Why don’t they make different DE blade widths?

[IoanPop]

Here’s a thought…It seems to be a logical thing to do. You could use the same razor to have different aggressions just by changing the blade. Using different DE blade as they are now is not really an option as they are dull or sharp and for the thick hair the dull ones are not good at all, they are pulling the hair, the sharp ones in aggressive razors are damaging the skin.
This way you could just select your razor based on subjective reasons as looks, weight or the material of choice and adjust the aggressivity by using the blade width of choice.

AC razors have some different blade aggressions, they could do something similar with DE blades. From the standard DE blade, 2 widths below and 2 widths above (I know we already have KAIs).

 

[NorthernSoul]

Having a standard size blade is the whole idea.

Have you tried using blade shims? These gradually adjust the blade exposure by varying the geometry of the razor head.

 

[BigJ]

You can always try Kai blades, which are just a tad wider and are very fine IMO!!

 

[IoanPop]

Shims are spoiling the easiness of blade loading. Kai blades are good for more aggression, but there is no blade for less aggression.
All I’m saying is that we could all benefit of some “Standart +/++” and “Standard -/- -“ DE blades, both manufacturers and consumers.

 

[rudygu]

Shims are spoiling the easiness of blade loading. Kai blades are good for more aggression, but there is no blade for less aggression.
All I’m saying is that we could all benefit of some “Standart +/++” and “Standard -/- -“ DE blades, both manufacturers and consumers.

Bic blades are narrower as well as Personna Comfort Coated.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Shims are spoiling the easiness of blade loading. Kai blades are good for more aggression, but there is no blade for less aggression.
All I’m saying is that we could all benefit of some “Standart +/++” and “Standard -/- -“ DE blades, both manufacturers and consumers.

There are adjustable razors, don't those accomplish the same thing?

I think you are missing the point of standardization. Manufacturers would have to make and retailers then would have to stock 4-5 times as many different blades to cover the range for each brand. Consumers would need to know which of the 4-5 choices they needed when they bought blades. Maybe Gillette's version of ++ is less aggressive than some other maker. I'm supposed to keep track of all this as a consumer?

 

[IoanPop]

We are already figuring out which blade is less or more aggressive with standard DE blades depending of the manufacturer. I want the options AC razor type users are having . There seems to be significant blade exposure differences, not to mention they have those proguard blades.
Maybe I’ll just switch to AC razors and solve my little problem.

 

[Lockback]

I like the fact that DE razor blades are standard and have been since the early 1930's, I think. I can buy an old safety razor from 70 years ago (and have) and modern blades fit it perfectly.
I do think the AC single blade solution is a good one. There are several different sizes, from what I understand.

 

[zifnab]

Here’s a thought…It seems to be a logical thing to do. You could use the same razor to have different aggressions just by changing the blade. Using different DE blade as they are now is not really an option as they are dull or sharp and for the thick hair the dull ones are not good at all, they are pulling the hair, the sharp ones in aggressive razors are damaging the skin.
This way you could just select your razor based on subjective reasons as looks, weight or the material of choice and adjust the aggressivity by using the blade width of choice.

AC razors have some different blade aggressions, they could do something similar with DE blades. From the standard DE blade, 2 widths below and 2 widths above (I know we already have KAIs).

Here is a thought.

DE blade was invented and standardized a hundred years ago. And it's worked well since then. Just a thought.

But if you want to do something that will make all DE razors for past hundred years incompatible with your new standards, go for it. It's guaranteed to fail.

Even on this forum the most popular razors are still vintage razors.

 

[AZBronco]

From a manufacturing standpoint it sounds too hard. They’d have to spend money on R&D, customer focus groups, advertising and education, capital expenses for new equipment, and on and on. They’d likely have to sell millions of blades just to break even for what would be a niche market.

 

[garyg]

Logical idea, but then again .. folks have pointed out some issues, my own take is that the reason the century old DE format has persisted is that it worked at least reasonably well for a great number of shavers. I guess you could change the blade width ala the hair shaper format, or change the razor geometry.

Me I'm old, dumb, and set in my ways. I'd rather change a razor for a different shave (did it today actually with a slant) than try and bemember if this used blade was the beast or the babe.

 

[IoanPop]

From a manufacturing standpoint it sounds too hard. They’d have to spend money on R&D, customer focus groups, advertising and education, capital expenses for new equipment, and on and on. They’d likely have to sell millions of blades just to break even for what would be a niche market.

All those reasons could be viable. I don’t know all the process involved to make a final product.

But the standardization reason is no reason at all for me. You would still have your standard blade that would surely be the main blade used by consumers. We already have KAI blades and it didn’t alter the standard to the point DE razors are going extinct. 3 more blades like KAI and that’s all.

 

[AZBronco]

All those reasons could be viable. I don’t know all the process involved to make a final product.

But the standardization reason is no reason at all for me. You would still have your standard blade that would surely be the main blade used by consumers. We already have KAI blades and it didn’t alter the standard to the point DE razors are going extinct. 3 more blades like KAI and that’s all.

There’s also the fact that DE shaving is a tiny niche in most Western countries and Gillette is trying hard to convert India to carts. If it weren’t for the internet, many of us here wouldn’t have a source for any DE blades locally.

Companies can make several dollars in profit from a pack of cartridges so they don’t have a lot of incentive to innovate on a product where they only earn a few pennies per pack. Very few people would be willing to jump from $1 or $2/5 blades up to say $5 or $6/5 blades just to get a specialized blade. As others mentioned, it’s far easier to choose the right aggressiveness in your razor or just buy an adjustable.

 

[IoanPop]

There’s also the fact that DE shaving is a tiny niche in most Western countries and Gillette is trying hard to convert India to carts. If it weren’t for the internet, many of us here wouldn’t have a source for any DE blades locally.

Companies can make several dollars in profit from a pack of cartridges so they don’t have a lot of incentive to innovate on a product where they only earn a few pennies per pack. Very few people would be willing to jump from $1 or $2/5 blades up to say $5 or $6/5 blades just to get a specialized blade. As others mentioned, it’s far easier to choose the right aggressiveness in your razor or just buy an adjustable.

Yes! That's it. It is always about the money.

 

[Rob72]

Yes, but no. If you want mild, cartridges are there to answer in abundance.

You actually see the same thing in vintage DE razor development, as offerings past ~1940 are substantively milder than earlier razors. It is far easier to change the profile of a razor than the micrometric dimensions of a blade, produced in the millions (if not hundred millions) annually.

 

[BigJ]

…
Companies can make several dollars in profit from a pack of cartridges so they don’t have a lot of incentive to innovate on a product where they only earn a few pennies per pack. Very few people would be willing to jump from $1 or $2/5 blades up to say $5 or $6/5 blades just to get a specialized blade. As others mentioned, it’s far easier to choose the right aggressiveness in your razor or just buy an adjustable.

+1! ‘Simple’ economics IMO!!

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

If you take a hard look, you will find dozens of blade types for DE razors over the decades. The current blade design is taking all those once proprietary blade designs into account. So, the current design fits all those various razors. Change anything and there will be something out there it no longer fits.

Stan

 

[DeBladeRunner]

Kai blades and sputnik are the two DE blades that are wider than the majority of the others.

OP mentions that AC blades come in various aggressions... While that's is true, DE blades also come in different aggressions. Ranging from the dull (derby) to the extremely sharp in feather, bolzano. There are hundreds of DE blades and they come in a wide range of sharpness and smoothness levels. OP should get a sampler pack, or perhaps get an adjustable razor. Just a thought.

 

[Frito Ray]

I think we are lucky to get what we get. The fact that brick and mortars stock practically no DE blades says that there is no money in them.

AC blades are more geared to the professional market, which is why more choice exists.

But I get what you are saying, and yes it would be nice to have more options available.