OneBlade Razor

[Ron R]

Afaik it is a V2 (slightly more narrow) and it is with a feather for which the polymer is no challenge

however it seems there is a v3 which uses even stronger polymers!
Mine are at least 2 years old the one I use most is a v1

OneBlade Core v3?

A couple of months ago, I noticed that the OneBlade ads on some of the sites I visited started showing pics of a razor that had a Core handle and a Genesis head. When I inquired about that to OneBlade, they told me that it was the soon to be released OneBlade Hybrid with the head of a Genesis...

www.badgerandblade.com

and from left to right
V1/2 with a gem
V1 with a feather
V2 butchered by a feather

Interesting, plastics to a razor blade have to be respected no doubt. I would not throw out the damaged V2 one because you might be able to repair it with brass or Aluminum (Paper clip size Diameter) posts & cemented them in with some JB Marine Weld (The glue is almost 1/2 the price of a new razor on sale at the moment). The repair will last a long long time if done well enough IMO. I'm a Machinist & have had to do many repairs of different equipment over the years and sometimes you have to improvise.(you do have a good selection of Core razors to choose from already without repairing- it might be a challenge for some.) Thanks for sharing.

Have some great shaves!

 

[Ivo4u2]

Lol I even have a brand new V2. So it is in the trash. And yes I thought of fixing it but since I have a spare and one to goof around with (the gem version) and some other razors I shave with i did no longe bother. They should have made those stops of a stainless insert instead.
But it seems they have replaced the original triton plastic for something stronger so it is likely fixed for the clumsy and rough ;-)

 

[MNshaver71]

Just got my Core in the mail today...really wishing I hadn't shaved this morning. The waiting is the hardest part, as they say.

 

[electric65]

Just got my Core in the mail today...really wishing I hadn't shaved this morning. The waiting is the hardest part, as they say.

let us know how it goes once you use it... mines in the mail still (along with a Leaf - also really interested in trying the Broman)

 

[MNshaver71]

First go with the OneBlade Core this morning, and I was very pleased with the results. It's a very smooth, very mild razor, but I got really good results with 2.5 passes...not BBS, but pretty close, and zero irritation. I'll need a few more shaves to really get familiar with it (I used very little pressure, and didn't engage the pivot much at all), but my first impression is very positive. I could see this razor being my daily driver.

 

[cyberdog]

Flip the blade every other shave, and they stay sharp longer.

For the broken unit with the sheared off retaining tab, it would make good practice for something thinking of modifying one to accept a GEM blade, without having to enlarge the side post notches. - Just saying, as there have been a couple members talking about doing so. (Don't feel bad, one of the YouTube guys clipped his loading a blade on one of the early models).

I remember reading the newest V3 might have some ceramic or something in it's head material, which is supposed to make it harder and more durable, as well as give it better glide. I have a new V3, still in the box, which is to become my new travel razor, when we go away for a long weekend, replacing my MingShi. (No need to take alum or styptic as a precaution with the OB).

 

[Ivo4u2]

Flip the blade every other shave, and they stay sharp longer.

For the broken unit with the sheared off retaining tab, it would make good practice for something thinking of modifying one to accept a GEM blade, without having to enlarge the side post notches. - Just saying, as there have been a couple members talking about doing so. (Don't feel bad, one of the YouTube guys clipped his loading a blade on one of the early models).

I remember reading the newest V3 might have some ceramic or something in it's head material, which is supposed to make it harder and more durable, as well as give it better glide. I have a new V3, still in the box, which is to become my new travel razor, when we go away for a long weekend, replacing my MingShi. (No need to take alum or styptic as a precaution with the OB).

Already done that gem job

and it behaves well the amount of side clamping is enough to retain a blade

 

[cyberdog]

Did you just insert the GEM, spline and all, or did you modify the razor head? - My guess is the posts might need to be reduced. In the original, friction would hold it in (de-splined), but it didn't sit at the same angle, due to not dropping onto the posts, without grinding/clipping the blade. - For my Genesis, I take a grinding stone to the GEM blades, using my dremel....make a near perfect enlargement of the small existing notches, after a de-spline. (But a bit time consuming, so I do maybe 4-6 at a time, and need a new grinding stone every dozen or so).

 

[Ron R]

Back in early October, I got sucked in by the $19.95 price and ordered a Core. It gave me a good but unspectacular shave with the included Feather blades, an easy DFS all over with no irritation, nicks, or weepers (actually, a week's worth of DFS with just the first blade).

It did suffer by comparison to the razor/blade combinations bracketing that trial run. Just prior to the Core, I had used a post-war Tech with a Gillette Wilkinson Sword, and I followed the Core with a Fatboy/Med Prep. Both shaved a bit closer than the Core, but the Core might have had a tiny comfort advantage. So it could be part of a rotation, but not my go-to razor. Still, it looked good as a travel razor.

Then around the beginning of December, they offered three "Mystery Boxes" for $60.00-$250.00, all of which were guaranteed to contain at least a Hybrid. I'd heard that the Hybrid head was basically a Genesis head tweaked to mount on a Core handle, so since I'd had the Core for less than 2 months, I returned it and purchased the $60.00 mystery box. That box included a Hybrid, a synthetic brush, shaving cream and aftershave balm.

The Hybrid matched my DE razors for closeness. I abused it, tried to cause irritation just to see if it could be done. Apparently not. If there's a way to harm yourself with a OneBlade, I haven't found it. I applied more pressure than I've ever used even with a cartridge. What I got was a comfortable shave that was DFS in my troublesome areas and BBS everywhere else.

TL/DR

The Core struck me as a good value at $20, but it wouldn't convert users of Rockwells, R41s, or Slims. The Hybrid's only drawback was the blade cost. YMMV. I still don't see me ever spending over $100 for a single razor though.

Have you had a chance to use their Lavender cream shaving soap from the mystery box? Lavender is one of my favorite scents with soaps.

 

[lancre]

Have you had a chance to use their Lavender cream shaving soap from the mystery box? Lavender is one of my favorite scents with soaps.

Yes, I have. I'm not really a scent connoisseur, but I found it pleasant enough, although it didn't grab me as lavender, mild rather than overpowering. So it depends on how strong you like your scents.

It lathered very easily, was very slick, and provided good protection. So it's performance was good and I could easily recommend it to others, if you don't mind paying $24.00/150ml. At that price, though, you might be better off with something out of B&M or Stirling.

I could say the same about the ASB, as well. Except there the balm seemed rather watery. I'm used to Nivea and AoS balms which are thicker and, for me at least, easier to handle.

I was quite happy with the brush, at least for a synthetic, soft and springy. I prefer boars and badgers, but I like to take synths as a travel brush, and theirs is a good size for that.

 

[Ivo4u2]

Did you just insert the GEM, spline and all, or did you modify the razor head? - My guess is the posts might need to be reduced. In the original, friction would hold it in (de-splined), but it didn't sit at the same angle, due to not dropping onto the posts, without grinding/clipping the blade. - For my Genesis, I take a grinding stone to the GEM blades, using my dremel....make a near perfect enlargement of the small existing notches, after a de-spline. (But a bit time consuming, so I do maybe 4-6 at a time, and need a new grinding stone every dozen or so).

I only removed the blade lock pins
It is core 1 so a bit wider as a core 2
The spine gives enough friction to lock
Ideally you would use a dremel to make an exact level match for the gem spine and some extra space for easy and safe loading
Followed by a way to lock the blade in place either new lock pins or a shim on top.
for me it is a back burner project it works as is and my other razors get more work anyhow
I think Ron shim method is the easiest way to make a lock afterwards

 

[AudioBear]

As people may have guessed from my query about a replacement for Valbora shaving soap, I don’t change shaving stuff all that often. To paraphrase:

Never, ever, try to teach a pig to sing,
It will frustrate you and annoy the hell out of the pig.
Pigs do not like change…

I’d had an old Gillette safety razor for many, many years and was quite happy with the shave. Sadly the razor was pretty old, dented & de-chroming. Coincidentally, I had a chance to try out a oneBlade Genesis razor with Feather blades. Once I’d mastered the change in angle and pressure it provided the best shave I had ever achieved. Even luckier I managed to buy one at a reasonable price.

Sure I did get the odd micro cut, but even these have vanished with the slick Meißner Tremonia Puristic Style Shaving Soap (suggested as a response to my replacement for Valbora shaving soap query).

I’m not sure if the Feather blades last any less than normal blades? Maybe they don’t last quite as long... but they usually last me 4 or 5 shaves, with a blade flip, which seems reasonable. Plus if you buy in bulk* the cost is more inline with other premium blades.

So two years on, I’m still using the oneBlade Genesis razor with Feather blades and I'm still very happy with the shave, even more so now using the Meißner soap.
Mmmm... maybe pigs do like just a little bit of a change…

* I’m in the UK and I ususally get mine from Connaught Shaving who do bulk discounts: http://www.connaughtshaving.com/fhs10.html

 

[Ivo4u2]

Tip in europe giftsandcare has good deals on feathers (and meissner)
Out of curiosity is it meissner solid or cream. I have had the later and they do not work for me on most razors insufficient cushion. They have some strong smellers though.

 

[AudioBear]

Hi Ivo4u2, thanks for the tip on giftandcare, I shall check it out. I use the non-scented Meißner (they call it Puristic) hard soap. It does seem to have a slightly less thick foam, but seems to give a very good shave and razor glide, perhaps due to the clay in this particular non-scented soap? Who knows, but it works for me.

 

[Ivo4u2]

The crème versions are so thin you can do without a brush. They are slick and work ok with a focus dynamic r48 or a oneblade core who like thinner slick lather. But not advisable with a qshave adjustable brrrrrr.
Still have to try a puck, will order a lavender sample when I can combine.

 

[Drseid]

Have you had a chance to use their Lavender cream shaving soap from the mystery box? Lavender is one of my favorite scents with soaps.

I have, and while I think the scent is pretty decent (its an aromatic lavender), the performance literally is the worst cream or soap I have used with the OneBlade razors and the cream is diluted compared to most mid-tier creams, forcing one to use a lot more of it to get even decent results. They used to use Castle Forbes cream and it was a terrific match (the best cream I tried with the OneBlade family so far) that also was quite dense allowing you to use less of it per shave, but switched to their own private label brand from a different unknown supplier to most likely maximize profit. I definitely recommend steering well-clear of the BlackTie Cream with any of the Oneblade razors. Many much less expensive creams and soaps will perform *much* better, IMO.

 

[AudioBear]

(Meißner Lavender)...literally is the worst cream or soap I have used with the OneBlade razors

Hi Ron R, interesting, especially when I consider the non-scented Meißner Purisitc hard soap puck to work very well with the oneBlade? Was it the cream of the soap you used? Could it be down to their differing ingredients?

Alas Ivo4u2, I have only used the non-scented, I'm not really a big fan of scented soap, sensitive skin ...

 

[AudioBear]

For these two Meißner hard soap ingredients:

Puristic Shaving Soap
Stearic Acid, Cocos Nucifera oil, Aqua, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Orbignya Oleifera oil, Argania Spinosa kernel oil, Kaolin, Hectorite, Talc, Simmondsia chinensis oil, Maris sal. *) organic quality

Lavender de Luxe Shaving Soap
Stearic Acid, Cocos nucifera oil, Aqua, Potassium Hydroxide, Orbignya Oleifera oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Macadamia ternifolia oil, Glycerin, Talc, Cupressus sempervirens oil, Lavandula angustifolia oil, Kaolin, Simmondsia chinensis oil, Maris sal, Pelargonium graveolens oil, C.I. 77007, Linalool, Coumarin, Geraniol, Limonene, Citronellol. *) organic quality

 

[Drseid]

I was talking about the Black Tie Lavender cream sold by OneBlade. I don’t know who the manufacturer is of the private label OneBlade Black Tie cream.

 

[AudioBear]

Apologies, I misunderstood