When will people learn or are we partly to blame?

[Radar O\'Reilly]

I saw yet another person claiming over a year of use out of a cartridge by "stropping" it against your arm on a popular consumer website:

Make your disposable razor last 20 months

Is it just because they have never had a "good shave", and think they are getting a good one? Or is the resurgence of wet shaving, and seeing people strop razors make them think they can "strop" a cartridge, even though they only have access to one side of the blade?

 

[information junkie]

a razor that pulls the hair out is just as good as one that cuts it off.

 

[BlakeW5]

I'd say it's because they've never had a good shave. If anyone thinks it helps they've either got a face made of leather or they're fooling themselves into seeing improvement/results. It takes a penny pincher to find ways to make a fusion cartridge last 20 months. I'll stick with my sharp, .10 DE blades

If it is because people are drawing inspiration from straight-razors, well......they can't be that smart.

The site the video is listed on even implies that water won't effect stainless steel!

EDIT: Last I checked, hair is harder to cut than skin so why would one believe that ones skin could sharpen a blade that was dulled down by hair?

 

[Chester]

Is it just because they have never had a "good shave", and think they are getting a good one? Or is the resurgence of wet shaving, and seeing people strop razors make them think they can "strop" a cartridge, even though they only have access to one side of the blade?

My guesses are yes, yes and yes. Add on the ridiculous miraculous razor blade restorer as-seen-on-TV, and you have the current state of affairs. I'm also guessing that the high price of disposable cartridges seems even higher in these economic times, and folks are looking for any way they can to milk more average performance out of what they have.

My $.02,
-- Chet

 

[BBrad]

Radar, I think you are headed in the right direction with your observation that the cartridge users may not know what a "good shave" really is!!!

When I was using cartridges, I had forgotten what made a shave good . . . and it is more than just making long whiskers short! Irritation, itch, and burn was a way of life . . .

I think most will agree that a cartridge with its multiple cutting edges will outlast a single-cutter blade . . . although it may not out-perform one! I could make a cartridge last a month without doing anything more than making sure it was dry before I put it back on the shelf. (Was I actually "stropping" the blade with a towel?)

Without a doubt, shave #30 was not as good as shave #3, but obviously one of the multiple blades cut some whiskers.

If I had no knowledge of what makes my present razors superior to a Mach3, I would probably still be getting a month of bad shaves out of a $4 cartridge, cursing Gillette every time I passed by the razor blade display at the store!

 

[DE Shaver]

It's the same psychology that drives people to use oil or gas additives in their car, the hope they can extend the life their oil and fuel to save money. In this case, the desire is to extend the life of a cartridge blade. To me, this is a false economy. The time and effort spent trying to keep a blade alive and to persevere through rough and subpar shaves is a fruitless endeavour. Unfortunately, there are many exaggerated claims that you can get months and now years of use from a cartridge blade, all of them anecdotal.

Blades dull via two processes; through their use in shaving and through oxidation. Both can be mitigated to a degree but there is a point in which you can forestall the inevitable. I'm very skeptical of claims of people getting months of shaving from a single blade or cartridge. Perhaps if you have a light beard and shave once a week. However, most blades or cartridges really don't last much more than two weeks of daily use. Quality blades and extra care can allow a blade to go for a little longer but there are limits to everything.

 

[amishmotorboat]

I don't know. I have a friend I tried to convert to DE, and when I told him how cheap the blades were he said he has over 6 months on his current mach 3 cartridge.

 

[valmara1971]

I was talking about this with a lad at work. I simply asked him where the lubrication strip on a fusion blade is? He said at the top. I asked what does that strip do? He says it lubes the skin. I as how the blade has passed before the strip how can it lube your skin? He says ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yes your right its a load of BS Cut to the chase he will be trying a DE of mine in the very near future another one "saved" I hope.

 

[Slivovitz]

I was talking about this with a lad at work. I simply asked him where the lubrication strip on a fusion blade is? He said at the top. I asked what does that strip do? He says it lubes the skin. I as how the blade has passed before the strip how can it lube your skin? He says ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yes your right its a load of BS Cut to the chase he will be trying a DE of mine in the very near future another one "saved" I hope.

Actually, I thought the story was that it moisturized your skin after the blades had passed, not that it lubed the skin in preparation for the blades. Still probably BS of course, but slightly more plausible BS.

As for this guy claiming to get 22 months by arm stropping his cartridge, well, he looks well shaven. I'd have to say I simply don't believe his story about how he got that way.

 

[talibeard]

Getting good shaves is a relative thing; the best shave ever is your own best shave ever till you have an even better one.

When all you know is an epilady......

 

[Not The Original Kermit]

actually the secret is in the soap.

I wince everytime I watch this video.

[GVIDEO]http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-796661302054867364&ei=pyatS4K1KIbEqgKJpKHkBg&q=razor+burn#[/GVIDEO]

 

[Razdict]

Two words. Occam's razor.

 

[BBrad]

Two words. Occam's razor.

+1

 

[Radar O\'Reilly]

Two words. Occam's razor.

Where can I buy one? Are they adjustable?

 

[napoleon]

I tried stropping it on my arm for 11 times. And it was too sharp!

 

[information junkie]

could it be that it was a new blade and he is having a good laugh at those who believe him.

 

[BBrad]

Two words. Occam's razor.

Where can I buy one? Are they adjustable?

For those who may want to try it (it is supposed to be simple) . . . Occam's razor can be found here.