Here's fun fact from an internet inflation calculator: U.S. Inflation Rate, $1.95 in 1961 to 2018 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, prices in 2018 are 744.28% higher than prices in 1961. The dollar experienced an average inflation rate of 2.28% per year during this period. In other words, $1.95 in 1961 is equivalent in purchasing power to $16.46 in 2018, a difference of $14.51 over 57 years. Sooo, $16.46 for a Fatboy or $11.00 for a plastic Fusion with one whole cartridge. Hmmmm.
OK that addresses labor, but what about materials? nickel, brass, steel and gold prices? apples to oranges? I would love the know how long it took to create a brass plated 1961 fatboy razor vs an 2019 plastic one? Obviously they reduced the 1961[I think} down to the lighter Slim to save cost. Nixon unhitched the price of gold about the time OPEC jacked oil & prices took off. I bet Matt has a good idea what it would cost to duplicate a nickle plated fatboy in 2019.
Great comparison video. I'm a senior citizen that learned to shave with a Fatboy and a slim adjustable, then got sidetracked for 40 yrs. on cartridges. I've been back to DE and SE shaving for about 8 months now. Two of my best shavers are the Fatboy and the Aristocrat. Keep the videos coming.
Congrats Claude Johns - you're the winner of the Weekly T-Shirt give-away! Please contact us at help@razoremporium.com with your address and size and we will get it shipped out right away! Thanks everyone! Stay tuned next week for another giveaway! - Razor Emporium Team
Thank You, very much. Could you please do a video on how to cure RAD, SAD and BAD and all the other disorders stemming from wet shaving? LOL, have a great weekend
Several months ago I bought a Badger Hair Bush online for about $10-$15 and when I used it for the 1st time I was shaving with a multi blade disposable (the cheapest I could find). The brush improved the shave so much I thought "Maybe Grandpa was on to something when it came to shaving..." I bought a Gillette Tech Ball End (47-51) at a thrift store for $10. It was really dirty but it was in near perfect condition. I spent a week slowly hand polishing and sanitizing it until it looked perfect. I bought a pack of CVS Double Edge Stainless Steel Blades and a styptic pencil (I figured I would cut myself while trying to learn how to shave w/a DE razor). That 1st shave was AMAZING!!! ( I didn't nick myself AND I had absolutely NO RAZOR BURN!!!) It reminded me of the 1 time that I had a straight razor shave in a barber shop back in my home town when I was in high school (it was Prom Night and I wanted to be as smooth as possible). I wish, I wish, I wish that I would have discovered double edge safety razors 30 years ago!!! I will NEVER shave with a disposable razor again. I have found ONLY 1 draw back when it comes to Safety Razors and 'Wet Shaving" and it is that I now have an overwhelming desire to collect and try every type of razor out there!!! Thoughts of finding and collecting every Gillette Model from my birth year.... Maybe I should try a Single Blade Gem or Eveready?!?!?! WHAT ABOUT STRAIGHT RAZORS!!!!! OMG THIS SHAVING THING IS DANGEROUS!!! _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Thank You for your GREAT videos!!! I have learned a great deal from you about shaving and inadvertently found a wonderful hobby. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
I've fallen into the rabbit hole. Been wet shaving only a few months and already have around 40 vintage Gillette razors. I will now only shave with vintage DE razors, there is no comparison in the quality of shave. I to wish I would started 40 years ago. I even got my 82 year old dad back to using his Gillette Slim.
You are bang on. I shaved with a cartridge for 40 plus years and hated it. Then I saw a YT ad for a DE razor. Bought it and fell in love with shaving. I love making a great lather, I love the fact that my skin irritations have disappeared. Painting lather on your face feels so much better than using petroleum based gel. My skin looks great and my shaves are much closer than with a cartridge. Thanks Matt for being such an awesome spokesman for the wet shaving community. I am so glad I made the switch to DE razors. I now look forward to “me time” in the bathroom every second day. Cheers mate😊
There is a new razor called the “fat guy, ” out there. Paul H reviewed it and says it just like the “fat boy” by gillette. They are on sale right now but still sell for over $100. If you are wanting one and can scratch up the bucks it will be a great razor for you and last for many years.
I started shaving in my late teens and switched over to DE safety razors in my early 20's. On one occasion I was forced to use a cartridge razor again. It really does feel like shaving with broken glass once you've gotten used to DE blades.
0:35 Pro Shield? Pro Glide? Styler? Dang Matt, if I didn’t know better I’d think you were lost in the condom and lube section! Come to think of it, Fatboy isn’t much better...
Great video Matt. I'm sorry, but the fusion razor is a bit ridiculous with the "ball" and lubrication strip. The fusion and cartridge razors are truly designed by the marketing department, not engineers. The cheapest razor in my collection is the Roman Empire Shaving Caesar DE safety razor at $9.99, and it comes with 20 Premium assorted blades. I would GLADLY shave every day with the cheap but good Caesar razor. It will always give a better shave than the fusion. So, the cheapest DE razor is FAR better than the best cartridge razor on the market.
And they save you money. You got to give it to Gillette for creating the cartridge razor. And you got to give them points for marketing it so aggressively that by the 90s they were the go to. BUT.... They were Apple before Apple was Apple. They get you in their cartridge ecosystem and milk you dry. You get one razor from them for $10-15... and then they get you for $20-25 4-8 pack refills for the rest of your life.
I feel that cartridges are meant more for daily shaving, not 2+ days of growth. I converted to DE shaving 3 years ago and prior used the Gillette Fusion. I never had bad shaves with a cartridge. Never had irritation or ingrown hairs. I didn't experience any of that until I switched to DE shaving and still struggle with it time to time, but its when I over shave chasing the BBS everywhere. With that said, I won't go back to cartridge shaving. I enjoy the experience of traditional wet shaving. I'd love to see you try again with one days growth. And that little single blade trimmer on the back of the cartridge works great for under the nose.
I've tried practically all of Gillette's cartridge razors from the basic Sensor to the Fusion. 34 years to be exact, with the usual canned shave foam or gel. Ingrown hair was just something I had gotten used to when shaving. This year, I made the switch to DE safety razors. So far, I love the Dorco DE razor blades paired with Taconic's shave soaps. This new experience has made me fall in love with old-school DE razor shaving a lot, and I am never looking back at cartridge razors ever again.
EVIL TOMMY 06 that fusion will work good for you now but in a few years and when you get a lot more hair on your face trust me that vintage razor will be a god send.
I use a 1958 Gillette Flare Tip Super speed that I found buried under the house that I grew up. Kept it cause I always was interested in antiques and a few years back I decided to use it cause of how expensive the cartridge are and never again I have used a cartridge razor
Hey, Matt! I'm a total believer since converting to DE from multiple-razor cartridges last year. The extra blade on tip or back of those multiple-razor cartridges is the hardest part to clean due to hair particles lodged in from those sideburn trims; it doesn't have a second opening like the front razors so sometimes I even had to pluck out from it. I had to spend more time violently shaking the cartridge in a sink bowl full of hot water and sometimes even pre-immerse that cartridge in vinegar or rubbing alcohol to loosen any cream and hair clutter remaining from previous shave. With DE like you demonstrated in your UA-cam videos, running hot water really is enough for a routine clean. Shaking it violently in sink bowl full of hot water felt enough for a deep clean. Rarely or almost never felt a need to even pre-immerse it in vinegar or alcohol. Maybe I may have done it once or twice over the whole year I've been using DE, but that's a far cry from needing to pre-immerse a cartridge every few days. DE is way easier to clean for sure. - Pete
I was a kid when the first multiblade razors were being marketed. At the time they made a big deal out of how the first blade “grabbed” the whiskers to pull them out away from the face so that the following blade could cut it shorter. Seems to me that a little “pulling” was always part of the product plan. I started out with a Gillette DE because my dad had decided to go with a twin blade and he handed down his old razor to me. Over the years it got difficult to find DE blades and I switched to cartridges. Shaving with them was always just a “chore” that had to be done. Within the last two years DE shaving has made a comeback and I dug out that old Gillette Slim. Glad I did. Better shaves. Fewer problems. But best of all, I really enjoy shaving as a daily ritual. I encourage you to give DE shaving a try.
@@profesam8457 Honestly, the Gillette Sensor two blade system was not bad. If you are running late for work, school or an event, it did the job . The 5 blades are too excessive. They cut the hair too much below skin level. Gives alotta ingrown hairs.
I just got back in to using a razor. As I managed to smash my braun (wet)electric razor after shaking the residue water off and flinging it on the floor. I was using a Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5. I somehow stumbled on your UA-cam channel, and remembered I had a gillette DE razor that my dad gave me.... So I dug it out of the cupboard put a Wilkinson Sword blade in and was really impressed. I now have 3 razors. Including my recent ebay purchase of a vintage open comb, ballend 1920's American made Gillette. Thanks to you guys for showing me the way. 😉👍
I'd never go back to a cartridge. I used to get acne/ingrown hairs with them. I hate that tugging feeling. For me, a slant razor completely eliminated that issue.
Went double edge 7 years ago. Now going to injectors. When it comes to cream or soap, Proraso green is my go to. It’s all I reach for. It’s just that good.
I can hear the tug and pull of the cartridge razor and I feel your pain. So glad I started using a DE razor 4 years ago, been so much better for my skin after primarily using various Philips Norelco electric razors.
I used cartridge razors for years once I started shaving. Always had razor burn and ingrown hairs. Googled how to stop it and came across an article citing your company... and it was all down hill from there 😂 Now I’m so deep into DE shaving that I’ll never go back; I gag when I pass the shaving aisle in stores.
Mu face has been so happy since I ditched the Mach 3 for a my 34C HD. I love the point about how wet shaving allows you to personalize your shave. Brilliant.
Vladimir Lopez You definitely don't need a fatboy. The flare tip super speeds are better in my opinion, they have the slim head which the fatboy dosen't so you can get better access to tricky area like under the nose. You can get a flare tip in great condition for $10-20 US on eBay. I have a fatboy and use a flare tip as my daily razor. Or if you do want adjustment then the Slim Adjustable is less expensive and better than the fatboy for a daily shaver. Even if you really did want a fatboy to shave with, the savings you make from not buying cartridges pays for the razor, blades, shave brush and shave soap after a year or two.
Buddha Mack I’m not disagreeing with you at all I actually shave with a Merkur 34 most days and at this very moment I just finished a head shave with a Merkur futur. I also shave with a couple of straight blades. Personally my best shaves are with DE shavers and not my straight blades regardless of who hones them. But I will look for a flare tip to add to my collection.
Vladimir Lopez It's cool, I didn't think you were. Just wasn't sure if you were new to wet shaving and were put off by the price of a fatboy. You are correct though, they are overpriced and over hyped I think. I have actually noticed a drop off in popularity of them on eBay lately. They aren't selling for huge prices unless they have all original packaging. Can find a decent example for $60US sometimes. Those that try to ask for ridiculous prices just don't end up selling them. I've seen red tip super speeds sell for more than fatboys lately if they're in top condition.
You should try the Gillette Fusion POWER ... I also have very course facial hair and the vibrating action of the Power makes an enormous difference. That being said a friend turned me on to vintage DE razors and my daily shaver now is a Fat Boy with Astra Platinum blade. Thanks and Merry Christmas.
Greatest comparison video. I used to get so many ingrown hairs due to cartridge razors but haven’t had one since I restarted wet shaving again. My favorite DE so far is my birth year rhodium plated Slim I purchased from Razor Emporium. I love it
This is so funny to me; I began DE shaving in 2008. There are ingredients in canned/propellant foam that in combination with multi blade cartridge razors just chewed me up. DE shaving is better for my skin and my wallet, and your video explains the reason for me.
When you take inflation from 1961 to 2017 into consideration the $1.95 Gillette 'Fatboy' would have cost around $16.35 today. So, prices went 'down' when buying a Gillette 'Fusion 5', but when you consider the longevity of the razors, plus the costs of a yearly supply of razor cartridges vs double edge razor blades, the cost (and shave) benefits greatly lean towards any safety razor option.
I was using that exact same Gillette fusion until that infamous ad. After that ad I went to vintage shaving razors and after 7 different popular razors I’m dead set on my Adjustable Slim. And love it since I no longer get ingrown hairs, razor burns, and the fusion cost a lot of money despite it dulls SO FAST. So I’m happy I made the switch.
I recently had some 'under the sink' issues, and had to remove all the 20+ years' accumulation of stuff under my bathroom sink. Amongst a lot of forgotten junk I found a package of 2 blade Personna disposables, a Mach 3, a Fusion and a couple of pivot-y 3 blade Schicks. They all look so space-age, even though they're around a dozen years old. It's comforting to know that, should I ever run short of double edge blades, I've got back-up. Of course, my blade stash currently contains 100 packs of notable names such as BIC, Astra, Shark, Voskhod and Rapira, but I may actually live long enough to run short. One of the pivot-y Schicks was already used for a long-ago shave or 2, but I was intimidated - soft plastic comfort bar on one end, a lubricating strip on the other and 3 little narrow blades in between. It was hard to be impartial, but I reached for a 1931 Gillette Goodwill - it's among the oldest razors I own. To be fair, I pirated a 2-3 times used BIC blade outta a nearby black-handled Super Speed, and went to work. The brushes sighed, the pucks and bowls moaned as I reached for my can of Barbasol, and went to work. In the end, the Goodwill carried the day with a 2 pass excellent shave. The spaceage plastic razor did fine, except for 2 small problem areas under my jawline that take multi-directional passes to shave. 2 swipes with a Voskhod-loaded Schick Krona finished it all off nicely. It was no-contest, the Double Edge blades carried the day, even with the canned soap. The neighbor lady knocked on the door and asked if I could drive her over to the tire store down the street. Her spare tire was fixed & ready for her to pick up. One of her kids had her car. I tossed her the keys to my truck. She knocked on the door a minute later, puzzled over how to start the 6 speed manual transmission - I resisted the urge to ask her what she used to shave her legs ...
You just shipped out my fatboy!! And on topic you’re so right! Switching to DE has stopped all my irritation and razor burn. It’s completely night and day looking back at the cartridges.
You are right. I can get away with using a fusion or any other cartridge razor if I only have one day of growth, more than that and it starts to get uncomfortable.
Double Edge Safety razors helped my neck area too. That and cold water shaving, which I also got from one of your videos, I think really did the trick. It's like night and day, for real. I will not touch a cartridge razor again. And when it comes time to teach my son how to shave, it's def going to be with one of my milder DE razors for sure.
Good afternoon Matt! $12 for a shaving implement..outrageous? Have you seen the prices for some of the DE razors? Can you believe $249? (This is humor!!!) Anyway, I liked the Gillette Trac II. I had and used it for 27 years. I switched to the Fusion. Those cartridges clogged and I changed them once a week for a total of about $150 annually. I decided to find a better, more cost effective method, and changed to DE shaving. My face is better for the switch. Nowadays, I take my DE gear when traveling...take something that can be easily replaced. While the savings never really materialized (RAD, SAD, BAD, etc interfered) it truly is a more enjoyed shave. Thanks.
Yeah man. I've tried all the stupid cartridge razors including Dorco, Gillette, Schick. I will never use one again. The thing is, that old TV commercial for the Atra where the cartoon showed the first blade lifting and the second blade cutting and then the hair retracting below the skin surface, astoundingly, that was the 100% truth. But that is how we get irritation and ingrowns. Gillette's business model of cheap razors supported by blade sales can now only work with the multi-blade plastic cartridges. As for Dorco, I had a cartridge where one of the multi-blades was not properly attached at one end and I got a very deep gash from it. I mean permanent scar deep. Dorco is behind the Dollar Shave Club. I wish all shavers would discover the fact that Gillette once had the best two razors, the 195 and the Slim Adjustable, then turned their back on the best, because razor blades were everywhere and they weren't Gillette's blades anymore.
I alternate between a Schick Injector Type I and a Gillette Slim Adjustable that I inherited from my grandpa (and had Razor Emporium do a tune-up on, which they did a great job). I'm not committed to any specific blade, always curious to see if this blade is even better than the last, etc. Before I switched to SE/DE, I was always having problems with ingrown hairs and razor burn from multi-blade cartridge razors, no matter how expensive the cartridges were or how flashy their TV commercials were. I'm glad I made the switch.
Very similar to my story, I liked the fusion before making the switch simply because I didn't know any better. Is the same for me as well on my neck.... checks do "fair" with a cartridge but it would tug and irritate the crap outta my neck! Also in regards to smoothness, since switching to DE I've had people feel my cheeks in astonishment with comments such as "I didn't know shaving could get that close! It's like you waxed your face!"
The problem with the fusion is hair gets stuck in between the blades and then the blade is useless, plus they are expensive, so DE all the way for me and will never look back.
Matt, thanks for trying the Gillette Fusion 5 so I won't have too. The last cartridge razor I owned was a Mach 3 and that was a gift. I wasn't impressed and after using up the couple blade cartridges that it came with, the handle is now in a box somewhere here. DE and SE only for me.
I switched to de... i like the small collection of razors i have... i use each one... i have 7 razors... i tried 15 to 20 different razors and kept the ones i really liked... i even bought 2 styles back after i got better.... i enjoy talking to razor emporium. Matt is very knowledgeable and his team... but a de 100% watching matt shave with cartridge razor on neck made me even remember the hurting from hair pulling... Thanks matt for all the knowledge and products and razor services you provide
got a straight razor for christmas. think its cool and its honestly faster than a gillette. to get a smooth shave you have to do atleast 2 maybe three passes. straight razor just swipes through it. glad im just 18 and got into this. save money aswell
For me cartridge works best on my neck zero tugging. Been using DE since the 80s and have over 30 de razors. I get a better shave with fusion and canned foam but only use the DE, brush and lather up soaps etc for the nostalgic factor.
Nice! I remember when i turned 18, i got one of those fusion 5 proshield ball razors in the mail. It was a fancy metal one too! It was ok. Not a bad razor. I then used Harry's till just now. A friend of the family just left it and forgot about it, so i was like guess ill give it a new home! 😅 Decent razor for cartridges. I have now just switched to a safety razor and have gone down a deep rabbit hole! But it's quite fun and interesting how much stuff there is out there! Im a rookie, but it's pretty cool so far! My first razor was the Rockwell 6s! 😅😁👌🏻 An analogy i found for cartridges vs DE saftey razor is like console vs PC. Im getting that same vibe when i switched to pc like 8 or so years ago! It's so vast! Tons of parts, tons of freedom, cheaper in the long run, and can be custom tailored to you much like a pc or saftey razor experience! The console, or cartridges, works for many and it's strengths are the familiar, simplicity, and accessibility or ease of use, but drawbacks of less choice. For some, not a problem or a factor. I suppose that is one way to look at it! 😆👍🏻
Before I shifted to DE shaving I used the Gillette Fusion Proglide and my only real issue was ingrowns. Although pricey, Gillette makes the best cart razors IMO.
Great vid, Matt. Since introduced to DE razors, I've never looked back! Although I get really great bbs shaves, I'm still on the hunt for the perfect razor with the perfect blade with the perfect lather and scent! What a great journey so far. I'm with you. It's all about your own personal preference and shave experience. You rock, bro!! (p.s. thanks for the tshirt. Can't wait til it gets here!)
Even IF any cartridge razor gave a better shave than a DE/SE. The cost alone is reason enough to not use cartridges. You can use canned goop, never buy brushes or aftershaves just like you would for a cartridge. And if you switch to DE you’ll be saving tons of money for a comparable shave. Now if you actually get “into” the wet shaving scene, well you’re done for. And cost isn’t really the driving force anymore. But you hit the nail on the head. Variety and custom tailoring your shave vs 4 cartridges and 4 Shave cans.
Two years of shaving with a double edge. Two years of experimenting with handles, blades, angles, grips, soaps, creams. Two years of waiting four or five days between shaves to let my skin recover. Two years of blood, pain and burn. Finally went back to cartridges tonight. Did a two pass shave on a days stubble. It was glorious. Smooth, fast and clean. Will be dropping my DE razors in the trash tomorrow.
@@cugamer8862 Glad you found a razor that works best for you. Out of curiosity, what safety razors did you use? It's too bad you didn't donate (or sell) your safety razors to someone.
Matt, I totally agree with you, I've yet to try a cartridge razor that compares to any DE razor. We all aren't the same, you can't tweek a cartridge razor like you can with a DE, blade, adjustable and such. Nicely done Matt! 💈💈💈💈💈
Hey Matt nice comparison in fact milti blade razors do get stuck in the stubble whereas a DE or shavette, literally shave the hair off. Nice video 👍 ***Keep up the Good Shaves***
Always enjoy watching your videos and wanted to thank you for introducing me to the Gillette $1.95. As a long time man that had sensitive skin and the ingrown hair problem as soon as I watched your video about the adjustable razor, I knew that I was it for me. Excellent video as always. Now I just need to come out to visit your store!
I have the fusion pro glide as it came free with my 9 in 1 trimmer but my Dovo straight razor, strop and badger brush is just a whole lot exciting and a closer shave. Thanks to this channel. Keep it up Matt!
Well you are definitely crazy but atleast you got the shaving down! The Fatboy is one of my favorite DEs along with the Super Adjustable. I just wanted to mention that the reason I changed decades ago is while I do Not have any sensitivity issues my beard grows just fast enough that in 24 hours multi blades clog up and it was a nightmare to shave. If I shave every 8 to 12 hours it's not a problem though ... eXcept for the freaken COST! Oh and I also really like my straights and shavettes but every couple of weeks I go back to DE and wonder why I changed ... then a few weeks later back to straights and again 'why did I change?' I call this my Blade Cycle of Life aka Shave Cycle. Thanxz for the Great videos!
The biggest problem with cartridges is the complete lack of variety. My whole life I always thought I had "sensitive skin", because all these cartridge razors I tried just tore my face up. If I waited a good week before shaving with one, it was okay (presumably because my hair was long enough and so was a bit softer for the blades), but trying to shave every day or every other day with one of those things was a hellish nightmare. The reason for all the pain was not that I had "sensitive skin", it's that all of those cartridges just couldn't cut through my stubble. It was like trying to use a dull knife to slice a tomato. Once I switched to a double edge and explored the world of them, I found the perfect razor and blade for my hair. This exploration process did take awhile, and sure, I did spend a bit of money on a couple of razors, but it was totally worth it. The first DE I got was actually far too mild for my face, even with Astras or Feathers. It was still a noticeable improvement in comfort but I did run into many problems with my neck. Honestly, it was kind of off-putting at first, but I figured it had to be a problem with my technique. After 6 months with no improvement, I decided to pick up an adjustable, and quickly discovered I needed a pretty aggressive setting to get a smooth, comfortable shave. Since then, I've been shaving every day with no problems. To anyone who is interested in getting into the world of safety razors, I highly recommend you get some kind of adjustable razor. It doesn't have to be a fancy Gillette Fatboy, anything that sports some kind of adjustability would be well worth your money. You can use that to immediately discover what kind of aggression you need for your skin and hair.
Another Great video Matt, Thanks! I have been wet shaving now for about 2 years and totally agree, no comparison! I have a nice little collection of vintage Gillette safety razors now. I also am fascinated with the history! I really enjoy your videos and learning the history! For Christmas I am going get myself one of your Refurbished Fat Handle Tech. That will be my first non TTO razor. I would love to see you Review the Gillette Super Speed 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s models in a shave comparison and razor aggressiveness. I find the 40’s and 50’s to be a little too aggressive for my skin. My 1961, the year I was born is my favorite go to razor. Perfect smooth and comfortable shave for me. I would love to see your review. Thanks again for your Fun channel!
Hi Matt, I couldn’t wait for Christmas, I bought your Fat Handle Tech last night.....HAHAHAHA! Can’t wait to get it in the mail! Thanks again...Matt Danko👍😊
I do enjoy DE shaving and I get a great shave every time . And the cost of DE blades are more cost effective then cartage razors. But will the Fusion stand the test of time? I have been shaving since the very early 80s and the cost of shaving has gone up through the years and razors have evolved from 2 blades to now up to 6 blades. I feel the cost of cartage's will keep going up and up. DE is more affordable , easy to clean and will give you a great shave as long as you take your time.
My favorite is a pre war fat handle tech with polsilver blades, proraso soap , and proraso aftershave. Smooth and close with zero irritation. I was using Harry's cartridge blades and shave gel, nice razors, but not any closer shave and more expensive.
I recently got a Super Slim off eBay, and I can’t stop using it. I have a bunch of different DE razor handles. The Super Slim reminds of using a shavette and I like mine set on 7-9.
Great video! Totally agree, the variety of products makes the whole thing so good. Found my best mix (at the moment), Rockwell 6s, Gillette nacet/platinum, Bodyshop Macaroot shaving cream and proraso green splash.
Well I got the bug really bad. I have a Gillette Adjustable, Gillette Slim Adjustable and a Gillette Super Adjustable 109. You can see how Gillette went cheaper and cheaper throughout the years and finally started with cartridges and basically started to charge crazy amounts of money in the mid 2000's and well here we are today. Gillette with their $35 for 5 cartridges lol. Gillette built an empire in wet shaving and basically killed it all off in the name of profits.
Matt, you rock and as always, an educational and entertaining video. I’m new to DE but fell in love with the awesome elegance of vintage Gillette fat boys and slims only a few months ago. Good thing my wife tolerates my obsessions. Also am addicted to I’d lather be shaving. What a fascinating show!
I haven't used a single edged blade for years, but it. some of the most telling places to shave you ignore because of your facial hair. (mustache, above chin, corners of mouth).
I used disposable cartridges myself for years in high school. I don't remember much about them but I didn't mind them until college. Then I picked up a vintage Gillette Tech and went down the rabbit hole 3 years ago ha ha! I have tried disposables from time to time but have found they tug and just don't provide me with a good shave. Safety razors just slice through the hair like butter. Edit: However, I have used the Atra Plus and I actually quite like it
Great video. You're totally right, the variety is one great things about using a double edge razor. You don't wear the same clothes everyday, why shave the same way every time? I recently re-tried a five blade razor because I never paid attention when I regularly shaved with it. And I hated it. I will never go back to a cartridge razor.
Looking forward to my next shave with my DE razor, no irritation whatsoever thanks only to a barber who advised me to throw away my cartridge razor (Mach 3 I believe I used then) and canister foam. Give it a try (don't give up), change blades (sample packages) and handles (borrow them) & find the perfect match. Beside that it looks awesome the traditional kit in your bathroom.
When you say that it tugs, I wonder if what you really feel tugging is the rubber strip that does the skin stretching for you. I can get equally great shaves from both a DE and a cart. IMO, what gives most people a bad experience with a cart isnt the razor itself but the lack of prep and lack of technique that most of us had back in those days.
IDK, I spent most of my life with cartridges and always ran into serious issues with irritation and straight-up bleeding. Only ever happened if I tried to shave every day or every other day. It just wouldn't cut anything, I'd have to apply a lot of pressure with the razor to get it to start cutting, and obviously that caused a lot of problems for me. I spent the better part of a decade trying tons of different cartridge razors, many different shaving creams, different kinds of prep, none of it seemed to help me. Only thing that did help was if I waited a week before shaving with one, presumably because my hairs would be longer and therefore a little bit softer for the cartridge. Was always able to get a pretty comfortable, smooth shave if I did that, but who wants to spend half the week looking like an unkempt wolfman? I don't. Once I switched to an adjustable DE, I discovered I needed a pretty aggressive setting and an equally aggressive blade to deliver a comfortable shave. Immediate world of difference compared to the cartridges. Single-pass is much closer than what I was able to get with a cartridge, even with day-old stubble. My DE actually cuts through all of that, with no need of applying pressure. This naturally results in a much more comfortable shave. I think the real issue with cartridges is the blades themselves are just not aggressive enough for people like me. Seeing as how I've tried probably hundreds of the damn things by now, and every single one always gave me the same problems, I'm convinced they're all the same. The blades are just too mild. Think of it like trying to cut through a tomato with a dull knife. You have to sit there and apply tons of pressure and you just end up with a crappy job. The same concept applies to razors of any variety. If your hair is particularly coarse, you need something with more ass to cut it comfortably. Just like how you need a sharper knife to cut through different kinds of vegetables more cleanly.
Im torn, I'm 14 and barely know how to shave and i know in the future i will use a safety razor but for beginners would you still recommend using a safety razor
When I was in college in the '70s I used a butterfly Gillette but I don't know which one. I regret losing it. What I regret even more is that I didn't buy a few thousand of them and put them in storage! Who could have known how valuable these would be today?
FYI you can also get wizamet iridium super, which the same blade as polsilver SI and still being made. Some say they aren't, but in my research they are. Some even say they're better than polsilver.
Should have got the one with the Power button! I have one to use for travel when I don't want to check a bag. Seems kind of gimmicky but I think the power vibration helps the cutting action. Overall my personal preference is a traditional DE, SE or SR but the shave I get with a Gillette Fusion Power is still very good too.
Cool! I love the grin as you buy the Fusion... I recently tried my old fusion as compared to my new double edge razors.. no contest! The fusion pulled.. and is tough to really clean out.. it is fine for sure.. just no longer my speed.. I'm a Super Speed guy now! Frank from Boulder ,Colorado
The razors that have the micro vibrations do help the razor to slide across the skin better for sure, but it's not worth the extra money really. I started using a puck soap and badger hair brush several years ago but I'm moving more towards getting an old school adjustable safety razor set like what is used in this video. My beard is similar to the posters - my hair on my neck grows on a side to side angle, and my neck is a lot more sensitive than my face. One thing I do when shaving is I use the back side of the razor (where this Gillette has a single blade) to wipe away the soap from my beard so I have a preset guide for shaving on each side to keep my beard even on both sides. Using a Gillette like this would not work.
Personally I’m a straight razor shaver.... I have oodles of DE razors as well. But I have tried the fusion power and honestly it gave me a better shave than any DE razor I’ve tried so far. I know I’m going to catch heat over that comment but oh well... but like I said I’m a straight razor shaver!! Not a DE shaver but have lots of experience with DE. I would choose straight razor over the fusion though. The fusion gives me irritation more so than a DE and straight razor though as I have highly sensitive skin (which sucks) Love the videos. Keep them coming.
If I'm not mistaken, one should not adjust the adjustable Gillette razors with the butterfly panels fully tightened, one should loosen the butterfly panels first, then adjust the razor.
I'm sure the first complaint will be that you didn't use the gel (canned goo) for the fusion side. I only use a cartridge for shaving my head anymore. I also noticed it looked like you got some irritation on the fusion side. Shave on Matt!
LOL...best to do your blarb BEFORE you lather. The time you spent blabbing would have meant the soap was drying on your 'dial' lol. Hey on a positive note, loving my Rex DE. Only thing is, I wish some of the angles were smoothed off a bit. Rudds said the rev2 is smoother and slightly more rounds in the angles. That sounds a good deal. I can see some bumps on your neck where you used the Fusion.I used to have a shave with a fusion and look in the mirror and think ..yeah that looks pretty smooth....until I left it a while. My neck was a mass of red bumps that took 12 hrs to reduce down. DE shaving fixed all those problems and my skin is awesome in comparison these days.
Thanks Matt... Enjoying the info... On my first week with a DE razor (Edwin Jagger DE89 and Astra blades and cold shaving)... Definitely better than the Gillette Fusion!
My transition from cartridge shaving to DE was a great awakening! Never could get a truly satisfying close shave with Gillette cartridge nonsense. 7 1/2 years of DE shaving, with no looking back...
I’ve got both 1960 and 1962 Gillette I had you bring both back to life ( awesome job I must say) and have a Fusion Razor like you used and get a better shave from it than my safety razor by far. New to safety razor in last year and maybe it’s the blade. Bought a sample pack from you. Am using can shave cream bought a soap from Amazon hate it.
The soap is as important as the DE razor. A quality soap gives protection and lubrication. Can shave foam is nowhere near as good. Don't give up on the DE, problem solve and improve your DE shave. If nothing else it will save you thousands of dollars over a lifetime. Biggest mistakes: Treating the safety razor like a cartridge and pushing it onto your face with pressure. Incorrect angle Poor shave prep and after shave routine Not learning your facial hair growth pattern and shaving with the direction of growth. Treating shaving like a chore and rushing it.
Here's fun fact from an internet inflation calculator:
U.S. Inflation Rate, $1.95 in 1961 to 2018
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, prices in 2018 are 744.28% higher than prices in 1961. The dollar experienced an average inflation rate of 2.28% per year during this period.
In other words, $1.95 in 1961 is equivalent in purchasing power to $16.46 in 2018, a difference of $14.51 over 57 years.
Sooo, $16.46 for a Fatboy or $11.00 for a plastic Fusion with one whole cartridge. Hmmmm.
OK that addresses labor, but what about materials? nickel, brass, steel and gold prices? apples to oranges?
I would love the know how long it took to create a brass plated 1961 fatboy razor vs an 2019 plastic one?
Obviously they reduced the 1961[I think} down to the lighter Slim to save cost.
Nixon unhitched the price of gold about the time OPEC jacked oil & prices took off.
I bet Matt has a good idea what it would cost to duplicate a nickle plated fatboy in 2019.
Doesn't matter if it was 2$ in 1961, in 2019 sellers are asking for 40-50$
@@nihilisticexistentialist6007 You won't get one for that price at least in a reasonable condition
They are way over 100 bucks.better off getting the real thing and replated if needed for same or was money than the imitation fat guy.
Great comparison video. I'm a senior citizen that learned to shave with a Fatboy and a slim adjustable, then got sidetracked for 40 yrs. on cartridges. I've been back to DE and SE shaving for about 8 months now. Two of my best shavers are the Fatboy and the Aristocrat. Keep the videos coming.
Congrats Claude Johns - you're the winner of the Weekly T-Shirt give-away! Please contact us at help@razoremporium.com with your address and size and we will get it shipped out right away! Thanks everyone! Stay tuned next week for another giveaway! - Razor Emporium Team
Thank You, very much. Could you please do a video on how to cure RAD, SAD and BAD and all the other disorders stemming from wet shaving? LOL, have a great weekend
Several months ago I bought a Badger Hair Bush online for about $10-$15 and when I used it for the 1st time I was shaving with a multi blade disposable (the cheapest I could find).
The brush improved the shave so much I thought "Maybe Grandpa was on to something when it came to shaving..."
I bought a Gillette Tech Ball End (47-51) at a thrift store for $10.
It was really dirty but it was in near perfect condition.
I spent a week slowly hand polishing and sanitizing it until it looked perfect.
I bought a pack of CVS Double Edge Stainless Steel Blades and a styptic pencil (I figured I would cut myself while trying to learn how to shave w/a DE razor).
That 1st shave was AMAZING!!! ( I didn't nick myself AND I had absolutely NO RAZOR BURN!!!)
It reminded me of the 1 time that I had a straight razor shave in a barber shop back in my home town when I was in high school (it was Prom Night and I wanted to be as smooth as possible).
I wish, I wish, I wish that I would have discovered double edge safety razors 30 years ago!!!
I will NEVER shave with a disposable razor again.
I have found ONLY 1 draw back when it comes to Safety Razors and 'Wet Shaving" and it is that I now have an overwhelming desire to collect and try every type of razor out there!!! Thoughts of finding and collecting every Gillette Model from my birth year.... Maybe I should try a Single Blade Gem or Eveready?!?!?! WHAT ABOUT STRAIGHT RAZORS!!!!! OMG THIS SHAVING THING IS DANGEROUS!!!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank You for your GREAT videos!!!
I have learned a great deal from you about shaving and inadvertently found a wonderful hobby.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Yes it pulls you in for the cheapness it could be. Then you buy every razor you can find haha
I've fallen into the rabbit hole. Been wet shaving only a few months and already have around 40 vintage Gillette razors. I will now only shave with vintage DE razors, there is no comparison in the quality of shave. I to wish I would started 40 years ago. I even got my 82 year old dad back to using his Gillette Slim.
You are bang on. I shaved with a cartridge for 40 plus years and hated it. Then I saw a YT ad for a DE razor. Bought it and fell in love with shaving. I love making a great lather, I love the fact that my skin irritations have disappeared. Painting lather on your face feels so much better than using petroleum based gel.
My skin looks great and my shaves are much closer than with a cartridge.
Thanks Matt for being such an awesome spokesman for the wet shaving community.
I am so glad I made the switch to DE razors. I now look forward to “me time” in the bathroom every second day.
Cheers mate😊
Just turned 18. I’ll be looking for my 1.95 adjustable in the mail.
Haha, you wish... Don't hold your breath
There is a new razor called the “fat guy, ” out there. Paul H reviewed it and says it just like the “fat boy” by gillette. They are on sale right now but still sell for over $100. If you are wanting one and can scratch up the bucks it will be a great razor for you and last for many years.
I shave with DE's both vintage and modern these days. I laugh at the razors in the supermarket now when I pass them in the aisles.
I started shaving in my late teens and switched over to DE safety razors in my early 20's. On one occasion I was forced to use a cartridge razor again. It really does feel like shaving with broken glass once you've gotten used to DE blades.
More like a cheese grater...
0:35 Pro Shield? Pro Glide? Styler?
Dang Matt, if I didn’t know better I’d think you were lost in the condom and lube section!
Come to think of it, Fatboy isn’t much better...
THAT'S some funny shit right there !!!
Made my day. Thank you.
@@Garrett. That's freaking hilarious! Damnit, now I gotta clean coffee off my monitor.
oops i didnt mean to delete my comment floorpizza
Great video Matt. I'm sorry, but the fusion razor is a bit ridiculous with the "ball" and lubrication strip. The fusion and cartridge razors are truly designed by the marketing department, not engineers. The cheapest razor in my collection is the Roman Empire Shaving Caesar DE safety razor at $9.99, and it comes with 20 Premium assorted blades. I would GLADLY shave every day with the cheap but good Caesar razor. It will always give a better shave than the fusion. So, the cheapest DE razor is FAR better than the best cartridge razor on the market.
And they save you money. You got to give it to Gillette for creating the cartridge razor. And you got to give them points for marketing it so aggressively that by the 90s they were the go to. BUT.... They were Apple before Apple was Apple. They get you in their cartridge ecosystem and milk you dry. You get one razor from them for $10-15... and then they get you for $20-25 4-8 pack refills for the rest of your life.
I just purchase a 1959 Gillette fat boy and I can’t wait to try it out
I feel that cartridges are meant more for daily shaving, not 2+ days of growth. I converted to DE shaving 3 years ago and prior used the Gillette Fusion. I never had bad shaves with a cartridge. Never had irritation or ingrown hairs. I didn't experience any of that until I switched to DE shaving and still struggle with it time to time, but its when I over shave chasing the BBS everywhere. With that said, I won't go back to cartridge shaving. I enjoy the experience of traditional wet shaving. I'd love to see you try again with one days growth. And that little single blade trimmer on the back of the cartridge works great for under the nose.
"Zipping across the face"
Millions of people had literally slashed their faces because the modern Gillette commercials.
I've tried practically all of Gillette's cartridge razors from the basic Sensor to the Fusion. 34 years to be exact, with the usual canned shave foam or gel. Ingrown hair was just something I had gotten used to when shaving.
This year, I made the switch to DE safety razors. So far, I love the Dorco DE razor blades paired with Taconic's shave soaps. This new experience has made me fall in love with old-school DE razor shaving a lot, and I am never looking back at cartridge razors ever again.
I've just turned 13 and i just did my first shave and it went really good I didn't cut myself and I used the fusion 5 it worked amazing for me
EVIL TOMMY 06 that fusion will work good for you now but in a few years and when you get a lot more hair on your face trust me that vintage razor will be a god send.
Updates?
I use a 1958 Gillette Flare Tip Super speed that I found buried under the house that I grew up. Kept it cause I always was interested in antiques and a few years back I decided to use it cause of how expensive the cartridge are and never again I have used a cartridge razor
Felipe Vargas A Gift from the Shaving Gods
Felipe Vargas you have no idea how lucky you are
nicky21111 😂
Hey, Matt! I'm a total believer since converting to DE from multiple-razor cartridges last year. The extra blade on tip or back of those multiple-razor cartridges is the hardest part to clean due to hair particles lodged in from those sideburn trims; it doesn't have a second opening like the front razors so sometimes I even had to pluck out from it. I had to spend more time violently shaking the cartridge in a sink bowl full of hot water and sometimes even pre-immerse that cartridge in vinegar or rubbing alcohol to loosen any cream and hair clutter remaining from previous shave.
With DE like you demonstrated in your UA-cam videos, running hot water really is enough for a routine clean. Shaking it violently in sink bowl full of hot water felt enough for a deep clean. Rarely or almost never felt a need to even pre-immerse it in vinegar or alcohol. Maybe I may have done it once or twice over the whole year I've been using DE, but that's a far cry from needing to pre-immerse a cartridge every few days. DE is way easier to clean for sure. - Pete
To sum it up a cartridge razor pulls and then cuts the hair as where a safety razor just gives a clean cut with no pull every time.
SuperHkang same here, carts don’t bother me.
I was a kid when the first multiblade razors were being marketed. At the time they made a big deal out of how the first blade “grabbed” the whiskers to pull them out away from the face so that the following blade could cut it shorter. Seems to me that a little “pulling” was always part of the product plan. I started out with a Gillette DE because my dad had decided to go with a twin blade and he handed down his old razor to me. Over the years it got difficult to find DE blades and I switched to cartridges. Shaving with them was always just a “chore” that had to be done. Within the last two years DE shaving has made a comeback and I dug out that old Gillette Slim. Glad I did. Better shaves. Fewer problems. But best of all, I really enjoy shaving as a daily ritual. I encourage you to give DE shaving a try.
@@profesam8457 Honestly, the Gillette Sensor two blade system was not bad. If you are running late for work, school or an event, it did the job . The 5 blades are too excessive. They cut the hair too much below skin level. Gives alotta ingrown hairs.
@@profesam8457 With Amazon. Blades are now at your fingertips for cheap, buddy.
I just got back in to using a razor. As I managed to smash my braun (wet)electric razor after shaking the residue water off and flinging it on the floor.
I was using a Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5. I somehow stumbled on your UA-cam channel, and remembered I had a gillette DE razor that my dad gave me.... So I dug it out of the cupboard put a Wilkinson Sword blade in and was really impressed.
I now have 3 razors. Including my recent ebay purchase of a vintage open comb, ballend 1920's American made Gillette.
Thanks to you guys for showing me the way. 😉👍
I'd never go back to a cartridge. I used to get acne/ingrown hairs with them. I hate that tugging feeling. For me, a slant razor completely eliminated that issue.
Atblueram1500 congrats you are the t shirt winner!! Email us your size and shipping info to help@razoremporium.com thanks all!!
Went double edge 7 years ago. Now going to injectors. When it comes to cream or soap, Proraso green is my go to. It’s all I reach for. It’s just that good.
I can hear the tug and pull of the cartridge razor and I feel your pain. So glad I started using a DE razor 4 years ago, been so much better for my skin after primarily using various Philips Norelco electric razors.
I used cartridge razors for years once I started shaving. Always had razor burn and ingrown hairs. Googled how to stop it and came across an article citing your company... and it was all down hill from there 😂
Now I’m so deep into DE shaving that I’ll never go back; I gag when I pass the shaving aisle in stores.
Mu face has been so happy since I ditched the Mach 3 for a my 34C HD. I love the point about how wet shaving allows you to personalize your shave. Brilliant.
The cheek using the cartridge is redder than the DE side, possibly meaning more irritation.
Gillette Fusion 5 cartridge with Flexball Technology
Vs
Gillette $1.95 Fatboy Adjustable Safety Razor with Synovial Joint (wrist) Technology.
Buddha Mack only problem is the fat boy on eBay is not a $1.95 anymore. People are asking ridiculous amounts of money
Vladimir Lopez You definitely don't need a fatboy. The flare tip super speeds are better in my opinion, they have the slim head which the fatboy dosen't so you can get better access to tricky area like under the nose. You can get a flare tip in great condition for $10-20 US on eBay. I have a fatboy and use a flare tip as my daily razor.
Or if you do want adjustment then the Slim Adjustable is less expensive and better than the fatboy for a daily shaver.
Even if you really did want a fatboy to shave with, the savings you make from not buying cartridges pays for the razor, blades, shave brush and shave soap after a year or two.
Buddha Mack I’m not disagreeing with you at all I actually shave with a Merkur 34 most days and at this very moment I just finished a head shave with a Merkur futur. I also shave with a couple of straight blades. Personally my best shaves are with DE shavers and not my straight blades regardless of who hones them. But I will look for a flare tip to add to my collection.
Vladimir Lopez It's cool, I didn't think you were. Just wasn't sure if you were new to wet shaving and were put off by the price of a fatboy. You are correct though, they are overpriced and over hyped I think. I have actually noticed a drop off in popularity of them on eBay lately. They aren't selling for huge prices unless they have all original packaging. Can find a decent example for $60US sometimes. Those that try to ask for ridiculous prices just don't end up selling them.
I've seen red tip super speeds sell for more than fatboys lately if they're in top condition.
You should try the Gillette Fusion POWER ... I also have very course facial hair and the vibrating action of the Power makes an enormous difference. That being said a friend turned me on to vintage DE razors and my daily shaver now is a Fat Boy with Astra Platinum blade. Thanks and Merry Christmas.
Greatest comparison video. I used to get so many ingrown hairs due to cartridge razors but haven’t had one since I restarted wet shaving again.
My favorite DE so far is my birth year rhodium plated Slim I purchased from Razor Emporium. I love it
This is so funny to me; I began DE shaving in 2008. There are ingredients in canned/propellant foam that in combination with multi blade cartridge razors just chewed me up. DE shaving is better for my skin and my wallet, and your video explains the reason for me.
Glad I started using a double edge over 20 years ago. Likely has saved me thousands of dollars over the years. Only costs me $5 per year to shave.
When you take inflation from 1961 to 2017 into consideration the $1.95 Gillette 'Fatboy' would have cost around $16.35 today. So, prices went 'down' when buying a Gillette 'Fusion 5', but when you consider the longevity of the razors, plus the costs of a yearly supply of razor cartridges vs double edge razor blades, the cost (and shave) benefits greatly lean towards any safety razor option.
great point!
I was using that exact same Gillette fusion until that infamous ad. After that ad I went to vintage shaving razors and after 7 different popular razors I’m dead set on my Adjustable Slim. And love it since I no longer get ingrown hairs, razor burns, and the fusion cost a lot of money despite it dulls SO FAST. So I’m happy I made the switch.
I recently had some 'under the sink' issues, and had to remove all the 20+ years' accumulation of stuff under my bathroom sink. Amongst a lot of forgotten junk I found a package of 2 blade Personna disposables, a Mach 3, a Fusion and a couple of pivot-y 3 blade Schicks. They all look so space-age, even though they're around a dozen years old. It's comforting to know that, should I ever run short of double edge blades, I've got back-up. Of course, my blade stash currently contains 100 packs of notable names such as BIC, Astra, Shark, Voskhod and Rapira, but I may actually live long enough to run short.
One of the pivot-y Schicks was already used for a long-ago shave or 2, but I was intimidated - soft plastic comfort bar on one end, a lubricating strip on the other and 3 little narrow blades in between.
It was hard to be impartial, but I reached for a 1931 Gillette Goodwill - it's among the oldest razors I own. To be fair, I pirated a 2-3 times used BIC blade outta a nearby black-handled Super Speed, and went to work. The brushes sighed, the pucks and bowls moaned as I reached for my can of Barbasol, and went to work. In the end, the Goodwill carried the day with a 2 pass excellent shave. The spaceage plastic razor did fine, except for 2 small problem areas under my jawline that take multi-directional passes to shave. 2 swipes with a Voskhod-loaded Schick Krona finished it all off nicely. It was no-contest, the Double Edge blades carried the day, even with the canned soap.
The neighbor lady knocked on the door and asked if I could drive her over to the tire store down the street. Her spare tire was fixed & ready for her to pick up. One of her kids had her car. I tossed her the keys to my truck. She knocked on the door a minute later, puzzled over how to start the 6 speed manual transmission - I resisted the urge to ask her what she used to shave her legs ...
You just shipped out my fatboy!! And on topic you’re so right! Switching to DE has stopped all my irritation and razor burn. It’s completely night and day looking back at the cartridges.
You are right. I can get away with using a fusion or any other cartridge razor if I only have one day of growth, more than that and it starts to get uncomfortable.
Double Edge Safety razors helped my neck area too. That and cold water shaving, which I also got from one of your videos, I think really did the trick. It's like night and day, for real. I will not touch a cartridge razor again. And when it comes time to teach my son how to shave, it's def going to be with one of my milder DE razors for sure.
Good afternoon Matt! $12 for a shaving implement..outrageous? Have you seen the prices for some of the DE razors? Can you believe $249? (This is humor!!!) Anyway, I liked the Gillette Trac II. I had and used it for 27 years. I switched to the Fusion. Those cartridges clogged and I changed them once a week for a total of about $150 annually. I decided to find a better, more cost effective method, and changed to DE shaving. My face is better for the switch. Nowadays, I take my DE gear when traveling...take something that can be easily replaced. While the savings never really materialized (RAD, SAD, BAD, etc interfered) it truly is a more enjoyed shave. Thanks.
Yeah man. I've tried all the stupid cartridge razors including Dorco, Gillette, Schick. I will never use one again. The thing is, that old TV commercial for the Atra where the cartoon showed the first blade lifting and the second blade cutting and then the hair retracting below the skin surface, astoundingly, that was the 100% truth. But that is how we get irritation and ingrowns. Gillette's business model of cheap razors supported by blade sales can now only work with the multi-blade plastic cartridges. As for Dorco, I had a cartridge where one of the multi-blades was not properly attached at one end and I got a very deep gash from it. I mean permanent scar deep. Dorco is behind the Dollar Shave Club. I wish all shavers would discover the fact that Gillette once had the best two razors, the 195 and the Slim Adjustable, then turned their back on the best, because razor blades were everywhere and they weren't Gillette's blades anymore.
The straight razor shave I saw you do on another video looks like it was closer and less irritating. Great video!
I alternate between a Schick Injector Type I and a Gillette Slim Adjustable that I inherited from my grandpa (and had Razor Emporium do a tune-up on, which they did a great job). I'm not committed to any specific blade, always curious to see if this blade is even better than the last, etc. Before I switched to SE/DE, I was always having problems with ingrown hairs and razor burn from multi-blade cartridge razors, no matter how expensive the cartridges were or how flashy their TV commercials were. I'm glad I made the switch.
Very similar to my story, I liked the fusion before making the switch simply because I didn't know any better. Is the same for me as well on my neck.... checks do "fair" with a cartridge but it would tug and irritate the crap outta my neck! Also in regards to smoothness, since switching to DE I've had people feel my cheeks in astonishment with comments such as "I didn't know shaving could get that close! It's like you waxed your face!"
The problem with the fusion is hair gets stuck in between the blades and then the blade is useless, plus they are expensive, so DE all the way for me and will never look back.
Matt, thanks for trying the Gillette Fusion 5 so I won't have too. The last cartridge razor I owned was a Mach 3 and that was a gift. I wasn't impressed and after using up the couple blade cartridges that it came with, the handle is now in a box somewhere here. DE and SE only for me.
I switched to de... i like the small collection of razors i have... i use each one... i have 7 razors... i tried 15 to 20 different razors and kept the ones i really liked... i even bought 2 styles back after i got better.... i enjoy talking to razor emporium. Matt is very knowledgeable and his team... but a de 100% watching matt shave with cartridge razor on neck made me even remember the hurting from hair pulling...
Thanks matt for all the knowledge and products and razor services you provide
got a straight razor for christmas. think its cool and its honestly faster than a gillette. to get a smooth shave you have to do atleast 2 maybe three passes. straight razor just swipes through it. glad im just 18 and got into this. save money aswell
Glad to hear it's going well!
I can see the cartridge pulling and tugging the hair as you go down your cheek! DE's are so much better.
Ben C yeah
glad to see another Ben C
Plus DE razors are easy to clean unlike the Carts that clog immediately.
For me cartridge works best on my neck zero tugging. Been using DE since the 80s and have over 30 de razors. I get a better shave with fusion and canned foam but only use the DE, brush and lather up soaps etc for the nostalgic factor.
Nice! I remember when i turned 18, i got one of those fusion 5 proshield ball razors in the mail. It was a fancy metal one too! It was ok. Not a bad razor. I then used Harry's till just now. A friend of the family just left it and forgot about it, so i was like guess ill give it a new home! 😅 Decent razor for cartridges.
I have now just switched to a safety razor and have gone down a deep rabbit hole! But it's quite fun and interesting how much stuff there is out there! Im a rookie, but it's pretty cool so far! My first razor was the Rockwell 6s! 😅😁👌🏻
An analogy i found for cartridges vs DE saftey razor is like console vs PC. Im getting that same vibe when i switched to pc like 8 or so years ago! It's so vast! Tons of parts, tons of freedom, cheaper in the long run, and can be custom tailored to you much like a pc or saftey razor experience! The console, or cartridges, works for many and it's strengths are the familiar, simplicity, and accessibility or ease of use, but drawbacks of less choice. For some, not a problem or a factor. I suppose that is one way to look at it! 😆👍🏻
Enjoy your videos learning a lot about vintage razors keep them coming
I remember getting my Gillette in the mail on my birthday back in 2015 or so.
Before I shifted to DE shaving I used the Gillette Fusion Proglide and my only real issue was ingrowns. Although pricey, Gillette makes the best cart razors IMO.
Great vid, Matt. Since introduced to DE razors, I've never looked back! Although I get really great bbs shaves, I'm still on the hunt for the perfect razor with the perfect blade with the perfect lather and scent! What a great journey so far. I'm with you. It's all about your own personal preference and shave experience. You rock, bro!! (p.s. thanks for the tshirt. Can't wait til it gets here!)
Even IF any cartridge razor gave a better shave than a DE/SE. The cost alone is reason enough to not use cartridges.
You can use canned goop, never buy brushes or aftershaves just like you would for a cartridge.
And if you switch to DE you’ll be saving tons of money for a comparable shave.
Now if you actually get “into” the wet shaving scene, well you’re done for. And cost isn’t really the driving force anymore.
But you hit the nail on the head. Variety and custom tailoring your shave vs 4 cartridges and 4 Shave cans.
Two years of shaving with a double edge. Two years of experimenting with handles, blades, angles, grips, soaps, creams. Two years of waiting four or five days between shaves to let my skin recover. Two years of blood, pain and burn.
Finally went back to cartridges tonight. Did a two pass shave on a days stubble. It was glorious. Smooth, fast and clean.
Will be dropping my DE razors in the trash tomorrow.
@@cugamer8862 Glad you found a razor that works best for you. Out of curiosity, what safety razors did you use? It's too bad you didn't donate (or sell) your safety razors to someone.
Matt, I totally agree with you, I've yet to try a cartridge razor that compares to any DE razor.
We all aren't the same, you can't tweek a cartridge razor like you can with a DE, blade, adjustable and such.
Nicely done Matt! 💈💈💈💈💈
Hey Matt nice comparison in fact milti blade razors do get stuck in the stubble whereas a DE or shavette, literally shave the hair off. Nice video 👍 ***Keep up the Good Shaves***
I have the same problems with sensitive skin and a very coarse beard. I had to switch after high school to DE. The fusions would tear my face apart.
Always enjoy watching your videos and wanted to thank you for introducing me to the Gillette $1.95. As a long time man that had sensitive skin and the ingrown hair problem as soon as I watched your video about the adjustable razor, I knew that I was it for me. Excellent video as always. Now I just need to come out to visit your store!
Matthew Olczak so glad to hear!!
I have the fusion pro glide as it came free with my 9 in 1 trimmer but my Dovo straight razor, strop and badger brush is just a whole lot exciting and a closer shave. Thanks to this channel. Keep it up Matt!
Well you are definitely crazy but atleast you got the shaving down! The Fatboy is one of my favorite DEs along with the Super Adjustable. I just wanted to mention that the reason I changed decades ago is while I do Not have any sensitivity issues my beard grows just fast enough that in 24 hours multi blades clog up and it was a nightmare to shave. If I shave every 8 to 12 hours it's not a problem though ... eXcept for the freaken COST!
Oh and I also really like my straights and shavettes but every couple of weeks I go back to DE and wonder why I changed ... then a few weeks later back to straights and again 'why did I change?' I call this my Blade Cycle of Life aka Shave Cycle.
Thanxz for the Great videos!
Old is gold! The Fatboy was gliding through the stubble while you can clearly see the Proglide tug. Awesome video, Matt!
Another great video, Matt. I remember buying a Fusion years ago. One shave is all it took and then I returned it and got a refund.
The biggest problem with cartridges is the complete lack of variety. My whole life I always thought I had "sensitive skin", because all these cartridge razors I tried just tore my face up. If I waited a good week before shaving with one, it was okay (presumably because my hair was long enough and so was a bit softer for the blades), but trying to shave every day or every other day with one of those things was a hellish nightmare. The reason for all the pain was not that I had "sensitive skin", it's that all of those cartridges just couldn't cut through my stubble. It was like trying to use a dull knife to slice a tomato.
Once I switched to a double edge and explored the world of them, I found the perfect razor and blade for my hair. This exploration process did take awhile, and sure, I did spend a bit of money on a couple of razors, but it was totally worth it. The first DE I got was actually far too mild for my face, even with Astras or Feathers. It was still a noticeable improvement in comfort but I did run into many problems with my neck. Honestly, it was kind of off-putting at first, but I figured it had to be a problem with my technique. After 6 months with no improvement, I decided to pick up an adjustable, and quickly discovered I needed a pretty aggressive setting to get a smooth, comfortable shave. Since then, I've been shaving every day with no problems.
To anyone who is interested in getting into the world of safety razors, I highly recommend you get some kind of adjustable razor. It doesn't have to be a fancy Gillette Fatboy, anything that sports some kind of adjustability would be well worth your money. You can use that to immediately discover what kind of aggression you need for your skin and hair.
Another Great video Matt, Thanks! I have been wet shaving now for about 2 years and totally agree, no comparison! I have a nice little collection of vintage Gillette safety razors now. I also am fascinated with the history! I really enjoy your videos and learning the history! For Christmas I am going get myself one of your Refurbished Fat Handle Tech. That will be my first non TTO razor. I would love to see you Review the Gillette Super Speed 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s models in a shave comparison and razor aggressiveness. I find the 40’s and 50’s to be a little too aggressive for my skin. My 1961, the year I was born is my favorite go to razor. Perfect smooth and comfortable shave for me. I would love to see your review. Thanks again for your Fun channel!
Hi Matt, I couldn’t wait for Christmas, I bought your Fat Handle Tech last night.....HAHAHAHA! Can’t wait to get it in the mail! Thanks again...Matt Danko👍😊
I do enjoy DE shaving and I get a great shave every time . And the cost of DE blades are more cost effective then cartage razors. But will the Fusion stand the test of time? I have been shaving since the very early 80s and the cost of shaving has gone up through the years and razors have evolved from 2 blades to now up to 6 blades. I feel the cost of cartage's will keep going up and up. DE is more affordable , easy to clean and will give you a great shave as long as you take your time.
Don't ever think that all of us here don't appreciate what you guys do.👍👍👍👍
My favorite is a pre war fat handle tech with polsilver blades, proraso soap , and proraso aftershave. Smooth and close with zero irritation. I was using Harry's cartridge blades and shave gel, nice razors, but not any closer shave and more expensive.
I recently got a Super Slim off eBay, and I can’t stop using it. I have a bunch of different DE razor handles. The Super Slim reminds of using a shavette and I like mine set on 7-9.
Great video! Totally agree, the variety of products makes the whole thing so good. Found my best mix (at the moment), Rockwell 6s, Gillette nacet/platinum, Bodyshop Macaroot shaving cream and proraso green splash.
Well I got the bug really bad. I have a Gillette Adjustable, Gillette Slim Adjustable and a Gillette Super Adjustable 109. You can see how Gillette went cheaper and cheaper throughout the years and finally started with cartridges and basically started to charge crazy amounts of money in the mid 2000's and well here we are today. Gillette with their $35 for 5 cartridges lol. Gillette built an empire in wet shaving and basically killed it all off in the name of profits.
Matt, you rock and as always, an educational and entertaining video. I’m new to DE but fell in love with the awesome elegance of vintage Gillette fat boys and slims only a few months ago. Good thing my wife tolerates my obsessions. Also am addicted to I’d lather be shaving. What a fascinating show!
I haven't used a single edged blade for years, but it. some of the most telling places to shave you ignore because of your facial hair. (mustache, above chin, corners of mouth).
I used disposable cartridges myself for years in high school. I don't remember much about them but I didn't mind them until college. Then I picked up a vintage Gillette Tech and went down the rabbit hole 3 years ago ha ha! I have tried disposables from time to time but have found they tug and just don't provide me with a good shave. Safety razors just slice through the hair like butter.
Edit: However, I have used the Atra Plus and I actually quite like it
Would actually be interesting to see a shave having Gillette guard compared with DE 7Oclock razor. You have inspired me to do that 😊👍
Great video. You're totally right, the variety is one great things about using a double edge razor. You don't wear the same clothes everyday, why shave the same way every time? I recently re-tried a five blade razor because I never paid attention when I regularly shaved with it. And I hated it. I will never go back to a cartridge razor.
That was painful to watch, thanks Matt for putting yourself through that so the non wet shavers will get it!
Looking forward to my next shave with my DE razor, no irritation whatsoever thanks only to a barber who advised me to throw away my cartridge razor (Mach 3 I believe I used then) and canister foam. Give it a try (don't give up), change blades (sample packages) and handles (borrow them) & find the perfect match. Beside that it looks awesome the traditional kit in your bathroom.
When you say that it tugs, I wonder if what you really feel tugging is the rubber strip that does the skin stretching for you. I can get equally great shaves from both a DE and a cart. IMO, what gives most people a bad experience with a cart isnt the razor itself but the lack of prep and lack of technique that most of us had back in those days.
IDK, I spent most of my life with cartridges and always ran into serious issues with irritation and straight-up bleeding. Only ever happened if I tried to shave every day or every other day. It just wouldn't cut anything, I'd have to apply a lot of pressure with the razor to get it to start cutting, and obviously that caused a lot of problems for me. I spent the better part of a decade trying tons of different cartridge razors, many different shaving creams, different kinds of prep, none of it seemed to help me. Only thing that did help was if I waited a week before shaving with one, presumably because my hairs would be longer and therefore a little bit softer for the cartridge. Was always able to get a pretty comfortable, smooth shave if I did that, but who wants to spend half the week looking like an unkempt wolfman? I don't.
Once I switched to an adjustable DE, I discovered I needed a pretty aggressive setting and an equally aggressive blade to deliver a comfortable shave. Immediate world of difference compared to the cartridges. Single-pass is much closer than what I was able to get with a cartridge, even with day-old stubble. My DE actually cuts through all of that, with no need of applying pressure. This naturally results in a much more comfortable shave.
I think the real issue with cartridges is the blades themselves are just not aggressive enough for people like me. Seeing as how I've tried probably hundreds of the damn things by now, and every single one always gave me the same problems, I'm convinced they're all the same. The blades are just too mild. Think of it like trying to cut through a tomato with a dull knife. You have to sit there and apply tons of pressure and you just end up with a crappy job. The same concept applies to razors of any variety. If your hair is particularly coarse, you need something with more ass to cut it comfortably. Just like how you need a sharper knife to cut through different kinds of vegetables more cleanly.
Im torn, I'm 14 and barely know how to shave and i know in the future i will use a safety razor but for beginners would you still recommend using a safety razor
I went from cartridge to de then back to cartridge . The convenience of cartridge razor just outweighs the rituals of de shaving
Those lubrication strips would be nice to buy in a pack of 10 or so ,then i would try them on my DE.
When I was in college in the '70s I used a butterfly Gillette but I don't know which one. I regret losing it. What I regret even more is that I didn't buy a few thousand of them and put them in storage! Who could have known how valuable these would be today?
FYI you can also get wizamet iridium super, which the same blade as polsilver SI and still being made. Some say they aren't, but in my research they are. Some even say they're better than polsilver.
Awesome and honest. That is the way to sell. It the ideas that go into it that make this kind of shaving unique and fruitful. Thanks!
Great video. I have been very happy since I switched over from the cartridge to a safety razor. For me, absolutely NO comparison.
Just shaved with a 1916 Gillette single ring found last sunday at the fleas market. Unbeatable satisfaction.
Should have got the one with the Power button! I have one to use for travel when I don't want to check a bag. Seems kind of gimmicky but I think the power vibration helps the cutting action. Overall my personal preference is a traditional DE, SE or SR but the shave I get with a Gillette Fusion Power is still very good too.
Just received my first DE razor from you! Edwin Jagger...I can't wait to get started (coming from the fusion lol)...Thanks for all the tips!
I'm actually spending more money since I started shaving with a DE razor. As I like them so much, that I started to collect antique ones.
Cool! I love the grin as you buy the Fusion... I recently tried my old fusion as compared to my new double edge razors.. no contest! The fusion pulled.. and is tough to really clean out.. it is fine for sure.. just no longer my speed.. I'm a Super Speed guy now!
Frank from Boulder ,Colorado
Been de shaving for 6 months now & no ingrown hairs since , its like night & day compared to cartridge shaving
The razors that have the micro vibrations do help the razor to slide across the skin better for sure, but it's not worth the extra money really. I started using a puck soap and badger hair brush several years ago but I'm moving more towards getting an old school adjustable safety razor set like what is used in this video. My beard is similar to the posters - my hair on my neck grows on a side to side angle, and my neck is a lot more sensitive than my face. One thing I do when shaving is I use the back side of the razor (where this Gillette has a single blade) to wipe away the soap from my beard so I have a preset guide for shaving on each side to keep my beard even on both sides. Using a Gillette like this would not work.
Personally I’m a straight razor shaver.... I have oodles of DE razors as well. But I have tried the fusion power and honestly it gave me a better shave than any DE razor I’ve tried so far. I know I’m going to catch heat over that comment but oh well... but like I said I’m a straight razor shaver!! Not a DE shaver but have lots of experience with DE. I would choose straight razor over the fusion though. The fusion gives me irritation more so than a DE and straight razor though as I have highly sensitive skin (which sucks)
Love the videos. Keep them coming.
If I'm not mistaken, one should not adjust the adjustable Gillette razors with the butterfly panels fully tightened, one should loosen the butterfly panels first, then adjust the razor.
You are already shaved, I don’t see what you are even shaving?
Switched to DE 3 years ago and never looked back. Couldn't be happier with my choice
I'm sure the first complaint will be that you didn't use the gel (canned goo) for the fusion side. I only use a cartridge for shaving my head anymore. I also noticed it looked like you got some irritation on the fusion side. Shave on Matt!
LOL...best to do your blarb BEFORE you lather. The time you spent blabbing would have meant the soap was drying on your 'dial' lol. Hey on a positive note, loving my Rex DE. Only thing is, I wish some of the angles were smoothed off a bit. Rudds said the rev2 is smoother and slightly more rounds in the angles. That sounds a good deal.
I can see some bumps on your neck where you used the Fusion.I used to have a shave with a fusion and look in the mirror and think ..yeah that looks pretty smooth....until I left it a while. My neck was a mass of red bumps that took 12 hrs to reduce down. DE shaving fixed all those problems and my skin is awesome in comparison these days.
Thanks Matt... Enjoying the info... On my first week with a DE razor (Edwin Jagger DE89 and Astra blades and cold shaving)... Definitely better than the Gillette Fusion!
My transition from cartridge shaving to DE was a great awakening! Never could get a truly satisfying close shave with Gillette cartridge nonsense. 7 1/2 years of DE shaving, with no looking back...
I’ve got both 1960 and 1962 Gillette I had you bring both back to life ( awesome job I must say) and have a Fusion Razor like you used and get a better shave from it than my safety razor by far. New to safety razor in last year and maybe it’s the blade. Bought a sample pack from you. Am using can shave cream bought a soap from Amazon hate it.
The soap is as important as the DE razor. A quality soap gives protection and lubrication. Can shave foam is nowhere near as good. Don't give up on the DE, problem solve and improve your DE shave. If nothing else it will save you thousands of dollars over a lifetime.
Biggest mistakes:
Treating the safety razor like a cartridge and pushing it onto your face with pressure.
Incorrect angle
Poor shave prep and after shave routine
Not learning your facial hair growth pattern and shaving with the direction of growth.
Treating shaving like a chore and rushing it.