Why no love for disposables?

[OffcerClancy]

I am not an experienced Sly Guy.  As a result, I have been perusing the archives for information on a variety of topics.  As I do, I have noticed that disposables gets no love.  I have to admit, I use a generic twin blade, pivoting head disposable and have no issues.

Here is my thing: I am deathly afraid of ingrown hairs and bumps.  As a result, I slowly progressed to the twin blade after each previous blade did not produce bumps.  First I used a special disposable with a safety guard, then went to regular single blade disposable, then finally twin-blade.  All disposables.

I refuse to use a three- or five-blade because I am afraid super, super closes below the skin shave will result in ingrown hairs and they do not allow you to shave everyday (I try to avoid stubble at all costs by shaving the same time everyday except Sunday).  So, pls tell me- what is wrong with disposables?  Also, if they are so undesirable, pls give me the name of a twin-blade that is not disposable.

Thanks.

[Razor X]

I bought a batch of disposables once years ago, when I was on one of my money-saving crusades.  I tore my scalp to pieces the first and last time I used one.  I also did not get as close a shave.  Generally, they aren't good quality blades, though the newer Schick III Extremes and disposable Mach IIIs aren't bad.

That being said, I've seen plenty of guys in the locker room at the gym shaving their heads with cheap disposables and their domes look fine.  We're all different, so what works for one guy may or may not work for another.  If the disposables are working for you and you're  happy with the result, that's all that matters.

[schro]

I've had the same experience with a majority of disposables....brutal.

[Mikekoz13]

Brutal bad shaves....... although the Extreme threes aren't bad in a pinch.

[Iconic]

That's something new. I never thought that multiple blade, close shaving razors could be bad for skin. My own experience is that disposables irritate skin more. But, I've only used orange Bics and blue pivotless Gillette twinblades. Those Bics were plain horror. Visible and uneven stubble, red and stinging skin. Can't remember how those Gillettes were, except that they had really short lifespan. Also, disposables mean a lot of plastic waste and it feels really bad.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

No real luck w/ disposibles here either--even the Extreme III left me w/ nicks. 

Re: ingrown hairs, bumps--it really helps to exfoliate daily--I use a loofa pad every day w/ soap before shaving to make sure all the pores and follicles are clear. 

[Stu]

What Razor said!

[Tyler]

Go with the Gillette Sensor Excel.  It's a twin blade that isn't disposable.  It's my blade of choice on the HeadBlade.

[Papa Don]

I've never used a disposable on the noggin.  And only on occasion for the face.  I think it boils down to personal preference.  IMO shaving with a disposable is sort of like shaving with a product made by Fisher-Price.  More of a toy than a precision instrument.  But--to each their own!

[marshd1000]

If I have been on a trip and forgot my HeadBlade, I will buy a Shick Xtreme 3.  That seems to work well for me.  But everybodys scalp and hair condition are different.  But then again, I can rub a bar of soap on my noggin and get a great shave if I don't have some HeadSlick around!

[Mikekoz13]

IMO shaving with a disposable is sort of like shaving with a product made by Fisher-Price.  More of a toy than a precision instrument.

Now that gave me a good chuckle!  

[thegilp]

I shave with disposable 2 blade bics when I'm deployed, not as close as my DE at home but much faster and easily transported. Also readily availiabe at the PX and can be mailed no questions asked, sending DE blades has caused concern

[Razor X]

If I have been on a trip and forgot my HeadBlade, I will buy a Shick Xtreme 3.  That seems to work well for me.  But everybodys scalp and hair condition are different.  But then again, I can rub a bar of soap on my noggin and get a great shave if I don't have some HeadSlick around!

The Schick Extreme III and the Mach III disposables will do in a jam.  My only real complaint about them is that the blades wear out more quickly than their non-disposable counterparts.  That, and they just aren't as comfortable to to grip because there is no weight to them.  But they do an adequate job if that's all that is available for whatever reason.

[RyanJP]

Disposables suck, period.

[buddha]

I have the impression that disposables were invented to handle the face shaving needs of a majority of people without being overly offensive to the minority. If that is confusing, I think what I'm trying to say here is that the toss-outs have no single factor that makes them really effective for those of us who scrape our domes. It seems that other blades I've tried seem to have a forgiveness factor built in, like with the Sensor where the cartridge can rotate a few degrees either way. I think that this becomes more important in the case of the dome where it is a hard surface with no cushion or give to it because of the skull, as opposed to surfaces like the cheeks and neck where the edge can press inward a bit without meeting the resistance of a bony structure under the skin. My experience with toss-outs on the face and neck have been just OK, the very few times I have tried them on the skull have been bloody and less than smooth.