Best El--CHEAPO DE Razor you own, or owned?

[DesertIguana]

What is it? Brand? Model? Metal?

What did it cost?

Do you still own?


Me First, Pre-War Ball End Tech by King c. Gillette, cost was ZERO, as it was PIF, still have, and it not going no where.

 

[KW Driver]

A $5 (here) ‘61 Tech

And a couple $5 Gold Dollar 66s

 

[Spang]

Probably my RazoRock DE1 (aka Maggard V3M; Bali BD176). It is a Tech clone, and shaves a lot like a Tech, but --dare I say--better, at least for me. Corner tabs for perfect blade alignment (why don't more razors us this simple design?). Of course, it is cheap stamped material (plate and cap) with a zamac handle. I think I paid 7 bucks for mine; I believe it's up to about $10 now.

 

[BigJ]

My Lord L6 is simply an excellent razor ($7 on Amazon today, tough to beat at that price!!)

 

[shave/brush]

I tried a Bic metal razor, single blade, all metal. A box of 30 cost $26.99. It gives a nice shave.

 

[deafficianado]

I agree with the Lord L6 as BigJ mentioned. It’s made from zamak and will fail with use but a semi disposable razor for $7 isn’t half bad.

 

[JimL911]

I got an Ikon Tech head years ago for $20-25. Spent $$$ trying to find better. Not a lot of choices when you like aggressive razors.

 

[cranewarrior]

Well I bought a used Gillette Superspeed Redtip for $1 from a government salvage sales store.

I have a few zamac razors like Edwin Jagger D89 ($24), Yaqi Final Cut ($20), Yaqi AX-SE ($20), Yaqi Mellon ($7), Van Der Hagen TTO ($15), Lord L6 ($7), Baili BT131 ($5), Weishi 9306F longhandle (free PIF). They all shave well and since I clean and dry them after every use, they should outlast my lifespan.

I wouldn't hazard to say which is best. They all have pros and cons and different blades work better in some than others. I am happy to say they are all fun for me as are my "nicer" razors.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Probably several el cheapos in my history, so hard to remember which is the cheapest.

Free PIF for a Fatip OC Piccolo in nickel finish.

Free PIF for a Parker SoloEdge (DE half-blade razor).

$5 for a new Yaqi Mellon head, put on a free stainless steel handle I already had.

$5 for a NDC Gillette Tech in really nice shape.

Just to name a few...

 

[lasta]

Gillette Super Blue (Tech) - $1.24

 

[HoosierTrooper]

At what price is a razor no longer considered an EL- -CHEAPO and becomes EL- -EXPENSIVEO?

 

[CzechCzar]

Yaqi Top Aggressive Slant

cost around $10.

most efficient razor I have ever used. coupled with very gentle and unlikely to bite.

 

[helicopter]

I am somewhat of an enthusiast in the current ones.

Most of them fall into one of three designs: a 1970s Tech, a Click, and and a Solingen Zamak type. Some are mild and others moderate. I think they all shave well. It makes sense that they do because they are not toys, but practical designs that target price sensitive consumers in developing country markets.

In the next tier, you also tend to get specific designs, too.

Here you will find a Superspeed TTO design, and nicer versions of the Solingen and Tech from the bottom their. The Techs will get a Zamak cap and plate, rather than the sheet metal ones, and a metal handle, rather than the plastic.

These are all good too, for the same reasons.

None of them will suit the needs of many enthusiasts chasing BBS and heirloom collectibles, but they all work pretty well, in my experience.

 

[A_Fine_Shave]

Feather Popular(butterfly), it was like $13 when I got mine. I used it today for the first time in months. As my technique with more aggressive razors has improved, so it appears has my ability to easily get a fine shave without all the effort and irritation I formerly did with the Popular. It was my first DE razor and it's taken a relative beating, as far as DE razors go. The plastic handle can be slippy and dropped it many times in the tub. Takes a beating and keeps on ticking ! I'd buy another if I ever had to replace mine. Don't let the "plastique" handle fool you though, the rest of the razor is stainless.

 

[Lord NSIC]

Two come to mind, my 46 American Aristocrat for ~$1.60 that's really just a user grade, but great shaver, and a near-mint 48 British Aristrocrat picked up for about 5 Euro at an antique store in Amsterdam. Both are great shavers, but in the looks department, the British Aristocrat is where it's at.

 

[Whiterook]

A 1953 Super Speed for $8.

 

[Sledgehammer39]

My cheapo but great razors are Gillette Techs, the full garden variety. In my general geographic location. the price ranges I have picked them up for would be .75 cents to 3.00 dollars. I always have them in rotation and it’s my travel or camping razor.

 

[House Boy]

These days I don’t know what to consider cheap, few months back I bought a Razo Rock SLOG. Great razor. I never researched it before getting my AS2D Feather great razor and glad I own one, my wife got it for a Xmas gift with a promise to stop using her bathroom and getting her another Coach purse.
Wonder if she would notice if I hide some expensive shaving stuff she doesn’t know about in one of her Coach collections .

 

[om2000]

Mignshi 2000 (Merkur Futur clone).

Cost: under 10$

My daily shaver. I use it as a single edge razor because of uneven blade gap. It gives me better shaves than Merkur 34c or Edwin Jagger DE89.

 

[emwolf]

Best modern cheapy is my Yaqi Tech (zamak razor head) for $5. For vintage, I have two Gillette razors passed down to me from my parents: a 57 Tech and a 69 Super. I paid $0 for them, unless you consider that I had to live with my parents for 19 years .