OneBlade Core Razor -- is it really just hype?

[dash]

Several YouTube reviewers and forums have gone pretty nuts over the OneBlade razor -- both in its premium Genesis form and more affordable plastic-head Core version.

But take a look at that online source of customer reviews called Amazon.

Wow. Out of 59 reviews for the Core, a full 42% are one or two stars. Those are lousy, hate-filled reviews. For example, "I just end up getting irritated, facially and mentally;" Or "the blades can slip past the guides and cut your face ... badly." Many of these reviews seem to be from long-time DE fans looking for the latest innovation, not inexperienced newbies coming from cart land.

I had been considering getting a OneBlade for something different in an SE razor, but after reading these fiery opinions, no way.

 

[Sabre]

I haven't had any luck with modern SE's.
I can shave with an injector or Gem Feather Weight or Pushbutton, but with a Core, Mongoose, or Hawk. I am not getting great results. I get great results from Feather AC kamisoris. I will give it another try, I may even try the Focus R48.

 

[Dngolden]

I haven't had any luck with modern SE's.
.

Like you I’ve tried a few of the AC style SEs without success ( hawk and ATT SE1). And I’m also a fan of the AC SS Kamasori. But I do like the one blade. It does require its own technique which is different from carts or DEs and SEs. It’s possible that online reviews give up too quickly. Or are frustrated the blade lasts 1-2 shaves. But I find it gives a fast comfortable shave.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sabre]

I may have a v1? Which I think is non pivoting. I will have to check. I gave it 2 attempts, which is nothing. I shall head off to YouTube and watch the experts

 

[Sabre]

I may have a v1? Which I think is non pivoting. I will have to check. I gave it 2 attempts, which is nothing. I shall head off to YouTube and watch the experts

It pivots, I can't think or remember what the issue was that created a v2?

 

[gvw755]

Several YouTube reviewers and forums have gone pretty nuts over the OneBlade razor -- both in its premium Genesis form and more affordable plastic-head Core version.

But take a look at that online source of customer reviews called Amazon.

Wow. Out of 59 reviews for the Core, a full 42% are one or two stars. Those are lousy, hate-filled reviews. For example, "I just end up getting irritated, facially and mentally;" Or "the blades can slip past the guides and cut your face ... badly." Many of these reviews seem to be from long-time DE fans looking for the latest innovation, not inexperienced newbies coming from cart land.

I had been considering getting a OneBlade for something different in an SE razor, but after reading these fiery opinions, no way.

I am not sure where you are seeing a listing for the Core on Amazon with 59 reviews. What I see are 11 reviews and although the rating overall is still around 40%, with just one or two negative reviews, that will pull down the rating significantly.

I got the Core when it first came out and it was so mild and inefficient that they came out with an improved version within two weeks. That was good enough to make me want to look for a Genesis because I saw the potential there. I revisited the Core in November of last year after I heard that it was constructed of better material and minor tweaks made it shave closer to the Genesis. I did find an improvement with that Core, however I had already been shaving with the Genesis for a while and the Core was not as good in comparison. We are talking about two razors that are about $300 apart though. If you never owned the Genesis, but is interested in the OneBlade experience, the Core would be an excellent start. I am believing that the Hybrid would be a better place to start if you can afford a little more.

 

[kingfisher]

It pivots, I can't think or remember what the issue was that created a v2?

I think the initial version was overly mild?
They may also have tweaked one of their razors too make sure that people wouldn't be able to easily use a GEM blade. They really want the blade to be the Feather, which, since it fits in nothing other than the Valet, is, for all intents and purposes, a proprietary blade for them.

 

[Theodore]

Several YouTube reviewers and forums have gone pretty nuts over the OneBlade razor -- both in its premium Genesis form and more affordable plastic-head Core version.

But take a look at that online source of customer reviews called Amazon.

Wow. Out of 59 reviews for the Core, a full 42% are one or two stars. Those are lousy, hate-filled reviews. For example, "I just end up getting irritated, facially and mentally;" Or "the blades can slip past the guides and cut your face ... badly." Many of these reviews seem to be from long-time DE fans looking for the latest innovation, not inexperienced newbies coming from cart land.

I had been considering getting a OneBlade for something different in an SE razor, but after reading these fiery opinions, no way.

Reviews have zero impact on the quality of the shaves I get with my Genesis or my Core. People love hating things on the internet.

You would need to put the blade in with a hammer to get it past the guards.

Use a sensible person’s level of care while holding a sharp object, and loading is effortless.

I don’t know why so many people feel the need to publicly announce that they won’t buy this razor.

 

[kingfisher]

Reviews have zero impact on the quality of the shaves I get with my Genesis or my Core. People love hating things on the internet.

You would need to put the blade in with a hammer to get it past the guards.

Use a sensible person’s level of care while holding a sharp object, and loading is effortless.

I don’t know why so many people feel the need to publicly announce that they won’t buy this razor.

I can think of a few reasons (off the top of my head) why some people, especially people on internet shaving forums, would do so:
1) The idea of an "idiot-proof" razor with a pivot is not particularly appealing to people who pride themselves on being able to shave with old-school tools
2) The initial razor from this company was extremely expensive, remotely beyond anything the community had ever seen (since then the floodgates have opened, to be sure; that may be another issue, or it may not be, as some may suspect that the reason really expensive razors have begun to appear with such frequency may be directly related to the fact that OneBlade did it and got away with it, but I digress)
3) Most people who do traditional shaving are turned off by the idea of a proprietary blade. We want to have flexibility in terms of blade choice, for the most part. Being forced into using a blade that is not only expensive, but is demonstrably neither as nice nor as durable as much less expensive blades is a hard pill to swallow.

 

[Theodore]

Not quite what I meant.

The reasons you gave are reasons why people might decline to purchase one themselves (and each is a well-flogged dead horse by now).

No, what I still don’t understand, is why people who don’t intend to buy a Oneblade are in the habit of starting threads just to announce that fact.

Not intending to buy something is the default position in this crowded market. It’s generally something we keep to ourselves.

I think there is an atavism to the visceral discomfort generated by the oneblade. It’s not a good look.

 

[Sabre]

The Genesis was silly money, the Core is attractive and reasonably priced compared to the Genesis and some other products.
The performance was mediocre, although I personally gave up too soon. As a proprietary blade, I have access to a UK supplier. As to blade longevity as stated above, I never used it long enough. I wouldn't give it a bad review just because I lost interest, and put in the back of the drawer.

 

[Matt O]

I have the Oneblade Genesis Version 2 and the Oneblade Blackblade. I love them, and think that they are amazing products! When you allow the pivot to actually pivot, and use it properly these razors are pretty tough to beat in terms of efficiency, smoothness, and overall end result.

The Feather FSH-10 blade is good for one to two shaves for me, and then I toss it.

I actually used my Genesis the other day, and thought to myself, “Damn...pretty tough to beat that shave and it’s results!”

The Oneblade Genesis and Blackblade to me, are certainly worth the price of admission!!! They are ultra premium products, and priced accordingly...so they will inevitably have their naysayers, and not everyone will choose to spend their hard earned money on them.

I do not like the plastic Oneblade Core at all.

Vr

Matt

PS. You can pick up a mint genesis on the selling forums for between $200-$250! Priced below the other high end razors like Charcoal Goods, Wolfman, and the Raw Shaving RS-10!

 

[kingfisher]

If OneBlade would abandon the idea of what amounts to a "proprietary blade," and instead make it so that the razor could accept GEM blades without alteration (other than de-spining, perhaps), I would consider one of these razors, even at the exorbitant price (or purchase the Hybrid, which is more reasonably priced). But I cannot and will not if they insist on forcing the shaver to use the Feather blade.

I suspect I'm not the only person who feels this way, or at least feels that the requirement for the Feather blade is a major hindrance to consideration of the razor. They must be making a lot of money off an agreement with Feather, since they made the decision to essentially alienate a group of their target market with this strategy.

The other thing they could consider would be making a version 2 that would accept GEM blades or Feather AC blades, or DE blades. Anything besides being stuck with those Feather blades.

 

[dash]

Really once you have a bad case of RAD -- which in my case comes and goes like a malaria fever -- buying shaving gear becomes the default position. The crowded market presents more opportunities for experimentation and frankly collecting. I'm always looking for something new -- which may be a vintage razor -- which allows me to exercise my modest shaving skill.

 

[Matt O]

If OneBlade would abandon the idea of what amounts to a "proprietary blade," and instead make it so that the razor could accept GEM blades without alteration (other than de-spining, perhaps), I would consider one of these razors, even at the exorbitant price (or purchase the Hybrid, which is more reasonably priced). But I cannot and will not if they insist on forcing the shaver to use the Feather blade.

I suspect I'm not the only person who feels this way, or at least feels that the requirement for the Feather blade is a major hindrance to consideration of the razor. They must be making a lot of money off an agreement with Feather, since they made the decision to essentially alienate a group of their target market with this strategy.

The other thing they could consider would be making a version 2 that would accept GEM blades or Feather AC blades, or DE blades. Anything besides being stuck with those Feather blades.

Having to use the FHS-10 blade doesn’t bother me in the slightest. It is a great blade for two shaves, and then I just throw it out.

If I only used Oneblade razors exclusively that would likely bother me. However, I use these razors sparingly, and I have a stash of 270 of these blades. So no worries on my end.

I would also be turned off if I felt like I was tricked into buying a Oneblade, and then they had an “AH-HA GOTCHA!!!” moment, and told me I could only use the FHS-10 blade...however the Oneblade Company is pretty up front about it, so no issues there either!

So folks make the decision to purchase or not purchase based off of things that matter to them...the tool gives a superior shave...so I bought these razors and I enjoy them immensely. That is what matters to me.

The tool also requires users to use a feather blade, you decided that is a deal killer for you, and that you won’t purchase it because of that constraint. Also fine...nothing wrong with that paradigm.

This situation of proprietary equipment can be found in all of our lives, and it is not dissimilar to Apple vs Android smart phones...an IPhone requires a specific charger and operating system, and people who choose to spend their hard earned money accept it and enjoy using their iphone. An android phone uses a charger that fits Motorola, Samsung, and Nokia cell phones.

I suspect that you are an android phone guy? Or does a company that requires proprietary equipment that goes along with their product only turn you off in shaving?

Vr

Matt

 

[kingfisher]

Having to use the FHS-10 blade doesn’t bother me in the slightest. It is a great blade for two shaves, and then I just throw it out.

If I only used Oneblade razors exclusively that would likely bother me. However, I use these razors sparingly, and I have a stash of 270 of these blades. So no worries on my end.

I would also be turned off if I felt like I was tricked into buying a Oneblade, and then they had an “AH-HA GOTCHA!!!” moment, and told me I could only use the FHS-10 blade...however the Oneblade Company is pretty up front about it, so no issues there either!

So folks make the decision to purchase or not purchase based off of things that matter to them...the tool gives a superior shave...so I bought these razors and I enjoy them immensely. That is what matters to me.

The tool also requires users to use a feather blade, you decided that is a deal killer for you, and that you won’t purchase it because of that constraint. Also fine...nothing wrong with that paradigm.

This situation of proprietary equipment can be found in all of our lives, and it is not dissimilar to Apple vs Android smart phones...an IPhone requires a specific charger and operating system, and people who choose to spend their hard earned money accept it and enjoy using their iphone. An android phone uses a charger that fits Motorola, Samsung, and Nokia cell phones.

I suspect that you are an android phone guy? Or does a company that requires proprietary equipment that goes along with their product only turn you off in shaving?

Vr

Matt

Android. You nailed it.

 

[Matt O]

Android. You nailed it.

Bahahahah! Yes!

I used to have androids, and truth be told I miss that little razor flip phone!

Vr

Matt

 

[dash]

I am not sure where you are seeing a listing for the Core on Amazon with 59 reviews. What I see are 11 reviews and although the rating overall is still around 40%, with just one or two negative reviews, that will pull down the rating significantly.

The AMZN item is called
OneBlade CORE Set - Optimal Fixed Pivoting Head Safety Razor, Engineer-grade Tritan Polymer with Razor Display Stand .

There are still 59 reviews and they average out to three and a half stars.

There is, as you point out, another listing with fewer reviews. If I could buy every new-design razor I see, it would be on my shopping list.

 

[Big Burly]

I have a Core and love it. I've been so badly (razor) burned by other shavers and blades. This thing just works. I can shave with no thought and no effort, and get a shave that I like with no irritation and no discomfort.

I put a de-spined GEM blade in it, otherwise un-modded, and I prefer the FHS-10 blade. I have had 7 shaves with an FHS-10 blade. I usually limit it to 4 shaves.

For me, having comfort comes first, then quality of the shave then ease of the shave.

YMMV, but the Core works for me!

 

[Ron R]

I just recently bought a Oneblade Core with stand and ten blades for the sale price of $19.95.
The Core razor is a remarkable razor IMO for getting a face shave done with no irritation, no nicks, no weepers and receive a CCS,DFS,BBS range shave. What is there not to like and SE to boot?
Now the negative is of course the FHS-10 blade, it just does not have longevity and the Gem SS PTFE is far superior IMO for longevity. The FHS-10 blade is a nice sharp blade for 1 to 2 maybe 3 shaves and just gets tuggy or dull afterwards IMO.(Toss)
All I did was modify a Bunch of Gem blades with a magnetic business card wedge to prevent the blade moving around to fit my Core version 2 and I,m happy with the combination of a excellent razor and a excellent Gem blade that gives me some of the best shaves.
My beard skin looks healthy and I will be using this razor when my skin needs some tender loving shaving from a previous terrible shave from a different razor. The core should be done in 3 pass shave and buffing is not a problem for razor burn from my experiences IMO.
Even with the FHS-10 blade it is still a remarkable shave with reasonable hand technique, I find that a little more pressure is necessary to get the razor to perform to its maximum potential.(It is hard to cut yourself I have found) There are some excellent You tube videos if you need to find how to use one.
I do not head shave so I will not comment on performance in that area of course.
Anyways, I saw this thread and just contributing a little information on the Oneblade Core.

Have some great shaves!