I've also switched from cartridge to double edged a couple of years back. Not for financial or even environmental reasons, I just find it more comfortable than the cartridge ones.
Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money
31–40 of 982 posts
Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money
#32The Gillette cartrdiges last quite a while and, for me, 15 shaves would be a conservative guess. I don't recall ever cutting myself either, unlike with old style razors and cheap disposables where it was pretty much a daily hazard. Nonetheless, I often go a week between shaves nowadays and this seems to be much more socially acceptable than used to be the case.
As I recall from a long ago experiment in school, a lot of the "wear" on a razor blade is actually corrosion. So it may actually be possible to extend the life in various ways.
You can keep a razor sharp longer by submerging the blade in a little dish/shot glass of mineral oil after shaving. It slows the microscopic pitting and corrosion from air/moisture.
As a bonus, mineral oil is a decent shave gel on its own, though it can be difficult to wash out the whiskers and gunk from multi blade razors.
Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money
#33There is maybe another reason why cartridge razors are standard now, apart from the lower upfront cost: They are foolproof. It's more or less impossible to hurt yourself with it. On the other hand, it's absolutly possible to cut yourself with a double edge / safety razor, as you have to handle a razor blade and you can scratch yourself quite badly if you don't hold it at the right angle. But IMO, as with many of the…
Huge fan of safety razors. At least for me, razors with multiple blades would tug on my hair too much and cause ingrown hairs often (I think those two are casual)
Plus, nothing wakes you up in morning like potentially cutting yourself
Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money
#34Question: Why aren't there ceramic blades razors. You know, the knife blades that will chip before they get dull?
ceramic cant get that sharp with out fracturing and having really poor quality. I'm not aware of labmade Obsidian.
Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money
#35A culture designed to extract maximum value from you while delivering minimum value to you? I think that's what you call a cattle ranch. Moo!
Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money
#36Just one small disagreement…electronic shifting on bicycles. I have had my hands cramp up on longer rides in humid/hot conditions changing gears manually. Electronic shifting makes a difference, especially when shifting a lot and you are out there for a while. Triathlon bikes are using them now as well, they allow for more aerodynamic designs because they don’t have to deal with mechanical cables anymore.
I switched to a safety razor years ago. I use about $10 worth of blades a year and just use bar soap for lather.
Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money
#37I’ve never understood shaving. Why not just buy a trimmer and trim it down to 1mm? Much more convenient, faster and cheaper. Also there’s very little visual difference - especially now that everything is remote.
Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money
#38The key thing to recognize with modern Gillette cartridges is that the blades last a lot longer than the lubricating strips. For me, those lubricating strips last a couple of shaves at most but I get 15-20 shaves out of the blades. When the strip wears off the shaves get a bit uncomfortable while that stuff peels off but then they start to feel better again after that. A friend of mine actually hates the strip so muc…
I don’t want to risk sounding disgusting, I use a Mach III to shave my face…daily. Now I have a beard, so I don’t shave my whole face. Neck, cheeks … but I get 6 months to a year out of one cartridge on these. Having just replaced, I agree 100% about the lubrication strip.
Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money
#39Question: Why aren't there ceramic blades razors. You know, the knife blades that will chip before they get dull?
A blade that chips is going to cause an unpredictable angle of attack. Do you want to scrape that across your face?
Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money
#40It’s not a conspiracy, it’s just convenience. Shaving with a Mach3 is a hell of a lot easier than a DE. Cooking with a Teflon pan is a hell of a lot easier than looking after a carbon steel skillet. The vast majority of people have busy lives, and don’t want to deal with that hassle. For those of us who do, great.