This was the very first safety razor I bought on my own for my own use. It was 2017, after seeing it at Target for months and it capturing my attention. I ended up getting the Merkur 34c in December of that year, but I first learned to love safeties with this. I don't like that the Weishi 9306, rebranded here under the Van der Hagen label, is dismissed as a beginner's or travelers' razor and therefore easily replaced once something "better" s discovered. It's actually quite a nice tool and surprisingly efficient for its class.
I'm not going to knock the VDH - I've got 2, one each of the long and short handle versions. It's an unpretentious workhorse, doing its job with a minimum of fuss. Having said that, I do see it as a great travel razor. Mild enough to leave your face intact even if you're rushed, widely available, and cheap enough that you won't scream in frustration if the luggage handlers lose the bag you packed it in. Do I have razors I like better? Sure. But they stay safe at home, and I don't feel bad about that. After all, how many VDHs could I buy for the current collector's price of my Blackland Era? 10? 20? 30?
That VanDerHagen looks like the Chinese razor they sell at the dollar stores. They work, but are more in the realm of travel razor. If it get lost, damaged, or confiscated, no biggie.
My sentiments exactly! In my opinion, the reason for its popularity is that it IS so affordable as to be easily replaced, but because of that many dismiss it as being primarily, if not only, a travel piece. That is a real shame, because as a daily shaver it's really good for what it is. Well, it IS a Chinese razor, ha ha! And while it's true that their price makes them easily replaceable if lost, stolen, or damaged, I don't think that gives it the credit it deserves for being as efficient as it is for its particular weight and design.
Having used both, I can say there is no comparison between the VDH/Weishi and the Dollar Tree Assured! The VDH is by far the better of the two.
I'm just going by looks. I've used some Chinese clone razors, Ming Shi(Q-Shave) Futur clone, and they were very well made.
The Assured I have hasn't (quite) disintegrated yet, but I notice the chrome colored coating has peeled in a couple of spots like the knob revealing plastic underneath. At a price point of $1.25, that's to be expected, but by contrast my VDH shows no signs of distress after 5+ years.
