Is Gillette the best shave you can get?

Ali · August 2009

It seems to me that there is a bit of an oligopoly going on between Gillette and Wilkinson Sword Pricing of razor blades refills seems a way out kilter with what the production and distribution costs must be. Any one got any recommendations on cheaper blades that don’t ravage your face and cut you up ?

Marquis · August 2009

It used to be a blood bath every morning, regardless of brand. Everything turned to the good when I started dry shaving (three rotating blades, also monopolised, I think). And I can use aftershaves now, much to the delight of my fellow commuters.

Haroose · August 2009

Got to admit have been converted to the King of Shaves kit. Much easter and makes the bathroom look less like the Somme every morning. Some investment needed up front as with the others mind!

andy · August 2009

<http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/249568961/Turbo_Razor_Blades_2009_hot_selling.html>; straight from china - min order 200 packs?

bennyfromtheblok · August 2009

I'm sure they won't be the real deal....much like my fave/fake Diesel jeans bought in Thailand for a tenner! Still, I'm sure they would be OK, I've had my jeans 3 years and still look good.
200 packs though is a lifetime supply. Perhaps we should get a shaving syndicate together and but a load and split them up.
I'd also suggest using shaving oil as opposed to gel/foam etc as you can see what you are doing and cut yourself less and you don't need moisturiser after as the oil does it for you. I've tried Elemis and also one from Superdrug called Somersets and both really good.

andy · August 2009

It must be possible to source some real deals and have everyone chip in.

tosscat · August 2009

Oil's not good with multiblades though, no? They spend many, many millions on R&D, Ali, and the things are priced to recoup this, hence the subsidised cost of the handle and first blade. It looks like Gilette may have gone a step too far - look at their current desperate ad to get people to upgrade from Mach 3 to Fusion.

bennyfromtheblok · August 2009

I've been using the oil with the Mach 3 for a while and can only say good things about it. Another product that is great is from Lush, it's called Razorantium and is almost like a moisturiser you apply and just shave off - it's great. I stopped using it as I travel quite a lot and the oil is less than 100ml.
As for the Gillette ads with Tiger, Thierry and Roger! Whoever came up with them should be fired immediately - never has an ad made me want to boycott a product and made me angry in such a way.

Busby1 · August 2009

Well, all I can say is what a waste of money.

I've been shaving now for more than 30 years with these favourably-priced yellow razors from BIC and walk away every morning from the mirror with a clean shave. Not only that, but if washed out properly the same razor lasts 14 days easily.

Not only that - but I've never used shaving soap and a shaving brush - just normal soap and my hand to get up a foam.

My wife has never complained and my skin is, at 71, in TipTop condition. (the last thing I'd use is aftershave - another fallacy)

I'ts no good talking about 'tough' beards because I'm normal too.

A clean shave is a 'vision' planned to get you to spend your money on nothing. If you shave with Gillette at 7oclock you'll still have two hour's growth at 9.

staplejack · August 2009

I agree with Busby and use a fixed-blade disposable. Works fine, and I find one blade lasts about a week.

My dad used to shave with coal-tar soap and a stubby brush but I find the soap is just a bit too harsh (and London's hard water is a nightmare to froth properly) so I do invest in KoS gel. I like the oil for travelling but it makes the finings really sticky, as a result of which the blades gum up really quickly and also the basin is a pain to clean...

What else could we bulk-purchase and then distribute? How about chipping in for a new lift at Finsbury Park?

Marquis · August 2009

Shall I go ahead with [this](http://www.theenglishshavingcompany.com/cgi-bin/psShowCart.cgi)?

Ali · August 2009

You kidding at £60 for the Mach 3 Razor itself and they don’t sell the blades. They do have special Moustache razors and blades though

poxy · August 2009

I used to use KoS gel until recently. I'd run out and all I had in the bathroom was some Waitrose Antibac hand soap. In desperation I used it. I had a smoother and cut free shave than I used to get with the KoS gel. I can't see the point now in using anything else.

I use Wilkinson Sword turbo-nutter-bastard blades, BTW.

underscore_cue · August 2009

I think you're all unspeakably decadent. Unless you're hacking away using a tesco disposable with a broken handle and rust spots which your mate found on the tube in 2003 and making the lather from diluted jif then you're a big fat pussy.

injoke · August 2009

i just use hair clippers. unless i'm going to dinner with the queen or something.

tosscat · August 2009

Here here underscore_cue.

katiejane · August 2009

@ Ali - I always thought your were a girl.

graeme · August 2009

@KatieJane

maybe she is, maybe she is ...

<img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/07/29/article-0-05DDBE39000005DC-225_468x431.jpg"></img>

helen · August 2009

random fact about pricing of razor blades and batteries: although costs of production and r&d are high it is no more than you would reasonably expect. the main reason for charging on average 3x the actual cost is due to theft - for every packet sold, 2 are stolen and wind up on the market stalls of walthamstow, brick lane and points north. Having interviewed store security, habitual thieves and young offenders on this subject i can confirm this type of petty theft is a massive industry of its own - hence the huge security tags on every packet of blades and batteries... you'd be amazed how many packs you can keep up the sleeves of your shell suit as you make a break for tesco's front door....

tosscat · August 2009

But I don't wear a shell suit (top).

David · August 2009

So you can probably get a good deal on Mach3's in the Seven Sisters flea market?

Busby1 · August 2009

Even more reason for not buying.

doctorlalloo · August 2009

I use a <a href="http://www.superdrug.com/KING-OF-SHAVES-AZOR-BLACK-HANDLE/invt/517259" target="_blank">King of Shaves Azor</a>, mainly because I got it for free, but stuck with it as the replacement blades are less than a quid each.

It's an odd looking design, but works perfectly well for me.

Also as I shave only once a week a 4 pack of blades lasts me about 3 months.

Ali · August 2009

Decided tonight to check the prices in Tesco’s. It seems the cheapest blade is the Tesco’s Value at 2.5 p each. Busby’s Bic are 17p each and the Gillette one £2.34 each ! So the question is how brave am I to try the Value one as I can’t believe that the Gillette one is nearly a hundred times better !

marianogodoy · August 2009

I bought my gillete blades on ebay very cheap!

Ali · August 2009

Can you remember where ?

rainbow_carnage · August 2009

Buying things like blades on eBay is a bit dodgy. Not that you shouldn't do it, but you should know in advance that they're either counterfeit or stolen. It's just like buying from a market stall.

Ali · September 2009

Now tried the 2.5p Tesco Value disposable razor. It is made in the US and is very light and a bit tricky until you get used to it say compared to say a heavier Gillette Quattro etc. Have had two shaves so far with out any problems. If I can get to a third with out damage it is a sub 1p per shave which in these “ credit crunch times” is not so bad. The cost difference in a week must be nearly the cost of a pint in the WLM.

nick_m · September 2009

[Save-a-Blade](https://www.saveabladesale.com/Default.aspx?mid=500453)!

Ali · September 2009

Managed to get a third no blood shave out of the blood so it is possible to go sub 1p a shave. If you shave 4 times a week it is then possible to shave for a whole year with the Tesco Value Blades for les than the cost of one single Gillette expensive blade. Probably works as I don’t use gels or aerosols soaps that clog up the blades. I wonder if a save a blade would work with them

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