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Why are SE shavers uncommon?

What is the reason for SE shaving being very small? Is it because DE is cheaper to produce?

I was just curious. Every person who returns to traditional style will always go DE for some reason
 
As I see it, there seems to be an enormous variety/selection of razors and blades, at all price points in the DE world. And it would seem that Gillette had a marketing lead with the Blue Blades etc. when safety razors were introduced.

As for me, I am a SchickHead, and I use injector razors (a cult-like subset of SE shaving...only the truly worthy need apply) exclusively, so my choices are much more limited. But I found what I like and I do what I like. :001_smile

As for other SE shaving options, I'll defer to those who know more. They will be along shortly.
 
Speaking for myself, when I got into traditional shaving about 6 months ago and started shopping for a razor to replace my cartridge razor, what I found were DE razors and that's what I was familiar with since my Dad used one. I had jumped in before I discovered B&B or other sources of information, though I did refer to videos to help me understand technique (thanks Mantic!).

I didn't really know SE was still an option until I'd been at it for a few weeks and was more actively reading this forum. Since then, I have looked at SE razors and am intrigued, but I'm not a vintage razor guy, so options for a new one seem somewhat limited. I love the look of the Mongoose and may try that one day, once they are more readily available, but for now have a couple of DE razors I'm happy with.
 
Speaking for myself, when I got into traditional shaving about 6 months ago and started shopping for a razor to replace my cartridge razor, what I found were DE razors and that's what I was familiar with since my Dad used one. I had jumped in before I discovered B&B or other sources of information, though I did refer to videos to help me understand technique (thanks Mantic!).

I didn't really know SE was still an option until I'd been at it for a few weeks and was more actively reading this forum. Since then, I have looked at SE razors and am intrigued, but I'm not a vintage razor guy, so options for a new one seem somewhat limited. I love the look of the Mongoose and may try that one day, once they are more readily available, but for now have a couple of DE razors I'm happy with.

Pretty much this. Better selection, better advertising. I started with the DE then branched out into the SEs. So for, only the ones that handle the standard SE blades, but lately I have been looking at injectors too.
 
It's mostly about basic consumeristic tendencies...that is to say, when people have a choice of several different products, they will buy one, but when they don't have several options to choose from, they tend to not make a purchase. With SE, well, you can get a GEM, or an Ever-Ready, and some Treet blades, and that's pretty much it. It's too much fun trying out a new and different blade. You could shave twice a day every day for all your life and probably still not discover all the different blades. You simply cannot do that with SE.
 
I occasionally shave with a Gem razor to add variety to my shaves. I bought a nice se blade sampler from Try A Blade along with my DE blade order.

The shave experience is totally different then with a DE. I do get a great shave when I use my Gem.
 
I have two Gems. A 1912 and a newer one, only about 60 years old. I shave with each one once and swore off
 
I actually went from carts, to straights for a few months, then joined B&B and got caught up in the world of DE, about 2 months ago i tried SE, all i gotta say is: fantastic! My SE razors work magic ATG.
 
When I started shaving I used a Schick Injector then went through the cartridge and electric phases before settling down with DE razors. I recently bought a vintage Injector and am trying hard to like it but success has so far evaded me. When I first used a SE I developed a proper technique quickly since I had to and didn't know anything else, now after years with a DE the SE technique seems evasive.

A more direct answer to the initial question is probably that while vintage SE razors are plentiful there are no modern versions and decent blades are scarce and expensive compared to DE hardware.
 
I started with DE's and was not aware of the SE razors until I found the B&B.

Then I picked up a MMTOC, followed by a Damaskeene and other SE's (up to 6), then some injectors.

They give very nice shaves, almost do not need to shave every day.

As stated above the main issues are a lack of a variety of blades, and the number of SE's (compared to DE's).

Also I think people may be intimidated by the SE's. At first one thinks of medieval torture instruments :lol:.
 
I would venture to say that the limiting factor is injector SE razor blades. I know of dozens of various DE blade manufacturers; but only 2 injector SE. The injector razors themselves are almost fool-proof. I would personally encourage everyone trying to forgo a cart razor to try an injector instead. My Hydro Magic is so docile yet gives a great shave.
 
I started with vintage Gillette a year ago. Learned about SE after htat. I have since acquired 5-6 SE's, but can't get them to work as well as my DE's, so they mostly sit on the shelf.
 
It might well be because there are no off the shelf or currently in production models - it's an entirely vintage thing and only really having taken the first step into traditional shaving via DEs does a person really find SEs. So, a small few of a small few ...
 
Good question that I have wondered about as well ... maybe because SE blade producers did not have the marketing powers that Gillette had?
 
It might well be because there are no off the shelf or currently in production models - it's an entirely vintage thing and only really having taken the first step into traditional shaving via DEs does a person really find SEs. So, a small few of a small few ...
+1
When I decided to junk the cartridge, I simply went out and bought a new Merkur DE because that, along with a choice of blades, was what was readily available. I really didn't know anything about the vast array of vintage razors out there. Once I discovered that, acquisition and use of SE razors followed in short order. Two good things about that are that good razors are available at bargain prices, especially compared to the current market in vintage DEs, and the shave is every bit as good, or better. True, there is no real blade choice to speak of, but sometimes that is good, as it reduces analysis paralysis and encourages focus on technique. Gillette's marketing machine produced their dominance of the safety razor world back in the day, and really resulted in today's market in DE razors and blades. But even though they're currently extinct, there is a good argument to be made that the SE was actually superior technology.
 
For some of us it is generational. The DE was considered more modern than the SE.
And we all know, the more modern the better the product (lol).

For those new to wet shaving and informed through exposure to the likes of B&B,
they have options.
 
I would agree with blade selection likely being a limiting factor with today's shaver. However, YMMV but I firmly believe that the 1912's-1924's are my best shaving razors. Not to mention they are easier to purchase since most everyone else is looking for DE's.
 
I think it has to do with history.
I might be completely wrong but in the turmoil of readying when moving into wet shaving, I remember an article about this:
High carbon martensitic stainless steel was an expensive material and when people were "investing" on a more expensive blade they tended to prefer DE vs SE blades just because it seemed obvious that you'd get more shaves out of their investment. With that, the entire industry moved in that same direction.
Don't know if its true but kind of made sense to me.
 
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