Spyderco Safety Razor?

[Doc Dan]

When I went back to double edged safety razors after a forty year hiatus, I had no idea how the industry had grown. It is so huge that even Gillette got back into it. It is so huge that even a company that makes satellite parts and parts for the Mars rover got into it. It is so huge there are probably more forums than there are for knives.

I was wondering how it would be if Spyderco made a safety razor. They make things to cut things, after all. Perhaps they could contract with Henson or RazoRock or some other top notch company that is not too expensive. (Feather of Japan would be too expensive, I think, but they make top end razors).

Titanium or stainless steel, of course, would be the best choices, I think. This is a huge market nowadays. There are a number of stores local to me that sell nothing but wet shaving products and they do not sell electric, multi-blade disposable, or cartridge razors.

Another issue is pollution. Cartridge razors and disposable razors fill up landfills and illegal dump sites with plastic pollution that never rots. A safety razor blade will disintegrate over time and return to nature.

Any thoughts?

[Doc Dan]

Another thing. A lot of people have a razor acquisition syndrome the same as all of us knife nuts have knife acquisition syndrome.

[awa54]

While knives and razors seem like allied concepts, I really don't think they are... Not that Spyderco couldn't make a razor if they wanted to, but how many wet shavers would buy it over a product from an established maker?

I like that Spyderco makes great knives and sharpeners, but isn't a catch-all company that tries to sell *every* style and price point of cutting tool (and all sorts of other outdoor/kitchen gear as well), if they spread their design efforts too thin the quality of all projects would likely suffer.

I love my RazoRock stainless razors (Mamba, GC .68SB & OC, Lupo .72 and to a lesser extent the BBS), but having them make for Spyderco, when they can barely keep up with demand from Italianbarber.com doesn't make sense to me.

If wet shavers all just settled on a single razor, brush and blade brand, then using safety razors really would reduce use and waste, but many of us are also collectors, who buy far more products than we need to just stay clean shaven... so now we're creating a manufacturing input, rather than a waste stream, but with a net result of wasted material and energy, that's altogether too similar to using disposable razors the good news is that far less of the waste is plastic.

And we get way better shaves :D

[Doc Dan]

"How many wet shavers would buy it over a product from an established maker?" Quite a lot, actually. Look at all of the new comers in the market and new startups happening daily. Spyderco has the advantage of an internationally known name.

[VashHash]

I'd still prefer they continue the pursuit of a straight razor. I doubt I'll ever go back to shaving with anything else.

[Ric]

I would buy one.

But I think it's not easy to bet Muehle, ...
They alredy have the know-how.
And a DE razor is quite cheap, i think it will not sell as good as the new Native 5 magnacut.

[yablanowitz]

I can only think of two reasons for Spyderco to further strain their already overtaxed manufacturing facility to enter another highly competetive market.
1) They have come up with a brilliant innovation that will revolutionize the safety razor as it now exists, setting them entirely apart and raising the bar for every other company in the world.
2) A sudden attack of the corporate greed that has been refreshingly absent from their business model until now.

Of course, the last time I shaved my beard completely was in 1988, so I really don't care. I just don't see any reason for them to enter that market.

[resonanzmacher]

I can only think of two reasons for Spyderco to further strain their already overtaxed manufacturing facility to enter another highly competetive market.
...
2) A sudden attack of the corporate greed that has been refreshingly absent from their business model until now.

I think this is one of the biggest reasons I own so many Spydercos, they're kind of the Un-cola of the American production knife industry. Their activities aren't driven by the enhancement of shareholder value uber alles. They give a **** about doing the best knife they can and 'refreshing' is the right word for it IMO.

[Doc Dan]

RazorRock uses CNC machining and Henson does. Henson is very innovative and makes Titanium razors. they have yet to make stainless. There are other companies that use Ti, as well. The stainless steel razors are made from 316. I wonder if there is a better, completely rust proof steel that could be used?

[Joris Mo]

Love my safety razors and must've been using them for about 20-25 years now.
I also shave my head as well as my beard so then you end up with so much hair that with modern razors you spend more time trying to get the hair out of all those blades than you do actually shaving.
Think if Spyderco would make one they should probably go for a fancy titanium version but maybe if possible also a cheaper lightweight FRN option if that might be possible?!
I always get annoyed trying to leave my heavy stainless razor at home when travelling and having to make do with some cheap plastic safety razor that doesn't really work well but do also prefer to not always carry too fancy expensive stuff on the road.
(like a titanium safety razor would be)

Edit: Just noticed again that my pic on this forum is from way back when I did actually grow my beard for a few years but that has been gone again for the past 7-8 years.

[Doc Dan]

Love my safety razors and must've been using them for about 20-25 years now.
I also shave my head as well as my beard so then you end up with so much hair that with modern razors you spend more time trying to get the hair out of all those blades than you do actually shaving.
Think if Spyderco would make one they should probably go for a fancy titanium version but maybe if possible also a cheaper lightweight FRN option if that might be possible?!
I always get annoyed trying to leave my heavy stainless razor at home when travelling and having to make do with some cheap plastic safety razor that doesn't really work well but do also prefer to not always carry too fancy expensive stuff on the road.
(like a titanium safety razor would be)

Edit: Just noticed again that my pic on this forum is from way back when I did actually grow my beard for a few years but that has been gone again for the past 7-8 years.

Those multi blade disposable and cartridge razors are the biggest scam in the world. They cost nothing to make and they increase the price to ridiculous levels. As you noted, you spend more time cleaning the gunk out than actually shaving. If Spyderco made such a razor out of aluminum or stainless steel the cost would not be too bad. Aluminum has to be made just right or they won't sell. The only all aluminum I know of that is any good is the Henson. I think Edwin Jagger has one with an aluminum handle, though. Stainless would fly out the door.

[Joris Mo]

Those multi blade disposable and cartridge razors are the biggest scam in the world. They cost nothing to make and they increase the price to ridiculous levels. As you noted, you spend more time cleaning the gunk out than actually shaving. If Spyderco made such a razor out of aluminum or stainless steel the cost would not be too bad. Aluminum has to be made just right or they won't sell. The only all aluminum I know of that is any good is the Henson. I think Edwin Jagger has one with an aluminum handle, though. Stainless would fly out the door.

Yes, an aluminium one would probably be the best option for an affordable version that would work well! Have only tried a few cheap ones of those that hadn't been made very well but when done right I'd love one of those.
Stainless is perfect for in my bathroom but can be a bit heavy for trips. Not much travel going on in the past 2 years now so might indeed look into one of those alu versions you mentioned as well before I finally get to some proper travelling hopefully again next year.

[Archimedes]

On a side note I inherited literally hundreds of Razors from the 1800's and early 1900's. I had no interest in them so I sold them in lots on Ebay. I ran all auctions. They sold for way more than I expected.

[JacksonKnives]

IMO, the market is now crowded.
If it's a branding effort, there are dozens of factories churning out clones of old Gillette razors or slightly-newer German razors that work exceptionally well. (Even Procter&Gamble/Gillette used this tactic to re-introduce a DE razor; they could have spent a million bucks re-engineering the Super Adjustable they designed 40 years ago, but instead they contracted someone cloning a Merkur/Edwin Jagger/Muhle-style design.)

If you want to see innovation, there are probably a dozen new takes on flexing/floating blades, strange head-mount geometry, thicker blades, gap/exposure adjustment... some are very successful, but DE razor enthusiasts are always ready to jump on a new design when it comes along. The oldest designs are almost without question the *most* successful.

The straight razor project makes far more sense to me than a Spyderco-branded DE.

[Pokey]

RazorRock uses CNC machining and Henson does. Henson is very innovative and makes Titanium razors. they have yet to make stainless. There are other companies that use Ti, as well. The stainless steel razors are made from 316. I wonder if there is a better, completely rust proof steel that could be used?

MagnaCut!

C'mon, I can't be the only person thinking this was the answer to Doc Dan's question.

[Stuart Ackerman]

Imagine a H1 body?

But then some would complain that it works hardens in hot water, and rusts all over with shaving soap... :)

[Doc Dan]

RazorRock uses CNC machining and Henson does. Henson is very innovative and makes Titanium razors. they have yet to make stainless. There are other companies that use Ti, as well. The stainless steel razors are made from 316. I wonder if there is a better, completely rust proof steel that could be used?

MagnaCut!

C'mon, I can't be the only person thinking this was the answer to Doc Dan's question.

Actually, it was in my mind but I did not want to say it as there might have been more practical options, like N680 or something.

[Doc Dan]

Straight razors are nice, but except for those small ones the beauty shop uses to shave the edges of a woman's neck, there is a limited market. A surprising number of men like to shave with them, but their numbers are very small compared to all other methods of shaving. Safety razors, on the other hand, have a huge market. Blades are exceptional and cheap, so no need to reinvent the wheel.

Feather is a great company that could be contacted. Their razors are among the best of the best. However, their stainless AD-D2 is too pricey. Shabazz has a review (among many other people).

[Woodpuppy]

We need a thread in OT for safety razors. I don’t need to join another forum…

Crap… just looked and of course there is one

[Doc Dan]

Blackland is releasing a new razor called the Era after the New Year. It is already made, just not released. It is stainless steel, but...get this...it is 3D printed and that keeps the cost down. After they perfect that process further, they would be a third option for Spyderco to contract with. Hmmmm. Possibilities.