Thread: Why anyone would use a disposable over a DE, I wont understand.

So I shaved for the first time with my gillette travel DE the other day. Just my neck, WTG and ATG. First I noticed that even with the brand new DE blade there was a little tugging atg, so I guess that is impossible to completely avoid, no matter how sharp you get. But the real surprise, was how... well... easy it was. I swiped away at my neck cutting swaths of hair without so much as a nick, I never even worried that I might nick myself, really I don't even see how you could. The razor didn't jam up after a couple cm and require minutes of rinsing to try and unwedge the gunked up hair in it (The way ALL disposables have for me). Really, I don't understand how disposables even came into existence. There is literally no advantage I can think of over this razor. Sure, I can kind of see why Straights faded. Yes there is a little risk involved (though I'm at the point where I can WTG in a few seconds without any thought, ATG is still a bit of a process), and there's a bit of technique, even skill required. But DE shaving was if anything EASIER than shaving with a disposable. It boggles the mind.

Why anyone would use a DE over a straight, I won't understand.

Was just shaving my neck, didn't feel like stropping for a 20 second shave. :P

I don't know how the change was made from DE to multi-blades, but once it was done, it's pretty easy to maintain. Where I live, I have never seen a DE-razor on the shelf of stores. Some stores have blades, but they're pretty much the same price as cartridges (talk about air in the price).

So when you people start to shave, it's either cartridges or electric, since the hardware or information isn't that readily available. They would need somebody to guide them.

Originally Posted by JMS

Why anyone would use a DE over a straight, I won't understand.

The blood loss issue?

Just kidding!

For me, I used a DE while traveling because I didn't have a good travel strop. But now I have a cute little loom strop. So on my next trip back to OZ I'm taking a couple of straights with me.

When I started shaving there was the Gillette DE, the Schick injector and the Gem single edge. There were no disposables yet. There were no stainless blades for the Gillette, only blue blades and they were not pleasant to shave with.

I remember when Gillette introduced their 'Platinum Plus' blades. They were expensive but they were so much better that I was truly grateful for them. At some point I switched to the Schick injector. It was better than the Gillette at the time. It was lighter in weight and easily maneuverable and the blades were good. I felt that the blade angle was better than that of the Gillette DE at the time.

IIRC it was in the early seventies when Gillette came out with the "Good News" disposable razor with the two bladed head. This became my shaving tool for the next thirty years. They were cheaper than buying the good blades for the Schick or the DE and they did end up taking over the market. I would occasionally buy a package of the equivalent Bic razors but the Gillettes were better IME. I never tried the cartridge razors with more blades than the two in my disposables. It was working so I didn't fix it.

If you are shaving with the Good News type razor and the head loads up with whiskers it is because you are only going in one direction with the blades. They are designed to clean themselves of cut whiskers and lather by moving in the opposite direction. Imagine back honing a razor.

IOW keeping the razor on the skin do your shaving stroke and then reverse your direction without lifting the razor.... go back and forth and the razor won't load up. This works on the two bladed disposables. I don't know about the multi bladed razors. I shave the skin where the tattoo is going to be placed on customers with these disposables every working day so I know it works. End of ramble.

Wait, I was supposed to strop a disposable on my face after a stroke (backstroke)? :P I've been shaving for 15 years and never heard of that. Now I'm gonna have to dig up a disposable and try it, just because I can't imagine that is what kept me throwing out my disposables every 2 shaves since no amount of effort could get the crap out from under the blades all these years.

Thanks for the history on how disposables took over. I figured it had to be a price thing in their favor at some point.

Originally Posted by ursus

I don't know how the change was made from DE to multi-blades, but once it was done, it's pretty easy to maintain. Where I live, I have never seen a DE-razor on the shelf of stores. Some stores have blades, but they're pretty much the same price as cartridges (talk about air in the price).

So when you people start to shave, it's either cartridges or electric, since the hardware or information isn't that readily available. They would need somebody to guide them.

Younger people (say people under 30)even do not know anything about DE's, most have ever seen one. That is sad.

Brings to my mind a real life story. I was naughty. Had so much fun. Goes like this. I work at the ship and we have to shave every day. Once, at the start of sail, our chief told us that he had forgot his disposables back home. He is a younger gentleman and used electric or disposables for whole his life. I said never mind sir, i can borrow you my DE with a new blade if you have your own shaving foam. Ok that was the deal. Was quite a sight when he had finished shaving. We had never seen so many patches and bloodstains on anyones face. Just like from some horror movie. Sorry i had no camera with me.

I usually travel with a Feather Portable DE or Gillette Travel Tech. On my last trip to Switzerland to save weight I brought a Trac II handle and a pack of cartridges. The Trac II broke half way through the trip.I shaved by holding the blade between my fingers. I usually bring a disposable Bic or two for a backup but this time I did not. I finally got a double blade disposable at one of the hotel desks. I have no idea where razors are sold in Switzerland.

I find the single or double blade disposables as good backups when flying. I would rather not have the extra weight of a strop and a small hone.