Tonal Razor: What Blades/Carts Will Fit?
- Thread starter mjclark
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It looks like it takes TracII compatible carts.
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- #3
Are Gillette TracII cartridges available in UK pharmacies? They may have a different name on them there. I know in Europe the Trac II is called the G2.
The PII is a Gillette-branded, Trac II-style cart out of India, made without the lube strip. A couple US vendors carry them for less than what Trac II Plus carts cost in the stores. I don't know if anyone carries them in the UK, but they are well worth seeking out. I prefer actual Gillette cartridges, not only because the blades agree with my skin, but because of the venting between the blades. The other brands I've tried do not have venting, and tend to clog up.
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- #6
Cool! So does anybody have a photo of the back of a TracII cart (where it attaches to the razor)?
I'm getting on the bay later for some research
I'm getting on the bay later for some research
If you're wondering how it attaches, here's a video that will show you.
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- #8
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The coupling design of the Trac II remains the best of any Gillette cartridge design in terms of durability, since there are no spring-loaded parts to wear out over time. Starting with the Atra, all handles are subject to failure at some point (although it could take decades), due to springs that are necessary to allow for pivoting. And of course, starting the with Sensor, everything is plastic. But a good Trac II handle should never wear out. If you find you like the system, consider upgrading to a solid handle by Merkur or Vulfix. It will outlive you.
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- #10
Great! And does anyome know a UK supplier of the Merkur pivoting adapter for these?
I'm afraid I don't. I'm not a fan of those adapters, though. They're pretty cheap, and I found they didn't work as well as using the proper handle for a given cartridge. IMO, you're better off just using a Trac II handle for Trac II (or equivalent) carts. If you want to try Atra or Sensor, use an Atra or Sensor handle. Nothing says you can't give the adapters a go, but I don't think you'll get an accurate idea of what those other systems are really capable of by using them. YMMV, of course.
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- #12
That's worth knowing.
I'm off to source some Trac II blades now!
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- #13
Update: got a YingJiLi Trac II clone with 5 blades from dealextreme for £2.43 and 5 extra Chaofeng blades for £1.23!
So now we'll see...
I wondered if dx would have a knock-off injector too, but they didn't...
So now we'll see...
I wondered if dx would have a knock-off injector too, but they didn't...
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Yeah, those Merkur adaptors work, but they don't work as well as the real thing. The Merkur Trac II handle is nice as a Trac II handle though.
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- #15
Got some blades that fit, thanks to this thread, ebay and old Supermax stock.
Man, it looks a lot less cool with that big ol' cartridge in it
I'm staying in a hotel tomorrow so I'll take it with me and see how it shaves...
Man, it looks a lot less cool with that big ol' cartridge in it
I'm staying in a hotel tomorrow so I'll take it with me and see how it shaves...
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- #16
Took the Tonal for a whirl as a travel razor this morning - quite a nice shave, but not quite the class of yesterday's Brazilian Wilkinson in a 1940s bakelite Souplex.
Still, although a bit harsh, not bad at all for a quick and decent result.
Interestingly, my daughter used one of the carts to shave her legs, and rated it 8/10 against disposables at 6/10.
I didn't start shaving until 1982, and remember all the excitement of the Gillette Contour and the introduction of the Contour Plus with its radical lubra-strip.
It's really interesting to feel what an early-'70s shave might have been like
Still, although a bit harsh, not bad at all for a quick and decent result.
Interestingly, my daughter used one of the carts to shave her legs, and rated it 8/10 against disposables at 6/10.
I didn't start shaving until 1982, and remember all the excitement of the Gillette Contour and the introduction of the Contour Plus with its radical lubra-strip.
It's really interesting to feel what an early-'70s shave might have been like
I too have a Tonal razor. I haven't used it for many years so I've forgotten which double-edged blade it takes, and there's no model number or name I can detect. I think it takes a Gilette but not the Track II described above. It has a "double claw" grip, that holds the blade in the razor like a pair of pincers. None of the blade packaging shows the rear fitting (of course!) and it's impossible to guess from the front.
