Single-Edge, Straight & Injector

Double-edge is the mainstream of wet shaving, but it is not the whole of it. Several other systems are alive, well supported with current blades, and worth knowing about.

Single-edge razors use one thick, rigid blade rather than a thin flexible one, and that stiffness produces a distinctly smooth, planing feel that a lot of shavers prefer once they try it. The vintage GEM format and the modern Artist Club standard both live here. Injectors load a fresh blade from a magazine with a key, so you never handle a bare edge, which makes them one of the tidiest systems going.

Straight razors are their own commitment. A straight needs honing, stropping and real technique before it gives a good shave rather than a bad morning, and it rewards patience rather than enthusiasm. Shavettes split the difference by taking disposable blades in a straight-razor body, which makes them a much cheaper way to find out whether the motion suits you before investing in steel that must be maintained.

None of these is an upgrade over a DE. They are different tools with different feels, and this hub covers reviews and guidance across all of them.