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Single Edge razors? Why do people love them?

I see a lot of posts about various single-edge razors with users extolling their virtues. What is so great about these razors? While I can find DE blades at most pharmacies or big box stores, SE or Injector blades are MIA and apparently online-only options.

How much of it is just nostalgia? How much of it is 'performance? And, how much is just user preference?
 
How much of it is just nostalgia? How much of it is 'performance? And, how much is just user preference?

Yes.

But that goes for all shaving systems.

The good DE blades have to be bought online for me. The good DE’s too. Same for SEs and blades. Same for straights and hones and strops.

Same for soaps and brushes, scuttles… prep and post shave accoutrements.

All of this is so globally niche that to get at the good stuff, vs maybe good enough requires online.

Have you tried an SE? A straight? The perfect DE, with the perfect blade… for you?

What’s the best, vs locally acceptable? Does it matter?
 
For me, a lot of the pleasure of the shaving/grooming pursuit is about curiosity. I spend time here on B&B to see the things others are trying/discovering/enjoying, and when something piques my interest, I dive in to learn more about it and then buy something and try it myself. There are some things I have not yet tried, and I hope there always will be more to explore. SE is currently in the discovery stage for me.
 
I alternate between a DE razor and a SE razor. I can get a great shave from both of them. As @KW Driver pointed out, to get the best products you have to buy online. Even though they both give a nice shave, I slightly prefer the SE with the stiffer blade. It is mostly a matter of preference.
I prefer the Artist Club type blade for SE. I believe they are the sharpest blades you can buy.
 
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I have been able to get Personna carbon Gem style blades in stores over the last few years. Either under the Blue Star branding, or as store brands. I don't see injector blades in stores, anymore. Connaught has been my source for both 100 blade trays of Gem PTFE and Personna injectors.

I maintain an eclectic rotation. Gem and injector SE razors deliver a shaves that are quite different from DE. The stiff SE blades remain close shavers for many more shaves than most DE blades.

I always have a loaded Schick injector and a tube of cream at hand in the medicine cabinet. I can get a guaranteed no-blood CCS or better in less than 5 minutes, from arrival to departure from the den. Sometimes that's all the minutes I'm allowed.
 
Having used neither, I can't say for sure but...

I would guess that due to the inherent stiffness of an SE it gets closer to the feeling of an SR?

Clearly, DE blades are quite thin which can allow them to flex and/or chatter in certain razors.
 
@sidpost, injectors shave much differently than DEs. They go at a very shallow angle, have a rigid blade so no chatter, and can be incredibly smooth shavers. You may want to give one a try. I don't have any nostalgia, I just love the smoothness and wanted to give a different blade format a try.
You make a good case for giving one a try!
 
I have been able to get Personna carbon Gem style blades in stores over the last few years. Either under the Blue Star branding, or as store brands. I don't see injector blades in stores, anymore. Connaught has been my source for both 100 blade trays of Gem PTFE and Personna injectors.

I maintain an eclectic rotation. Gem and injector SE razors deliver a shaves that are quite different from DE. The stiff SE blades remain close shavers for many more shaves than most DE blades.

I always have a loaded Schick injector and a tube of cream at hand in the medicine cabinet. I can get a guaranteed no-blood CCS or better in less than 5 minutes, from arrival to departure from the den. Sometimes that's all the minutes I'm allowed.
I'm testing that methodology out right now with my DE Edwin Jagger 3one6 primarily. I'm still perfecting my single-pass CCS with less stubble in a ~5-minute end-to-end shave.

Like you, some days, I need a fast entry and exit with a "good enough" shave!
 
Sounds like some strong arguments for me to get a SE/Injector to try!

What are the better entry-level options for someone like myself driving the Edwin Jagger 3one6 and Muhle Rocca primarily these days with various blades like the Personna and Nacet?
 
Parker makes an adjustable injector razor that can be had for around $35 I believe.

No personal experience so I'll defer to those that actually own it.
 
Sounds like some strong arguments for me to get a SE/Injector to try!

What are the better entry-level options for someone like myself driving the Edwin Jagger 3one6 and Muhle Rocca primarily these days with various blades like the Personna and Nacet?

You wont go wrong with a Gem SE, or a Shick injector, everything else is a copy of those with just some tweaking on the geometry of the heads to give the blades more exposure/aggressiveness. They can be had for relatively cheap compared to new stuff and they’ll give you a clear idea if you wanna buy something newer and make a heavier investment.

And I don't know about your area but blades for both of those can still be found at local pharmacies.
 
My only non-vintage SE is a PAA Starling. I am not a fan. But new production Gem and injector blade razors have plenty of admirers.

For a vintage Gem blade razor, any of the various '1912' razors is a cheap way to start. A Gem Micromatic Bullet Tip aka Flying Wing model would be a good start if you want a TTO. There are also lots of Featherweights out there, which offer a milder starting point. The American Safety Razor company was incredibly successful in the US and UK for decades, so there are lots of vintage Gem and Ever-Ready razors out there, many in fine condition.

A Schick injector is the least expensive, most available vintage injector option. Schick G models are commonly available in vintage stores here in the Pacific NW for less than $20 ($5 sometimes).

With either vintage Gem blade or injector, the thing to avoid is damaged blade stops. The strong SE blades have been known to (somehow?) cut them off.
 
Sounds like some strong arguments for me to get a SE/Injector to try!

What are the better entry-level options for someone like myself driving the Edwin Jagger 3one6 and Muhle Rocca primarily these days with various blades like the Personna and Nacet?

If you want new, I like my Supply SE. Inexpensive, built like a tank, very safe, and has a refundable trial period. The Parker variable injector is another option.

If you like vintage, there are tons of Schick injectors on ebay for very cheap. In general, the newer they are the more mild/safe.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I started out with the Executive Shaving Company Claymore Evolution on Feb. 18th of last year. I used it for over 5 months straight. It falls in that "mild but efficient" category for me. Some people find it too mild. It isn't for me, though I have added several razors that are just a half a step up in efficiency. I do have the Above the Tie (ATT) X1 AC slant... I can recommend that razor with few reservations. It gives me perfect shaves every time unless I do something wrong.

Neither is inexpensive. I've been fortunate to have been able to experiment with a few razors and settled on some that work brilliantly for me. For a more modestly priced single edge AC razor, some people like the RazoRock Hawk V3. I avoided it personally because of the angle of the blade to the face but that is just me.

If you need something more efficient for your face, the Blackland Vector is at the top of the list. I know it's expensive but they are often sold here on BST. That is always an option, plus Blackland offers a 30 day return policy. Both lower the risk if you buy a Blackland razor, single edge or double edge.

I have two G model Schick injector razors I recently inherited from my mother... I did buy blades for them and plan to use them sometime in the semi-near future.
 
Teenage me started shaving with a single edge injector razor and kept it up until just a few years ago. I have never understood the purpose of dual opposed shaving heads so I wasn't keen on trying one. My parents told me it would just be a bleeding fest. Still today I believe the only reason for the DE was the ability to patent the blades. I tried my first DE about three years ago, once this site turned me into a fanatic. I like 'em, but I have no regrets regarding all those years as an injector shaver. I still think injectors have the better system. That is MY opinion, so please don't think I am trying to incite a riot.
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
better entry-level options

So many good used GEM, Ever-Ready, Treet, Krampfe Brothers, Schick and more for modest money.

RazoRock Hawk V2 or Parker Injector in the $29-40USD range

PAA Starling in $40-50USD range

Supply SE and RazoRock Hawk V3 series in the $60-75USD

Past that, it’s big money. Might be worth it, but it’s “buying a 3ONE6 or Rocca from a U.S.-based vendor money” or more.

Per your R41 alternatives thread, blatant copies omitted as much as possible.
 
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