OneBlade Razor experience

[brothers]

Here's something I have or should have posted earlier in case it looks familiar.

Today's shave with the OB+FHS was #4. Yesterday's comparison razor was Gillette Guard shave #3. Remarkable similar final results (BBS close, smooth, nick-free). Yes, the Guard costs less than $5, but the results are just as I have stated. Yes, even at $300 the OB is a work of art and beauty. The Guard is black plastic. The safety bar, the head design, the blades and the razors are worlds apart, but the finished product is just what it is. These are just raw data for now. No conclusions yet.

Let's say there is a place I have to go to every morning and I have 2 means of transporting myself there and back. One day I take my shiny new Whizz-mobile with all the frills, and I get there and back the next day in my old beater in the exact same time both ways. My point: This doesn't mean the destination is different, because it's not. Performance is measured by the final result. The elegance and quality of the vehicles speaks for itself, and has no effect on the final result.

My results are specific only to me. I don't anticipate anyone else coming up with the same opinions I have reached. By the same token no one else has the authority to question my opinion of the results I am seeing. It's as simple as that. Bottom line: I am still deciding whether or not to keep the OB (there is a 30 day money back guarantee if I want to return it) and use it. I'm just not deceiving myself that the only way to get a great shave is to own a certain razor to the exclusion of others.

One factor in my decision will be this: what am I going to do about blades in the future? I can spend $0.30 apiece for Guard refill cartridges that will last around 5 days, or I can spend somewhere around $0.65 for an FHS that should last around 4 days or more, or a GEM that costs around $0.20 and lasts __?__ days? Who knows. It's obvious the cost of the blades is insignificant.

I'm also having great results with my other razors. It's not life or death, it's just shaving and I'm way past searching for a better shave.

[brothers]

Fortunately the Feather blade has yielded 4 very good shaves, and maybe one or more to come. Since I'm hoping to decide whether to keep it or take a refund within 30 days, I wanted to find out how well it works with the Gem SE blade. With a simple 2 second removal of the spine, the new Gem worked great. Makes me start wondering how many shaves it might yield in comparison to the Feather.

[brothers]

Today was shave #2 with the Gem PTFE (de-spined). Very good results.

[BPman]

Gary, I just can't see a market for this other than a very limited high end niche. Being so blade variety limited is a real deal killer as well as the expense.

[brothers]

I didn't know what to expect with the OneBlade. All the other guys were saying positive things but I had to see for myself. They're right. I ask myself what's better? Money or a OneBlade. I'm not here hoping to get or to have money. Truth is I'm probably going to keep the razor. The future of the SE razor is here in the 21st century. Funny thing, that means the Gem SE blade made the leap along with it. One thing - Gem might decide to start offering an off-the-shelf compatible blade and the razor guys will have to upgrade their masterpiece a bit. All the fuss and bother with the proprietary Feather blade and the ridiculously gaudy case and stand that are included in the purchase price is pretentious.

[CMur12]

Ah, but I love glitzy packaging, Gary! It's a relatively small part of the expense and it adds context.

- Murray

[Baronet]

I’m watching this Topic with real interest , I bought the One Blade razor and I am very happy with it, but the one thing that worries me is the fact that it looked like only the Feather blades were compatible.
I am finding that the Feather blades last about 3 shaves a bit like the feather DE blade. So these modified GEM blades are looking very promising. I held back purchasing the one blade razor initially for the very reason that I got into West shaving all those years ago..I did not want to be beholding to one company and their blades.
I am also wondering if using a none OB recommended blade would affect the warranty in any way should something break on the razor ?.. it does have a lifetime warranty after all !!

[brothers]

Today I got out the English-made Streamline and loaded a new Gem PTFE blade for tomorrow's shave. I want to see how these two razors match up head-to-head. I'm pretty sure I have the OB dialed in and I know what to look for.

[brothers]

I’m watching this Topic with real interest , I bought the One Blade razor and I am very happy with it, but the one thing that worries me is the fact that it looked like only the Feather blades were compatible.
I am finding that the Feather blades last about 3 shaves a bit like the feather DE blade. So these modified GEM blades are looking very promising. I held back purchasing the one blade razor initially for the very reason that I got into West shaving all those years ago..I did not want to be beholding to one company and their blades.
I am also wondering if using a none OB recommended blade would affect the warranty in any way should something break on the razor ?.. it does have a lifetime warranty after all !!

Andrew, I went to the OB website and read the guarantee. There are two guarantees. The first one is to permit a return within the first 30 days following the date of the original purchase for a refund of the purchase price if the purchaser doesn't like the razor (my words).

The lifetime guarantee is for the life of the razor, and gives an example of a OneBlade razor being passed down from father to son to grandson, etc. The razor is guaranteed to perform as it was originally designed to work. Even if the razor is damaged while in the hands of the owner. The lifetime guarantee says if anything happens to the razor to cause it to fail to perform as it was designed, it may be repaired or a (refurbished?) replacement will be provided for $99.

Others might want to read the guarantee language for themselves to confirm or correct my comprehension of the OB guarantee. I did not find any language in the guarantee saying owners are mandated to use only the recommended Feather blade if they want the guarantee to remain in effect for the lifetime of the razor. This seems to be a moot point, because the Gem blade is not going to have any effect on the razor, just the whiskers.

Common sense tells us the lifetime guarantee will disappear instantly if the OB company ceases to exist for any reason. I personally hope the enterprise will prosper and exceed the wildest dreams of the founders and the customers alike, for a very long time.

[brothers]

Going to rack up 3 consecutive shaves with the Streamline/Gem. One down two to go. Made sure to go slow, take short strokes, use a light touch and keep the head flat on the face, as recommended. No complaints with the performance. As has been reported by everybody who's used the OB it is not disputed that the OneBlade is notably easy on the skin while at the same time delivering a very close and smooth shave. That seems to be OneBlade's main advantage. I've already addressed (at length) here and elsewhere that the Gillette Guard (and Trac II?) is/are virtually just as smooth and non-irritating as the OB in my personal experience.

[brothers]

Only made it through 2 consecutive shaves with the Streamline. The results were smooth and close, very similar to the OneBlade. Unfortunately, the blade contact with the Streamline was too harsh and uncomfortable, even though I used light touch and kept the blade head flat on the face, moving slowly. OneBlade wins this face-off. Streamline went back offline.

Instead of OneBlade or Streamline, I used the old Darwin stainless razor with the Super Iridium blade.

[brothers]

I bought myself a OneBlade, used it for several shaves, and then I returned it for a full refund. There were no questions asked, and the refund was approved and paid within 24 hours. I have been experiencing the smoothest shaves imaginable for some time now, using other razors on par with the results I get with the OneBlade. I have nagging issues with the OneBlade. Specifically the massive case and stand, both of which I won't use. I don't use stands or cases. There's also something peculiar about the blade that feels artificial and insincere. Why didn't they just go with the common SE blade? I just could not get around that, even though all of the shaves I experienced with my OneBlade were as advertised, smooth and close (both Feather and Gem) but no closer or smoother than my normal daily BBS. I haven't been searching for a better shave for quite some time now. My reading of all of the OB marketing statements leaves me feeling patronized. The razor is what it is, and it can sell itself.

[oldjoe]

Your experience with the one blade razor is not the same as mine. Possibly you have a superior shaving technique compared with mine? I have been wet shaving for 51 years. I have also tried every possible shaving method except for a straight razor. My definite favorite DE razor is the Feather AS-D2. I tried a Weber DE razor and absolutely hated the razor, sold it on the Bay. I've tried Gem, Eversharp single edge razors and they do work well but they are simply too bloody in my hands. Terrible razor burn too! On to ATT open and closed comb. Beautiful machining, but also not very good in my hands either. Simply too aggressive? Cartridge razors always led me to to many skin problems and ingrown hairs. I've dug at plenty of those ingrowns. Now comes the OB razor. Is it expensive--YES. IS it well made----YES! And then there are those expensive hard to find blades by Feather. Are they expensive----YES. But, do they give me a truly better shave experience----YES, most definitely. I have never experienced a closer longer lasting shave. I can buff to my hearts content and go for multiple passes with abandon! Tried the Gem blades and they worked but felt harsh and no better results than w/ most any DE razor. Then I clipped the Gem blades to fit flat and tight. Used a nibbler per internet instructions. And, it is a little harder than discussed. But, Trial and error showed me how. And, I am still on the one Gem blade. 2 shaves so far and both-- Smooth and as good a result as with the Feather. I wonder how long the Gem blade can last? I am definitely hooked on the One Blade Razor. I balked at the expense but the no blood letting/no burn/ comfortable shave for me seems worth every damn penny of the expense!!! Of course--YMMV and all this is IMHO.

[brothers]

Joe, no doubt you're one of those for whom the OB was made! Congratulations! I have been lucky to have found others that work just as well for me. Frankly, if the OB was about a hundred dollars cheaper without the case and stand, I'd probably have kept it. Welcome to SMF! Great first post, by the way. Please keep us on your radar screen when you are in the mood to post in the future.

[Squire]

I see this is your first post Joe, welcome aboard.

[Baronet]

Hi, I have kept my OB and am still very happy with it. It is very easy to get a BBS shave from but I can achieve this with one of my other 20 or so DE’s, but that has taken many years of wet shaving trial and error to get to that stage. With a OB it’s just like picking up any cartridge razor in terms of the learning curve but with better results and no razor bumps. If somebody is looking to have one razor and not use a multi blade cartridge then the OB will (cost aside) be excellent for them and provide a better shaving experience. But, for many of us here who shaving is a hobby and have more brushes creams and razors along with hundreds of DE blades then the OB is an expensive but very enjoyable new shaving experience that can be mastered very easily. I get more satisfaction getting a great shave from a DE knowing that far more skill and concentration is required .

[CMur12]

Welcome to SMF, oldjoe! Great post for your starter!

- Murray

[rsp1202]

I just finished a few days trial with this razor and its Feather and Gem blades. A smooth and efficient shaver, just the right length and weight for me, so-so grip. The Feathers are done after one shave and are a bit smoother than the Gems (which I'm not going to be able to test for longevity). I'm just not up for spending three bills on this razor, not when I have other razors that are good shavers in their own right. But I'm glad I got to try it -- it's a slick piece of work.

[mlb549]

I have been wet shaving for over 50 years. First carts, then DE and for the last few years vintage SE razors. I have not been tempted with all the new SE's hitting the market now(One Blade, Cobra, Mongoose,etc). I get BBS shaves with all my Gem, Ever-Ready, Star(Kampfe Bros, Treet, and more)razors. They are well made artistic treasures, my only regret is not using them sooner than I did. These treasures make my shaving experiences very pleasurable. And yes, SE's have classics as well. The Damaskeene OC, Streamline, Micromatic OC and others--not to mention all the pre-1912 lather catchers.

[willhs]

Hi,
I've been trying to use my Oneblade for the past month or so, but I've had a problem with the blade "smiling" at me using the standard Feather blades. I'm wondering if anyone else had this problem with the feather blades, and if they were able to fix the problem. I am getting the blade "locked in" to the tabs, but it does appear to be hovering above the base plate -- I'm not sure if those tabs are just a little bit too tight, and not allowing the blade to be low enough to prevent the "smile." Perhaps I need to buy one of those hold punches that others are using for their GEMs?

Thanks,
Will