Merkur Hefty Classic straight razor and blades
There is an arms race between Gillette and Schick to see who can come up with the most amount of blades per razor. I think they will peak at 20 blades in the next 2 years if Moore's law is the guiding principle of the razor industry. Besides the exponential addition of blades, they also offer other "cutting edge" innovations such as razor handles with LED lights for those times when you absolutely have to shave in the dark and vibrating handles for reasons undisclosed. They have also taken design cues from the movie, "Tron". The sheer amount of features on a modern day razor blade is sure to satisfy any modern go-getting-multitaking-caffinated-uber-male, or is it? The problem with multi-blade-pivot head razors is that every dollar is being spent on high tech doodads, slick marketing, gaudy futurist designs and none of it is spent on improving the the quality of the actual blade itself which is what shaving is all about.
These razor blade companies have modeled themselves after the Inkjet printer companies; charge almost nothing for the main component and charge a ransom for short life refills. Both industries have also adopted the philosophy of "multi-fuction for the multi-tasker", what is wrong with single-function products? When will we see the next Epson printer with a built in toaster and deep fryer? This racket has dire impacts on your bank account as well as the environment. Once again, America has found another way to perverse a simple product into a monstrosity all while lowering it's quality in the guise of innovation while creating needless waste in the name of increased profit margins.
Five blades does not equal a quality shave, the blades are design to fail after a few uses. They dull easily causing you to go over the same patch several times. This practice can actually damage your skin because of the force and the amount of strokes you apply to your face just to make up for it's flaws.
My solution to this is to spend your money on a classic safety or straight razor. Sure, the initial cost of a good German handle can run you up to around $50, but the benefits outweigh the cost. This is something you buy to keep for life. Replacement blades are only a few bucks and they are much sharper and can outlast any multi-razor system. It might be a challenge for most new users to master, but it's well worth it. Learning how to shave this way should be a right of passage for any man. Once mastered, you will notice a few things, your shave will be cleaner, your skin will be in better condition, your wallet will thank you and so will mother nature. These blades are 100% recyclable.
Injecting the American ethos of "more is better" to simple timeless products is not always a good thing. The integrity of a good product is based on simplicity, quality and functionality and not slick marketing. The next time you run out of Mach 10 razors, or run out of ink on your printer, just keep in mind of the friendlier alternatives.
_Nelson
