If you ever come across one of these razors, you may find this instructional handy. No pics to post of the work in progress but you'll get the point. I just received an old (1980s or so) Schick Personal Touch ladies cartridge razor. For what is really just a molded all-plastic Trac II style handle, it's got a real nice grip and the tortoiseshell plastic is quite handsome. I got a nifty case and two carts with mine, which I'm saving to see if they're as good as lots of women claim. Anyway, for those familiar with Trac II handles you know it's just a shallow metal track or trough that slides into the cart and holds it to the handle. But the PT is different: Schick included a dark brown plastic "bumper" inside the cartridge track, one that runs the length of the track and protrudes ever so slightly from it. No other Trac II style razor I've ever seen has done this. The ONLY reason I can think of for including this bumper was to prevent PT users from using brands that would otherwise fit that track...most notably, Gillette's own Trac II. I tried it myself and they will not fit with that bumper piece in place. But the fix is simple. 1. Use a small screwdriver or stiff knifeblade to *Gently* begin prying the plastic piece outward from the middle, using the small indent on the metal track for access. Take your time. For obvious reasons you don't want to screw this up. 2. The bumper will soon snap in half but will still be partly attached to the head. Break off what you can and you will be left with two sections of bumper plastic, left and right, connected to the handle through the metal track. They were molded in place and are what keep the metal track (the business part of this whole handle) attached to the head. 3. *Gently* pry these off as well. Again, take your time (if you prefer, use a Dremel with a burr attachment but I just pried mine off). It'll take a bit of gentle prying but they will soon come away cleanly and the metal track will drop free, leaving the main head undamaged. Remove any residual bits of brown plastic. 4. Now simply reattach the metal track to the head using clear two-part epoxy to fill the voids behind the track. Make sure you don't use too much, but use just enough that a bead of epoxy flows through the attachment holes in the track and fill the low "trough" in the track. This will ensure a strong grip. The above is what I've just done (except I used epoxy putty, same difference) and I am confident that track will not be coming off for many years. If it ever does, it's a simple matter to re-glue it. Now I can use this nifty Personal Touch handle with any brand of Trac II and some Atra type cartridges. And so can you.
The PT was a good system. Shavewise, only real difference from similar Trac II style carts is that the curved edges on the face of the PT carts rise slightly higher than others, thereby recessing the blades ever so slightly by comparison and making for a slightly less aggressive and very smooth shave. I can see why women miss it. Don't pass it up if you find one in the wild.
