Finally tried SE shaving this past week.and I liked it!

I got into DE shaving just a little over 2 years ago and have meant to try an SE, but just hadn't gotten around to it. I recently snagged a Gem Micromatic Bullet tip and a knockoff Injector for cheap and have been shaving with them this past week.

My initial thoughts are that I absolutely love the Injector and may shave with this quite regularly. It just seemed so easy to use and provided a great shave. It seemed mild, but efficient. It reminded me of shaving with my Feather AS-D2 in some respects. Very easy to find the angle, very mild, but yet quite efficient. It seemed pretty much idiot proof. I now want to go buy some real Injector razors ASAP!

The Bullet tip is very cool. The gold finish was pretty much worn off, but the razor was in good working condition otherwise especially given that I got it for ~ $10 shipped off ebay. I've always been a fan of TTO razors like the Fat Boy and I'm surprised these SE razors don't get a bit more love. The shave with this one didn't seem as idiot proof as with the injector. A change in angle can make this razor relatively aggressive IMO. I got a bit careless and did give myself one teeny weeper, but it's still pretty easy to use.

I wish I had tried an SE razor sooner, but I wish I had tried DE razors much sooner as well. Better late than never I suppose. Unfortunately this means I will be looking into acquiring even more razors.

Welcome to the world of SE shaving! I discovered SE's last summer and now use them exclusively.

If you liked the knockoff injector, you're going to love the Schicks.

The Bullet Tip is actually the mildest of the Micromatics. The gold plating on all of them is pretty fragile, so I generally look for the chrome finish ones. Did you know that the Micromatic is the original TTO, pre-dating Gillette by a few years?

Yes, you will undoubtedly be acquiring more razors. The good news is that for the most part, compared to DE razors SE's are relatively inexpensive.

--Bob

I had read here that the Bullet Tip was one of the milder razors which was why I chose that one, but it seemed pretty aggressive at the right (or maybe wrong) angle. The really nice part was that I could have had a decent shave just going WTG. I've only tried a couple of other razors that could do the same.

Any suggestions for my next Injector razor? Adjustable maybe? I like how the knockoff shaves, but a nicer handle would be good.

Thanks!

SE's are awesome, the Bullet-Tip is one of my favorites, not much angle is required. There is a variant of the Bullet-Tip called a Bull's Eye that has a round indention on the cap of the razor to remind the user to keep the cap close to the face while shaving. See the B&B Wiki page under "Single Edge Safety Razor Database" "Gem" "Micromatics"

I have several Schick Injectors and the "Type G" is one of my favorites, but IMO I do not feel there is a huge difference in any of the Schicks G-L? Others may feel differently. There is a nice table showing the various Types on the B&B Wiki page "Single Edge Safety Razor Database" "Schick"

As for other SE's you might try a Gem Junior, they are an effortless/enjoyable shave, they are around every corner, and usually fairly cheap! There are several different handle variations to choose from.

You didn't mention your SE blade of choice but check out "The Great Blade Exchange" sticky in the Safety Razor/Safety Razor Blades Sub Forum. This is a really nice service and will give you a chance to try some quality DE/SE blades for the cost of a few stamps.

Have Fun!

P.S. - BTW there is nothing unfortunate about having more razors!

KCee said:

Any suggestions for my next Injector razor? Adjustable maybe? I like how the knockoff shaves, but a nicer handle would be good.

Thanks!

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What you'll see commonly available are, from the oldest on, Type E (butterscotch Bakelite handle), Type G (several handle colors, but ivory is most common), Type I (which includes both a fixed head version, and the much-loved Hydro-Magic version that has a lever that allows the head to be partially opened for cleaning), Type J, usually seen with a long, cylindrical handle, and the Type L, which typically has a long, slightly contoured half-round black handle. All are great shavers and, in general, they get milder/less aggressive as you progress through the years of production.

The E is a very aggressive razor, IMO, but a great shaver once the technique is mastered. The G is quite a bit less aggressive than the E, but still in the medium range. The I and J are just a hint milder than the G. The L is in turn noticeably milder than the I and J. My personal favorites are the I and J, as I tend to prefer razors in the medium range. The E is too much razor for me to use on a regular basis, while the L is a little too mild. Probably more guys prefer the G than any other, and that is handy, as there seem to be zillions of them out there. Your idea of an adjustable is good, but be advised that the adjustable Schicks tend to go for pretty high prices, unless you're lucky enough to find one in the wild. A better (or at least, cheaper) route would be to get a G, an I, and maybe an L, and test them out. All three can probably be had for less than one adjustable, and you'll have a good range of injector choices in your stable.

And yes, the vintage Schicks will be much better (not to mention way cooler) than your knock-off.

Great info thanks! I shaved with the knockoff Injector again this morning and another wonderful shave. This was my 1st morning shave where I move a bit quicker so I was curious as to how that would go. Don't want to get ahead of myself, but at the moment this knockoff razor is my favorite. I own quite a few DE razors including Fatboy, Slim, Progress, AS-D2, various Ikons, RR Stainless Slant, etc and this cheapo is shaving as well as any if not better lol.

Congrats on the shave. SE's are fun and a whole other excuse to buy more razors.

KCee said:

Great info thanks! I shaved with the knockoff Injector again this morning and another wonderful shave. This was my 1st morning shave where I move a bit quicker so I was curious as to how that would go. Don't want to get ahead of myself, but at the moment this knockoff razor is my favorite. I own quite a few DE razors including Fatboy, Slim, Progress, AS-D2, various Ikons, RR Stainless Slant, etc and this cheapo is shaving as well as any if not better lol.

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So I don't know how to compare the knockoff, efficiency-wise, to the various Schicks, since I haven't experienced one of these knockoffs. But, the goodness of the shave from your knockoff notwithstanding, you really need to experience the original. The guys at Schick got this one right back in the day, and its as good ever. So pick one, based on your preference for efficiency, and go for it.

I loved my injectors till they pulled the blades from the stores. My first razor was a Schick dial adjustable injector !

I snagged an adjustable off eBay. Should see it by next week. Still liking the clone!

Deltaboy said:

I loved my injectors till they pulled the blades from the stores. My first razor was a Schick dial adjustable injector !

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I'm lucky enough to have a store locally that carries the Chinese Schick injector blades (aka Chicks). They are on the spendy side, as single blades go, but they are quite long lived, so they are still a lot less on a per shave basis than the carts. You can find the Chicks from a variety of on-line sources, so no need to forgo the excellent injector shave.

I initially got some Schick blades from drugstore.com, but just ordered a 4-pack from Amazon. I looked around a bit and the price on Amazon was slightly better than other places and I have Prime.

So far I only see the blades lasting a bit longer than DE blades although I don't push it. DE blades are so cheap I started just using them for 2 shaves. My beard seems to dull blades very quickly and then I risk getting ingrowns. I used the Schick Injector blades for 4 shaves, but I could feel the difference. The 1st 2 shaves were absolutely perfect, but I could feel a bit of resistance for the 3rd and the 4th was getting worse. Not bad, but noticeably less smooth to where I didn't want to see what the 5th was like.

I got to find that Injector.