I was a devoted Sensor Excel user. I tried the Mach III but didn’t feel it gave me good control due to the handle attaching at the bottom of the blade as opposed to the middle.
I recently purchased from e-bay an old gillette handle that uses the double-edged blades(one on each side). I loaded it with Wilkinson blades which you can still find in stores and I must say I am impressed. It took a little getting used to the new handle but it gives a great shave. The blades definitely seem to last longer and they are much easier on my face. Not to mention they cost about 1/4 as much as Sensor or Mach III.
So if there are any luddites out there, I highly recommend you give them a try.
Vinegar? That’s a new one. My secret trick is to rinse the blade in cold, not hot water. I always used the hottest water I could, using the “hot knife through butter” line of reasoning. Then someone suggested using cold, and it does seem to result in many fewer razor burns. (I’ve got very sensitive skin, to the point where I can’t shave more than once every five days or so. Luckily my beard doesn’t grow that fast.)
Put me down as another fan of the Mach III. I think its advantage is the angling and the bendability of the razors, though, not the fact that there are three of them.
I tried the Mach III (got a free one in the mail), but did not like it. I couldn’t get close enough to the underside of my nose without getting nicked. It also felt awkward the way the handle attaches to the blade.
I tried the Sensor Excel, and it was OK, but not as good as the old standby, the Atra Plus, which I use to this day. I hope they don’t stop making them, considering that I’m now two generations behind the times. 
As far as shave closeness, I used to shave down, then up, then sideways. It was the only way to get a close enough shave for a military inspection in my NROTC unit. (The inspecting officer would scrape an ID card over your face.) Now I only do this if I have to look clean-shaven into the evening.
Nope. They’re readily available. As for keeping things sanitary at barbershops, that’s what Barbicide is for.
Straight razors and strops for sale here.
Has anyone seen that Slimy stuff that you store your razor (blade-side down) into? It’s says it’s a European Formula or something and their whole spiel is that it makes your blade last (fill-in-the blank) _____longer because normally water on the razor dulls the blade out. I guess I never figured I’d be discussing shaving products with anyone, lol.
robby,
Wouldn’t shaving down, up then sideways irritate the crap out your skin? I understand completely what your reason was, but - ow! your poor face! I’ll bet you didn’t have a soothing aftershave either…
My thoughts exactly. Back in my freshman year of college, when I only shaved twice a week, I use to shave against the grain (probably part of the reason why I only had to shave twice a week, that, and my beard wasn’t very thick to begin with). I got a great shave and little if no razor burn.
However, as time went on, I stopped that practice since I once got one nasty case of razor burn out of it. I now shave every day, with the grain, and hardly ever get razor burn, though, I do get an occasional nick.
As far as closeness, I’ve found what works best is to use very warm water to wet your face down and apply the cream/gel since warm water tends to soften the beard better, but use cold water to actually shave with, so as to lessen irritation.
On the basis of this article I switched from double-blades to single. I can shave quicker with it (the blade needs less cleaning during the shave), but I get nicks every time, which rarely happened with the double blades. The shave seems to be just as good as, if not better than, shaving with a double-bladed razor.
Hoopy Frood,
If you are interested, when I was learning how to do surgical prep, we were instructed to shave once with the grain to get the majority of the fur off (veterinary nursing), then pass again against the grain to bring the stubble as close to or under the skin as possible. Anything more than those two passes would cause razor burn, which would interfere with the healing of the incision. What we were told in school matches exactly what you said about your face: against the grain is closer, but with the grain is much less likely to irritate the skin. I personally go with the grain whenever possible, and yeah - have to shave more frequently.
Am I the only male on this board who uses and enjoys the single blade razors? I get just as close a shave as with the mach 3. I shave about every 3 days. Yes I have tried it. The secret as mentioned earlier is keeping the hairs out of the razor. Why pay the outrageous price for the mach 3 when bics work so well? I always shave against the grain and I shave in the shower. No shaving cream. No nicks and no razor burn.
Geez, I have to admit, I’ve always bought cheapo Bic disposables, because of the price, and I figured, a razor’s a razor. Actually, I did get a nicer model with replacement heads when I first started, but I can’t remember what brand it was. It must have been the wrong one because when I switched to Bics, I only noticed a slight difference. Now I guess I gotta go plunk down the $$ for a Mach 3 to see what you guys are talking about.
Untill now, the best shave I got (besides a barber’s, which I did once–very nice!) was from a “saftey” razor like Johnney L.A. describes. I lost it a few years ago, though, and haven’t found one in stores since. 
I want to chime in for the good old single blade Bic.
I have a thick bunch of hair on my face and I find the Bic gets the job done.
Like Reeder, I shave in the shower and eschew such fol-de-rols as shaving soap there is rarely a problem with razor rash or nicking.
I have noticed that, with all blades, when I don’t shave fora few days, then I can kill a blade in one go. If I shave every day, then the blade lasts maybe a couple of weeks. I think that as the hairs become thicker and more numerous the damage to the blade increases.
On the whole, I don’t like the mucus that comes under the name of ‘Lubristrip’.
BTW, the ONLY Bic blade to buy is the version for sensitive skin!
Wouldn’t that any stray nicks or cuts several times more painful than normal?
The thought of getting vinegar into any fresh wound is rather unappealing.
You know when you’ve cut yourself…
I shave with soap then have a second run over with vinegar, it shaves so close my scalp squeaks.
Not recommended for Bic Users 
[post sponsored by Gillette/Sarsons]
How do you shave in the shower? Don’t you need to see what you’re doing? Don’t mirrors fog up?
There’s an amazing bit of technology available at Bed Bath and Beyonds all across the realm known as a fog-free shower mirror. 
As for seeing what you’re doing, if your daily routine is a full shave, you can just work by feel - ie: do some shaving, feel for whiskers and shave some more if needed.
Hello all,
I use the Mach 3 Turbo. I used to use Mach 3 before turbo, and bic before Mach 3.
The Mach 3 is good, but the turbo really is better.
I have a very thick beard growth and have very sensitive skin. I almost always got razor burn no matter what technique I used…be it cold v hot water, gel v foam, etc.
With the Turbo, I shave with the grain, against the grain, up down, sideways! And it rarely gives me razor burn.
The regular Mach 3 is good in that I dont get razor burn that often, and I rarely cut myself with either the regular or Turbo.
The one downside I noticed so far to the Turbo is that it doesn’t last as long as the mach 3 regular in my experience…but then again as I said, I have a very thick beard growth.
The only downside to Mach 3 and Turbo is that I also experience difficulty getting the hair right around my nostrils.
I understand that shaving with the direction of the fluff reduces the risk of pushing the hair back into the skin and causing problems that way. (Got that info from watching a documentary on shaving and barbering). Having said that I do shave in the opposite direction and have never experienced such a problem, so go figure.
I started using a shaving oil which works really well and have noticed I have less irritated skin from using that.
I always thought a triple-bladed razor would cause triple the nicks until I used it and found that this also was not the case. I rarely nick myself. If I do, it tends to be close to the mouth or in the nose which is really irritating.
Bluesman hates shaving. Hates it hates it hates it. If he could, he would be sporting a full beard. Of course, given that the AF would frown on that, he’s forced to shave every work day, and he is very picky about his shaving products.
He swears by the Mach 3, and also by the men’s shaving cream carried by the body shop (just for men, I think it’s called.) When he is forced to shave without either of those things, he gets very cranky.
I don’t really like shaving either, but I hate having hair much much more. I’ve been shaving it all off since 1984, and I’ve tried everything: the traditional straight razor, single and double-edged “safety” razors, single-, double-, and triple-tracks, and yes, even those evil electric whisker-chewers.
Then, one glorious day, a trusted fellow chrome dome recommended the Mach 3… and once I got used to that tilting head, I was a convert. I’m convinced that the Mach 3 is a product of stolen technology from a crashed alien craft. The Men In Black know, but they’re not talking.
FLASH!
Uhhh… where was I?
The old Saturday Night Live “commercial” ended with the slogan; “The Triple Trak! Because,… You’ll Believe Anything”.
I shave in the shower, and I don’t need no stinkin’ mirror. One hand holds the razor, the other hand follows to feel for missed spots. Shave horizontally under your nose, in both directions. I shave my whole face and head (except for my eyebrows) in less than ten minutes with no nicks (thanks to the Mach 3 !).
A good way to avoid nicks is to shave the way surgeons and tattoists do when they prep… use plenty of lubricant, and don’t lift the razor between strokes… slide the razor backwards to the start of your next stroke.
The best shaving lubricant I ever used was Noxema shaving cream… but I can’t find it anymore.
What the world needs now, is a nice, gentle depilatory pill… think of the energy and water savings!