30 days with a single Mach 3 cartridge, REDUX

BlackBard · Mar 31, 2010

I began a thread in December about shaving with a single Mach 3 cartridge for 30 days. My last progress report was on day 23 of the trial. Unfortunately, I had a stroke the morning of December 25th and was unable to complete the 30 days.

This month I decided to try again. I started with a fresh Mach 3 cartridge on the first. I have used the same one every day since then. Today marks the end of a month on the same cartridge.

My shaves since day 23 this month have all been exceptionally close with no irritation. On the 29th, after having read a thread about arm stropping a blade, I tried stropping on my jeans. The subsequent shave was much more harsh and seemed to drag a lot when I shaved.

The next two shaves were better, but there was some pulling that I had not experienced before. The shaves were very close, however. I did have to do a little more touchup as some areas needed more attention to get all the hair removed. It is now about 3 hours since I shaved and I have no irritation and a DFS shave - BBS in some areas.

Bottom line - I will probably go back to my usual routine of changing carts twice a month. At $2.00 US each (when bought in quantity at COSTCO), I feel that the cost is not too high.

Here is my original post and the link to the thread, in case anyone wants to see it.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=123217

BlackBard said:
While I realize I may go down in flames from the cartridge-haters because of this thread, here goes.

Background: I started shaving as a kid with a DE about 50 years ago. Over the years I have used about every type of razor Gillette has made since then. I have used a badger brush and soap for more than 40 years (don't really recall exactly when I started), so I have considerable experience in this regard.

I have been using a Mach 3 since it came out. I have to say that I do like it. I consistently get very good results with this razor.

I have posted elsewhere, in response to a thread concerning how many shaves people get from a blade, saying that I use a cartridge for 15 days. This is two pass shave, plus a little touch up, every day. I change cartridges on the 1st and 15th of the month. In the distant past, I used them for up to a month. So, on the 16th, I began my journey toward 30 days on the same cartridge.

It may sound strange, but that shave was the best one I have gotten in a long time. It was truly BBS and no irritation at all. It was so smooth that I could barely feel any stubble by that night and almost didn't need a shave by morning. I was surprised.

Shaves on the 17th and this morning (the 18th) were also close and comfortable, but my GF did say she saw a red mark on my chin, although I could not feel anything.

If I am not run off B&B for this, I will post periodical updates on my quest to go for a month on the same blade.

EDIT: I neglected to mention that I am using Williams soap for this little experiment, but I'm getting low, so it may not last to the end. Also, if the going gets too rough, I will resort to better soap, maybe Trumper's Rose to get me through.

Monkeydad · Mar 31, 2010

Hope you've recovered fine.

I must wonder why you'd put yourself through this again. You made it 23 days before...close enough. :laugh:

Related pic:

GarageBoy · Apr 3, 2010

Ouch and thanks for the update
My dad uses the same disposible for months...(he must have leather for a face)

proxymoron · Apr 4, 2010

Have no interest in trying it myself, but I applaud your commitment.

OTOH, back in the day, I would use every M3 cart until it nicked me on consecutive shaves. I think I was regularly getting 3+ weeks out of them (but I used to avoid shaving whenever possible).

andrewinman · Apr 4, 2010

I just made a promise to my face not to do the 30 day mach 3 stretch...man not even a 3 day stretch

shmeegs · Apr 4, 2010

I honestly had great shaves with my mach 3. I just got sick of spending an arm for replacement cartridges.

Slivovitz · Apr 4, 2010

Glad that you're back. M3 is one cartridge I never tried, and probably won't, at this point, but it's interesting to read of your experience.

agent005 · Apr 4, 2010

A month with one blade.....you my friend have tough skin both literally and figuratively. When I shaved with M3's....I got at best 3 shaves before it started tearing my skin apart.

Hairy Callahan · Apr 4, 2010

Glad you're back from your stroke. Some folks to get to come back. For the past decade or so I had been buying a couple of 10 packs of M3 carts from the big labor day flea market in Hillsville Virginia. Same vendor. It was a guaranteed purchase. Those carts lasted me all year. I'm an every third day shaver. So twenty carts lasted all year with some left over. That vendor, dunno how he go em, was selling them for 6.99. Past couple of years however, they were 8 packs instead of 10 packs. Same price tho. Still, I was a happy shaver. Now I run across this place and I'm sinking a fortune in vintage DE shaving gear so that I can "save money". Er... Whatever... :bored:

troy1979 · Apr 4, 2010

i have gotten 15 shaves so far over 4 months on a M3, between shaves i put the blade in mineral oil. i use my M3 only when i am in a hurry. i feel i can get maybe 5-10 more shaves out of it.

jdlewallen · Apr 4, 2010

agent005 said:
A month with one blade.....you my friend have tough skin both literally and figuratively. When I shaved with M3's....I got at best 3 shaves before it started tearing my skin apart.

Ditto.... Idea of using one for an entire month is just :scared:

UNLESS.... I just quit shaving for a month!! :laugh:

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30 days with a single Mach 3 cartridge, REDUX

BlackBard

Monkeydad

GarageBoy

proxymoron

andrewinman

shmeegs

Slivovitz

agent005

Hairy Callahan

troy1979

jdlewallen

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