razors DE or maaaaach 3
- Thread starter grj
- Start date
do you feel like the mach 3 pulls a lot? are you annoyed it gets clogged up quick, are you upset with how many shaves you get out of each cartridge?
i switched to a DE/Straight becuase the answers to all the above questions were yes for me.
i switched to a DE/Straight becuase the answers to all the above questions were yes for me.
- Thread starter
- #3
well it's going to vary, from day one with a new mach3 cartridge i felt pull and would get about 3-4 shaves out of them before it got out of hand, im getting an easy 6-7 shaves out of merkur and feather DE blades. To be fully honest the mach3 pull i describe was only bad around my moustache area, particularly on the ends- there it pulled and hurt. The only other irritation problem i had was red bumps at the bottom of my neck but in looking back this was most likely do to ignoring the grain of my beard there.
All that said i believe the pro's to switching to be:
much less pull
doesnt clog
blade life
blade cost
if these arent a big issue and you're getting great shaves than you probably dont need to change a thing, but it wont hurt you to try as if you find you dont like it you can quickly sell whatever hardware you bought on here.
good luck
All that said i believe the pro's to switching to be:
much less pull
doesnt clog
blade life
blade cost
if these arent a big issue and you're getting great shaves than you probably dont need to change a thing, but it wont hurt you to try as if you find you dont like it you can quickly sell whatever hardware you bought on here.
good luck
grj said:
I change my DE blade every Saturday night so, one per week. The difference is the double edge blade runs around $.25 each! There is a learning curve associated with the DE but most who try it never go back. Some, however, find that the cartridges just work best for them because of the ease and speed of use. My son tried the double edge and prefered the Mach3 for those very reasons.
You might pick up a cheap Gillette superspeed from e-bay or give a fixed head Merkur a try to see if it works for you.
- Thread starter
- #6
merkur's are a good standard to start off with
Hello grj (do you have a name?), welcome to B&B
Using a brush and a good cream, you are already light-years above the rest of the pack. Now the question becomes "will a DE give a better shave than an M3?". The answer is perhaps. The M3 is designed to give the "average face" a good shave. There are some folks who can get by perfectly fine with a M3. More power to them. For the rest of us, the added control of a DE is a huge plus, and allows us to get supremely close shaves. There is also the question of your skin sensitivities. If you are prone to razor bumps, ingrown hairs, irritation, etc., a DE can help with this as well. I won't mention the cost issue that has been mentioned before.
That being said, remember that using a DE is an acquired skill. It takes an investment in time, practice, and patience before you are rewarded with superlative shaves.
So the answer, you see, is quite personal. If you like the idea of using a DE, and are willing to put in the time to master it, you will find it a very rewarding experience. If you are just interested in a simple, practical shave, an M3 might be good enough for you.
Feel free to ask other questions.
Using a brush and a good cream, you are already light-years above the rest of the pack. Now the question becomes "will a DE give a better shave than an M3?". The answer is perhaps. The M3 is designed to give the "average face" a good shave. There are some folks who can get by perfectly fine with a M3. More power to them. For the rest of us, the added control of a DE is a huge plus, and allows us to get supremely close shaves. There is also the question of your skin sensitivities. If you are prone to razor bumps, ingrown hairs, irritation, etc., a DE can help with this as well. I won't mention the cost issue that has been mentioned before.
That being said, remember that using a DE is an acquired skill. It takes an investment in time, practice, and patience before you are rewarded with superlative shaves.
So the answer, you see, is quite personal. If you like the idea of using a DE, and are willing to put in the time to master it, you will find it a very rewarding experience. If you are just interested in a simple, practical shave, an M3 might be good enough for you.
Feel free to ask other questions.
- Thread starter
- #9
I didn't know what a good shave was until I started frequenting this and other shave forums. What I learned is that the ideal is the ability to attain a Baby Butt Smooth or BBS shave every day taking only one day off per week. Once that's achieved it is about how long it takes for stubble to return to your face. If you can get a BBS shave with the Mach3 and don't mind paying out the extra cash there's little reason to switch, I guess.
One other option, by the way, is to pick up a Schick Injector. These are classic, double edge razors that shave just like a M3. Might be a good introduction to see if you like it, without adding too much time to your regimen. eBay mania has driven the price up on these, but you can still find bargains out there.
The Mach lll blades are expensive and clog, however there is a gadjet from Things You never Knew that Existed-looks like a wedge with a brass stripthat is a magnet that reshapes the blade about $18 and it works. The Sharper Image had one that looked like an open clam with a suction cup that did the same-no longer available.
Of the modern razors I prefer Sensor and Atra over the Mach lll. I get a closer shave eg if I shave with a MAch lll at 7am by 2pm there is some stubble. Give the hype and price, its more of a Mock lll. I prefer an old DE especially GIllete adjustables which have more settings than the Merkur, and not to mention are or were cheaper. I've shaved with the single edge Gem and my cheek, neck and part of my chin looked like I was attacked by a cat.
I started to use injectors on 3-5 times and can't give a critique-just careful when you buy them on EBay because over the years the perforations in some models have changed and the contemporary injector blades won't fit.
The DE blades ae more economical, unfortunately the razors are no longer available and Walgreens carreid the Knack by Gillette and have taken thaty off the market. Try to get an Gillete adjustable on Ebay
Of the modern razors I prefer Sensor and Atra over the Mach lll. I get a closer shave eg if I shave with a MAch lll at 7am by 2pm there is some stubble. Give the hype and price, its more of a Mock lll. I prefer an old DE especially GIllete adjustables which have more settings than the Merkur, and not to mention are or were cheaper. I've shaved with the single edge Gem and my cheek, neck and part of my chin looked like I was attacked by a cat.
I started to use injectors on 3-5 times and can't give a critique-just careful when you buy them on EBay because over the years the perforations in some models have changed and the contemporary injector blades won't fit.
The DE blades ae more economical, unfortunately the razors are no longer available and Walgreens carreid the Knack by Gillette and have taken thaty off the market. Try to get an Gillete adjustable on Ebay
About the only con of a DE that I've been able to see is that it takes a long time to shave. Most of the time it is no problem and I enjoy it quite a bit. But a couple of times when I'm in a hurry it can be frustratingly slow. However, once I did use my M3P when I was in a hurry carrying over a lot of the technique I learned by using a DE and I had a quick <10 mins close comfortable shave. Probably the best shave I've ever had from a cartridge razor, but still not nearly as close as I can get with the DE. Moreover, I got a bit of the ole' razor bumps back on my neck.
So for me DE all the way most of the time, with the M3 only when in a hurry.
So for me DE all the way most of the time, with the M3 only when in a hurry.
grj said:
30 minutes is a stretch, seems like 20 minutes is about the time it takes to make a 3 pass shave with touch up and taking your time to just enjoy the shave. If i frequently regarded time as an issue (i dont) with catching a shave id bet i could get in the 10 miute range by making one less pass and using a soap stick vs a cream/bowl.
