Pivoted Safety Razor Battle Royale!

The recent introduction of the Supply Single Edge Max pivoting head safety razor has re-ignited a controversy among safety razor aficionados about the relative merits of the pivoting-head, single blade safety razor. I decided to do a head-to-head match-up.

TL;DR – Key Advantages Of Each Razor

[Note: APShaveCo, Leaf, OneBlade, and Supply links are affiliate.]

• OneBlade has the most options
• Supply Max is the most efficient
• Proof and Leaf have the most blade options
• Penny Shaver is compatible with Gillette Fusion handles

Contents

Why Trust This Article?

• OneBlade – [SHOP]
• Supply Max – [SHOP]
• Proof – [SHOP]
• Penny Shaver – [SHOP]
• Leaf – [SHOP]

Shave Consistency

The Future

Why Trust This Article?

This list is based on the personal experience of Sharpologist‘s editor (me!), contributors, and readers who have actually purchased and used the products–plus over ten years of research from review sites and specialty discussion forums. Generally-speaking, shaving facial hair is the primary objective.

OneBlade

Anyone reading Sharpologist knows I’m a big fan of OneBlade razors, particularly the Genesis model, since it was launched in 2015.

OneBlade looked at modern cartridge razor designs, particularly those of Gillette, for inspiration.  Oneblade and their engineering design firm spent a lot of time and effort on the razor’s pivot and the razor head’s “registration surface” (the distance between the top of the razor head’s base to the bottom of the blade edge).

All OneBlade razors hold the blade at about a 30 degree angle. Pivot travel is another 30 degrees or so.

Blades

OneBlade razors use a single-edge blade format originally designed for the vintage Valet Auto Strop razor. There are two sources for this type of blade, OneBlade’s excellent “Hi Carbon” blade and Feather’s FHS blade (which have a relatively shorter blade life in comparison). 

Genesis

The OneBlade Genesis razor is a handcrafted stainless steel razor with the “most aggressive” (though in my opinion this should be termed “least mild”) blade exposure of the product line. Available in Silver, Gunmetal, 24 Karat Gold, or 18K Rose Gold as well. Engraving is offered so you can pass on this as an heirloom.

Genesis is my favorite non-double-edge single-blade razor. Not just a pivoted razor, any razor. Admittedly it is an expensive razor (and in fact broke the “glass ceiling” of premium razor prices when it first launched in 2015) but the results for me have made the price worth it for me. This razor provides me with effortless, consistent, close shaves.

Dawn

Introduced in late 2023 the OneBlade Dawn razor is developed specifically for women. This razor uses a head made of alloy and a handle made of aluminum. The handle is beveled, available in three colors, and there is also a spot for a complimentary-colored silicon insert into the handle for a better grip.

The head is made of a chrome-plated brass alloy and is ever-so-slightly milder than the Genesis.

Element

The OneBlade Element razor was launched in 2024. Similar to the Dawn razor, the Element has an alloy head and an anodized aluminum handle. And like the Dawn, the Element is slightly milder than the Genesis.

Collaboration OneBlade Razors

Death Grip grooming products offers their “Burn The Ships!” OneBlade collaboration razor, a flaming red, all-metal build featuring an anodized aluminum handle and a matte chrome zinc alloy head.

Ridge, who are more well-known for things like high-end wallets, rings, and travel accessories, teamed up with OneBlade to make their own unique razor, the Ridge OneBlade razor. It features a PVC-coated stainless steel head with a sand-blasted aluminum handle.

Pros:

• Well designed and built
• Easy blade loading (compared to some others in this article)

Cons:

• Limited blade choice
• Price (Genesis)

How To Shave With The OneBlade Razor

The angle you hold the OneBlade razor at is a little different than either a cartridge razor or a DE.  It may take a shave or two to get the grip right.

There’s a tendency to want to feel the OneBlade’s pivot work by pressing down on the razor.  Don’t do that with the OneBlade: just use very light pressure on the razor (like a DE) and “ignore” the pivot.  It works but in the background so you don’t really notice it.

Unlike OneBlade’s suggestion, short shaving strokes work better for me than long sweeping strokes.

I think the OneBlade razors are relatively mild compared to many DE razors.

Supply Single Edge Max

Supply recently released a new single-blade, pivoting-head safety razor, the Single Edge Max. 

The Supply Max razor uses single edge blades that look similar to (though not exactly like) “Injector” blades (“Injector” blades will not work in the Max). These single-edge blades are inherently thicker and more stable than the typical double edge razor blade (much like OneBlade’s single edge blade).

And the Max blade magazine is not compatible with the standard Injector blade magazine. No “slide–click” of a classic Injector blade load.

Pros

• Max is not only consistent, but shaves more closely than other pivot-head safety razors, such as OneBlade and Proof, per pass.
• Handle length and the razor’s balance are excellent

Cons

• Handle texturing: the razor’s lined texturing is certainly adequate for me but I would prefer multi-dimensional knurling;
• Blade replacement: the “Switchblade” process works but I wish I could use standard Injector blades and magazines (admittedly this is probably impossible due to the horizontal stresses it would put on a pivoting razor head).

How To Shave With The Supply Single Edge Max Razor

Because it shaves more closely, I think Max may require a bit more focus from the shaver than other pivot razors. Max’s “Injector-like” blades will plow through tough, multi-day stubble with confidence as long as you have proper prep and a good shave cream or soap.

Click/tap here to read a full review of the Max

Proof Razor

Proof razors recently launched an updated version of their original “High Proof” razor that uses half double edge blades and a front-facing head pivot.

The razor’s material is aluminum (as was the original razor). The top cap is ridged, similar to self lubricating open comb razors, though the ridges are less dramatic. This design is supposed to reduce friction of the razor on the skin. A magnetic assist in the pivot base to facilitate blade loading and securing the razor’s top cap.

This razor is manufactured in the United States. There are several limited-edition versions available.

The Proof razor can accept double edge (DE) razor blades either snapped in half or pre-cut (some razors that use half DE blades can only use one or the other). The ability to use any brand of DE blade gives it exceptional versatility.

Click/tap here for Sharpologist’s full review of the new Proof razor.

Pros:

• Able to use any brand of double edge blade.

Cons:

• Somewhat lightweight aluminum materials
• Personally I am a little concerned about the long-term durability of the exposed spring, but of course only time and use will tell.

How To Shave With The Proof Razor

I think the new Proof razor is slightly less aggressive than the original razor: if the original is a “5” on a 1-10 scale I would say the new razor is about a “4.5.” I think there is a bit less blade-feel and general feedback as well. However, being able to different brands of blades can change the characteristics of this razor dramatically: if you find the razor too mild simply substitute a higher performance blade!

The pivot strength of the Proof razor feels more like a modern cartridge razor–shave technique can be a little sloppy with without worrying too much about drawing blood.

However the looser pivot strength makes “riding the head” or “riding the guard” a little more difficult for the shave enthusiast. The razor’s head design makes getting into the tight area under my nose a bit of a challenge.

Penny Shaver

Old-school wet shavers often rail at the big razor companies’ multi-blade cartridges and proprietary designs. Andrew at APShaveCo may have come up with a hybrid that spans both worlds, the Penny Shaver.

The Penny Shaver head/cartridge features a guide comb and a fairly large (though not unwieldy) head.  As the Penny Shaver cartridge is compatible with Gillette Fusion handles, blade/cartridge exchange is quick and easy.  One interesting aspect of the comparatively large cartridge size is that lather flow through is very generous.

Beyond the single blade and the cartridge comb the Penny Shaver does not offer any of the other bells and whistles of the typical razor cartridge: no pretensioner, no lubrication strip, no trimmer blade, etc.

Click/tap here for Sharpologist’s full review of the Penny Shaver.

Pros:

• Compatible with Gillette Fusion handles
• Low blade cost (in quantity)
• Travel-friendly

Cons:

• Lightweight
• Plastic materials
• Somewhat aggressive cartridge blade edge

How To Shave With The Penny Shaver

I found the first shave with a new cartridge more aggressive than I expected.  Shaves two and three were transitional and the shaves beyond that were quite nice for me.  On a ten point scale I would consider the shave’s aggressiveness as a 7 for shave one; dropping to a solid middle-of-the-road 5 for shaves 4-10; and falling off gracefully beyond that.

The size of the cartridge was not a problem for me when shaving detail areas like under my nose.

Shave comfort is acceptable for me when using “canned goo” but quite comfortable for me when I use traditional lather or a good “brushless” product).

Leaf (With One Blade Loaded)

The Leaf razor is probably the closest thing to a typical multi-blade cartridge razor in this article–but, as the Leaf website says,

“The Leaf Razor is unlike anything else. We let you load 1, 2 or 3 blades individually. This allows you to customize the razor to fit your skin and hair.”

• All metal razor
• Accepts 1, 2 or 3 blades
• Pivoting head for comfort and ease of shave
• Magnetic assist to help with loading blades

Like the Proof razor, the Leaf razor uses DE blades snapped in half.  This provides a big advantage for finding the brand(s) of DE blade that work best for you.

The disadvantage of the design is a very large head.  That can make shaving in tight areas and detail work a challenge.  Leaf included a separate, small plastic razor (that also takes a single half-DE blade) for detail work with my razor.  Blade insertion can also be a bit fussy.

The blade exposure is slightly different for the bottom, middle, and top blade holders (Leaf recommends putting a blade in the bottom slot if you are just using a single blade).  The pivot has the widest range of any razor in this article–about 90 degrees!  Although I don’t have an objective way of measuring it I think the Leaf’s pivot is also the “loosest” of the razors here, requiring the least amount of pressure to engage.

For me, shaving with the Leaf is pretty much the same to shaving with a pivoted cartridge razor: I can take long, casual strokes with the razor.

Pros:

• Most flexible usage (1, 2, or 3 blades)
• Uses double edge blades snapped in half (wide choice of blades)
• Widest pivot range

Cons:

• Very large head can make shaving in tight areas difficult
• Blade changing can be fussy

Shave Consistency With A Razor Pivot

If there is one thing that transitioning to shaving with a double edge (DE) razor almost 20 years ago did for me, it is to show me that I don’t need a multi-blade cartridge that vibrates like a marital aid to get a great shave.  A single blade gives me great results, and a lot more cheaply thankyouverymuch.

But one thing I do think that “modern” razor engineering got right is the concept of using a pivot in the razor head. I think a razor with a pivoted head provides a more consistent shave with less effort compared to a razor with a non-moving head.

And it appears I am not alone with that view.  Several razors with a single blade on a pivoted head are now available.  I have used all these razors for some time and they all have a slightly different approach.  Perhaps more importantly they might need a slight adjustment to shave technique compared to a DE razor.

Are Pivots The Future Of Single Blade Razors?

“Quirks” aside, I think all these razors shaved me pretty well.  I prefer mild razors so I got good results from all of them (though OneBlade Genesis is still the stand-out in my book.  It’s taken over the various adjustable DE models that have been my preference for years, as my “pry it from my dead, cold hands” razor).  Shavers who prefer aggressive razors may not find any of these razors to their liking, but the Supply Max will probably be your best bet.

Are pivots the future of single blade razors?  Admittedly there are a lot shave enthusiasts who prefer the designs and “vibe” of old school safety razors.  But I do think these razors make a great option for those who shave with cartridges but are not happy with multiple blade edges scraping across their skin.  A single blade can provide just as good of a shave, and the pivot can make the shave results more consistent with less effort.