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Using 1/2 a DE blade in my Schick injector

While waiting for the Schick injector blades, I ordered to arrive sometime next week I watched a couple of videos on how to install 1/2 a DE razor blade into a Schick injector razor and I decided to give it a go. For the experiment I used one of the blades that came with the Assured For Men 3-piece razor from Dollar Tree. Not the best blade but not the worst.

All I had to do was snap the blade in half and using a sharp pair of scissors trim the non-sharp edge down so that just a little of the humps were showing. This will make it roughly the size of an injector blade. I then used one blade side of the scissors as the injector key to open the slot where the blade is installed. Placing the 1/2 DE blade gently into the open slot I then used a plastic Wilkinson's blade box to push the side of the blade into position, pulled out the scissor blade/key and the blade was perfectly in position! When doing so I made sure the blade edge did not touch the 2 blade guards. This took a total of 5 minutes if that? I also wore safety glasses and made sure the little bits I trimmed off went into the garbage.

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I then went on to shave with it. It worked perfectly! The razor is lightweight but not as light as a disposable cartridge razor. Very comfy to use. I was able to shave quite effortlessly and at no time did I feel like I could cut myself. I just did a single pass shave with a little touch up. No irritation either. This razor will now move to a prominent place in my rotation of safety razors. :thumbsup:

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This is good to know. I would have used my injectors a lot more often if I had known about this before. Thanks!

Hey you're welcome! Using this method opens up a lot more blade selection too! Here's the video I used as a guide. Instead of cutting the blade I snapped it in half and then trimmed it. I also didn't use my finger to push the blade in place. I used a plastic blade box. It was handy. I think his blade is in crooked however mine snapped into place straight with a little adjustment when installing it.

 
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Brother Frank, I understand the ingenuity and the feeling of accomplishment. But I don't understand the gain of what you think you may have accomplished.

A made-in-China Schick injector blade greatly outlasts the 1/2 DE blade, at least it does for me. I get 14 quality 3-pass comfortable shaves from one Chick injector blade, and I have very tough old man whiskers on an 85-year-old face. A DE blade lasts me 7 quality shaves. Using one-half of the DE blade would suggest it would last 3 or 4 shaves.

I further believe the quality of the shave will not equate with a regular Schick injector blade. One's time is worth something too. Also, the possibility one may cut his finger is worth something also.

A clever procedure, yes, but I just don't see the added work and the ultimate payoff as being "worth it." I prefer "to save money" by buying my underwear at K-Mart, instead of the dubious practice of customizing razor blades.

Let's see what others have to say.
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
Brother Frank, I understand the ingenuity and the feeling of accomplishment. But I don't understand the gain of what you think you may have accomplished.

A made-in-China Schick injector blade greatly outlasts the 1/2 DE blade, at least it does for me. I get 14 quality 3-pass comfortable shaves from one Chick injector blade, and I have very tough old man whiskers on an 85-year-old face. A DE blade lasts me 7 quality shaves. Using one-half of the DE blade would suggest it would last 3 or 4 shaves.

I further believe the quality of the shave will not equate with a regular Schick injector blade. One's time is worth something too. Also, the possibility one may cut his finger is worth something also.

A clever procedure, yes, but I just don't see the added work and the ultimate payoff as being "worth it." I prefer "to save money" by buying my underwear at K-Mart, instead of the dubious practice of customizing razor blades.

Let's see what others have to say.
+1
 
Sounds like fun to just try. But id rather use an injector blade. You mensioned not letting the blade touch the stops. Thats good, but i hope it is touching now as that keeps things straight and proper.
 
Brother Frank, I understand the ingenuity and the feeling of accomplishment. But I don't understand the gain of what you think you may have accomplished.

A made-in-China Schick injector blade greatly outlasts the 1/2 DE blade, at least it does for me. I get 14 quality 3-pass comfortable shaves from one Chick injector blade, and I have very tough old man whiskers on an 85-year-old face. A DE blade lasts me 7 quality shaves. Using one-half of the DE blade would suggest it would last 3 or 4 shaves.

I further believe the quality of the shave will not equate with a regular Schick injector blade. One's time is worth something too. Also, the possibility one may cut his finger is worth something also.

A clever procedure, yes, but I just don't see the added work and the ultimate payoff as being "worth it." I prefer "to save money" by buying my underwear at K-Mart, instead of the dubious practice of customizing razor blades.

Let's see what others have to say.

Thanks. Is there anyone else on this forum I need to justify how and why I use my own shaving gear?
 
Sounds like fun to just try. But id rather use an injector blade. You mensioned not letting the blade touch the stops. Thats good, but i hope it is touching now as that keeps things straight and proper.

Yes, the blade edge does touch the blade stops and is perfectly straight. Thanks for your concern.
 
I hope you might come back and share your experience with traditional injector blades (once you receive them) vs the DE modification. The rigidity of the injector blade vs a traditional DE is one of the perceived benefits I have experienced so far. Having said that, I am very new to injector razors. But I am quickly going down the rabbit hole :)
 
I hope you might come back and share your experience with traditional injector blades (once you receive them) vs the DE modification. The rigidity of the injector blade vs a traditional DE is one of the perceived benefits I have experienced so far. Having said that, I am very new to injector razors. But I am quickly going down the rabbit hole :)
Of course, I will share my experience using a real injector blade in the razor. I fully intend to keep using injector blades with the razor and will buy more of them for it in the future. I am fully aware that injector blades are thicker and more rigid than DE blades. The 1/2 DE blade experiment was just that...an experiment. That being said I would never advise anyone to else to do what I did if they don't feel comfortable handling sharp razor blades. Will I ever do it again for the heck of it?

Probably. 🤣
 
Of course, I will share my experience using a real injector blade in the razor. I fully intend to keep using injector blades with the razor and will buy more of them for it in the future. I am fully aware that injector blades are thicker and more rigid than DE blades. The 1/2 DE blade experiment was just that...an experiment. That being said I would never advise anyone to else to do what I did if they don't feel comfortable handling sharp razor blades. Will I ever do it again for the heck of it?

Probably. 🤣
Experimentation is good. I would have never considered DE as a potential injector blade option if you had not shared it.
 
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You do you man! I never shy away from a bit of DIY either.

I've seen people jam DE blades in GEM's too!

My sentiments exactly. I just ditched the lesser quality Chinese blade I had in there and installed 1/2 a DE Wilkinson Sword blade in the razor.

Here's a photo of the blade I had in it so people can see the size.

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I'll tell you this... the 1/2 DE blade in the Schick actually gave me a great shave with no cuts or razor burn considering that the Dollar Tree blade is not the greatest. Also, I don't know if it was the blade or the razor, but I must say that the audible "feedback" was the most I've ever heard while using a safety razor. It was actually very helpful.
 
Great job, @Frank Discussion. I am currently on an AC blade journey, but I love my injectors too. I will try this one day! I got way too many DE blades, this sounds like a great way to use some of them up.

No problem! It can't hurt to try and if you don't like it, it's no harm done. For me it's just another device to hold a razor blade. People use those 1/2 DE blade Leaf/Twig razors except in this case there is some blade trimming involved.
 
I did this back in July because I wanted to use my E2 during Shark Week. It worked out okay and the shave was good enough considering it was Shark Super Chrome blade. I much prefer proper injector blades, but this works in a pinch.
 
I'm not going to lie but using 1/2 a DE blade in this razor has provided me with a perfect BBS shave. It feels impossible to cut or nick myself and the razor feels perfect in my hand. It's making me reconsider my DE razors. If using actual injector blades in this razor give me just a good a shave it may become my daily shaver. However, I do want to get a razor dedicated to using 1/2 a DE blade like the Leaf Twig or Thorn. I need to do more research. 🤓
 
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