Multi-blade razors

[br d]

If you are of a certain age you may remember when Gillette brought out the first razor with 2 blades, it was very revolutionary at the time. They ran an advert for years that had an animation demonstrating the efficacy of 'Twin Blade Technology'. It was 'clinically proven' that it gave the optimum shave possible.
The first blade cut off the hair and also pulled it out of the skin slightly, so the second blade would snick the extra bit off and the hair would settle back down slightly below the skin. After shaving with the 'Twin Blade' the hair would actually need to grow a little before it even reached the surface of the skin. It was 'clinically proven'.

So what the flying fk do the extra three blades on my five blade fking razor do then?

Don't know why this has been bothering me lately. Anyone else remember the ads?

[RJDM3]

Yes i remember.

I always assume that with all of these new products that they are declaring that they was full of st on the original add and that the product was in fact crap.

However these new multi blade ones are more comfortable to shave with

[Motown Junk]

Did you see the Toothbrush marketing sketch on Mitchell & Webb?

[jains15]

^^ agree, i thought that until I tried a 5 blader over my Mach3 and the difference was very noticeable. Closer shave, longer lasting

[Magic919]

The power of marketing. I shave using a razor blade. Remember those? I don't think I'm missing out.

[snowy slopes]

Its just the way technology moves on. remember back in the day, football boots were similar to what you wear in a warehouse now, just with studs in and the ball was leather and rock hard when it got wet. Now, boots are like slippers and the ball is plastic and lightweight.

Its the same with razors, gillette have realised that more blades shaves even better than two


For myself is use a safety razor,soap and brush, and get much better results than with foam and a fusion or anything along those lines, but it is labour intensive

Edited by snowy slopes on Tuesday 23 November 13:35

[Riknos]

My Mach3 is good enough for me.. after a shave I can't feel any hairs at all, so can't see the need for more blades just to cut the air?

Now if they invented a razor that actually slowed down the growth of hair.. 5 o'clock shadow? Try 1 o'clock shadow for me ...

[BiggusLaddus]

You mean they've realised that they can get more money out of you by adding more and more blades.

My razor only has one blade (albeit with two edges) and gives me a far better shave then I ever had with a cartridge razor.

[WorAl]

.....and I think it is a complete load of pish.

I used to shave with multi-blades and got nothing but rashes, even shaving every other day, now I use a safety and not only is the rash a non-event, I also think it is a closer shave and I've not even got my good razor to try yet.

[tribbles]

http://tomfishburne.com/2010/06/newfeaturitis.html

[br d]

snowy slopes said:

Its just the way technology moves on. remember back in the day, football boots were similar to what you wear in a warehouse now, just with studs in and the ball was leather and rock hard when it got wet. Now, boots are like slippers and the ball is plastic and lightweight.

Its the same with razors, gillette have realised that more blades shaves even better than two...

Yeah but that's the point, it was impossible to better the shave of a twin blade!
I know it's all just marketing bullst but it's been annoying me.
Like the washing powder that has been improved at least 20 times that I remember, it must have been bloody rubbish when it came out.

[maix27]

Single, double edged blades all the way for me. Why pay £8.99 for 3 five-blade razors when i can pay £6 for 30 DE blades. Got rid of my razor rash issues too...

[Stu R]

I'm not a fan at all. I look like I'm peppered with acne after shaving with a Gillette fusion (not to be confused with an equally dull Ford Fusion, or nuclear Fusion).

Switched to a Merkur Futur and badger brush, Crabtree and Evelyn shaving cream, and whilst it takes a couple of minutes longer to shave, it's far more pleasant, does a better job, and I don't look like a would-be clearasil advert star afterwards.

[freecar]

Riknos said:

My Mach3 is good enough for me.. after a shave I can't feel any hairs at all, so can't see the need for more blades just to cut the air?

Now if they invented a razor that actually slowed down the growth of hair.. 5 o'clock shadow? Try 1 o'clock shadow for me ...

Swap for a safety razor, I went from five o'clock shadow on a mach 3/fusion to a 8 o'clock the following morning shadow!! Cheaper blades, less irritation and sexier handles, it was a no brainer for me!

[paulrockliffe]

The more blades, the less work each does, the more shaves until it's blunt. That's backed up in practice for me. The 5 blade ones represent a cost saving to me over the three blade ones, because they last longer.

[freecar]

It's also worth noting that depending on where you live in the world, Gillette has differing ideas on what "the best a man can get" is. In India the majority of the population use DE razors, they get the two-blade ads, we get the five blade ads. It's a long process of convincing the population that they need to spend so much on razor blades. The truth of the matter is that a single edge can (and will) do the best job. There is a reason why "proper" barber shaves use a "cut-throat" razor.

[FreeLitres]

I have always thought that the ultimate close shave is by a traditional barber with a cut-throat (single blade!) razor.

I wonder if he now holds 5 cut-throats to get an even closer shave.

[blugnu]

Two blades was / is enough.

I've shaved with my grandfathers safety razor and pretty much every other razor that has come out up to the quattro.

None are a significant improvement over the Sensor blades. But can you get them anymore? Can you heck. More profit in a shaving head with 5 blades and the size of a postcard.

I've now got stubble and an electric trimmer - but it's the same thing. The rechargeable battery won't hold charge, and you can't get replacements.

The stubble is becoming a beard.

[snowy slopes]

paulrockliffe said:

The more blades, the less work each does, the more shaves until it's blunt. That's backed up in practice for me. The 5 blade ones represent a cost saving to me over the three blade ones, because they last longer.

You should maybe investigate a safety razor then. yes, if you go down the merkur, badger hair brush, edwin jagger shaving cream route, it can get expensive for the initial layout, but if you do what i did, and buy the el cheapo stuff from boots to see if you will like using a safety razor, then the whole kit and caboodle shouldnt cost much over £13. The soap has lasted me 8 months so far, and at 10 blades a packet for £2, is you dont need to shave as often as i do, then they last a fair old time. What would you rather do, spend £8-10 on fusion blades, or £2 for ten?

[tank slapper]

Multi blade razors can actually shave too closely. They pull the hair out from the follicle before it gets cut, meaning that the end of the hair ends up below the level of the skin, making it feel very smooth. The problem comes as it starts to grow back, and can give ingrowing hairs and cause skin irritation. Some people suffer from this worse than others.

I get far fewer problems since switching to a safety razor from a Mach 3, and the blades cost about £2.50 for 10 or less in bulk, instead of £15 for 8 or whatever it is. The blades seem to last longer, and they don't get clogged up in the same way that multi blade ones do.