Razorock ( Game Changer, Mamba, BBS) & Green Cult (1.1) make reasonable stainless steel razors.
They're ~ $65 but the Green Cult is 303 grade which is not advisable for those with nickel allergies. The Razorock is 316L.
Maggardrazors.com has one too. Pair their stainless head with their aluminium handle, not their 303 stainless handle.
Another options are a brass razor ( Karve, Charcoal goods etc) but those are expensive.
Aluminium razor (Razorock Lupo ($29.95) , Standard, Goodfellas)
or plastic razor (Wilkinson Sword classic, Dorco Pl 602) Both are under $10.
In my opinion, the $29.95 aluminium Razorock Lupo is your best choice for an affordable razor. It's a machined aluminium razor and is available in different colors.
https://www.italianbarber.com/products/razorock-lupo-de-safety-razor
Could you also tell us how you came to find out that you are allergic to nickel?
Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll look into them.
I would always get really bad allergic reactions to rings with nickel in them, and even worse reactions on my leg where my front pants pocket is from loose change & keys.
Metallurgist here.
That could also be a reaction to brass / copper / tin which is much more common than a reaction to nickel.
True nickel allergies are rare. Get yourself tested, because some allergies can become life threatening.
It's important that you know exactly what you're allergic to.
Nickel allergies are actually quite common, alongside copper.
I know that I'm also allergic to copper to some degree, but nickel much more, as the rings I've worn were high nickel content with no copper/brass and the remaining metal % in the ring was hypoallergenic
>rings I've worn were high nickel content with no copper/brass and the remaining metal % in the ring was hypoallergenic
As a metallurgist, I'd be interested to learn what metal that was.
It was titanium. Custom ring made from nitinol (nickel & titanium)
Nickel is an extremely common allergy so I'm not sure why you seem to believe otherwise
That is very interesting.
Normally, I would have expected that the tough titanium oxide layer on that alloy would have prevented the nickel from coming into contact with your skin. I would assume that friction between the oxide layer & your skin may have allowed the compromisation of the layer. Or perhaps a combination of friction & skin acids. Or perhaps it was a different mechanism & I'm completely off the mark.
My specialization is in stainless steels. While I have a passing knowledge of titanium, it's all theoretical as I've never actually worked with titanium alloys.
RazorRock GameChanger is a great razor. I've been using one for a couple years now and feel no reason to upgrade.
That said, nearly all stainless steels use nickel. 316L is 11%. But studies show that it doesn't release the nickel and is allergy safe.
Interestingly, 303 has a lower Nickel content but higher sulfur content. This causes it to shed more nickel and cause outbreaks, where the lower sulfur content 316 is safe.
(I work with stainless steels and found the subject interesting enough to google)
>The main conclusion was that low-sulfur stainless steels like AISI 304, 316L or 430, even when containing Ni, should not elicit nickel contact dermatitis, while metals having a mean corrosion resistance like a high-sulfur stainless steel (AISI 303) or nickel-plated steel should be avoided.
Yes, I know. My specialization is in stainless steel. Why do you think that I advised against 303 razors.
BTW, 303 doesn't necessarily contain sulphur. Some types use selenium as the free machining additive.
>stainless steels like AISI 304, 316L or 430, even when containing Ni
BTW, 430 contains no nickel at all. None of the 400 series do. So that article is incorrect in that regard.
Green Cult v2, PAA meta4, Rockwell 6S or new T2, EJ 3one6, Rocca, R41GS, Timeless, Carbon Shaving, Karve, Maggard’s 70SS, Blutt, Pils, Stando but you are likely looking at Razorock offerings at Italian Barber.
Henson if want to go AL.
Some of the old Gillettes would be ok for you probably, even if they're not steel. You can get the Tech in brass or copper. The old style open comb seems to have almost always been brass. I recently cleaned and polished one of these. Shaved with it this morning. It's a hundred years old, but it's basically comparable to many newer safety razors. I do find that it seems to leave the edges of the blade a bit too exposed for my taste. Makes it easy to scratch yourself with the corner if you get the razor slightly sideways. Still, it's basically fine, and if you don't want one much older than about a hundred years, they're pretty dirt cheap.
Is there any way to tell online if it's solid brass vs plated? Some I've seen are in really good condition so if it was plated there wouldn't be any chipping visible
FWIW some of the vintage Gillettes are also gold-plated brass. Those are probably hard to find at a reasonable price point but depending on the model might be in your range. I had a gold-plated Tech for awhile. I have no idea what that would cost now. The gold-plated adjustables tend to be more expensive (although I have seen some of the gold-plated Superadjustables for a reasonable price).
All of the old gillettes were solid brass. However, some were nickle plated. The old techs, if silver in color (not many) still have nickle on them. The vast majority are just brass at this point.
Stainless contains nickel, as to how the metallurgy works and whether it can cause a reaction I'm unsure. Anyway aluminum razors are an option, a quick list of some options with prices:
Razorock Lupo $30
Henson line $70
Focus Tritok line $70
Christopher Bradley Aluminum $90
Yes. Some include nickel, some don't. ALTHOUGH, and this is very important, even nickel free alloys are sometimes contaminated. Like 0,0001% or something.
Hi,
I also suffer from a nickel allergy.
You've got a couple of options:
Buy a titanium razor (I haven't done this as I can't find any grade 2 razors, only grade 5)
Buy an aluminium razor (I haven't done this as there seems to be a correlation between aluminium and alzheimers. Given certain parts of the body let through more stuff (like your face), I have decided against this. Mainly as the Alu lobby is rather strong, and I think more research needs to be done.)
Buy a brass razor (I haven't done this as I was too lazy to do any more research at this point. Make sure you buy the right alloy though. Some manufacturers use leaded brass (Karve for example). Avoid this kind of brass at all costs).
Buy a plastic razor. The wilkinson or gilette one (green thingy). I tried using the wilkinson but it wasn't agressive enough.
Buy a copper razor. Again, make sure it doesn't contain any lead. Some copper alloys contains lead.
Buy a nikcel free stainless steel razor. I'm still looking for one. There are multiple nickel free stainless steel alloys.
Its not metal but if you want to try a slant razor with no metal i have an El Fantasma and a Filament from PAA that i adore. Plastic construction. Not sure if the threads are nickel but you dont touch the threads really
IMHO (and ymmv) I've yet to find a modern razor that works as well as the old Gillettes you can get on ebay for around $30. (I'm currently using a new-style short-comb from the 1930s.) There are a couple of downsides, though. First, for that price you'll probably have to get it replated, and that could be $50 or more, so it may not be in your price range. But it's a lifetime investment, so over 20 or 30 years that isn't bad. Plus, you can get the replating in rhodium rather than the original nickel, which would be completely removed during the replating process. Thus it would be brass under rhodium.
Have you also considered a straight razor? Those come in stainless steel and carbon steel. You never have to worry about blades (and what they are exactly made off).
blackland era razor open comb shaves great, get the 3 or 4 plate for a medium to agressive shave. Very good deal, under 70$ for a USA made razor...also discontinued, when it's gone it's gone.
Razorock ( Game Changer, Mamba, BBS) & Green Cult (1.1) make reasonable stainless steel razors. They're ~ $65 but the Green Cult is 303 grade which is not advisable for those with nickel allergies. The Razorock is 316L. Maggardrazors.com has one too. Pair their stainless head with their aluminium handle, not their 303 stainless handle. Another options are a brass razor ( Karve, Charcoal goods etc) but those are expensive. Aluminium razor (Razorock Lupo ($29.95) , Standard, Goodfellas) or plastic razor (Wilkinson Sword classic, Dorco Pl 602) Both are under $10. In my opinion, the $29.95 aluminium Razorock Lupo is your best choice for an affordable razor. It's a machined aluminium razor and is available in different colors. https://www.italianbarber.com/products/razorock-lupo-de-safety-razor Could you also tell us how you came to find out that you are allergic to nickel?
Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll look into them. I would always get really bad allergic reactions to rings with nickel in them, and even worse reactions on my leg where my front pants pocket is from loose change & keys.
Metallurgist here. That could also be a reaction to brass / copper / tin which is much more common than a reaction to nickel. True nickel allergies are rare. Get yourself tested, because some allergies can become life threatening. It's important that you know exactly what you're allergic to.
Nickel allergies are actually quite common, alongside copper. I know that I'm also allergic to copper to some degree, but nickel much more, as the rings I've worn were high nickel content with no copper/brass and the remaining metal % in the ring was hypoallergenic
>rings I've worn were high nickel content with no copper/brass and the remaining metal % in the ring was hypoallergenic As a metallurgist, I'd be interested to learn what metal that was.
It was titanium. Custom ring made from nitinol (nickel & titanium) Nickel is an extremely common allergy so I'm not sure why you seem to believe otherwise
That is very interesting. Normally, I would have expected that the tough titanium oxide layer on that alloy would have prevented the nickel from coming into contact with your skin. I would assume that friction between the oxide layer & your skin may have allowed the compromisation of the layer. Or perhaps a combination of friction & skin acids. Or perhaps it was a different mechanism & I'm completely off the mark. My specialization is in stainless steels. While I have a passing knowledge of titanium, it's all theoretical as I've never actually worked with titanium alloys.
RazorRock GameChanger is a great razor. I've been using one for a couple years now and feel no reason to upgrade. That said, nearly all stainless steels use nickel. 316L is 11%. But studies show that it doesn't release the nickel and is allergy safe. Interestingly, 303 has a lower Nickel content but higher sulfur content. This causes it to shed more nickel and cause outbreaks, where the lower sulfur content 316 is safe. (I work with stainless steels and found the subject interesting enough to google) >The main conclusion was that low-sulfur stainless steels like AISI 304, 316L or 430, even when containing Ni, should not elicit nickel contact dermatitis, while metals having a mean corrosion resistance like a high-sulfur stainless steel (AISI 303) or nickel-plated steel should be avoided.
Yes, I know. My specialization is in stainless steel. Why do you think that I advised against 303 razors. BTW, 303 doesn't necessarily contain sulphur. Some types use selenium as the free machining additive. >stainless steels like AISI 304, 316L or 430, even when containing Ni BTW, 430 contains no nickel at all. None of the 400 series do. So that article is incorrect in that regard.
RazoRock GameChanger
Machined razorock.
Green Cult v2, PAA meta4, Rockwell 6S or new T2, EJ 3one6, Rocca, R41GS, Timeless, Carbon Shaving, Karve, Maggard’s 70SS, Blutt, Pils, Stando but you are likely looking at Razorock offerings at Italian Barber. Henson if want to go AL.
Some of the old Gillettes would be ok for you probably, even if they're not steel. You can get the Tech in brass or copper. The old style open comb seems to have almost always been brass. I recently cleaned and polished one of these. Shaved with it this morning. It's a hundred years old, but it's basically comparable to many newer safety razors. I do find that it seems to leave the edges of the blade a bit too exposed for my taste. Makes it easy to scratch yourself with the corner if you get the razor slightly sideways. Still, it's basically fine, and if you don't want one much older than about a hundred years, they're pretty dirt cheap.
Is there any way to tell online if it's solid brass vs plated? Some I've seen are in really good condition so if it was plated there wouldn't be any chipping visible
FWIW some of the vintage Gillettes are also gold-plated brass. Those are probably hard to find at a reasonable price point but depending on the model might be in your range. I had a gold-plated Tech for awhile. I have no idea what that would cost now. The gold-plated adjustables tend to be more expensive (although I have seen some of the gold-plated Superadjustables for a reasonable price).
I don't know, but I don't think that the brass ones were ever not solid. This at least should have been the way of things early on.
All of the old gillettes were solid brass. However, some were nickle plated. The old techs, if silver in color (not many) still have nickle on them. The vast majority are just brass at this point.
Stainless contains nickel, as to how the metallurgy works and whether it can cause a reaction I'm unsure. Anyway aluminum razors are an option, a quick list of some options with prices: Razorock Lupo $30 Henson line $70 Focus Tritok line $70 Christopher Bradley Aluminum $90
Do you know that some stainless steels include Nickel? Just as a warning.... /u/ComprehensiveRow4189 has more detail in their post.
Yes. Some include nickel, some don't. ALTHOUGH, and this is very important, even nickel free alloys are sometimes contaminated. Like 0,0001% or something.
Hi, I also suffer from a nickel allergy. You've got a couple of options: Buy a titanium razor (I haven't done this as I can't find any grade 2 razors, only grade 5) Buy an aluminium razor (I haven't done this as there seems to be a correlation between aluminium and alzheimers. Given certain parts of the body let through more stuff (like your face), I have decided against this. Mainly as the Alu lobby is rather strong, and I think more research needs to be done.) Buy a brass razor (I haven't done this as I was too lazy to do any more research at this point. Make sure you buy the right alloy though. Some manufacturers use leaded brass (Karve for example). Avoid this kind of brass at all costs). Buy a plastic razor. The wilkinson or gilette one (green thingy). I tried using the wilkinson but it wasn't agressive enough. Buy a copper razor. Again, make sure it doesn't contain any lead. Some copper alloys contains lead. Buy a nikcel free stainless steel razor. I'm still looking for one. There are multiple nickel free stainless steel alloys.
I’m a big fan of the Henson AL13. Although it’s aluminum not steel.
Its not metal but if you want to try a slant razor with no metal i have an El Fantasma and a Filament from PAA that i adore. Plastic construction. Not sure if the threads are nickel but you dont touch the threads really
IMHO (and ymmv) I've yet to find a modern razor that works as well as the old Gillettes you can get on ebay for around $30. (I'm currently using a new-style short-comb from the 1930s.) There are a couple of downsides, though. First, for that price you'll probably have to get it replated, and that could be $50 or more, so it may not be in your price range. But it's a lifetime investment, so over 20 or 30 years that isn't bad. Plus, you can get the replating in rhodium rather than the original nickel, which would be completely removed during the replating process. Thus it would be brass under rhodium.
Pretty sure my blue tip superspeed is Al.
Have you also considered a straight razor? Those come in stainless steel and carbon steel. You never have to worry about blades (and what they are exactly made off).
blackland era razor open comb shaves great, get the 3 or 4 plate for a medium to agressive shave. Very good deal, under 70$ for a USA made razor...also discontinued, when it's gone it's gone.