Your thoughts on OneBlade

I'll have to say, as I'm my skill at wet shaving increases my appreciation for the Oneblade is increasing.

It is now my go to blade if my face is sore from trying a new blade, shaving while not paying attention, etc.... I used to say that the Merkur 38HD with a Feather blade was best. I'm now thinking that the slightly aggressive razor with a really sharp blade may not be the best for my face.

Next step for me is a shavedown. A shavedown is a showdown around shaving. Here's what the shavedown will look like:

In one corner we have a de-spined, hand stropped GEM. In the other corner we have a Feather #10.

First pass:

Probably, a rough start for the Feather, all that glue might cause him to get stuck in his corner.

Half the face with the GEM, half with the Feather.

Second pass: half face with each, though switching sides

Third pass, we'll have to see.

My best guess? The GEM will win by a decision.

Take those feathers and run them under hot water before inserting. The glue just melts away and you can remove the leftover with a small rag. You'll never know the glue was there. :-)

So following the advice of some of the pioneers here (you guys know who you are ) I bought a few gem pfte stainless blade to see how they worked.

I went to despline them remembering the video/pix I've seen with some needle nose pliers and destroyed the first one. I was grasping the entire spline and, of course, it was just squeezing against the blade not going anywhere

Then I figure out you just grab the bit at then end, tried it in the middle, and it came off with a few bends. But then I figured out if you grabbed it at a corner, they just about jump off the blade easily. So done, I quickly desplined some.

So as I'm working on them, I'm thinking these blades look vaguely familiar. Hmm. Although the afternoon, I lathered up some Nuavia and gave them a shot. The only thing different was I did not to a normal prep (hot towel and preshave stuff). Just splashed water on my face and figured Nuavia would do its magic.

The first thing I notice was the blades just felt dull. There is that old saying about a dull knife is a dangerous knife. The only thing I can think of was just tugging, not really cutting so much. But I gave it a go and quickly find razor burn, which never happened with the feathers. So I stopped, and they were nowhere near a close shave. Put on some thayers and balm. This morning my face still burned in parts.

Now maybe its just me. The blade had no smiles I could see and easily moved in and out, just wasn't locked in place. Maybe that's the problem. Then I thought about this where I seen these before. These are Ted Pella Gems. https://www.tedpella.com/dissect_html/bl...#stainless They are industrial products. These blades appearance and the cardboard look EXACTLY like the blades used in boxcutters decades ago in grocery stores to cut open canned goods boxes to stock shelves.

I understand that the gem razor co was bought out by the American Safety Razor co but are these the exact same blade used in 1930 (other than being stainless)? Or are these Ted Pella industrial blades really meant for shaving facial hair?

In any case, at least to me, the feathers are far, far sharper.

Hi grim.  As far as I know, these are not industrial blades.  They remain my favorite SE blade and give me DFS/BBS shaves in some of my favorite SE razors, like my Featherweight, GEM 1912, and lather catchers.  I have not used them in a razor where I would have to despine them but would imagine that if one has his technique down with that razor, which I assume you do, then there should not be the dullness and tugging you describe.  Perhaps you got a bum blade (hey, it happens) or accidentally dulled it when you despined it.  Of course, there is always the possibility that these blades simply do not work for you and that's okay.

grim,

A couple of thoughts.  Based on input from SharpSpine, I always hand strop.  I remember him saying something to the effect that the first few shaves are roug hotherwise.

Also, I haven't used Nuavia yet.  Having said that, the prep may have been an issue.  You may find different results by trying these two things.

While these may not be good blades for your skin, whiskers, facial structure, etc...., you may have bent the blade with de-spining it.  Needle nose pliars aren't the best tool.  Nippers like the ones in the pic below are better as they spread the applied pressure over a wider area.  Also, looking at the spine, there is an indent near the top.  The blade come out very easily with nippers applied to the small amount of spine above the indent.  

The Gems don't snap into place in my razor, though they stay still.  I just make sure that the blade goes down to the blade stop on both sides.


[Image: Zarkkd_1024x1024.jpeg?v=1459395159]

Thanks. It could be the lack of proper prep. Desplining wasn't an issue once I figured it out. I barely touch the edge of the spline in a corner and they about pop out. The first one I tried I definitely destroyed.

No, they don't lock in place. I got some more and will try it again after doing proper prep.

thanks

Thanks. It could be the lack of proper prep. Desplining wasn't an issue once I figured it out. I barely touch the edge of the spline in a corner and they about pop out. The first one I tried I definitely destroyed.

No, they don't lock in place. I got some more and will try it again after doing proper prep.

thanks

Good luck and keep us posted.

In addition to prep, consider a hand strop as well.

Thanks, grim for reporting your experience with the Gem coated. Inspired by SharpSpine I got some of these, and they're just sitting there. I have no issues with the Feather FHS blades, and I'm a bit concerned about the Gems not being locked in properly. The OneBlade with the Feather is such a no-brainer shave for me, I almost feel guilty about how easy and efficient it is to use. I find myself using other, more challenging and aggressive razors just to keep my skills up, but every darn time I get the OneBlade out, I get a DFS after two passes, and with some touchup, it's very, very close.

Thanks, grim for reporting your experience with the Gem coated. Inspired by SharpSpine I got some of these, and they're just sitting there. I have no issues with the Feather FHS blades, and I'm a bit concerned about the Gems not being locked in properly. The OneBlade with the Feather is such a no-brainer shave for me, I almost feel guilty about how easy and efficient it is to use. I find myself using other, more challenging and aggressive razors just to keep my skills up, but every darn time I get the OneBlade out, I get a DFS after two passes, and with some touchup, it's very, very close.

I've had no issues with the gems not locking in. I do prefer the feathers though.