Military Industries "Aldershot" OC safety razor

My Pearl is several years old, maybe ten, so I really don't know what a new one is like, and mine is wearing a Gillette OLD type cap.

 

(Technically I paid $13 for shipping and $32 for the razor) but for $45 I could care less if the head is made from cast zinc alloy, it's another razor added to my collection. And with the way I take care of my razors, as well as alternate between razors, it should last me a long time.

I definitely wouldn't pay $150 for something that I couldn't be sure was fully made from stainless steel.

I understand that they most likely are ripping people off at that price so therefore I wouldn't really recommend this product, but I only paid $45 so I'm happy with my purchase.

 

No, Fatip is right behind r41. Fatip is a great OC razor.

 

I probably should have clarified myself as I have a tendency to shorten sentences. The New SC is a bit milder than the Old Type. So the MI should be the same as a New SC. Sorry about that.

 

Makes perfect sense now.

 

You thought he was referring to the Fatip, I thought he was referring to the Pearl!

 

Correct! I was very lost in the antecedent.

 

Alright I've been emailing Military Industries customer service.

I talked to a customer service rep that didn't know anything about the razor, they forwarded me to someone who did.

I told them what razor I have, that I know it's coated in PVD, and asked what material the head is actually made from. As well as where it was manufactured. This was their reply:

"We make several slight variants of this razor in Germany and they are generally all stainless steel but there are a few head variations with slightly different patterns. One dealer has titanium heads on this model but we do not retail this variant. Was the razor bought from one of our locations or a dealer?"

I told them I bought it off an eBay seller that lives in Jersey, United Kingdom. (I gave them the eBay sellers name) and said this was in the eBay description:

"" When Military Industries received an order to manufacture a large number of razors for a bulk contract there were some overuns and we managed to secure a quantity of these razors at a favorable price hence they are being sold as an auction. ""

They replied with:

"I've gone through our batch records, it looks like your razor was manufactured in May of 2017 for a bulk contract order that went to a dealer in the U.K. I can confirm from our notes that the head is steel."


So according to them, the razor is made in Germany from steel.

 

Put a magnet to it, plating on zamak will attract slightly, but steel will attract very strongly.

 

Okay will do. It should be here between January 9th and 15th

 

Dver,
Have you received your razor yet? I am looking at getting one and would be interested in your review....

 

BTW some alloys (304 & 316 are two such alloys) of stainless steel will not attract a magnet.

 

Yep, the best grades of stainless steel are non-magnetic.

 

Yes I have received this razor. Almost forgot to post about it...

But to compare it to my stainless steel Rockwell 6S, neither of them have any magnetic pull.

I then weighed the top caps of both the Rockwell 6S and the MI Aldershot. The Aldershot top cap is only 0.2g lighter than the Rockwell 6S top cap. But one thing to note with the Rockwell 6S top cap, is the threaded post as well as the two side posts are quite a bit longer that the Aldershots posts because of the thicker baseplates with the Rockwell 6s. I assume that the longer posts gives the Rockwell top cap its extra weight. From this I can assume that the Military Industries Aldershot safety razor is indeed fully stainless steel.

 

As for a review of this razor, it shaves good. Not as aggressive as my 1916 Gillette Old Type. Not as mild as my early Gillette Tech. Somewhere in between with moderate aggression. The brushed PVD finish looks great on my razor. Not one flaw.

The only downside I could find is the handle is on the longer side and is solid, not hollow. Making it "handle heavy".