I have been looking around for the American made Gillette Sensor or Sensor Excel handles and they seem really impossible to find unless I see them on Ebay for over $20 dollars. Also, does anyone know of a good after market handle that has some weight to it? All I see on line from my searches result in very cheap flimsy plastic looking things.
Why are original sensor handles impossible to find?
- Thread starter cgr86
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I know they've been out of production for quite a few years (the original ones), and they weren't exactly collector's items at the time. They pretty much went into the trash in favor of a M3 or something like that. I only still have my Sensor Excel handle from the late '80s or early '90s because I pathologically hold on to junk.
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I was lucky enough to find a solitary Sensor Excel razor at a Chemist Shop in Melbourne Australia a couple of years ago. I was impressed by it and bought a spare from South Korea for about $20 which I regard as a pretty good price. You should see what the original Gillette Trac II razor NOS is selling for these days!
Sensor with Gillette brand carts has been giving me an irritation free shave this winter. Maybe it is the dry air, the cold, but it is doing a better job than any other cart or DE razor/blade combination. I have poked around the internet looking for a heavier Sensor compatible handle. The only one I have seen is from Shave Classic, I bought one a few years ago. I had to force the carts to 'click' into the handle and the pivot was much stiffer than with the original Gillette handle. I hope someone has found a source of good Sensor handles, but so far no luck.
Hi,
About a year ago I performed a drawer 'clutterectomy' and dumped all the various cart handles I had collected out of my mailbox over the years. All but two Mach 3 handles, one for me and one for the wife in case of carry-on air travel. There were at least two Sensor handles in there which got dumped.
I never thought to post any of them on the BST. I would have done for free, just cover snailmail shipping. But I didn't think anyone here would want them. I would not have bothered with eBay, though.
Stan
About a year ago I performed a drawer 'clutterectomy' and dumped all the various cart handles I had collected out of my mailbox over the years. All but two Mach 3 handles, one for me and one for the wife in case of carry-on air travel. There were at least two Sensor handles in there which got dumped.
I never thought to post any of them on the BST. I would have done for free, just cover snailmail shipping. But I didn't think anyone here would want them. I would not have bothered with eBay, though.
Stan
Sensors came out in the 80s, if memory serves. That's a long time ago, and they were certainly solid handles, at least early on. I think many were thrown out when people moved on to the next big thing, the three and then the four blade models. Looking back, no cart (I used every model from the Trac II to the Fusion) ever gave me a better shave than the Sensor. It sounds as though the original handles are in short supply, so if you really want that model, you may have to bite the bullet and pay up. Happy hunting!
+1. It's still my favorite cartridge razor (which is why I broke my sabbatical to get one).
I ordered a new, unopened Sensor Excel from eBay a couple of days ago. The manufacturing date was 08/05/2016; apparently, Gillette is still making these for the Asian market, as my package was labeled in English, Korean, and Chinese (I'm sure about the Korean characters, not so much the kanji).
They make a Gillette disposable razor called the custom 3 with a pivot head. I understand that the handle will hold a sensor II cart. They are usually found in dollar stores. I am very sure that the sensor 3 disposable will also hold a sensor II cart. Both are decent handles and a lot cheaper than a used metal handle on ebay the condition of which is a big ?
I have two handles from the 90's, one of which still sees use. It is my best cart, unparalled for its combination of comfort & closeness.
I also have a Vector 3 (Blue 3) which has interchangeable carts with the Sensor.
My ASR Tri-Flex can also take Sensor carts.
New Sensor handles are still available here, but they're few & far between.
I also have a Vector 3 (Blue 3) which has interchangeable carts with the Sensor.
My ASR Tri-Flex can also take Sensor carts.
New Sensor handles are still available here, but they're few & far between.
The attachment fitting (handle to cartridge) on one of my originals fractured. Another one, and my original Sensor Excel handle both survived.
It is possible that a some of the early ones are simply out of circulation due to breakage.
The ASR Tri-Flexx handle does work with Sensor carts, but I found it to be a marginal fit, a bit fussy to get properly connected, and poor (stiff) pivot action.
It is possible that a some of the early ones are simply out of circulation due to breakage.
The ASR Tri-Flexx handle does work with Sensor carts, but I found it to be a marginal fit, a bit fussy to get properly connected, and poor (stiff) pivot action.
Original Sensor handles were available in the UK until around 3 years ago, when they were replaced by the Blue 3 version, this has now disappeared. There were many being sold from South Korea in the last 18 months, but they appear to have dried up. Aftermarket Sensor's were popular in Germany, but were very expensive.
I occasionally shave with my Gold Limited Edition. But if you and others wanted them then you should have bought them earlier, they only withdraw products when the market dries up.
I occasionally shave with my Gold Limited Edition. But if you and others wanted them then you should have bought them earlier, they only withdraw products when the market dries up.
I concur with everyone who gets the best shave from the Sensor Excel cartridges. I didn’t care for the handles though. Mine both got loose and started dropping cartridges unexpectedly. I’ve been using disposable handles with the cartridge refills. The disposable handles have no charm, but they are mechanically impeccable.
I understand that in addition to Gillette discontinuing the sensor handle they have also stopped making the sensor and sensor excel carts. What you see at Walmart is NOS until that stock is exhausted (made in Brazil). I see them online, but they are polish made. Gillette Trac II carts at Walmart are also made in Poland. I have not seen enough reviews on Polish blades to form an opinion. Anyone have experience with these.
I still have an original sensor all metal handle, but I actually prefer the larger plastic handle from the sensor III and the Excel carts fit great.
I still have an original sensor all metal handle, but I actually prefer the larger plastic handle from the sensor III and the Excel carts fit great.
Gillette more than likely discontinued the Sensor handles to coincide with the new Mach 3 that came out in '97. Sensor had come out in 1990. I've speculated that the reason the razor was discontinued, at least as being a cartridge set and handle, was because of the patents running out on them and copy-cat heads would be used on them. Sensor still exists, but only as a disposable razor now. No razor company here in North America wants to have a situation where the blades and razor handles are so cheap that they become what the safety razor is now, stupid cheap and easy to switch from one brand of blade to another.
I use my ebony after market Sensor handle with Personna Tri-Flex carts and get great shaves from them. I also like the two bladed Sensor carts without the lube strip. The Sensor always shaves me better than the Mach-3 ever did. I always suffered irritation with the Mach-3.
Clayton
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Clayton
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The Mach 3 is still produced even though the cartridge to handle interface has gone out of patent. You can now buy off-brand Mach 3 cartridges and a new Mach 3 handle. I'm trying to remember if that's ever happened before.
The handles are still being produced to a point. More than likely the existing inventory will be phased out over next year.
You'd think so, but the Mach 3 is still a current product - you can get it as Gillette on Demand, and the brand new Gillette 3 uses the same cartridges. That will be available for years. Of course, all this is because Gillette now has to compete with Dollar Shave Club and Harry's. They have to have lower prices products in the market now.
New old stock? I don't think so. These carts are still surprisingly, being produced. Even if the boxed carts are discontinued, the carts would still be available through the disposables. Seriously, go find a modern Gillette Sensor 2 or 3 disposable and look closely at the head. It can be removed. So, in theory, as long as Gillette does this, then a guy can have a ready supply of carts for their main sensor handle, just remove the cheap handles and they are what, about a buck a cart?
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