First shave with a OneBlade Core:

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by jar, Sep 12, 2017.

  1. jar

    jar Well-Known Member

    Today was my initiation day with the OneBlade Core razor. The blade I used was the same Feather blade I used with the two Valet AutoStrop razors so this would be the fifth shave with the same blade. That is well within my expectations and experience using those blades in other razors.

    The final result is an OK shave, maybe PG but not PDG but I am still learning how to use the sucker so the next couple shaves may increase to the PDG level.

    What I like about the razor.

    Visually the razor is okay, nothing great but also certainly nothing wrong. The head is small enough to get under my big nose, it is slim enough to use around my lips, the overall design is modern and should be familiar to all the cartridge razor users. And that may well have been the intention.

    Loading a blade and changing blades is simple and should be reliable as long as the blade stops and guides do not wear down or get cutoff. If the user does not try forcing a new blade in or try to take an old blade out without lifting it over the stops it should last quite awhile.

    The weight and balance are near ideal for my tastes.

    What I find disconcerting.

    That swiveling head. I know what it is claimed to do and I know it is found in lots of the cartridge razors but for someone who has been using Gillette DEs for over a half century razor heads that wiggle and jiggle just feels oh so wrong.

    I wish I could visually examine the blade stops. It's simply good to know all is correct BEFORE putting the blade to my face.

    It seems I need to use far more pressure than I would dream of using with any of my other razors. It works and I don't think it is possible to actually do much damage with the razor but again, for someone whose shaving mantra has always been No Pressure is Needed or desired this razor just feels weird.

    Summary.

    The OneBlade core might be the ultimate gateway razor for folk coming from the brazillion blade cartridge world. It looks like an upscale cartridge razor, feels like an upscale cartridge razor, loads more like a cartridge razor than any DE I know of, uses similar techniques of a cartridge razor but gives better results than a cartridge razor. The initial price is only slightly more than the other entry level Double Edge and Single Edge razors.

    I will see how my technique improves over the next few shaves and imagine it will become a keeper but not a regular rotation razor.
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2017
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  2. Knox

    Knox Well-Known Member

    I loved the Bic Metal before they discontinued it. This was LONG before I even thought of DE shaving. The single blade was great - my favorite cartridge razor ever.

    One blade is so much better for the face. This is an interesting concept - maybe a gateway for a smooth transition to Safety Razors for some.
     
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  3. entropy1049

    entropy1049 Well-Known Member

    The Bic Metal is an AWESOME disposable. Great travel razor. BTW, they're still available, just not in stores. Check Amazon.
     
  4. BigMark83

    BigMark83 [...........] this space intentionally left blank

    The pivoting head was lost on me, but at the price point it's ok. I'll never buy one. I'd love for a SS TTO under 150 clams however. But I doubt that'll happen in my lifetime and that is another story/thread.
     
  5. Knox

    Knox Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the heads up!
     
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  6. jar

    jar Well-Known Member

    So today was miserable, hot, humid, stifling and a shave before dinner seemed like a great idea.

    I used the OneBlade Core V2 again BUT this time I used one of my Gillette made Valet razor blades that has to be at least a half century old. I have a bunch of them. I used TOBS Rose cream and one of my Vulfix brushes and a Heather 'n fern mug to build a nice lather. I finished off with some rose aftershave.

    Okay.

    This time I simply followed what seemed to be the consensus on using the OneBlade and rode the cap with far more pressure than I've used in ages; I could actually feel the head pivoting. The shave was somewhat boring. Two Pass. The half century old blade worked as well as the fifth use Feather and the end result was really close to PDG. There are still a few spots where I can feel whiskers but fewer than this morning. I imagine I could touch them up with just a little more practice and they are all in places where I have troubles with every razor.

    The OneBlade does seem to perform as promised, very mild but also very efficient.
     
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  7. jar

    jar Well-Known Member

    Shave three.

    Well, it still does not do a good job on my neck or any of the difficult spots. It does still seem pretty much fool proof related to doing any harm but then I really hoped to do harm to them whiskers. One more day with it and I get to switch to the brass General.
     
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  8. BritishSteele

    BritishSteele New Member

    I discovered the bic metal in a dollar store, what a awesome razor indeed, gentle effective and awesome for doing beard lines. sad that its gone......

    Sent from my QTAQZ3 using Tapatalk
     
  9. jar

    jar Well-Known Member

    Time to move on. I have decided I need something enjoyable so for now the OneBlade gets put aside. But instead of the General I will use one of my old Damaskenes. I need something I can count on.
     
  10. RaZorBurn123

    RaZorBurn123 waiting hardily...............

    I had the first version, sent it back. I now have the second version and haven't used it. I'm not sure if I will.
     
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  11. jar

    jar Well-Known Member

    I have continued playing with the OneBlade Core and think I have finally found the secret handshake and maybe even the Glow in the Dark Captain Midnight Secret Decoder Ring. Longer slower strokes with skin stretching as I do with a straight and the result gets as good as I have gotten from any safety razor over the last half century or more. And the surprising thing is that is with zero blade feel, zero burn, zero scrapes, zero irritation and even in the near impossible to get spots.

    I will return to it again tomorrow since I finished with the MMOC and see if I get the same results as a couple days ago.
     
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  12. Herm2502

    Herm2502 off to elf practice

    Just shipped back my V1. Hope V2 is better.

    Herm
     
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  13. jar

    jar Well-Known Member

    Mine is a V2 but it really is a learning curve for those of us who have been using safety razors forever. You don't do the same things that work with other DE or SE or even Straight Razors. Once I tossed out much that I knew was the RIGHT way to shave it started working. The secret seems to be long slow strokes with more pressure than you would use with any safety razor and the SE head against the face angle with straight razor skin stretching.
     
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  14. RaZorBurn123

    RaZorBurn123 waiting hardily...............

    I haven't used my V2 yet, not sure if I will. Please let me know how it is.
     
  15. allyourbase

    allyourbase New Member

    For those of you that struggled with the user experience of the pivoting head on the Oneblade, as I initially did... here's one that delivers a wonderfully intuitive experience right out of the box.

    After waiting for almost a year and a half, this Kickstarter project finally arrived this morning.
    While it's material and build cannot be compared to the Oneblade Genesis, the shave was astounding.

    3 half DE blades (yes, three), a wonderfully intuitive shave (the pivoting head just works as one would expect), 1.5 passes for a DFS and no irritation whatsoever.

    Will continue to evaluate but so far I'm impressed.

    IMG_7991.jpg IMG_7992.jpg
    * sorry about the glare folks.. these were quick phone takes.
     

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