Mach 3 vs. Slim: Does The Cartridge Shave Better? My Test Results

[Nick Danger]

I've been DE shaving about four months now. I get great shaves on my cheeks, chin and neck. However, I've been frustrated with the results on my upper lip. No matter how carefully I shave, I always see a shadow on the upper lip that isn't visible elsewhere on my face.

Convinced that I didn't have this problem when I used to shave with a cartridge, I decided to try a test today.

Having thrown away my old cartridge razor, I went out and bought a new Mach 3.

Then I loaded up a fresh Feather in my Slim (set at 5) and whipped up a great batch of lather with one of my favorite creams.

I shaved all of my face with the Slim except for the upper lip, where I used the Mach 3. Standard 3-pass shave with the Slim, but just a single ATG pass with the Mach 3 (which is how I always used to shave with a cartridge.)

The result: my upper lip was absolutely no better than when I'd shave that area with my Slim. In fact, I went back and did a second ATG pass with the Mach 3, something I never did in my pre-DE days, just to see if I was being too gentle. I did use pressure with the Mach 3, to be sure and simulate the way I used to shave. Still, the result was nothing special, and I can still see the shadow that has been haunting me.

Now, let's talk about feel: the Slim with a Feather blade was smooth and comfortable on the rest of my face. The Mach 3 pulled and tugged at the whiskers on my upper lip, even with a brand new blade. No cuts or weepers, but it was not a particularly comfortable shave.

My conclusion: I've become much more critical about the quality of my shave than I used to be. I probably always had some shadow on my upper lip, but just didn't notice because I wasn't looking for it. This was very encouraging. Sure, I still have an occasional bad shave with my Slim, but that's when I'm rushed or don't do enough prep. When I take my time and pay attention, I can get every bit as close as with a Mach 3, and with a higher degree of comfort.

Plus, there is just no comparison between the build quality of my 49 year old Slim, which works perfectly, and the new Mach 3 where the rubber grip started peeling off after one shave. It wouldn't surprise me if that kind of planned obsolescence is part of the current Gillette marketing strategy.

So I'm sticking with my Slim.

Nick

 

[celestino]

Nick, congratulations on the find! Enjoy your Slim and don't worry about the shadow on the upper lip. We coarse-bearded gents all have it.

 

[Mad Dog]

Nice analysis and post, Nick. Thanks for sharing.

 

[NYShaver]

I have been DE shaving for many years, and usually have issues getting a BBS on my upper lip. After the third pass with the DE, I usually reach for a Trac II (IMO Gillette's best cartridge, by far): a couple of swipes ATK and I'm done. BTW, using a Trac II and DE shaving techniques, I can get just as good a shave as I can with any DE razor/blade combination.

 

[JHCC]

Have you tried some gentle blade buffing?

 

[Toothpick]

all i know is that a mach 3 could never shave my beard past a 1 day growth. i had to use an electric to trim it down first. so far my DE has taken off 2 days growth with no problem

 

[The Kiwi]

My long-term problem with all of the earlier two-bladed razor systems was clogging. We have hard water that contributes to serious soap scum problems. Add whiskers and flakes of dried epidermis, and the narrow blade gap soon filled up. The hottest water wouldn't clear it out, leading to rapid cartridge changes. Schick eventually marketed a variation of the Atra of its own, with a plunger mechanism to shove out the clogs.

Here, with both our tap water, and with rain water, the Schick Injectors and almost any Gem SE, shave much better than any fixed blade twin blade system (TracII, Atra). With the flexibly attached Sensor blades, and the much easier flush-out of potential clogs, the two blade Sensor beats both the Atra and TracII in side by side shave-off tests. Both the Injector and the Sensor are equally easy to use, and if multiple passes are taken, the Sensor is very close to as efficient.

However, to this date, for the very first, WTG pass, no other shaving system can match the efficiency of an SE, whether it's a Gem type, or an Injector.

All that being said, my entire beard is now white. In summer, when I have more color (not really "tan", just a darker skin tone "pink" color on my face), a couple of days of stubble is more visible than in winter, when my face fades to a very pale pinkish white. For dark bearded men, the darker skin tones of summer help to hide some of the color of whisker roots showing after shaving. Come the fall, and cooler weather, you'll have been inside more, and your summer color is already fading (assuming, a pale complexion, of course).

 

[Nick Danger]

Have you tried some gentle blade buffing?

Oh yes. I have to do 3 passes plus blade buffing on the upper lip to get good results. I have very fair skin and a very dark beard. I don't really tan - I just get red skin, so even in summer the shadow on my upper lip is visible.

I could do what Steve does and grab the Mach 3 or a Trac II for the upper lip, but it doesn't appear that would give me better results. It might save a couple of minutes, but I think that's all.

Nick

 

[PMT]

Nice analysis! stick with DE!

 

[NYShaver]

I could do what Steve does and grab the Mach 3 or a Trac II for the upper lip, but it doesn't appear that would give me better results. It might save a couple of minutes, but I think that's all.

Nick

I said Trac II, not Mach 3; BIG difference.

 

[Rufust445]

The only reason I used a Mach 3 for a while was because it was a gift, along with some extra cartridges. The ONLY way I could satisfactorily shave my upper lip with the thing with the way it pivoted was to go ATG, lightly blade buffing. As the supply of cartridges ran low, I found these sites and the retro-trend to DE shaving. Most recent shaves have been with a Slim and a Dorco ST-301, then a Super w. vintage Wilkinson. In each case I started out WTG on the upper lip (MUCH more satisfactory than w. a Mach3), then XTG, and finally lightly buffing ATG. Great results, especially yesterday with a Wilkinson Super Sword Edge in the Super Adjustable.

 

[Nick Danger]

I said Trac II, not Mach 3; BIG difference.

Steve: didn't mean to put words in your mouth, or a razor in your hand. I was actually referencing the idea of using a second razor for the upper lip.

I had considered that possibility, but I think I'm going to continue working on my technique with my Slim and just accept that pretty much any razor is likely to leave me with a bit of shadow.

Nick

 

[sychodelix]

It took quite a while on getting above my upper lip very well with a safety razor. Buffing can help some, but with my hair growth, I've found shaving diagonally across the grain helps a great deal, and using your tongue to push outwards behind your lip so that the razor has a smoother surface to glide on. Just pay close attention to the hair growth, because you'll usually find, mustache hair rarely grows straight N & S.

 

[doug1066]

I still use a Mach 3 or a Schick Hydro 3 when I travel or I need a quick shave in the morning because I overslept. I prefer my DEs or my Schick Injectors though and find that the shave is just as good, if not better than the ones I get with a cartridge razor.

 

[ZackP]

I would like to see a double blind test, but that's pretty much impossible. Otherwise there will always be bias. Lets put someone and have them shaved ten times with each, then compare results.

 

[thekinge]

Nick, thanks for sharing this. Early on in my DE shaving journey, I used my old Schick Quattro 3 cartridge for one day when I was in a hurry. Even loaded with a new cartridge, I could feel it pulling and tugging in the ATG pass. I did not get any nicks or weepers although because of the pressure I was applying to the razor while shaving! That was a couple of months ago and I have never touched my Schick cartridge since then.

On the shadow, there are a few of us who will never be able to get that shadow-less look even after a DFS or BBS, simply because of coarse beards and fast facial hair growth. I belong to that category as well. Even if I just had a very good shave, it looks as if though the hair is already growing right back across my face as soon as I finished shaving! I simply got used to it since there is nothing I could do, thanks to dark black hair (I'm from India) and a wheatish / fair complexion (for an Indian)!

 

[Mrtoadzwildride]

It makes me laugh to see the differences. My upper lip is always bbs. Beneath my lowerlip however, what a PAIN IN THE.......

 

[Nick Danger]

It makes me laugh to see the differences. My upper lip is always bbs. Beneath my lowerlip however, what a PAIN IN THE.......

Wish I could share some secret that would make it easier for you to shave your trouble spot. I never have a problem below the lower lip or on my chin. My technique is just to watch the way my beard grows in that area, and then shave XTG and ATG with a bit of blade buffing. I also have no trouble with my neck, which I know is a trouble spot for lots of us. It's definitely interesting how different each of our experiences are with DE shaving.

What's your BBS technique on the upper lip? How many passes and in which directions? Not that your method will necessarily work for me, but I'm willing to try just about anything to improve my results.

Nick

 

[rxonmymind]

Nice write up. I can get bbs with either but that credit goes to the techniques I've learned here with a de. Having said that, if I try to go after bbs too much I leave raspberries. So there's a fine line between bbs vs glass smooth with no visible hair. The latter I'd imagine would be difficult for those who are lighter color skin with dark hair.

 

[N2theBreech]

I also have a tough dark beard. My upper lip isn't my worst spot, but it took a while to find a technique that works. I used to buff but now I usually go once WTG. Then, twice XTGY, first from the middle to the outside, then outside in. For the ATG pass, I start out on my cheek at a 45 degree angle, like I was going towards my chin and pivot it around and up the lip. This catches hairs at the lower corner of my lip. Then I finish with other ATG strokes until I'm done.

A few points --

* I pull my nose out of the way of the razor, as Mantic shows on one of his videos.
* I think the cross-grain strokes are key. For each stroke, I try to glide the blade smoothly all the way past the middle without stopping, one smooth motion, with the blade in contact all the way. It takes 2 or 3 strokes to cover it all. I also make sure I do a mini-stroke around and under my nose to get the upper most whiskers.
* If you think your skin can handle it, try adding a final WTG or XTG pass to gently smooth things out. I think of it as a final polish.

This works for me, but again, we're all different.