Sensor Excel does a better job

Now that i have your attention....

So i usually use a Sensor Excel and only recently switched to a Gillette SuperSpeed. Last night, i needed a quick shave, i was tired, needed to get in bed and didnt have time to mess with the DE. So, i did as usual, lathered up my face, ran the sensor excel with the grain, one pass, rinsed the razor and my face and called it a night.

I must say, with one pass, with the grain, the sensor excel does SIGNIFICANTLY better than my DE.

This doesnt mean anything, i just wanted to throw it out as an observation...and i will admit, i was slightly disappointed. Im not sure how it would do if i made the regular three passes. Is this normal?

Most cartridge razors are made to cut close with one pass, which is precisely the problem I have with them. A DE, on the other hand, is usually used to gradually cut the beard so that you can obtain a close shave that is comfortable. Now, some people can use cartridge razors without any pain or irritation. I can't, which is why I use a DE. That and the final results with a DE are much better than a catridge razor for me. Use what works well for you!

...But i like me DE better because it gives me a reason to take my time and do a better job than flying through it. With the cartridge razor, i can get an acceptable shave in less than 30 seconds, which is nice when you really need to do it.

A lot of folks talk about ingrown hairs, etc. being eliminated with the DE. Myself, I don't understand how a particular razor could influence or encourage ingrown hairs in the least - it just doesn't make sense to me. But it may to others.

Anyway... I too can shave just as well with an excel... and it's certainly faster. I have no real good reason for having switched - ( I will say that after defeating RAD and SCAD I have found some good products my costs have plummeted and the blades are MUCH cheaper so I may yet come out ahead ) - except to say that I enjoy shaving with a DE. I like taking my time and being forced to slow down. I like mixing my own shaving cream and applying the warm cream to my face. And it's almost embarrassing to admit... but I get positively giddy about selecting a blade to use that day. Sometimes I toss a perfectly good one after one use just so I can try another one. In my opinion the fact I get superior shaves has nothing to do with the razor - it's because I go slower, do proper prep, and more than anything else it's because of the alum and witch hazel after the shave where I used to do nothing.

In short, I have no great reason not to go back to the sensor, no reason except that I really enjoy using the DE and I actually look forward to shaving now. And that's plenty reason for me.

Yes, the cartridge will do an acceptable job in one WTG pass. However, it does seem to tug and pull at the hair and my face too is more irritated at the end of the shave.

Even with some XTG passes though the cartridge gets no closer and the irritation gets greater and greater. I put the former phenomenon down to the shock absorbers on the cartridge that help prevent idiots cutting themselves. I put the latter down to the method of the leading blade lifting the hair and the trailing blade cutting the hair.

I can run my hand over my face now, twelve hours after shaving with a DE, and the stubble is still less than I'd have immediately after the closest of cartridge shaves. I reckon I take about ten minutes for a shave these days, compared to five in the olden days. Time well invested, IMHO.

IMO, the Sensor is the best of the cartridge razors; I consider it better than the M and the Fusion. I can easily get a decent shave with it, the problem I have with it is the skin irritation that results. The are several reasons I embraced the DE over the M3 and Sensor, and I'm not about to revert to them.

I disagree with the premise of this thread; that the Sensor does a better job.

-- John Gehman

BroJohn said:

IMO, the Sensor is the best of the cartridge razors; I consider it better than the M and the Fusion. I can easily get a decent shave with it, the problem I have with it is the skin irritation that results. The are several reasons I embraced the DE over the M3 and Sensor, and I'm not about to revert to them.

I disagree with the premise of this thread; that the Sensor does a better job.

-- John Gehman

Click to expand...

+1

Until I got into DE shaving I used a Sensor exclusively. My only problem was that no matter what I did, upon finishing shaving my neck would look like it was stung by a swarm of bees. The Sensor does an acceptable job imo, it will never get as close as a DE, or shave as comfortably, but it will get the job done.

scorpion said:

A lot of folks talk about ingrown hairs, etc. being eliminated with the DE. Myself, I don't understand how a particular razor could influence or encourage ingrown hairs in the least - it just doesn't make sense to me. But it may to others.

Click to expand...

The whole multi-blade cartridge design is based on the whisker being stretched by the first blade and before it returns to it's normal position, the succeeding blades cut it again. This can cause whiskers to be cut below their surface level when pulled. After the whisker returns to normal and is below the skin surface, it can then become ingrown, causing pain and irritation.

I too believe the Sensor Excel is the best of the cartridge razors. I still have one with several cartridges which I only use when I travel (not much) or when I wake up late (not much at all).

I also revert to my Sensor when crushed for time, travelling, or being under the weather with a cold or something. When I use it, I use Cremo+Cream and get a quite decent shave.

Not as decent as my DE but quite respectable for 30-45 seconds worth of work.

Wet-Shaving coupled with DE seems to be almost therapeutic to me.
I take my time, enjoy the sensory experience of intense "hot hydro" prep, the lovely scent of the creams, whipping up the badger batter finishing with a sensual face lathering. The lovely mental state of super concentrated focus while mowing. Then the enjoyable post shave treatment with lots of skin sensations from the alum-y
sting'n'tingle to the coolness of hydrosols & rose witch and the creamy softness of rubbing in a cool moisturizer.

Just find W-S/DE sensuos & relaxing whereas canned goo shaving with an armada of blades is just a chore to be done as quickly as possible.

I also like saving money with the DE Blades over the outrageous price of
multiblade cartridges, even tho I don't really need to save the money, I do
feel good about saving it even though I just spend it on more luxury creams, etc.

Acquiring & using lovely creams from foreign lands is kind of like traveling aboard, which is something I'd love to do but know that I'll never ever have time to do until I retire.

I also enjoy trying out different DE blades in the search of the perfect edge. I take comfort knowing that I can always go-to my stash of Derby's 'n
get a great shave.

The Sensor is a decent razor (and the prices for the blades are not bad) but I don't believe, at least for me, it is significantly closer a shave than what is possible with a DE. It is more consistant, though, and somewhat faster. Mach 3 is really a close shave but it is more irritating than the Sensor or the DE, and I haven't even tried a Fusion.

A multi-blade razor will definitely cause ingrown hairs in some people because if all is perfect with the shave, it will cut the hair to a level below the skin. The marketting pitch for multi-blades was original that you wouldn't get 5 O'clock shadow, which is somewhat true, but the downside is that you can get ingrown hairs.

Cartridge razors allow you to use pressure. In fact, the depend on the pressure to be effective. And that is what makes them decent when you are in a hurry. As far as I am concerned, we are all here to get the shave we are most comfortable with. If using a Sensor does that, great. If it involves a straight razor, a chicken and a bottle of tequila, more power to you (that would be an interesting SOTD photo!). Use what you like and are most satisfied with for your shave. B&B is about discussing shaving and having fun. If a cartridge is what you prefer, go for it!

Randy (getting ready to ban some of the above members...)

scorpion said:

A lot of folks talk about ingrown hairs, etc. being eliminated with the DE. Myself, I don't understand how a particular razor could influence or encourage ingrown hairs in the least - it just doesn't make sense to me. But it may to others.

Click to expand...

The theory behind it is that some cartridge razors are designed to 'lift and cut' the hairs, making them go under skin level, therefore increasing the chance they will not grow back out of the skin properly, and cause razor bumps etc.

Unfortunately for me, I still get almost as many razor bumps/ingrowns if I shave ATG with a DE as I do with a cartridge razor. So I just don't bothere shaving ATG anymore.

I really had no complaints about my Mach 3 shaves. Everybody was just raving about the DE shave. So I went on a leap of faith.

Say for example, if tomorrow I have a great shave, I know I had something to do with it. My technique had something to do with it; and that makes me feel good.

You can't get that level of satisfaction from a multiblade; that your little one could use.

The "face feel" isn't there for me either, when you are talking about the CR's. Also, there's the issue of "lift and cut" or hysteresis that the multi blade systems employ.

The price of the cartridges really isn't an issue because of the AD's I've acquired, so it's probably a wash - or worse, a negative cash flow. (Spending more money than the cartridges alone would have cost me.)

So, no - I couldn't go back. No way. No how.

And you guys were right. The DE shave is better than a CR shave. YMMV.

I tried to shave using my Sensor this morning...terrible. I used to think that was a good razor! You could definitely feel it tugging at the hairs as it cut them. I quickly reverted back to my trusty HD with a swede gillette blade and all was good again

I've experimented with a Sensor a few times this month. I got decent shaves but no closer than the DE overall. What I really notice is that the DE has a much bigger tendency to create localized razor burn, whereas the Sensor just tends to create an "overshaved" feeling in the face- the alum block tingles everywhere. OTOH, the Sensor did cause a few ingrown hairs, too. I believe the DE trades not cutting so close (little or no ingrowns) and less generalized irritation for more severe razor burn when it does happen.

i've been DE shaving for about 8 months. recently, i was in a hurry and decided to pull the shick quattro out of the bottom of the drawer and see what happened.

i did a WTG and an ATG. resulting shave was better than my 4 pass DE shave, especially on the problem areas at the jawline and neck. subsequent sessions have yielded the same result. then i tried a 3 pass with the quattro. closest shave i've ever had, with no blade buffing. no irritation.

switching permanently? nope. i really don't like the strong pull that i feel with the quattro. the DE is much more comfortable. and more fun. i'll probably use the quattro occasionally for a quick 2 pass shave, or maybe for travelling. i can't see anyone construing a quattro blade as a weapon.

actually, the most efficient shave for me (meaning, factoring quality of result, lack of irritation, and time) is a wet shave in the shower with a norelco. but, the closeness and fun factor relegates this ritual to the only very occasionally category.

sometimes i even consider trying a str8!

Thanks to the posters above who explained the ingrown hair theory to me. I guess it's just never been a problem for me with either shaving method. I have no doubt it affects others.