System razor

System razor with two blades, here: Wilkinson Sword , Protector 3D diamond. A protective grille is designed to protect the blades from damage and the user from injury.

A system razor (also: multi-blade razor ) is a razor for wet shaving with an exchangeable shaving head . In terms of functionality and appearance, system razors are similar to safety razors , but in contrast to these, they are equipped with an interchangeable head equipped with several blades. The interchangeable head with its blades held in a plastic frame is designed as a consumable material and is thrown away and replaced with a new head after repeated use and the blunted blades. Compared to safety razors and the traditional razor , the use of system razors incurs significantly higher costs with less thorough results. System razors, on the other hand, require little practice when it comes to shaving free of cuts.

Structure and components

Exchangeable shaving heads, here: Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power. A micro-comb in front of the cutter block is intended to thread the whiskers.

System razors consist of two parts: a reusable handle and the replaceable shaving head. Today's shaving heads consist of up to six stainless steel blades, one on top of the other . Some models also have a separate contour cutter on the rear upper edge of the shaving head.

First introduced in 1977, models with an oscillating head have established themselves among the system shavers since the 1990s. This is a shaving head that is spring-mounted in order to better adapt to the contours of the face while shaving.

Today's standard equipment also includes strips with a special coating over the blade block, which should ensure that the shaving head glides better on the skin of the face.

Results compared to disposable razors

A study carried out by Stiftung Warentest in 2010 showed that the mostly elaborately designed system razors with interchangeable heads consistently achieved better results than the cheaper disposable razors . This applied not only to the “Shaving” category, but also to the “Skin protection” and “Blade durability” categories. According to Stiftung Warentest, vibrating the shaving head, which can be switched on in premium models among the system shavers, neither produced a faster nor a more thorough result.

Wear and tear and cost

System razors are designed so that the blades in the replaceable head wear out and become dull after a few shaves. In this way, users of system razors are forced to buy new exchangeable heads at regular intervals. Over longer periods of time, this leads to significantly higher costs than, for example, when using safety razors or razors . According to Stew Taub, Gillette's director of research and development, male users of system razors go to great lengths to keep costs down. "Some store their razors upside down, heat them up, throw them in the dishwasher or clean them with a toothbrush to extend the life of the blades," Taub said in a 2012 interview with the Wall Street Journal . In response to the cost trend for consumers, Dollar Shave Club in the United States has been offering components for system shavers in a subscription model since 2012 . Subscribers receive a set number of exchangeable heads automatically by post every month. In return, these interchangeable heads are cheaper than comparable models from brand manufacturers. In an interview with TechCrunch , Michael Dubin, CEO of Dollar Shave Club, justified this with the "ridiculously overpriced" prices in the high-end range of system razors, which - so Dubin ironically - have functions such as a “vibrating handle, back scratches and all that kind of stuff “Be equipped.

For the shaving needs of women, technically comparable and in some cases identical system razors are offered, which differ in their “feminine” color and shape. The surcharge required for this is known as the Pink Tax .

Brands (selection)

brand	Founded	Headquarters	country	owner
Wilkinson Sword	1772	High Wycombe	United Kingdom United Kingdom	Energizer Holdings
Gillette	1901	Boston	United States United States	Procter & Gamble
Fancy	1926	Milford	United States United States	Energizer Holdings
Dorco	1955	Seoul	Korea South South Korea
Croma, Ciel et al. a.	1920	Ice field	Germany Germany	Feintechnik GmbH Eisfeld

chronology

1971 : Wilkinson Sword introduces the T70, a system razor in which two superimposed blades are held in a plastic frame. In the same year, Gillette also introduced a system razor with double blades: the Gillette GII .

1977 : Gillette introduces the Contour System, the first double-blade razor block with an oscillating head. This allowed the blades to adapt better to the contours of the face and to shave more thoroughly.

1989 : Gillette introduces the Gillette Sensor, a system razor with spring-loaded blades.

1992 : Wilkinson Sword introduces the Protector , a system razor with an oscillating head.

1994 : Wilkinson Sword introduces the Lady Protector , a system razor for women.

1998 : Gillette introduces the Mach3, a three-blade system razor.

2003 : Wilkinson introduces the Quattro, the first system razor with four blades.

2004 : With the M3Power, Gillette introduces a system razor with switchable, motor-driven vibration of the shaving head.

2007 : Dorco introduces the Pace 6, the first system razor with six blades.

Web links

Commons : system razor - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Wet razor: the sharpest blades - test report by Stiftung Warentest from December 23, 2010.

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b "A $ 100 blade lasts a lifetime, while a lifetime of disposables costs about $ 3,000", Eliza Gray: Straight to the Point ( Memento June 11, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) , in: Newsweek , June 8, 2009, most recently Retrieved from HighBeam Research on March 31, 2014 (registration required).

^ Ray A. Smith: In Search of a Perfect Shave. Can New Products and Techniques Make Shaving Better? Calling Out the Myths , in: Wall Street Journal, August 29, 2012, last accessed March 21, 2014.

^ The Sharpest Blades , in: test 12 (2010), pp. 70–75, here: p. 74.

^ The sharpest blades , in: test 12 (2010), pp. 70–75, here: pp. 72 and 74.

^ The sharpest blades , in: test 12 (2010), pp. 70–75, here: p. 73.

^ "Meanwhile, Gillette's own studies have shown men going to great lengths to keep down the cost of shaving. Some store their razors upside down, heat them up, throw them in the dishwasher or clean with a toothbrush in order to preserve their blades, said Stew Taub, Gillette's director of research and development for male and female shaving. ", Emily Glazer, A David and Gillette Story: Technology and a Viral Video Are Arming the Tiny Dollar Shave Club for Battle in the Razor Wars , in: Wall Street Journal of April 12, 2012, last accessed April 2, 2014.

↑ "Michael Dubin, who's also the company's CEO, argues that the high-end of the market has gotten ridiculously overpriced, with" a vibrating handle, a back-scratcher, and all of that stuff. "", Anthony Ha, Shave Club Launches Razor Subscription Service, Raises $ 1M From Kleiner (And Others) , in: TechCrunch, March 6, 2012, last accessed April 2, 2014.

↑ Elisabeth Gamperl: Research: Being a woman is expensive . In: sueddeutsche.de . ISSN 0174-4917 ( sueddeutsche.de [accessed on October 8, 2016]).

↑ On the chronicle of Wilkinson Sword cf. Wilkinson Sword - History , on the Swiss website of Wilkinson Sword, last accessed on March 31, 2014.

↑ On the Chronicle of Gillette, cf. In the beginning there was steel ... Gillette: a pioneer in blade technology for a century ( Memento of April 7, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) , Gillette press release from September 2008, last accessed on March 31, 2014.

[NewsweekGray-1] A ^b "A $ 100 blade lasts a lifetime, while a lifetime of disposables costs about $ 3,000", Eliza Gray: Straight to the Point ( Memento June 11, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) , in: Newsweek , June 8, 2009, most recently Retrieved from HighBeam Research on March 31, 2014 (registration required).

[2] Ray A. Smith: In Search of a Perfect Shave. Can New Products and Techniques Make Shaving Better? Calling Out the Myths , in: Wall Street Journal, August 29, 2012, last accessed March 21, 2014.

[3] The Sharpest Blades , in: test 12 (2010), pp. 70–75, here: p. 74.

[4] The sharpest blades , in: test 12 (2010), pp. 70–75, here: pp. 72 and 74.

[5] The sharpest blades , in: test 12 (2010), pp. 70–75, here: p. 73.

[6] "Meanwhile, Gillette's own studies have shown men going to great lengths to keep down the cost of shaving. Some store their razors upside down, heat them up, throw them in the dishwasher or clean with a toothbrush in order to preserve their blades, said Stew Taub, Gillette's director of research and development for male and female shaving. ", Emily Glazer, A David and Gillette Story: Technology and a Viral Video Are Arming the Tiny Dollar Shave Club for Battle in the Razor Wars , in: Wall Street Journal of April 12, 2012, last accessed April 2, 2014.

[7] "Michael Dubin, who's also the company's CEO, argues that the high-end of the market has gotten ridiculously overpriced, with" a vibrating handle, a back-scratcher, and all of that stuff. "", Anthony Ha, Shave Club Launches Razor Subscription Service, Raises $ 1M From Kleiner (And Others) , in: TechCrunch, March 6, 2012, last accessed April 2, 2014.