Originally Posted by
Natz
Well, first...there's the cost comparison-- I'm using Amazon.com for my explanation; currently you can buy an 8-pack of Mach 3s for about $24.99 (which boils down to about $3.12 per cart) On the same website, you can buy a 100 pack of Shark Super Chrome DE blades for $12.55. If you're a DE user, that comes down to about $.13 per blade. If you are like me, and use a Parker which accepts half of said DE blade, the cost goes down to about $.06 per blade. Hmmm, 200 Shark blades for $12.55 or 200 Mach 3 blades for $625...decisions, decisions.
Secondly, the quality of the shave. I've shaved with both my Parker Disposable and a Mach 3, and there really is no comparison. I've never gotten a BBS shave on my face with a Mach 3, and I get one every time with my Parker. I got ingrown hairs all the time when I used a Mach 3, but when I use my Shavette, none. When I use my Parker, the way it cuts through my full goatee with one pass is amazing. Try going through a full beard with a cartridge razor...it's not going to happen without the blade getting clogged. With my Parker, I can shave down to BBS and only have to shave every other day. With a Mach 3, I was shaving every day, and normally throwing the blade out after about a week or two due to the dullness. With my Shavette, I'm disposing the blades about every week...but if you see Point #1, I'm still WAY ahead of the game.
Thirdly, there's the skill required to use it; You still have to make sure that you're using the right angles, that you're prepping and stretching your skin, and that you're holding the Shavette the way that you'd hold a straight. Sure you might bleed at first until you remember that you don't have to press hard like your Mach 3's to get the same quality shave, but once you get the technique...BBSville, here we come.
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You still get the feel of using a straight style shaver, without having to carry a hone, strop, paste and all of the other maintenance tools that come with straight shaving, so the whole convenience factor is also worth noting vs using a straight. I'd much rather carry my Shavette and pack of blades (100 blades in a case about the size of a small matchbox), than have to bring out the "gear" and strop all the time.
Hopefully this is enough clarification for you