Schick Hydro-Magic: A Good Razor with a Useless Feature?

[santamariasteve]

I like the Schick Type I2 Hydro-Magic SE razor. I think the lever that facillitates cleaning the razor is clever, but I also think it is gimmicky and unnecessary. Here's why:

I just shaved for 10 days with the razor, using one blade. After each shave I thoroughly rinsed it with running water for 5 seconds sideways in each direction. I did not use the lever. Today, after 10 days I opened the razor with the hydro-magic lever, and I found the razor and the blade to be 100% clean. So I conclude the feature is not worth that much if one rinses the razor after each shave.

Schick also may have come to this conclusion, as the Type I2 was marketed for only 3 years.

What do you think of all this?

 

[rickboone1]

I think you need to use straight razors. No gimmicks. Just great shaves.

 

[TheVez2]

Daily use, it's no different. But when it comes to doing a total clean up job, like trying to get caked on soap scum from long use, or sanitizing a fresh from the wild (antique store) razor, nothing beats the lever to be able to open it up completely and be sure it is totally clean.

 

[garyg]

I find that the various Hydro-Magics are too mild for me, and seem to be able to get the earlier models clean enough to not have killed me. So my vote is WTP?, Whats The Point?

 

[gearchow]

Marketing and bored engineers. It's neat that when the lever is actuated (doesn't seem like the right way to say this), the blade does not fall out. So it seems like it was designed to flush out the head much like a loosened adjustable DE.

-jim

 

[Chevyguy]

I find that the various Hydro-Magics are too mild for me, and seem to be able to get the earlier models clean enough to not have killed me. So my vote is WTP?, Whats The Point?

+1 on this. My Schick M-2 Adjustable Injector came to me off Ebay with about 2 inches deep of soap scum on it. I soaked it in a sink basin of hot water and Pine-Sol and then scrubbed it with an old toothbrush. I then gave it a shot of Scrubbing Bubbles and scrubbed it some more with the tooth brush. After I was done it looked as good as new. If anything can survive after a cleaning like that we are in trouble.

Clayton

 

[tomjr]

i love my hydro magic. i picked it up nos with 48 blades in 2 blade injectors. but the straight is my true love.

 

[Mick]

I have 2 Schicks with the Hydromagic head.

Both shave very well

Both are a snap to clean

 

[rxonmymind]

From a cleaning stand point its a feature I appreciate and wish other razors were this easy to clean.

 

[Henrik]

Interesting observation looking from a everyday basis use- as the OP stated..

 

[rotto66]

I wouldn't say the feature is useless, because it does make cleaning easier, but I would agree its not absolutely necessary. Although the I2 was only made for 3 years, Hydro-magics were produced from 1955-1968.

 

[Galhatz]

For a germophobe like myself, I like that feature a lot because I *know* I can clean it inside and out.
I bought a lot a while ago that included a J model, it is very tight, I tried to take it a part and there was a fair amount of soap scum inside that I am not sure how I could clean it, to my specification.
I only buy razors I know I can clean inside out. For injector's it means either hydromagic or an E model that can be opened up.
So while it might have been a useless feature for the original owner, for me - not so much.

 

[PDman]

Love the Hydro-magic. I grab it when I'm in a hurry as it is full proof. I rinse mine after I shave, open it up, blow out the excess water and leave it open to dry. Don't know if it makes a difference or not but I bought the razor, the feature is there, so why not use it.

 

[PDman]

Looks different than mine. Mine is stamped with a Crown and the words Eversharp and Hydro-magic. Perhaps the more experienced injector guys will weigh in.

 

[Batman]

Used mine today while traveling. Who cares if it's a gimmick? I use it, it makes me feel better about cleaning the skank off the blade.

 

[cryhavoc]

It cleans well as others have said, but I can't tell a difference in shave quality between my I1 and I2. YMMV

 

[TheVez2]

is this the hydro magic? i am expecting to receive it this week....it will be my first injector razor.

Yours could be the I1 or the I2, you won't know for sure which one until you get it and see if it has the lever or not. But it looks like an I1 to me.

 

[ShaverAZ]

I like the Schick Type I2 Hydro-Magic SE razor. I think the lever that facillitates cleaning the razor is clever, but I also think it is gimmicky and unnecessary. Here's why:

I just shaved for 10 days with the razor, using one blade. After each shave I thoroughly rinsed it with running water for 5 seconds sideways in each direction. I did not use the lever. Today, after 10 days I opened the razor with the hydro-magic lever, and I found the razor and the blade to be 100% clean. So I conclude the feature is not worth that much if one rinses the razor after each shave.

Schick also may have come to this conclusion, as the Type I2 was marketed for only 3 years.,

What do you think of all this?

Obviously they had me in mind when they developed a model with the lever for easier cleaning. I have other Injectors, and while they can be safely opened if you know how, it causes undue wear on the razor. I have several used, but in nice exterior shape razors. People clean them up and call them "shave ready". It isn't until you open one up that has several years of use (and maybe several more years of drawer storage disuse) that you discover a thin crust of poop brown coating that does not soak off nor remove with alcohol, dish detergent, Scrubbing Bubbles or even ultrasonic cleaning. It needs to be soaked, then scrubbed with a toothbrush.

I'll wager that many of you injector users have nice shiney razors that you soak and clean and polish, yet have never seen the creepy crud deposited inside. Take a look inside and you'll appreciate that little Hydromagic lever.

 

[gearchow]

I

Obviously they had me in mind when they developed a model with the lever for easier cleaning. I have other Injectors, and while they can be safely opened if you know how, it causes undue wear on the razor. I have several used, but in nice exterior shape razors. People clean them up and call them "shave ready". It isn't until you open one up that has several years of use (and maybe several more years of drawer storage disuse) that you discover a thin crust of poop brown coating that does not soak off nor remove with alcohol, dish detergent, Scrubbing Bubbles or even ultrasonic cleaning. It needs to be soaked, then scrubbed with a toothbrush.

I'll wager that many of you injector users have nice shiney razors that you soak and clean and polish, yet have never seen the creepy crud deposited inside. Take a look inside and you'll appreciate that little Hydromagic lever.

I do understand this from a perspective of acquiring a used injector with a rusted, gunky blade inside of it but when you say "discover a thin crust of poop brown coating that does not soak off nor remove with alcohol, dish detergent, Scrubbing Bubbles or even ultrasonic cleaning.", you are describing an impervious or barrier coating. BTW, have you ever looked up face mites? Now that's something that I find disturbing.

-jim

 

[santamariasteve]

Obviously they had me in mind when they developed a model with the lever for easier cleaning. I have other Injectors, and while they can be safely opened if you know how, it causes undue wear on the razor. I have several used, but in nice exterior shape razors. People clean them up and call them "shave ready". It isn't until you open one up that has several years of use (and maybe several more years of drawer storage disuse) that you discover a thin crust of poop brown coating that does not soak off nor remove with alcohol, dish detergent, Scrubbing Bubbles or even ultrasonic cleaning. It needs to be soaked, then scrubbed with a toothbrush.

I'll wager that many of you injector users have nice shiney razors that you soak and clean and polish, yet have never seen the creepy crud deposited inside. Take a look inside and you'll appreciate that little Hydromagic lever.

Brother ShaverAZ,

I find your unfortunate experience difficult to imagine. Every time an injector blade is loaded there is a self-cleaning "scraping procedure" that prevents the accumulation of foreign material within the injector head. Furthermore I have never noticed your experience on any of my 15+ injector razors accumulated over the decades. I've used injectors off and on since the summer of 1957.

If the Hyro-magic lever is so useful, beneficial and necessary, I wonder why Schick discontinued it after only a few years? My guess would be Schick found the Hydro-magic lever was solving a problem that really didn't exist, but it was adding to the cost of manufacture.

Again, each and every time a blade is loaded there is a viable self-cleaning action by the old blade exiting and the new blade entering. The design is brilliant. And effective!