We've all seen the recent ProGlide commercials showing how smoothly the new ProGlide blade cuts a hair (no tugging). Assuming the blade really does cut that smoothly, what does Gillette now claim as the benefit of 5 blades? Previous multi-blade systems were sold on the lift and cut (hysteresis) principle. I don't see how they're getting the lift part of that if the blade cuts as smoothly as advertised. Please note, I'm asking about the theory here, NOT bashing the ProGlide.
Now that someone has brought up the new fangled multi blade razors, I noticed something from the first commercial that I saw advertising the lubricating strip. The strip is at the TOP of the cartridge ABOVE the 3,4, or 5 blades. How in the Sam Hill does that lubricate, if it trails behind or after the blades cut the whiskers? Even doing an ATG pass, if necessary, it would perform the same way, trailing behind the cutting edge of the blades. Am I just stupid, and not getting the benefit of the lube strip?
Maybe the theory is that you're getting the benefit of five successive passes by drawing the razor across your face once, with each blade cutting the hair a little closer. Maybe it's supposed to soothe the skin after the blades have gone across it. Some of these strips do supposedly have aloe. Or perhaps they imagine people doing touch up without re-lathering, and the strip leaves a residue that's supposed to help. Just guessing, here, and playing Devil's advocate. It can be hard to get the real theory behind an invention from a commercial. If there are good explanations, and there may well be, then the place to look for them would be in technical papers, and perhaps the patent application, not in advertising material. Or it could all be nonsense, but then again, some of these multi-blade monsters really don't shave that badly.
I always thought that strip was there to aid the the cartridge's ability to slide over the face & nothing more.
That adds up. Guess I've been DE shaving too long. I always thought the idea was to hydrate and lubricate FOR the shave. Perhaps that is what the canned goo is supposed to do. I am not by any means saying that the multi blade razors don't offer a smooth close shave, just conflicted about the theory of the hydration strips and teflon strips coming into play after the working end has passed. And mostly the replacement cost. Maybe the hydration strip is loaded with A/S balm? There is a concept.
Ah, I see. Its more for lubricating cartridge/face contact rather than blade/hair. I guess that makes sense...
