Thinking about trying a single edge.

[pipskicks]

I was shaving with a double edged my last shave and it kept "pinging" which is what I call it when it flexes and makes that weird noise. Anyways it's annoying and I think my thick whiskers must be catching it.

So I decided an SE sounded like a good fix. I just don't have much money to spend, so I was hoping to do this cheaply.

I was wondering which SE is a good beginner razor and also goes for cheap online or on the Bay. I don't think I'm going to be too picky, just want to try it out.

And then I was wondering what kind of blade purchases would I have to make? I know there seems to be a lot less choices, do I pick one or two blades up or should I try to get a box of all of them to try them? With DE's you have to buy some expensive sampler packs, I am just trying to gather how much the blades will cost, especially while trying them out.

 

[Mick]

Does the "pinging" sound like a boomer or a fast attack profile?



Get a MicroMatic flying wing for your first SE adventure. They are easy to load and they are very smooth shaving.

You should be able to find one very reasonably ($10 and up for a clean one)

 

[jmsodpc]

love my clog pruf

 

[tinashubby]

I bought mine from Vintagerazorshop on Etsy. He is a vendor on B&B, I got good service on my 1912 Eveready. He has a few single edges still listed, all under 10 bucks. Beware, if you want to try a SE to get away from a pinging sound, mine is loud! My wife tried to shave the back of my neck with it and she said it's like fingernails on a chalkboard.

 

[SEnSE]

$10-15 is a good price for most SEs. I'd suggest a 1912 model, Featherweight, G-bar, or Bullet tip as me mentioned above.

As for blades you don't have to worry like you do with DE. Pick up a pack of Gem blades in a 10 pack at your local drug store.

 

[Niles]

I also think a GEM 1912 would be a good SE razor to start with.

 

[pipskicks]

Are the drug store blades pretty good? There's no need to try out a few blades?

 

[jmsodpc]

Are the drug store blades pretty good? There's no need to try out a few blades?

arent many choices for SE blades....CVS blades are Gem blades...pretty much the only variety is Gem blades or Treet blades from rite aid.

 

[SEnSE]

Stay away from window scraper blades (home improvement stores) & Dorco (Korean) SE blades.

 

[pipskicks]

So I'll look out for the ones mentioned here. The micromatic sounded like it was tough to learn? Is it just any OC would be harder and most other GEMs are ok? Although I'm not even sure if the micromatic is an OC. I guess the SEs are really different enough that I'm going to have to look at some videos before jumping in.

I thought this was closer to DEs and didn't take much getting used to, guess I need to read more.

Interesting that there are less blades, almost just less to mess around with, if they work you only need one type.

 

[garyg]

SE's are very effective with a wiry beard - they aren't difficult, but the angle is different .. when I first picked up a SE Micromatic Open Comb (2009 or so, never saw one in my youth) I gave up on it after two bloody shaves. I just was trying to force the angle/technique I'd used with the DE .. went back later after a while & it was great .. but if you go slow you can pick it up. I think the blades are a shave or two less durable than a Feather DE, but give a slightly closer shave when new. YMMV

A SE is a different shave than the DE - it may make more noise. The CVS blades work fine, as pointed out there aren't nearly as many blade choices with SE's, and I'd concur with avoiding those Dorco's and tool blades. Send me your address via PM when you have a razor & I'll envelope a couple SEs to you

 

[simon1]

If you PM me your address I'd be glad to PIF you a 1912 in very good condition with 5 Pella coated blades.

What an excellent gesture regularfella.

And once he gets hooked here is a source of PTFE blades that doesn't have the outrageous shipping charges that some of the other sources have.

http://www.razorbladesandmore.com/catalog/single-edge-blades

 

[Haggises]

They may be cheaper on the shipping but the unit price is terrible.
Better buying from Connaught - 22 bucks including shipping to US for 100 blades.

 

[simon1]

Wow...I stand corrected.

I thought the international shipping would be much higher. Total of US $21.71 for 100 blades.

 

[Haggises]

Not sure what shipping from Ted Pella costs, but their unit price is 35 bucks for 200.
Since they use FedEx, I would think Conught is probably cheaper

 

[simon1]

The 100 lot I got at EMS turned out to be about 50 cents a blade after shipping, I think...still a bit better than Walgreens ($5.99 a ten pack here) but not near as good as the UK site.

If the OP checks back in I would be willing to loan him my G bar for a couple of weeks if he would agree to send it back...I pay postage his way and he pays it back. Send it cleaned up, sanitized, and polished...shave ready. Tom (Hoosier Trooper) was gracious enough to loan me a Schick E3 that opened for cleaning when I was thinking about getting back into injector shaving again. My L model Stick Schick was still hiding from me. Glad Tom loaned me the earlier injector; I really like the shaves of the earlier models.

Oh, wait a minute. My son was stationed in San Diego in the Air Force...said the mail there was hit or miss, even at his off-base residence. Might have to send it certified. That's O.K. though, the G bar is so mild I hardly ever use it. Found it at a local antique store in great condition for cheap.

 

[SEnSE]

Ted Pella shipping is high unless you can have them ship to a business address. My cost for 200 recently was just over $44 and I had them within a few days. That's just $0.22 per blade. At least 7 shaves per blade gives a cost of $0.03 per shave and should last over 3 years. So that boils down to a cost of < $1.22 per month. Oh yeah, and I don't have to waste time testing tons of blades.

 

[razorx]

They may be cheaper on the shipping but the unit price is terrible.
Better buying from Connaught - 22 bucks including shipping to US for 100 blades.

X 1,000

I purchased 200 PTFE SS GEM Blades from Connaught for $37 shipped to my home in the Chicago area.

 

[SEnSE]

X 1,000

I purchased 200 PTFE SS GEM Blades from Connaught for $37 shipped to my home in the Chicago area.

What was the shipping time like from across the pond?

 

[razorx]

What was the shipping time like from across the pond?

I don't recall exactly,I believe there's shipping options...I chose the least costly.I think they got here in 9 days,I'm getting 14 shaves per blade,that shipment of blades should be enough to last me 8.3 years