The price of disposable razors

  • Thread starter Ivan Seeking
  • Start date
In summary, a pack of fifteen single-blade disposable razors for two dollars at WalMart costs as much as a new Gillette Fusion razor. A printer with ink cartridges costs as much as the printer itself, and a new Canon MP560 printer is only forty percent more expensive than an older model.
  • #1
Ivan Seeking
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Wow! I bought what I thought was sixteen blades, for $28. But instead of four cartridges having four blades each, there were only two cartridges. The rest of the bulk was wasteful packaging.

That is about $3.50 for each blade. Incredible!
 
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  • #2
I wouldn't know!
 
  • #3
It is a lot more work and takes some practice, but a straight razor is a lot less wasteful, can save money, and gives a better shave once you get good at it.
 
  • #4
gravenewworld said:
It is a lot more work and takes some practice, but a straight razor is a lot less wasteful, can save money, and gives a better shave once you get good at it.

You can also slit your throat. :biggrin:

Is it even possible anymore to get the old style single-blade safety razors? I remember getting a pack of 10 blades for something like a buck or two. Granted, that was a long time ago, but inflation can't account for that big of a difference.

ZZ Top is [are] looking better every day.
 
  • #5
This is why tramps have beards (no offence, Integral). :smile:
 
  • #6
That's surprising. I thought the ministry of plenty had said that due to a surplus in production, the razor ration would be tripled.
 
  • #8
I got 15 single blade disposable razors for like 2 dollars at Wal-Mart. I use each one like 6 times and I only shave about once a week.
 
  • #9
Do you have a Gillette Fusion? They rape you on replacement blades, but you can get whole boxes on ebay for the cheap! Something like 100 packages for 50 bucks
 
  • #10
Not something that I worry about. :biggrin:

Nor shaving cream.
 
  • #11
Ivan Seeking said:
Wow! I bought what I thought was sixteen blades, for $28. But instead of four cartridges having four blades each, there were only two cartridges. The rest of the bulk was wasteful packaging.

That is about $3.50 for each blade. Incredible!

I am in full agreement. The price of replacement blades is tantamount to highway robbery.

And to add insult to injury, your razor will go obsolete in a year, and blades will no longer be available. You wil be forced to buy a new razor and forced to buy their new blades.
 
  • #12
Can't you get them from Dollar Store? or 50 cents Store?
 
  • #13
DaveC426913 said:
The price of replacement blades is tantamount to highway robbery.

Likewise with printer ink cartridges. I recently bought a new Canon MP560 combination inkjet printer / scanner / copier for about $100. It came with a set of ink cartridges, of course. To prepare myself for when those run out, I ordered another set from amazon.com... for about $54. Either the printer is actually worth $46, or the cost of the cartridges contains a subsidy for the price of the printer. I suspect the latter.

It's a very nice printer for light-duty use such as I have at home, by the way. It runs rings around my old HP Deskjet and Canon flatbed scanner that I bought about ten years ago for $200 and $150 respectively. And it has wireless connectivity which neither of the old units had.
 
  • #14
rootX said:
Can't you get them from Dollar Store? or 50 cents Store?

Absolutely NOT. I bought a pack of razors from a dollar store once before I started using a straight razor. Absolutely terrible. You get what you pay for. The blades were not sharp at all and I was almost crying while trying to shave with them because the blades would simply pull at each individual hair on my face rather than cut it.
 
  • #15
gravenewworld said:
Absolutely NOT. I bought a pack of razors from a dollar store once before I started using a straight razor. Absolutely terrible. You get what you pay for. The blades were not sharp at all and I was almost crying while trying to shave with them because the blades would simply pull at each individual hair on my face rather than cut it.

Black ones work perfect for me. Blue ones don't. (I don't know their names but just remember them by color). For 1$, I get 1 razor and 5 blades.
 
  • #16
Easy fix

255,255,255&wid=327&qlt=90,0&layer=comp&op_sharpen=0&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.7,1.0,0.5,0&fmt=jpeg.jpg
 
  • #17
I usually buy blades at Costco. They are still too blasted expensive considering how cheap they are to manufacture.

I went into a Walgreen's the other day to pick up a prescription. While I was there I decided to buy a small carton of blades to tide me over.

They blades were kept in a locked cabinet and I had to find a clerk to open it.:rolleyes:
 
  • #18
Do you get a close shave with that? I've only ever used electric razors for a quick touch up, but I would like to own one if you can get a close shave with it.
 
  • #19
VeeEight said:
Do you get a close shave with that? I've only ever used electric razors for a quick touch up, but I would like to own one if you can get a close shave with it.
Works good for me.
 
  • #20
I can't use electric razors. For some reason they just don't get along with my face. It is almost impossible to get a clean shave.

I have been using the Gillette Atra for decades. I hate to use the disposable types where the entire handle and blade are discarded, but maybe that't all that's left. No way will I continue to pay $3.50 per blade. As Dave mentioned, that IS highway robbery.

Hypatia, have you tried those? Note the complaints about "pulling hair". I too have used cheap ones that left my face feeling like a piece of hamburger. [I assume that legs and pits are just as tender as faces when it comes to shaving]

What I was thinking of was the old metal handle and blade holder that took a simple two-edge razor blade. Those were the standard when I was young and they had very little throw-away material. I don't think I've seen one like that for at least 20 years.
 
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  • #21
Ivan Seeking said:
I can't use electric razors. For some reason they just don't get along with my face. It is almost impossible to get a clean shave.

I have been using the Gillette Atra for decades. I hate to use the disposable types where the entire handle and blade are discarded, but maybe that't all that's left. No way will I continue to pay $3.50 per blade. As Dave mentioned, that IS highway robbery.

Hypatia, have you tried those? Note the complaints about "pulling hair". I too have used cheap ones that left my face feeling like a piece of hamburger. [I assume that legs and pits are just as tender as faces when it comes to shaving]

What I was thinking of was the old metal handle and blade holder that took a simple two-edge razor blade. Those were the standard when I was young and they had very little throw-away material. I don't think I've seen one like that for at least 20 years.

The cost of replacement blades is obscene. And, yes, they keep introducing new models of razor handles with more and more blades per cartridge and discontinuing previous models that you may well like. It's really frustrating and there's nothing to justify the cost of the blade cartridges. And the waste drives me insane. I don't want to throw away a perfectly good handle and start all over again in a few months. Sure, it doesn't look like much waste, but multiply it by millions of people shaving and it adds up.

This hyperactive razorblade upgrades has only taken hold over the past few years, though. I recall having the identical razor handle from some time in the early 90s until the early 2000s. Then they stopped making that model, and I couldn't get replacement blades, and it's been annoying me ever since.

Electric razors don't work at all for me.

I've not found that my legs were especially sensitive to what sort of blade I'm using, but yes, underarms and bikini lines are sensitive bits of skin to dull blades. I've also found they're super sensitive to too many blades, too. Two sharp blades is good. Three or four and I've got a whole bunch of irritation going on.
 
  • #22
GeorginaS said:
I've not found that my legs were especially sensitive to what sort of blade I'm using, but yes, underarms and bikini lines are sensitive bits of skin to dull blades. I've also found they're super sensitive to too many blades, too. Two sharp blades is good. Three or four and I've got a whole bunch of irritation going on.

I will come over and show you how it's done properly. I will do it for you the first sixty or seventy times, but after that, it's up to you.
 
  • #23
Astronuc said:
Nor shaving cream.

I learned long ago that regular hand soap works just fine.
 
  • #24
Ivan Seeking said:
I learned long ago that regular hand soap works just fine.

I always use shaving cream but haven't bought a can in years - I've always lived with people who had lots to spare. I find that using just water leaves my skin rough, although I'll have to give soap a try. It seems reasonable that it will work well, and I always end up getting shaving cream in my hair.
 
  • #25
DaveC426913 said:
I will come over and show you how it's done properly. I will do it for you the first sixty or seventy times, but after that, it's up to you.

Your generosity is overwhelming. Truly.
 
  • #26
Ivan Seeking said:
Wow! I bought what I thought was sixteen blades, for $28. But instead of four cartridges having four blades each, there were only two cartridges. The rest of the bulk was wasteful packaging.

That is about $3.50 for each blade. Incredible!

Your lucky Ivan, I use the "power' version (vibrates) and it costs about twice the price that you quoted. I shave only twice a week, and each razor is good for 2 shaves thus its one razor a week. that is all i can afford.

Thank you, Magnus
 
  • #27
Each fusion blade lasts about a month of shaving morning and night
 
  • #28
I think I found just what you need Ivan.

http://www.classicshaving.com/Safety_Razors.html"
 
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  • #29
MotoH said:
Each fusion blade lasts about a month of shaving morning and night

I think that's the same model that I use now [a late generation Atra], but, at best, blades only last about a week to ten days for me. Tough beard. I can make them last, but the numerous passes required for a clean shave results in some pretty annoying irritation.

dlgoff said:
I think I found just what you need Ivan.

http://www.classicshaving.com/Safety_Razors.html"

Hey, they do still exist. I guess the trick is to quit limiting my options to what's found at Safeway and buy online. Thanks.
 
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  • #30
Funny! The Cobra Classic, at $125 for a razor handle, is backordered.
http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522941/6873469.htm
 
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  • #31
Ivan Seeking said:
... the numerous passes required for a clean shave results in some pretty annoying irritation.
I don't understand getting a clean shave. If I shave under my chin and neck closely, it will erupt with ingrown hairs.
 
  • #32
dlgoff said:
Easy fix

255,255,255&wid=327&qlt=90,0&layer=comp&op_sharpen=0&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.7,1.0,0.5,0&fmt=jpeg.jpg
I've got one, too. They work well, and you can flip the head open and rinse it out. Like all electric shavers, it didn't give a close comfortable cut until the blades had "worn in" to match the guides. The manufacturers always say that you'll need to give your skin and beard a week or two to become accustomed to the shaver. Bull! It takes that long for the blades to sharpen themselves against the guides. If you take the head apart for a thorough cleaning, don't mix up the blades or you'll be back to square one or worse with the crappy cut and pulling.
 
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  • #33
GeorginaS said:
I will come over and show you how it's done properly. I will do it for you the first sixty or seventy times, but after that, it's up to you.
Your generosity is overwhelming. Truly.

Hm. Refining my humour.

"Showing" someone is ambiguous and not funny. This would have read better as:

"I will come over and demonstrate on you. I will do it for you the first sixty or seventy times, but after that, it's up to you."


OK, now the rofls can flood in.
 
  • #35
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2153/merkurgenericmt2.jpg

cheap blades, amazing shave.
 
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