So I'm sure many of you have see cheap Chinese safety razors offered on the Bay, well I went and bought one. It is a Rimei RM2003 and it cost a whole $3.20 delivered! I got it on Saturday so Sunday night I gave it a go. It is a three piece razor like the Tech the cap seems to be your typical Zinc or Zamac cap but both the guard and the handle are magnetic implying steel of some kind. I loaded it with a German Wilkinson Sword Classic blade and lathered up with VDH Deluxe. This is a nice razor, it is a bit on the aggressive side like a Rapira Platinum Lux (all metal) so getting a BBS shave is no problem but use care with your pressure and angle 'cause this bad boy can cut you if you aren't careful, (I got some razor burn under my chin). This is not some nasty knock-off it is actually a good razor (if you like aggressive) and you cant beat the price with a stick. Poke around on the Bay if you want one you might like it (but it might be too aggressive for a nubie). Hey if you don't like it you didn't even spend five bucks to get it. So just how cheap can you get?
While there are many cheaper razors (for example the dollar store razors), my favorite budget razor is Saiver. Currently it can be found at ebay for 8.90 USD including shipping. This razor is meant to be loaded with two blades, but I always load it with only one blade (cap -> included shim -> blade -> base plate -> handle). I used mine the whole last week while visiting Romania. It is one of the smoothest razors I own.
I really like some of my Indian made razors. They are very inexpensive, may not last into the next century. But they feel nicely made, and most aggressive quite well. My cadet, Matador, maybe others(pearl) seem as well made as my Parkers. I wouldn't be surprised if they all came from the same place.
The least impressed I've been is with a razor named soluna. It was and is junk. I think it was made of an old beer can.
The cheapest I have paid for a razor is $5.00, it needed some care and cleaning. It was built in the 1930's(Gillette New long comb) & it will last another 80 years if the right care taker is found. Great razor and is around the mid aggression sweet spot IMO, Gillette employee's knew how to make a great razor.
Ive used quite a few of the Chinese razors (Weishi, Baili, Yaqi) and theyre actually not bad. Typically, they arent of the closest tolorances in the world but other than that, theyre good little razors. Id put the shave of my little $20 Yaqi razor up against any $200 stainless razor any day. Ive also gotten great shaves from Weishis. The Bailis were a miss for me. Due to their head design covering up the blade tabs, its almost impossible to align the blade. As long as its not a razor that you expect to last forever, theyre great razors.
It was @wchnu Ol' Fuzzy's fault really! He has this great channel on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2i1N572xYbsb0QzTS8AliQ I instantly went to ebay looking for a single edge razor. I bid 99p on a MINT CONDITION Ever Ready 1912 and won it! The postage was £2.95... So I had a pristine vintage razor for under £4 shipped to my door. I didn't hit it off with it, it sat in my cupboard for a couple of months, and I sold it last week for £5.50 + £2.95 shipping. Regret it already! When I am ready to go SE again, it will be with a Clog Pruf!
Fuzzy, your channel is ridiculously good... The humour and the shaving wisdom make each one worth watching! Thank you for taking the time to make them!
Oh, and by the way... The 1912 wasn't the problem. My technique was the issue, my pressure/angle etc. was not right and I wasn't ready for my SE journey just yet!
Oh, and in the interests of how cheap can you get... How much does your shave cost you? Gillette Fat Handle Tech - Cost me £22 - Let's assume it lasts me 10 years (I hope much longer) - 0.6p per shave ( I shave everyday) Astra SP - 100 of these costs £8 shipped - 2.6p per shave (I use a blade 3 times before binning) Bluebeard Doubloon Boar Brush - Cost me £6 - Let's assume it lasts me 12 months (Again, I hope much longer) - 1.6p per shave Palmolive Shave Stick - I have 2 mashed in a mug - Cost me 98p - Will last at least 6 months - 1.9p per shave Nivea Sensitive Post-Shave Balm - Cost me £2 - Will last 3 months - 2.2p per shave Grand total = 8.9p per shave... OK OK, I'll round it up... 9p per shave! NOTE: I am well aware that I will not stick with this gear for all of my shaves for the rest of my life, but it proves that it really is an affordable way to shave (none of those products are poor quality (the brush isn't the best, but it isn't bad either)!
I bought an Assured Brand tto a few months back. It was ok until it rust after 5-6 shaves.. I think I paid $5 delivered.
I have a Gillette Fatboy that I picked up for $3. It was pretty gross when I got it, but it was all surface level soap scum and after a good long soak it cleaned up to a very nice daily driver. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
What can anyone tell me about this single edge Everready razor? Says Patent applied for, so when would it have been made? Is it worth anything?