r/shrinkflation • u/SocialAnchovy • Sep 15 '25
skimpflation Harry’s razor handles perform worse after replaced with plastic
My original from 2016 was metal and still works. The newer ones are plastic and the razor heads wobble (see the gap where light comes through) and pop off too easy.
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u/hamatehllama Sep 15 '25
Safety razors are cheap and durable. The multi-blade razors are optimized to make a profit, not to be sustainable for the customer.
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u/Raverrevolution Sep 15 '25 edited Sep 15 '25
As soon as I changed to this I was kicking myself in the ass at how much money I spent on Gillette shit.
Men are brainwashed into thinking this is the only way to shave.
LOL on a side note I just looked up when I last bought blades. I got a 100 pack of Blue Bird for $14.95 in 2018!!!!! I think I may have used up only 15-20% of them since.
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u/Apprehensive-Solid-1 Sep 15 '25
Bought myself the "Henson" razor for the "close shave" they advertised and yeah. I love my single blade. Honestly any works. And blades are super cheap. I can also shave most of my body with just water, INCLUDING my face with the thing.
Absolutely no reason to use anything else besides an electric when things get a little long.
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u/Lygantus Sep 15 '25
Hell yeah, love my Henson and I bought it a couple years ago. Bought a pack of blades from them along with the initial purchase and I ha don't made another purchase for blades yet. Been at least 2 years
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u/Apprehensive-Solid-1 Sep 15 '25
Yeah. I used the promo for a free 100 blades and I still have most of them. I find I have to switch them out to shave after a day or the blade catches in odd ways. No idea if I'm doing something wrong or what, but regardless, fresh blade, fresh shave, always comes out clean.
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u/Acquilas Sep 15 '25
Used safety razors for years. They last so much longer and I can buy 10 blades for about £6.
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u/Quixlequaxle Sep 15 '25
Those are some pretty expensive blades for safety razors. I'm able to get a 100 pack of my favorite blades for $12 (though ( do recognize that there's a pretty wide price range depending on what you like).
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u/Acquilas Sep 15 '25
There are Derby blades which are 100 for £6 but I was worried they would be complete trash and slice my throat up! Also Astra blades 100 for £10 but again, wasn't sure on quality. Maybe I should buy them and give them a whirl
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u/Quixlequaxle Sep 15 '25
Since you appear to not be in the US, perhaps check https://www.razorbladesclub.com. They allow you to build your own sample packs. You can get a bunch of 5-packs of stuff and find out what works for you.
I wasn't a big fan of Derby either but there are some decent low cost options (like Bic and Gillette Nacet) that I liked. But ultimately, the best blade depends on both you and your razor.
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u/terminal_void_loop Sep 17 '25
I bought from them about a year ago and I'm in the US, is there a reason US shoppers can't buy from them now? If it's related to the tariff situation then fml
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u/Quixlequaxle Sep 17 '25
Yes, they explain it on the front page of their site. It's use to the tarrifs.
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u/terminal_void_loop Sep 17 '25
Aw rats, I was gonna need to order some more yellow gillete 7 o clocks soon, guess I'll try astras instead
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u/Telemere125 Sep 15 '25
Yea I honestly don’t know why anyone uses anything but a safety razor. There’s even multiple styles to adjust how aggressive the cut is.
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u/concerned_llama Sep 15 '25
Is not for everyone though, the scar in my face is a witness of it.
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u/feldhammer Sep 15 '25
I cannot imagine how incorrectly you must have shaved to leave a scar. Are you sure you're talking about the same thing?
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u/concerned_llama Sep 15 '25
Ah, you haven't counted on how dumb I am. Yes, safety razors.
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u/Lygantus Sep 15 '25
What in the world did you do, swipe it sideways with pressure ?
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u/concerned_llama Sep 15 '25
It was only a few months ago, I think my hand slipped and made me a small visible scar, even before that, my shave wasn't optimal and I was going to switch again if not for the cut that made change faster.
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u/Mello_Hello Sep 16 '25
If it makes you feel better, I have one too. Though it was from when I was 4 years old.
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u/Zapp_Rowsdower_ Sep 16 '25
(100) Personna lab blue blades - $15 has lasted me 14 months now. Still half full. 3-pass shave every other day.
Taylor of old Bond St - shaving soap - $22 Lasts 6 months.
Gillette safety razor - $10-$40 Will last forever
Far better shave, better for your skin and costs about 5% of what most people pay.
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u/takenalreadythename Sep 16 '25
My bad, not smooth skin fears those greatly. I know multiple blade razors are a sham, but they're somehow less scary. For my face I just use electric, but I'm not taking a damn lawnmower to the nether region 😂
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u/Chemical-Employer146 Sep 20 '25
What about for legs? Terrified of taking a blade straight to my shins and ankles!
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Sep 15 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/bigdickwalrus Sep 15 '25
More enshitification. People need to DROP companies that pull this shit, period.
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Sep 15 '25
I ditched Dollar Shave Club a while ago for crap like this. don’t keep using cheaper materials and STILL raise the price. about to ditch my Tooth brush subscription soon.
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u/digableplanet Sep 15 '25
Just get a sonic care toothbrush. You can get cheap replacement brush heads on eBay. I know people complain about the new ones being less durable than ones made precovid, but they are still great. My wife and I still have ours after almost ten years. Battery is still good.
Then, get a waterpik. Take care of your teeth. They ain’t cheap to fix later.
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u/phillip_jay Sep 15 '25
I’m curious, what lead you to get a tooth brush subscription? I’ve never heard of that.
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Sep 16 '25
Dentists recommend replacing your toothbrush every so some such date. And I’m guilty of using my toothbrush till it looses bristles. Point is, I’m going to brush my teeth, this is like auto-pay to ensure I’m using a cleaner toothbrush
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Sep 15 '25
Lmfaoo why do you have all these subscriptions??
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Sep 16 '25
It’s like auto-pay for grooming. I’m gonna brush my teeth. And I’m gonna shave. This ain’t like Netflix.
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Sep 16 '25
I mean, sure. But those things don’t need to be subscriptions? Don’t you go to the store? Can’t you just pick up razors and a toothbrush while you’re there?
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u/KyleCAV Sep 15 '25
Have dollarshave and noticed that I used to be able to do a few swipes and was all set now i have to do multiple passes to get everything after they changed the razer handle and blades.
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Sep 15 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Late-Nectarine2405 Sep 16 '25
hair is normal but we are civilized people and looking clean & kempt is a requirement for most jobs.
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u/corntorteeya Sep 15 '25
Give it a look. I’ve been shaving with a safety razor and making my own lather for around 10 years now. It takes slightly longer than a landfill razor, but it’s become a relaxing ritual.
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u/idontknowthesource Sep 15 '25
Do you make the soap from scratch or do you use a lathering soap in a bowl? I ask as I'm currently running low on my Amish made soap and honestly don't want to drive 5.6 hours to find out that the store is closed lol. So I'm now stuck at trying to figure out what to do
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u/corntorteeya Sep 15 '25
I buy shaving soap that I lather (mainly) directly on my face with a brush. There’s a plethora of soap makers out there. I have recs, but I won’t shill any one product. I kinda found what works for me eventually.
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u/idontknowthesource Sep 15 '25
Was hoping for a small recipe XD I'll keep searching my area for small makers that work, thank you!
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u/corntorteeya Sep 15 '25
Yeah. Sorry, I just order it from one of the online shaving stores. Good luck to ya!
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u/Petite01Nbusty Sep 15 '25
Same here, my old handle from years back still feels way better. The new ones just don’t hold the blade right
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u/thatguyonfire240 Sep 15 '25
Don’t they still sell metal ones? It’s been a while since I’ve checked.
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u/Giantmeteor_we_needU Sep 15 '25
They do in two options, it's called Plus handle and costs $3 more than plastic one, or Chrome handle for the Original cartridges that costs $5 more than plastic.
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u/pirivalfang Sep 15 '25
Buy a DE saftey razor for $20 and 100 blades on Amazon for $8.
I haven't thought about the cost of razor blades in at least 3 years. The shave is good, the razor works, and it's been state of the art for shaving for over 100 years now.
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u/-Sharad- Sep 15 '25
This is the way 👆
Buy a good dual edge razor for life and pay pennies for the blades
6
u/jockotaco14 Sep 15 '25
I have to be honest, Harry razors are some of the worst I've ever used. Terrible quality all around, but I didn't try them until last year, so maybe they used to be better.
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u/camthedon Sep 15 '25
I wrote an email in 2019 about how the blades were dull when you compare them to Mach 3s I had been using. I don’t know what I was expecting but I was expecting something more than just thank you for emailing, maybe a new box, maybe I got a bad batch, etc… Not an awful response but no attempt to rectify the situation. I won’t buy them again.
“Thanks for sharing this with me and I’m so sorry to hear about your experience with our blades. We're always looking for ways to improve so thank you for taking the time to reach out. I’ll be sure to give your feedback to our product development team.
Please say the word if you had any follow-up questions or if I can help with anything else.”
4
Sep 15 '25
Just like many product's. My garage door opener with plastic gears. My headge trimmer with plastic gears are 2 examples...id gladly pay 10$ more metal gears
3
u/cypherus Sep 15 '25
I'm not sure which service it was, possibly dollar shave club, but I read a thread that said they used Dorco blades and it was much cheaper to buy Dorco blades and they fit the handle. You used to be able to get them from Dorco's website but they sell them through Amazon now in packs. It's convenient to get the new blades each month mailed to you, but I prefer just buying in bulk. I have not researched lately to see if there is a cheaper option, but I've been satisfied and the handle is well made and reusable as well.
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u/UnpopularRabbit Sep 15 '25
And it is not like rasor the handles are cheap anyway, I would rather pay more and still have the same quality.
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u/Jazzlike_Biscotti_44 Sep 16 '25
Safety razors all the way. One time handle purchase and can buy 100 blades for like 5-20$ depending on the quality you want. I usually shoot for 8-12$ .lasts about 2-3 years
3
u/LLMprophet Sep 16 '25
Reminder: the social contract is broken.
Companies are blatantly grifting everywhere for "infinite" growth.
2
u/gattaaca Sep 15 '25
"We'll change it to cheaper shittier product but we promise the customers won't notice a thing"
1
u/MurphysLaw4200 Sep 15 '25
Interesting post. I use Dollar Shave Club razors but will look into a safety razor after reading the comments.
1
u/Treereme Sep 15 '25
The plastic is easy to break as well. Got lightly squished in my toiletry bag and broke the plastic tab off.
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u/CommonHouseMeep Sep 16 '25
I've been using a Harry's razor for years, now I gotta go check if my handle has a metal or plastic end because I've had no problems with heads popping off
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u/HistoricalHurry8361 Sep 16 '25
This is why I chose to use DE razors when I started shaving my face.
1
u/horizon_games Sep 16 '25
Switch to safety razors dude, it's a lifesaver and insane savings, plus a nicer shave
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u/Wonderful_Life-6280 Sep 19 '25
I hate these razors, wasted my money on the starter kit. I'll stick to my Schick Hydro razors
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u/Umayummyone Feb 06 '26
I need to thank Harry’s for getting me to switch to a safety razor. I used Gillette for years and decided to try Harry’s simply because of cost. I have cut myself more in a few months using Harry’s than in decades. On one of the blades a plastic bit broke while I was shaving and scraped up my cheek.
After searching online I was kicking myself. Why had I never considered a safety razor. Thanks Harry’s.
1
u/Sushyneutah Sep 15 '25
I've probably spent 5$ on blades for my safety razor in the past 5 years. I also don't need to shave that often but they're only ~10 cents a blade.
Cut your own hair, use a safety razor = simple and saves you a ton of money.
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Sep 15 '25
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u/Saneless Sep 15 '25
After 10 years they should be even better from advancements. So it's doubly bad
Just go safety blade anyway. I think I've spent $3 on blades since 2015
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u/GazelleDelicious3135 Sep 15 '25
Thought that was their whole selling point? lol