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Truth: Outside of DE razors...The humble disposable razor is the best.

So I don't use DE razors (mainly because I find them to be a pain in the **** as you need to shave more slowly & carefully).
So I use cartridge razors. Tried a bunch of razors, always looking at price/quality of shave ratio.

Here is what I concluded:
  • Gillette fusion proglide (or power) is best shave possible. However it's ridiculously expensive.
  • So what else? The humble disposable is the best. But further, I found the 2 blade razor (I use Gillette Blue II) to be the best.
1 blade disposable I found to be not cutting fast or well enough (often misses hair).
3 blade disposable and over (4-5 blades) I found to be not as good and not worth it price wise.
Also tried the classic Gillette Mach 3 and found it inferior to the humble disposable Blue II and it's nearly as expensive as the Gillette Fusion.

The thing with Gillette Blue II is their blades are ridiculously sharp when new and cut the beard perfectly.
Now it's the same with any other Gillette or razor, but you don't want to replace a Gillette Fusion or Mach 3 cartridge as fast because they're so expensive. But you can with a Gillette Blue II which comes in a huge pack of cheap disposables.

Another thing I found problematic with most 3-5 blade razors (except Fusion proglide) compared to the humble disposable 2 blade, is that the 3-5 blade razors don't adapt to the contours of your face as well, and are especially bad on the chin and other such areas.

Basically, I really find a solid 2 blade disposable to be the freaking best bang for your buck in terms of razor! I like the Gillette Blue II (as its called in the EU), but I guess any other 2 blade disposable is OK (like BIC though I found BICs to be less good than Gillette).

I think the only razor which beats this is the Gillette Fusion Proglide or Power, which pretty much a fresh cartridge every week, which is freaking expensive.

Does anyone disagree?
 
Seriously, though, I think it is the pivoting head on cartridge razors that make casual shavers think that they perform better. You don’t really have to learn how to use the razor well for it to work effectively. Five blades is just five times the cost, with little or no effect on the shave.

If you are already using disposable fixed-head razors then pretty soon you will likely find that you have developed the skills to use a DE razor well, and then you will find that a decent DE razor is better because it is made with precision tools and designed better.

I suspect disposable plastic razors are not long for this world, as the impact on the environment is going to be unacceptable.

Oh, and by the way, a post like yours is surely going to attract a swarm of straight razor evangelists who will want to tell you about shave heaven and pasted-balsa Jesus. I’m usually careful not to taunt them by saying something else is the best.

All that said, if you are happy with your shaves then you’re doing it right.
 
Use what works best for you!

While I shave with a DE most of the time, I occasionally do the odd shave with a disposable. Usually when traveling (I have been considering getting a cheap DE for travel though!).

IMG_20220423_223314_477.jpg


I avoid multiblades, they give me ingrowns.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
@sarge6000 I'm so glad that you have found the best shaving solution for you. That is what B&B is all about.

I also agree with you that, rather than a "safety" razor, a two-bladed disposable is one of the best shaving methods you can use.

I still don't have the courage to regularly shave with a "safety" razor. They are only for true men.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I admit I only tried disposable razors are couple of times... they tore the heck out of my face. The Trac 2 (non pivoting head) was soooo much better.

And as I've said here... the Gillette Fusion power gave me pretty decent shaves... and saved me a ton of money, based on what I've spent so far on "economy shaving the tradition way". <Eg> (evil grin)

But I don't regret a penny I've spent... I'm having fun. Learning is good for the mind.
 
So I don't use DE razors (mainly because I find them to be a pain in the **** as you need to shave more slowly & carefully).
So I use cartridge razors. Tried a bunch of razors, always looking at price/quality of shave ratio.

Here is what I concluded:
  • Gillette fusion proglide (or power) is best shave possible. However it's ridiculously expensive.
  • So what else? The humble disposable is the best. But further, I found the 2 blade razor (I use Gillette Blue II) to be the best.
1 blade disposable I found to be not cutting fast or well enough (often misses hair).
3 blade disposable and over (4-5 blades) I found to be not as good and not worth it price wise.
Also tried the classic Gillette Mach 3 and found it inferior to the humble disposable Blue II and it's nearly as expensive as the Gillette Fusion.

The thing with Gillette Blue II is their blades are ridiculously sharp when new and cut the beard perfectly.
Now it's the same with any other Gillette or razor, but you don't want to replace a Gillette Fusion or Mach 3 cartridge as fast because they're so expensive. But you can with a Gillette Blue II which comes in a huge pack of cheap disposables.

Another thing I found problematic with most 3-5 blade razors (except Fusion proglide) compared to the humble disposable 2 blade, is that the 3-5 blade razors don't adapt to the contours of your face as well, and are especially bad on the chin and other such areas.

Basically, I really find a solid 2 blade disposable to be the freaking best bang for your buck in terms of razor! I like the Gillette Blue II (as its called in the EU), but I guess any other 2 blade disposable is OK (like BIC though I found BICs to be less good than Gillette).

I think the only razor which beats this is the Gillette Fusion Proglide or Power, which pretty much a fresh cartridge every week, which is freaking expensive.

Does anyone disagree?
Most of us came from disposables and moved on to DE's. It's not a pain, it just takes practice. I hated shaving till I discovered DE's. Now I look forward to it everyday and it's like therapy.
With practice the DE will give you a better shave and you'll do it just as quick. And the "humble cartridge" will no longer be a money hog since they're way more expensive. Another negative with cartridges is that they fill up landfills. I will never return to cartridges or electrics for that matter.
 
So I don't use DE razors (mainly because I find them to be a pain in the **** as you need to shave more slowly & carefully).
So I use cartridge razors. Tried a bunch of razors, always looking at price/quality of shave ratio.

I have to disagree.

After progressing from elec, to injectors, I used carts for 35 years before switching to DE. After 10 months of DE, I took my favorite Sensor cart on a short vacation for convenience. I used it once, tossed it in the hotel trash, and didn't shave again until I got back home to my DE. After shaving with a DE, I could never go back to cart.
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
I suspect disposable plastic razors are not long for this world, as the impact on the environment is going to be unacceptable.

Exactly! Its time for them to go! I know someone in my family who uses disposable cartridge razors and I never could understand why. Even back when both my dad and I were using cartridge razors, we were using a metal razor that you just replace the cartridge heads on, like the Mach 3 and Mach 5 are. I just don't get why someone feels the need to buy 300 pack bags full of disposable plastic razors, all just to throw them away in the trash after.

And the person in my family that does this, is supposed to care about the environment, talks about global warming a lot. And yet, feels free to buy 300 packs of plastic razors. Ya, I just can't deal! So, eventually I had to drop the topic because I was never going to get them to see reason. Lots of people see cartridge razors as easier, simply because it requires no technique in using them.

Reality is, your raking your face 5 times per pass with a 5 blades razor, no thank you!. I'll stick with my DE razor thank you very much.
 
Does anybody disagree? Really? Yes, of course people are going to disagree.

I disagree that two blades shave better than one. I disagree that Gillette makes the sharpest blades. I disagree that DEs are a pain to use, or that one has to shave really slowly with them.

I agree that the fusion is too expensive, and that it had to be replaced once a week to maintain its best qualities. Those, however, are the only things in your entire post with which I agree.
 
No one is going to come to your bathroom and force you to use a DE razor if you don't want to. The main thing is to use whatever works for you the best, no matter what others think even it's a rusty butter knife. Trust me, no one here cares what other people like or dislike.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
No one is going to come to your bathroom and force you to use a DE razor if you don't want to. The main thing is to use whatever works for you the best, no matter what others think even it's a rusty butter knife. Trust me, no one here cares what other people like or dislike.
I don't know if I could resist commenting if someone started a thread saying: "I shave with a rusty butter knife."... but that's me. <eg> (evil grin)
 
And the person in my family that does this, is supposed to care about the environment, talks about global warming a lot. And yet, feels free to buy 300 packs of plastic razors. Ya, I just can't deal! So, eventually I had to drop the topic because I was never going to get them to see reason. Lots of people see cartridge razors as easier, simply because it requires no technique in using them.
Kids these days all say they are concerned about the planet yet half the things they buy are plastic, and the other half are electronic devices that they use every waking second and consume energy constantly, with batteries made of toxic minerals.

Compare the carbon footprint of a current teenager with us when we were kids, when all we had was a TV and a football. The kids blame older generations for the state of the environment and don’t seem to have a clue that their lifestyles are the cause.

Off-topic rant over. Couldn’t resist. But I kinda like it that I’m at the age when I can start sentences with “kids these days…”
 
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A humble suggestion would be to try the Leaf with a disposable around the tight places. The honey color is on special - now. Basically a big cart head that user gets to change the blades. Leaf can be used with one, two or three blades and it pivots. More mindless than safety razors but use cheap de blades.

If I were carting disposable I would try the SkinGuard. Seems to be what you are looking for. The Indian Guard version is likely cheaper.
 
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