First injector, early results and questions

[Mr. Styptic]

I recently received a near-mint Type I Schick Injector. (Thanks, MementoMori!). After a week of shaves, I'm loving it! It's more aggressive than the half-dozen DEs I own, and I had weepers above my upper lip the first couple of shaves. But with a little attention to angle, and taking care to use a high-quality cream or soap, I'm now getting the irritation-free BBS shaves that didn't come easy with a DE. And I now understand faceturbating.

But having scanned ShaveWikki and a some old threads, I'm left with a few questions that I hope the injector freaks out there can answer:

--Most guys advise cleaning the razor simply swishing it around in hot water between blade changes. Are there any tricks that would allow a more thorough cleaning?

--Some folks say the Pella blades are inferior to the Schick injector blades I found at my grocery store. Do you think so, too?

--ShaveWikki says these Type I (1954-58) models were made with white or black handles. Mine is beige-ish in color, though the gold head pretty much sparkles. Could the handle have gone off-color with age, or did Schick actually make a beige/tan handle for this razor, contrary to Wikki?

Thanks for any answers, insights and tips you can offer to help me enjoy my new razor.

 

[Slivovitz]

. . .Most guys advise cleaning the razor simply swishing it around in hot water between blade changes. Are there any tricks that would allow a more thorough cleaning?

Apparently you have the I1, not the I2 which has the Hydro Magic cleaning lever. Sticking an injector key in without actually injecting a blade might loosen it up enough to help. I actually made myself a tool by breaking the box part off of a metal injector magazine so I'd have just a key, and wrapping the "handle" with duct tape.

Some folks say the Pella blades are inferior to the Schick injector blades I found at my grocery store. Do you think so, too?

I think the Pellas are the same as the EMS blades that I bought in bulk. They might not last quite as many shaves as the Schick brand, but they seem just as good to me while they last, and the cost per shave is less.

ShaveWikki says these Type I (1954-58) models were made with white or black handles. Mine is beige-ish in color, though the gold head pretty much sparkles. Could the handle have gone off-color with age, or did Schick actually make a beige/tan handle for this razor, contrary to Wikki?

I think that handle material should be the same as the white plastic on my J1, which is a dull slightly off white, but certainly not beige. I never heard of an intentionally beige/tan variant, but don't know for sure that there wasn't one. I'd guess it just aged somehow, though I'm not sure exactly what would make it do that.

 

[Mr. Styptic]

Thanks for the cleaning tip. I'll definitely make myself a handy key like yours when I empty my first cartridge of injector blades. But it seems that I will remain stumped about the beige/tan handle.

 

[Batman]

I am a self proclaimed injector freak. I own dozens of DE's but injectors are my go-to.

I have an I2 available if you're interested in purchasing. The I2, as Slimovitz stated, has a lever allowing you to rinse the blade thoroughly, while safely holding the blade.

I prefer the Chinese Schick blades, mostly because the injector device is metal not plastic. The plastic ones are quirky and a real pain. I am fortunate that my local grocery stores carry the Schicks.

Message me if you're interested in an I2 HydroMagic.

 

[Go West Young Man]

I doubt you need a more thorough cleaning, the blade is nice and tightly wedged in there, nothing is getting up inside that soap and water won't get out.
If you're really OCD about it, some guys use dental floss.

 

[Mr. Styptic]

Actually, it's the possible buildup of soap that concerns me. That buildup could prevent the intended flow of material through the face of the razor while shaving, creating a "bulldozer" effect that pushes whiskers and fresh lather out of the way and interferes with my shave. In theory, anyway. I have to admit that it hasn't happened so far. I'm looking forward to changing the blade for the first time and seeing how much residue comes out with the old blade.

 

[doug1066]

I just partially eject the old blade and pull it out by hand, leaving an empty razor head. I then clean it with a tooth brush. In my experience with my Father's J-1, the "ivory" color of the handle can be beige or "khaki".