There are some things that simply should not be used when traveling: Travel Weights (that fill up with water so that you can have dumbbells on the go) or the Travel Infrared Sauna (that assembles into a personal wet sauna suite in case you need an immediate increase in humidity). When it comes to shaving, however, there are many travel products that can be helpful when you are away from home. Usually travel products are under-sized, which can make using the product awkward or less comfortable. The Parker Travel Safety Razor proves that you can have both comfort and portability in a quality travel razor.

When I saw the iKon OSS for the first time, two things came to mind: (1) I do not know how iKon names their products, but OSS sounds like a battleship, and (2) Damn, this razor looks a lot like the Feather All Stainless. This article takes a closer look at this razor from iKon to explore if it is similar to a battleship and different from its Japanese twin.

Across all business segments, products have evolved over time as entrepreneurs have sought to improve upon existing designs. Skyscrapers are constructed taller, cars are engineered to go faster, and smart phones are thinner and more powerful with each release. In the shaving industry, iKon Razors is one obvious example of this concept. This brand merges and modifies existing designs to create new and innovative safety razors. The stainless steel iKon H20 Safety Razor is a stunning hybrid of styles and features.

The paradigm of British wetshaving was changed with the debut of The Bluebeards Revenge. This brand kicked Geo. F. Trumper in the arse and gave D. R. Harris and Co. a collective black eye. The modern and whimsical products from Bluebeards maintain the quality of these traditional British brands, but bring wit, sarcasm, and big stamped skull and crossbones to the market.  This article takes a look at the Scimitar, the premium double edge safety razor that bears the distinctive Bluebeards logo.

The adjustable safety razor is an innovation that allows a wet shaver to adjust the blade gap of his razor to provide the right aggressiveness for his beard density and skin type. The design was patented on March 19, 1956, by inventors Meyer J. Shnitzler and Michael Douglas Benedict, Jr., but the first razor brought to the market was Gillette’s Fat Boy in 1958. Over the next 25-ish years, Gillette produced approximately 14 models of adjustable safety razors. By contrast, Merkur produced only 3 models -- but unlike those from Gillette, the Merkur razors are still manufactured today. This article takes a closer look at one of these models, the Merkur Futur Adjustable Safety Razor.

Two of the leading double-edge safety razors have a lot in common. First, they are both well made with respected manufacturing and quality control processes by fine European companies. Both are widely available from many shaving retailers and stockists. Finally, they are both reasonably priced so that they are attractive to new and experienced wet shavers alike. However, there are many differences between the Edwin Jagger DE89L and the Merkur 34C Heavy Duty, from the overall design style of the razors to the dimensions and assembly. This article offers a side-by-side look at these high-quality and popular safety razors.

Because of its luster and durability, the shaving industry has been using stainless steel for decades. Razor blades made the transition from carbon steel to stainless in 1965, and there are many quality straight razor designs in the material. Manufacturers of double-edge safety razors have also transitioned to stainless and have produced a few models that have taken the industry by storm. While most safety razors are metal with a finish overlay, this class of razor is made entirely of stainless steel, which does not flake, peel, wear down, or rust like other metals. More importantly, the new class of stainless steel safety razors is considered by many to be the best constructed shaving instruments available.  The quality of these razors makes them a pleasure to use and the iKon Bulldog Safety Razor is no exception.

Over the past few years, I have sampled several different models of Parker Safety Razor products, and in that time have seen significant improvement in the craftsmanship and design of the brand.  One thing that had always remained consistent with Parker razors was the long-handle design.  Parker recently introduced two new models that take a departure from their normal size format, featuring a traditional short handle instead. This article takes a closer look at one of them, the Parker 94R Safety Razor.

If you see the word PILS on a shaving forum usually what follows is a barrage of positive reviews of their stunningly perfect stainless Double Edge Razors.  I have hardly seen any negative comments other than “It costs too much.”  Along with their outstanding razors, PILS makes other shaving products, including a shaving soap.

With the exception of the modern design razors, such as the Futur and Vision, most Merkur razors are recognized by their utilitarian, practical designs and knurled handles. The Merkur 1904 Classic safety razor is a departure from the standard. Inspired by the original design of the first Gillette safety razor produced in 1904, this modern safety razor is an example of precision German engineering with a classic antique appeal.

The new Feather All Stainless safety razor is probably the most beautifully crafted razor I have ever seen. Quality is nothing new for Feather, the Japanese favorite famous for its Hi Stainless double edge blades and the Artist Club disposable straight razor system. These are among the highest quality and quite possibly the sharpest instruments that any shaver will ever encounter. Feather's newest razor breaks the mold of traditional double edge safety razors and raises the bar for design, cutting angle, packaging, and -- of course -- price.

The Mühle company from Germany has a long-standing reputation for producing quality shaving brushes and other shaving accessories. In 2009 they introduced a newly redesigned double edge safety razor, the R89. I used the Mühle R89 for a while and evaluated its construction and performance side by side with some of the other popular razors available on the market.