They remind a bit of the platinum's but even more durable, and yes a little expensive though bought 10 blades for approx 6 euro overhere in Belgium
The King C. Gillette DE
- Thread starter MTom
- Start date
I just finished three pass shave number 60 today. There’s no sign of giving up. It’s a great blade.
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Spotted the KGC on sale, and since I made it this far without ever owning a DE8, R89, or even a Merkur 34, I pulled the trigger.
The razor is quite more affordable than even the cheapest DE8, and I've always meant to find out whether I like this class of razors more than my Progress dialed down.
I had mixed feelings about the handle initially, however the design has been growing on me. As much as I love some of the classic handles, the simple, clean look of the KGC's feels like a nice change.
Generally I'm not a huge fan of lightweight razors, but never had one this hefty, or long, so hopefully the package will be one that I'm happy using whole; push comes to shove, the handle can always be swapped, if the head turns out to be up my alley.
For the money, it seems very decent bang for the buck; while I don't doubt even the German-made R89 could be sold for half the price and still keep Muhle in the black, it seems to me the reality of the market is such, that the exact same razor could have come from one of the respectable razor makers, and be priced easily around 40-50 Euros; and not only nobody would have batted an eye, but it would have been called good value for money in reviews and such.
Speaking of the blades, though, I haven't used Gillettes in a long, long while; I gave up on the Euro and Swede Blues, damn sharp, but not smooth enough on this face of mine. The only Russian-made Gillette I tried was the Nacet, but so long ago, I would bet it's no longer the same blade.
Has the community reached any positive conclusion about their true identity? Are the KGC different and 'new', or simply a rebrand of one of the existing Russian PPI offerings?
The razor is quite more affordable than even the cheapest DE8, and I've always meant to find out whether I like this class of razors more than my Progress dialed down.
I had mixed feelings about the handle initially, however the design has been growing on me. As much as I love some of the classic handles, the simple, clean look of the KGC's feels like a nice change.
Generally I'm not a huge fan of lightweight razors, but never had one this hefty, or long, so hopefully the package will be one that I'm happy using whole; push comes to shove, the handle can always be swapped, if the head turns out to be up my alley.
For the money, it seems very decent bang for the buck; while I don't doubt even the German-made R89 could be sold for half the price and still keep Muhle in the black, it seems to me the reality of the market is such, that the exact same razor could have come from one of the respectable razor makers, and be priced easily around 40-50 Euros; and not only nobody would have batted an eye, but it would have been called good value for money in reviews and such.
Speaking of the blades, though, I haven't used Gillettes in a long, long while; I gave up on the Euro and Swede Blues, damn sharp, but not smooth enough on this face of mine. The only Russian-made Gillette I tried was the Nacet, but so long ago, I would bet it's no longer the same blade.
Has the community reached any positive conclusion about their true identity? Are the KGC different and 'new', or simply a rebrand of one of the existing Russian PPI offerings?
I haven’t seen any new word on whether the blade is rebranded. From what I have read, it appears to be a new blade. I got 33 no tug shaves out of the first one I used. Incredibly smooth. Most people have given great reviews on the blade, but it is pricey. If you are like me, the price evens out, if you are a one and done or a week and done blade user, wouldn’t be worth it unless you love the blade.
I had read some speculation that the KGC blades shave might be closely related to Platinum Gillettes.
PPI has already a ton of different brands and variants in production; about 5 are Gillette branded and advertised as Platinum blades, those would be the Minora, the Nacet, the Platinum / Platinum NEW, and the Rubie Platinum.
However, the traditional shaving community seems to have given the KGC line a cold shoulder, and if the reactions are anything to go by, many probably have skipped the razor for its humble origins, and the blades for their price.
In other words, I wonder if those who are best equipped to identify the KGC blades, without necessarily having to set aside the time to go through a systematic comparison, might not have tried it.
As for me, I value smoothness and longevity, and why would I throw away a blade that's still shaving well? So that's an intriguing aspect of the KGC; however, I don't think I have ever gotten anything close to that many comfortable shaves out of a single DE blade. I have pushed blades on occasion, but the difference between a tired blade and a fresh one is painfully obvious.
The razor only costed me a little more than 10 Euros, so the included tuck I'm going to regard as a freebie; on the off-chance I might like the blades well enough, I also picked up the bundle including two additional tucks, and those worked out to about 42 Euro cents each.
That's more than what I generally pay for Feathers, and comparable to the much harder to come by Kais. In theory, I'm not against paying more for a blade, if given a good reason. OTOH, Feather Pros can be had for 50 Euro cents each, and their overall performance blows out of the water any DE blade that I've tried myself so far.
Looking forward to try the KGC first chance I have. It may be some time though before I get to the blades themselves.
Presently, I have a Feather Hi-Stainless in use, so that's going to be the first into the new razor, for the sake of a fair comparison with a known reference point.
PPI has already a ton of different brands and variants in production; about 5 are Gillette branded and advertised as Platinum blades, those would be the Minora, the Nacet, the Platinum / Platinum NEW, and the Rubie Platinum.
However, the traditional shaving community seems to have given the KGC line a cold shoulder, and if the reactions are anything to go by, many probably have skipped the razor for its humble origins, and the blades for their price.
In other words, I wonder if those who are best equipped to identify the KGC blades, without necessarily having to set aside the time to go through a systematic comparison, might not have tried it.
As for me, I value smoothness and longevity, and why would I throw away a blade that's still shaving well? So that's an intriguing aspect of the KGC; however, I don't think I have ever gotten anything close to that many comfortable shaves out of a single DE blade. I have pushed blades on occasion, but the difference between a tired blade and a fresh one is painfully obvious.
The razor only costed me a little more than 10 Euros, so the included tuck I'm going to regard as a freebie; on the off-chance I might like the blades well enough, I also picked up the bundle including two additional tucks, and those worked out to about 42 Euro cents each.
That's more than what I generally pay for Feathers, and comparable to the much harder to come by Kais. In theory, I'm not against paying more for a blade, if given a good reason. OTOH, Feather Pros can be had for 50 Euro cents each, and their overall performance blows out of the water any DE blade that I've tried myself so far.
Looking forward to try the KGC first chance I have. It may be some time though before I get to the blades themselves.
Presently, I have a Feather Hi-Stainless in use, so that's going to be the first into the new razor, for the sake of a fair comparison with a known reference point.
Tested the water with my new KGC!
The finish looks impeccable and makes for an attractive and elegant looking razor, owing to the clean styling, too, though the longer handle might not be everyone's cup. The box and presentation are quite studied, my guess is Gillette designed it for the higher price point they chose to go with in North America, and as a satisfying gift box.
For us Europeans, the KGC looks positively like a bargain, forget getting a brand-name razor that looks this good for 10-15 Euros ...and with a tuck of blades, or three.
The handle might be the most controversial feature; besides the length, the razor cannot be placed upright because of the rounded bottom, and when disassembled, the handle likes to roll all over the place at the slightest provocation, because of the round section.
While I'm still liking the design, these details, and the partial knurling, suggest how one of the priorities must have been cost-cutting. Once this thought had lodged itself in the mind, it may have the ability to tarnish the overall experience, in spite of all else that is good about the razor itself, and that's a pity for a product that would otherwise make for a nice gift, especially for someone approaching DEs for the first time or returning to them.
Nevertheless, a hefty brass handle is a nice goodie, though predictably one that razor addicts might not have much use for.
One final note concerns the threading; I tried a quick swap with my Baili Victory and ran into two problems: the threading does not seem exactly the same as one handle threads better in the other razor's head, while the other combo works less well. Moreover, the longer screw on the Tech-styled head of the Baili Victory did not go all the way in. Whatever the case, I was still able to use the Baili's handle with the KGC head, good news for anybody who would like to switch to a shorter and/or lighter handle.
As for the head, it's very, very, VERY similar to that of my Progress. Placed side by side it's next to impossible for me to discern any significant difference in the exterior of the cap or its general geometry: though, of course, the head of the Progress is slightly taller because of the adjustment mechanism, in practice this seems to make little or no difference.
The blade gap is so very small, equivalent to a low setting of the Progress, a good fit for very sharp blades, like the Feather Hi-Stainless I've used, at the same time making it very natural to start shaving with, as well as switching between shallow and steep angle, a feature which will be appreciated by those buying into Gillette's promise of a tool well-suited to lining up a beard, and especially useful for those who like to keep their beard high on the neck, and close to the jawline.
If I had to find an admittedly very minor flaw in the head, that would be the locating pins; while the central screw fits quite precisely, the two side pins leave the blade free to rotate somewhat when the head is open.
In practice, the blade seems to align just fine when the razor is assembled; my naked eye could spot no unevenness in blade exposure.
Since this razor will be likely used by many who are new to DEs, who will most likely step in the bathroom without first looking at wikis and other Internet sites, I suspect this amount of play in the blade and cap when the razor is disassembled, may be noticed and be cause for confusion or even concern, as many who are new to DEs, seem to view these razors, and their blades, as dangerous enough to require some degree of special care when handling them.
Oftentimes my first hands-on with a razor, will be making dry touch-ups, as removing lather from the equation, let the capabilities of the razor and blade combination express itself clearly.
When I first tried the KGC, my stubble had been growing for a little longer than 24 hours: I was very positively impressed with the KGC's performance with the used Feather Hi-Stainless I loaded in it. It had no problem mowing down hair both on the cheeks and on my sensitive neck, with almost no tugging, and zero irritation.
While a more complete assessment is reserved for my first wet shave, I have not seen anything to suggest any particular problem; the razor handles closely enough to my daily driver, the short-handled Merkur Progress, so I expect similarly excellent results.
In closing, I would definitely recommend the KGC razor both to shavers new to DEs or returning after a long break, as well as more experienced shavers looking for an affordable, but good-looking and effective mild razor to pair with Feathers and similar blades.
Regarding the small mystery left on the razor's origins: the one in my hands also came with the infamous "Please read the manual" piece of paper, in both English and German, to protect the head's finish. Despite this, I can't help but doubt that the head is really made in Germany by Muhle; as already has been widely noted, the baseplate is of a different design than the R89's, and the cap comes with the KGC logo. While the paper itself might be the same found in Muhle razors, that only had the effect of making me wonder, if Muhle themselves are not manufacturing at least some of their heads in China, too.
Whatever the case, none of this bothers me; Germany's reputation for high-quality manufacturing is hard-earned, but also has been cheaply ridden before. In other words, just because a product has been made in Germany, that is not reason enough to expect superior quality, nor that alone is valid justification for higher prices.
At the same time, in today's world, it's quite hard to be able to live a day without interacting with many products, even expensive or prestigious, that are either partly or wholly made in China, or assembled there.
Proof, as they say, is in the pudding. And this particular pudding seems plenty fine.
The finish looks impeccable and makes for an attractive and elegant looking razor, owing to the clean styling, too, though the longer handle might not be everyone's cup. The box and presentation are quite studied, my guess is Gillette designed it for the higher price point they chose to go with in North America, and as a satisfying gift box.
For us Europeans, the KGC looks positively like a bargain, forget getting a brand-name razor that looks this good for 10-15 Euros ...and with a tuck of blades, or three.
The handle might be the most controversial feature; besides the length, the razor cannot be placed upright because of the rounded bottom, and when disassembled, the handle likes to roll all over the place at the slightest provocation, because of the round section.
While I'm still liking the design, these details, and the partial knurling, suggest how one of the priorities must have been cost-cutting. Once this thought had lodged itself in the mind, it may have the ability to tarnish the overall experience, in spite of all else that is good about the razor itself, and that's a pity for a product that would otherwise make for a nice gift, especially for someone approaching DEs for the first time or returning to them.
Nevertheless, a hefty brass handle is a nice goodie, though predictably one that razor addicts might not have much use for.
One final note concerns the threading; I tried a quick swap with my Baili Victory and ran into two problems: the threading does not seem exactly the same as one handle threads better in the other razor's head, while the other combo works less well. Moreover, the longer screw on the Tech-styled head of the Baili Victory did not go all the way in. Whatever the case, I was still able to use the Baili's handle with the KGC head, good news for anybody who would like to switch to a shorter and/or lighter handle.
As for the head, it's very, very, VERY similar to that of my Progress. Placed side by side it's next to impossible for me to discern any significant difference in the exterior of the cap or its general geometry: though, of course, the head of the Progress is slightly taller because of the adjustment mechanism, in practice this seems to make little or no difference.
The blade gap is so very small, equivalent to a low setting of the Progress, a good fit for very sharp blades, like the Feather Hi-Stainless I've used, at the same time making it very natural to start shaving with, as well as switching between shallow and steep angle, a feature which will be appreciated by those buying into Gillette's promise of a tool well-suited to lining up a beard, and especially useful for those who like to keep their beard high on the neck, and close to the jawline.
If I had to find an admittedly very minor flaw in the head, that would be the locating pins; while the central screw fits quite precisely, the two side pins leave the blade free to rotate somewhat when the head is open.
In practice, the blade seems to align just fine when the razor is assembled; my naked eye could spot no unevenness in blade exposure.
Since this razor will be likely used by many who are new to DEs, who will most likely step in the bathroom without first looking at wikis and other Internet sites, I suspect this amount of play in the blade and cap when the razor is disassembled, may be noticed and be cause for confusion or even concern, as many who are new to DEs, seem to view these razors, and their blades, as dangerous enough to require some degree of special care when handling them.
Oftentimes my first hands-on with a razor, will be making dry touch-ups, as removing lather from the equation, let the capabilities of the razor and blade combination express itself clearly.
When I first tried the KGC, my stubble had been growing for a little longer than 24 hours: I was very positively impressed with the KGC's performance with the used Feather Hi-Stainless I loaded in it. It had no problem mowing down hair both on the cheeks and on my sensitive neck, with almost no tugging, and zero irritation.
While a more complete assessment is reserved for my first wet shave, I have not seen anything to suggest any particular problem; the razor handles closely enough to my daily driver, the short-handled Merkur Progress, so I expect similarly excellent results.
In closing, I would definitely recommend the KGC razor both to shavers new to DEs or returning after a long break, as well as more experienced shavers looking for an affordable, but good-looking and effective mild razor to pair with Feathers and similar blades.
Regarding the small mystery left on the razor's origins: the one in my hands also came with the infamous "Please read the manual" piece of paper, in both English and German, to protect the head's finish. Despite this, I can't help but doubt that the head is really made in Germany by Muhle; as already has been widely noted, the baseplate is of a different design than the R89's, and the cap comes with the KGC logo. While the paper itself might be the same found in Muhle razors, that only had the effect of making me wonder, if Muhle themselves are not manufacturing at least some of their heads in China, too.
Whatever the case, none of this bothers me; Germany's reputation for high-quality manufacturing is hard-earned, but also has been cheaply ridden before. In other words, just because a product has been made in Germany, that is not reason enough to expect superior quality, nor that alone is valid justification for higher prices.
At the same time, in today's world, it's quite hard to be able to live a day without interacting with many products, even expensive or prestigious, that are either partly or wholly made in China, or assembled there.
Proof, as they say, is in the pudding. And this particular pudding seems plenty fine.
Threading is going to be a little different on the R89/KCG/Heritage top cap. The threads are also brass on all 3 and not zamack like on the EJ and any clones. My zamack EJ threads are short and stubby compared to both my KCG and Heritage threads.
The KCG top cap and baseplate are made in Germany by Mühle.
Mühle razors are made in Germany and this is detailed on their product boxes. They are not permitted to use German branding if any of the parts are produced elsewhere unless under an “Assembled in Germany” mark. They have some nice production videos on YouTube if you are so inclined.
P&G and Mühle have a long history going back to product placement at AOS stores over a decade.
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@THall I'm hesitant to follow up on this as, like I wrote above, I'm more interested in the pudding than the box it came in.
But I'll try to clarify a possible misunderstanding: I'm not saying the "Made in Germany" claims are false. I'm not very sure anybody would readily notice if they were, mind, but that's an entirely different matter, better left for a different thread, probably.
However, for all I know, Muhle could have something going on China; if not their own plant, maybe an agreement with a firm which does have one. The head could still be Muhle's design. We know so little, and that opens many different possibilities. PS: I was watching the Portrait video and it occurred to me there are probably loopholes in the legislation, too; chances are none of the plastic parts in the Fusion handles shown are made in Germany.
There's nothing inherent to the razor itself that says "Made here or there". I personally have seen nothing that proves conclusively where the head is made. The slip of paper doesn't mean all that much, by itself. The handle is made in China and looks every bit as good as German-made handles, and even better than some.
Going back to the KGC, something I would like to know, is whether other razors with the same baseplate have ever been spotted in the wild.
AFAIK making new molds is not exactly cheap, and while the KGC might be sold world-wide or close, it isn't priced as a premium product, would made sense for them to try to save a few pennies there, too.
I am! Thank you for the heads up.
But I'll try to clarify a possible misunderstanding: I'm not saying the "Made in Germany" claims are false. I'm not very sure anybody would readily notice if they were, mind, but that's an entirely different matter, better left for a different thread, probably.
However, for all I know, Muhle could have something going on China; if not their own plant, maybe an agreement with a firm which does have one. The head could still be Muhle's design. We know so little, and that opens many different possibilities. PS: I was watching the Portrait video and it occurred to me there are probably loopholes in the legislation, too; chances are none of the plastic parts in the Fusion handles shown are made in Germany.
There's nothing inherent to the razor itself that says "Made here or there". I personally have seen nothing that proves conclusively where the head is made. The slip of paper doesn't mean all that much, by itself. The handle is made in China and looks every bit as good as German-made handles, and even better than some.
Going back to the KGC, something I would like to know, is whether other razors with the same baseplate have ever been spotted in the wild.
AFAIK making new molds is not exactly cheap, and while the KGC might be sold world-wide or close, it isn't priced as a premium product, would made sense for them to try to save a few pennies there, too.
I am! Thank you for the heads up.
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The KCG baseplate was made exclusively for Gillette. You won’t find it elsewhere. At least no clones yet that I am aware of. The top of the baseplate is identical to the R89/Heritage. P&G AOS branded Mühle R89s have been found in places like Target stores but not in the concave KCG style. These are rare in brick and mortar but can be ordered. The AOS branded R89 is a bit pricey at this time. The handle on the AOS is also made in Germany by Mühle.
Weights vary slightly batch to batch and year to year. To clarify, the R89 has had brass threads since 2017. Prior to this, they were zamack like the EJ. Zamack is just almost half the weight of brass. You would see a weight difference in pre-2017 razors.
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I too enjoy it. For 15E, I don't think you can find something better in EU. I'm using mine with Gillette Wilkingson Sword (Sallon Pack, made in India) and it's a win!
Just viewing this thread as I agree the KGC is a good value shaver and I wanted to comment to @Furex that I love your Avatar/profile pic, one of my favorites I've seen on this forum. (the other one I really like is @Legion 
) In regards to the KGC, I like it but am among those who don't like the handle it comes with. I replaced mine with an aftermarket handle and I'm much happier with it.
) In regards to the KGC, I like it but am among those who don't like the handle it comes with. I replaced mine with an aftermarket handle and I'm much happier with it.
I had my first shave with the King C Gillette yesterday. It was a great shave, smooth, comfortable and close with no irritation. I like the razor. It was hefty and good looking. The KCG logo on the head plate was a very nice touch. The base plate seems to be unique. Although similar to the Edwin Jagger, Mule and Mekur, it is different. I would have preferred a shorter handle. But overall an excellent razor, somewhat on the mild side. The blade was excellent. I see some reporting that they have had smooth shaves in the double digits so far. I think the razor blade combo is a winner.
It kicks *** way above its price mark.
Great razor regardless price. Would easily recommend it to anyone.
the kcg blades which look a lot like Gillette platinums light blue rebranded are no slouch either very nice blades especially if you get them half price.
it is waiting on someone with a microscope to photograph and compare edges to know if it is possible a rebrand of those platinums
Great razor regardless price. Would easily recommend it to anyone.
the kcg blades which look a lot like Gillette platinums light blue rebranded are no slouch either very nice blades especially if you get them half price.
it is waiting on someone with a microscope to photograph and compare edges to know if it is possible a rebrand of those platinums
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I like my snmirn more but a 4 week holiday with the kcg is not a burden.
It doesn’t matter which direction or pressure. It’s always BBS without irritation after a triple pass.
What’s a snmirn?
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I bought one and tried it. Recently put it back in the box and in my undies drawer. Not worth being in the rotation with my vintage Gillettes. I was leery because they are marketing this razor as a trimmer. They're not even 100% sold on the wet shaving market idea. I have a $15 Wilkinson butterfly that I would use before the KCG. It may have some value if I keep it boxed up for a few years.
My first thought was they were a Platinum rebrand also, but find the KCG branded blades smoother. I’m waiting for the microscope test also. I’ve never used them to compare but I’ve heard Nacets are very close.
I had to google that one, too. It's an inexpensive adjustable razor.
Chinese razor magnetic top cap adjustable and very forgiving blades wise
