Grooming Garage: Other Blades to Try

I haven't done one of these in a while, but a couple of months ago I became aware of two new companies offering razor products, and I'm always happy to see people willing to fight the hegemony of Gillette, so I ordered both of them for test-shaving purposes.

When I try something new like this I can't offer a legitimate opinion after only one use, so I try to use a new razor for a number of shaves, at least four or five. That gives me an idea of what sort of performance I might expect with regular use, and lets me see how long the blades remain sharp.

I heard about 800Razors from the blog United Style. They offer both 3-blade and 5-blade models, and their products are made in the USA. I preferred the styling and color scheme of their 5-blade razor, but I've found that 4- or 5-blade razors don't give me any benefit beyond a 3-blade, so I ordered their 3-blade model, which came with 5 cartridges for $10. (You get more cartridges for your money with the 3-blade model, too.)

The handle has nice contours and rubberized grip points, so it's easy to hold and feels comfortable in the hand. I didn't expect the shaves to be as good as the Schick Xtreme3 razor I've been using for several years, but I have found the 800Razors model to give an equivalent shave. I'm very satisfied and probably will continue to use it. I don't know if the 5-blade model is as good, but I would be inclined to think so. (They have also just introduced a women's 5-blade razor.)

Shipping is free, and if for any reason you aren't satisfied they will give you a refund. One other nice thing: the more replacement cartridges you buy at one time, the better the per-cartridge price.

The other company, Harry's, was all over the men's style websites when they launched their products a few months back. (I guess they have a better PR person than 800Razors.) I was immediately drawn to the design of the handle with its smooth, clean lines—just the sort of razor I might design myself, I thought.

The Harry's razor comes with one 5-blade cartridge (the only option) for $10, or for $15 (all orders ship free) you get 3 cartridges and a tube of their shaving cream, so I ordered that combo. The handle is available in a choice of four colors: deep blue, ivory, olive, or orange, which is the one I chose. There's also an aluminum version for $10 more. As with 800Razors, Harry's offers better pricing for buying larger quantities of replacement cartridges.

The set arrived in a dark blue box with the various items set into cutouts inside. It was very impressive looking, and the razor is truly a pleasure to hold. I thought I was really onto something... and then I shaved. It was one of the worst shaves I'd had in years. The shaving cream stung my face, so I decided next time I'd use the razor with my regular shaving cream. It didn't matter; I had to switch razors after a couple of minutes. The blades just wouldn't glide over my skin the way other razor blades do.

I really wanted to like the Harry's products, because it's obvious a great deal of thought has gone into their design and construction, and I feel bad saying somewhat unflattering things about them here, but my experience with them was very disappointing. It's entirely possible that my skin is to blame and that others are perfectly happy using their Harry's shaving cream and razors. As they say, your mileage may vary.