Cartridge razors: The easy way to spend money on cartridges every single week.
DE shaving: The easy way to save money.. (Alright, I know, I'm lying again...)
DE shaving: The easy way to save money.. (Alright, I know, I'm lying again...)
Had to use a cartridge today. Yikes. (A DE shaver testimonial)
- Thread starter Retroman1969
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That's what we ALL say, we change to save money....then fall down the rabbit hole. I spent under $50 to go back to wet shaving, then started collecting a coupe of different soaps, and a nicer brush, then other razors. Better than a dozen razors, 10-12 soaps, and 6 brushes later, not to mention the various pre-shave oils, aftershaves, and balms, I've spent some money.
That's what we ALL say, we change to save money....then fall down the rabbit hole. I spent under $50 to go back to wet shaving, then started collecting a coupe of different soaps, and a nicer brush, then other razors. Better than a dozen razors, 10-12 soaps, and 6 brushes later, not to mention the various pre-shave oils, aftershaves, and balms, I've spent some money.
I didn’t start to save money. How can you when you toss a DE blade every week or sooner and your cartridge razors were lasting 60 days?
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I've had to use my Harry's razor a couple of times while traveling and didn't find the experience all that revolting. I got a fairly decent shave, just not nearly as much fun. Until I figure out all the logistics of traveling with the gear, the Harry's razor will be fine. As for that saving money thing...
My Merkur 46C Travel works a treat. I take a travel Badger brush and Clubman in a smallish plastic jar with screw on lid. Castle Forbes like balm in travel size and an alum block. I’m good...and compact.
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Actually, you can buy DE blades for less than 9 cents each, and I use them for about 5-7 shaves. That's a big savings for me over Gillette Fusion cartridges, which are supposed to be good for 30 shaves, and actually can be used that long or even longer, but ime are no longer at their best after 15 or 20 shaves. No knock on people who use the Fusion, I did myself for many years. It's really a personal thing and hard to generalize.
I’ve never been so lucky to get much under 35 cents per day for the cheapest. At that and 7 shaves each. That’s $3 vs $3.25 for a cartridge, but I do get 60 shaves out of a cartridge.
Maybe in crazy quantities you can get 9 cents per blade? I’d wind up not using most of them. In any event, at 35 cents per week, cost isn’t an issue. Nice clean shaves and having fun is though.
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In Greece the fusion cartridges cost 15 euros the four pieces.
If we need 1 piece of cartridge to shave every day for one week, we need all the four in a month. So 15 euros per month. 15x12= 180 euros per year.
180 euros I have given only to buy soaps and creams and they will last me I dont know how many years.
If we need 1 piece of cartridge to shave every day for one week, we need all the four in a month. So 15 euros per month. 15x12= 180 euros per year.
180 euros I have given only to buy soaps and creams and they will last me I dont know how many years.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I genuinely cannot remember the last time I used a cartridge razor. I'd guess that it's over 10 years ago, and possibly over 15.
Not only do I get a better shave with DE, but I have saved a lot of money. I haven't fallen down the rabbit holes like many of you. Yes, I have a couple more razors than I need, and am ahead of the curve with blades, but I would have spent several hundreds more with cartridges. My yearly costs are well under £20 even with the costs of the razors themselves spread over a few years.
Not only do I get a better shave with DE, but I have saved a lot of money. I haven't fallen down the rabbit holes like many of you. Yes, I have a couple more razors than I need, and am ahead of the curve with blades, but I would have spent several hundreds more with cartridges. My yearly costs are well under £20 even with the costs of the razors themselves spread over a few years.
Many blades are $9-$10 for 100, and less than 9 cents each for larger quantities. 100 last me about a year and a half. Gillette Fusion cartridges would cost me over three times more at $3.25 even if I used them for 60 days. YMMV, but for me it isn't even close.
Even someone buys hundreds of soaps, razors and blades and aftershaves he saves money instead buying cartridges.
Even KAI blades, the most expensive I have, cost maybe $0.25 each, and last around 13 shaves or so on average. I just tossed a $0.09 Astra SP after 15.5 shaves (I trimmed and shaved the back of my neck, and counted it as 1/2 a shave). Granted, I usually buy 100 blades at a shot, although 200 Astra SPs at $17.95 on both Amazon & eBay is pretty darn appealing at around $0.08 a blade.
I am interested in knowing the wonder cartridge that gave 60 shaves! Both my younger brothers were cartridge users until I gifted them startup sets, and they complained about going through a $20+ pack of cartridges/blades every month. - Both love the DE btw, and feel they get a better shave.
I am interested in knowing the wonder cartridge that gave 60 shaves! Both my younger brothers were cartridge users until I gifted them startup sets, and they complained about going through a $20+ pack of cartridges/blades every month. - Both love the DE btw, and feel they get a better shave.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I think I used to get about 6 or 7 shaves from a cartridge, and that was back when I was only shaving every two or three days, and there was probably less hair on my face to shave. I was getting better blade life from a DE blade back then. In fact the only reason that I was using the carts at all, was the fact I'd been gifted them. I'd use up whatever carts came with the razor, then go back to my Wilkinson Sword Classic DE razor, so I didn't have to buy any replacement cartridges. Even back then, I'd figured out I could get five DE blades for the price of one cartridge, and that each of those blades would last longer than a cartridge did... and give me a better shave too.
“I didn’t start to save money. How can you when you toss a DE blade every week or sooner and your cartridge razors were lasting 60 days?”
60 days? 60 days? Seriously?
I never got more than 5 or 6 shaves from a cartridge.
60 days? 60 days? Seriously?
I never got more than 5 or 6 shaves from a cartridge.
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I know it sounds crazy but when I used Mach 3 carts (years and years), I would use them and never remember how long it had been on the razor and would change it "just because". Then a few years ago I decided to endurance test a Mach 3 and got 75 shaves on one cart but only quit using it because I had become thoroughly bored and wanted to get back to DE. I had started stropping it on denim around shave #30 and though it was beginning to feel rough toward the end, it was still cutting and would have gone on past 75 if I had pushed it.
These were all one-pass shaves with an additional ATG pass on the cheeks and minor neck touchup.
I recently used a Mach 3 for the first time in ~2 years. It was a pretty good shave especially on my neck. I know I’d be back to ingrowns in no time and having less fun if I kept it up, but objectively it wasn’t bad. The close neck shave was a good learning experience to refocus on my technique there and not chalk irritation or stubble up to a “problem area” or swirling growth patterns.
Also, carts never gave me trouble on any one day. But even two days of back to back close shaves was a damn disaster. So I shouldn’t be overly generous to the Mach 3.
Also, carts never gave me trouble on any one day. But even two days of back to back close shaves was a damn disaster. So I shouldn’t be overly generous to the Mach 3.
Has anyone used the cheap plastic razors from the Dollar Store? Would those do well for traveling on a week long trip or is it worth the money to get Mach 3 or equivalent?
I wonder if I shaved with one of those cheap razors if it would give me weepers/irritation?
I wonder if I shaved with one of those cheap razors if it would give me weepers/irritation?
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My learning curve on DE has probably been longer than most. In my first year I was getting garbage shaves and always left prickly and stubbly in the problem areas. In fact its a miracle that I did not just go back to my Schick Quattro multi blade razor. It just felt fun to me the entire ritual and I was willing to put up with lower quality shave results compared to my expensive carts.
Thats why I am very happy now at year 3 of DE shaving where my technique has finally improved to the point that I am getting close, comfortable daily shaves now on a consistent basis with my DE. But yeah, very long learning curve for me.
EDIT: I think I used to use a Mach 3 for 30 days on each head. This is shaving every 2 days. But with all I have learned here at B&B about face prep and post-shave I could probably get outsatanding shaves on a Mach 3 if i used the same good soaps and brush that I am using for my DE shaves and the same face-prep.
But i dont think too many men ever go back to carts do we? I doubt the recission rate is very high for going back to canned goo and carts after you get a good taste of DE
So to be honest there has not been much money saved. But I am getting funner and more comfortable shaves compared to the cartridge users.
Thats why I am very happy now at year 3 of DE shaving where my technique has finally improved to the point that I am getting close, comfortable daily shaves now on a consistent basis with my DE. But yeah, very long learning curve for me.
EDIT: I think I used to use a Mach 3 for 30 days on each head. This is shaving every 2 days. But with all I have learned here at B&B about face prep and post-shave I could probably get outsatanding shaves on a Mach 3 if i used the same good soaps and brush that I am using for my DE shaves and the same face-prep.
But i dont think too many men ever go back to carts do we? I doubt the recission rate is very high for going back to canned goo and carts after you get a good taste of DE
So to be honest there has not been much money saved. But I am getting funner and more comfortable shaves compared to the cartridge users.
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