Best Cartridge Razor?

I was only expressing my thoughts on the whole wet shaving process. Anytime a new wet shaver is trying new things such as a
DE or SE razor. . . I always want them to be successful.

WARHAWK

warhawk said:

I was only expressing my thoughts on the whole wet shaving process. Anytime a new wet shaver is trying new things such as a
DE or SE razor. . . I always want them to be successful.

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I absolutely don't care if someone is using a R41 or a Fusion ... as long as they feel they are getting a good and enjoyable shave.

Trac II. Excellent razor. Cartridges are nearly impossible to find in the USA without lubrication strips. I'm not a fan of the lube strips.

A very good alternative is the Gillette Good News disposable. Readily available on E-Bay.

Eeyore said:

Why? Isn't the whole idea of wet shaving the enjoyment of soap, brush, and aftershaves? The razor is just a tool, in my opinion.

Of course everyone's idea of a good wet shave is different, but I personally don't feel like having less of a shave when using a cartridge, or a truer wet shave when using a DE razor.

YMMV as always.

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Why? Because when we have a new wet shaver who is learning with a DE or SE razor; I always want that person to be successful
with that razor. Simply put I want all new wet shavers to be successful with their new tool (DE or SE razor); however, I know
that from time to time that it is not for everyone.

WARHAWK

warhawk said:

Why? Because when we have a new wet shaver who is learning with a DE or SE razor; I always want that person to be successful
with that razor. Simply put I want all new wet shavers to be successful with their new tool (DE or SE razor); however, I know
that from time to time that it is not for everyone.

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I honestly think it's their own responsibility. If they ask for help and get it, wonderful. If they decide they don't like a DE and prefer a cartridge, that's also fine. As long as they are happy with the shaves they are getting, they're doing it the right way, I'd say. No failure there.

If I had to use a Trac II instead of a DE for the rest of my life, so be it. But if I had to give up my soaps and brushes, I'd be very sad.

But each has his own viewpoint on the matter of course, and it's great you reach out to help your fellow shavers!

I'll agree to that. The razor's may come and go, might try a lot of neat new things along the journey, but every shave starts with a brush running through a tub. Take my razor's, but leave my brush!

YMMV, all I can say, let's face it, we are surrounded by cart shavers

Trac II. I bounced back and forth between the Sensor & Mach 3 for years, but spent more time with the Sensor because it gave me a slightly less close shave but also gave me less irritation. I started using a Trac II about a year ago as a backup razor, and it gives shaves as good as the Mach 3 did but with Sensor-level comfort.

I prefer the DE, but the original carts converted a lot of guys for a reason.

tvad said:

Trac II. Excellent razor. Cartridges are nearly impossible to find in the USA without lubrication strips. I'm not a fan of the lube strips.

A very good alternative is the Gillette Good News disposable. Readily available on E-Bay.

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When Walmart discontinued carrying Wilkinson Sword Trac II carts, They put them on their clearance aisle for .50 cents a 10 pack. I went to 10 different local Walmart's and bought about 500 carts. Love the carts, hate the lube strip. Now, I just take a pen knife, pry underneath the strip and pop the lube strip off of the new cart. Works great.

Rory1262 said:

Well pleased with Harry's.

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Great product, price, build and presentation...but Too many blades for me. I got an ingrown every time. If harry's made a 2 blade cart I would use it as my travel razor in a second. I tried just about every other major option alogn the way too. Fusion, power fusion, hydro, etc etc. anything over 3 blades kills me.

I have a Mach3 and a Sensor handle. I like both and it just depends on which cart is cheaper when I want to buy a pack, but generally I prefer a 2 blade sensor. I used them both daily before making the jump to DE but now I only use these if I am flying and not checking luggage. So like 1 once every 5 years.

The new Gillette Flexball razor, it replaced my Mach3 instantly as my emergence fast shave razor

^^ I'd rather be emasculated than use something like that.

rlsinaz said:

^^ I'd rather be emasculated than use something like that.

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That's pretty extreme. You might want to rethink that.

I used the Fusion pro-glide but was eyeballing that Flexball before relearning to shave like a man.

The Fusion series has a single blade on the rear for edging. I noticed more than once I had done my whole face without turning it around to catch the 5 man gang-razor on the other side. Part of my education.....

I can't even imagine how five blades would feel on your skin. I also don't understand what blades 3,4, and 5 are doing (I do understand the twin blade concept).

Another vote for the Trac II. I don't like the pivot heads on all the others. You have less control over the shave.

..

I have to admit that I got the best shaves I've ever had from a Fusion. Granted, I didn't do the whole brush/creme prep routine, but a face wash and canned foam plus a Fusion gave me a very good shave...no irritation, no cuts, and acceptably smooth. I just hate the cost of the cartridges, so I've been exploring other options, including DE and Atra/Trac II. At this point, though, I've spent enough on razors/brushes/other products that I could have bought Fusion cartridges for several years! And, for me, shaving is still a task rather than a pleasure. The main fun is buying stuff!

I recently found some generic Atra/Trac II cartridges at Family Dollar that are $2 for 10 cartridges. I bought a pack to try them out (I have a Bump Fighter handle) and I was very pleasantly surprised with the result. So I bought a vintage Atra metal handle, and I am using it as well as my DE razor. I like the Atra handle much better than the BF handle...despite the rubber grip, the BF handle seems to slip in my hand, and is often at the wrong angle, especially on my neck. Shaving with the Atra handle was really good, especially on my neck, where I have problems with a DE (my beard grows in every direction, and my double chin and wrinkles make it even more difficult to get a smooth shave on my neck.)

SO...for me, my current process is to use a DE to reduce my beard (one pass WTG) and then the Atra to do a final pass to get a very clean, close shave. (I usually only shave twice a week, since I retired.)

I seen the Flexball in Wal-Mart, and I just think it is getting carried away now. The more I think about it as I continue on the DE journey I think that either the spacing or angle of the blades in the carts were wrong for my face. As I have now had more blood free shaves in the last month than I have had in my entire life using carts... However I would have to agree with the above that I don't think because someone doesn't have success with something that we have failed them. Different things work for different people, and if I absolutely had to go back to a cart I would say the Mach3 was probably the best I used. The Fusion is just a blade to far. I would just try the 2 and 3 bladed ones until I found one I liked again. Technique is certainly a huge part of being successful, but have the right tool for the job is just as important.

Once in awhile, I'll grab a Supermax KwikII, found them at the dollar store. Must say, their actually pretty good.

Roadburner440 said:

Technique is certainly a huge part of being successful, but have the right tool for the job is just as important.

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I once read (don't remember where, or by who) a saying that goes something like this: "A craftsman can get good results even from poor tools, while an amateur gets poor results regardless of the quality of the tools."