Moving back to carts - what is the overall best (quality / price / longevity) non-Gillette system to try?

[Rich_C]

@Rich_C makes a good point. With the Trac II and clones, there is really nothing to wear out or break with the handles because there's no pivot. I just used some store-brand Trac II carts that I believe were Personnas and they were quite good.

If they are made in the U.S. then they are Personnas. I started out with the ones in the store then started buying in bulk from ebay. The cost of 20 in the store is about the cost of 100 in bulk. They dont come in packaging just the plastic holders. Some have claimed these are factory seconds or rejects but I havent had any issues.

A quality metal vintage Atra handle wont wear out either. I have one I have been using for 35 years.

 

[RigelDust]

Why not Gillette? They still make the best blade IMO and very often you can find good discount on Amazon.

I could guess... but if I do the boat rocks and people get upset. So I just try to answer the OP question best I can without drama.

 

[Rich_C]

I just got a bunch of NOS Schick Super IIs -- only had one shave so far, and it was good. But they cost more than 14 cents a cart. Anywhere from 50 to 75 cents a cart. Sometimes more to the people who think they are selling gold. Most fit both Atra and Trac II, but the early ones fit just Trac II. Some I got only fit Atra. I got a heavy stainless steel Super II fixed head handle as well. Schick also made a Super II pivot handle. So you can go all non-Gillette if you want.

Not to beat a dead-horse, but 15 cents per cart for 100 Personnas can't be beat. I'm not sure even the Schick NOS Super IIs are worth 35 cents more per cart. I haven't used them long enough yet. YMMV.

You can also buy new (currently in production) Japanese Super II carts, as well as Chinese made ones. I heard the Japanese ones are fantastic, but have to be shipped from Japan from ebay sellers. The Chinese made ones are sold by U.S. sellers and cost less but have gotten mixed reviews. I've also heard that the best of the best for pivots are the old Wilkinson Sword profiles. But of course they go for a lot of dollars.

Again, first get good handles. Then pay $5 or $6 (for 10 carts) for store brand Personna Pivot Plus. Make sure on the back it says "blades made in the U.S." If you like them, then buy in bulk. If not, you are only out $5 or $6.

 

[RigelDust]

why??

It has to do with a TV ad that was aired last year. Some found it offensive and overstated and some found other’s reaction to the ad offensive and overstated. Soooooo yeah.

 

[Rich_C]

It has to do with a TV ad that was aired last year. Some found it offensive and overstated and some found other’s reaction to the ad offensive and overstated. Soooooo yeah.

I have heard about that ad so many times but I still haven’t bothered to search for it and watch it. What bothers me about Gillette is that they don’t sell Atra or Trac II handles in the U.S. yet they sell both carts in the stores, albeit at an inflated price. I sent them an email about 6 years ago asking them why the handles werent available and they had the gall to tell me that the carts in the stores were old stock!!!! 6 years later they are still selling them.
I wrote them a few months ago about a few things, like why they dont list Atra and Trac II on their website, and why the carts cost from $20 to $25 for a pack of 10. This time they had the gall to tell me that the stores determine the prices, not them. Then in my reply to them I asked why they don’t make the Guard available in the U.S. and give Americans a break on a highly regarded and very inexpensive razor, since after all they are an American company. They never replied.
That being said, I orded the guard from an online seller, but it obviously cost more than the supposedly 30 cents a cart. But I had to try it. I have only used it once, and got a 10 pack of carts. I did a one pass WTG and was amazed at the results.
And I have read all the posts about the lawsuits against people selling them on ebay etc. I just think there are enough low income Americans who should have ready access to buy the guard. And it is so good that I think it would be a big seller, as long as they dont try to sell it for even like $1 per cart. But I know that will never happen. Just look at the GEO, that is the guard on a different handle, advertised for one use and very pricey.
I also described in another post about buying Sensor 3 simples and making them pivot, even on an old Sensor handle.
So I am not totally against Gillette just a bit ticked off.

 

[RigelDust]

I have heard about that ad so many times but I still haven’t bothered to search for it and watch it. What bothers me about Gillette is that they don’t sell Atra or Trac II handles in the U.S. yet they sell both carts in the stores, albeit at an inflated price. I sent them an email about 6 years ago asking them why the handles werent available and they had the gall to tell me that the carts in the stores were old stock!!!! 6 years later they are still selling them.
I wrote them a few months ago about a few things, like why they dont list Atra and Trac II on their website, and why the carts cost from $20 to $25 for a pack of 10. This time they had the gall to tell me that the stores determine the prices, not them. Then in my reply to them I asked why they don’t make the Guard available in the U.S. and give Americans a break on a highly regarded and very inexpensive razor, since after all they are an American company. They never replied.
That being said, I orded the guard from an online seller, but it obviously cost more than the supposedly 30 cents a cart. But I had to try it. I have only used it once, and got a 10 pack of carts. I did a one pass WTG and was amazed at the results.
And I have read all the posts about the lawsuits against people selling them on ebay etc. I just think there are enough low income Americans who should have ready access to buy the guard. And it is so good that I think it would be a big seller, as long as they dont try to sell it for even like $1 per cart. But I know that will never happen. Just look at the GEO, that is the guard on a different handle, advertised for one use and very pricey.
I also described in another post about buying Sensor 3 simples and making them pivot, even on an old Sensor handle.
So I am not totally against Gillette just a bit ticked off.

You can buy Atra and Trac II compatible handles all over. Look on Amazon? Hell WCS sells some.
I think it’s cool they still sell blades for a discontinued razor.
I still have my, I think twenty five year old, Sensor handle tucked away somewhere.

 

[Rich_C]

You can buy Atra and Trac II compatible handles all over. Look on Amazon? Hell WCS sells some.
I think it’s cool they still sell blades for a discontinued razor.
I still have my, I think twenty five year old, Sensor handle tucked away somewhere.

Yes I know. As I said above I just bought a new heavy Schick Super II handle, but from eBay. I talked more about it in another thread. I also just got a nicer Atra handle that is better than the 3 all metal ones I already have. I just find it odd that Gillette sells the carts in U.S. stores but the handles only in other countries. And they shouldnt have told me 6 years ago that they dont make the carts anymore. That was an out and out lie.

Btw, is the OP still reading all this? I am curious to see what he decided.

 

[Ivo4u2]

As an european I had never seen the add had to google the thing.

But we live in a changing world and lots of behaviour which was ok 30 years ago is now considered inappropriate and probably maybe might be absolutely insult or hurt someone. And then you get the interweb giving a voice to that individual and blowing everything out of proportions looking as if millions are done wrong.

there was most likely someone at Gillette who found it a good idea. And well they talk about it so that part worked. no idea what the end result was of the campai

personally I think it was not Gillette’s brightest hour.
But my toes nor other manly parts are sensitive enough to feel personally attacked. And I am 52 and not always pc.

will I keep buying Gillette blades most likely.

 

[RigelDust]

Can someone really be influenced by an ad while buying something?? Usually I buy following the intrinsic value of the goods but hey, its just me.

I think that’s kinda the idea of ads in general.

 

[VBH37118]

After over a year of DE shaving, I decided to move back to carts. I got to the point where I can shave most days with little to no irritation and no weepers, however it did make me realize a few things:

1) Even after a good DE shave, my face is more sensitive than after a cart shave.
2) I shave every day. In a week of DE shaving, I am pretty much guaranteed to have at least one day when I don't pay enough attention, or am rushed, or sleepy, and while I never cut myself anymore, I do get some redness or irritation in spots when I am not careful, which take a week to completely subdue (they stop itching in a few hours, but the skin is more red than the surrounding skin for days). This may be due to me having a very pale skin to begin with. At any rate, I always have a spot or two that is more red than the rest of my face, and I am getting tired of this.
3) I can DE shave very quickly, but not nearly as quickly as with carts, because I can start with ATG right away.
4) Using soap and brush with carts leads to much more pleasant and clean shave, so the overall quality of shaving is still better, and I retain most of the part of the traditional shaving process that I like.

So, I am looking for a cart system to switch to. It will not be Gillette.

The last carts that I used before going DE were Schick Hydro 5, and while I still think they are great, they are also very expensive and overall seem like an overkill.

I am currently trying out Schick Extreme X (2-blade), they seem like a decent system and one disposable had so far lasted me 2 weeks, but they have a little too much blade flex for my taste (the cartridge is really flexible).

What else is out there to try?

I have had good luck with schick xtreme 3 and Quattro, also you may like an atra after market handle with personna twin blades or even trac ii.

 

[VBH37118]

I don't mind head flex (like on most Gillette or Schick razors). What is a little unusual with Schick Extreme is that the blades themselves flex very noticeably, the cartridge frame is thin and not rigid at all. I don't know if this really affects performance, though.



OK, thanks. Will take a look.



How long do they last?



I think Schick Hydro 5 is the best cart razor I used, ever. Also very long lasting, I'd get over a month from one cartridge. So far, I am early in week 3 with Extreme. So I may just stick with them. At $1 a pop, if I can make them last at least 3 weeks, it's a bargain, and they are very gentle on the face. But it looks like the ones I have are the old model, there's a new one in the stores, I have to try it to see if they've screwed up anything in the process.

Yes, it's a rabbit hole allright... one thing I did find though is that using proper soap with carts makes a whole lot of difference over the canned goo. A much better quality of shave. One of the reasons I stopped using Mach3 years ago was because the new batches that I bought were tugging and pulling. Well it seems they were tugging and pulling because their lube strips were bad, I used an old (used) Mach3 cartridge with Arko soap and got a decent shave. I am starting to suspect that the canned goo is just placebo.

Slickness is slickness be can, tube or tub, as far as I can tell who knows?

 

[VBH37118]

Shame you don’t like Gillette. To me, the Mach 3 Turbo , and Gillette Sensor offer the best shave of all the carts out there. And they can be had very cheap if bought in bulk , at the right place.

I thought gillette sold out years ago and have had more than one owner since.

 

[VBH37118]

Thanks for your reply. For me, the Track II, or any razor with a "lift and cut" system (I am looking at you Norelco!) is an invitation to ingrown hairs on my neck and jawline. I specifically abandoned the Track II decades ago for disposable single edge razors until I switched to SR shaving. One question I have for you is do they still clog as much as they used to? I seem to remember spending more time banging the Track II razor against the side of the sink, rather than actually shaving.

I am not trying to argue or bait you, I am genuinely curious as I haven't used one since the 80's probably.

If you shave every day the trac ii does not clog.

 

[karacha]

If you shave every day the trac ii does not clog.

I can confirm this.

 

[Tedolph]

If you shave every day the trac ii does not clog.

A Track II clogs on my beard halfway through the fist pass. This is a commonly known problem with Track II's. Look at the blade spacing on a Fusion-much further apart. Gillette abandoned the "lift and cut" system on their modern cartridge razors and this was one of the reasons.

I would like to hear the former Gillette chemist chime in on this.

 

[Tedolph]

As an european I had never seen the add had to google the thing.

But we live in a changing world and lots of behaviour which was ok 30 years ago is now considered inappropriate and probably maybe might be absolutely insult or hurt someone. And then you get the interweb giving a voice to that individual and blowing everything out of proportions looking as if millions are done wrong.

there was most likely someone at Gillette who found it a good idea. And well they talk about it so that part worked. no idea what the end result was of the campai

personally I think it was not Gillette’s brightest hour.
But my toes nor other manly parts are sensitive enough to feel personally attacked. And I am 52 and not always pc.

will I keep buying Gillette blades most likely.

Gillette sales plummeted in the US as a result of that campaign. I have no idea if they ever recovered.

I know I pledged to never buy a Gillette product again but I just bought a new Gillette product-an old fashioned shave cream in a tube (like Proraso). Called "Pure" I think.

I wanted to reward them for making a traditional wet shaving product.

 

[Chandu]

A Track II clogs on my beard halfway through the fist pass. This is a commonly known problem with Track II's. Look at the blade spacing on a Fusion-much further apart. Gillette abandoned the "lift and cut" system on their modern cartridge razors and this was one of the reasons.

I would like to hear the former Gillette chemist chime in on this.

TracII doesn't clog for me if I shave every day, but I certainly believe it could for some with a thicker/denser beard than mine.

Mach III are super in that regard the blade spacing is wide by comparison to the TracII and I really like the handle and head form factor of that one. The way it's made it's easy to run water through the blades from the front or back. It would take a lot to clog the Mach III.

 

[karacha]

You need to rinse it a lot, but it does not clog for me.

 

[VBH37118]

A Track II clogs on my beard halfway through the fist pass. This is a commonly known problem with Track II's. Look at the blade spacing on a Fusion-much further apart. Gillette abandoned the "lift and cut" system on their modern cartridge razors and this was one of the reasons.

I would like to hear the former Gillette chemist chime in on this.

I shaved daily with a trac ii for years when they first came out, never had a problem with clogging.

 

[Umma2gumma]

Well, I’ve finally settled on the new shaving system, after a little experimenting, and believe that I have the best of both worlds now.

I use the same shaving prep as I did with DE (hot shower, soap and brush). Unlike DE, there’s little discomfort if I don’t shower first, however it does take a bit more work then.

I use basically the same technique, except only two passes (XTG then ATG) with a couple WTG strokes on my jawline.

With carts being a lot less hard on the skin (in my case at least) I can apply AS directly with no irritation or burning.

Finally, after trying different razors, I confirmed my initial decision to go with Schick Xtreme disposables. I am on week 6 of using one (the new design) and so far have no problem getting a 2 pass BBS. The blades on Schick razors last far longer than the lube strips, so they are great if you use soap. At $1 per razor, that’s in the DE cost territory.