The Single Edge Gang

Ok I will jump in. I have several SE razors. I have tried to get along with injector razors and while the shaves are decent I just don't like using them. I have traded or given away all but a Schick I1. I have two Gems, one 1912 and one Damaskeene that I really enjoy. I also have 3 Artist Club Razors that include a Cobra Classic, AlumiGoose V1 and and a Mongoose B2. I have used SE razors about 2/3 of the time over the past 18 months with the majority being of shaves using one of the Artist Club razors.

Schick Injector History & ID Guide

Schick Injector Development Chronology

Many thanks!

I use Gem SE blade razors most of the time. The only four I use are the MMOC, British 1912, 1914 and 1924 Shovelhead. I have a bunch of others, including the Featherweight, Bullet Tip, Streamline, G Bar and copies of the MMOC and 1914, but I just use those four. I can't decide which one I like best.

I also have three or four Schick injectors, including two E types, but can't figure out how to get a close shave.

I also use the stainless steel and aluminum versions of the Mongoose. I'm still on the fence about these.

Very cool! With injectors I find to place the head flat on the face and lower the handle until the blade begins to cut, and even though they are lighter than other razors, you still need very little pressure.

Ok I will jump in. I have several SE razors. I have tried to get along with injector razors and while the shaves are decent I just don't like using them. I have traded or given away all but a Schick I1. I have two Gems, one 1912 and one Damaskeene that I really enjoy. I also have 3 Artist Club Razors that include a Cobra Classic, AlumiGoose V1 and and a Mongoose B2. I have used SE razors about 2/3 of the time over the past 18 months with the majority being of shaves using one of the Artist Club razors.

I have yet to try an AC razor. With the razorock hawk coming out I will have an affordable option to test the waters. I hear they shave well

SEs only for me. Started off working through all of the vintage ones because there weren't any modern ones except for the Cobra Classic. Now I stick with the OneBlade & await new razors to be made featuring the GEM SS PTFE blade. Short & thin handles on the vintage razors is what keeps me preferring the current modern offerings. I will say that the MicroMatic line from GEM is still the most impressive razors ever made. That TTO mechanism is pure genius.

Vintage:
• 1912s - were ok but not great for me. Never was curious enough to try a Damaskeene.
• 1914 - one of my 2 favorite vintage SEs. Even shaved with it exclusively for close to a year leading up to its centennial.
• 1924 - never had a great shave from one and I've tried a few.
• Valet - neat razor to look at but never shaved great for me.
• Heavy Flat Top - very cool looking razor but I could never get a close shave with it. Too mild.
• Feather Weight - more plain looking compared to the Heavy Flat Top & although they supposedly share the same head I can get a much better shave from the Feather Weight. This is my wife's razor of choice.
• Schick E2 - my favorite injector as it is efficient & the head opens for cleaning.
• Schick I1 - was my grandfathers razor. Smooth and mild.
• Streamline - a more aggressive 1912 basically due to the weight. No other vintage SE is made as well. The thick guard bar seemed to minimize the range of effective angles making the razor seem finicky. A good shave one day but not the next. Lovely but neglected to I moved it on to a more loving home.
• Some old lather catchers - ask BrianK more about them as he has them now. The razor head flexed too much and caused my skin problems.
• Clog Pruf MicroMatic - right there with the 1914 as my favorite vintage SE. As efficient as the OCMM without the risk. Plus, this was the first vintage SE that I found and tried when DE razors and blades weren't working for me. It truly saved my traditional shaving journey.
• OCMM - amazingly aggressive and efficient. I can wield it for some amazing results. However, one lapse in concentration and the results can be traumatic.

Modern:
• Cobra Classic - my first modern SE and while I really did love it I just couldn't get away from the weepers and irritation. The moveable blade bed is what I blamed it on.
• King Cobra - better handle but same moveable blade bed. Thankful I got to try it on a pass around as I wouldn't have been happy spending any money on it.
• Mongoose - fortunate enough to have a full B1 set and this was my only razor used for about 15 months before the OneBlade ousted it. My titanium Triad handle on the Mongoose head gives me the best shaves from it, but the AC blades are still likely to give me weepers.
• AlumiGoose v1 - surprisingly I find this razor much more aggressive than my B1 stainless steel 'Goose. I do like the weight of it but the blade feel is a bit too much for me. I hear the v2 is less aggressive but I haven't felt like trying it.
• OneBlade - finally a razor that I can use the GEM SS PTFE blades in. Even though they are designed for the Feather spineless blade I find the GEM better. A simple spine-ectomy and they are good to go.
• Colonial Razor's The General - another AC blade razor that is extremely mild. It was designed this way to be easier for the every day shaver. A Feather Pro blade in this razor didn't cut well for me, but the Feather Super Pro gave me some of the best shaves out of this style of razors.
• RazoRock Hawk - on email list cause I mean come on; it's only $20!!!

SEs only for me. Started off working through all of the vintage ones because there weren't any modern ones except for the Cobra Classic. Now I stick with the OneBlade & await new razors to be made featuring the GEM SS PTFE blade. Short & thin handles on the vintage razors is what keeps me preferring the current modern offerings. I will say that the MicroMatic line from GEM is still the most impressive razors ever made. That TTO mechanism is pure genius.

Vintage:
• 1912s - were ok but not great for me. Never was curious enough to try a Damaskeene.
• 1914 - one of my 2 favorite vintage SEs. Even shaved with it exclusively for close to a year leading up to its centennial.
• 1924 - never had a great shave from one and I've tried a few.
• Valet - neat razor to look at but never shaved great for me.
• Heavy Flat Top - very cool looking razor but I could never get a close shave with it. Too mild.
• Feather Weight - more plain looking compared to the Heavy Flat Top & although they supposedly share the same head I can get a much better shave from the Feather Weight. This is my wife's razor of choice.
• Schick E2 - my favorite injector as it is efficient & the head opens for cleaning.
• Schick I1 - was my grandfathers razor. Smooth and mild.
• Streamline - a more aggressive 1912 basically due to the weight. No other vintage SE is made as well. The thick guard bar seemed to minimize the range of effective angles making the razor seem finicky. A good shave one day but not the next. Lovely but neglected to I moved it on to a more loving home.
• Some old lather catchers - ask BrianK more about them as he has them now. The razor head flexed too much and caused my skin problems.
• Clog Pruf MicroMatic - right there with the 1914 as my favorite vintage SE. As efficient as the OCMM without the risk. Plus, this was the first vintage SE that I found and tried when DE razors and blades weren't working for me. It truly saved my traditional shaving journey.
• OCMM - amazingly aggressive and efficient. I can wield it for some amazing results. However, one lapse in concentration and the results can be traumatic.

Modern:
• Cobra Classic - my first modern SE and while I really did love it I just couldn't get away from the weepers and irritation. The moveable blade bed is what I blamed it on.
• King Cobra - better handle but same moveable blade bed. Thankful I got to try it on a pass around as I wouldn't have been happy spending any money on it.
• Mongoose - fortunate enough to have a full B1 set and this was my only razor used for about 15 months before the OneBlade ousted it. My titanium Triad handle on the Mongoose head gives me the best shaves from it, but the AC blades are still likely to give me weepers.
• AlumiGoose v1 - surprisingly I find this razor much more aggressive than my B1 stainless steel 'Goose. I do like the weight of it but the blade feel is a bit too much for me. I hear the v2 is less aggressive but I haven't felt like trying it.
• OneBlade - finally a razor that I can use the GEM SS PTFE blades in. Even though they are designed for the Feather spineless blade I find the GEM better. A simple spine-ectomy and they are good to go.
• Colonial Razor's The General - another AC blade razor that is extremely mild. It was designed this way to be easier for the every day shaver. A Feather Pro blade in this razor didn't cut well for me, but the Feather Super Pro gave me some of the best shaves out of this style of razors.
• RazoRock Hawk - on email list cause I mean come on; it's only $20!!!

You have tried a lot! I agree about the Clog Pruf, that is one awesome razor. It was the first vintage SE that I was able to get a quality shave out of.

How about an ongoing thread for us Single Edge and Injector razor users. A place where we can hang out and talk about this awesome class of razors. I get some of my best shaves with either injectors or SE razors.
Here is a list of my current modest collection

SEs:
Gem Feather Weight (my latest)
Gem Pushbutton
Gem Clog Pruf
Auto Strop VC1 (my current favorite)

Injectors:
Schick Type E3
Canadian Schick Type E4
Schick I Type
The Bunny V3 (only mine for a short while during a pass-around)

My SE collection is very modest compared to what I'm sure some of your have. But I really enjoy them. They are a lot of fun and have a great history. I'm still in the process of learning about them, and only know very little. I hope some more experienced users will join in here and have a good time with other SE users and fans.

I'll post some pictures tomorrow sometime when there is better lighting. It is rainy today so window light is limited.

I hope to see you guys and have good conversation with you all!

Still stormy today so no picture of the collection yet, assuming people care lol

Definitely pics, whiteboy_cannon.

Clint, I just can't get along with injectors either. They don't talk to me and I require that feedback.

FWIW the ClogPruf makes an excellent head shaver especially if one shaves the noggin just every few days. It's called the ClogPruf for a reason and that reason is that it doesn't clog with longer hairs, or the tendency to clog is greatly reduced.

Clint, I just can't get along with injectors either. They don't talk to me and I require that feedback.

FWIW the ClogPruf makes an excellent head shaver especially if one shaves the noggin just every few days. It's called the ClogPruf for a reason and that reason is that it doesn't clog with longer hairs, or the tendency to clog is greatly reduced.

YMMV definitely applies here. I get great shaves from all of my injectors and all but one of my SEs (the Pushbutton). I'm not a head shaver but I could imagine the efficiency of the Clog Pruf being good for it. I'm sure with a more efficient razor you need less strokes which in turn can reduce irritation.


On a side note, I have yet to use the Clog Pruf to mow through more than a days growth. Maybe when I'm done with the Bunny I'll let it grow for a few days and test it's Clog dampening abilities