I've been reading up on the history of cartridge razors, and see that Gillette held back on the introduction of stainless DE blades because they realised that the longer lasting blades would lead to a massive drop in unit sales and blow apart the "razors and blades" model.
Once Wilkinson went stainless and so became market leaders, Gillette had to follow suit but now the whole market was less profitable. The same "mistake" was made again with the Wilkinson Light Brigades and Personna 74s, both of which had such great longevity that they were unprofitable but which were both withdrawn.
Anyway, to reinstate profit from disposable blades Wilkinson introduced their bonded blades and the cartridge razor was born.
I suppose injectors don't fit this model since they remained economically viable with great blade longevity, and perhaps somebody can explain why this is.
But essentially, it seems that DE shaving began to become less profitable to the manufacturers with the introduction of stainless blades, and it was this that sealed its doom.
Any thoughts people?
Once Wilkinson went stainless and so became market leaders, Gillette had to follow suit but now the whole market was less profitable. The same "mistake" was made again with the Wilkinson Light Brigades and Personna 74s, both of which had such great longevity that they were unprofitable but which were both withdrawn.
Anyway, to reinstate profit from disposable blades Wilkinson introduced their bonded blades and the cartridge razor was born.
I suppose injectors don't fit this model since they remained economically viable with great blade longevity, and perhaps somebody can explain why this is.
But essentially, it seems that DE shaving began to become less profitable to the manufacturers with the introduction of stainless blades, and it was this that sealed its doom.
Any thoughts people?