Shavette vs Safety

I did it. I pulled the trigger on the Parker SR1 Shavette. After 2 uses, I am a bit more comfortable with it, and no doubt will improve over time. I only have a couple of cuts, but they look pretty cool the next day

Here's my personal thoughts, though. If people get, on average, 3 shaves from a shavette blade (6 total if you snap your own) - and the shave is about equal to a DE Safety Razor, I am losing out.

I get about 14-20 shaves from a DE Safety, and could probably go much further into Excalibur territory if I wanted. I change razors / blades about every other weekend.

Don't get me wrong, learning a new technique is fun and challenging. And the Shavette DID do a really nice job on my cheeks. Adam's apple, not so much. But I don't know if I would totally replace my Safety razors with a Shavette.

Maybe later I might delve into a true Straight Razor, but that's an expensive endeavor.

All that to say... Those of you who use both, or Shavette exclusively, what are YOUR thoughts on the matter? How and why did you get to where you are with your shaving routines?

Thanks!

I tried using a Turkish Sedef and a Shaving Factory Shavette, every time it went badly
Now I just use DE safety razors and the shavettes are decorating the bathroom mirror hung on self adhesive clear plastic hooks

I used my SR1 for a couple of months exclusively. I just couldn't get quite as good a shave as I get from my aggressive DEs, and the angles still felt awkward, even after 2 months of practice.

As far as straights, I've decided they are too much work. Not only do they need a lot of care with strops and hones and pastes and such, but the strops and hones need care too. I don't need to add a hobby that requires me to spend time maintaining the items that I use to maintain the tool.

gwsmallwood said:

I used my SR1 for a couple of months exclusively. I just couldn't get quite as good a shave as I get from my aggressive DEs, and the angles still felt awkward, even after 2 months of practice.

As far as straights, I've decided they are too much work. Not only do they need a lot of care with strops and hones and pastes and such, but the strops and hones need care too. I don't need to add a hobby that requires me to spend time maintaining the items that I use to maintain the tool.

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Your comment on straights' made me chuckle[emoji1], I agree they are too time consuming and life is too short.

You guys make me feel better - thanks so much for the input. DE shaving is so enjoyable and cheap and easy. Why would I want to add expense and trouble, like you guys said.

I've used a Parker SR1 almost exclusively for the last year (I also have a Gillette New that calls out to me every now and then). I use the Derby 1/2 blades and get 5-7 shaves before before "it just don't feel right". I get a much smoother and longer lasting shave with the Parker over the Gillette New. Maybe I just haven't used the New enough to develop the proper technique, but that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Parker's can be unforgiving, and it takes a while to perfect your technique. Even then, a moment of inattention, and you'll get cut! That said, they do give great shaves, and I can use them for at least a week before swapping out the first half of the blade.

If you like the idea of a shavette, and want something that is more forgiving, check out the Weck Sextoblade and Weck Hair Shapers. These can be found on eBay rather cheaply and give great shaves. They are my favorite shavette. They take Hair Shaper blades and are much better for that type of shaving than a DE blade, in my opinion, because it is a stiffer blade.

TheVez2 said:

Parker's can be unforgiving, and it takes a while to perfect your technique. Even then, a moment of inattention, and you'll get cut! That said, they do give great shaves, and I can use them for at least a week before swapping out the first half of the blade.

If you like the idea of a shavette, and want something that is more forgiving, check out the Weck Sextoblade and Weck Hair Shapers. These can be found on eBay rather cheaply and give great shaves. They are my favorite shavette. They take Hair Shaper blades and are much better for that type of shaving than a DE blade, in my opinion, because it is a stiffer blade.

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I've heard the Sanguine Coolcut 9 Shavettes that use the same hair shaper injector blades are very similar to the Sextoblades.

They're up to 9?????

Shaved with a Weck this morning. Very nice shave and it mimics a straight razor in feel and heft - the one I have has scales like a straight. Blades readily available. Check out the CJB/Greager or Sam Seung shavettes. You can get 20 Feather Pro blades for $12. You need a very light touch but best shaves I have had (Greager).

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I have a shavette, and it's a neat change of pace from my DE. I will still mainly use the DE, but use the shavette when I have a lot of free time.

[MENTION=67066]mjclark[/MENTION] got one of those his opinion was pretty positive. The injector blades are thicker which means less thus more forgiving.

Personally i am deep into the artist club and get great shave out of them. You could get started with one of the cjb / greager or go directly to kai or feather. I can tell you more if you are interested.


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TheVez2 said:

They're up to 9?????

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Yeah it looks pretty close to the mr charles ... They sell for like 12£ shipped with a pack of blade.


Sent from Mars

Ultimately it is the edge that shaves and DE's are just easier to use and give the same shave as shavette's because they use the same edge so to me it isn't worth the effort to use shavettes.

I have been trying a cheap Turkish Sedef as a shaver for the back of my neck. It takes a couple mirrors to try it, and that is what I am still doing is trying. The shavette blade does a good job of evenly cutting at the bottom of head-hair growth, and does a good job of keeping the neck horse-hair down, but it has been a struggle with the frequent cuts. At some point I will get the technique down blindly. You lose only if you give up before succeeding.

labrax said:

Shaved with a Weck this morning. Very nice shave and it mimics a straight razor in feel and heft - the one I have has scales like a straight. Blades readily available. Check out the CJB/Greager or Sam Seung shavettes. You can get 20 Feather Pro blades for $12. You need a very light touch but best shaves I have had (Greager).

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I have the cjb and it works quite nicely once you learn the technique. I liked it enough that i got the feather. They are essentially the same, though i think (could be my imagination) the feather gives me a better shave. I still DE shave too. I like using the different razors just to mix things up.

I typically use straights on my head and DE/SEs on my face. Yesterday one of my impulse buys came in the mail. A Sanguine Coolcut 9 shavette. Cost me, I think, like $23 CAD and that included 20 Personna injector blades. I do have a regular half DE blade shavette that I learned with but haven't really used since. I liked the looks of the Coolcut 9 since first seeing it on B&B some time ago and finally pulled the trigger on it. Haven't tried it yet but I'm already really impressed with the sturdy construction and heft of it. For the price, it's very high quality. I don't think that it will replace my straights but to change things up now and again... I like the weight of it as its heavy like a straight, totally opposite of my other shavette. Can't wait to try it.

Rotflmao said:

I typically use straights on my head and DE/SEs on my face. Yesterday one of my impulse buys came in the mail. A Sanguine Coolcut 9 shavette. Cost me, I think, like $23 CAD and that included 20 Personna injector blades. I do have a regular half DE blade shavette that I learned with but haven't really used since. I liked the looks of the Coolcut 9 since first seeing it on B&B some time ago and finally pulled the trigger on it. Haven't tried it yet but I'm already really impressed with the sturdy construction and heft of it. For the price, it's very high quality. I don't think that it will replace my straights but to change things up now and again... I like the weight of it as its heavy like a straight, totally opposite of my other shavette. Can't wait to try it.
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Looks sharp!

I use DE on my head and the feather on my face...head shaving with the feather seems a little scary to me.

Looks nice! Please update us after you use it.

Shavettes and straights require your FOCUS.
Especially when you're comfortable with them. When you think you've aced them and relax, they'll cut you.