DE vs. SE - is this an accurate representation?

[DaveHStone]

By glancing at the Safety Razors Forums summary, it strikes me that roughly 1 out of 9 wet-shavers have some level of interest or uses SE razors.

So, it makes me wonder where do we all stand when it comes to our preferences.

 

[Lefonque]

Probably

 

[Tomo]

A straight razor has a single edge so I’m going predominately SE.

 

[Kyle89]

Looks about right. DE has more variety in blades, which is a plus. And yes, although there are modern single edge designs, DE seem to be winning in terms of sheer variety in cool razors to buy, both vintage and modern.

Can you get a killer shave with an injector or a GEM? Of course. They just aren’t the dominant player in the wet shaving community. Personally I’ve run into more SE blades that don’t agree with me, which is unfortunate because there aren’t as many to choose from.

 

[Rob72]

I think the AC razors and blades have helped increase interest in SE. It is hard for me to honestly quantify (therefore my "use equally" answer), but I go in spurts. Several days or weeks on one platform, then back, play with the straights a bit, and so on.

I can't afford a warehouse full of cool vintage cars to take for a spin every other day, I CAN afford enough razors for a small army to shave with!

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

I use a DE most of the time. Well, all of the time at home. I use an SE for a ground travel razor. A Schick C1 Repeater. Because the head folds up and it has a cap, so it is safer in the Dopp Kit.

I prefer the DE mainly as the thing flips over and so doesn't need rising but half as often.

Then I use a Fasan Double Slant almost all of the time and that is the best DE razor I have ever used. All that helix.

Stan

 

[Ivo4u2]

I like both...
Se interest came due to me going from a cart to a Oneblade. Which still means I like pivot head se razors.
However I wanted to learn to shave proper and so the de razors showed up
Rad and curiosity made me buy fixed head razors.
I do not change daily just when my mood is there and I tend to stick to a razor for weeks.

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

I view the whole blade variety thing as a big downside to DE shaving. Having sooooo many blades to choose from turns the DE experience into one big razor blade snipe hunt as users move from one blade to the next in a futile search for the One True Blade. Having a relatively few SE blades to choose from forces the user to focus on technique.

Read the SE threads for a week or so and you'll inevitably run across one that goes something like "wow, I tried SE and can't believe how much better my shave is" - dig into the older posts and you'll find hundreds like that. It's not that SE is inherently better, but the angles and techniques seem more intuitive (to me, anyway) and the dearth of blades just makes it easier to get down to basics.

I have yet to read a post in the DE forums from a converted SE shaver. There are "tried SE, didn't like it" posts, but no "I've had an epiphany, no more SE for me after trying DE" ones.

 

[BigJ]

Guess I am with the majority on this one! DE for sure!

 

[Carpe]

I almost gave up on SEs but after some sound B&B advice, I've doubled down buying and using 2 additional GEMs and an ER in the last couple months. I toggle between SEs and DEs now and am really enjoying the SEs. I find zeroing in on one blade does make things easier with the SEs. But I was down to maybe 3 top DE blades anyway.

I will probably continue a bit further down the SE rabbit hole, among the other rabbit holes I've discovered since joing B&B. Now what would be a good insert for that...

 

[DaveHStone]

A straight razor has a single edge so I’m going predominately SE.

Well OK, yes this is somewhat controversial I admit.

That said, given I posted under the "Safety Razors" discussion boar, SR really are not accounted for.

Let's say this "research" is excluding SR users, but rather examines the ratio between DE Vs. SE users.

 

[DaveHStone]

I think the AC razors and blades have helped increase interest in SE. It is hard for me to honestly quantify (therefore my "use equally" answer), but I go in spurts. Several days or weeks on one platform, then back, play with the straights a bit, and so on.

I can't afford a warehouse full of cool vintage cars to take for a spin every other day, I CAN afford enough razors for a small army to shave with!

I fully agree. I love AC-type SE razors, as basically it's the only thing I use.

That said, I have no interest in GEM or Injector... somehow these devices just don't appeal to me.

 

[DaveHStone]

I view the whole blade variety thing as a big downside to DE shaving. Having sooooo many blades to choose from turns the DE experience into one big razor blade snipe hunt as users move from one blade to the next in a futile search for the One True Blade. Having a relatively few SE blades to choose from forces the user to focus on technique.

Read the SE threads for a week or so and you'll inevitably run across one that goes something like "wow, I tried SE and can't believe how much better my shave is" - dig into the older posts and you'll find hundreds like that. It's not that SE is inherently better, but the angles and techniques seem more intuitive (to me, anyway) and the dearth of blades just makes it easier to get down to basics.

I have yet to read a post in the DE forums from a converted SE shaver. There are "tried SE, didn't like it" posts, but no "I've had an epiphany, no more SE for me after trying DE" ones.

FWIW, I am one of those guys who had an epiphany switching from DE to SE format - SO MUCH better.

But the fact is, it's no coincidence, it's physics.

SE blades are tick and rigid, unlike DE blades which are hair-thin and flimsy, so they bend and produce blade chatter. SE blades just glide confidently over one's face with zero skipping or chatter, just like a SR. No wonder, they give a better shave

 

[DaveHStone]

Now what would be a good insert for that...

View attachment 1248869

All roads lead to Vector.... eventually

 

[RayClem]

I have one vintage Schick Type L injector razor that works well with the Chinese Schick blades. I have an Above the Tie SE1 that works with Feather Artist Club blades. I have never been a fan of the Gem style razors, but I know some folks like them.

Most of the time I shave with either a DE razor or a straight razor. I use the SE razors for a change of pace. There are lots of options for DE razor configurations and blades, far more than with SE razors. Even with straight razors, there are options for blade width and weight, bevel grind type, sharpening and stropping methods, etc. Thus, it is easier to customize the razor and the edge to my specific preferences than with SE razors.

 

[Vulcan Bubbles]

So far I’ve only used DE razors. Not because I have anything against SE’s, in-fact I’d like to try something different at some point. But, the last thing I need at the moment is something else to spend money and geek out on!!

 

[Ron R]

I started out with DE tradition wet shaving and enjoyed shaving this way for 1.5 years and then started using Schick injectors and Gem razors and now AC shavettes and just bought a Yaqi AC Excalibur . I personally like the guarded AC blades but with the Yaqi Excalibur I will be able to use naked blades also. 75% of my 45+ razors are SE and there is a reason for this, I find once you dial in the different SE technique needed you will be able to get through the toughest beards IMO and have great shaves. The Gem razors are my favorites and they are the most economical SE blades to use but they do not have a lot of variety in coatings. I can buy 100 pcs of Gem Personna SS PTFE blades for about $25 Canadian shipped to my house and that is great. DE shaving is Ok when you find the right razor and can be just as rewarding. A.S.R corp razors and Schick injectors mock the straight razor angle technique and all have no blade tab overhang and had more advances before Gillette did IMO.
Gillette(King) had a good product & was a salesman prior to making his razor & blade empire and was far better at marketing than other razor Manufactures and now is the dominate player still to this day IMO (Gillette=P&G holding).
Gillette lost out to Henry Gaisman for patent blade infringement and sold out most of his holdings of Gillette corporation to Henry J. Gaisman who founded Probac razor and Valet Auto strop razor MFG and was a genius in his own rights with 100's of patents & companies world wide and was a very shrewd business person also.
DE technology is based on the humble begging's of King Gillette and his dream of having disposable blades that were stropped and ready to go and always needed replacing.

 

[DaveHStone]

I have one vintage Schick Type L injector razor that works well with the Chinese Schick blades. I have an Above the Tie SE1 that works with Feather Artist Club blades. I have never been a fan of the Gem style razors, but I know some folks like them.

Most of the time I shave with either a DE razor or a straight razor. I use the SE razors for a change of pace. There are lots of options for DE razor configurations and blades, far more than with SE razors. Even with straight razors, there are options for blade width and weight, bevel grind type, sharpening and stropping methods, etc. Thus, it is easier to customize the razor and the edge to my specific preferences than with SE razors.

That's an interesting view.

IMHO, SE razors, especially those that utilize AC blades offer a lot of customization options, as AC blades vary in both width and thickness, therefore impacting both the blade gap and the blade exposure. To me, its a wider spectrum of mildness / agresiveness that you can achieve with the same razor, than any DE variability, as DE blades differ only in sharpness.

 

[Whiterook]

I like both SE and DE, but first and foremost I am a SE man.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

Let's say this "research" is excluding SR users,

Hey! No fair!

While I predominantly use straights, the times I don't I reach for an SE (GEMs each and every one) despite having a few DEs buried somewhere in a drawer. So, while I prefer a straight over all else, I definitely prefer SEs over DEs.