My name is Jon..... and I'm a cartridge user 
.
Phew! Felt good to get that out in the open! For the last 13 years I have been a consumer slave to the likes of The Big Two and only two weeks ago I was set free of that slavery (kinda... we'll get to that).
Earlier this month I was to attend a family reunion down in Melbourne, a far cry from my home in Brisbane...and we were driving. Needing to look presentable, I decided to pop down the shops and get some new razors from the local Woolies.
I made my way to the men's grooming section and was once again shocked (or should I say 'Schicked'?) by the price of my usual Hydro 5 blades with their special integrated Aloe strip. Almost 20 dollars for 4 cartridges
. Why do I put myself through this? You have to understand that I've been wrapped around The Big Two's little finger for a while. It started with the Mach 3 back in high school. As soon as the Quattro came out, I was sold. (FOUR blades!?!? that's awesome!). It was much the same with the Fusion 5 blader when it was launched, but when I found out that the Hydro's 5 blade carts were cheaper, I made the switch and have used it ever since (going on three years now).
It was then I spied a little packet off to the left. 'Wilkinson-Sword' it said on the package. A name I remember from travelling in the UK as the company that markets Schick products in Europe. Is it really only about a dollar a blade? How do I even use those things? I decided to buy a packet anyway. (All links in this post are to pictures only)
I had a basic idea on how traditional shaving worked, and if I was going to try these blades, I knew I'd need some sort of shaving brush, a cream or soap, and of course, a...thing...to hold this weird razor blade I'd just bought! I couldn't find anything in Woolworths, and my trip to the pharmacy didn't turn up much. I did however pick up a brush from the chemists for less than a tenner.
The next day I took my new blades to the Shaver Shop to see if I could find any more info on these strange, 'double-edged razors' that I really only remember from GTA: Vice City and rockabilly chicks' jewellery. I immediately found a kit with a stand, a three piece and a brush for....TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS?!? Way out of my price range. I knew the soap was a better deal at 15 because it was an imported product and all, but I couldn't afford that shiny set on the shelf. It was then I asked the cashier of any other razors in that shape that more affordable. He said "I've got something out the back that I guarantee you'll be interested in" (no joke). Behold, the COMOY!
I looked at the brush inside and it said Weishi, so I imagine that's probably Comoy's parent company. At 20 bucks though, it was hard to resist. Americans may know this as the Micro Touch One razor, marked by some dude on TV.
I strutted out of the shop with my new razor and Proraso white soap in hand.
I got home and excitedly used my new products on Babby's First Wet-Shave. Normally this is where the tale turns sour, with the blood and the pain and the "where the heck is my styptic pencil!?!". Sorry to say but it went absolutely fantastic. Not only had I a very pleasurable shaving experience, my neck (I keep a beard but I keep my neck shaven) was the smoothest it had been since I was a wee lad. The only thing that surprised me was when I pulled out my Wilkinson Sword blades and found they were "A Gillette Product". Not quite free just yet, then
The trip was a blast, though. Shaving with those four products was really easy and enjoyable, even in the cramped, dimly lit Dubbo hotel bathrooms! Once I was down in Melbourne though, I decided to use up my data searching up tips and tricks for a better wet-shaving experience. I checked out some mantic59 and Nick Shaves videos because they were the most articulate and easy to follow. Being in Melbourne also gave me zero excuse to shop, and shop I did.
I may have caught 'the bug' as you B&B enthusiasts refer to it?
Edwin & Jagger Shaving Bowl and Badger Brush
Proraso Red (for some comparison, I still like the white better)
Malizia Uomo Vetyver Shave Balm
Some non-Gillette blades
And some of this. I love the smell of it but my other half isn't the biggest fan... too bad for her!
I've used the products in this post every day for the last two weeks and can say I like the Proraso white better than the red, and I find my cheap boar hair brush works better in that small bowl than the large EJ one. but I'm already scheming about what other products to try out...
If you've made it this far...THANK YOU!
Bonus pics for you! My oh so important beard trimming tool, my overly complicated hairbrush, and my noxious chemical-infused hair product (used that a bit in high school to avoid the "no gel, no spray" rule).
Glad to be a part of the forums!
Jonsta
.Phew! Felt good to get that out in the open! For the last 13 years I have been a consumer slave to the likes of The Big Two and only two weeks ago I was set free of that slavery (kinda... we'll get to that).
Earlier this month I was to attend a family reunion down in Melbourne, a far cry from my home in Brisbane...and we were driving. Needing to look presentable, I decided to pop down the shops and get some new razors from the local Woolies.
I made my way to the men's grooming section and was once again shocked (or should I say 'Schicked'?) by the price of my usual Hydro 5 blades with their special integrated Aloe strip. Almost 20 dollars for 4 cartridges
. Why do I put myself through this? You have to understand that I've been wrapped around The Big Two's little finger for a while. It started with the Mach 3 back in high school. As soon as the Quattro came out, I was sold. (FOUR blades!?!? that's awesome!). It was much the same with the Fusion 5 blader when it was launched, but when I found out that the Hydro's 5 blade carts were cheaper, I made the switch and have used it ever since (going on three years now). It was then I spied a little packet off to the left. 'Wilkinson-Sword' it said on the package. A name I remember from travelling in the UK as the company that markets Schick products in Europe. Is it really only about a dollar a blade? How do I even use those things? I decided to buy a packet anyway. (All links in this post are to pictures only)
I had a basic idea on how traditional shaving worked, and if I was going to try these blades, I knew I'd need some sort of shaving brush, a cream or soap, and of course, a...thing...to hold this weird razor blade I'd just bought! I couldn't find anything in Woolworths, and my trip to the pharmacy didn't turn up much. I did however pick up a brush from the chemists for less than a tenner.
The next day I took my new blades to the Shaver Shop to see if I could find any more info on these strange, 'double-edged razors' that I really only remember from GTA: Vice City and rockabilly chicks' jewellery. I immediately found a kit with a stand, a three piece and a brush for....TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS?!? Way out of my price range. I knew the soap was a better deal at 15 because it was an imported product and all, but I couldn't afford that shiny set on the shelf. It was then I asked the cashier of any other razors in that shape that more affordable. He said "I've got something out the back that I guarantee you'll be interested in" (no joke). Behold, the COMOY!
I looked at the brush inside and it said Weishi, so I imagine that's probably Comoy's parent company. At 20 bucks though, it was hard to resist. Americans may know this as the Micro Touch One razor, marked by some dude on TV.
I strutted out of the shop with my new razor and Proraso white soap in hand.
I got home and excitedly used my new products on Babby's First Wet-Shave. Normally this is where the tale turns sour, with the blood and the pain and the "where the heck is my styptic pencil!?!". Sorry to say but it went absolutely fantastic. Not only had I a very pleasurable shaving experience, my neck (I keep a beard but I keep my neck shaven) was the smoothest it had been since I was a wee lad. The only thing that surprised me was when I pulled out my Wilkinson Sword blades and found they were "A Gillette Product". Not quite free just yet, then
The trip was a blast, though. Shaving with those four products was really easy and enjoyable, even in the cramped, dimly lit Dubbo hotel bathrooms! Once I was down in Melbourne though, I decided to use up my data searching up tips and tricks for a better wet-shaving experience. I checked out some mantic59 and Nick Shaves videos because they were the most articulate and easy to follow. Being in Melbourne also gave me zero excuse to shop, and shop I did.
I may have caught 'the bug' as you B&B enthusiasts refer to it?
Edwin & Jagger Shaving Bowl and Badger Brush
Proraso Red (for some comparison, I still like the white better)
Malizia Uomo Vetyver Shave Balm
Some non-Gillette blades
And some of this. I love the smell of it but my other half isn't the biggest fan... too bad for her!
I've used the products in this post every day for the last two weeks and can say I like the Proraso white better than the red, and I find my cheap boar hair brush works better in that small bowl than the large EJ one. but I'm already scheming about what other products to try out...
If you've made it this far...THANK YOU!
Bonus pics for you! My oh so important beard trimming tool, my overly complicated hairbrush, and my noxious chemical-infused hair product (used that a bit in high school to avoid the "no gel, no spray" rule).
Glad to be a part of the forums!
Jonsta
