When will it stop?

Warlockdlx69 · Aug 22, 2007

Many people here im sure have seen comic pictures of disposable cartridges that pack 100 blades on em... (exaggeration) but, lets talk reality though... 100 years ago, if you told a guy there would be a blade in the future that used 5 blades to shave with, he would probably slap you and have you committed... today? thats obviously not a big deal...

so the question arises... what could they possibly come up with next? add another blade... maybe 2... even then we are looking at a system thats becoming a bit "out there"... but where will they stop? what is gillette going to think up next to increase their profit margins for new razor sales? add more lubricating strips? nah... the ones they already got dont work... maybe make a blade with a 180 degree rotation? (whatever the hell you need that for... who knows... but hey, we obviously dont need 4 extra blades either...) any thoughts?

ClunkClunk · Aug 22, 2007

Lasers.

Warlockdlx69 · Aug 22, 2007

lol.... and we have razor burn problems already... eesh... i doubt something like that would fly... people dont even like the idea of electrolysis LoL

tonyt · Aug 23, 2007

I think it'd be good if they developed the self lubricating razor a little more..I don't know how they would upgrade it but I don't get paid to think about it either. :tongue:

Anyway something that you wouldn't need to put shaving cream onto your face and then wipe it off with a razor would be convenient. Unless I'm motivated to try and like shaving again I'll dry shave and get the bumps and all; a self creaming razor would be great. They could sell them like the little air freshener packets I guess. Compressed cream that plugs into the back of the razor. I'm not motivated to shave or I'd photoshop one up. Anyway - I'd pay 20$ for a razor if it did that.

Edited in: (needed a break from Perl)

Yea I know it's not great and looking at it makes me rethink what I said. Perhaps someone with more imagination can come up with something - Maybe it could be placed at the end of the handle.

SilkySmooth · Aug 23, 2007

Gillette and the other big manufacturers of cartridge razors will never make another de. They wouldn't make enough money. By making cartridges, they only fit into their products and not their competitors'. It's the ultimate in Brand Loyalty.

Exapno · Aug 23, 2007

I can't see how they could add any more blades but I wouldn't be surprised if a 7 blade razor was launched one day. Beyond that, we already have pulsing/vibrating Gillettes but that's not a new idea either. I reckon they'll just continue to dick around with the blade coatings, lubricating strips, handle design and looks, adding useless gimmicks and other crap that has nothing to do with the shave.

And people will continue to buy them.

bjrn · Aug 23, 2007

SilkySmooth said:
Gillette and the other big manufacturers of cartridge razors will never make another de. They wouldn't make enough money. By making cartridges, they only fit into their products and not their competitors'. It's the ultimate in Brand Loyalty.

Gillette has never made money on razors, it's always been on blades/cartridges.

I'm not sure it's as much about loyalty as monopoly. If you go to a supermarket here, they will have a number of different model Gillette cartridges to choose from, they might also sell some disposables, but that's it. You can get any brand of cartridge you want, as long as it's Gillette.

TimmyBoston · Aug 23, 2007

I do think we see a 7 bladed razor in the next few years.

minstrel · Aug 23, 2007

Since the next "revolution in shaving technology" so far have all been about adding one (1) other blade to the cartridge, I think the next razor we see will have six blades, and one (or two?) on the back for the "fine trimming".

Maybe they will build in some kind of DRM deal, where you will have to plug in the razor to the Internet and connect to their web site to "unlock" the blades, making sure you're not using a pirate copy of their "shaving system"? Have to make sure the money for those blades go to Gillette (or rather Procter & Gamble) and not some guy in Taiwan... Of course, the DRM system would make the cartridges even more expensive...

Flaxorca · Aug 23, 2007

Idea 1: Moving blades... they'll just make an adapter to fit Gillette razorheads to Braun toothbrushes for some good all over motion with sonic cleaning to boot!

Idea 2: Instead of using multiple blades to lift and cut maybe some sort of suction device that will suck up the hair while the following blade cuts it.

Idea 3: Build in lidocain dispenser... no matter what they'll come up with, at least you wont feel a thing!

mparker762 · Aug 23, 2007

Warlockdlx69 said:
Many people here im sure have seen comic pictures of disposable cartridges that pack 100 blades on em... (exaggeration) but, lets talk reality though... 100 years ago, if you told a guy there would be a blade in the future that used 5 blades to shave with, he would probably slap you and have you committed... today? thats obviously not a big deal...

It's a common misconception that multi-blade shaving is a new thing. There were DE-type razors in the teens and 20's that used as many as 5 blades. There were even versions with spring-loaded vibrators. And there were versions with lights so you could see better as you were shaving. If you keep a close eye on ebay you'll see these razors pop up from time to time.

Mind you - none of these razors were terribly popular, but people had less tolerance for technofrippery back then.

Magnulus · Aug 23, 2007

What is amazing is that Consumer Reports cuts down these multi-blade razors every time they come out with a new one. Consumer Reports found a few years ago that the Fusion was no better on the whole than older razors (and that the vibrating feature did not for most people), with the majority of people not favoring it over their older cartridge razor (presumeably with 2 or 3 blades.) Likewise in the 70's Consumer Reports found the Trac II inferior to the Wilkinson single-blade cartridge. And yet they still sell, so I have no doubt that we will see a 7 blade cartridge very soon.

Consumer Reports also finds out other things- like most electric toothbrushes are actually inferior to a good regular toothbrush. They do note that electric toothbrushes are more fun and easier to use than the "proper brushing technique", but it does go to show that technology doesn't necessarily make for a better product. But I'd guess most people don't read Consumer Reports.

I think Gillette got out of the DE market and into cartridges because they got their butt spanked over the Gillette Blue Blades. Competitors could make better blades for their razors than they could. So there wasn't any more profit anymore in making double edge razors. I've seen generic Sensor cartridges but yet to see generic Mach 3's or Fusion cartridges. However, there are plenty of 3-blade disposables.

Warlockdlx69 · Aug 23, 2007

tonyt said:
I think it'd be good if they developed the self lubricating razor a little more..I don't know how they would upgrade it but I don't get paid to think about it either. Anyway something that you wouldn't need to put shaving cream onto your face and then wipe it off with a razor would be convenient. Unless I'm motivated to try and like shaving again I'll dry shave and get the bumps and all; a self creaming razor would be great. They could sell them like the little air freshener packets I guess. Compressed cream that plugs into the back of the razor. I'm not motivated to shave or I'd photoshop one up. Anyway - I'd pay 20$ for a razor if it did that.

Edited in: (needed a break from Perl)

Yea I know it's not great and looking at it makes me rethink what I said. Perhaps someone with more imagination can come up with something - Maybe it could be placed at the end of the handle.

they kinda already do have that... i think braun makes a razor (electric) that spews either a moisturizer, or some type of shave gel... you have 2 options (i think nivea was the brand of goo) but... needless to say, it didnt go far.... not cost efficient, and didnt do much for the shave.

Warlockdlx69 · Aug 23, 2007

Magnulus said:
What is amazing is that Consumer Reports cuts down these multi-blade razors every time they come out with a new one. Consumer Reports found a few years ago that the Fusion was no better on the whole than older razors (and that the vibrating feature did not for most people), with the majority of people not favoring it over their older cartridge razor (presumeably with 2 or 3 blades.) Likewise in the 70's Consumer Reports found the Trac II inferior to the Wilkinson single-blade cartridge. And yet they still sell, so I have no doubt that we will see a 7 blade cartridge very soon.

Consumer Reports also finds out other things- like most electric toothbrushes are actually inferior to a good regular toothbrush. They do note that electric toothbrushes are more fun and easier to use than the "proper brushing technique", but it does go to show that technology doesn't necessarily make for a better product. But I'd guess most people don't read Consumer Reports.

I think Gillette got out of the DE market and into cartridges because they got their butt spanked over the Gillette Blue Blades. Competitors could make better blades for their razors than they could. So there wasn't any more profit anymore in making double edge razors. I've seen generic Sensor cartridges but yet to see generic Mach 3's or Fusion cartridges. However, there are plenty of 3-blade disposables.

I beliieve it... i know my personal thoughts on the fusion, are that the mach 3 gets closer, and more comfortable....the fusion is the first TRUE downgrade in quality between multiblades...

Thebigspendur · Aug 23, 2007

The only given is that Gillette has an army of well paid people whose job it is to come up with new ideas to separate you from the contents of your wallet.

Xavier · Aug 23, 2007

How about a straight blade followed by two crossed blades like these: I/\ or I> (front to back)
Or a straight blade followed by teeth blades: ^^^^^^
Hard to diagram a crazy idea. Though I do like the laser idea and the sonic adapter.

SilkySmooth · Aug 24, 2007

There is more than one cartridge blade manufacturer, but each cartridge fits only one razor handle (ie Fusions don't fit a Mach 3 or a Schick Quattro). If you only have one handle, you're stuck with the same brand who makes the cartridge (brand loyalty/monopoly).

tonyt · Aug 25, 2007

Warlockdlx69 said:
they kinda already do have that... i think braun makes a razor (electric) that spews either a moisturizer, or some type of shave gel... you have 2 options (i think nivea was the brand of goo) but... needless to say, it didnt go far.... not cost efficient, and didnt do much for the shave.

I've seen those electric razors but if I shave with them I'll just be sent back to the barracks to shave again, they didn't do it for me either. It'd be nice if they made a regular old razor to do it and one that did it well. I think it'd be interesting - there are many people far more creative than I that could make turn it into some sort of eye catching device that would sell.

Dolamyte · Aug 25, 2007

lol I have that electric. I bought it when I was stationed in Pensacola so that I could shave in the shower. My schedule didnt allow for luxury shaves. I mentioned this with my check in thread. Its very expesive to keep up and is horribly uncomfortable.

Warlockdlx69 said:
they kinda already do have that... i think braun makes a razor (electric) that spews either a moisturizer, or some type of shave gel... you have 2 options (i think nivea was the brand of goo) but... needless to say, it didnt go far.... not cost efficient, and didnt do much for the shave.

Dolamyte · Aug 25, 2007

Remember they tried to do something along those lines, they advertised it as having the moisturizing/lub bar that would leave a slim trail on your face before the blades got to it. It sucked becuase it would get real gooy and or dry up and crack and fall off. Didnt last long if my memory serves me. Maybe Mach 3 was the first to try this and im not sure if htey are still doing it

tonyt said:
I've seen those electric razors but if I shave with them I'll just be sent back to the barracks to shave again, they didn't do it for me either. It'd be nice if they made a regular old razor to do it and one that did it well. I think it'd be interesting - there are many people far more creative than I that could make turn it into some sort of eye catching device that would sell.

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When will it stop?

Warlockdlx69

ClunkClunk

Warlockdlx69

tonyt

SilkySmooth

Exapno

bjrn

TimmyBoston

minstrel

Flaxorca

mparker762

Magnulus

Warlockdlx69

Warlockdlx69

Thebigspendur

Xavier

SilkySmooth

tonyt

Dolamyte

Dolamyte

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