Today was my initiation day with the OneBlade Core razor. The blade I used was the same Feather blade I used with the two Valet AutoStrop razors so this would be the fifth shave with the same blade. That is well within my expectations and experience using those blades in other razors.
The final result is an OK shave, maybe PG but not PDG but I am still learning how to use the sucker so the next couple shaves may increase to the PDG level.
What I like about the razor.
Visually the razor is okay, nothing great but also certainly nothing wrong. The head is small enough to get under my big nose, it is slim enough to use around my lips, the overall design is modern and should be familiar to all the cartridge razor users. And that may well have been the intention.
Loading a blade and changing blades is simple and should be reliable as long as the blade stops and guides do not wear down or get cutoff. If the user does not try forcing a new blade in or try to take an old blade out without lifting it over the stops it should last quite awhile.
The weight and balance are near ideal for my tastes.
What I find disconcerting.
That swiveling head. I know what it is claimed to do and I know it is a found in lots of the cartridge razors but for someone who has been using Gillette DEs for over a half century razor heads that wiggle and jiggle just feels oh so wrong.
I wish I could visually examine the blade stops. It's simply good to know all is correct BEFORE putting the blade to my face.
It seems I need to use far more pressure than I would dream of using with any of my other razors. It works and I don't think it is possible to actually do much damage with the razor but again, for someone whose shaving mantra has always been No Pressure is Needed or desired this razor just feels weird.
Summary.
The OneBlade core might be the ultimate gateway razor for folk coming from the brazillion blade cartridge world. It looks like an upscale cartridge razor, feels like an upscale cartridge razor, loads more like a cartridge razor than any DE I know of, uses similar techniques of a cartridge razor but gives better results than a cartridge razor. The initial price is only slightly more than the other entry level Double Edge and Single Edge razors.
I will see how my technique improves over the next few shaves and imagine it will become a keeper but not a regular rotation razor.
The final result is an OK shave, maybe PG but not PDG but I am still learning how to use the sucker so the next couple shaves may increase to the PDG level.
What I like about the razor.
Visually the razor is okay, nothing great but also certainly nothing wrong. The head is small enough to get under my big nose, it is slim enough to use around my lips, the overall design is modern and should be familiar to all the cartridge razor users. And that may well have been the intention.
Loading a blade and changing blades is simple and should be reliable as long as the blade stops and guides do not wear down or get cutoff. If the user does not try forcing a new blade in or try to take an old blade out without lifting it over the stops it should last quite awhile.
The weight and balance are near ideal for my tastes.
What I find disconcerting.
That swiveling head. I know what it is claimed to do and I know it is a found in lots of the cartridge razors but for someone who has been using Gillette DEs for over a half century razor heads that wiggle and jiggle just feels oh so wrong.
I wish I could visually examine the blade stops. It's simply good to know all is correct BEFORE putting the blade to my face.
It seems I need to use far more pressure than I would dream of using with any of my other razors. It works and I don't think it is possible to actually do much damage with the razor but again, for someone whose shaving mantra has always been No Pressure is Needed or desired this razor just feels weird.
Summary.
The OneBlade core might be the ultimate gateway razor for folk coming from the brazillion blade cartridge world. It looks like an upscale cartridge razor, feels like an upscale cartridge razor, loads more like a cartridge razor than any DE I know of, uses similar techniques of a cartridge razor but gives better results than a cartridge razor. The initial price is only slightly more than the other entry level Double Edge and Single Edge razors.
I will see how my technique improves over the next few shaves and imagine it will become a keeper but not a regular rotation razor.
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