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Thread: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

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    Just The Big Picture macro's Avatar
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    Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    Will our descendents be shaving with razors that contain, say, 87 blades? Or will they start increasing the number of blades by multiples of five or ten? Will razors become a foot long? Will they fit in toiletry bags? How have we existed with only four blades? What about those poor saps decades ago that only had one or two blades?

    To all of this, I give a big ol'

    BLADE STUNNER
    NEW RAZOR'S FIVE EDGES IS A SHARP IDEA


    By Laurie Hanna


    EVER since Neanderthal man started plucking his beard, the search for the perfect hair-removing tool has been relentless.

    The average man spends more than 3,000 hours of his life in front of the bathroom mirror - so it's hardly surprising that the razor industry has become a cut-throat business worth billions worldwide every year.

    For more than a decade, razor giants Wilkinson Sword and Gillette have been locked in a ruthless battle to win the war of the whiskers.
    And this week, Gillette launched its latest offensive... Fusion, a razor with FIVE blades.

    "Gillette Fusion is more than just a next generation shaving brand," says company chairman James M Kilts. "It's the future of shaving. It's a breakthrough platform that will continue to drive our category leadership."

    Today, the razor market is worth almost a quarter of a billion pounds every year in the UK alone. And razor blades regularly top the list of the nation's most shoplifted items. It's all a far cry from the flint blades that have been dated from as long ago as 30,000BC.

    For thousands of years it was women who worried about being too hairy - and in 4,000BC women were using depilatory creams made from arsenic, quicklime and starch.

    But things were changing for men at the same time and experts in Egypt and India had developed copper razor blades.

    By 500BC, Alexander the Great made shaving fashionable when he ordered his soldiers to shave before going into battle so their enemies couldn't grab their beards. But the birth of the modern-day barber is believed to have occurred in 300BC when rich Greek businessman Publicus Ticinius Maenus brought his professional barbers to Rome.

    By 50BC, Roman men were copying Julius Caesar and having individual hairs plucked out daily while depilatory creams were being made from asses fat, bat's blood and powdered viper.

    And for centuries afterwards it was all simply a question of finding the sharpest blade - and scraping.

    Then, in 1770, French barber Jean-Jacques Perret published his bestseller - The Art Of Learning To Shave Oneself and by the late 1800s, Victorian men had started to use shaving soaps and aftershave lotion to make their daily task easier.

    But the razor industry only really became a serious business in 1895 with the invention of the world's first T-shaped safety razor by a wonderfully-named travelling salesman King Camp Gillette.

    For years, there was little to choose between the brands until 1989, the razor wars began in earnest when Gillette launched its Sensor range.
    Here we chart the race to win the biggest slice of the market:

    Hair raising: The war of the whisker

    1989: GILLETTE SENSOR
    WITH the launch of its Sensor, Gillette began to set the standard for modern razors.

    It was the first razor with twin blades that were mounted on "highly responsive springs that continuously sense and automatically adjust to the face".

    The opening salvo in the razor wars had been fired...

    1992: WS PROTECTOR
    WILKINSON Sword quickly hit back by unveiling unveiled its "intelligently designed" razor.

    The design incorporated "unique microfine guard wires" that protected against nicks and cuts, while the new Aquaglide strip offered a shave of "unsurpassed smoothness".

    And the offer of a razor in your Premier League team colours was an added bonus for football fans.

    1994: GILLETTE SENSOREXCEL
    NOT to be outdone, Gillette revealed its own improvement on the two-blade razor with the SensorExcel.

    It featured an innovative skin guard, made up of five soft and flexible microfins that preceded the blades.

    They caused the beard hairs to "spring upwards as the blades closed in", allowing a closer shave.

    Then a four-year break in the intense competition followed as both companies took time out to develop the next step - the three-blade razor.

    1998: GILLETTE MACH3
    GILLETTE landed the next blow when it unveiled the revolutionary Mach3.
    The firm used cutting-edge technology to develop the three-blade razor, which had thinner edges than ever before, allowing men to shave with less drag and less irritation. Three years later, Mach3Turbo was released, which added anti-friction blades and a new patented lubrication system.

    2001: WS XTREME3
    THE Mach3Turbo soon faced competition from Wilkinson Sword's own innovative three-blade razor. The Xtreme3 promised an even-closer shave than before, thanks to its three pivoting blades, along with a lubricating strip that contained Aloe Vera.

    But the most innovative factor was that increased cartridge mobility meant the blades moved left to right as well as up and down.
    The new, non-slip rubber handle also offered precise control.

    2003: WS QUATTRO
    IT was only two years until Wilkinson Sword launched its next revolution - the FOUR blade razor - upping the stakes once again.

    The Quattro boasted that its "advanced pivoting action allowed all four blades maximum contact over the contours of the face".

    And a new safety system promised that nasty nicks would be a thing of the past as micro-fine guard wires over the blades would protect the skin.
    Meanwhile, the pressure-adapting blades would retract if too much pressure is put on the skin while shaving.

    Even Wilkinson Sword realised that the race to increase the number of blades had become ridiculous, joking: "And let's face it, three blades was never going to be enough!"

    And it wasn't. Not only did the razor kings start piling on the blades and pumping up the lubricants, electronics began to play a role in the next generation - vibrating shavers

    2005: GILLETTE FUSION POWER
    ENTER Fusion and Fusion Power! Gillette had already upped the stakes with its battery-operated M3Power last year.
    It "micropulses to stimulate hair up and away from the skin".

    The regular "powerless" Fusion's five blades have however been spaced 30 per cent closer together while an extra single blade on the back of the cartridge allows men to "easily trim sideburns and shape facial hair with increased control and precision.

    Gillette is proud of the fact that the Fusion Power is the first razor to bring advanced electronics to wet shaving.

    Apparently it has a micro-chip which "optimises the performance of the razor by regulating the voltage."

    Cutthroat, anyone?

    Help stamp out, eliminate, and do away with redundancy.


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    SERP Emeritus paintmered's Avatar
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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    Presenting..........The Decapitator!
    All models are wrong. Some of them are useful.

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    Be the ball Roy Tucker's Avatar
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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    This has been discussed in Greg Easterbrook's Tuesday Morning Quarterback at www.nfl.com (which I am a regular reader of, I think he is hilarious). I read it more for his tangents than his football analysis.

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/8869519

    TMQ Wants a Five-Bladed Razor Held by the Woman from the Old "The Stripper" Shaving Commercial:

    When Gillette bought naming rights to the stadium the Patriots play, the state of the art was three-bladed razors. Yours truly began calling the facility Next One Will Have Four Blades Field. Then Gillette competitor Schick actually offered a four-blade razor, so yours truly began calling the facility Next One Will Vibrate Field. Then Gillette actually offered a vibrating razor, upping the razor wars ante anew and forcing TMQ to begin calling the facility Next One Will Have Five Blades Field. Last week many, many, many readers, including Mark and Tracey Leedom of Durham, N.C., noted Gillette's announcement of a five-blade razor. The new five-blade Fusion is available in a powered version and "features a microchip that regulates the voltage and blade action. Other high-tech features include a low battery indicator light and a safety switch that shuts the razor down after eight minutes of continuous operation." A powered five-blade razor with a timed safety switch -- this razor is dangerous if you don't turn it off? Readers haikuize,

    TMQ predicts:
    Next One Will Have Five Blades Field.
    Gillette, make it so!
    -- John deWeerd, Florenceville, New Brunswick

    TMQ predicts:
    Gillette five-bladed razor.
    Lotto numbers, please?
    -- Sharp Richmond, Mt. Airy, Md.

    My obvious move would be to predict a six-bladed razor. But if the new version already has dangerous power and internal electronics, the pace of razor technology is clearly accelerating. Moore's Law holds that the number of transistors in a given space of computer chip doubles every two years. Maybe we need a similar law for razors. Here is TMQ's Law of Razors: The number of blades will increase to the factorial of the highest number of blades in the previous century. My incredibly scientifically advanced reasoning? The 20th century saw a progression from one to three blades. The factorial of three is six (1 x 2 x 3), predicting with seer-like assurance that a six-bladed razor will be marketed sometime in the 21st century. Taking into account that the 21st century has already witnessed the five-bladed razor, we employ the factorial of five (1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5) to predict that the 22nd century will see a 120-blade razor. Meanwhile, I will now call the stadium in question Next One Will Have Six Moisture-Sensitive Vibrating Blades with Remote Control, Make Coffee, Walk the Dog, Receive High-Resolution GPS and Improve Your Love Life Field.

    If only Gunilla Knutson were available to endorse the new Gillette razor! In 1966, Noxema Medicated Comfort Shave produced one of the top all-time television commercials -- Knutson, a Swedish model, cooed "take it off, take it all off" as the David Rose big-band tune "The Stripper" played and a man was seen shaving. Go here then scan to "Knutson" to see stills from the commercial and listen to the audio. When aired this commercial was considered red-hot -- the chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications denounced the ad for sexuality -- but all you see is the face of the sultry Knutson, who purred "take it all off" but never actually took anything off. Once, less was more when it came to being suggestive!

    Gunilla Knutson became a minor 1960s celebrity as a result of the shaving commercial. Her 2005 counterpart is Sabine Ehrenfeld, German-born model in the Overstock.com television commercials -- the mega-babe who coos "it's all about the O" while wearing a single gold O around her neck and looking simply mesmerizing. Watch the ad here. Every advertising critic noted the spot was a far-from-subliminal reference to the Big O. More worldly critics noted the ad alludes to the Story of O, generally considered the greatest work of erotic literature, in which a woman who wears a single metal O is announcing her desire to be -- well, you'll have to read the book. What struck yours truly about the buzz the O spokeswoman generated is that Ehrenfeld is not some airhead ingénue: she is a 42-year-old mother of two. Forty-plus pin-up moms -- this really must be the 21st century! (Hey, I haven't used that line in a whole year.) Here is Ehrenfeld's modeling portfolio. Regrettably, it's tasteful

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/8898660

    Owing to Gillette's new five-bladed razor, last week yours truly enunciated TMQ's Law of Razors -- blades will increase to the factorial of the highest number of blades in the previous century. Since three-bladed razors existed at the end of the 20th century, this law predicts there will be a six-bladed razor in the 21st century (six is the factorial of three) and a 720-bladed razor in the 22nd century (720 is the factorial of six). But, writes Brian Gerspacher of Oakville, Ontario, what about the 23rd century? The factorial of 720, he notes, is 10^1764 -- 10 raised to the 1,764th power. This figure may exceed the number of particles in the universe. In that case, I want a discount coupon for the refill!
    She used to wake me up with coffee ever morning

  5. #4
    Puffy's Daddy Red Leader's Avatar
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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    I've had my Mach3 since 1998 and I can't see replacing the blades or the razor for another 5 years at least.
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    Big Red Machine RedsBaron's Avatar
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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    I use a simple two blade sensor. I've tried the mach three but I really didn't get any better shave, an d the cost increases each time another blade is added.
    "Hey...Dad. Wanna Have A Catch?" Kevin Costner in "Field Of Dreams."

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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    The more blades the more trouble I have shaving that tight area right below the nose.

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    Kentuckian At Heart WVRed's Avatar
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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    Quote Originally Posted by macro
    Will our descendents be shaving with razors that contain, say, 87 blades? Or will they start increasing the number of blades by multiples of five or ten? Will razors become a foot long? Will they fit in toiletry bags? How have we existed with only four blades? What about those poor saps decades ago that only had one or two blades?

    To all of this, I give a big ol'
    I was thinking more of the Quintippio.(15 blade razor) that Norelco used to make fun of it.
    Quote Originally Posted by savafan View Post
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    This one's for you Edd Heath's Avatar
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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    My razor's 10 years old.....geesh...

    I'm guessing some type of laser contraption that while doing the shaving motions, will "shave" off the hair using some type of electron field that will give you a close shave every time.
    Some people play baseball. Baseball plays Jay Bruce.

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    SERP Emeritus paintmered's Avatar
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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    Quote Originally Posted by Heath
    My razor's 10 years old.....geesh...

    I'm guessing some type of laser contraption that while doing the shaving motions, will "shave" off the hair using some type of electron field that will give you a close shave every time.

    Now that, I would buy! Get it done, Gillette.

    All models are wrong. Some of them are useful.

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    MassDebater smith288's Avatar
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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    I have the Mach and a Norelco electric waterproof one.

    I like the norleco's ease of use but it doesnt shave as closely as the razor.

    What I REALLY want to know is...what is up with a battery operated razor?? How does a AA battery send microsignals impulsing the hairs?

    Am I the only one around here who thinks thats a bunch of bunk?

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    Member CrackerJack's Avatar
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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    Stop adding blades and start coming up with some technology that actually works! Silly marketing gimmicks and crappy men's grooming products be damned! We men deserve better personal hygience products.

    I use the "Sensor" which works well enough compared to other options for me, but using blades is using blades no matter how many you add, how you position them, or big or small they are - it's all variations of the same thing, and they still burn and irritate your skin.

    I would love a product that just instantly kills all body hair!

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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    Quote Originally Posted by CrackerJack

    I would love a product that just instantly kills all body hair!
    Hormone treatments. But you may need a Male Bra (manzere?) afterwards.

  14. #13
    I hate the Cubs LoganBuck's Avatar
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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    I use the Mach3Turbo, I tried the Shick Quattro because it came free in the mail. Absolutely hated it. It was really big, and getting the details of my face were hard. I felt like I needed to shave after about 12 hours.

    I still don't get the ones with the batteries built in.
    Hugs, smiling, and interactive Twitter accounts, don't mean winning baseball. Until this community understands that we are cursed to relive the madness.

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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    Quote Originally Posted by CrackerJack
    Stop adding blades and start coming up with some technology that actually works! Silly marketing gimmicks and crappy men's grooming products be damned! We men deserve better personal hygience products.

    I use the "Sensor" which works well enough compared to other options for me, but using blades is using blades no matter how many you add, how you position them, or big or small they are - it's all variations of the same thing, and they still burn and irritate your skin.

    I would love a product that just instantly kills all body hair!
    Some marketing research firm did a survey a while back; the question was something like 'if there were a product on the market that would eliminate all facial hair, would you buy it?'. The overwhelming answer (to the tune of about 90%, IIRC) was, "NO!"

    Delving deeper the researchers claimed that, though men don't particularlly like shaving they tend to equate it with their masculinity. (shrug)

    Rem

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    Re: Where will this end? Gillette introduces razor with FIVE blades.

    I wish my sideburns would come in so's I can shave 'em off

    Being 28 you'd think they would have arrived by now


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