Good Mild Inexpensive Open Comb

[Aziraphale]

A fellow I work with only shaves about once a week. He has very thick facial hair. He also has a Chinese Gillette Blue Knife (and a black handle SS that I let him borrow). When it comes time for him to shave, he typically goes over his beard with an electric trimmer to get it shorter and then uses a razor to clean up. So trying to be more efficient, I taught him about open comb razors and how they can be better than a safety bar razor for shaving thru a 5 day growth.

Since he is so used to a mild razor and does not want to spend a lot of money, Does anyone have any suggestions about a good cheap mild open comb razor that he might be able to pick up?

 

[Trenchdigger]

I use a Merkur 1904 OC and it works awesome on my heavy beard. It's the mildest OC I own, and shaves wonderfully.

I think you can get a good one new for less than 40 bucks USD.

 

[Rory1262]

Maggard has a nice mild open comb head.

 

[sharpstar90]

A Gillette Old Type can be had for about 10$ generally, a very mild open comb. I personally think a Gillette New Long Comb is a better razor, plus you can adjust the aggressiveness by slightly unscrewing it. The New is a little more expensive at times, but I think it's worth it.

 

[jbr63]

A Gillette Old Type can be had for about 10$ generally, a very mild open comb. I personally think a Gillette New Long Comb is a better razor, plus you can adjust the aggressiveness by slightly unscrewing it. The New is a little more expensive at times, but I think it's worth it.

+1, couldn't agree more. The New is an excellent razor and affordable for a user grade razor.

 

[IMightBeWrong]

Lots of vintage options like that. My mildest OC is a vintage Hoffritz. I somewhat prefer my slightly more efficient Schone, though.

 

[cyberdog]

Both Stirling Soaps & Razorock have mild open combs, if he wants new, that won't break the bank. For Razorock it's the Old Type, and Stirling just refers to theirs as the open comb head, which from reviews is equally mild.

Vintage, which can usually be had for around $10-$22, these would be either an Old or New LC. (The SC is a bit more efficient, but more aggressive and also tends to fetch more, as there weren't as many made). Can almost guarantee the Old will have a crack or two in the handle, they all do, but not terribly difficult to fix or at least prevent from cracking further with a little epoxy or solder.

Up the blade feel ladder, there's also the Yaqi (head goes for like $4.50), just add a cheap handle, but it does have more blade feel. (I personally don't care for the shave of the Yaqi, and use just the cap on my Pearl, as it's a double open comb, twin to the Razorock SLOC). PAA has their open comb slant ($20), but that's probably too much razor for him if he wants mild, which their BOCS is definitely not, smooth but not mild.

Worth a look on the BST forum here as well. If it's an Old he'd like, I'll be posting one in decent condition in the next day or so. (I just need a more aggressive razor for my gray beard, and the Old is simply too mild).

 

[RobDoffrey]

RazorRock Old Type. You can get the head only for less than $8. Or maybe RazorRock SLOC. Both good, mild, inexpensive open comb razors.

 

[airmech]

I will also vote for any of the OC Gillette razors. You can easily find one in very good shape for less than $20.

Tom

 

[Nicholas]

Merkur open comb head is an affordable option and pretty mild. It takes effort to cut yourself.

 

[Capisco Capisce]

I'll second the Yaqi DLC "Mellon" head.

$4.50 for the head, and another 6 bucks for the 70mm Nickel handle. Shipping to the States is $3.60. That checks out at around 14 bucks, and 2-3 weeks shipping.

 

[Cash_Stronomer]

Merkur has become my (mostly) daily. Wonderful and cheap little tool!

 

[Tonysco]

The Merkur 25C is a great mild open comb razor, cots about £25 here delivered.

I prefer the longer handle.

 

[md1234]

Fendrihan Kingston or RR old type

 

[ajkel64]

Either a Gillette NEW or Gillette Old type or a Merkur would be a great start, none of them would break the bank.

 

[Twelvefret]

I've always liked the looks of the West Coast 176b. $23

 

[les24preludes]

Ever since the thread went on my zamak 6C handle I'm not good friends with zamak, so I'm ruling out the Merkurs and anything else made of zamak. In brass you have all the wonderful Gillette open combs from the 20s and 30s as said, plus you have the modern Fatip open combs which are the same basic design. I find these perfectly smooth and fine for everyday shaving, so I'm going to include a Piccolo, Retro or a Grande.

 

[Klinker]

Schone Nickel plated brass OC razor. $24.99 on Amazon.
Made in Italy by Fatip, but even better IMO.

​

 

[mawashi]

A fellow I work with only shaves about once a week. He has very thick facial hair. He also has a Chinese Gillette Blue Knife (and a black handle SS that I let him borrow). When it comes time for him to shave, he typically goes over his beard with an electric trimmer to get it shorter and then uses a razor to clean up. So trying to be more efficient, I taught him about open comb razors and how they can be better than a safety bar razor for shaving thru a 5 day growth.

Since he is so used to a mild razor and does not want to spend a lot of money, Does anyone have any suggestions about a good cheap mild open comb razor that he might be able to pick up?

I would really second the guys who said a gillette long or short comb.

U can get one in very decent condition on the bay for under 20 and if he doesn't like it he can easily sell it off.

For modern razors Maggard or West Coast has cheap n decent ones.