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What is the point of lubricating strips on cartridge razors? WHY?

Rhody

I'm a Lumberjack.
The strip I’m familiar with would fade or change color and this was an indicator that it was time to change the cart head for a new one. Although it might straighten the skin or provide some lube it is a brilliant mechanism to sell more carts.
 
Lubrications strips are for three major reasons that have all been mentioned so far.
1. Patents
2. So you can shave in the shower (water only) as well as shaving goo in a can isn't as good as soap and brush... thinking it also helps post shave?
3. when they wear out it is time to replace blade/cart as Rhody mentions
 

ylekot

On the lookout for a purse
I've just had a brilliant idea!

I'm going to buy some new cartridges and dismantle them to extract their slime strips. I am then going to glue these new slime strips along a straight razor's spine-wear area. Imagine shaving with a SR and also getting the benefit of cart slime.

Before I waste my hard earned that could be better spent on more SR's, has anyone here tried this?
You sir are either a good comedian or truly nuts! Who knows, it just might work....
 
I have suspected for a long time that lube strips were primarily created to reduce friction in the transfer of 💰 from the shaving cartridge customer to the shareholders of the company that makes the cartridges.


B.
 
Even better, how does a lubricating strip that is above the blades and, therefore, applying moisture after the blades contact your face helpful? As post-shave? I never understood this when I was a cartridge shaver. It just made the shave slimy for no good reason.
 
The strips were added to the Atra cartridges after some years. All other cartridges that followed in the Gillette lineup had them. Original Atra cartridges didn't have them. Never cared for them and thought shaves sans lube strip were superior.
 

Mike M

...but this one IS cracked.
The lubrication strip is a device that Gillette invented to part users from more cash. A cart without a strip will look ok even after the blades dull, however, add a lubrication strip and you can make the cart look like it is in need of replacement even before the blades dull as the strip starts to look shabby.
 
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