Atra vs. Sensor vs. Trac II..quality of shave

Ok...I purposely left out the M3 and the Fusion.
I just want to get opinions as to, based on your experiences, which gave you the best overall shave. ie: closeness, less irritation, etc.

Bob

 

My first razor was a Sensor. It's still the best cartridge I've used, but I haven't used any of the older ones.

 

I shave quite a bit with an Omega made Trac II and like it. My wife uses the Atra. Basically the same, except the Atra pivots a little bit.

 

There's one more razor in this class.

I've always liked the Schick Tracer, which also had a later version called FX Diamond. If it had a single blade cartridge (instead of a twin blade), and the razor head were a little more durable, I think it would be ideal.

Instead of the Sensor's method of independently sprung blades, it let the cartridge frame flex inward to follow the curves of your face. The FX Diamond blades are especially durable.

As for Trac II, Merkur makes a few metal handles, with at least one under $15. I don't know why some of them cost about three times as much, since the inexpensive one is very nice.

 

I recently rediscovered the Atra, although I've been using the US Personna cartridges since the Gillette ones are made in China. The Schick ones are good if you can find them, but I think they're no longer made.

I never liked the Sensor at all. Either the Atra or the Mach III are far better for my money. The Sensor seems to dig in and nick me.

 

Trac II is my everyday razor. I could care less if I never saw the other cartridges again.

+1 on the Personna carts.

 

I take the trac II over the sensor. When I finally abandon the terrible electrics I used every other method of shaving ever known to man and my face was telling me something simple. The older the method of shaving the better the shaves got, the Mach 3 beat the fuison, which in turn was beaten out by the Sensor. Then the Atra wiped the floor with the sensor and was in turn beaten out by the trac II. That was when the Super Speeds blew the doors off the Trac II now I have gone about as old school as I can get, I have a 1740s vintage straight, don't recall the maker or if it has any maker stamped on it.

 

Just lean into the old campfire. :happy070

 

Sending mixed signals!!!!!!

 

Not quite sure why you would say that Kevin my friend.

JoAnna stated a fact. There are hair removal methods older than straights, and like Tom pointed out, the use of fire to singe hair was one of them.

I will agree with Jeremy here. I personally believe the pinnacle of shaving is the straight razor. Anything older and it probably didn't do as good a job. I would rate a good safety razor shave, ie an S/E, D/E, or injector, a close second.

 

sea shells
tweezers
string
even some waxes were used in the BC timeframe

 

I've just recently started using a trac II with a really nice paul revere handle. I haven't used the sensor or atra for comparison - but I think the trac II is quite nice even with generic blades.

 

I just started using the Trac II also with a schick metal handle and I'm getting better shaves than with my DE Slant. Just as close and no irritation. Haven't sold the slant yet, but I'm liking the Trac II.

 

I haven't used one since the Day...But it was the Trac II that suckered me into cartridges and as I progressed through the different cartridges, I always thought the original Trac II was the best of the breed...

 

What blades are you guys using ? I saw some Lord Trac II blades the other day...

 

The atra is one that will stand the test of time and even now the old atras are popular and bringing as much as some popular old Gillette DE s. I have been using a Reed and Barton silver atra and the plastic black handle travel razor since the late 70's. They are just a great razor with very reasonable cost effective blades found everywhere; the trac II are very good if you have a razor with some heft to it like the metal ones sold in Europe.:1respect

 

Personnas

 

For years I used the Atra, and then I used the SensorExcel. I switched back to the Atra for a while in the 90s when my ex-wife gave me a very nice chromed razor/brush/stand set (best badger, from what I can tell) that took the Atra blades for Father's Day. It was really only then that I realized I preferred the SensorExcel, but I kept with the Atra just to show how much I appreciated the gift. I still have the stand and use the brush daily (it's the only one I have currently), but I'd long switched back to the SensorExcel before purchasing my Muehle R89 a week ago. I'm sure I'll still use the Sensor, especially when I'm in a hurry.

 

My order of preference

My order of preference for the carts is as follows:
(10 =best)

Trac II 8/10
Atra 7/10
Sensor 5/10
Mach 3 4/10

Fusion and Hydro I wouldn't consider.

This is based on using them for head shaving in which the fixed Trac ll works the best for me, then the Atra following up closely.