I don't get along with vintage razors. The blade angle thing is probably at the root of it. A two piece razor like a Rockwell 6S or a Timeless seem to make the blade bow and gives me a better shave angle. I suppose if I dedicated myself to using just one vintage razor I would master it eventually but I have razors that work well for me so I stick with them. I do have a Gillette Heritage that uses a head similar to the EJ89 but I get inconsistent results with it. Some shaves are good and some leave me with a sore neck.
What are the most disappointing razors you have purchased?
- Thread starter BigSpender
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Mostly Chinese razors like the Yaqi Katana and Ming Shi 2000s and also the Rockwell 6S. The thing I don't like about the Chinese razors that i've used is that they don't seem very precise and that they have terrible blade support and the blade chatter is of the charts. The 6S was just too mild and inefficient for me even with a Feather blade and after spending a few months of forcing it to work on my face I gave up and sold it. I think the 6S is a great razor for the right person, but it just doesn't work for me.
I'm a firm believer that there's no such thing as the worst (unless is poorly made or/and it has some defects) and the best razor and it's more like what works for your face and what doesn't. Some razors, regardless of the price just don't work for some people and there's nothing that can be done about it. The good thing is that you can always sell your razor without losing lots of money in the process. Trial and error as they say.
I'm a firm believer that there's no such thing as the worst (unless is poorly made or/and it has some defects) and the best razor and it's more like what works for your face and what doesn't. Some razors, regardless of the price just don't work for some people and there's nothing that can be done about it. The good thing is that you can always sell your razor without losing lots of money in the process. Trial and error as they say.
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- #23
I got a Slim through auction that is very clean and pretty. But upon closer examination, the bars are tilted on both sides, making the razor shave from mild to aggressive depending on the side of your face. Maybe the reason the razor looked so new was it was damaged not long after it was bought, and put in a drawer.
I had a Gillette adjustable in the Sixties, and I despised it. It bit me a lot, unpredictably, like a mad dog. Perhaps it had the same problem. Back then, I shaved in the shower, probably like a lot of people. I dropped the razor now and then, probably like most people. I suspect dropping these adjustables, or any Gillette TTO, is a very bad idea. I don't think they can take it. They might still twist and turn. Butho knows what damage to the alignment, external and internal, has occurred?
Look closely at the photos of Gillette TTO adjustables for sale online and you will see that some of them have bent guards. Buying a used one is risky, unless you go BIN from a knowledgeable seller.
But beyond that, the blade extension (and normal gap) on them and the Super Speeds, Milords and TTO Ambassadors is really pretty mild and inefficient - it is difficult to get more than an adequate shave. I'm not impressed. There are better new razors, ones that don't have hidden damage.
I'm really, really tired of the constant chorus of "Try it, you'll like it! Try it, you'll like it!" hyping Gillette TTOs, adjustable and non. I tried them. I don't like them.
santamariasteve:
"I've never heard anyone else criticize a Gillette Slim. I find all the Gillette adjustable's to be excellent, and they all deliver quality shaves that are close and comfortable."
What are the most disappointing razors you have purchased?
Have you ever been disappointed by a razor you bought? I don't mean mere buyer's regret, perhaps due to not doing your homework or making an impulse buy. Who hasn't? I'm talking about a razor that's gotten a lot of buzz, by the manufacturer, the seller, online reviews, the shaving community...
www.badgerandblade.com
Well, now you have. I DO NOT like them. And I've got an Aristocrat adjustable in mint condition. THAT is the MOST disappointing razor I have bought. It is not a close shave, and not especially comfortable -- I've used better, smoother razors. But it is pretty. Perhaps that is why it is in mint condition. And it is going to stay in mint condition.
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I've been wet shaving for almost 15 years. I have a few DE's, a few straights and Kamisori and requisite jnats, even a few Wedge razors.
My prep is good and I dare say my technique borderline superlative. My whiskers are probably average to light. I'm of Northern European ancestry and am not at all hirsute. I generally shave every other day because it takes me 24 hours to get a 5 o'clock shadow. One reason for that is that I get extremely close shaves.
I couldn't tell you how many passes total because I do three passes and then buff all around at least as much. Many passes, zero stubble, pure bbs because I can. I don't know what to say except my pressure is right- I could buff all day with little irritation but a few minutes of skin stretching and buffing gives me a nearly straight razor quality shave with the right DE razor and blade.
With my other two Gillette TTO's the bbs doesn't last long (they're mild razors) but they're pleasant shavers and they deliver overall. I enjoy my Merkur Progress very much and have nothing against adjustables per se. Just the Gillette Slim.
I've used Kai, Nacet, Treet, Feather, Bolzano, Rubie, Wizamet, GSB, GSP, and I don't know what else in the Slim Adjustable and none really help it appreciably.
I'm sure the razor is fine- the adjustments work nicely and I can see the blade evenly change position as it smartly clicks through all the positions. Nothing is bent or out of whack- it's a beautiful piece. I've shaved with it at 7, 8, and 9. 7 is too gentle, 8 is OK, and 9 has almost zero blade curve and is unpleasant. My experience with the Slim generally is that the shaves are somewhat unpleasant but once you get through it the shave is better than you'd think but still not worthy of the effort or time. So with a minor grimace I put the razor away and look forward to using something else on the next round.
The problem for me is at the more aggressive settings the blade isn't held in a curve, as was mentioned earlier by @southdakotaguy. No "bow". So it shaves a bit like a paint scraper. And the lower settings aren't aggressive enough to be useful to me.
I expect to be able to get a killer bbs with all my razors. I expect precise, comfortable, close, dare I say intelligent shaves. A razor that rewards borderline superlative technique.
The Slim is nicely made, a beautiful example of design from that era. But they really missed on how the blade is held. My plastic Knack from the ugly 70's is a much better shaver. And the Tech is a precision instrument.
The Slim looks like a precision instrument but so far isn't delivering. I'm still giving it a chance because of its good looks. But if it takes mysterious voodoo to unlock its mysteries I think I'll stick with razors that deliver out of the gate.
I think the YMMV thing is most pronounced regarding blades, but a close second is how much YMMV regarding razors.
It's bought and paid for and I'm not aware of any rule stating I have to like it. I wish I did but I don't. And I'm grateful to not be trapped in the 1950's/1960's!
Mühle R89. I gave it away after 3 "shaves".
You may have acted too hastily. I too had a disappointing experience with the Muhle R89. It was way too mild. However, when double-shimmed under the working blade, it is spot-on perfect for my tough whiskers. No razor shaves me better, and I have about 70 DE, SE, and injector razors.
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- #27
I think you make some good, insightful points.
"The problem for me is at the more aggressive settings the blade isn't held in a curve, as was mentioned earlier by @southdakotaguy. No "bow". So it shaves a bit like a paint scraper. And the lower settings aren't aggressive enough to be useful to me.""
I took a close look and it. There is still internal curvature of the blade at the 9 setting. The problem, it seems to me, is the angle of the blade is relatively flat relative to the comb bar. The rise in the head pretty much prevents you from getting a good blade angle.
But what appalls me is there is only a tiny bit of blade exposure. This is not what you expect at the top, so-called "aggressive" settings. What in the world were the designers (and marketers) at Gillette thinking?
With razors like this, it's no wonder people who needed a really good shave were jumping ship for Hoffritz razors back then.
But what turns me off about adjustable razors in general is that they only change the blade gap. BTW, this is a very old trick, going back to the first Double Ring, in which Gillette touted loosening the handle a bit as a way to increase the closeness of the shave. It was in the instructions and even the patent.
So it's no wonder that when Gillette started making very mild TTOs in the 1940s and 1950s that users realized they needed to loosen the handle a bit to get a close shave in trouble spots -- although this could cause its own problems, of course. So why not design this feature into the razor? Voila! The TTO adjustable. Guys went gaga over the new shaving gadget.
But it doesn't change the blade exposure!
Do ANY adjustable razors change the blade exposure on different settings?
If they don't, what's the point?
That magnetic Futur-type adjustable (MFTA) is basically very mild, which some modern users like, but others don't, so you crank up the setting so you can get a shave. Most of the settings are unusable, like the Gillette TTOs. BUT, with the MFTA the blade angle remains in harmony with the guard and the cap, so that is easy to find a natural angle for shaving. And, judging from the thumb test, the effective blade exposure does seem to increase, though not in an absolute sense.
Frankly, I think the MFTA would make a fine and beautiful razor as a non-adjustable at the right setting, and with a bit more blade exposure. Looking at the head, I get a sense of déjà vu: hasn't someone already made that fixed head razor?
I only tried the MFTA briefly. I am not endorsing it. And I am still highly skeptical of adjustable razors, in general. But I think it is time to explore its potential.
Maggard V3
I have 2 razors I really don’t like. The first is the GEM Micromatic. It shaves well, but is too harsh for my taste. In a SE, I prefer a 1912. The second razor, which is relatively rare, is a WWI German Old Type knock-off with a 3 piece handle in a travel case. It’s a cool idea that is torture to shave with. The geometry was all wrong.
Same here; a completly different razor after double shimming. Not my best razor but it helped a lot.
I too have a Gem Micromatic OC that I found very harsh. Maybe I got a dud blade (Personna with the red packaging from Amazon ) but it was the most uncomfortable shaves I’ve ever had
i use the GEM SS blades. They work great in my 1912s and Damaskeenes, but not in the MMOC. I think it is just the geometry of the MMOC.
The Rockwell 6c; didn't shave at all. I couldn't imagine what plates 1 and 2 were even for.
Another one that got the swift boot was the Occam's Razor. I can't even begin to tell you what a joke that was
On a related note, I recently ordered a Timeless aluminum with VERY low expectations and damn if it isn't a really fine razor and very easy to shave with. Aluminum... Who knew?
Another one that got the swift boot was the Occam's Razor. I can't even begin to tell you what a joke that was
On a related note, I recently ordered a Timeless aluminum with VERY low expectations and damn if it isn't a really fine razor and very easy to shave with. Aluminum... Who knew?
There was a time I was interested in experimenting with shims. That was in my pre-Blackland-Dart shavelife.
Yuma safety razor. Only razor that made the trash [emoji1005].
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When I first played with shims I noticed the increased pressure on the threaded post. This was part of the reason I decided not to use shims. With two shims I imagine one has to put quite a bit of torque on that handle.
The Razorock Baby Smooth was a huge disappointment to me 
Fortunately it wasn't expensive
Fortunately it wasn't expensive 
Damaskee, it was the darling on B&B at the time. It got all the hipe. Yes I was disappointed.
The Edwin Jager 89 is a harmless razor that doesn't give a close shave....even with a Feather blade.
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Many of the Wolfman razors sold on the BST are replaced by other Wolfman razors that are more or less aggressive. Plus, some were sold early on before there was a legit waiting list and for a substantial profit.
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