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About the Museum
The Museum of Hoaxes is dedicated to promoting knowledge about hoaxes. (Click here for opening hours, etc.) On our blog we post about dubious- sounding claims, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The site is also home to the Hoax Photo Database, the Hoax Forum, and the Hoaxipedia.
The Museum of Hoaxes is dedicated to promoting knowledge about hoaxes. (Click here for opening hours, etc.) On our blog we post about dubious- sounding claims, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The site is also home to the Hoax Photo Database, the Hoax Forum, and the Hoaxipedia.
RUDE ROVERThe Christmas dog with no class! He sings and toots Jingle Bells.
INFLATABLE TREEWho needs the hassle of a real Christmas tree?
FARTING SANTAGo ahead and pull his finger!
Gillette’s 5-Blade Razor
Here's a great example of satirical prophecy (defined as a joke becoming a reality). Back in February 2004 The Onion lampooned the razor industry with a spoof article, supposedly written by the CEO of Gillette, declaring that his company was going to one-up the competition by inventing a five-blade razor with two lubricating strips: Stop. I just had a stroke of genius. Are you ready? Open your mouth, baby birds, cause Mama's about to drop you one sweet, fat nightcrawler. Here she comes: Put another aloe strip on that fucker, too. That's right. Five blades, two strips, and make the second one lather. You heard me—the second strip lathers. It's a whole new way to think about shaving. Don't question it. Don't say a word. Just key the music, and call the chorus girls, because we're on the edge—the razor's edge—and I feel like dancing.
A year-and-a-half later, Gillette really does unveil a five-blade razor with two lubricating strips. What's next? A seven-blade razor? I've said it before. Double, triple, quadruple, and now quintuple bladed razors are just a scam to justify charging more for blades. I think a single-bladed razor works just fine (and is also less irritating to your skin).
Posted By: Alex | Date: Thu Sep 15, 2005 | Permalink |
Total Comments: 26
Category: Business/Finance, Technology
Category: Business/Finance, Technology
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
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If you haven't used an M3Power, you don't know what you are missing.
The blades are expensive, but I find I can use one for several weeks without any issues with skin irritation.
This thing is awesome baby!
Posted by coit on Thu Sep 15, 2005 at 08:19 AMThe blades are expensive, but I find I can use one for several weeks without any issues with skin irritation.
This thing is awesome baby!
I think we're missing the true point - The Onion's prophecy has come true! The end of the world is coming and who is the new Jesus? That's right, The Onion.
Posted by Cathy in South Dakota on Thu Sep 15, 2005 at 08:27 AMOh please....the MP3 is just a novelty....it's been proven...woopty due....it vibrates....thats it.....
Posted by X on Thu Sep 15, 2005 at 08:27 AMAfter years of using an electric exclusively, I got a free Mach 3 razor and tried it. It was so good, I now shave once a week or so with it for a genuinely close shave that doesn't irritate my sensitive, handsome, face.
I am skeptical of this product, though, because the Mach 3 does clog up badly and the blades of the new razor are allegedly even closer together.
Posted by Joe on Thu Sep 15, 2005 at 08:29 AMI am skeptical of this product, though, because the Mach 3 does clog up badly and the blades of the new razor are allegedly even closer together.
It goes farther back than that. Around the time the original Trac II Razor was big in the 70's, their television advertisements had a cartoon demonstarting how blade one lisfs the hair slightly and blade two gets a cut farther down the hair.
The old Saturday Night Live did a satire commercial for the Trac III Razor, with a convoluted cartoon about what each blade did. The tagline was "The Trac III, because you will believe anything."
Posted by Nat on Thu Sep 15, 2005 at 08:34 AMThe old Saturday Night Live did a satire commercial for the Trac III Razor, with a convoluted cartoon about what each blade did. The tagline was "The Trac III, because you will believe anything."
To be fair, the report suggests that the fifth blade is on the back, and is for trimming hard-to-reach clefts and crevices i.e. there isn't a sheer cliff-face of five blades on the front. Of course, real men such as myself shave with a red-hot Bowie knife... and I use my chin to light matches, as well.
In the UK these replacement cartridges cost the equivalent of about $20 for a pack of eight, and are consequently a fantastic layman's example of the old adage that hardware sells software.
Posted by Ashley Pomeroy on Thu Sep 15, 2005 at 08:37 AMIn the UK these replacement cartridges cost the equivalent of about $20 for a pack of eight, and are consequently a fantastic layman's example of the old adage that hardware sells software.
Yeah. I am amazed how much the focus is on blade counts rather than actual usability (I think try to make things usable obvious but it is a lower priorty than wizbangery). I do use a Mach 3 razor and it is fine but it actually has one huge drawback--it is harder to shave in and around the nose and chin than razors with smaller heads. I have to keep an older cheaper razor around just to "finish up the edging."
It is definitely analagous to people who buy big honking riding lawn mowers to cut medium sized lawns. They always then have to bring out other equipment to finish off what the big expensive overkill cannot do.
Posted by Floormaster Squeeze on Thu Sep 15, 2005 at 10:28 AMIt is definitely analagous to people who buy big honking riding lawn mowers to cut medium sized lawns. They always then have to bring out other equipment to finish off what the big expensive overkill cannot do.
All I know is, I tried single-bladed razors once. Once. They left me a bloody heap for days until I managed to get to the drugstore again.
Posted by Nathan on Thu Sep 15, 2005 at 01:01 PMI have a mach 3. I've resisted the urge to buy the Power. But I have a light beard. I can easily use one blade for a month and probably only buy 12 cartridges a year.
Posted by Bill B. on Thu Sep 15, 2005 at 01:29 PMYeah, Nat, I remember that Saturday Night Live "Trac 3" spoof. It was hilarious at the time, but obviously some marketing hack thought it was a great idea. "You'll believe anything," indeed.
I think I'll market a razor that has about 87 strategically-placed blades, so you can shave your whole face with just one stroke. Think what I could charge for it!
When the novelty starts to wear off, we'll come out with one for women that shaves both legs in about 0.2 seconds. It will have about 243 blades lining the inside of a pair of pantyhose. Just pull off the "Razorhose" and you get an instant, close shave.
Posted by Big Gary in Dallas in Dallas, Texas on Thu Sep 15, 2005 at 02:25 PMI think I'll market a razor that has about 87 strategically-placed blades, so you can shave your whole face with just one stroke. Think what I could charge for it!
When the novelty starts to wear off, we'll come out with one for women that shaves both legs in about 0.2 seconds. It will have about 243 blades lining the inside of a pair of pantyhose. Just pull off the "Razorhose" and you get an instant, close shave.
I use a mach 3 - it's definitely better than a single-blade razor. Plus the blades are eminently stealable, thus cutting costs.
Posted by paul in prague in prague on Thu Sep 15, 2005 at 11:53 PMWhy bother with three, four, or even five blades? I simply break open my M3 cartridges and discard the first two blades; it’s the third one which shaves the closest. The time I save can be used bandaging up my hands.
Posted by johnny no stars on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 01:25 AMThe biggest benefit of multiple blades is you only need one single stroke to give yourself multiple cuts. That's progress!
Posted by Henri in The Netherlands on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 02:25 AM
There was a comedy sketch a few year back with a razor that had eighteen blades and six conditioning strips. The 18th and 17th blades scared the hair while the 15th blade gave moral support to the 14th and 13th blades and so on. It was rather amusing.
Posted by Nettie in Perth, Western Australia on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 03:01 AMi beleive that that little "spoof" site thing would have been one hundered times more funny better if it weren't for the annoying obnoxious profanity going on every other word, it sounded lke a twelve year old just learning his "big boy words" but yes it is quite funny i've always used a one-bladed razor and that's fine with me as long as i dont look like sasquach
Posted by spazEabE on Fri Sep 16, 2005 at 11:54 AMSNL did a sketch in the 70s with a 3-blade razor. The Onion is not original here by any means!
Put me down for the Mach3 as well. It's way better than a single blade, slides much smoother.
SO IT GOES!
Posted by Slippy on Sat Sep 17, 2005 at 09:50 AMPut me down for the Mach3 as well. It's way better than a single blade, slides much smoother.
SO IT GOES!
Quit shaving when they went to multiple blades because I was spending as much time trying to clear the clogs between the blades as I was actually spending shaving. Kind of stupid when you are only able to shave about three times per unless you start using a toothbrush to knock the razor crumbs out. One case where I'd rather use a single blade or quit. So I quit. Kind of nice now because I just get out a hair trimmer and a pair of scissors once a week and I'm through. No ingrown hairs, no razor burn, no bleeping wads of toilet paper on the cuts. Man, life's good!
Posted by morgan on Sat Sep 17, 2005 at 01:48 PMI recall when the three-bladers came out, Mad Magazine had a print ad for a 67-bladed razor..
Posted by Bobcat on Sun Sep 18, 2005 at 09:45 AMNettie:
That would be the D-Gen clip.
skribe
Posted by skribe in Oz on Tue Sep 20, 2005 at 12:06 AMThat would be the D-Gen clip.
skribe
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