Question on longevity of Mach 3 Razors

[mharris127]

My father received three Mach 3 disposables (not the cartridge kind) two years ago as a Christmas present. He has been using them since and is on his last razor now. I also noticed on the Gillette India site that their average usefulness is rated at 7.9 weeks. I am curious, has anyone shaved with a disposable razor for eight or nine months like my father has? He shaves at least twice a week, if that is any indicator. If the carts last that long as well, I can understand why people pay for them (but likely not me).

If it helps, I haven't ever used a Mach 3 or any type of cart, but I don't get more than two to three shaves from a razor blade (four to six from a DE because it has two shaving surfaces on it). I personally have used a DE, several electrics (which work for about a year before the blades get too dull to shave) and disposable Bic razors. I tried a twenty for a dollar three-blade dollar store brand once and they were terrible even on the first shave due to dullness (I assume the Gillette and Schick versions aren't like that). Other than the electrics, I never get more than three shaves out of a razor blade.

 

[BladeDE40]

Wow, that's really stretching it! I think about 5-7 shaves is about all the "good" shave I get from a cart....anymore than that I might as well pull our the tweezers.

 

[Go West Young Man]

It all depends on what you consider an 'acceptable' shave. I always maxed out at 5 shaves on a Mach III, but plenty of people swear they get good shaves for months on end off one cart. I can only assume that they have lower expectations for their shave than I ever did.

 

[joshk]

In my Mach 3 days, I'd go a solid month per cartridge, shaving 2-3 times per week -- but by the last 1-2 weeks, I was getting pretty ****-poor shaves. But I felt I had to stretch it because they were so expensive. That's the reason I originally switch to wet shaving...

 

[reyrascon]

I agree with Chris, depends on what an acceptable shave is to you. I was able to get 5-6 shaves per cartridge before it was tearing up my face. But I like to get really close shaves, requiring multiple passes (usually 3 passes).

 

[okey]

I used to use a shick twin until basically the moisture strip was gone. It would usually lose adherance on the edges and i would replace it with another.I know now that my shaves after a week were ****house but i have pretty easy going skin and not a really tough beard.I do remember doing a massive amount of passes though. I still have some left so when i go camping over christmas i will see what they do now and take notice.

 

[Deliverator]

Back in my Mach 3 days, I would sometimes go for many weeks on a single Mach 3 cartridge, shaving 5 days a week, but I was only doing one pass, and I didn't really have very high standards for the quality of the shave.

 

[kingfisher]

Never went beyond seven shaves with those things. Usually 5-7. Since i shave every day, I had to use a new cartridge weekly.

It adds up pretty quickly.

 

[Sledgehammer39]

I could only get 4 decent shaves from it. If I went longer with it my face would reflect it the next day.

 

[TMH478]

Wow, that's really stretching it! I think about 5-7 shaves is about all the "good" shave I get from a cart....anymore than that I might as well pull our the tweezers.

This is my same time frame when using my Mach 3 cart. I don't believe Gillette changes the "design" of the cart disposable or not.

 

[fingerguy]

I purposely pushed them for two weeks due to it's cost, but all seriousness by the end of the 1st week I really wanted a new blade.

As far as cartridge or disposable same company same product. Does it matter?

 

[BlackBard]

I have used the same Mach 3 cartridge for daily shaving for up to a month. However, I generally changed the cart every 15 days. HMMV (His Mileage May Vary).

 

[mharris127]

Thank you for your replies. I guess he either has the softest beard hair around (not likely) or is just cheap enough that he does not care how good his shave is (sorry dad, but more likely). I guess that it is good for him that he gets nine months on a razor, but it probably would not work that way for me. Oh well, when he finally needs a replacement, I know where to look (and have some disposable Bics handy that I keep, mainly for guests).

 

[bakerbarber]

I would use a M3 or Fusion for at least a month. They cost so much. When the moisture strip was gone and the blades were starting to rust I'd give in and change the cartridge.

Then I'd say WOW what great shave! It was a vicious cycle. When people started asking me if I shaved today I knew I needed a change. I pretty much would start the day with 5 o'clock shadow.

That's honestly part of the learning curve I encountered switching to DE. No moisture strip forced me to pre-shave prep correctly. Sharp blades forced me to use proper technique. etc..

The bliss is no more bumps or ingrown hairs, and no more people asking me if I shaved today.

The downside is waking up an extra 20 minutes early to enjoy a great and proper shave.

I accepted poor shaves for decades due to ignorance. I will never go back.

 

[DaveNJ74]

A weeks worth of shaves is what a Mach3 cart does for me. I cant see going weeks and months with one but depends on your facial hair. I have thick facial hair so the blades will dull out after a couple of daily shaves.

 

[MinkelR]

I would average maybe 2 or 3 weeks per cartridge. So 8-12 shaves. However after the first week I'd experience quite a bit of tugging as well as a shave with noticeable stubble. Basically like bakerbarber said, I had a 5 o'clock shadow after I shaved.

 

[diverdoug]

I would get about 25 one-pass crappy (by DE standards) shaves out of a Mach 3.

 

[Obi Wan]

The first shave with a brand new M3 Cartridge always felt DFS, the next 3 or 4 shaves were acceptable ,but the quality of the shaves deteriorated and then came an 'x' number of shaves until the pulling and tugging eventually won over the morphine.

Damn you Gillette for tricking me into using cartridges!

George W. Bush: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me... and won't get fooled again.

 

[LiveOak]

I used to use a Mach 3 for months, not because I got them to last, but because they were so @*&#* expensive that I refused to buy them so frequently that I could switch them out like I should have.

Every shave after the second use was horrible. Spots of blood all over my neck, ingrown hairs that I could never get rid of, and all manner of aggravation. I could not shave right before dressing for work or going out, because I would have had to wait too long for the blood to dissipate.

Never going back.

 

[mharris127]

The first shave with a brand new M3 Cartridge always felt DFS, the next 3 or 4 shaves were acceptable ,but the quality of the shaves deteriorated and then came an 'x' number of shaves until the pulling and tugging eventually won over the morphine.

Damn you Gillette for tricking me into using cartridges!

George W. Bush: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me... and won't get fooled again.

If you need morphine to shave, you definitely need a new razor!