Gillette Fusion - The best a DE-less man can get! 
What cartridge razor would you use if you couldn't use a safety razor?
- Thread starter polod
- Start date
Walmart Wilkinson Blades with a Bump Fighter Razor handle, is what I currently use for travel. I also like the Gillette Sensor 2 blades minus the excel.
the rubber strip on the excel is useless and just causes more irritation.
the rubber strip on the excel is useless and just causes more irritation.
Gillette Fusion or Schick Hydro5
WARHAWK
WARHAWK
Gillette Guard
I've been using the Sensor for a couple of weeks. I used an Exel blade, now I'm using a Sensor 3. When I finish using that and another Excel blade I'll buy some standard Sensor blades. I find that I always need to shave ATG as shaving WTG & XTG doesn't cut a lot of hairs. I have no idea why this is. I usually shave after having a hot shower so my face is warm. I don't know why I have to shave ATG to get a close shave.
Gillette Trac II Bump Fighter.
Sensor Excel.
Tried bic's, Gillette Blue II's, Wilkinson Sword Protector, various other cheapies in the past, have 2 Mach3's one of which vibrates for some strange reason, but my favorite cartridge has to be the Excel, had one since '92 and use it if I'm travelling as I don't want a razor blade slashing its way out of my wash-kit, or my fingers when I scrabble in the bag.
Tried bic's, Gillette Blue II's, Wilkinson Sword Protector, various other cheapies in the past, have 2 Mach3's one of which vibrates for some strange reason, but my favorite cartridge has to be the Excel, had one since '92 and use it if I'm travelling as I don't want a razor blade slashing its way out of my wash-kit, or my fingers when I scrabble in the bag.
I have tried all the Gillette and some Wilkinson cartridge razors and to be honest liked all the Gillettes pretty much.
I'm only in this game because I like male grooming and traditional wet shaving - and all the gear that comes with it
I use the same gear whether I use my DE, my Feather straight or my cartridge razors - same setup, prep and after shave ritual. Only difference is the razor I use.
I loved the Sensor in the late 1980's early 1990's, I loved the Gillette March 3 in the mid 1990's and up until the mid 2000's and from circa 2005 and up I believe, I started to enjoy the Gillette Fusion cartridge razors.
The thing I probably love the most about the Fusion cartridge is its ability to turn the heard around and use the little single blade razor to remove the whiskers under the nose and just inside the nose - ingenious design. I also use this EVEN when I shave with one of my DE razors, because it takes me 4 seconds to remove the hair in that area compared to using a clumsy DE head and trying to remove the hair for 20-30 seconds - only a straight razor is up for that task as well as the Fusion is IMHO
YES ! If used every day they probably WILL cause ingrown hair if you shave WTG and ATG with them.
YES! They are a bit hard on your skin, because 5 blades rides across your skin at the same time
NO! I still can't find a better way to shave off my 4-5 days beard growth than the Gillette Fusion, I use a special technique, short 1" strokes, then rinse - after 1 pass plus touch ups I have shaved my 1-2 cm long heavy beard away - I use my Mühle Sophist handle with a Fusion cartridge and so far have used only 8 Fusion cartridges since September last year - not that crazy expensive IMHO. I strop them with my fingers after each shave, and that makes the Fusion blade last for 6-8 shaves at least.
BUT! For me I found that using the Fusion or any other multi cartridge system on 1-3 days beard growth is not ideal, it's in this situation where I much prefer a DE or a straight razor.
I can still shave just fine with my Fusion, but not ATG or XTG - only 1 pass WTG and this will not remove all my stubbles - so for 1-3 days growth I prefer the DE and traditional razor system to the cartridge system, but still have lived fine for 20+ years with my cartridge system, so all in all for me - I don't get the agitation against cartridge razors, because they have not given me the problems other people have experienced using multi blade cartridges.
Just my 2 cents
I'm only in this game because I like male grooming and traditional wet shaving - and all the gear that comes with it
I use the same gear whether I use my DE, my Feather straight or my cartridge razors - same setup, prep and after shave ritual. Only difference is the razor I use.
I loved the Sensor in the late 1980's early 1990's, I loved the Gillette March 3 in the mid 1990's and up until the mid 2000's and from circa 2005 and up I believe, I started to enjoy the Gillette Fusion cartridge razors.
The thing I probably love the most about the Fusion cartridge is its ability to turn the heard around and use the little single blade razor to remove the whiskers under the nose and just inside the nose - ingenious design. I also use this EVEN when I shave with one of my DE razors, because it takes me 4 seconds to remove the hair in that area compared to using a clumsy DE head and trying to remove the hair for 20-30 seconds - only a straight razor is up for that task as well as the Fusion is IMHO
YES ! If used every day they probably WILL cause ingrown hair if you shave WTG and ATG with them.
YES! They are a bit hard on your skin, because 5 blades rides across your skin at the same time
NO! I still can't find a better way to shave off my 4-5 days beard growth than the Gillette Fusion, I use a special technique, short 1" strokes, then rinse - after 1 pass plus touch ups I have shaved my 1-2 cm long heavy beard away - I use my Mühle Sophist handle with a Fusion cartridge and so far have used only 8 Fusion cartridges since September last year - not that crazy expensive IMHO. I strop them with my fingers after each shave, and that makes the Fusion blade last for 6-8 shaves at least.
BUT! For me I found that using the Fusion or any other multi cartridge system on 1-3 days beard growth is not ideal, it's in this situation where I much prefer a DE or a straight razor.
I can still shave just fine with my Fusion, but not ATG or XTG - only 1 pass WTG and this will not remove all my stubbles - so for 1-3 days growth I prefer the DE and traditional razor system to the cartridge system, but still have lived fine for 20+ years with my cartridge system, so all in all for me - I don't get the agitation against cartridge razors, because they have not given me the problems other people have experienced using multi blade cartridges.
Just my 2 cents
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Dang, this is an old thread...
I'm a little torn by the question, because I really do think that there are many good cart razors. That said, I think I truly do get the best shaves from a DE.
Practically, I think I like the Atra the most for my face. On the head, I still use an M3 or fusion -- it's only a few times a year, but they're easy to use.
Now, with that out of the way, I wanted to point out a couple other great cart razors:
- Trac][ -- yep, old as the hills, no flippy blade, simple, easy to use, excellent carts that are easy to find. I started with the Schick variant (the super][) as my first razor. After recently going beck for a 3-week tour of this format, it was really quite satisfying. One cart gave me more than 10 shaves. Not bad at all.
- Wilkinson Bonded -- single-bladed carts that attach to a very lightweight plastic handle. No flippy blade here, either, and the razor and blades are surprisingly easy to find. These are very satisfying shaves. I've been told that Bic metals give a similar shave, actually, but I prefer the idea of the cart in this case.
-- Chet
I'm a little torn by the question, because I really do think that there are many good cart razors. That said, I think I truly do get the best shaves from a DE.
Practically, I think I like the Atra the most for my face. On the head, I still use an M3 or fusion -- it's only a few times a year, but they're easy to use.
Now, with that out of the way, I wanted to point out a couple other great cart razors:
- Trac][ -- yep, old as the hills, no flippy blade, simple, easy to use, excellent carts that are easy to find. I started with the Schick variant (the super][) as my first razor. After recently going beck for a 3-week tour of this format, it was really quite satisfying. One cart gave me more than 10 shaves. Not bad at all.
- Wilkinson Bonded -- single-bladed carts that attach to a very lightweight plastic handle. No flippy blade here, either, and the razor and blades are surprisingly easy to find. These are very satisfying shaves. I've been told that Bic metals give a similar shave, actually, but I prefer the idea of the cart in this case.
-- Chet
Atra, because that was my go-to for about 20 years. I like the fact that it pivots enough to be useful without being obnoxious about it.
Harry's, no question. In terms of value and function, it beats all the others in spades.
Sensor Excel. Two blades are the maximum. Can't get into tight places with more blades.
The cheapest 2 blade disposable I can find at Aldi. All these cart and multi-blades tear me up about the same. Why pay for a mach 3 or fusion cart when a 50 cent chuck-away does the same kind of job?
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I used all three when they came out. Used the Trac II, then the Atra and then the Sensor Excel. I liked the Sensor the most. Used it til I went back to DEs.
Greg W.
Greg W.
If I couldn't use a safety razor I'd stop shaving. I'd just give the occasional trim with my Oster 76 clippers if I felt like not sporting a beard. Not spoken in jest, this is what I used to do before I discovered DE shaving.
I had a cartridge razor(s) (sensor 1 & 2 I think?), but I didn't use it much, shaving wasn't enjoyable until I started using a DE. Nowadays I wouldn't even own a cartridge razor. Actually, I threw my handles away & gave the cartridges to a friend.
I had a cartridge razor(s) (sensor 1 & 2 I think?), but I didn't use it much, shaving wasn't enjoyable until I started using a DE. Nowadays I wouldn't even own a cartridge razor. Actually, I threw my handles away & gave the cartridges to a friend.
Before I would go back to any cart ...I would WAX!!!!!!!
I'm afraid that I'd have to grow a full beard if I couldn't use a DE razor.
I ventured in and out of different cartridge razors over the years prior to DE shaving. Intermittently. I would get sick of them and their expense and resort to cheap disposable grocery store razors, which gave me just about as good a shave. So that is what I'd go back to. Or I would forge myself a straight razor and learn to use it----I'm a blacksmith. I would not go back to cartridge razors.
