I recently purchased a new razor. But I’m sure the blades last much less time than my previous ones so I reckon this is a case of deliberate built in redundancy.
Would be good for choice to do a detailed comparison of the top brands.
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Welcome to the forum.
What kind of razor? Do the previous blades you have not fit the new one?
If they do not then you are participating in a classic marketing strategy The Razors and Blades model.
We see this in printers and ink, and many other products that have a reusable and consumable component. The maker will try to ensure you have to buy their consumables.
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Not with me. I have a Schick Hydro 5 razor and I always buy the blades when they are on sale for half price along with Schick Shaving Gel, and I always have 6 to 8 months supply on hand.
They may be still making a profit but nowhere as much as they would like.
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Welcome to the forum.
Are you talking about the single use blades, or the handles with the replacable cartridges?
I use the replacable cartridges, and have noticed that they vary hugely in how long they stay sharp enough to use. Sometimes the blades will stay sharp enough for many months of daily shaving, and other times be as blunt as Pauline Hanson sense of humour within a week.
In the past I have even written to the Gilette company (my previous brand of razor) to complain about the extreme short-gevity of one multi-pack of blades going blunt after just days. Gilette were obviously deeply concerned about my opinion because they never replied (sarcasm intended).
Perhaps you have won the booby prize pack of blades? It may be worthwhile perservering, and trying to buy further blades from a different store so you aren’t buying from the same dodgy batch.
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Hi, For the last 15 years I have gone back to the past and use vintage, mainly Gillette razors and Various brands of Double edged blades. These cost way less than cartridge types blades especially if bought in bulk and do an excellent job. The downside is until you have the knack some nick will occur if you are not paying attention.
John Hynard
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I use Gillette duo and have noticed many times when you put a new cartridge in it feels either great or not so great. By that I mean some blades you can “tell” whether they will last the distance or not; others will feel rough on the first shave and they don’t last long at all.
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My wife’s late father only ever used the old safety razors and I would get Wilkinson Sword blades for him from Coles or Woollies.
They were, and still are, the only blades they stock, but when I worked at Coles during the Xmas holidays after Grade 10 in the mid 1960’s, I was at the counter that stocked razor blades, and there were many brands.
I recall that one brand was “5 O’Clock Shadow” but it appears to be long gone along with many others.
When I was young, I used King Gilette blades and found that a new blade would only last a week.
I moved to cartridge razors when they were released and went from 2 blades to 3 blades to 4 blades to 5 blades, and I used to get many weeks from a Schick Hydro 5 blade, but now I only get 2 weeks as ones whiskers keep getting tougher with age.
When Schick first released the Hydro 5 series, there were the “standard” cartridges with the blue strip and the “premium” cartridges with the yellow strip at a higher price per pack.
When the yellow packs disappeared, I rang Schick and the woman said that both cartridges are identical.
Interestingly, the cartridge fitted to the Hydro 5 Groomer kits still have the yellow cartridge.
Schick playing “smoke & mirrors”? Who would have thought.
Both Coles and Woollies charge $14 for 10 Wilkinson Sword blades which I have never seen on special, and as I mentioned above, a blade would only last me a week some 50 yeras ago so I would expect that I would now need several a week at a cost of at least $4 a week.
However, by buying the Schick Hydro 5 cartridges on special for half price, I get a fortnight for as little as around $2, or a mere 25% of the cost of the blades.
And of course, very few cuts.
One has to play the manufacturers and retailers at their own game.
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I agree that the quality of blades are deliberately made to poor quality standards now to encourage the purchase of a more expensive item (so what else is new you ask?)
After a lot of research I now purchase the Aldi products. Note that if you purchase the 3 blade option you can avoid purchasing a new handle each refill time by buying the 5 blade refill pack (they fit the same handle).
Try them… but also note that the shaving foam, cream or soap makes a difference and how long the beard is kept moist before shaving. I now have gone back to a soap bar. The latest bar purchased was from Chemist Warehouse called Simply Soap (I think). It works well and is $2 for 2 bars!
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I use a Gillette safety razor that I inherited from my uncle after he died in 1980. It’s the sort where you twist the handle to open the top to replace the blade. It’s much better than my previous Gillette razor which I bought in 1955, where you had to screw the handle off and take the top apart to replace the blade.
I use Wilkinson Sword ss blades, now made in India, and they last me about 18 months each. Sometimes I just replace one for the novelty of it. I can’t remember how long ago I bought them, but I have one unopened 10-pack left, and four new blades. I did buy one pack of single-use razors some decades ago, but the waste and cost involved disturbed me. (You can probably guess that from this letter.)
I have a modest beard so don’t do my entire face, but I do shave every Friday whether I need it or not. I prepare my face with a warm wet face-washer, then use Gillette shaving foam in an aerosol can. I haven’t had a nick for years since I began using this preparatory method, but keep a styptic pencil in the cabinet just in case. I’d say my shaving costs me less than $1.50/year. I can heartily recommend these products to the prudent or impecunious young shaver!
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