Just the other day I saw some Mach 3 carts in a drugstore while shopping. I used to use Mach 3 and foam/gel for years before I discovered the 'traditional' way of shaving. This made me wonder if anyone of you has ever gone back to cartridge shaving from a DE or straight? And if so, why?
Carts, carts, carts....
- Thread starter J23
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I haven't gone back to it as such but I occasionally use a few cartridge razors just to compare with my DEs or injectors.
I have a Wilkinson Sword FX performer because a few years back a pound shop was selling off a load of cartridges cheap.
I have a gillette contour and a Wilkinson sword II which I tried just to see how they performed.
I think the best cartridge razor I have used is probably the Gillette Guard, a cheap single blade jobbie that seems to get a lot of respect from people who use it through choice.
I would never go back to cartridges permanently though. I enjoy DE too much, having tried out so many blades over the years and identified a few vintage razors I'm happy with. It would feel like a waste what with all the DE blades I have spent years accumulating.
I have a Wilkinson Sword FX performer because a few years back a pound shop was selling off a load of cartridges cheap.
I have a gillette contour and a Wilkinson sword II which I tried just to see how they performed.
I think the best cartridge razor I have used is probably the Gillette Guard, a cheap single blade jobbie that seems to get a lot of respect from people who use it through choice.
I would never go back to cartridges permanently though. I enjoy DE too much, having tried out so many blades over the years and identified a few vintage razors I'm happy with. It would feel like a waste what with all the DE blades I have spent years accumulating.
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As I’ve got older I’ve found my skin seems more sensitive to DE shaving so I use carts more than DE.
I have to admit to liking the cart shaving whilst applying the knowledge I have gained in my DE journey.
It is slightly annoying as I gave somevery nice razors.
Dave.
I have to admit to liking the cart shaving whilst applying the knowledge I have gained in my DE journey.
It is slightly annoying as I gave somevery nice razors.
Dave.
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I went back to carts last year after about 12 yrs of DE only. I saw a Mach 3 on sale for couple of quid and I said to my self: "mmm I'm going to try for the sake of it just to see if anything has changed". The results: an amazing effortless shave. As far as I am concerned, I believe the DE experience has served me to develop a proper technique, i.e. no pushing, dragging etc. I then switched to the fusion as my main razor. Every now and then I get one of my DE, but I can get that close effortless shave I can get with my fusion which has now become my main razor I use 90% of the time. I found that stropping it on my non hairy part of my forearm keeps the blades clean and make them last longer. This way I also solved the issue of the cost of replacing carts.
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Not for me,
Maybe one day i’ll dip my toe in the water but at the minute DE/SE for me
Maybe one day i’ll dip my toe in the water but at the minute DE/SE for me
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Stropping helps a lot. I sometimes strop DE blades just for fun on a piece of cardboard. Gives me an extra two shaves or so from the blade.
Cartridges do give close shaves and they’re great for easy quality shaves. The thing that keeps me from using them fulltime, is the cost. And even more so, the fact that I’ll be throwing away plastic with each cartridge I replace. The latter I find disturbing and I don’t understand why the cart makes as of yet don’t offer a green alternative like bio ‘plastics’.
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I go through phases of using a cartridge razor. It' mixed in with DE shaving. I've always been a fan of the Mach 3 & recently tried the 5 blade Fusion for the first time. I must say the Fusion is a fantastic shave. I enjoy it very much.
It' about when the mood takes me. Love my 3one6 razor - at the moment I'm enjoying the Fusion. I use shaving soap & a brush
It' about when the mood takes me. Love my 3one6 razor - at the moment I'm enjoying the Fusion. I use shaving soap & a brush
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Maybe it's me, but I feel "go back" as somehow negative.
I think because of the basic misunderstanding about hi-tech razors.
http://www.ilrasoio.com/viewtopic.php?p=400554#p400554
New gen multiblade systems are faster and easier.
I truely love my Gillettes: Fusion, Skin Guard, Labs.
The newer, the better. Very effective, super smooth.
BTW, after the learning curve with traditional razors, all the tools work fine.
I use them with no difference. SR or shavette, DE / SE or cartridge.
If It has a good keen edge, for me It's nice.
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Gillette uk is currently recycling used carts and disposable (even if not Gillette branded). They used to have prepaid padded envelops available at my local Sainsbury's, but not anymore. I still have the bag I picked up last year and i'm not even half way through it. Anyhow, you can order one from the Gillette website https://www.gillette.co.uk/recycle.list
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Thank you for sharing. I have never heard of the scheme. Happy to sign up!
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Yep! I enjoy trying out the newer technologies as they arise ...
I was so engrossed with the wealth of vintage for the first few years after coming to traditional shaving, but having come as up to date as the Gillette Twinjector and then the Trac-II, curiousity got the better of me and I revisited the Mach3 (which is what I was using when I came to traditional shaving) and beyond. I've not re-tried the Sensor format which is where I started (once I could afford something better than a cheapo pack of disposables and whatever bar soap was on whatever sink I found myself near) because what I have learned is that technology has simply got better with each generation.
In repsect to cartridges, I'm happy with the latest and greatest. I'm also VERY happy with the Gillette Guard single blade format, which is my mainstay for travel.
I was so engrossed with the wealth of vintage for the first few years after coming to traditional shaving, but having come as up to date as the Gillette Twinjector and then the Trac-II, curiousity got the better of me and I revisited the Mach3 (which is what I was using when I came to traditional shaving) and beyond. I've not re-tried the Sensor format which is where I started (once I could afford something better than a cheapo pack of disposables and whatever bar soap was on whatever sink I found myself near) because what I have learned is that technology has simply got better with each generation.
In repsect to cartridges, I'm happy with the latest and greatest. I'm also VERY happy with the Gillette Guard single blade format, which is my mainstay for travel.