New Elite 316L stainless steel CNC razor and another one available on Aliexpress

[esee]

I'm really surprised that it's 2025 and they are still doing this kind of thing openly.

And things are getting even more serious. In the past, they simply copied the designs of Muhle/Merkur/Razorock/Wolfman/Blackland... or transformed Futur into various strange looks; but now they even directly print trademarks and imitate packaging, which shows that they have completely lost their self-respect.

They are capable of high-quality processing and always brag about their strength, but unfortunately this behavior highlights that they always live in inferiority and cannot truly complete their own designs.

I completely agree if only it would stop infringing on the trademarks. If they put their own name on the razor and stamped made in China, then the clones will be acceptable according to international law. Writing made in Italy and using another company’s trademark completely violates international law.

I understand they are in China, and China doesn’t really respect Western trademarks. What is good and evil is very much a personal matter. Religion tries to make a universal good and evil, but in reality, what is beneficial to one is what the person will end up justifying as good. Even religion with the universal good and evil may say that killing is bad, but then the religion will turn around and say killing in the name of their religion is good.

In the pictures, I did not see any markings on the base of the plate. But if there are counterfeit trademarks inscribed into the base of the plate, I will probably end up taking a Dremel and sanding off the trademarks. It would be so much smarter for them to copy the razor and make slight improvements. For example, with the Henson clone, they could have just made a stainless version without the Henson’s makings.

Why violate international laws when they can just leave the trademarks out? It’s not like Blutt patented their diagonally cut lather channels that leave a large opening and support the blade to the edge. Although Blutt probably should have tried to patent the lather channel blade support innovation.

A direct coppy can still violate social standards, but direct copies were being done since the beginning of safety razor manufacturing. Look how many Gillette copies there were the second their patent expired.

 

[Barberbite]

Yesterday I bought the Elite but canceled it this morning with a full refund back to my PP.

Did you accidentally buy the Chinese copy of the Elite and Aliexpress canceled your order and refunded you when you noticed?

 

[uptown]

Did you accidentally buy the Chinese copy of the Elite and Aliexpress canceled your order and refunded you when you notice

Actually I bought it on purpose then realized it was a mistake.

 

[ERS4]

I completely agree if only it would stop infringing on the trademarks. If they put their own name on the razor and stamped made in China, then the clones will be acceptable according to international law. Writing made in Italy and using another company’s trademark completely violates international law.

I understand they are in China, and China doesn’t really respect Western trademarks. What is good and evil is very much a personal matter. Religion tries to make a universal good and evil, but in reality, what is beneficial to one is what the person will end up justifying as good. Even religion with the universal good and evil may say that killing is bad, but then the religion will turn around and say killing in the name of their religion is good.

In the pictures, I did not see any markings on the base of the plate. But if there are counterfeit trademarks inscribed into the base of the plate, I will probably end up taking a Dremel and sanding off the trademarks. It would be so much smarter for them to copy the razor and make slight improvements. For example, with the Henson clone, they could have just made a stainless version without the Henson’s makings.

Why violate international laws when they can just leave the trademarks out? It’s not like Blutt patented their diagonally cut lather channels that leave a large opening and support the blade to the edge. Although Blutt probably should have tried to patent the lather channel blade support innovation.

A direct coppy can still violate social standards, but direct copies were being done since the beginning of safety razor manufacturing. Look how many Gillette copies there were the second their patent expired.

The events of the vintage Gillette era are not enough to justify modern standards of behavior and counterfeit designs.

People at that time lacked the concept of intellectual property rights that we have today.
And the classification method of patents is not comprehensive as it is today.

Moreover, there was no Internet in that era, so more businessmen would take advantage of people’s information gap to make profits.

Today, students have learned about the concept of intellectual property rights since elementary school. We can easily find out who the designer of a razor is and contact him directly through the Internet. We can even use Google Lens to identify the true identity of the mysterious razor. There is no reason to pretend to be ignorant.

Of course, the registration and protection of designs are still based on country, but since everyone can easily tell which designs are copied from Wolfman, the shamelessness of the copyists has far exceeded the vintage Gillette era.

------
The example you cited was "Gillette's patent expired."
However, the recently publicly copied Wolfman/Blackland/The goodfellas smile/Rocnel/Tatara...are all new designs from the past decade. Even if they are not actively registered or have no logos engraved on them, they are still protected by intellectual property rights.

Although "trademark" is a registration protectionism, most countries adopt creative protectionism for "creation" itself.

 

[cranewarrior]

Quite simply, it's not illegal in China to copy another person's product to sell. Patent and intellectual rights are not as developed and I also think there's a bit of a cultural war ongoing for decades now, where it might be seen as ok to exploit western society.

All the clamor in the western world won't change it. Only refusal to purchase will.

I am curious who is doing this? Is it Yaqi and DSCosmetics or at least people using their facilities and equipment to produce the dup razors? I would be disappointed if that were true as a fan of products made and sold under both names.

 

[Barberbite]

Actually I bought it on purpose then realized it was a mistake.

Good. You corrected yourself just in time.

 

[ERS4]

I agree only in part. Still on razors produced in China, should we consider Yaqi razors artisanal? I remember that when Yaqi they started selling razors on Ali in 2017-2018 the prices were very cheap and accessible even under 20 euros. It seems to me that after seven years their prices are too excessive and not justifiable in my opinion for such a high outlay.
View attachment 2029292It's okay to put your heart and soul into your creations and make new or original razors but with their prices they are exaggerating.

The acceptability of price and manufacturing quality is entirely a matter of the capitalist free market.

More than a decade ago, people also thought that the price of Feather AS-D1/Pils 101NE was simply devilish, but today it is just the threshold of high-end razors.

I also always thought that $20 for a box of cartridge heads was ridiculously expensive, but I would spend $200 on a DE razor.

 

[ERS4]

Quite simply, it's not illegal in China to copy another person's product to sell. Patent and intellectual rights are not as developed and I also think there's a bit of a cultural war ongoing for decades now, where it might be seen as ok to exploit western society.

All the clamor in the western world won't change it. Only refusal to purchase will.

I am curious who is doing this? Is it Yaqi and DSCosmetics or at least people using their facilities and equipment to produce the dup razors? I would be disappointed if that were true as a fan of products made and sold under both names.

There are complex commissioned processing relationships in their processing areas, which are difficult to truly clarify unless you have first-hand information.

But I am sure that the "Pereira shaving bowl" is suffering because DSCosmetics and Yaqi copied their bowls, and the Captain's choice bowl design has also been taken advantage of by Yaqi for a long time.

In China, this behavior is called "fighting Western capitalism" and many people even take pride in it.

 

[Rob72]

Quite simply, it's not illegal in China to copy another person's product to sell. Patent and intellectual rights are not as developed and I also think there's a bit of a cultural war ongoing for decades now, where it might be seen as ok to exploit western society.

All the clamor in the western world won't change it. Only refusal to purchase will.

I am curious who is doing this? Is it Yaqi and DSCosmetics or at least people using their facilities and equipment to produce the dup razors? I would be disappointed if that were true as a fan of products made and sold under both names.

Communism and Fascism tread a very narrow line of separation. Having realized that the 5/10 year plans do not, in fact, produce prosperity, and being unable to wholly shut down Western media, China is now in an age where their Fascists (e.g., what are termed "oligarchs" in the West) are in a state of uneasy alliance with the Communist leadership. The handling of the Hong Kong transition highlights this.

Regardless of opinions on tariffs, they do level the playing field, as evidenced by the heavy use of tariffs by Socialized economies in trade with more free market/Capitalist societies, e.g., you have to keep your population content with the 4th/5th, or lower, tier products that are available to them, produced in their own economies. IOW, Yaqi and DS are playing the market, selling copies of products, known to be successful, in an external economy that will bear multiple hundreds of percent-markup while having no meaningful external competition. Why innovate when you can copy?

Rule of Law is very much a Western philosophy, and the economic and social success of those societies maintaining it is inarguable, thoroughly negating the philosophy of moral relativism: World Justice Report. One may argue that rocks are not hard objects, but that in no way changes their physical properties.

 

[Odinarcade00]

They even make counterfeit razors in america can you believe that? cough* oli *cough

Anyways I just want a yaqi ghost.....but I couldnt get aliexpress to work for me. It made me sad but I dont really need another razor anyway.

 

[Iridian]

I just want to add, most have probably noticed how much I love my DSCosmetic AX 1.55 and several Yaqi razors.

I know what I will get from them, Yaqi is more reliable quality wise, DSCosmetic not always. I can vouch for their latest handles and the AX Ti heads to be excellent.

The moral question remains, while Yaqi often revives vintage razors, DSCosmetic usually copies very closely contemporary models still in circulation and production.

 

[Gamecock]

I just want to add, most have probably noticed how much I love my DSCosmetic AX 1.55 and several Yaqi razors.

I know what I will get from them, Yaqi is more reliable quality wise, DSCosmetic not always. I can vouch for their latest handles and the AX Ti heads to be excellent.

The moral question remains, while Yaqi often revives vintage razors, DSCosmetic usually copies very closely contemporary models still in circulation and production.

I would never buy a counterfeit razor. I also don’t see any counterfeit razors from either DSC or Yaqi. Maybe they exist, I just didn’t see them looking at their sites. Similar but some design differences and not violating any patents or trademarks is absolutely fine. They also aren’t very cheap. They are actually pretty expensive for what they are. I bought a Yaqi Slant 37 for $68 or so and that’s not some incredible deal. It’s a fair deal for what it is. RazoRock has a better value offering with their machined stainless razors and they are manufactured in Canada, so it’s not a crazy undercutting business that I see. As far as my own experience with the 37, they took an 88 year old design (so no IP protection implied in any way) and made some improvements that no one else has made in that style, in both materials (SS) and design (covered blade tabs). That’s fair and good.

I would like to see the razors people are saying are counterfeit. I just couldn’t find any that would qualify as counterfeit, or anything close.

 

[Iridian]

I would never buy a counterfeit razor. I also don’t see any counterfeit razors from either DSC or Yaqi. Maybe they exist, I just didn’t see them looking at their sites. Similar but some design differences and not violating any patents or trademarks is absolutely fine.

I am not a patent lawyer, but that's what I know about this: they don't, most razors never got patented and therefore can be copied. Printing the logo of another company onto the fake though is illegal.

You can look at the handle of the Blackland Dart, the handle of the Paradigm Diamondback, some Wolfman handles and the WR2 head, the Game Changer and compare them to handles offered by DSCosmetic, they are identical. The Tuxedo-handle from Timeless was copied by Yintal 1:1, and so on.

None of these handles or heads was ever patented, though. So no, no counterfeit.

Currently we have the Yaqi Avanti as Merkur Progress clone. I do not know if this one was patented or if the patent expired.
I also remember that the very day the Merkur Futur patent expired AliExpress started to sell Futur clones, and they are still doing so and interestingly also evolved them, the latest now come with magnetic caps etc...

While this seems to be legal, they are still copies, often 1:1. This doesn't sit right with many and it is more a moral question.

I would like to see the razors people are saying are counterfeit. I just couldn’t find any that would qualify as counterfeit, or anything close.

Close enough?

 

[uptown]

You really can't get a patent unless you have something that is unique. And there is nothing unique about most razors made today regardless how much they cost and what metal is used. An exception is Gillette because when they say jump you say how high.
If you check out Aliexpress the price of most razors has gone up tremendously. They are covering tariffs. If you want a Chinese made clone your going to have to wait until this situation is resolved which might take several months at best.

 

[Barberbite]

I am not a patent lawyer, but that's what I know about this: they don't, most razors never got patented and therefore can be copied. Printing the logo of another company onto the fake though is illegal.

I understood it well.
It was about a couple of months ago when I contacted both the Canadian company Henson and Tatara to ask them if the razors they sell are patented. This was it also doubtful and incomprehensible for me.
For example when I emailed Tatara support to ask for confirmation that they had the patent they replied: 'The Masamune Nodachi is a safety razor. The patent for safety razor was filled in 1904 by King Camp Gillette. You can find it here: US775134A - Razor.' referring me to a Google document.
I realized that it was the patent for safety razor !

 

[Barberbite]

If you check out Aliexpress the price of most razors has gone up tremendously. They are covering tariffs. If you want a Chinese made clone your going to have to wait until this situation is resolved which might take several months at best.

Yes, I have noticed that the prices of many Yaqi and DScosmetics razors have increased a lot over the last few years and with the increase in duties from China the situation and the increase in prices will only increase.

 

[Barberbite]

I would never buy a counterfeit razor. I also don’t see any counterfeit razors from either DSC or Yaqi. Maybe they exist, I just didn’t see them looking at their sites. Similar but some design differences and not violating any patents or trademarks is absolutely fine. They also aren’t very cheap. They are actually pretty expensive for what they are. I bought a Yaqi Slant 37 for $68 or so and that’s not some incredible deal. It’s a fair deal for what it is. RazoRock has a better value offering with their machined stainless razors and they are manufactured in Canada, so it’s not a crazy undercutting business that I see. As far as my own experience with the 37, they took an 88 year old design (so no IP protection implied in any way) and made some improvements that no one else has made in that style, in both materials (SS) and design (covered blade tabs). That’s fair and good.

I would like to see the razors people are saying are counterfeit. I just couldn’t find any that would qualify as counterfeit, or anything close.

There was also another manufacturer Shield Razor still produces?
I agree with you Yaqi and DSC are not cheap.
Could the decision to produce and counterfeit razors be a struggle among some Chinese manufacturers to expand in the market?

The old manufacturers certainly do not need to make themselves known, the new ones do and maybe it can only be a move to start selling razors with deception and then expand their business and transform it into something legal.
It's my opinion, of course. But I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds the prices of Yaqi and other Chinese razor manufacturers excessively high. I would almost say unfair.

 

[esee]

There was also another manufacturer Shield Razor still produces?
I agree with you Yaqi and DSC are not cheap.
Could the decision to produce and counterfeit razors be a struggle among some Chinese manufacturers to expand in the market?

The old manufacturers certainly do not need to make themselves known, the new ones do and maybe it can only be a move to start selling razors with deception and then expand their business and transform it into something legal.
It's my opinion, of course. But I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds the prices of Yaqi and other Chinese razor manufacturers excessively high. I would almost say unfair.

If you noticed, since the counterfeit razors started selling on Aliexpress there are a lot more Hensons being sold on eBay. It’s not a question of why they’re making counterfeits, it is very simple for them to make the counterfeits. The process involves laser modeling and subsequent CNC machining. With these counterfeits, they could pretend to be the real thing and charge nearly what the actual product sells for. It would be wrong to assume that Yaqi or DsCosmetic have anything to do with this, as this is a common technology in China. The Chinese are more equipped to working with stainless than the west, at least when dealing with small shops.

The real question is why the counter-fitters may sell their open counterfeits on an open market. One would expect such shady products to be excluded from an open market and only be able to be bought in the black market. It’s things like this, and some other cross culture divides that make westerners perceive all Chinese markets as shady. From the Chinese perspective, the sellers are doing nothing wrong and they are upholding the Chinese pride by producing more goods in China, so why not sell it in the open market?

In the end, these products are being produced intending to deceive. Trying to deceive is almost always wrong. It is our narrow consciousness that makes us think that lying and cheating brings beneficial outcomes, but reality is much greater and most are blind to how they hurt themselves through lying and cheating.

I bought this Butt razor and I hope I enjoy it. So I am not against copying. I am against counterfeits and if they don’t pretend to be Blutt I would be OK and if they do, I will sand off the Blutt name. I don’t think Blutt produced any razors in over a year, so even if I wanted the real thing, I don’t think I would have been able to purchase it.