Schick M Type Adjustable

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by jay_gatz, Jul 20, 2021.

  1. jay_gatz

    jay_gatz Well-Known Member

    So, this may be controversial, but I wanted to make the case that the Schick Adjustable may be the best razor ever made. Don't get me wrong, I will never stop experimenting and continuing to use my Gillettes, Merkurs, Gillette Reissues, and many other DE type razors, but the adjustable injector has a special place for me. Here are my points on why I think it may be the best:

    1. Adjustable Head (duh, sort of obvious)
    2. Rigid type Single Edge Blade
    3. Small head that allows you essentially the same ability to get in small spaces as a Trac II
    4. Simple design without much to break. They have been around for a long time.
    5. Adjustability ergonomics. This is the "killer app" of this razor so to speak. The ability to adjust the razor with just your shaving hand. Just use your thumb to turn the dial. For example, on my against the grain pass, I like max aggressiveness for my cheeks, but on my lip area, that would result in weepers. Just Adjust down with the thumb as I move to the next strokes, voila! It really is a great design.

    So there you go, I love this razor, as well as all the others.
     
  2. stingraysrock

    stingraysrock PIF'd away his custom title

    Sounds decent, never tried one though. I had a PAL adjustable, but IIRC, the adjustment did not function properly; I did not notice a difference between the settings.
     
  3. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    You done gone and opened a big can of worms there, Jay. Just kidding. I love my Schick M. I actually started shaving with a Schick L. For the most part, I consider adjustable razors rather gimmickry. With my shaving experience and having shaved with hundreds of razors, I have learned that a good shave comes more from good technique than with a particular razor. I do like the M's long handle and its shape. It is so easy to manipulate. I like the small head, too. The adjustability does give it the advantage to choose your level of aggression. However, I generally set it on 7 and go for it.
    Schick_adj10.JPG
     
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  4. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    The Pal adjustable was not a good razor for me. I piffed it away. It was a good looker, but it was a poor shaver for me.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
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  5. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    I'd say the later model ones made 73 and later are better than the earlier ones since it is one of the few razors that works well with both single and twin injector blades. The ones made earlier will also work with both but the later ones perform better. The models made 1980 and later I think are the best of the lot but you really can't go wrong with any of the variants.

    https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/schick-type-m-injectors-for-dummies.64180/
     
  6. twhite

    twhite Peeping Tom

    Well as luck would have it. The wife and I are on a mini getaway at the beach. My weapon of choice. Schick M The Protector. Only regret is I did not load a twin. Still a very decent shave with a regular. [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


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  7. Ron R

    Ron R Well-Known Member

    I have a Schick adjustable M3-Mfg 1970-72 , great razor and is well designed and built to last at least a individual life time or more. I like experimenting with it with different blades, Personna, SChick, Schick twinII and just recently with a Modified Kai Proguard. The razor has proven to be successful from the decades of users. I like E2 & M3 Adjustable model 3. Schick made some great razors but you have to use them to find your razor you fancy from a lot of different models they made.
    Just recently had a (different smooth) shave with a modified Kai Protouch with my Schick M3 adjustable, just loaded it with a blade insert loader magazine(easy).
    Schick injector M3 adjustable razor MFG 1970-72 (3).jpg
    Have some great shaves!
     
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  8. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Schick and Pal adjustables were both fails for me, only injectors I let go.

    Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
     
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  9. twhite

    twhite Peeping Tom

    The PAL For sure. It was supper sensitive to angle variation. I believe there were 2 variants. So they have tried addressing that issue on the 2nd.
    The M really needs the twin blade to shine. Even then I have it dialed all the way up.
     
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  10. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Getting an effective angle in that hollow at the back of my head was indeed the problem with both. Too mild.

    Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
     
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  11. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    The Parker adjustable injector - V2 just came out - seems a PAL adjustable clone?
     
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  12. Dave in KY

    Dave in KY On second thought, Buttercup

    Had the 1st one when it came ut and was too mild at full throttle. Is v2 a change or just another run of the same? Curious as to what if anything they changed? Thanks
     
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  13. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    I've not used either version but @mantic posted an update about V2 to his V1 article yesterday. He says:
    • The low end of “adjustability” has been biased upward a bit, making it a little less mild at the low end–though it is still quite mild. The high end of adjustment seems to be about the same to me (high enough to cause a nick if you’re not being mindful, but not “R41” levels of insane).
    • The blade loading mechanism seems smoother to me.
    • The Parker logo has been etched into the metal part of the handle. While the handle itself remains the same the process they used for etching seems to give the handle a slightly better grip for me.
    My shaves with “Version 2” are as good as the prior revision. I think these are relatively subtle changes that I would characterize as ‘evolutionary’ improvements.

    The Parker Adjustable Injector Razor is available for $34 with a pack of 20 blades. Use coupon code MANTJULY at checkout for a 5% discount on your total order until July 31!


    That's the gist of it if you want to avoid a web page full of overbearing advertisements (7 large Harry's Razors ads, 2 Pillsbury banner ads and an overlay Walmart ad :angry019:) plastered throughout). Otherwise, here's the link:

    https://sharpologist.com/parker-adjustable-injector-razor/
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2021
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  14. Dave in KY

    Dave in KY On second thought, Buttercup

    Jody, Thanks for the highlights which is all I needed. Much appreciated !
     
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  15. Tedolph

    Tedolph Well-Known Member

    I had one 40 years ago and somewhere along the way it disappeared. I think it was a great design. Why did it Shick stop making them? Why doesn't somebody start making them again? I won't say it was the greatest razor ever made (Valet Auto Strop?) but with an open comb it would have been close to perfect.
     
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  16. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    Interesting. I had a V1 and sold it. It wasn't a bad razor per se but too mild even at 5 unless you used a Chinese Schick blade in it. The exposure and gap were too little for Personna blades which are less sharp in comparison. The other issue is because of the exposure blades only lasted 5 - 7 shaves if that instead of 10 - 14 for me in injectors with more blade exposure. If I wanted to extend the blade life it had to switched out at that point into another injector.

    I would recommend a Schick adjustable over the Parker V1 any day of the week. The Schick adjustable covers everything the Parker is capable of and much more plus the price differential to purchase either is minimal between the 2.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2021
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  17. Ky K

    Ky K Well-Known Member

    It’s the razor I learned to shave with and grew up using. I love them. I’m lucky to have been wet shaving my entire career. I just replaced it actually and am waiting on blades now.
    But reading and seeing AC blades in it makes me giddy. Feather, Kai plus Proline..
    What if any modifications have to be done to the blade before you load it?

    And blade opinions please as I’ve never used them. YMMV and all but the Personna injector blades?
    Good bad ugly? Before I end up with a PIF are they worth $25 for 20? He’s saying they are sharper than the CHick what say you all?
    Thanks in advance.
    Have a great shave.


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  18. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    Personna blades are cheaper than Schicks but they are nowhere near as sharp. Whoever is saying otherwise either doesn't know the difference or is lying. It doesn't make a difference in an injector that isn't mild but does in something like the original Parker or something like a Type L injector. Hair type and how many passes you do will also determine how far each blade deviates from each other in performance. With that said I personally like the Personna blades better but do use Schicks exclusively in razors that don't cut it for Personna blades.

    A corollary is something like a Feather Popular razor it is so mild no blades work in it well except for a super sharp blade like well a Feather blade. Design was probably done that way on purpose also to lock the user into using their blades. Unlike the Parker razor which to my opinion is something made by someone who knows how to copy a razor design but not actually design a razor. If they did you'd think they would have designed it to work with the blades they are pushing which was one of the biggest complaints about the Parker.
     
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  19. Ky K

    Ky K Well-Known Member

    It’s a flat lie to sell product he’s more than passingly knowledge. Too bad.
    But this AC thing may or may not be a blessing for me.
    And what’s this twin blade I have only just heard of? I haven’t used a Injector in forever and a day and definitely only recall my father using standard blades.
    What are they and why do I need them in my life though somehow I know I do


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  20. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Both Gillette and Schick made double injector blades. Just one stacked on top of the other to give you two cutting edges. The only ones still in production that I am aware of are the ones from Schick Japan, which are actually made here in the United States but not available for sale here in any official retail capacity. Cheapest place I have seen to buy them is on Amazon Japan, which does ship to the United States.
     
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