Gillette TechMatic: World's worst razor?

[Quaznoid]

I tried it back in the 70’s. It was OK. We didn’t ask much from our razors in those days. One pass, WTG, then out the door. It was a different world.

 

[Whilliam]

I tried it back in the 70’s. It was OK. We didn’t ask much from our razors in those days. One pass, WTG, then out the door. It was a different world.

Well put.

 

[BradWorld]

Had my first ever Techmatic shave today. To kick off my birthday shaving week, I pulled out a cased M-4 Techmatic and a sealed NOS 5 blade cartridge. I lathered up with some B&M Omnibus Gothique Fougere and my PAA Atomic Rocket. I followed some advice and skipped past the first blade in the new cart. Then I skipped another one for good luck. So I was at blade 3 of 5. These are the adjustable variety, so I left it on the default setting of 3. I held the razor like an injector and went at it. Nice and smooth. No issues. Did a standard 3 pass shave. Cranked it up to level 4 for the last pass. Still no issues. Had a great shave. Not super close, but certainly smooth and comfy. Threw on some PAA Star Jelly and I was ready for the day. I would say this shave was very comparable to a Trac II or Gillette Guard razor. Not bad at all. To Infinity and Beyond!

 

[garyg]

Actually a good shaver, lo these many years after I hated on it. I've got some nos carts but had forgotten the razor since the anniversary

 

[JimmyCB]

Had my first ever Techmatic shave today. To kick off my birthday shaving week, I pulled out a cased M-4 Techmatic and a sealed NOS 5 blade cartridge. I lathered up with some B&M Omnibus Gothique Fougere and my PAA Atomic Rocket. I followed some advice and skipped past the first blade in the new cart. Then I skipped another one for good luck. So I was at blade 3 of 5. These are the adjustable variety, so I left it on the default setting of 3. I held the razor like an injector and went at it. Nice and smooth. No issues. Did a standard 3 pass shave. Cranked it up to level 4 for the last pass. Still no issues. Had a great shave. Not super close, but certainly smooth and comfy. Threw on some PAA Star Jelly and I was ready for the day. I would say this shave was very comparable to a Trac II or Gillette Guard razor. Not bad at all. To Infinity and Beyond!

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I posted some months ago that my memory shaving with a Techmatic in the early 1970s was that it was comparable to shaving with a tin can lid. In retrospect, my shaving technique way back then was not the best. Certainly not anything like my technique today. I remember nicking myself in the 1970s almost every time I shaved with my Gillette adjustable, which I never would do now. I'm not interested enough to buy a Techmatic from the "Bay, but I'm thinking I probably could get a better shave with it today.

 

[steveclarkus]

Back in the 1960s, Gillette introduced what I believe was called the "TechMatic."

It was a "band razor" that used an extended strip of razor steel, rather than discreet blades. You "changed blades" by flipping a lever to advance the band from a small feed spool to a take-up spool.

The shaves were awful, I believe because it was impossible for the head assembly to hold the band perfectly flat. It bulged in spots, leading to scrapes and cuts (at least that was my experience as I can best recall).

One year, everybody in the fraternity house was using them. A year or two later they were all gone.

Has anyone else had experience with this Godawful thing?

I had one of those stupid things. Tossed it after the second cartridge. It was the 8 track of razors.