Had a shaving revelation today

[Cygnus]

So I've been shaving with a DE for roughly 3 months as of today, and while I always liked it, I wondered how better it really was than cartridge razors, not to mention the daily comments from the family about "why do you spend 30 minutes a day shaving" (it's more like 20 ). For the past few weeks I've been entertaining the thought of going back to the familiar fusion, but never really got around to it-until today. I was in a rush to head out this morning for a get together with friends and used the fusion so I wouldn't be late.

Well, long story short, I got the most terrible shave I've had in the last three months. Period.

I don't think I'll ever go back now

 

[buyandhold2018]

For me, I never understood the argument that cartridge razor shaving is so much faster. When I use a sensor excel (once or twice a year), I still need to prepare my face for the shave and I still follow the same post-shave routine. The actually shaving time, for me, is only about 4-5 minutes (with a DE); I may be able to save 30 seconds to a minute with a cartridge, but it's not a noticeable difference. Granted, there is a learning curve, for the first 3-4 weeks using a DE I was probably spending closer to 10-15 minutes actually shaving.

 

[woodfluter]

Ditto on what RazoRock said.

Have you seen all the old Gillette ads from the earliest years of the 20th century? That extolled the virtues of only spending five minutes on shaving? No stropping or any of that.

I won't count soaking a brush or laying out supplies or cleaning up, but excluding that it takes me about 6 minutes. I can spend 15, but that's only if I feel like it. When I first went back to DE, it was about 20 minutes.

Cartridges are probably marginally faster, but what will you do with that extra few minutes?

However, rushing with any razor of any kind leads (IMHO) to worse results. You save a minute max and it just ain't worth it.

- Bill

 

[Ru4scuba?]

Truth be told, alot of guys if they are being honest will admit they get decent shaves out of carts....its just not as cool.

For me personally, I've been DE shaving for over two years and str8 shaving for about 6 months...I've found that I get fewer ingrowns and less irritation with these two methods vs. carts.

Not that I got ingrowns all the time (about once a month with a cart) but I think I've had one with a DE in two years....clearly, this method is better for my face.

 

[MRast01]

Truth be told, alot of guys if they are being honest will admit they get decent shaves out of carts....its just not as cool.

I think I might fall into this category. I never hated my shave, but I love the DE experience. My shave is a little better, but like saving a some money on blades and the whole process I am able to go through when I shave. That's a part of my day that is just for me.

 

[Van-van]

It's the perfect time to wake up, really concentrate on the moment, and slow down.

 

[ackvil]

To be honest, I got good shaves from the carts - just not as good as I get from a DE. Plus, the price of the carts has gone through the roof and I just don't think it is worth it.

However, I have been wet shaving for many years. I never liked the canned stuff and only used it when I was traveling (I didn't know about sticks at that time.)

 

[DougK]

For me, I never understood the argument that cartridge razor shaving is so much faster. When I use a sensor excel (once or twice a year), I still need to prepare my face for the shave and I still follow the same post-shave routine. The actually shaving time, for me, is only about 4-5 minutes (with a DE); I may be able to save 30 seconds to a minute with a cartridge, but it's not a noticeable difference. Granted, there is a learning curve, for the first 3-4 weeks using a DE I was probably spending closer to 10-15 minutes actually shaving.

+1

It's funny this topic should come up, as I was thinking about this as I was shaving this morning. I decided to see if my Parker 91R was really as dangerous as I remembered (it was my first DE razor and I managed to cut myself fairly badly with it). Because all I have around right now are Feather blades, I loaded up and went about my shave with considerable caution. Even so, I only added a couple of minutes to my total shave time.

 

[Go West Young Man]

The old shave was one pass in the shower with Edge and a Mach3, probably took 2 minutes total.

If I went back to carts today, I would still create a lather, prep my face properly, do a multipass reduction shave, etc. Each pass might be a touch quicker, but overall the length of shave wouldn't go down all that much.

 

[Cygnus]

Well I always end up taking forever to shave with a de...it's fun, so why rush?

 

[Uncle Erik]

Yep, I did the same awhile back when I found a new Fusion cart under the sink. Even with a full prep, it was nowhere near as close, missed some spots, I got some irritation, and I got fuzzy again several hours earlier than I do with DE. I realized that when I was using carts, this was "normal" for me. But I've gotten so used to BBS and zero irritation, that carts now seem unacceptable. No way I'll go back.

 

[Gateway]

I have a Mach 3 and a Super Speed Gillett (made in England and I don't know how old, don't care`either).

These are both great instruments, the Mach 3 gives a great shave and its hard to cut yourself with it. I used to use the Mach 3 with 5 drops of supermarket shave oil or just run a bar of shower soap over my face if shaving in the shower and had quite good results, it was also cheap; one cartridge which I changed on the first of each month.

Now with the DE, I get cuts I have at least one dozen different kinds of blades and 4 aftershaves, not to mention another half dozen shave soap,cream etc. For me DE shaving has NOT been cheaper than just using the Mach 3 and the oil or soap, the results have been variable also,,,,BUT I have had alot of fun.

I just don't kid myself that the Mach 3 is less than anything but a superb shaving instrument or that I am saving money.

Gateway

 

[lindcruiser]

Well I always end up taking forever to shave with a de...it's fun, so why rush?

+1

 

[Luc]

Good shave or not, most cartridge razors won't have a fix head so it's quicker around the jawline or any other bumpy spots.

If you look at the multi-blades, Mach 3, 3 blades, ~3 passes in 1 stroke. Does it work like that? No exactly. Evil Dr. Gillette explains it...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFsRQOPjnHA[/youtube]

 

[GDCarrington]

Good shave or not, most cartridge razors won't have a fix head so it's quicker around the jawline or any other bumpy spots.

If you look at the multi-blades, Mach 3, 3 blades, ~3 passes in 1 stroke. Does it work like that? No exactly. Evil Dr. Gillette explains it...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFsRQOPjnHA[/youtube]

the key is you and not the twenty five blade wonder. If the second blade cut to a point that the hair would fall below the skins surface, then the other 22 are wasting their time, but not the corporations profit.

 

[Luc]

the key is you and not the twenty five blade wonder. If the second blade cut to a point that the hair would fall below the skins surface, then the other 22 are wasting their time, but not the corporations profit.

That's right. I think the Fusion would work on the same principle than Mach 3. At first, it would probably cut the hair on blade 3 instead of 5 but when blade 3 doesn't cut anymore, blade 4-5 will do the cutting. Leaving a shorter hair that can retract under the skin and cause ingrown...

 

[GDCarrington]

At 3.45 you see the second blade cutting the raise hair at the skin level. So at best two blades can accomplish the job. That is why some men can get away with a two pass DE shave and have a full 8 to sometimes 12 hours of a clean or reasonably clean face.

 

[Groat]

At 3.45 you see the second blade cutting the raise hair at the skin level. So at best two blades can accomplish the job. That is why some men can get away with a two pass DE shave and have a full 8 to sometimes 12 hours of a clean or reasonably clean face.

Yeah, it certainly looked to me like their general science is at least sound. Whether or not 5 blades does a better job of cutting than 3 wasn't really discussed in the video. This makes me believe that while multiple blades might get the job done, it's like trying to park an escalade vs parking a crotch rocket.

 

[FL shaver]

I do get a pretty good shave with the Atra Plus cartridge I used previously. The third shave with the same cartridge is a crapshoot, though. I might get another decent shave, or I might get bit...pull, tug, skip, cut. Just done with them. $1.30 a cartridge at the cheapest, and I need a second shave if I want to go out at night.

 

[California Cajun]

Truth be told, alot of guys if they are being honest will admit they get decent shaves out of carts....its just not as cool.

For me personally, I've been DE shaving for over two years and str8 shaving for about 6 months...I've found that I get fewer ingrowns and less irritation with these two methods vs. carts.

Not that I got ingrowns all the time (about once a month with a cart) but I think I've had one with a DE in two years....clearly, this method is better for my face.

My true confession about the leading cartridge/disposable razors of the day is that things start off great then quickly level off, both in results and in skin irritation.

They are a shortcut to get more hairs per stroke and save time. Not having shaved when the traditional DE or straight razor was in vogue, I hopped around as new incarnations became available because I had become dissatisfied by the time the new "latest and greatest" came along.

40 years pass and now with the traditional shaving methods, I'm just now entering a period where I'm enjoying my shaves and getting the kind of consistent results I have always wanted. These past few months since I ditched the shortcuts, I'm just now becoming aware of the way my facial hair is growing so I can get it all shaved off.

If my life experience is any indication, you have to take your time and use quality equipment to get consistently good and enjoyable shaves.