King of Shaves razor review
A reader found the new (to NZ) Kong of Shaves Razor was being sold in Pack’n'Save Albany, so I went over to get one as I haven’t seen them anywhere else (so far).
It was a bit bizarre. Pack’n'Save had only one KOS product on offer, the razor. There were no other shaving products from the range anywhere to be seen. The shelves were full of shaving cream from other suppliers, but there were no KOS oils of gels, or any of the pre/post shave face care products. There didn’t seem to be any space for anything else, so either the competitions merchandisers have done a bloody good job of squeezing KOS out of the shelves, or Pack’n'Save in it’s wisdom has decided not to bother with the other products – which is a shame because they leave the competition for dead! From KOS’s point of view it’s a massive missed opportunity, here’s the first new blade on the market for years, and the range of products to go with it is nowhere to been seen.
Anyway, back to the razor, or should that be ‘azor’.
It’s a very different looking razor that what else is on the market, a simple smooth design and very very light (it actually floats). It’s worth reading the instructions, yeah I know, who does that? but it’s worth it because there are some important point about how to use this blade, – as it is different from other blades it’s important you do this unless you want to cut yourself up on the first attempt.
I have not idea what a “hybrid synergy system razor” or a “reflex living hinge” is (I’m pretty sure the razor was very very dead, and no part of it’s alive, but if it’s disappeared when I get home tonight I’ll eat my words), and I’m afraid you won’t find anything here to enlighten you about what is some pretty overworked marketing jargon, but on the other hand it’s no worse than some of the other claims made by razor manufacturers so it could just be a piss take.
So how does it shave? very bloody close, and in one motion too. I went with the grain of the stubble and I did not need to go back over that spot again.
In the past I’ve switched blades and felt like I had taken to my face with a cheese grater afterwards, this usually improved after my face got used to it, but hardly an experience that you want to put yourself through.
The instructions suggested a light touch (helped by the lightness of the handle) and this worked well and it did in fact cut the shaving time, if only by a few seconds. The head was flexible and because of the way the flexible system works it flexes in any direction (maybe where the ‘living’ bit comes from) unlike Gillette and Schick whose blades have ‘mechanical’ hinges and thus only give in the direction the hinge allows. It will be interesting to see if this blade influences the competitors designs.
The only draw back (a common one with 99% of blades) is that the width of the blade cassette won’t allow you to do that bit under your nose very well.
It wasn’t too expensive and the blade weren’t outrageously priced either, and hopefully they will last a bit longer.
For anyone that still is holding out on trying KOS products, this is well worth trying out, I highly recommend it, and if your retailers stocks the shaving gels or oils, definitely try these out as well, and if they don’t, hassle them until they do!
