Blade Wars
An arms race is brewing and things are going to get really ugly.
It all began with Trac II, the world's first two-blade razor, debuting in 1971. Gillette claimed that the second blade cut the number of strokes required in half compared to previous razors, reducing facial irritation.
In 1990, Gillette Sensor was launched, boasting of blades which receded into the cartridge head when they make contact with skin. This was the first set of safety razor that I used.
Then in 1998, a groundbreaking "technological breakthrough" was heralded with Mach3, first three-blade razor. I thought the idea of three blades was preposterous and swore never to use it. But lo and behold, SAF were distributing Mach3 out to all BMT recruits so why not?
Schick, a distant second in the global sale of safety razor decided to up the ante and introduced Schick Quattro.
All hell broke loose when Gillette Fusion debutted in January last year. Five blades and a sixth located on the back of the cartridge specifically for trimming hair.
Observers commented that with the invention of the safety razor, it took 75 years for the second blade to be added, then only 15 for the third, and one for the fourth and fifth.
Plotting the data available with the hyperbolic curve, it is predicted that in year 2015, razors would have had an infinite number of blades.
It all began with Trac II, the world's first two-blade razor, debuting in 1971. Gillette claimed that the second blade cut the number of strokes required in half compared to previous razors, reducing facial irritation.
In 1990, Gillette Sensor was launched, boasting of blades which receded into the cartridge head when they make contact with skin. This was the first set of safety razor that I used.
Then in 1998, a groundbreaking "technological breakthrough" was heralded with Mach3, first three-blade razor. I thought the idea of three blades was preposterous and swore never to use it. But lo and behold, SAF were distributing Mach3 out to all BMT recruits so why not?
Schick, a distant second in the global sale of safety razor decided to up the ante and introduced Schick Quattro.
All hell broke loose when Gillette Fusion debutted in January last year. Five blades and a sixth located on the back of the cartridge specifically for trimming hair.
Observers commented that with the invention of the safety razor, it took 75 years for the second blade to be added, then only 15 for the third, and one for the fourth and fifth.
Plotting the data available with the hyperbolic curve, it is predicted that in year 2015, razors would have had an infinite number of blades.The Greatest Weapon of All Times
Labels: arms race, bush, fusion, gillette, infin-t, mach, razor blades, schick
posted by Kelvin Lim at 10:28 am
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