[Updated November, 2020] As promised earlier, I received a sample of the Gillette Heritage double edge (DE) razor. Here is the background and my first impressions.
Background
(Note: I received this razor at no cost. Amazon links are affiliate.)
As I mentioned in a previous article, I started getting emails and social media messages about Gillette announcing a new double edge (DE) razor for pre-order on Amazon. When I first saw it, I didn’t believe it–I thought it had to be some kind of counterfeit reseller posing as Gillette. I reached out to a PR rep. I knew who has a relationship with Gillette and she not only confirmed it but also offered to send me a sample at no cost. How could I refuse?
UPDATE 1 – (26 October ’19): the Amazon page now shows the razor as “Currently Unavailable” which I take to mean they have committed their entire stock to the pre-orders. I will reach back out to my Gillette contacts to see what is next for them.
UPDATE 2 – (28 October ’19): the Amazon page now says “Limited Quantity” again, so something is going on…I just don’t know what yet. I’m waiting for a reply from my Gillette contacts.
UPDATE 3 – (1 November ’19): The Amazon page now shows “Currently Unavailable” again.
UPDATE 4 – (5 November ’19): I’m seeing posts on social media about customers getting emails that their shipment has been delayed. I’m trying to find out where the problem lies (I suspect Amazon’s warehouses but I hope to know soon).
UPDATE 5 – (Mid-December, ’19): Amazon’s inventory issues seem to have stabilized and this razor seems to be generally available there.
Specs
The presentation case is approximately 3.75″ wide by 3″ deep by 1″ tall. The case has a leather-like look to it (though I’m guessing it’s actually made out of a vinyl-like material). The inside insert feels like it’s made out of a hardened felt material–maybe thin felt over a cardboard or plastic form.
Inside is the razor top cap and base plate, handle, a pack of five Gillette Platinum DE blades, and a small instruction booklet. According to the booklet the case is made in China and the blades are made in Russia. The booklet describes how to change razor blades and how to shave with a DE:
The handle is 3″ long, about 0.4″ (1 cm) in diameter, and mildly etched in a design similar to vintage Gillette DE’s (perhaps similar to the 1929 Gillette NEW). The razor’s head is a modern scalloped skin guard design like many other familiar DE razors (Muhle, Edwin Jagger, Merkur, etc.) but there is no indication where the razor is manufactured. The only identification on my razor is a “4” etched under the top cap.
The razor is 2.2 ounces (63 grams) on my digital kitchen scale.
My Conference Call With Gillette
My contact was also kind enough to set up a conference call between me and several Gillette representatives, including their senior “Archivist,” a Communications Manager, and several public relations representatives. My relevant questions (in bold) and their paraphrased answers (in italics):
Gillette hasn’t produced a double edge safety razor for the US market in 30 years. Why now?
The DE razor market in the U.S. is growing. This razor is a product for the holiday season that is “fun” and “surprising” for the shaver who is starting to explore other ways of shaving. The focus is to also make a product with the quality and craftsmanship that appeals to the “collector” and the “fan.”
We also want to make the distinction that this is a “heritage-inspired” razor, not a replica.
Where is the razor manufactured?
The handle is manufactured in the U.S. and the head is manufactured in Germany.
What materials is the razor made out of?
The razor (head and handle) is made out of a chrome-plated alloy.
Is Gillette planning any sort of advertising campaign for this razor?
Not beyond what you see on Amazon.
Will the razor be sold only through online channels or will it be appearing in “brick and mortar” (The Art Of Shaving?) outlets as well?
Just Amazon.
My razor has a “4” etched on the underside of the razor head’s top cap. Is this a new date code similar to the one used on vintage Gillette razors?
There is no intentional date coding on the razor.
My Shaves With The Gillette Heritage DE Razor
For my first shave I used a familiar, “safe” shave cream to me–Castle Forbes Lime, lathered with a Stirling badger brush. My preferred blade (particularly when testing a new razor) is a Parker but I used one of the included Gillette Platinum blades for this shave.
I did a three pass shave with some “touch and cut” clean-up.
I found this to be a mild razor (and I like mild razors generally) with a modest amount of blade feel. It seems to be very forgiving of blade angle. I like the razor’s balance given it’s weight.
The result of this first shave for me was well into “Darn Fine Shave” (DFS) territory, though not quite “Baby’s Butt Smooth” (BBS). Again, bear in mind this was my first shave with the kit, so my results may change as I use it more and try other blades.
My next shaves used the same products with the exception of a Feather DE blade. I figured this might be a good pairing, as I find the Feather AS-D2 (another very “mild” razor) works well with the high performance Feather blade.
And I was right. An easy BBS shave. I continue to use Feathers with the Heritage.
Conclusion
The hard-core “shave nerd” looking for something ground-breaking may be disappointed. But all-in-all I think the Gillette Heritage double edge razor is a mild, predictable, forgiving razor well-suited to the beginner DE shaver, at a price that is not out of line with what is included.
Did you get a Gillette Heritage double edge razor? What do you think of it? Leave a comment below!
Cadmium is used in junk jewelry to give it weight and it is cheap.
Cadmium also happens to be toxic and obtained from old batteries and is quite poisonous and causes cancer, long term organ toxicity, and other nervous, respiratory, hematologic or reproductive issues.
Stainless steel razors are much healthier for you.
There is nothing to suggest cadmium is in this razor.
I bought the Gillette Heritage razor on Amazon because… I am 77 years old and have been using a DE razor again for several years. (I used to shave with a Gillette DE razor many years ago). I have a Feather AS-D2 that I use daily these days, but decided to take a step backward in time…
Using the new Gillette Heritage is like taking a BIG step backward in time: the razor, the box with King Gillette’s name on it, the included blades, and the instructions (that require bifocals to read!). I will continue to use it. It gives a very good shave and the nostalgia is fun.
I purchased a King C. Gillette razor from Walgreen’s and found that the razor with the King C. Gillette logo on the top plate was not the same as the Heritage product. Same head, but a very HEAVY handle made in China. I returned it and called Gillette USA, Proctor and Gamble. The rep had no knowledge of the Heritage inspired product with the American made handle that you was reviewed on Sharpologist. He thought that perhaps the Heritage was only sold in Canada and the UK. He was baffled, left the phone and returned saying that no one at Gillette was aware of the Heritage inspired razor. Interesting that Amazon, yet again is out of stock. I wonder if there is a legal issue going on. Your talk referenced with Gillette, referenced in the article went very different than mine last week. The Walmart version came in a navy blue cardboard box with 5 King C. Gillette blades made in Russia.
A handle heavy enough to “Swiss” steak! I suggested that they might consider drilling a hole through the length of the handle to lighten it… or make the Heritage inspired product available also. He claimed that if it was available elsewhere that Proctor and Gamble owned the trademark.
The KCG2 from Walgreens is not exactly the same as the heritage inspired razor. The heads are similar with a slight variation to the base plate but nevertheless manufactured by Muhle in Germany.
The latest edition has a zinc alloy handle made is China and the packaging is designed for display in stores. Hence this latest version is available in many retailers in Europe too.
The heritage inspired razor, noted for the assimilation to the Gillette common bar handle is only available from Amazon USA and is currently in stock.
I own a Merkur 23c long handle. It has the the number 4 stamped on it. The handle of the 23c is much nicer, to me, than the Gillette which has no logo. A minor picking point due to it selling cheaper. The case of the Heritage seems to be pretty snappy and makes it a great Christmas gift to a new shaver. Just hopes the quality of the razor can withstand the rigors of time but my gut instinct is that it will. A safe bet for Gillette.
Hello Mark,
Well, it appears that these ‘Gillette Heritage Razors’ are back in stock on Amazon U.S (12th Nov) which is good.
In the description what Amazon is advertising, it says, ”Limited Quantity”. I have taken this to mean that the razor as a limited (edition) production run. So I asked that question to Gillette, who informed me that they are not fully in control of this item and therefore have no information on how many units/razors have been manufactured and consequently do not know the overall amount produced. They tell me that Amazon may have this information.
I wrote to Amazon asking the same question, “what is the overall amount of Razors manufactured to class this Razor in the limited Quantity bracket?”
My first reply from Amazon was that I may order up to 17 razors at any one time.
I emailed Amazon again asking the same question, but slightly different, (I don’t think the words “overall limited amount” means the same in the U.S as it does in the U.K)
The second reply said, they are were sorry that I was given the wrong info the first time, but I may order up to 30 razors at anyone time.
Oh, Amazon mentioned they my razor is delayed and its now a ‘case file’ and someone will look in to sending it soon as.
I have now left it at that, and hope that someone else will be able to source the information out……….But, maybe it’s simply not a limited edition, and Amazon U.S are able to supply as many as required for as long as required!
Regards
DRCharlesworth
I bought one simply and only to encourage Gillette to return and re-establish itself as a shaving products brand instead of a post-modernist propaganda purveyor. If an when Gillette tells its customers that it is comfortable celebrating masculinity and intent upon selling “The best a man can get” rather than preaching about what they believe a man should be, I will return to buying their products. Otherwise, I’ll go back to the shaving products I’ve been using for the past year. This purchase is my olive branch. But for the record, I’ve been enjoying the heck out of Personna and Muhle & Clubman, so… it’s a win for me either way.
Salut!
For half the price, get a Tech. You’ll save money, get the *genuine* deal, and a better shave. I bought that same head from Maggard’s for 7 bucks, put it on both a ball-end and Heavy Tech handle, and a custom stainless handle, and got a so-so shave with a variety of blades. I reckon Gillette is putting this out to sucker noobs into thinking they’re getting something.
Hello,
The reaction from a UK Facebook group seems to be very positive towards this new Gillette Heritage razor. I deliberated for some time on whether I should wait, (but what am I waiting for?) I always seem to miss the boat on most things, but something told me to go for it; and I’m glad I did.
These Heritage Razors have now sold out on Amazon U.S and when they go on sale on the secondary market the price will almost certainly double and people who want this Razor will only be too happy to pay the asking price.
Btw, Amazon U.S have informed me along with many others I suspect, that my delivery date is between, the 27th Nov to 2nd Dec, a few weeks delay…….
Wonder if Gillette will sell the Fatboy again? called heritage or what ever.
Given that they seem to have outsourced the production of the razor head to Mühle, I doubt that they can bring back the Fat Boy: the expertise is now gone.
It’s a shame the Fatboy went out of production. I have one and absolutely love it. It never fails me in providing a smooth as a baby’s butt shave.
Again, thanks for the review, but I’m going to unsubscribe from any further comments follow up.
Some of you gents have some serious growing up to do. If you are triggered by some television commercial, great, enjoy, but it would be nice if you could comment on the razor instead of whining and displaying your insecurities.
Hi Hector,
I’ve owned many Gillette razors over the years, my favourite that is in the current rotation is a ’59 red tip. It gives a great efficient shave. It’s great having razors collecting as a hobby and I can say I even enjoy the lowly Tech. Oh, my calendar says the word of the day is “Projection” you might want to look it up. Cheers
It looks like the head is that of the Muhle 89 / Merkur 34. That’s my favorite razor head. I have two – in Merkur 34 and 38 (short and long). This appears to be 3-part instead of 2, and of medium length and weight. That will play well for me although I’ll save those Platinum blades for a more aggressive razor.
CORRECTION – The Muhle 89 appears to be the same as the Edwin Jagger 89, not the Merkur 34. Oops. Still, a mild razor to be sure.
Exactly!
Thanks for the review. I recon if your a starter in DE shaving, then Id buy one. But If you want a more up market better performing razor then shop around. For me nothing has beaten the Rockwell S6 for its performance and what it offers shave adjuster plate wise.
I like the Rockwell 6S a lot, but I also have high praise for the RazoRock Baby Smooth which costs considerably less (and for the Dorco PL602, with a shave action very like the Baby Smooth, for even less). This article lists my favorite razors.
I wonder what Gillette means by “rotate the side of the blade after every stroke.” Sounds like what Mantic calls “j-hooking.”
I thought it mean to switch from one side of the razor to the other.
I ordered one. Got in just under the wire. My viewers were very interested and there was lots of buzz online about this razor.:) Really looking forward to using it and reviewing it.:)
Hi Mark, I was going to comment on your last video but noticed your comment here. I just happened to check Amazon earlier this afternoon. I don’t know why I bothered because I saw that it was sold out earlier and was kicking myself for vacillating and losing out. But guess what?!? It popped up again. So I grabbed one. Yahoo!!! If anyone else wants one, act fast, they might be cancelled orders being put back into the release.
Gen2Rev, thanks for this!:) I can confirm. I’m looking at the Amazon product page now on 10/29/2019 at 6:20 EDT. Razor is available for pre-order.:)
Are you serious,Gillette should never be mentioned,after their toxic masculinity ads. You should man up. there’s plenty of products,don’t by from Gillette period. Sharpologist,I can’t believe you would try to tip toe around this issue.
I assume your updates were actually posted in October, not November. ?
Ooops. Edited, thanks.
Good review, and thanks. It looks a lot like the EJ or Mühle 89 head to me. I’ll see when it arrives. Their shaving instructions are unusual: flip the head after EVERY “short, choppy” stroke?! That’s a LOT of head flipping. I personally prefer to shave the right side of my face and then flip the blade for the rest of my face. I also have found that while short strokes are a great advantage when learning (just as playing a piano passage very slowly helps as you work through it at first in practice), with some years of experience I now make long strokes because I know how to adjust the angle as I go and I can keep the pressure light (and the pianist in performance plays the passage much more quickly and smoothly than in the early practice sessions).
I’m delighted to see their acknowledgement that the DE market is growing. That’s been my impression as well—for one thing, look at all the new (and very good) razors coming to market. (This morning I shaved with my Fendrihan Mk II, a very fine razor that actually is stainless steel.)
Thank you for the review and information.
It is always amusing reading some of the replies. Don’t like it, don’t buy it. Be an adult about it.
Me? I’m like NASA, I double up on everything, got two of them and I’m looking forward to try it.
Thanks again!
I’m sure it’s a fine razor, however Gillette will never get another dollar from me ever again. Completely turned off by their leftist, anti-white male agenda.
I believe their agenda regarding masculinity was to oppose bullying, misogyny, spousal abuse, homophobia, and the like, which unfortunately are seen in some men’s version of a particular machismo sort of masculinity. It was pretty clear that Gillette does not oppose all forms of masculinity (for example, they would undoubtedly approve of the masculinity portrayed by Joel McCrea in “Four Faces West,” a fine movie), just the toxic form. And truthfully, I don’t think many support bullying, misogyny, spousal abuse, homophobia, and the like. Opposition to those doesn’t seem liberal or conservative, just a respect for individual rights (something that conservatives support).
Agreed. I make no judgement on how others spend their hard earned money, but for myself I will not have Gillette profit from me. Also, for those who may care, Proctor and Gamble are Gillette’s parent company.
Return of the Prodigal son to the wet shaving family Gillette abandoned 30 years ago. Pass.
Thank you very much for the info and the review. I first found out about it from a Kensurfs video. It was a short video just to announce it. I jumped on my phone and had mine ordered before the video was finished.
Hmm. So the head is made in Germany and the handle is made in the USA. I had thought the whole thing was probably made in China, which was the main reason I took a pass. That, plus the fact that I already own 22 DE razors and really don’t need another one. Of course, one could very reasonably argue I don’t “need” 21 of the ones I have now either, lol.
Maybe I’ll bite next time–if there is a next time. It was only, what, $40? That’s the equivalent of a tank of gas, and if I put the razor in my rotation it will last a whole lot longer.
Amazon is charging $45 and change for it and their description is unclear.
It comes out implying that the razor is stainless steel, when they’re describing the the stainless steel blade. it’s a very misleading descrtprion.
Hi Warren– I just went over to Amazon and its telling me that the razor is no longer available! So apparently they’ve completely sold out their inventory with pre-orders. I’ll have to reach back out to my Gillette contacts to find out what’s next for them.
Well I guess it piqued interest at either price.
Thanks for the response.
I’m guessing that you have an EJ89 or a R89 in your collection. Are you able to say whether the head of the Gillette is the exact same found in either one of those?
Maybe Gillette is gathering info by bringing out this razor around the holidays, to see if a DE razor would be profitable to make, and advertise, here in the USA.
Thank you for taking the time to post this well written report. Hopefully it clears up some of the pre-sale rumors. I ordered mine and am looking forward to getting it next month.
Curtis George
East Coast Wet Shavers
I agree that unknown alloy most likely is Zamak – not that there is anything wrong with a zamak razor 🙂
The etched 4 intrigues me though… 😀
Those numbers can be found in other razors too, for instance, the underside of the top caps and base plates of Merkur razors. People conjecture that they are there just to identify the mold they are coming from, in case there are problems; they are not intended to be of any significance to the final consumer.
My experience with the “4” stamp is with Muhle. Heads stamped with the “4” are newer manufacture with an improved (stronger) screw. This is my understanding anyway.
I’ve got 6 of the real deal. Hard pass. Nice try Gillette. Stick to the “toxic masculinity” that seemed to work really well for ya
Spot on. I agree.
Well said. I’ll continue on with my “Toxic Masculinity” and keep the money for something manly. Ahaha!
You actually pride yourself on your toxic masculinity? YMMV, of course, but I find the sort of machismo that seeks validation through (for example) bullying and misogyny and spousal abuse and homophobia not very appealing and in fact reeks of insecurity.
And you do recognize that bullying, misogyny, spousal abuse, and homophobia do exist as part of a certain strain of masculinity (“toxic masculinity), and if you support that version of masculinity, that’s your call. But I think that version of masculinity is not to be praised. And you do know that there is a type masculinity that rejects those attitudes.
Gillette disparaged men with a very broad and heavy handed brush. The commercials made it appear that these were the general attitudes of most men. Can you imagine the outrage, it would be deafening, if Gillette attacked the worst qualities of women the way they did to men. By the way, Gillette had to write down $8 billion in losses after that fiasco. Say what you will, many men were not amused.
In the version of the commercial that I saw, there were men who were offering a different version of masculinity and rebuking those who bullied, etc. Perhaps there are multiple versions of the commercial, but the one I saw definitely showed that men can be masculine without being bullies, misogynists, abusing their spouses, or homophobes. Of course, you may disagree and believe that a real man must embrace those.
Make no mistake. This was a test from Gillette to see if they get enough interest in the razors that made them famous. They fell after the toxic masculinity mess. Plus I’m sure these other metal razor companies are chipping away at their profits.
Gillette definitely missed the mark with their toxic masculinity campaign. They have rightfully abandoned their tone deaf marketing, and are trying different things now. Some people on here are still defending the “woke” ads, even though Gillette has stopped using them and continues to lose brand value and revenues despite their “wokeness.” I’m glad they are dipping a toe back into the DE market. Maybe heritage inspired “capitalism” will help sell razors and blades!
I think you’re right that Gillette did not anticipate the amazingly defensive reaction the ad would create. I’m sure they thought that pointing out that some harmful actions and attitudes are wrongly associated with “masculinity” and that men should condemn those would be nothing more than a public-service announcement. Gillette clearly did not foresee how insecure many men seem to be and how strong the outrage would be at having any problems discussed.. And I believe you’re right that Gillette will move back to selling product and leave social reform to others.
Well said. There may be those who feel that men that didn’t agree with Gillette’s woke ad endorsed bullies, misogynists, abusive spouses, and homophobes. However, I nor anyone I know have. That being said the beauty of capitalism is that the consumers voice will be heard. Perhaps Gillette will rise like a phoenix and if not there will always be someone to take its place. Cheers
Alloy=Zamak?
I find it sad that the handle isn’t even brass.
Probably Zamak but the people I spoke with didn’t know for sure.
Thanks for asking though .
It’s hard to believe they didn’t know the composition of the handle. It would have been interesting to know if they sub-contracted out the manufacturing of the handle as I don’t think they have the factories or the machines to make them anymore and exactly the name of the factory that manufactured it. Why not state “handle made in USA” on the packaging?
They’re testing the waters and with no ad campaign behind this, the markup is probably greater than 2,500% for the razor and case. At the least they could have added their best quality blades (Gillette Silver Blues) rather than the Platinums.
Back at the end of July, they took an $8 billion charge against their shaving business, so they’re searching for new revenue sources: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-proctergamble-results/pg-posts-strong-sales-takes-8-billion-gillette-writedown-idUSKCN1UP1AD
From what I understand there was no protective packaging around the case when it was received by some customers. I find that very unsanitary as even a new razor should be disinfected. Their cartridge razor packages use a very hard plastic that’s impenetrable.
I find this whole launch very puzzling. All their other products state where they’re made on the packaging but from what I understand, this one doesn’t. How do we even know if the Muhle products are all made in Germany and not one of the many Chinese and Pakistani factories that sell near clones of many popular razors?
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