Pick up your favourate soap and bring the skills to the Cartridge world

[Smpl]

Hi,

This morning, I made a surprising observation that a standard cartridge razor (Gillette Proshield Fusion 5) provides as the same level of the closeness as a DE safety razor, in comparison with Merkur 34C/Rockwell 6C and Feather/Personna/Astra blades, with less irritation and saves 50% of the time!

What I did was mainly by applying the skills I learned from using DE safety razors to cartridge razors. Specifically, builds up a good lather, a 3-pass (WTG, XTG, ATG) shave to reduce facial hair gradually and use minimal pressure. That's all! To save more time, you can simply bring a good quality shaving gel at your hand, most of which are pretty easy to build up a dense and thick lather though it may not be as silky as shaving soaps but enough. I have experiences with a few popular shaving soaps, e.g., Talor of Bond Street, Tabac, Dr Harries, fine accoutrements lavender soap. In comparison with a shaving gel that I bought from Amazon around 20 pounds, the post shaving experience with these shaving soaps does not outperform too much than the shaving gel when using the cartridge razor. What it means is that you can pick up your favourite soap when using cartridge razors and it is still amazing, but a shaving gel won't disappoint you in terms of the shaving experience and saves you huge time.

I asked my girlfriend how she felt about my skin after I shaved with cartridge razors today. She said she couldn't even tell the difference. It gives smooth touch feeling and no stinging stubble and is amazing. So I just want to share with you guys of my brand new cartridge razor shaving experience. Try and see the difference with your favourite soap and excellent shaving skills using a cartridge razor.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I am not surprised at all but I have no interest at all in saving any time; I am happy to take 10, 20, 30 minutes or even longer for a shave. For me the purpose of shaving is relaxation and time to think, as well as learning to use and perfect a variety of traditional vintage shaving tools and techniques. I do not even particularly care how close the finished shave actually is.

 

[engblom]

Even though I am a DE shaver, I fully agree with your first point that a cartridge gives the same close shave. It is after all just a blade holder and nothing else and closeness is all about technique. When I switched from cartridges to DE, I did not do it because I wanted a closer shave. I did it because I wanted something not clogging so easily.

The other two points I have to disagree.

First, I do not think a cartridge gives less irritation. It is all about technique. After all, a blade on the skin is a blade on the skin regardless of holder. As a cartridge keeps the angle automatically and the pressure is divided on many blades it might give less irritation if the DE technique is not good enough (keeping angle and no pressure). If the DE technique is good enough neither will give irritation.

Second, I am actually faster with a DE because it is so much easier to rinse and no clogging. Especially now during the corona pandemic when a face mask is hiding my unshaven face, I do not shave the same often. A cartridge would be a nightmare of clogging and struggle.

 

[Iskbar]

I mainly changed to DE from cartridges to save money rather than any issues with comfort. Hell, the last time I used my grungy fusion, I used the same cartridge for about a year before I discovered DE was a thing. Gained quite a burn scar on my neck I think is permanent. In retrospect though, I spent the money I could've used on cartridge refills to satisfy my RAD aha! I still use cartridge disposables for hard-to-reach TMI areas though. That allows me less need to buy more cartridge razors as I only need to switch those once a month at the earliest. If you have no problem with cartridges and the time savings is worth it, more power to you! I, for now, just like to enjoy the experience of using different shaving tools the world has to offer.

 

[hairless wonder]

From some of your previous posts, it looks like you just started DE shaving. You're now claiming to get less irritation from using a cartridge versus using a safety razor. No offense, but if you're getting irritation from a safety razor, you may not be as skilled with it as you think you are. It's therefore unsurprising that you're getting as good a (or better) shave with a cartridge and canned goo as (than) you do with a DE and soap. It's likely your technique is still better adapted to using a cartridge razor than a DE.

This isn't to say that for some people a cartridge razor and canned goo can't provide as close a shave or even a better shave than a DE and shave soap can. Who knows, you may very well be one such person. However, until you've actually been doing this for a while, have tried various blades (to find ones that suit you best), and have honed your DE shave technique, it might be premature to draw such a conclusion, let alone make such a proclamation.

In other words, it may be advisable to keep practicing and develop your technique. Aim for a DFS shave without any irritation. Once you've done that, aim for an irritation free DFS shave even after you've applied an alum block post-shave. If you've managed that, consider going for an irritation free BBS shave. Then the same with an alum block.

After you've managed to do this, then you might want to try your hand at the cartridge razor with canned goo, again. Who knows, your results may be the same, or they may be different.

In any case, for many of us, the journey is the point of the trip, not the destination.

 

[Mitzie]

A DE razor also enables those whiskers underneath, at the base of the nose, to be shaved which the wider bar of a cart' often prevents

 

[ajkel64]

Everyone’s experience is different. I used carts for around 35 years. Always used canned foams and gels but I applied them with a brush. Then I rediscovered my heirloom razors that my father gave me back in the 1980’s. Found this forum and then started using them again. I have gone back to carts again not only to use them up but I still find that a two bladed cart gives ME the best shave especially when using better prep techniques. I have found that washing my face for a few minutes in hot water and soap and then using a brush and soap and or cream and then shaving just works for ME. I also don’t keep going back over and over again chasing a BBS shave. With a cart 2 passes and done, with a DE 3 passes and done. That is it, no more chasing BBS, I am 56 years old, I don’t need a BBS shave every day. I just need a good comfortable shave that I am happy with.