King C. Gillette... What have you done to me?

[Cyanshine]

I picked up the King C. Gillette as an afterthought. One of few DE razors to actually be widely sold in drug stores, and with a tuck of new Gillette blades, I couldn’t but support this action.
I had some reservations, because I didn’t think I needed another razor, because the knurling doesn’t go all the way and because other razors I have bought in that price range (Wilkinson Classic, Wilkinson TTO, Feather Popular) weren’t my cup of tea. But, I never possessed a R89 clone, so I ended up ordering one (there was also the blade curiosity).
Over the course of the last weeks, I have been reaching way more often for the King C. Gillette than my other razors. I have grown to love it! Even the knurling is ok! I receive each time very smooth and enjoyable shaves and this consistency is really amazing to me. It’s unbelievable! Have any others been ensorcelled like this by this razor? I’m really contemplating buying another one!

Edit: typo

 

[wmadoty]

I saw it hanging in a Walgreens and nearly picked one up. I have too many razors now, but I thought it looked like a keeper.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

I bought one last May and still have not used it.

 

[mata_66]

Great razor for the price, for less than $20 including 5 superb blades the KCG is a razor impossible to beat. I dislike the handle but I changed it with a lighter, shorter and less bulky one.

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

I too was surprised by heft and how the handle's length and lack of knurling didn't impact the shave negatively. I am very impressed by this offering and the quality of the shaves, as I am with the Heritage.

 

[Kyle89]

Is the head the same as a Muhle R89? Or is it a copy?

 

[JackJ]

I don't have a Walgreens or other Brick and Mortar source for this razor local to me, but I was out of town back in October, saw a Walgreens, checked the shaving aisle, and there was the Heritage. Felt I had to buy it at that point. It's a really, really nice razor. The knurling is where it needs to be, for me, so the grip was secure despite much of the handle being polished.

I'm an R89 fan, and the head on the Heritage feels identical to the Muhle. I have done a side-by-side comparison, so not sure if they're identical. But the shave feels the same: perfect for everyday use, with a great balance between efficiency and smoothness.

I gifted mine to my 18 year old son, in a second attempt to wean him off cartridges. My first attempt was a black Weishi TTO, thinking he'd like the gadget factor. But I think that one is too mild. So far, I think he's taking to the Heritage. (Though he probably won't tell me, unless I ask, if he's back to his cartridge razor.)

 

[hydro-magic]

The R89 was my first DE and still one of my favorites. Since P&G carries Muhle razors at The Art of Shaving stores, they have a relationship that goes back a while. I'm not positive that the KCG has a real Muhle R89 head but it seems pretty likely that it does.

 

[bdehne]

Both the KCG and the Heritage are keepers for me. The KCG handle is a bit long for my taste but I do not find it slippery. The big surprise for me was the KCG blades! They are just great. I just finished shave 12 with the first KCG blade. I normally get 5-6 shaves on other blades and only 3-4 out of Feathers.

 

[Cyanshine]

Is the head the same as a Muhle R89? Or is it a copy?

Seeing as there is a paper slip in it in German and English, it is being assumed they are at least produced in Germany and (nearly) identical to the R89. I might have to pick up a R89 to test!

 

[mata_66]

Seeing as there is a paper slip in it in German and English, it is being assumed they are at least produced in Germany and (nearly) identical to the R89. I might have to pick up a R89 to test!

- The head of the Gillette Heritage razor sold on Amazon is made in Germany by Muhle. It is the same R89 head. The stainless steel handle is made in USA by Gillette.

- The King C Gillette, also dubbed as Walgreens razor, is entirely made in China by Gillette Shangai Ltd, I would say with the same high standards. Perfect plating, great QC. The head is modeled after the R89 but with an hollow under the baseplate to differentiate it from the real Muhle for obvious reasons. It has the same geometry and shaves exactly the same (I have a R89 to compare).

That hollow under the baseplate made people assume the head was made by Merkur because of it's far resemblance with the 33C/34C, go figure...

 

[JackJ]

Too late to edit my post above, I guess, but I now see I was guilty of conflating the Heritage with the King C. Gillette. Having purchased both of these, I should know better! My post was solely referring to the King C. G. But I'm glad to know the manufacturing details behind the two from @mata_66. I concur that the quality is similarly high between the two. And while I have no major issues with the King C. Gillette handle, I like the Heritage's a little more. Plus the case is quite spiffy. But both are great shavers and really nice physical objects.

 

[South Dakota Guy]

I too was surprised by heft and how the handle's length and lack of knurling didn't impact the shave negatively. I am very impressed by this offering and the quality of the shaves, as I am with the Heritage.

My Heritage also shaves well, after I replaced the tiny handle with one more to my liking. That Muhle R89 head design is a classic.

 

[Invicta]

...I have been reaching way more often for the King C. Gillette than my other razors. I have grown to love it! Even the knurling is ok! I receive each time very smooth and enjoyable shaves and this consistency is really amazing to me. It’s unbelievable!

It is a good razor head but the blades make a big difference. I have heard very good reports on the blades but the cost of them is prohibitive. The blade seems to enhance the razor's performance.
With regard to the handle, I find it disappointing but that is a minor issue. I prefer the standard Edwin Jagger DE 89 handle and that razor is in my Dopp kit; a proven design.

 

[hydro-magic]

- The head of the Gillette Heritage razor sold on Amazon is made in Germany by Muhle. It is the same R89 head. The stainless steel handle is made in USA by Gillette.

- The King C Gillette, also dubbed as Walgreens razor, is entirely made in China by Gillette Shangai Ltd, I would say with the same high standards. Perfect plating, great QC. The head is modeled after the R89 but with an hollow under the baseplate to differentiate it from the real Muhle for obvious reasons. It has the same geometry and shaves exactly the same (I have a R89 to compare).

That hollow under the baseplate made people assume the head was made by Merkur because of it's far resemblance with the 33C/34C, go figure...

Interesting. Any idea what the threaded stud in the cap is made of? I think the R89 is widely believed to be brass (even if the rest of the head is zamak) which might make it a little more durable. The EJ DE89 seems to be zamak for the entire head including the threaded stud. Lots of people I've heard having problems with EJ's because of that - easy breakage and stuff like that. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess the Chinese copy is all zamak as well but I have no idea really.

 

[Avi]

I can't tell if I just got used to the R89 - but whenever I try a new razor my invariable comparison is "but is it as easy and good as the R89". Its the standard by which I base everything and it makes perfect sense to me the Gillette reduxes are based on it.

 

[ajkel64]

I saw an advertisement out here in Australia for them a little while ago but I cannot remember where. I will buy one when I come across them as I would like to try one. I am in no hurry as I have far too many razors now. To me they look pretty good and hopefully the price is right.

 

[mata_66]

Interesting. Any idea what the threaded stud in the cap is made of? I think the R89 is widely believed to be brass (even if the rest of the head is zamak) which might make it a little more durable. The EJ DE89 seems to be zamak for the entire head including the threaded stud. Lots of people I've heard having problems with EJ's because of that - easy breakage and stuff like that. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess the Chinese copy is all zamak as well but I have no idea really.

The threaded stud in the cap of the Heritage is made of brass. On the KCG is zamak like the rest of the head. The handle of the KCG is brass.

 

[JohnPS]

The KCG is not an r89 but a merkur style head. Heritage is an r89.

I saw an advertisement out here in Australia for them a little while ago but I cannot remember where. I will buy one when I come across them as I would like to try one. I am in no hurry as I have far too many razors now. To me they look pretty good and hopefully the price is right.

They are $29.99 in Coles and are sold out in pretty much in every store, I rang them up to find another one for a gift. Anyway I buy one for myself and did my first 3 youtube videos using it just recently. Actually really good razor and blades, it isn't aggressive and would make a good mild daily driver. The only real negative, accounting for the price, is the handle is too smooth and can get slippery.

If you want to get one, it's getting late and they're getting hard to find, may or may not be restocked, who knows?

 

[BigJ]

Congratulations! Nice to find something that ‘just works’ and at a great price!!