# How many blades on your razor? (Answers from both men + women, please)) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 1, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631 "2014-03-01T21:13:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/1 "2014-03-01T21:13:01Z")
I tried the 5-blade Gillette Fusion when it came out, but I didn’t stick with it. For me, it did shave better on most of the face; however, it shaved worse under my chin and jaw. I just couldn’t make it work well. So I have continued to use the Gillette Mach 3, which is a 3-blader. How about you? Also, I am curious about how big a success the Fusion and other 5-blade razors (for men and women) have done. Let me know if you have any marketing information, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/2 "2014-03-01T21:22:21Z")
If you can’t get a good shave (smooth, comfortable, lasting) shave from a single-blade safety razor, the problem is likely that you never learned to shave properly. The only faint advantage 2-5 blade razors have is that they accommodate sloppy, amateurish technique a little better, at many, many times the cost. It’s like living on McD’s food because you never learned to boil water. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/3 "2014-03-01T21:29:36Z")
Uh, 4? Guess you’re not a fan of the Quattro, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/4 "2014-03-01T21:38:04Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Uh, 4? Guess you’re not a fan of the Quattro, huh? Whoops! I guess I can’t edit the poll, huh? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/5 "2014-03-01T21:46:32Z")
Just 2. Luckily they are parallel and not at right angles. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/6 "2014-03-01T21:51:13Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Uh, 4? Guess you’re not a fan of the Quattro, huh? Yeah, I came into this thread to mention just that. I much prefer the Quattro over Gillette’s 3- and 5-blade offerings. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/7 "2014-03-01T22:01:21Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > If you can’t get a good shave (smooth, comfortable, lasting) shave from a single-blade safety razor, the problem is likely that you never learned to shave properly. The only faint advantage 2-5 blade razors have is that they accommodate sloppy, amateurish technique a little better, at many, many times the cost. It’s like living on McD’s food because you never learned to boil water. I wonder if the shaving snobs who use straight razors look down on the guys who use safety razors. I’m guessing they do. ---
**Author:** ![Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speak_to_me_Maddie)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/8 "2014-03-02T00:35:24Z")
1. Dollar Shave Club 4x. Highly recommend. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/9 "2014-03-02T01:01:57Z")
The Fusion is too many blades (it’s really only 4 blades for shaving and 1 blade for scraping or something). I’ll continue to use the Mach 3 until they stop making it, and then I’ll stop shaving rather than use the Fusion. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/10 "2014-03-02T01:13:44Z")
I switched to a single-blade safety razor about a year ago after reading a thread about women using them. It does take longer to shave because I have to be more careful, but I’m saving a ton of money and generating a lot less waste. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/11 "2014-03-02T01:18:03Z")
I use a double-edge safety razor. Cartridge razors are a scam. If you’re not willing to learn technique, you’ll have to go to a professional for a good shave. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/12 "2014-03-02T01:22:12Z")
> [@steveroo](#): > > I wonder if the shaving snobs who use straight razors look down on the guys who use safety razors. I’m guessing they do. It’s not snobbishness. It’s simple truth. I know a lot if straight razor shavers and they don’t look down in safety razor shavers. Straight razor shaving has a much different balance of costs and benefits and it really is for hobbyists and professionals. On the other hand, anyone can learn to use a safety razor. The step down in quality and the gigantic markup in price going from safety razors to cartridge razors is a completely different balance. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/13 "2014-03-02T01:25:40Z")
1. Virtually ever 2, 3, 4 & 5 blade razor I’ve used only managed to just rip the hair out of my face. The single blade razors cut the hair close and usually leave few cuts. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/14 "2014-03-02T01:29:41Z")
I begrudgingly went from a 2 to a 3 years ago. I refuse to even dignify the 4 or 5, they are just silly. And don’t get me started on the vibrating lighted models… ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/15 "2014-03-02T01:41:35Z")
Twenty or so… I use an electric. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/16 "2014-03-02T01:49:53Z")
> [@steveroo](#): > > I wonder if the shaving snobs who use straight razors look down on the guys who use safety razors. I’m guessing they do. Nope, at least I don’t. I’ve never tried the safety razors so I have no reason to look down. I jumped straight to straight razors from the cartridge since I didn’t want to deal with buying and throwing away blades any more. After two years it takes almost no time to do a single past shave but with a triple it takes about 30 min and I can’t even feel stubble for 24 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Krav\_Manga](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krav_manga/32/3153_2.png) [@Krav\_Manga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krav_Manga)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/17 "2014-03-02T01:52:06Z")
[A Gillette 3000](http://youtu.be/gStI9ysPrhs) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/18 "2014-03-02T01:55:37Z")
I buy a bag of those blue Gillette 2-blade disposables at Costco. They last a very long time, as I have a full beard. And I don’t use shaving cream. ---
**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/19 "2014-03-02T02:06:49Z")
Double-edge safety razor. Feather brand, all-stainless steel, made in Japan. Feather brand blades. Technique is everything. My cost of shaving is probably one twentieth of using whatever is the current cartridge razor of 2014. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631/20 "2014-03-02T02:39:17Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > The Fusion is too many blades (it’s really only 4 blades for shaving and 1 blade for scraping or something). I’ll continue to use the Mach 3 until they stop making it, and then I’ll stop shaving rather than use the Fusion. No, it’s five shaving blades set in parallel with another single blade for trimming or getting close under your nose or whatever. I like the shave I get, but they’re expensive. I’ve been using Gilette Sensor 3 disposables. Anything with fewer than three blades doesn’t shave me closely enough. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-blades-on-your-razor-answers-from-both-men-women-please/682631.md?page=2)