Schick Krona

[brooklynlou]

Price = The Schick Double Edged Razor (later marketed as the 'Krona') was continually produced for nearly two decades from the 60's to the 70's. Later models had the word 'Krona' stamped on the head, earlier ones did not. Same razor.

There are a lot of them out there. Because of numbers and lack of collector demand, they can be still be purchased quite cheaply on ebay. I picked up mine still in its original packaging for $5.

Quality= The Krona is well made razor. Even after 40 years, the thick plastic handles are still going strong.

On the nitpicking side of things, its one quirk is that the tolerance of the center-bar on some of the later models is a hair off. This requires that you make sure you center the blade before closing the doors. If you're not careful you can have a hair (and I mean a thin hair) more blade exposure on one side of the DE than the other. That said, this is not necessarily a bad thing - you can use the more blade side to go WTG and the less blade side for ATG - a ghetto adjustable .

Grip = The Krona has a wonderful long knurled hard plastic no-slip handle. If the Gillette Super Speeds feel small in your hands the Krona may be just right. Warning: Don't boil a Krona to disinfect. The handle will melt and deform and render the razor useless.

Aggressiveness = If a Gillette Super Speed is a 5 on a 1-10 scale, the Krona is a 5.75. Just a tad more aggressive than the Super Speed. Personally I don't get a smooth shave from a SS, they are too mild. The Krona's extra aggressiveness consistently gives me a great shave. It also seems a bit more forgiving should you apply more pressure than you should.

Adjustability = None, unless you consider the center bar quirk on the later models a feature rather than a bug.

Balance = Excellent

Overall = To quote paydepst "The Krona is an underrated and I think under appreciated razor that is well deserving of an accolade now and again. I think it's an excellent razor for someone new to DE wetshaving as it so forgiving and you need that starting out. The balance and heft of the razor is perfect. If you're thinking about trying one then I encourage you to give it a go. It might just join your rotation and never leave it."

[iron maiden]

This razor is the diamond in the rough in DE shavers. It is deserving of much higher remarks than it sometimes gets, but I've never heard anybody give it a bad review, it just has a lot of competition out there....I'm glad it doesn't get the accolades the Gillettes do because I'd be pretty mad to pay the high ebay prices for a plastic razor.

However, as far as it being plastic, it doesn't hinder the effectiveness of this razor at all. It is just wonderful, and I've never gotten a bad shave from mine, which I inherited from my dad.

All in all, if you can get one, I'd say to give it a try....you won't be disappointed.

[Shave Cat]

I have one of the earlier versions of this razor (no "Krona" on the head). I find it to be a mild shaver, similar to a Super Speed, maybe a little more aggressive, but it's hard for me to tell. I don't know the weight of the Krona, but it seems to be similar to that of a Super Speed. Unlike early Super Speeds, the Krona's head is low profile, making it a little easier to shave under one's nose. The plastic handle seems to provide better grip for slippery fingers than a metal handle. Although the razor's metal parts appear to be thinner than those of the Super Speed, overall the razor seems to be well built. After all, these have been around for 20-30 years now. Krona prices are reasonable. Get one before the collectors drive the prices up!

-Clarke

[gunner6477]

Been a DE wetshaver for a really long time and this was my frst experience with the Krona. Got mine as a freebie PIF from CJBianco. Have only had one shave with it thus far and it was fantastic. Previous reviews have hit the major points, but I really like the balance, low profile head, and grip. Adjustibility is obviously a zero because it is fixed. Construction is good quality. Like I said, I have only used it once, but it is likely to become my new "Go to" razor. Had it loaded with a Feather (my primary blade of choice) and got no nicks/cuts/burn. I will probably pick up a couple more just to have for spares.

[smooth_n_slick]

This razor I think is seriously underated, it's Plastic, however it's shaves like a champ, very very nice, no need to put pressure at all, For the price, you can pick up a mint one for like 10.00 on the bay. Theseting is fixed, not agressive, but not dead either. I love this razor, has great lenght...I get excellent shaves everytime, no butcher jobs at all....I recommend it highly!.I would take this razor over a merkur 38C anyday.

[Ebiquitous]

Before having experience with the Merkur slant bar and HD and then reading various posts on this forum, it had not occurred to me that DE razors could be different. Back in the '60s, when I was in the Army, I shaved with a Gillette "fat boy," and never could get good shaves with it. I had to choose between a shave that wasn't very close but left some skin behind or a close shave that took the skin with the whiskers. I remember having a Schick Krona. I don't remember buying it, just shaving with it. I always thought it shaved better than the Gillette, but I thought it was maybe just my imagination. Now I read here that others have had similar experiences. I vaguely remember other guys in the outfit saying they thought the Krona was better than their Gillettes.

[diamud]

After a week of using this razor, I have to say it is my favorite. Just aggressive enough to get a great shave, handle is a decent length, easy to load. The small profile makes it easy to shave in the hard-to-reach area under the nose. My one real gripe would be the plastic handle is lightweight, resulting in a very top-heavy razor, that is why I gave it low marks for balance.

[bcw4588]

I have previously used a Weishi, Merkur HD and Gillette Slim Adjustable and find that this razor is superior to them.

I manage to consistently get a smooth shave in 2-3 passes with little irritation.

Also, the grip is the best i have experienced, perhaps more DEs should come with rubber handles!

[homh]

The Shick Krona doesnt draw much attention from collectors but is a very nice razor to use. The most notable thing about it is the long handle and the plastic grippy coating on the handle. Very comfortable to hold and maneuvers easily across the face. It is particularly easy to use on the upper lip area. It doesnt have the solid metallic feel of the Gillette SS razors but does look stylish and modern. It can be found at a good price on ebay for those looking for a DE razor and gives a very good shave.

[Trius]

More and more I LOVE this razor. I only downrated it on Quality because the handle feels the tiniest bit cheap. But it's not really -- it looks cool IMO, and is very grippy.

I could stand it to be more aggressive, but with a Feather blade the combination is superb.

My version is not stamped Krona, and the pamphlet that came with it refers to the Stainless blades, so I assume it is semi-officially known as a Schick Stainless. The head has a brushed pattern, which I find beautiful.

Having said all this, everyone do NOT go out and buy these, as it would only drive up the prices!

[bluepunk18]

I'm so glad to finally find out what model I've been using! I found this razor at a local flea market, bought some inexpensive blades and tried it out a few times. I set it aside for awhile, tried a few other things and have recently come back to this. I too have one that isn't stamped Krona. Its definitely a great start to someone new to DE, like myself. I promise not to buy any more to keep prices low

[yomanhall]

This was not the first razor I bought, but it was the first one I have ever used (the others were still being shipped from the bay). I found it very easy to just pick up and run with. I have already been wet shaving with cartridge razors, so prep was not an issue. I really like the handle for grip and the head (silo doors) looke great with the brushed look. I too have one without anything stamped on the doors. A great shave and all I had on hand were blades from somewhere like the family dollar.

[Warlock]

I think this razor is a much better razor for a beginner than a Merkur HD. I say that because a lot of people seem to recommend the HD for noobs. You can find a Krona for a reasonable price on the bay. It is has long handle, making it more suitable for a wider range of hand sizes. The head of the razor is small making it easier to get those hard to get spots. This DE is a mild shaver, making it more forgiving then an HD and some other razors. I wear size large gloves which I would say is average. In my hands this razor just feels less awkward than my HD. So my point is this, if you are new to classic shaving and are thinking of buying your first DE or find your current DE awkward. A Schick Krona would be a very solid choice.

Here is a pic of mine:

[profsaffel]

I love this razor. I had only used Gillettes until I picked one of these up at an antique store. It is now one of my most favoritest razors.

Shaves like butta'!

[Lawdaddy]

This was my first DE razor. I got it off the Bay in unused condition for less than $30. I've since accumulated a Fatboy and a TV Special (Gillettes), so I now have a source for comparison. I can say that this razor is a tad more aggressive than the TV Special (the TV Special is probably the same as a Superspeed). It is a great razor to start with, or to use as your primary shaver. But for me, it was not quite as good as the TV Special. The grip is amazing, but the razor is lighter, and more aggressive. It has a longer handle, which is really nice, which kind of offsets the lack of weight for ease of use purposes. And, as a general matter I'd grab either without hesitation. That being said, the TV Special just tends to give me a better shave. I do have a few hair growth patterns on my face which are more problematic. It just happens that the Gillette is a little less aggressive and is easier to use for me. But, it could be perfect for you. The upside is it could be perfect, the downside is that it could merely be great. Take a chance on this one and I don't think you'll regret it.

[akhorosh]

It is very good razor. I wish it would be more aggressive.

[FrankPoole]

OK I started off with a Gillette Super Speed. Impossible to cut yourself and also impossible to get a really close shave.
Next I went to a Merkur 38c. Close shave but probably due to sloppy technique couldn't help but nick myself.

Now teh happy medium a Krona. Aggressive enough for a close shave and a smoother nick free shave.

[bman40]

I picked my Krona up NOS with some teflon coated blades (which I do not plan on using) and have used it three times this week. This is among thebest shavig razors I have found. It compares very well to the current gold standard in my rotation: a 40's SuperSpeed.

With a plastic handle it lacks the heft of the SS, but it is well balanced, comfortable, and gives a great shave.

So far I have had excellent results from a Red Pack Personna, and next blade will be a Gillette Yellow Sharpedge.

I found the razor at a wacky junk store for $5 still in the blister pack, so I rate the price as excellent.

the model I have does not have the metal TTO knob (which does look nicer than the one I found) but it is nice looking razor.

Overall, a terrific razor. If you can find one, I recommend that you snap it up.

Barry

[brothers]

(This is a review I also posted today at the Shave Den) Schick Krona: I bought it new 40 years ago when I got married. Took it into the Army and to war and back, in addition to using it daily, I also shaved my dad with it for 13 years while he was disabled, and just in the last few months stopped using it when the butterflies started binding up a tiny bit, then a bit more, and finally had to stop using it about a year ago. At that time, I fell back to my Gillette Slim adjustable that I bought new 45 years ago, only used it for a few years until I got married, and had left at my mom's house until after the Krona had been taken out of service. Who could have asked for a better razor? Now that I've gotten into the forums and such, my razors have multiplied dramatically, straights, merkur, EJ/Muhle and the whole kaboodle, and I seldom see the old Krona anymore. Now after this trip down memory lane, I think I'll go get it and see if I can gently persuade the butterflies to line up a little better and use it for a few days with an old Vintage Wilkinson Sword and Gillette Super Stainless blades and some good old MWF. My, that's going to be fun! Everybody should have a Krona.

[DonOhio]

Very well balanced. The combo of lightweight but long handle makes for excellent handling (better than the long black SA), and the square studs on the grip keep it in the hand even when wet. I could not really tell a difference between the cut of this razor and the comparable Gillette Knack. The handsomely finished angled head of the Krona makes trimming the very top of my mustache, just under the nose, much easier than with any Gillette I've used. Well worth owning.