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all welcome
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That is the new Gillette safety razor? Wow, purty! I agree completely with your sentiments regarding Gillette. Judging by the reviews on their website, the King C. Gillette safety razor is introducing many people to traditional shaving.

I have used three tubes of the Pure shaving cream. That stuff is good!

 

I think it's great that Gillette is re-entering the DE market. After all, they made DE shaving what it is today. I have one of their new DE razors, but not the one you show in the picture. Now where did I put my credit card?

 

As far as I know, they have released two new DE razors in recent years. Below is the other, in 2019. The Gillette Heritage. Both are available on Amazon and other retailers. The Heritage info card included says the blades are made in Russia, travel case is made in China and doesn't say where the handle and head pieces are made. The newest, the one Brit has featured, says the blades are made in Russia, handle made in China and doesn't say where the head pieces are made.

 

I also have the Gillette Heritage. It makes a nice, handy package for travel, and gives good shaves. Its Amazon page states "A premium, chrome plated handle brings a historic design to your daily shave", so it seems aimed at traditional wetshavers in general. The FAQ there also says "The blades are manufactured in Russia, the handle is made in the USA and the capguard is made in Germany."

The Heritage does not appear on Gillette's website, at least not that I could see. The King C. Gillette Razor is shown, but in the Beard Care & Body section. The Razors and Trimmers section has only cartridge razors. It is described as "A single blade razor designed for edging sideburns and strong beard lines to help you achieve your perfect look." Maybe they want to get into the growing safety razor market, but are worried about it cannibalizing more profitable cartridge razor sales? Anyways, it is good to see Gillette selling safety razors again. The return to traditional shaving is now about 20 years old, and so definitely not just a passing fad.

 

Definitely.

The Heritage DE was made and released as a limited edition model as a nod to their history, and it is no longer in production. A Christmas season 2019 offering. It was probably also Gillette testing the waters on getting into the safety razor game again. They aren't fools and I'm sure they have been paying very close attention to the wet shaving resurgence and all of the quality razors being made now by many different companies. They want a piece of that money pie, too. Hence the KCG DE...

The KCG DE is their continuous DE offering for people walking through the shaving aisle in the local big box retail store, see it and buy it on an impulse because lately they've been hearing a lot about safety razors. Basically Gillette decided they might as well try and get some of that wet shaving resurgence money in the same Walmart aisle as their cartridge razors. And if it is someone shopping online for a safety razor, hops on Amazon, and happens to see that whoa, Gillette still makes them... The name Gillette alone no doubt draws in purchases. "That's Gillette. I know that name. That's the one I'm going to buy."

 

Technically they've been selling DE razors since at least 2013 just not in the US unless you buy these on ebay.


You can get them for under $7 shipped.

 

That is what I thought. It is back on Amazon, though, or maybe never left.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XPRRV9Y/?tag=thshde-20

Not sure if they are selling them out of stock or if it is currently in production. Maybe they are made in batches as needed?

 

It would seem 2018. Is that a date above the barcode, PKD (packaged) 09/18 (September 2018)?

Also note it's manufactured by Care Utility Products, Marketed by Gillette India Limited.

 

The head looks similar to the DE89. Is that approximately how it shaves?

I have a knurled short handle Edwin Jagger and am not sure this would be enough different to justify a purchase.

 

I agree on this point. The EJ89 was a good shaver, IIRC, but it has been a decade since I used one. The Big Boss brand has an EJ head, if I am not mistaken. I only bought the BB for the handle though.

 

The bottom of the base plate is concave (curves upward), whereas the DE89 has a convex base plate. And as the head pieces are made in Germany, it's probably sourced from Merkur.

 

i have seen somewhere it was a merkur/muhle piece..

 

That’s a great review! I’m glad to seeing that they’re paying attention to DE renaissance!

 

Very nice shaver. Absolutely one of the best in my rotation... 10 years ago I purchased what I thought was a NOS #88 set. Didn't really pay attention to the details of the razor itself because everything was so mint... Retail box screaming "88" from the end, case, razor, everything... and it was going for a very good Buy It Now price. So I snapped it up and didn't think anything else about it until it arrived to me from the UK. Inside was not a #88 razor but a mint, never used #44 razor. So mint that the knurling on the handle looks white. Today I still wonder how a brand new never used #44 razor got mismatched in a mint #88 set and case. I ended up putting the #44 head pieces into my rotation on a different handle and the #44 handle and #88 set missing the actual razor are just sitting in my display cabinet. Hopefully one day I'll be able to find a very nice to mint condition #88 razor to put into the case.

 

thank you Jody.very interesting..being there were so many variants possible..a mint new rfb 2 piece shouldn't be hard to find..ask @tonich

 

No, they aren't hard to find. They just cost an arm and two legs. lol

 

Andon might trade..

 

Happy to hear trade offerings.
Thanks, guys!

 

thank you.myself as well..