Hi All When will the shaving war stop escalating? When I first started shaving my father bought me a single bladed Wilkinson Sword razor and luckily my still very soft facial hair didn't put up much resistance to it's sharpend steel edge and as such my innocent pubescent face received little trauma other than the odd clumsy nick soon remedied with a small square of toilet paper. As I grew older and my "beard" started to toughen up shaving became a much more painful experience with plenty cuts and rashes. I upgraded to a twin bladed razor and my shaving experience was again, although not what could be described as pleasant, at least bareable. And thats where the cutting edge of shaving technology remained for many years - 2 blades was the best a man could get. Then about 6 or 7 years ago the remarkable innovation that is the Mach 3 hit the supermarket shelves and took shaving to the next level. Many people poo pooed the breakthrough; surely simply adding an extra blade can't enhance male grooming that much? Many people resisted the change and indeed it was a different experience not only because of the 50% extra bladage but also the way that the blades moved and were hinged; it required a slight change in technique, something that some of the old-timers couldn't get used to. To them the safety razor blade was the first and last revolution in facial hair removal, they couldn't cope with NASA style shaving! For me and a lot a shavers in the UK the Mach 3 did make a significant difference and definitely improved that early morning chore. I couldn't go back to 2 blades and a "conventional" razor and when through necessity I've had to it has been a painful and unpleasant experience. So now to the next level. Sure we've had the 4 bladed Quattro but that was never really a step change. They simply added an extra 2 blades to their exisitng technology; it wasn't development, it was one upmanship and to my mind it failed. So my question, is a five bladed razor much better than a 3 or even a 2 bladed version? I only ask because the new Gillette Fusion is about to be launched in the UK and I understand that you guys in the US have had it for the last 6 months. Is it any good? Is it worth the 10% extra they are asking for the already over-priced replacement blades? Does the added functionality with the new cutting device for tricky to get to areas work? Should I buy one? (Of course as an early adopter and gadget freak I will regardless of what you say) So where next in the razor wars? 6 blades, 7 blades, 10 blades, 100 blades, portable lazer hair removal, where will the madness end?? Cheers Reachy Ps. Sorry, I was bored!
I have the fusion, and it's a good razor, but expensive. The real innovation in the razor (which came first with the Mach 3 Power) is the powered version of the razor. The battery powered movement of the razor leads to a more efficient shave requiring less strokes. I don't notice much of a difference in quality of shave comapred to the M3Power, but the design is improved leading to the battery well not getting corroted and rusted like it did in the M3Power. Of course, most people aren't concerned enough with a close shave to warrant the price, but, to steal from the musical genius who coined the phrases 'yeah' and 'uh', P Diddy, I want to preserve my sexy! PS....Always, ALWAYS exfoliate prior to shaving to maximize the closeness and prevent ingrown hairs and other bumps. This hygenic lesson brought to you by the letter L.
Hygenic Hints: Single blade, slim blade, sling blade. Multiple blades, multiple bucks. REACHY: did you forget the spectic pencil. saved on the TP. ACE: exfoliate always. Now, the parody is in the plum pudding. In the first year of Saturday Night Live, in 1975, a filmed presentation on the revolutionary 5 bladed razor aired. That was very shortly after the commercial introduction of the two bladed razor. The first blade lifted and prepped the hair. The second blade kept it taught, so the third blade could decapitate the hair, for the fourth blade to remove almost the rest of it, all the while pulling, ever so gently, the skin up, so the fifth blade could in effect remove the root. Esquire Magazine at about the same millenium had a full page devouted to proper shaving. It included a reliable, sturdy mortar, the finest Arabian Horse Hair stubby brush, preferably fitted to the fingers, a recipe for the ultimate lather which one mixed in the mortor with the brush and then heated over or in a pot of hot water. The ultimately sharpend straight edge, strapped to shimmering was to make one clean pass. No nicks, no cuts, no fuss. And to finish, no alcoholic based after shave. Cool, clean, water. Scents went behind the ears. Wasn't foppish then. No surprise so many sport beards.
What REACHY WHAT IN THE HELL DID YOU GUYS DO LAST NIGHT DAMN GET A GELLETTE 2 BLADE AND BE DONE WITH IT ALREADY
Reach!? >>>> o where next in the razor wars? 6 blades, 7 blades, 10 blades, 100 blades, portable lazer hair removal, where will the madness end?? Cheers Reachy >>>> Look at my avatar from the best British rock band ever BAR NONE! One blade! Forget the 2000s dude get back to the 80s! btw you mentioned some bands Led Zep and Jimmy Hedrilx. Im going to google them. Never heard of them. Next you will try to tell me the best band ever from the UK was the Beebles? You know that band with a bunch of guys with funny accents. B
Cut throat I would, if I had the courage, get a cut throat razor. My concern is the throbbing carotid artery just barely under the surface of my neck skin which with one slight slip could be sliced and then it'd be goodnight Reachy. I already use a brush to generate a foam and it is especially useful in lifting up the beard to ensure a close and even shave. On the more general subject of male grooming (a vast and rapidly growing industry I might add) I always exfoliate, have regular mudd masks and never ever allow alcohol based perfumes onto my face. A dab or 2 behind the ears is all thats required to generate a subtle but noticable aroma. Mont Blanc Individuel is my fragrance of choice at the moment. Always moisturise with at least SPF 15 level cream, especially in Vegas! I used to live and work in The City of London (otherwise known as the Square Mile, the financial district where the Bank of England, Stock Exchange etc is, rather than London as a whole, and as a nurse not a broker/banker) and there are several barbers there that provided the full morning shave service. Hot towel, Cut throat, balms, head massage, the works. I dreamed of one of those but they were at the time far too rich for my blood serving as they were the somewhat wealthy. Ace: I have a MIII Power and I'm not sure whether it's better than the horse-drawn version. It is more fun to use though. Noman: I had one of those unpronouncable pencils and it hurt when applied. Now I have 2 owies! Barnet: I just never got the rock thing. I appreciate musical skill and ability hence my enjoyment of the works of Mimi Hendricks, Leddd Zeppplin, 10 Years After, early Fleetwood Mac, Santana and a few more. But Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Saxon, and God knows who, just didn't float my boat. Do you head bang? Cheers Reachy
A piece of advice Reachy & Barney, After reading this thread all I can say is this..... Stick with decaf! Imagine this advertisment for this forum thread...."BJ tourney players into male grooming techniques while applying the finer discussions about music." OMG!
I don't do substances That's at least the 2nd time I've been accused of taking some mind-altering drug on this forum today. I'm afraid this is stream of consciousness for me, normal conversation (I'm opening up now I've got to know you all!). And why would anybody drink decaf anything? No point. If it's got no caffiene, tannin, alcohol, mexican worm, mexican cactus, mexican anything I ain't drinking it! Unless it's water and I would drink that but only in between the drinks containing the above ingredients. Cheers Reachy Ps. You can't beat a good cup of Earl Grey
Mind altering drugs....caffeine? Heck I need that for my mind to function in the first place. I just want to know one thing...am I the only one here who uses an electric shaver [Braun]. I don't want a close baby's butt smoothness. I like that rough Marboro man/Don Johnson [Miami Vice] sorta thing. Drives the Mrs. crazy.
Barneystone: Oy yea. Oy yea. Don't really want to be lewd, nude, crude or screwed in the back seat of the Greyhound Bus.....But Head Bangin, don't really need a pretention of music to justify the affliction.
Nearly cut my face off Absolutely caffiene is mind-altering! Just try going without it or any other "drug" for a few days and see what the world is like. (I regularly "detox" and it's pleasant and often bizarre) I have tried electric and I found it to be a most unsatisfactory experience from almost every angle. Not clean, close or even pain-free. Plus I have 3 hairs that refuse to be touched by Mr Remmington. It's just wrong! Also my first electric was a WW2 relic from my grandad that had 2 power settings. I switched it to high and had I not taken it away from my face at the particular time I did the 2 rotating cutters would have spiralled into my cheek and shreaded it as they literally drilled their way through the so called protective grill. Deadly! Speaking of Don Johnson has anybody seen the Miami Vice film? Any good? Cheers Reachy
Sir Reach Forget shaving and work on your teath! I watched that movie Austin Powers you know! :laugh:
This whole thread is a perfect example of what can happen when both Tex and Joep are away from the site for several days.
cad and rotter Honestly, Im surprised anyone with the occupation like Reachy's Cad and Rotter even shaves. Why waist good beer money?
Baby's bum As a cad and rotter I need to be very clean shaven. Apart from a little moustache that needs a daily wax of course. Cheers reachy
Maybe yes...maybe no Elyssez I guess you're right there was no one to ask and we just wanted to know. BTW three blades, 5 blades or electric for you? Hey guys how about a blade poll? Manly grooming tips from the BJ world....brought to you by BJT.com Please use responsibly. Don't shave and play BJ at the same time. Management reserves the right to disavow themselves from all erroneous skin care comments
