Why are Schick Injectors supposed to be so great?

[Christoph]

Lately I have been reading about how Schick Injectors are supposed to be the best kept secrect in wetshaving. Some say they are better then DEs and even comparable to a straight razor in term of the quality of shave they offer.

I am wonder why people think this?

I read on www.shaveblog.com that Injectors are among the best shaving devices out there. The author went on to talk about how you can take a Feather Straight rzaor and 'cut it down' to make the blade fit into an injector. This suppsedly produces a really great shave. Well, I doubt I would have any interest in goong as far as to cut a straight razor blade into pieces just to fit it into another device. It seems like a bit of a hassle. But I am curious as to why some people genrally reagrd Injectors as being better than DEs?

Can anyone explain this to me?

Okay, you guys probably know what this question boils down to... I am trying to decide if I should purchase an injector and give it a try.

Again, I have no interest in cutting up another razor, but I am very curious about the whole injector thing.

I presently have a Merkur Hefty Classic and a Merkur Futur. I think they are both great and they can both produce awesome shaves with the right products and focus. But I still am curious about the injector. I just want to know why it might be better.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[geoff]

Having not used either a DE or Injector (darn slow mail system!)

My impression is the Injector's thicker blade won't deflect as much when cutting tough hairs which can, for some, cause irritation on a DE.

Also, the Injector is held at angle closer to that of modern cartridge razors from what I understand which is felt to lessen the learning curve.

Keep in mind my noted lack of experience though; this is just what I have read from others.

 

[With The Grain]

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[rustyblade]

Injectors are idiot-proof as far as shaving angle is concerned. So i've heard anyway, I like my DE and Feather AC too much to bother with injectors.

 

[With The Grain]

[...

 

[geoff]

Good to know; thanks!

i originally thought this was the case as well until i shaved with one and then it's quite obvious it is to be used with the handle perpendicular to your skin so that the blade is closer to parallel, if you use it like a modern cart razor you'll be scraping at a fierce angle (shouldnt be hard to make a mental picture considering how the blade sits). IMV you want the front of the headplate flat to your face or out to a 30 degree angle but no more.

 

[AceHarddrive]

**This thread should be moved into the "Safety Razor" sub-forum of the "Razors" forum. **
As for the question, I dunno if Injectors are any better or worse than DE's or straights. I do know they are safer to load than a DE and don't have to be honed or stropped. I've tried cutting down Feathers to fit my Injectors and lemmetellya, it's a real pain in the neck to try to cut one (with Anvil cutters and Vise-Grip pliers (to hold the wastage) without bending the hell out of the usable section. I just gave up trying and am going to try some PTFE-coated blades from TedPella.

~Tim

 

[geoff]

Did you ever find any reviews of the PTFE coated injector blades?

The question keeps coming up and I have yet to see anyone provide any sort of review on them.

I just gave up trying and am going to try some PTFE-coated blades from TedPella.

~Tim

 

[Suzuki]

Did you ever find any reviews of the PTFE coated injector blades?

The question keeps coming up and I have yet to see anyone provide any sort of review on them.

Here is my review after two shaves - which I just wrote for a related thread:

Here is a link to the Ted Pella page witht the blades

http://www.tedpella.com/dissect_html/dissect.htm

I have now shaved twice with the Pella injector blades and here are my comments with the following caveats:

1) I am using a 1940's injector
2) these are my first two injector shaves - so I have no frame of reference for injector blades.

The comments:

The key fit perfectly and the injector injected the blade without any problem, the size is the same as the old blade that came with the razor.

The first shave - these blades are SHARP, there is no doubt about it - they compare favourably with Derby blades (I have not used the Feathers, Euro Gillettes or Israeli Personnas - I found the Derby's, like them and don't need another 100 DE blades, so have not tried the other brands).

They simply mowed through my fairly heavy, coarse beard without problems - the blade was so smooth and sharp that I did a WTG and then went right to an ATG pass with no problems and then did clean up/blade buffing.

The shave was BBS and lasted as long or longer than any DE shave I've had - pretty impressive for a new razor/new blade shave.

The only negative is that the blade is so sharp it can open little weepers without you realizing it - but nothing that the alum block didn't stop immediately.

The second shave - again, a terrific shave - went through two day's worth of growth without a hitch, still sharp enough to open a few weepers and still smooth.

Both shaves were the two easisest BBS shaves I think I have ever had - fewer passes, quick and smooth.

I'll post another report regarding blade life over the next couple of weeks, but my initial reaction is that the Pella injectors are great blades at a price that can't be beat - and the Pella CR rep who handled my order was terriffic. Also, no worries about the problems that seem to be plaguing the Nationwide Campus NOS blades

 

[guenron]

Here is my review after two shaves - which I just wrote for a related thread:

Here is a link to the Ted Pella page witht the blades

http://www.tedpella.com/dissect_html/dissect.htm

I have now shaved twice with the Pella injector blades and here are my comments with the following caveats:

1) I am using a 1940's injector
2) these are my first two injector shaves - so I have no frame of reference for injector blades.

The comments:

The key fit perfectly and the injector injected the blade without any problem, the size is the same as the old blade that came with the razor.

The first shave - these blades are SHARP, there is no doubt about it - they compare favourably with Derby blades (I have not used the Feathers, Euro Gillettes or Israeli Personnas - I found the Derby's, like them and don't need another 100 DE blades, so have not tried the other brands).

They simply mowed through my fairly heavy, coarse beard without problems - the blade was so smooth and sharp that I did a WTG and then went right to an ATG pass with no problems and then did clean up/blade buffing.

The shave was BBS and lasted as long or longer than any DE shave I've had - pretty impressive for a new razor/new blade shave.

The only negative is that the blade is so sharp it can open little weepers without you realizing it - but nothing that the alum block didn't stop immediately.

The second shave - again, a terrific shave - went through two day's worth of growth without a hitch, still sharp enough to open a few weepers and still smooth.

Both shaves were the two easisest BBS shaves I think I have ever had - fewer passes, quick and smooth.

I'll post another report regarding blade life over the next couple of weeks, but my initial reaction is that the Pella injectors are great blades at a price that can't be beat - and the Pella CR rep who handled my order was terriffic. Also, no worries about the problems that seem to be plaguing the Nationwide Campus NOS blades

Could you have found the HOLY GRAIL of injector blades?
I am excited enough to call Pella today and order a couple of packs. This could be the beginning of Injector Blade Acquisition Disorder (IBAD-I even like the sound! )

 

[geoff]

Fantstic.

I look forward to hearing how many good shaves you get from a blade.

They certainly sound the ticket and at a good price.

 

[Suzuki]

Could you have found the HOLY GRAIL of injector blades?
I am excited enough to call Pella today and order a couple of packs. This could be the beginning of Injector Blade Acquisition Disorder (IBAD-I even like the sound! )

Ron:

I will add the customary YMMV caveat, but I am very impressed with these blades - if they last as long as a Derby (for me 4 - 5 shaves), then I'll be pleased.

I agree that there may be a IBAD (a subcategory of BAD) outbreak caused by the Nationwide NOS blades and the resurgence of interest in injectors generally.

The Pella price is $4.50 for a 20-blade injector (22.5 cents per blade), which is much cheaper than Nationwide (which at $5 per 7 work out to about 71 cents per blade) and is comparable to the 10 to 18 cents per blade for bulk e-bay Derby and Israeli blades. These are the same blades that Red Dragon sells on e-bay for around $9.

The shipping is also very reasonable - I got 200 GEM blades, 60 injector blades and 30 carbon steel Feathers (anyone know anything about these?) delivered to Canada for $6.50, as Pella was willing to ship to me by USPS letter mail, which is the cheapest way to mail a package from the US to Canada and still got the blades from California to Ontario in one week.

(For you Canadians who might be interested, Pella also has a NAFTA stamp that means no duty and just a couple of bucks worth of PST if you buy more than $20 worth or goods, but if you're just interested in injectors, you can still get 80 blades into the country for nominal shipping and no duty/taxes!)

I'd like to see what others think of these blades (in particular people who have used other brands of injector blades, but I think we may be on to something here.

If this is what IBAD is all about, than count me in.

Hope others like the blades as much as I do.

I'll use this razor/blade combo for the rest of the week so I can report back on longevity.

 

[Dennis]

Just an FYI... I used to be an electron microscope technician. Ted Pella is a very respected vendor in this field along with EMS - Electron Microscopy Sciences. I used to order a lot of supplies from them back in the day. Back to your regularly scheduled program...

Dennis

 

[With The Grain]

i...

 

[Suzuki]

id watch your angle or pressure if you're getting a lot of weepers as that shouldnt be correlated to a sharp blade, particularly a thicker blade like this imo

I agree - I chalk this up to my getting used to the injector more than the blades. I'm only getting weepers in the same areas that I have very heavy stubble and need to go over a couple of times and then only on the ATG pass.

 

[roughrider]

I got a question for those of you who own the new NWC injector and the old 1940's brass injector. What's the big difference? Does the brass injector have more blade exposure? Which one gives you a better shave?

 

[guenron]

I got a question for those of you who own the new NWC injector and the old 1940's brass injector. What's the big difference? Does the brass injector have more blade exposure? Which one gives you a better shave?

RR,
Fixed head (Type O), about the same. Adjustable, the jury is still out. After two shaves, the first was poor because I had the adjustment set to 5. The second was far better with the adjustment set wide open. I'll have more data when I start using them again next week. Right now I am doing a comparison of the Gillette Super Silver DE and the Gillette Platinum (Swedish) DE european issues. By the time I reengage the injectors I should have some Personna twin edge injector blades and Ted Pella's PTFE stainless blades. Oh the joy!

 

[ouch]

Right now I am doing a comparison of the Gillette Super Silver DE and the Gillette Platinum (Swedish) DE european issues.:

Looking forward to the results.

 

[guenron]

Looking forward to the results.

Right now you can buy a subscription to Test Results, Which Euro? from LetterK for an as yet to be determined price. At the end of this week I'll have the final data on the associated longevity issues. BTW, SWMBO is becoming more skeptical of my latest wet shaving techniques. Two razors, after each stroke switching razors and sides..

 

[ouch]

Right now you can buy a subscription to Test Results, Which Euro? from LetterK for an as yet to be determined price. At the end of this week I'll have the final data on the associated longevity issues. BTW, SWMBO is becoming more skeptical of my latest wet shaving techniques. Two razors, after each stroke switching razors and sides..

I just got some from John, so I'll be doing the same.

As for SWMBO, for my last razor purchase, I told her it was a special "left handed" model, so I don't have to struggle and contort myself to use it.

I know. I'm grasping at straws here.