Gillette's new ad

Gillette has a new ad out that says you can get up to 5 weeks on one cartridge. (as if that's something stupendous)

Man, they sure don't know us! Thanx to the board I now get 1 year on each cartridge and change, not because I need to, but because I'm bored & want to.

My current cartridge is a year and a half old, and it's finally getting to the point that the plastic on the case is getting rough from storage. It shaves better than any new one i've ever used.

I get a few months out of mine now thanks to some of the advice on this forum. Was only a few weeks before.

It's a proven fact that if you keep your blades under a pyramid, they will stay sharp FOREVER!

You do sort of have to admire a company that tells you you may wind up buying FEWER of these items than you ever have before...unless a much higher price tag is part of the "bargain".

integraguy wrote: You do sort of have to admire a company that tells you you may wind up buying FEWER of these items than you ever have before...unless a much higher price tag is part of the "bargain".

Tell me about it. I left my shaving kit in the paddock bathroom (hot showers for workers, yay!) at Petit Le Mans last year. My ancient dependable 2-blade was in it. Went to the store, discovered that although you can still get new blades for it, you can't get handles anymore. All they had were the new 5 or 6 or 10 or whatever..at a whole lot more than what I used to pay. I've been using disposables since.

Derick Freese wrote: My current cartridge is a year and a half old, and it's finally getting to the point that the plastic on the case is getting rough from storage. It shaves better than any new one i've ever used.

Do what now? I'm lucky if I get four shaves on a cartridge. What manner of sorcery are you using?

Maroon92 wrote:

Derick Freese wrote: My current cartridge is a year and a half old, and it's finally getting to the point that the plastic on the case is getting rough from storage. It shaves better than any new one i've ever used.

Do what now? I'm lucky if I get four shaves on a cartridge. What manner of sorcery are you using?

Yeah, let us know how you do that. I can get a week out of my Mach 3. Any longer than that and I don't get a clean shave and it irritates my face.

a whole year? do tell..

It's a combination of things not any one thing.

1) keep the blade dry. In other words don't store it wet. SS doesn't rust, but it pits so if you store it wet it will pit. The thin edge (sharp edge) pits the easiest and needs to be stored so that it faces up so that any water remaining drains away from the edge.

2) Strop it. That's running it backwards across a surface multiple times to "perfect" the blade. You aren't sharpening it, you are getting rid of minor imperfections. Barbers strop their blades on that long leather strop attached to the barber chair. It seems most people here use their forearm. I strop mine before and after each shave. It only takes a few seconds.

The plastic guides don't allow you to strop it on a hard, flat surface. I use my arm and I also occasionally use the slightly curved surface of the glass bricks in my shower.

3) Shave first. Sounds odd, but it works. I use an electric razor first then finish with a manual razor.

You don't need to use the electric razor till you get razor burn, you are only mowing it down to a shorter level and getting the places that a manual razor isn't the best at, like around your mouth. This way you don't keep shaving your lip off.

You know how it hurts the first time you shave after not shaving for a complete race weekend? That cause the longer the beard is the rougher the shave. What you are doing is quickly mowing it down with the electric razor to a level that makes your manual shave more comfortable and gives you less pulling.

Using 2 razors means neither razor has to work very hard. You don't have to run the electric razor over and over the same spot trying to get the last little bit of stubble off and you don't have to put nearly the work into the manual blade.

Your electric razor doesn't even have to be that sharp. My electric razor is over 5 years old and I've only replaced the blades in it once.

I used to get only 5-6 months on a blade, but when I added the stropping my time went to a year.

My beard is what would be known as a medium beard, but my son-n-law has a beard that gives him an11 a.m. shadow and he has a cleft in his chin. He always hated shaving, but now he says it's easy and his 11 a.m shadow doesn't hit til mid afternoon.

If it weren't for the fact that the cartridges have gotten to be ridiculously expensive for what you get I'd have never tried to find ways to extend their life. But razor cartridges are like printer ink cartridges. The manufacturers could give you the blade handle and a printer just to lock you into their ridiculously prices supplies.

One other tip I picked up here that made for an more comfortable/closer shave. Shave after your shower, not before. Maybe common knowledge but I didnt realize that.

I shave about once a week. If I really wanted to keep a smooth face, it should really be once a day or every other day at least. I just get crazy amounts of nicks on my neck when my stubble is so short, I get a much better shave when I let it grow out a few days. Downside is I look like a hobo for a few days and my wife hates that.

Do I just need to start shaving more often and my face will get used to it? Not doing the electric razor thing, irritates the hell out of my skin.

FWIW I use the gillette mach 3 razors.

Eh, I can get a few weeks out of a Mach 3 cartridge. I do store them dry, and I guess I'll try stropping them on my arm, but I ain't gonna get an electric shaver again to do any pre-shaving. The cartridges aren't that much money when you buy like 50 at a time at Costco.

5 shaves is my record

All I know is that I'm going to shave for the first time in over a year this weekend (Easter!). I think I should start with a fresh blade.

I picked up a cryo-treated disposable razor at PRI a few years ago. Some outfit had it as a give-a-way promo. That thing lasted a LONG time. Maybe there is something to cryogenic treatments after all....

carguy123 wrote: It's a combination of things not any one thing. 1) keep the blade dry. In other words don't store it wet. SS doesn't rust, but it pits so if you store it wet it will pit. The thin edge (sharp edge) pits the easiest and needs to be stored so that it faces up so that any water remaining drains away from the edge. 2) Strop it. That's running it backwards across a surface multiple times to "perfect" the blade. You aren't sharpening it, you are getting rid of minor imperfections. Barbers strop their blades on that long leather strop attached to the barber chair. It seems most people here use their forearm. I strop mine before and after each shave. It only takes a few seconds. The plastic guides don't allow you to strop it on a hard, flat surface. I use my arm and I also occasionally use the slightly curved surface of the glass bricks in my shower. 3) Shave first. Sounds odd, but it works. I use an electric razor first then finish with a manual razor. You don't need to use the electric razor till you get razor burn, you are only mowing it down to a shorter level and getting the places that a manual razor isn't the best at, like around your mouth. This way you don't keep shaving your lip off. You know how it hurts the first time you shave after not shaving for a complete race weekend? That cause the longer the beard is the rougher the shave. What you are doing is quickly mowing it down with the electric razor to a level that makes your manual shave more comfortable and gives you less pulling. Using 2 razors means neither razor has to work very hard. You don't have to run the electric razor over and over the same spot trying to get the last little bit of stubble off and you don't have to put nearly the work into the manual blade. Your electric razor doesn't even have to be that sharp. My electric razor is over 5 years old and I've only replaced the blades in it once. I used to get only 5-6 months on a blade, but when I added the stropping my time went to a year. My beard is what would be known as a medium beard, but my son-n-law has a beard that gives him an11 a.m. shadow and he has a cleft in his chin. He always hated shaving, but now he says it's easy and his 11 a.m shadow doesn't hit til mid afternoon. If it weren't for the fact that the cartridges have gotten to be ridiculously expensive for what you get I'd have never tried to find ways to extend their life. But razor cartridges are like printer ink cartridges. The manufacturers could give you the blade handle and a printer just to lock you into their ridiculously prices supplies.

I know I say this every time it comes up, but man, this is insane when compared to other options.

If you're really into it, though, store the blades in baby oil or similar.

But before you put them in the baby oil be sure to dry them off. Many times the water droplets will be held in place by the baby oil. I used to do this, but since I shave in the shower it got awkward to have a baby jar full of baby oil sitting on the window sill. And when you knock it off and get glass all over the shower . . .

Shave after a shower or during a shower. Also it helps to cut your nails after a shower and apply lotion after the shower.

Bic disposable ... last one I bought was in the late 80's .... 'course that was the last time I shaved ( from '69 to the late 80's full beard ... then shaved for a few months and now ... nope not gonna do it )