Cartridge razor appreciation thread

While shaving with my Hydro 5 Power today I was again impressed at the comfort of the shave - I can get a shave about as close as the Flexball, which can feel sharp and uncomfortable at times. The Hydro 5 is my favorite cartridge system. Aces!

 

Since I haven't seen the packing in which your blades came, I can only assume the following

1. Poor blades might have made it through the quality checks.
2. Blades might have been abused by environment and/or the seller.
3. Maybe, just maybe, those weren't genuine by any chance

 

Have you ever had a poor experience with hydro 5? I mean my WS hydro 5 felt way too dull than fresh quattro cartridge. But, my experience with dull quattro had a similar feel.

 

They didn't come in any packaging. One set came in the box with a Reed & Barton handle. I assume they're the blades that were originally included with the handle, but they weren't sealed. As such, they were subject to any environmental factors to which they exposed in the intervening decades. The other set was an open pack a seller included with a vintage, unboxed stock Atra handle. They weren't packaged; he just included an open blade pack. I have no idea how they were handled or stored. The carts do bear a Gillette logo, so I'm pretty sure they're genuine.

I suppose if I were really intent on exploring vintage carts, I'd seek out better specimens. I didn't acquire these carts intentionally. They just came with the razors I wanted. However, I'm perfectly happy with current-issue Atra Plus carts.

 

There is one topic to explore in depth. Do NOS cartridges last longer than modern ones? Over the time, I've read many posts claiming that NOS cartridges last longer. My vintage Schick advantage (atra compatible) gives twice as many shaves as Gillette vector cartridges. I'll be happy to see a thread on this topic.

 

I did a side-by-side today: base M3 on AoS handle for right side of face, Atra Plus cart on stock 1977 Gillette handle for left side. The handle disparity may be a bit unfair, since the stock Atra handle felt almost like a toy compared to the heavy AoS handle. I wouldn't say the Atra felt "tuggy," but I felt the blades more. In contrast, the M3 does have more drag, but zero tug, and less blade feel. The M3 just felt more comfortable and luxurious, especially on the vibration-dampening brass handle.

 

A good shave this morning with the Gillette Atra handle.
It was a good handle - maybe not exceptional like how I felt about the Wilkinson Royale handle but still a good handle.

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I've never had a poor experience that I remember. I wonder if my face likes it better because my beard is light. I should mention I have a goatee, I don't recall ever shaving the whole face with the Hydro 5.

 

Wanted the closest shave possible this morning so I took out the mighty Gillette Fusion ProGlide Flexball

 

Very nice . I wonder what other kind of versions will Gillette release for flexball razor (other than silvertouch and original).
BTW, how many shaves do you get on a single proglide cartridge? and how many on hydro 5? Any comments on which one is better?

 

It's been awhile since using my Hydro 5 for a length of time, but if I remember correctly, maybe 20 days, and I've gone longer with the ProGlide blades, about a month but I've got to check my shave journal

 

The ProGlide is better in terms of closeness, and I get the closest shaves using the Gillette Proglide Clear Gel (it's an amazing product) - the Hydro 5 doesn't shave as close, but it's smoother and comfortable during the shave.

On some days the Hydro 5 is my favorite, but then I use a Gillette Proglide and think - wow - amazing and easy BBS, it's the King of Shaves!

 

I'm think the Flexball feature makes a more comfortable and even closer shave than the regular Proglide design.

 

Question.

I bought this Burma-shave handle and used it for this morning's shave.
It came with a bunch of cartridges but can someone tell me what they are? I know they're not Atra/Mach3 but that's as far as my cartridge expertise goes.
There was no name on the box.

Some photo and hopefully someone can identify them:

The head of the handle has buttons on the side of it that you depress before you slide the cartridge on it:

 

As mentioned above, I did have my first shave with the Burma-shave handle and cartridge today.
Out of the handles I've tried out lately this is probably my least favorite. Handle didn't feel too comfortable and the very light plastic head kind of threw off the balance a bit too much.
I also didn't care too much for the cartridge - too mild and clogged up a lot.

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I don't know the brand, but it is a hybrid cart with an Atra body and a Sensor mount. What's interesting is it shows the limitations imposed by manufacturing costs. The Sensor is no longer patent protected, so companies could legally produce knock-offs, if they could afford to. The problem is, Gillette's spring-mounted blade design is too expensive for knock-off companies to produce, so nobody besides Gillette is making them. This cart, apparently, is the next best alternative: using the Sensor mount design, but sticking it on an Atra clone. What's the point?

 

Interesting. I've never used a Sensor before. I rather liked that it allowed me to click the head into two different shaving positions.
In the end, however, it wasn't the best of shaves.
So if I ever would want to get new/different cartridges the Sensor ones would fit this handle?

 

That certainly appears to be a Sensor-style mount on your razor, although it is not a Gillette-made head, so I can't say for sure how well Sensor carts will fit. Sometimes aftermarket heads end up not fitting the branded cartridges as well as they should. I once had that problem with a fully aftermarket Atra-style handle and head. The Gillette-made Atra carts barely fit, and didn't pivot properly. I've never had that problem with a Gillette-made head.

It's worth noting that Sensor carts do not lock into different positions. They are supposed to offer a full, smooth range of motion when pivoting. If your cartridge is "clicking" into different positions, it is either a different design from either the Sensor or the Atra, or it isn't fitting the razor head properly, and therefore is not pivoting properly. Whether the fault lies with the cartridge, the razor, or both, I couldn't say.

 

That is a sensor head design on your handle. I'm quite sure that it will accept all Sensor (original,excel and 3) cartridges. Nice razor, though.

 

Looks like Sensor. Oops, already been ID'd.