P&G Gillette

I work for that large Investment firm with the green line in its commercials that's based here on Summer Street in Boston. I had a client meeting across Fort Point Channel at Gillette this morning but no phones are allowed beyond the reception area. After the meeting I was given a small tour and was talking to an employee about their plant outside of St. Petersburg and how much I love their Gillette Silver Blue blades. He knew of the factory and was well versed on our favorite blades being produced in Russia. Other employees, when I have brought it up, were proud of all their products either single edge or multi blade.

If it wasn't for King Camp Gillette these shaving forums might not exist or look very different than what we enjoy.

I never get the safety razor proselytizers all over the forums who constantly slam carts as not even legitimate razors. I notice some of them are usually new to DE shaving. It just gets boring after a while. Gillette's in the business to make money (even in St. Petersburg) and will continue to do so. No bitterness from me on that front. Innovation is great. I'm typing this on an iPhone. Who am I to judge.

I use carts when I travel and DE's at home. Both work great with proper prep. In fact I'm traveling in a couple of weeks and the free 24 pack of Proglides they handed me this morning will come in handy!

Thanks for sharing, vtmax, and I agree — we should all just use what works best for us, whether it’s a straight, SE, DE, or cartridge razor. It’s nice not having to be locked into a single system.

24 pack of proglides? You'll have to report that to the irs! Great post and I agree. Although I don't enjoy the price of cartridges and prefer the shave of a single edge, I too travel with a Gillette Fusuion if I'm on a quick in and out trip. Still travel with my old gear if I'm checking a bag though. The story of King Camp Gillette is an amazing study in good business and if I owned Gillette stock I'd sure be chapped if they chose to scrap carts for DEs.

I do notice they are true to the history of King Camp around the building which is nice.

I don't ever check bags anymore if traveling without the kids so for a short trip week or less a Fusion or Mach 3 with some Mystic Water sticks works really well.

....I'm really enjoying Mystic Water soaps again!

I never get the safety razor proselytizers all over the forums who constantly slam carts as not even legitimate razors.

Three reasons:
1. Cartridges are often very expensive. It is like CDs were in the mid 1990s, shortly before people turned to digital audio as an alternative.
2. Some people get crap shaves from cartridges and good shaves from safety razors. It is to be expected that there are large numbers of them on the wetshaving forums, and that they will not be fond of cartridge razors. That doesn't mean they are in the majority, just in the majority on the wetshaving forums.
3. Traditional wetshaving has become a subculture of consumption. It is a shared identity that revolves around buying and using specific products.

Number three would explain the proselytizing. It is usually based more on emotion than reason.

Thanks very much for that post. It was very interesting to read.

Understandable. Back in the shavemyface days 2005-2010 we were more relaxed about the steel used as long as it got the job done.

Traditional wetshaving for me is using my Wolfman, Timeless or my new Rockwell 6S which I really love and the Gillette's for travel as long as a great soap and brush are involved. Wetshaving for me is in the prep. I don't get caught up in attacking carts or DE's. I've heard both sides.

Max, I, too, use a Fusion, as well as canned gel/foam, if I'm traveling or in a hurry (as I was today) so I understand where you are coming from and have to agree with you.  However, for some reason, the connection I get with a full-on wet shave from razor to blade to brush to aftershave and EdT just cannot be beat.  In fact, when I travel and use that Fusion for a week or more, that first traditional wet shave is just a little slice of heaven.

Understandable. Back in the shavemyface days 2005-2010 we were more relaxed about the steel used as long as it got the job done.

Traditional wetshaving for me is using my Wolfman, Timeless or my new Rockwell 6S which I really love and the Gillette's for travel as long as a great soap and brush are involved. Wetshaving for me is in the prep. I don't get caught up in attacking carts or DE's. I've heard both sides.

You're going to hate that Rockwell 6s. Its really awful what it does. It causes all of your other wonderful razors to gather dust!

Freddy, I know that feeling getting back to a single edge. A deep breathe, slow down, relax. I know my blood pressure drops in a great way!

Marko, I'm late to the 6S game but it might be one of, if not the nicest, razors I've used. Really smooth close shaves. I really like the three holes in the baseplates. Really holds everything together beautifully and I'm actually preferring changing the baseplates to a Progress type adjustable. Its really surprised me. And yes, Gillette Silver Blues shine in them.

Freddy, I know that feeling getting back to a single edge. A deep breathe, slow down, relax. I know my blood pressure drops in a great way!

Marko, I'm late to the 6S game but it might be one of, if not the nicest, razors I've used. Really smooth close shaves. I really like the three holes in the baseplates. Really holds everything together beautifully and I'm actually preferring changing the baseplates to a Progress type adjustable. Its really surprised me. And yes, Gillette Silver Blues shine in them.

Here is what I find so wonderful about traditional wet shaving, with respect to razors: I can absolutely love more modern razors, such as the iKon El Jefe or iKon Shavecraft 101 and yet still yearn for something like the Gillette NEW (either long or short comb), STAR DE, or my 1907 Ever Ready lather catcher.  Each gives fantastic shaves in its own way.  While something like a Gillette Flex-Ball Fusion will give one a totally acceptable shave, it's just not the same.  Ultimately, isn't that why we're all here, to experience it all?