Any interest in the new Gillette Guard razor?

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:58 pm

March 2011 - Go to the bottom of this thread to see prices and availability. Prices reduced because I found a less expensive source.

The Gillette Guard was recently introduced in India. There have been some discussions about it in the Safety Razor forum, and I'm thinking about whether I should get some for resale. That would allow people to satisfy their curiosity inexpensively.

I'm thinking about charging about $2 for a handle with one blade, and the same $2 for a pack of 5 blades, plus actual shipping cost. That would cover my time, effort, and shipping expense from India, while allowing people to try them out at a price similar to the cost of basic disposable razors.

I'm hoping for an indication of interest by people reading this, so I'll know if I should go ahead with this.

KAV · Post by **KAV** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:11 pm

Holds up stash of IRIDIUMS-NYET!-

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 11:15 pm

For you, I'll carefully pull out the Guard's blade, and replace it with a carefully cut Iridium... Still nyet...? Feh.

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 10:15 am

Paul, I'd spring for a handle and a couple of packs of blades, if you decide to go ahead with it.

KAV · Post by **KAV** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 10:36 am

Never. Thus do I refute the soul crushing, culturally vacuous industrial dragon machine of PG/Gillette.
Every penny spent there is a dollar withdrawn from DE production.
Leaves a golden pudle on the parking space of their VP of men's shaving products where he steps out in the morning.

fisherc · Post by **fisherc** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 10:57 am

I'd be a buyer of a handle and some blades.

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 12:43 pm

Proctor & Gamble (Gillette) makes some pretty good stainless DE blades these days at their modern St. Petersburg factory in Russia, under several different brands. The 7 O'Clock Gillette blades are quite good, and those Iridiums they made are excellent. Someone made contact with a fellow who works at the plant, and was told that there is a chance they'll resume production of the Iridiums in the future. I'm just sayin'. . . I've often felt that certain quarters want me to dislike Gillette/ P&G. I'm not too good at following orders, I'm kind of a loose cannon, or so I've been told. All we need to happen now, to bring the circle to full 360, is for P&G to go to Solingen and buy out Merkur and Dovo, and we're all back in business with Gillette producing double edge (and even straight) razors again.

gsgo · Post by **gsgo** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 12:58 pm

I'd be in to buy one, could be just the ticket for traveling.

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:52 pm

Does it have a cover for the blade - for traveling and general protection?

12/10 - Yes, it does. There's a little snap-on cover that comes with each handle.

paperpundit · Post by **paperpundit** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:45 pm

I'd buy one and some blades. I'm more interested to see if it would be a good head shaver...multiblades give me some head bumps, but bump fighters aren't close enough. And Bics bite...

i_shaved_something · Post by **i_shaved_something** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 6:10 pm

I'd be interested in one handle and one blade pack. I'd like to try it out just to try it out.

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 9:05 pm

I think maybe I'll buy a small number and resell them, and get a chance to try one myself. Then, if people like it, I can always get more later.

I'll ask $2 for a kit with one razor and one blade, and something like $.40 each for additional blades, plus shipping and Paypal fees. I can't quite tell yet how the blades are packaged, so I don't know if it makes sense to sell just one. I won't know the shipping cost until I see them and weigh them.

* * *

I ordered 16 kits (one razor with one blade), and they'll come with 32 extra blades. I expect it all to arrive within a couple of weeks, and then I'll start taking orders.

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Thu Nov 04, 2010 12:52 pm

The razors arrived today. I haven't tried one yet, but I opened up a razor to check it out.

Each razor (with one blade) came in a cellophane wrapper. The price marked was 19 rupees, crossed out to say that the promotional price is 15 rupees. The blades were marked with a price of 7 rupees, crossed out with a promotional price of 5 rupees. Today's exchange rate is 44 rupees to the dollar.

The handle is light, but hollow, so you could fill it with something to give it more heft. The blade pivots without any springs, so it seems like the purpose of the pivot is to allow you to get the most comfortable position for your arm and hand without changing the blade angle, which is fixed by the face of the cartridge.

The cartridge is attached to the handle with two pins on either side. You press in on the handle at the top to move in the pins and release the blade.

It looks like a clever, simple design that should do well for Gillette if the shave is good.

I have 15 razors to sell, each in a kit with one blade. I also have 32 individually wrapped cartridges.

*********************

Price is $2 for a razor with one blade. Shipping is $1.50 for the first razor, and $.25 for additional ones.

Additional blades are $.50 each, including shipping.

If you use Paypal in a way where I pay fees, those will be added. You can avoid Paypal fees by making a personal type of payment without a card.

You can also pay by check, money order, or free transfer if you have a bank account with ING Bank.

To order, please send me a PM rather than post something here, now that I'm definitely selling them.

If I don't hear from the people who posted their interest here, I will PM them.

* * * * * * * *

I added a positive review of the Guard in the Safety Razor forum's thread discussing it. I tried it for the first time about an hour ago, and I think it will make an excellent travel razor, as well as a decent razor overall if you don't mind such a light handle.

I'm curious to see other reviews. A few people have already ordered it from me.

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 2:41 pm

I filled the hollow handle with a bunch of tiny stones, and sealed it up with epoxy. Total weight is now a little more than 1/2 oz. This is still not heavy enough for me, and now I hear a tiny rattle when I jiggle the razor.

I'll have to try another handle, and fill it with metal.

For my second shave with this thing, I worked on an accumulation of more than 4 days worth of stubble, and the razor did fine. No blood, very smooth work. I'm posting my theory about the design in the Safety Razor forum.

Nov. 29 - I filled another handle with little nails, and got the total weight (with blade) up to almost 1 oz. It's still pretty light at the head, so I'll need to use some pressure to shave.

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Sun Feb 27, 2011 9:21 am

Reduced prices reflecting my newer supply at lower cost.

I just got a bunch of stuff from India, including green box Gillette blades, PII (Trac II) razors, and Guard razors and blades.

The price of one Guard razor (with one blade) is now $1.25, and blades are $.25 each. Shipping is actual cost, including postage and padded envelopes.

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 5:04 am

Paul, YGPM.

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:49 am

As of today (July 5), I have 5 razors and no extra blades. Each razor comes with one blade.

Sales have not been brisk!

If anyone wants what I have left, make me an offer.

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:18 pm

I still have the same ones! If I don't get a bite, I'll fall back on them for my own shaving...