DE Razors Design, Is It In a Rut?

[Rwoodreno]

It looks to me like it is. Is there really a single design that does not look to the past? Virtually all of the mass produced DE razors are cast zinc alloys and use the alignment pins design for blade alignment, a design abandoned by Gillette in 1930! Many of the expensive machined razors, and a few zinc ones, are using the alignment bar and top cap corner keys system that Gillette introduced in their NEW razors in 1930. A few have moved the alignment pins location to a different area of the blade slot. HUGE Innovation!

The main difference between designs and models is how aggressive the razor is, blade gap and angle. Also how well supported by the base plate the blade is for blade rigidity. Basically details that may be tweaked slightly from brand to brand and model.

Even the adjustable razors basically are clones of the Merkur adjustable with minor variations and the upcoming TTO Butterfly one from one company is a modern remake of the Gillette adjustable razors I believe.

Is the DE razor design limited by the basic blade design? Could be as all the proprietary blades are gone with a few exceptions in the SE field and all are long out of patent protection.

Agree with me or disagree but post and express your opinions here.

 

[Highspeedlane]

There is only so many different ways you can design a holder for the same basically unchanged blade design (since the three hole yielded to the New design), but in all the available variations that have been marketed over the decades we have been inundated with more blade holding options than I'll ever be able to take advantage of in my lifetime. Hope that helps!

 

[nemo]

Seems to me there's lots of variety. If you really want something innovative, put on your thinking cap. If you can't find what you want, get out there and make one of your own!

 

[G-Dogg]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Feather-man]

I've got three roller guard DE razors and they are my favorites by far. Otherwise it's all SE these days. A new DE with an open comb roller guard (lather recycling) would get my attention. A new Davies style razor might pull money from my wallet. I too look to the past.

 

[Bondage007]

+1 on roller guard razors. Really a very unique shave.

Cheers
John

 

[Rwoodreno]

Seems to me there's lots of variety. If you really want something innovative, put on your thinking cap. If you can't find what you want, get out there and make one of your own!

Depends on your viewpoint. To me they are almost all minor variations on a theme and many are repeats of details tried in the past.

 

[BSAGuy]

There is only so many different ways you can design a holder for the same basically unchanged blade design (since the three hole yielded to the New design), but in all the available variations that have been marketed over the decades we have been inundated with more blade holding options than I'll ever be able to take advantage of in my lifetime. Hope that helps!

Well said. I think pretty much everything that could be made has been made.

 

[John Rose]

Is there really a single design that does not look to the past?

They don't go as far they could into the past.
F'rinstance, why do all the modern handles weigh a ton? I'd love to find a stainless version of the Gillette Tech fat handle, at 23 g, compared to a typical 70-100 g SS machined handle.

 

[Highspeedlane]

Well said. I think pretty much everything that could be made has been made.

Thank you sir.

For the OP, there were also some innovative spin-off's of King Gillette's original design that sadly never survived beyond a relative short production run due to patent lawsuits.

Arguably a clone of Gillette Old Type open comb designs but in reality an innovative design incorporating the first known TTO DE razor to ever be marketed...the Segal!

 

[Rwoodreno]

They don't go as far they could into the past.
F'rinstance, why do all the modern handles weigh a ton? I'd love to find a stainless version of the Gillette Tech fat handle, at 23 g, compared to a typical 70-100 g SS machined handle.

Very true. The old two piece tubular handles as used by Kampfe, Gem and CV Heljestrand on early lather catcher razors were very light. A couple I weighed are in the 7 to 8 grams weight range and a Gillette Fat Bar handle weighs 23 grams. There are some current light weight aluminum handles too. I have one that is 26 grams. One of the lightest SS handles was the Maggard MR20, now discontinued. It weighed 52 grams.

 

[Esox]

I think it comes down to production costs. It would cost a fortune for the tooling ect to mass produce a quality copy of a Gillette TTO made of a material of similar quality to brass. Not to mention fitting, polishing, plating and final finishing, assembly, QC and packaging. The days of mass produced razors of the quality made by Gillette are long gone and I dont believe will ever return.

There are only so many ways to make a better mouse trap but in my opinion, the mainstream cast designs are poor examples of what could be made as easily and as cost effectively as a much better design.

 

[troy]

The problem is Gillette got it right the first time, hard to beat a Thin Cap OLD TYPE.

 

[Rwoodreno]

The problem is Gillette got it right the first time, hard to beat a Thin Cap OLD TYPE.

Many of them show damage from over tightening the handle as the top cap center is a bit thin and the blade alignment with modern slotted blades could be better but overall an excellent design.

 

[Esox]

Just out of curiosity, how many people would buy a new production, quality made, brass or stainless clone of an OLD type single or double ring? Does anyone make such a modern razor?

 

[jar_]

It seems Huarache sandal design is in a rut.

It seems dock shoe design is in a rut.

It seems magnifying glass design is in a rut.

When a design comes along and really works, works well and meets all the needs of its users, the design tends to last.

The Gillette Tech and Super Speed and Adjustables all worked. The GEM 1912 just worked. The Schick Injector just worked.

The question is "What is needed that they do not offer?"

 

[romsitsa]

To come up with razor design vastly different from the current ones, one has to invent a new blade and produce it somewhere. I don't think this part would be cheap or easy.

Zinc casting needs less machines than brass or steel so it's economic.

Adam

 

[troy]

Just out of curiosity, how many people would buy a new production, quality made, brass or stainless clone of an OLD type single or double ring? Does anyone make such a modern razor?

I would if it were reasonably priced, but it would probably be above my pay scale.
I think a Fatip Piccolo is about as close as you'll currently get, more like an OLD on steroids though, but as far as quality vs price, I think they hit the nail on the head.

 

[Invicta]

The main difference between designs and models is how aggressive the razor is, blade gap and angle. Also how well supported by the base plate the blade is for blade rigidity. Basically details that may be tweaked slightly from brand to brand and model.

I think a little tweaking is all that is available for a mass market razor. The problem comes when tolerances are allowed to slide. This probably arises when parts are outsourced; which is more common now. The blade design has stood the test of time.

 

[McKinneys]

Arguably a clone of Gillette Old Type open comb designs but in reality an innovative design incorporating the first known TTO DE razor to ever be marketed...the Segal!

I just found out today that the Segal was also an early adjustable (in three steps).