or DEs, they were specifically designed to kill that market in places like India where DEs are very popular so some die-hard DE fans tend to have a bit of a problem with them and slag them off needlessly (sorry if I'm repeating stuff here).
:D
 
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