I went back to Mach3 Turbo...

I went back to Mach3 Turbo... And was I ever dissapointed.
I've been wet shaving for about 6 months now using my Fathers adj Fatboy and a Merkur HD. This morning I looked in my hall closet a saw a four pack of new Mach3 Turbo blades. And I wondered if my new wet shaving hobbie was really worth it. So I went through all the wet shave steps using the Mach 3 Turbo:

Shower with conditioner on face
Hot towel on face
Whipped up C&E Sandalwood cream with my Shavemac brush
Shaved using a new Mach 3 Turbo - WTG, XTG, ATG. Relathering between each pass.
Rinsed off with cool water.
Thayers Witch Hazel AS.

Results;
A poor quality shave!
Conclusion:
Quality wet shaving with a DE is worth every bit of time and effort.

I did something similar with my fusion just to see how much of a better shave I got from my fatty, its really too bad I didn't take pictures but my neck was just cut up pretty good, not as bad as Joel and his feather but certainly uncomfortable. Go DE Shaving!!!

On a side note I have convinced 4 ppl so far since I joined this forum to try shaving the ol' fashioned way and none of them have gone back.

denissawyer said:

On a side note I have convinced 4 ppl so far since I joined this forum to try shaving the ol' fashioned way and none of them have gone back.

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THE PROPHET

coop1960 said:

I went back to Mach3 Turbo... And was I ever dissapointed.
I've been wet shaving for about 6 months now using my Fathers adj Fatboy and a Merkur HD. This morning I looked in my hall closet a saw a four pack of new Mach3 Turbo blades. And I wondered if my new wet shaving hobbie was really worth it. So I went through all the wet shave steps using the Mach 3 Turbo:

Shower with conditioner on face
Hot towel on face
Whipped up C&E Sandalwood cream with my Shavemac brush
Shaved using a new Mach 3 Turbo - WTG, XTG, ATG. Relathering between each pass.
Rinsed off with cool water.
Thayers Witch Hazel AS.
Results;
A poor quality shave!
Conclusion:
Quality wet shaving with a DE is worth every bit of time and effort.

Click to expand...

This is why you had trouble. The M3 is intended to just hack away.

We're here to HELP you. This is why, even though you probably paid 2-3 dollars apiece for those cartridges, you need to get them OUT of your house. They aren't worth giving to anyone!

And I agree...the prep was all wrong. The directions go like this:

1) Wash Face
2) Leave Wet
3) Apply Barbasol
4) Shave

It's really okay-- we've ALL fallen off the wagon before. Just last summer, I picked up one of the plastic "Good News" razors in my girlfriend's cabinet, spread some Barbasol on my face, and scraped away. I kept scraping and scraping, and it didn't really do much. I finally finshed, rinsed my face off and threw the bad plastic thing away.

I didn't know who to talk about it to. I wasn't part of this board then, so I had to go it alone. I felt cheap and "used."

I faced my girlfriend later that day and she ran her fingers over my face..."Did you forget to shave?" she asked...and I broke down and came clean. She was understanding enough, and apologized for keeping those things out in plain sight. She even found a better spot for my mug and brush, and encourages me to keep my faithful old DE Gillettes out where I can see them and enjoy them.

I was so grateful I gave her a Super Speed, and encouraged her to try it.

WE ARE PLASTIC RAZOR FREE IN OUR HOUSEHOLD NOW...ALL DE!

You can do this, my friend...just NEVER look back.

Seriously folks, I get as good a shave with my Mach 3 as with my Merkur 38c with Derby blade. Both shaves are BBS after 3 passes. My prep is the same; shower, lather with brush and good triple milled shaving soap, then shave. My face is not irritated with either. I use my 38c when home, but use the Mach 3 while traveling, because TSA won't permit DE blades in carry-on luggage. I am on the road right now and I got a great shave this morning with my Mach 3.

Mr. Gillette said:

I felt cheap and "used."

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Like many others, I use a Sensor (though with a cool eShave handle I got years ago) when travelling (I rarely check my bag, so DE's are a no-go) and honestly, with proper prep (i.e. hot shower, good soap/cream, brush) the shave is close and comfortable. I usually use QED sticks or Musgo decanted into a little tub when on the road, and both go just fine with a Sensor (or a Mach III, I'm sure).

HOWEVER, the shave is not anywhere as close as with a DE, most likely due to the one pass nature of a multiblade cartridge. But, they are quick and convienient and probably a bit undeserving of all the scorn heaped upon them in the internet wetshaving world. Don't get me wrong, though, at home you can't beat a DE shave!

Then I wouldn't have a job that required me to travel away from my DE. Or I would pre-ship the blades to the hotel...ANYTHING but plastic.

I was in AA for years and heard all of THOSE excuses, too.

"We are what we continually do."

Put your foot down at work...STAND for something , for God's sake!

hehehehehe

Mr. Gillette said:

I was so grateful I gave her a Super Speed, and encouraged her to try it.

WE ARE PLASTIC RAZOR FREE IN OUR HOUSEHOLD NOW...ALL DE!

You can do this, my friend...just NEVER look back.

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I did something similar with my wife. She used to use a some sort of disposable and even had a Fusion that came in the mail. I bought her couple of Lady Gillettes and she is impressed with the results. Now I think she is beginning to understand my sudden wierdness about shaving stuff.

We are not completely plastic free. I have a Tech with a Bakelite handle. Cool stuff.

You truly ARE the Bruce Lee of this WHOLE BOARD!

Pretty soon I'll let my lovely mate know that the Badger and Blade that keeps showing up on "HISTORY" isn't some wretched Porno site...but I don't want her to think I've given that up to spend time with folks who know and appreciate the difference between polyvinylchoride and bakelite.

She must NEVER know...

HEY...here's a secret-- she swears that the Super Speed also works to slough off dead skin in a pedicure. Now THAT's one tough broad, huh?

hehehehee

Mr. Gillette said:

Pretty soon I'll let my lovely mate know that the Badger and Blade that keeps showing up on "HISTORY" isn't some wretched Porno site...

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HAHAHA. Maybe you could just tell her you have a razor fetish? She may find that easier to accept.

I've used my sensor excell a couple of times since coming back to wet shaving and to be perfectly honest I get just as good a shave as I do with my DE - and it's faster too. The prep and quality cream is what has made the difference to me. The only real reason I keep using the DE is that I like using old fashioned tools in many different endeavors and it makes me look forward to shaving. Most importantly... I enjoy it. Despite having quite a thick beard...I'd be lying to you if I said I couldn't get just as good a shave with a cartridge.

clubman

I've carried on a DE and blades at least a dozen times - have I just gotten lucky? I never even thought about it.

I recently flew with a DE razor and was stopped by security. The TSA person, a twenty something girl looked at the razor and did not know what it was. I told her it was used to relieve back pain. She put it back in my bag and I was off to my destination.

scorpion said:

clubman

I've carried on a DE and blades at least a dozen times - have I just gotten lucky? I never even thought about it.

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I think you've gotten lucky (or have I been unlucky, not sure which?). A couple of years ago, I never had any problems, but ever since the "no gels/liquids" thing the TSA has been a lot more rigorous in poking through my toiletries. After having my blades (Swedes, even!) snagged for the 3rd time or so and having to drive around Miami at midnight looking for blades, I decided to throw in the towel!

Mr. Gillette said:

Pretty soon I'll let my lovely mate know that the Badger and Blade that keeps showing up on "HISTORY" isn't some wretched Porno site...

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Just wait until you see the weird look you get when you say you are drooling or lusting over a 1920's Aristocrat.

I agree with Scorpion. I get as good a shave with my Mach 3 as with my 38c with a Derby blade. I, too like the feeling of doing something the old fashioned way. It increases my enjoyment of shaving.
On the subject of the use of plastic, avoiding the use of plastic is a laudable ideal. However, when asked how to dispose of used DE blades, several posters on B&B said that they put used blades in an opaque plastic medicine bottle. When the bottle is full, they glue the top on the bottle with Superglue. In that way, nobody knows what is in the bottle and the potential danger of having someone cut him/herself or others is minimized. So, it seems to me that many DE users do, in fact, use plastic for shaving at least indirectly.

coop1960 said:

I recently flew with a DE razor and was stopped by security. The TSA person, a twenty something girl looked at the razor and did not know what it was. I told her it was used to relieve back pain. She put it back in my bag and I was off to my destination.

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The "rules," at least as I understand them, are that DE blades and str8 razors may not be taken in carry on luggage and must go in checked. The last time I flew through JFK, this was clearly demonstrated with a sign at baggage screening showing, among other things, pictures of de blades and str8s with an "X" superimposed.

However, DE razors (minus the blade) can go in carry on. You may have to show the razor to the inspector and prove that there is no blade in it.

"Razor-Type Blades - such as box cutters, utility knives, razor blades not in a cartridge, but excluding safety razors. "

Here's what TSA says are banned in the cabin. I'll probably just continue to keep a couple of IP's wrapped in their paper covering - if they toss them, they toss them.