This is the first shave with my Techmatic. After my shower I lathered up with the MWF. I had a new cartridige in the handle I recieved from Rob and went at it. I started at the middle setting on my cheek. This is going to take some getting used to. It seems that there is only one angle you can hold the razor to actually cut the hair. If you dont get it right you either Drag the Safty bar over your face or drag the blade and cut the #@$# out of your face. Anyway I will keep at it and see if I get better, Keep watching.
LOL keep at it. I want to try the techmatic or the Schick version. I won a techmatic on eBay for the minimum of 5.00 euros. It never arrived and the supplier quickly refunded my money .
I have used both the Gillette Techmatic and the Schick Band Razor with pretty good success. The Schick Super Chromium adjustable cartridges are very good. These razors take some getting used to but once you get the angle down you can get some very nice shaves. Bear in mind that the Gillette handle will only accommodate the Gillette cartridges but the Schick handle fits either cartridge. I enjoy using them from time to time as a change of pace. I also enjoy the history involved with using a short-lived piece of shaving memorabilia.
As a young man, I bought a Techmatic when it first came out. To this day the Techmatic shaves remain the worst I have ever experienced. I have never cut my face as much or as badly as I did with that setup. I wouldn't suggest that razor to anyone. I realize YMMV but that razor and its cartridge left an indelible impression of what a razor should not be! :angry019
Band Razors I attempted to use both the Gillette and Schick band razors back when they were introduced. I would have to say that you would have to look a long time to find a worse shaver. My belief is that it relates to "blade chatter" . . . the razor provides little support for the very flexible blade and consequently, the blade is allowed to slightly flex and chatter as you draw it over your face. My belief is that the more ridgid the blade, the less chatter. This would account for why the very best shave is likely possible with the straight razor. I believe it also accounts for why, in my opinion, the, quite ridgid, single edge blade out-performs the double edge. The double edge blade, however is made more ridgid by the curve that is forced onto it by the design of the DE razor, so it does perform quite well. The band razors were a novel design, but doomed from the outset by that very design. Many folks bought them and tried them, but you'll note that they didn't stay on the market very long. I think there were many people who bought a razor but never bought their first refill cartridge because they couldn't tolerate the awful shaves they got from their band razor, so they went back to whatever they had been using before. To this day, I've never met a cartridge razor that I actually liked, but I believe these band razors perhaps rank as the worst shavers of any razors ever produced by Gillette or Schick. Regards, Tom
I will tell you what, I have a few shaves under my belt with this one and I am starting to agree with Tom on this one. I feel the blade does "chatter or does not remain stiff enough across it's width. It seems to drag across my face no matter what angle I hold it. It is just not comfortable. I asked my Dad about it as he had one back in the old days when it was new and he said he used it for a week and went back to his old razor. I have tried different soaps and creams but no surprises there. I will finish out the week and decide then what I am going to do. Relegateit to the collection or pass it on. We will see later on.
I think I am getting the hang of this razor. If I hold it at a normal angle I cut the #@$ out of my face. When I open the angle till the handle is 60+ degrees from my face it shaves fairly decent.
That's what I'm talking about Philq. These are really quite nice to use if you take the time to learn them.
Is there a problem with the age of the refills? I know that a lot of vintage blades are not really usable after that many years,, how do the band blades hold up to the time? Fuzzy
Cool I have a Shick auto band but no interest in trying it only have the one head and all. Glad you are getting some use of of the Gillette. It is great to have something like that and make it work for you. Kinda like being able to lather Williams soap and use a OC MM. Fuzy
By Jove Ive Got I did it...today was a real pleasant shave with the techmatic. I had the angle just right no pulling, not even the scraping you hear with regular blades. Just the smooth glide of the razor taking off the hairs. Well now I will have to see about getting more cartridges. You almost have to hold it at an 45 degree angle then it slides right thru the hair. :happy108
Congratulations!!!! Now just watch ebay. The cartridges show up once in a while and it seems not many people are bidding.
