Kensurfs did a fair (i.e., objective) review today. If you are thinking about purchasing this razor it is worth a watch.
It is not a product for me, for several reasons.
It is not a product for me, for several reasons.
New King C. Gillette Safety Razor
- Thread starter rusty1
- Start date
Not for me. but just for information. I have been in a couple of Walgreens locally and they are not in stock
So many negative Nancys gosh!!!
Geometry looks pretty much identical to the R89 clone I have from Classic Shaving.
Head weighs 31.5g.
One interesting thing, the handle threading works fine with the Fatip, as pictured.
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Head weighs 31.5g.
One interesting thing, the handle threading works fine with the Fatip, as pictured.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
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Geometry looks pretty much identical to the R89 clone I have from Classic Shaving.
Head weighs 31.5g.
One interesting thing, the handle threading works fine with the Fatip, as pictured.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
The threads on the KCG and Heritage are brass so I can see that but I haven’t gauged them. I would guess the Mühle threads would fit also, at least going back to about 2017 when they went from zamack to brass threads on the top caps.
Don't know about Muhle handles as only have Muhle heads,but only my Weber handle also fits the Fatip heads.
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Well finally shaved with the KCG tonight before going to my office with plexiglass and tape for that current thing going on.
I didn’t shave with the Heritage last week because I didn’t anticipate getting the KCG this fast. I did shave twice last week and once Sunday with my Old EJ DE89. The threads are bad but it still holds everything down tight. Before the current thing going on, I was on the lookout for a Mühle at Marshals to replace the cap with the brass threaded Mühle. The baseplate and handle are still perfect after almost a decade and it’s my wedding day razor so it means something to me.
I digress. The observations are the same shave-wise that I made a while back when comparing the Heritage to my EJ. Both the Heritage and KCG feel slightly more aggressive, not a lot just by a hair.
Like most of my mild razors and specifically my experience with the EJ, Heritage and now KCG, the first pass leaves more hair then what you expect than with a more aggressive razor and after that first pass you feel like you’ll only get a 3 pass DFS.
That second pass is where the magic happens with all 3 razors (EJ, Heritage and KCG). Almost everything is gone with the second pass and the third pass results in BBS. Since we are talking about Gillettes, I’ll mention one of my favorite all time vintage razors to compare. The end result with my Pre-War Tech is exactly the same, but my Tech is a much smoother razor than all 3. The shaves aren’t harsh by any stretch with the 3, but the difference is significant with my Tech.
Comparisons Between Heritage & KCG
Handle - I prefer the vintage look of the Heritage, but I think the weight of the KCG handle is better. The KCG was not slippery for me during the shave but the Heritage does have a much grippier handle.
Head - The shave felt exactly the same between the two. In looks, I prefer the more classic side profile of the KCG baseplate. Both have brass threads on those top caps so no rot concerns at all whatever you choose.
Price - KCG is $5 cheaper but you get that presentation box with the Heritage. The box for the KCG is cardboard but much more durable than a razor on the card. Looks nice and would last unless you put it under the sink. If you prefer the vintage Gillette looking handle that may be the deal breaker for most. Unless you grabbed one up before me in Marshall’s, you’re paying more for the Mühle R89.
Opinion - I love my KCG purchase. It is very well made and gave me a pretty easy BBS. I do think though Gillette did make a mistake in marketing this to the beard crowd. As I mentioned above, these razors require multiple passes that a guy trimming his beard would never do. Using Mühle, I think they would have done better with the much more aggressive R41 in marketing to the beard crowd.
As I mentioned previously though, this is a win win for DE regardless of the beard marketing. Lots of Googling going on at Walgreens about that DE being sold by Gillette. I really think this could lead to more business down the road for the artisan razor companies as well. No matter if you like or hate this razor for whatever reason, this is a very good thing for us to have Gillette selling DE in brick and mortar stores again.
I didn’t shave with the Heritage last week because I didn’t anticipate getting the KCG this fast. I did shave twice last week and once Sunday with my Old EJ DE89. The threads are bad but it still holds everything down tight. Before the current thing going on, I was on the lookout for a Mühle at Marshals to replace the cap with the brass threaded Mühle. The baseplate and handle are still perfect after almost a decade and it’s my wedding day razor so it means something to me.
I digress. The observations are the same shave-wise that I made a while back when comparing the Heritage to my EJ. Both the Heritage and KCG feel slightly more aggressive, not a lot just by a hair.
Like most of my mild razors and specifically my experience with the EJ, Heritage and now KCG, the first pass leaves more hair then what you expect than with a more aggressive razor and after that first pass you feel like you’ll only get a 3 pass DFS.
That second pass is where the magic happens with all 3 razors (EJ, Heritage and KCG). Almost everything is gone with the second pass and the third pass results in BBS. Since we are talking about Gillettes, I’ll mention one of my favorite all time vintage razors to compare. The end result with my Pre-War Tech is exactly the same, but my Tech is a much smoother razor than all 3. The shaves aren’t harsh by any stretch with the 3, but the difference is significant with my Tech.
Comparisons Between Heritage & KCG
Handle - I prefer the vintage look of the Heritage, but I think the weight of the KCG handle is better. The KCG was not slippery for me during the shave but the Heritage does have a much grippier handle.
Head - The shave felt exactly the same between the two. In looks, I prefer the more classic side profile of the KCG baseplate. Both have brass threads on those top caps so no rot concerns at all whatever you choose.
Price - KCG is $5 cheaper but you get that presentation box with the Heritage. The box for the KCG is cardboard but much more durable than a razor on the card. Looks nice and would last unless you put it under the sink. If you prefer the vintage Gillette looking handle that may be the deal breaker for most. Unless you grabbed one up before me in Marshall’s, you’re paying more for the Mühle R89.
Opinion - I love my KCG purchase. It is very well made and gave me a pretty easy BBS. I do think though Gillette did make a mistake in marketing this to the beard crowd. As I mentioned above, these razors require multiple passes that a guy trimming his beard would never do. Using Mühle, I think they would have done better with the much more aggressive R41 in marketing to the beard crowd.
As I mentioned previously though, this is a win win for DE regardless of the beard marketing. Lots of Googling going on at Walgreens about that DE being sold by Gillette. I really think this could lead to more business down the road for the artisan razor companies as well. No matter if you like or hate this razor for whatever reason, this is a very good thing for us to have Gillette selling DE in brick and mortar stores again.
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I think they're reacting to the push for greener options vs disposables with plastic handles, and the dozen or more "dollar shave club" ripoffs undercutting the hell out of them on disposables. Yes, no question it's good in the long run to bring attention back to a superior method of shaving (and ironically basically admitting that all their Mach 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 BS was marketing bunk and the razor has not been improved in 75 years). But I think they do have a tough road to hoe ahead of them to retain/regain market share, as right now it's a gimmick razor. I'm certain you can get a better razor for less by buying used... so the sales they can expect from guys already using DE's are gonna be pretty limited.
They're essentially trying to convert people away from the disposables market they created (because they're losing it now), and that's the good thing about it, is, like mentioned... this will bring people into this realm and maybe increase it into a market with mainstream representation again. That's a good thing.
What I'd like to see is effort put into using modern manufacturing, steel, and technology to improve the DE (and SE) blades. That's where their future lies if they're gonna shift into this realm and thrive. They're not gonna make profit selling a $1-5 razor for $30 for long. They'll make a profit by creating BLADES that people will actively seek out because they are better than what is available.
They're essentially trying to convert people away from the disposables market they created (because they're losing it now), and that's the good thing about it, is, like mentioned... this will bring people into this realm and maybe increase it into a market with mainstream representation again. That's a good thing.
What I'd like to see is effort put into using modern manufacturing, steel, and technology to improve the DE (and SE) blades. That's where their future lies if they're gonna shift into this realm and thrive. They're not gonna make profit selling a $1-5 razor for $30 for long. They'll make a profit by creating BLADES that people will actively seek out because they are better than what is available.
Selling you a razor that you would have to continue to buy blades for was King Camp Gillette's original plan from the start. Matter of fact he was looking for anything that he could sell that would require you to continue to buy stuff from him to use . Razors just happened to be what he found. The mach 2-59 system was just following Gillette's original business model
Gillette KSG/7 O'clock SS. Not bad, I guess if you're a fan of the x89 designs it will suit you. Not efficient enough to do without a second pass on my head, no surprise there. Handle for me is ok and I'll see how I like it with a Fatip head (it fits).
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first Walgreen's I went to had two on the shelf. I picked up one, although I probably won't be using it more than 4 times to test. I really only wanted the top cap with the logo.Ok, wow.
I went to six different Walgreens today... Six bleepin' Walgreens! 4 of them had the display and were sold out, 1 didn't have the display nor any of the products, and 1 didn't have the formal display but had the cartridge razor and the beard products mixed in on the shelves with no safety razor nor blades (in stock or out of stock with an empty placement).
I barely got any work done today over this stupid razor. What is happening to me? I'm already over my case of RAD and moved on to Electrics... Just want this razor so bad for some reason. I know, I can get the same head with a different label in a bunch of other places. It's not as much the overall design it's just what it is. My nerdom for the history of traditional shaving is just to strong, after everything I've learned about the old days before cartridges came about I just need that feeling of buying a Gillette safety razor from a local brick and mortar store.
So which one of you is the wise guy who drove all around the Daytona Beach area and bought them all? Bet you've got all the TP too
thats my favorite part too. I really like the heritage case and handle and this ones cap.
Just can’t justify buying them both right now.
No dice at any of the Walgreens I hit yesterday. I did find a muhle r89 at a Marshalls for $5 because the plastic on the front of the box had a crack in it (the razor itself was fine) but when I realized the line to check out wrapped around the store I put it back down and left. My time is worth more then the few dollars I'd save by waiting in line for an hour (not an exaggeration of this wait).
Is that logo printed or etched into the chrome plating, nobody has commented on that yet.
You will probably spend a lot more time finding one in store from what I have read. Is not an online sale easier albeit you will have to wait a little longer?
I'll have to look, I'm assuming it's printed. The online says unavailable, so I had to stop at Walgreen's anyway and it was just sitting there.
This razor has got so much hype. I mean just imagine a dozen reviewers all saying 'There was this just one razor on the self at my local Walgreens store and I managed to get it'. Only I managed to get it and no one else. It somehow makes me special.
Somewhere there is a feeling this hype was engineered just like the razor. I mean what would it take to ship 5 or 10 boxes to each store instead of just 1.
But thats classic Gillette. All hype and marketing. Little substance.
Somewhere there is a feeling this hype was engineered just like the razor. I mean what would it take to ship 5 or 10 boxes to each store instead of just 1.
But thats classic Gillette. All hype and marketing. Little substance.
It would be 100% laser etched.
I wonder if I’m special if I get one delivered?
Hype? What hype?This razor has got so much hype. I mean just imagine a dozen reviewers all saying 'There was this just one razor on the self at my local Walgreens store and I managed to get it'. Only I managed to get it and no one else. It somehow makes me special.
Somewhere there is a feeling this hype was engineered just like the razor. I mean what would it take to ship 5 or 10 boxes to each store instead of just 1.
But thats classic Gillette. All hype and marketing. Little substance.
I haven’t seen the razor advertised anywhere except on Gillette’s website. The only “hype” has been us members of the shave forums and all we’re doing is discussing the razor. We do not know if Walgreens stores received 1 or 100 of these razors. Maybe they sold them all.
We shouldn’t tie ourselves up in knots over a razor simply because it has the name Gillette on it.
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