Super Gillette Blue

This is a very, very inexpensive razor. It is based on the Gillette Tech razor of the 40's - 60's. However the guage of the steel is lighter than the Gillette Tech. The lighter guage does not reduce the capability of this razor's shave.

It is a 3 piece razor as is the Tech. Any handle that fits the Tech will attach to this razor. It has a modern Gillette logo emblazened on the head. Fit and finish is more than adequate a razor of this price point.

It compares almost identical to the Lord L5 razor head. The guage of both razors is equal. The only differences appear to be the aluminum handle of the Lord L5 and the logo differences on the heads.

Not quite a month after I ordred this razor from a distributor in China, I got it.

It shaves very well for the price point. I even used the included modern Gillette Blue Blades.

It is light in total weight but the proper angle and pressure were not hard to figure out.

If you are so inclined to pay $50 to get a razor that shaves basically the same as a $3 razor, be my guest. Yes, the quality difference between a Merkur Razor and this razor is obvious however, both razors shave well.

This is a great razor for the market of shavers that are quite intent on saving money versus the use of today's expensive cartridge razors.

It is not a Merkur, Muhle, or vintage Gillette, but it shaves well.

I was really surprised at the quality of the shaves I've gotten with this razor. My first shave with the provided blade was a little rough, but subsequent shaves using Personna SS blades were close and smooth.

The basic design of this razor follows the classic Gillette Tech pretty closely. In fact you can screw a Gillette Tech or similar handle on it, which is fun if you like to mix and match.

The quality of this razor if fine, and it looks like it should last for some time, especially the head. It is an inexpensively manufactured razor, so it's not surprising it doesn't compare well to a Merkur or Edwin Jagger in terms of cosmetics.

As far as shave quality goes, it was not aggressive, but did an excellent job for me. I found the relatively thin head easy to get to the tight spots around my nose.

At less than $3.00 over the internet including shipping, I think this would be an excellent choice for someone graduating from a cartridge razor. The longer plastic handle should feel comfortable, and the price is unbeatable. They can always upgrade to a more expensive option once they've fully committed to a DE razor.



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Introduction

Gillette is most likely for everyone a well known brand worldwide. But what not everyone knows is that Gillette made very good safety razors in the past. One of these safety razors was called the Gillette Tech, and they made many different kinds of this safety razor.

But somewhere at the end of the 80s Gillette stopped producing safety razors, and today you can only buy Gillette cartridge razors in the western part of the world. And of course for these cartridges you have to pay a fortune, as one cartridge would cost more than € 4.

However, when I was in China I saw a very cheap Gillette Safety Razor in the PARKnSHOP supermarket. At first I didn't buy it because it honestly looked very cheap with the plastic handle. But later when I was again in China I bought it anyway because I changed my mind.

Packaging and design

The Chinese Gillette Tech comes in a paper card packaging, which contains the safety razor and one Super Gillette Blue blade. They guy who is being shown on the packaging and the blade is King Gillette.



In the first impression the design may look cheap and simple, but I think the design is actually quite good. Because the handle from the safety razor is about 11cm, and that is much longer than the average safety razor which mostly have a smaller handle.



The plastic handle may look very cheap, but its a very practical handle because of the ridge lines that offer a very good grip. The coolest thing about this safety razor is actually the razor head with the old school Gillette logo.



User experience

I own this safety razor for more then one year, and its one of the safety razors I have used the most, and I consider it to be my second safety razor in use.

This safety razor is in comparisment with my Edwin Jagger DE89L much milder, but not to mild like an Weishi 9306. Because this is a mild razor that also means you won't nick or cut yourself with it fast, and this a benefit for beginners.

Despite that this is a mild safety razor I have no trouble at all shaving away a two or three days beard grow, in two passes, and I still get a smooth shave.

This safety razor is very light when compared to a heavier safety razor like the Edwin Jagger DE89L, and you won't be punished directly when exercise a little pressure on the safety razor. The light weight of this safety razor makes it actually a good safety razor for beginners who used to use a cartridge razor.

Build quality

I can give quite a good judgement of the build quality, because I have this safety razor for more then one year and I used it quite often. The build quality is in general quite good, and I can't really say anything bad about it.

But I found a little bit of wear on handle over time, but its on the part where you would screw the handle on the razor head. But for the rest the safety razor is in a good condition.

Furthermore it seems that this safety razor is also drop resistant, because I have dropped this safety razor more then once on the floor and it didn't even get one scratch. Of course you can't compare the build quality to an Edwin Jagger DE89L for example because its 10 times more expensive.

Price and availability

You can buy the Chinese Gillette Tech in China for about $ 1,50, but the easiest way is just ordering one from Tinydeal for $ 3,30 including shipping.

Conclusion

The Chinese Gillette Tech offers a outstanding value for your money, and its hard to find a better safety razor in this price class.

So if you are looking for a cheap safety razor for beginners and you don't want to spend much money, then this could be a good choice. But of course this is also a good safety razor for experienced wetshavers, and its perfect for carrying with you during travel.