*** Let me state at the top, that this is not a sponsored post. ***
Look at my picture on my blog, and you will notice I have a shaved head. I have been shaving it since I was 18 years old using the standard Gillette cartridge razor and shaving cream method.
Earlier this year, I started investigating alternative shaving techniques and tested over a dozen injector razors and double-edge razors. Cartridge style razors (Gillette, Harry's, Schick, etc.) are the type of blade most of us grew up using. They are highly available and easy to use.
I shave my face and head every day; the cost of cartridges is significantly more (even with Harry's or Dollar Shave Club.) A typical blade lasts st most a week.
So single-edge and double-edge replacement blades cost less. Contrary to popular advertising, adding more blades didn't make the shave easier on my skin. Using a proper shaving regimen with the single-edge or double-edge razors yielded a gentler shave with less irritation.
Exploring
I bought a bunch of different razors (handle and blade combos for double-edge and single-edge injector kids). My double-edge blade collection is a collection sourced from 14 different countries.
After everything was said and done, I chose the Supply Co single-edge injector style razor as my preferred shaver.
I tested the following injector razors:
Supply Co (version 2)
Shave Classic Single Edge Razor Handle
Schick injector razor (old version)
I tested the following injector blades:
Schick
Supply Co
Personna mini
Introduction to the Supply Co Razor
The first characteristic you will notice is just how nice the razor feels in your hard.
It is an all-metal build using Metal Injection Molding (typically used to manufacture aerospace components or medical items). This process allows them to create razors with very tight tolerances. You would expect an all-metal razor to be slippery. Still, the bead-blasted surface allows for easy gripping, even with wet hands. It is very subtle, and the razor looks sleek and smooth.
Supply Co understands that preferences are personal. They include three configuration plates for the blades (think gentle, classic and close). After testing all three, I chose and still use the close adjustment plate. You can use any injector blade with the Supply Co razor.
They include a small supply of Supply Co razor blades with each kit (and they run free blade for life promos every once in a while). Their blades are slightly thicker than the competition, making them particularly suitable for mowing down multi-day beards. The Supply Co razor injector comes with eight blades and a used blade catcher underneath.
A traditional Gillette style cartridge razor required two passes to get a good shave (even with their 5-blade razors). Using a pre-save cream, shave soap, and the Supply Co razor requires an additional pass. The result is a less irritated and closer shave.
What about the cost?
I always used high-quality shaving products, so moving to a pre-shave cream and shave soap didn't increase the cost that much. The Supply Co razor is ($75USD) is more expensive than a traditional Gillette razor ($10-15USD).
Still, the cost of razors and blades catches up at five months, and it becomes much cheaper after that.
The other important factor to consider is that the Supply Co razor is guaranteed for 100 years. As long as you don’t lose or abuse the razor, you likely won’t have to buy another razor for a while (if ever).
What about the Double-Edged razors
I tested several razors and blades. All in all, I must have gone through 30 separate combinations. Which blades did I try? here is the list of double-edge blades I tried
Derby Extra
Astra Superior Double platinum
Shark
Asco
Lord Cool
Big Ben
Shark Platinum
Rapira Voskhod
Clifton
Treet Dura Sharp
Silver star
Vidyut Super-Max
Ladas
Here is the list of double-edge razors I tried:
Wilkinson Sword
Merkur Classic 3 piece
Merkur progress adjustable 2 piece
Weishi Long Handle
I found the Supply Co razor more gentle (less irritation). I found it particularly challenging, shaving the back of my head with the double-edge (more prone to cutting and missing patches of hair) than the Supply Co razor.
In preparation for this entry, I shaved a 2-day beard with my favourite double-edge combination and the Supply co razor with their in-house blades. With three passes using the same process, the Supply Co side was smoother, less irritated and had fewer nicks.
Change in mindset
The other unintended change was my mindset around shaving. Not sure why this change happened, but it did. I had always seen shaving as a necessary evil.
When I switched to the single-edge razor with a pre-shave cream, shave soap with a boar hair brush and an alum stone, I find shaving a relaxing self-care ritual.
Shaving is personal
Shaving is a very personal experience, and everyone will have different preferences. I suggest you get involved in the dozens of online communities and find the combo that best suits you.
A handful of members in these communities also switched to the Supply Co after my experience, and have now become converts.
Some may prefer the double-edge razors, while others will always see shaving as a chore and go with the mid-priced cartridge razor on special at their local pharmacy.
Ultimately shaving is something most of us will do for many years, so it is worth investing a little bit of time in finding the best solution for you.