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Inexpensive Stainless Steel Razor

seabee1999

On the lookout for new chicks
Good day to all, I have a question from a post from the past. A few years back, someone made a post about a $10 stainless steel DE razor sold on Amazon. I have been searching for the post for a while but I can't seem to find it. I was wondering if anyone might have remembered seeing the post and actually purchased that razor. I'm looking for a new one to use while out in the field for my upcoming military exercises. If anyone has another suggestion, I'd like to hear that as well. Thank you for your time.

Kind Regards,
David
 
I've been doing a bit of research into stainless steel razors, and by far the cheapest I've seen is the one from Fendrihan. You can get cheaper ones described as "stainless", but they invariably have stainless handles with plated zamak heads.
 
IMO the words inexpensive and SS should not be used in the same sentence! This is an either/or situation.
 
My favorite razor is Weber $70 and all stainless, it's too bad they stopped making them. I bought a second razor about six months before they stopped, I'm glad I did.
 
IMO the words inexpensive and SS should not be used in the same sentence! This is an either/or situation.

+1

I have never seen or used the alleged $10 SS razor, but here's something to think about:

Get the dimensions of the razor in question and price out a few chunks of 303SS big enough to make it. The materials alone would be close to $8 (likely more). This leaves $2 for production. Assuming a shop rate of $10/hr (VERY cheap) this razor would have 12 minutes of time put into start to finish.

What can you make in 12 minutes? I can barely make coffee and buttered toast, much less a razor.

Do yourself a favor- if you want an inexpensive quality DE, buy vintage. I got my Tech for $10, and I think I could have got it even cheaper.
 
If I wanted a inexpensive (relatively) stsainless steel razor, I probably would go with the Rockwell 6S.

Other than that, there is nothing wrong with an inexpensive zamac razor. It just wont last as long but that is offset by the low cost. Check out Maggards or Razorock maybe. Whatever you get there will perform well and you wont need to worry about the cost if something happens to it in the field.

Also, as other have mentionned, there are also some quality vintage razors out there.
 
The one you were likely looking at was likely the Utopia razor thought it's not actually stainless steel. It says things like Striling quality and such to give you the impression that it's stainless and from what I've read it might have been called stainless at one point. It does say it's chrome plated brass but I suspect that there might be a bit of Zamak there in the cap and base plate as I've heard the threads aren't smooth and have stripped out. It's only $10 but personally I wouldn't bother with it.

Your best bet is to find a vintage razor and clean it with barbicide. Back then they were made to last a lifetime. You can get them cheap enough that if you lost it in the field it would be that big of a deal. A Gillette new is small, light weight, gives a great shave and is durable. Or better yet, maybe research and pick up whatever model out soldiers used to carry during battle. If it's already been through a previous war I suspect it'll make it through your field exercises. If you want stainless then you're going to need to shell out about $100 or more.
 
Good day to all, I have a question from a post from the past. A few years back, someone made a post about a $10 stainless steel DE razor sold on Amazon. I have been searching for the post for a while but I can't seem to find it. I was wondering if anyone might have remembered seeing the post and actually purchased that razor. I'm looking for a new one to use while out in the field for my upcoming military exercises. If anyone has another suggestion, I'd like to hear that as well. Thank you for your time.

Kind Regards,
David

A few years ago, there was a small hype around a stainless steel razor from Utopia that cost around $10. It ended up being a stainless steel handle + a Merkur-clone, zamak head that suffered from constant blade misalignment. As a few mentioned, Fendrihan makes a stainless steel razor for about $40 --- Keep in mind that this is injection-molded stainless steel and NOT the typical machined-from-block metal.
 
A few years ago, there was a small hype around a stainless steel razor from Utopia that cost around $10. It ended up being a stainless steel handle + a Merkur-clone, zamak head that suffered from constant blade misalignment. As a few mentioned, Fendrihan makes a stainless steel razor for about $40 --- Keep in mind that this is injection-molded stainless steel and NOT the typical machined-from-block metal.

While most of the very expensive (and generally very fine in appearance) stainless steel razors are machined from one lump of metal, by no means all are. The highly regarded Weber razor was sintered metal pressed into a mould, and I believe the same applies to Feather and at least some iKon and razors. This makes the finish different, but probably doesn't detract from their durability.
 
Inexpensive stainless razors are probably not going to be common due to the comparative difficulty in machining (or injection molding) stainless while maintaining reasonably precise tolerances. Quality doesn't (usually) come cheap. Good luck in your searches.
 
Relatively inexpensive might be the Rockwell 6S but that still weighs in around $100.00 US. It's an injection pressed design not billet machined but it has a nice heft and it is actually a good quality item. It's one of my best shaving razors in fact.

Beyond that there is the Rocknel 'single edge' razor. It's stainless and costs below $50.00 US. The design is 'interesting' in that that it relies on you sliding in a 'halved' DE blade without any locator pins or lugs (I have to admit, that leaves me a little nervous and so I haven't bothered to order one). I believe they are currently working on DE, a slide locking 'Artist Club blade' SE ($95.00) and open comb iterations at this time as well which may see them becoming more popular. Certainly if they can keep a keen price point, the DE version could become popular. This DE razor looks interesting in that you slide the cap into position one the blade is on the locator bar. From what I can see on the Rocnel site, they're working on a number of stainless items and they look quite good.

No doubt some curious designs out there these days.
 
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I have the Fendrihan Adventurer and really like the razor , it was $49 CAD and I prefer it to my ATT which was quite a bit more expensive .The razor is quite aggressive and a dual comb so it is not everybody's cup of tea but it gives me smooth irritation free shaves.The finish isn't top shelf but the blade fits evenly and it has a good weight .All and all it is a good razor for the price.

Glenn
 
I have the Fendrihan Adventurer and really like the razor , it was $49 CAD and I prefer it to my ATT which was quite a bit more expensive .The razor is quite aggressive and a dual comb so it is not everybody's cup of tea but it gives me smooth irritation free shaves.The finish isn't top shelf but the blade fits evenly and it has a good weight .All and all it is a good razor for the price.

Glenn
Say Glenn, is one side more aggressive than the other?
 
You can get some great SS handles for $10-15 from Maggards. Then just find a head you like to shave with. You can buy Zamak heads for $10-15 as well, and you'll have a nice (mostly) stainless razor for a lot less money that you'll like more, because you customized it.

I just have to believe that a Zamak head will last a good 7 to 10 years before it needs replacing. So buy four or five heads if you're worried-- you can even buy several DIFFERENT type of heads-- and you'll still be ahead of the game. And will have a good shaving/good looking razor for the rest of your life.

Just my Two Cents.
 
My favorite razor is Weber $70 and all stainless, it's too bad they stopped making them. I bought a second razor about six months before they stopped, I'm glad I did.

+1. I also got mine about the same time. Glad I did and it was a good one. There were some that had manufacturing issues. Mine was great.
 
Hi,

Well, the words Stainless Steel and Inexpensive will never go together no matter what low-cost production method one chooses to use. It would surprise me to see one under $100, actually. That being my idea of inexpensive stainless....

I know that if I were to employ manual machining on a chunk of 304 SS and cut away everything that doesn't look like a razor, it would wind up costing a minimum of $1000 to someone buying it. So, the cost goes down from there. Just food for thought.

Stan
 
+1. I also got mine about the same time. Glad I did and it was a good one. There were some that had manufacturing issues. Mine was great.
I originally bought two, and gave one to a friend. Later I was thinking that they are a small company, something might happen and they might stop selling razors, so I bought a third one. I have never had a single problem (read manufacturing issues), in my opinion they are phenomenal razors!
 

seabee1999

On the lookout for new chicks
Thanks to all for replying. I could have remembered the post wrong but either way, I intend to find a weighty DE for low cost. Like I said, it's for the field so if it get lost or chewed up I wouldn't be out much.

V/R
David
 
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