If you are in a hurry just click here to see the key features
The first question you should ask if you are thinking about Weishi Nostalgic is how serious you are about wet shaving. If you want to experiment but more than likely you will end up using disposables or electric shaver then keep reading. If you are a woman or a man who is thinking about getting this as a cheap alternative to groom your more intimate regions like armpits, legs and bikini area then keep reading. But if you are seriously thinking about switching to wet shaving and using a safety razor then be aware. This product needs some fine tuning, and even then it might not work for you. Last chance to turn around. No? Then let us unravel this razor piece by piece.
5/10
6/10
5/10
9/10
PROS
+ Price
+ Easy blade insertion
+ Good for shaving all body areas
CONS
– Quality control issues
- Mildly aggressive shave. For this reason, it is suitable also for those areas that are hard to shave like head, armpits, legs and bikini area
- Long handle with good grip. Suitable for men who have bigger hands or for those who wish to shave areas that are hard to reach (legs, armpits, head, etc.)
- Has a Twist-To-Open (TTO) mechanism which will open the butterfly doors. A very convenient way to switch razor blades
- Weishi Nostalgic comes in a black finish. There is also a chromed and gold version, but they are named Weishi Chrome and Matte Yellow respectively
- Good value for money
Package
The package is very simple, yet the colors look elegant. The razor is packed little loose and the cardboard could be thicker but otherwise very passable package. It is ironic that the Weishi package is more presentable compared to Merkur, for example, considering the price difference of the razors. But there it is.
Size matters!
Weishi Nostalgic has very long handle at the same time being rather light. This makes this razor very universal, and you are able to use it in most places (e.g., legs, head, etc.). But if you prefer smaller razors, then this might be too long for you.
Weight: 2.5 oz / 74 g
Length: 4.3″ / 11 cm
Made in China
How Does It Feel In Your Hand
Weishi comes with a good handle. The length is on the long side compared to other razors. Merkur 38C for example (which is Merkur 34C only with longer handle) is 4.2″ / 10.5 cm. So this should feel comfortable even for men with bigger hands. Because of the longer handle, it is also convenient to use when you are thinking about adopting this razor as a leg shaver.
The handle is made out of brass and covered with chrome. The rough pattern on the handle makes it easy to hold even when your hands are wet and covered with soap.
At the tip of the handle, you have the knob which you use to open the butterfly doors to load your razor blade. I find this to be the easiest and most convenient way how to switch razor blades. Overall Weishi has done well with the handle.
Weishi is 2.5 oz / 74 g which is the average weight for most razors. If you have held Edwin Jagger 89, then you know how it feels as both of them weigh the same. It is neither too heavy nor too light. Appealing to both those who enjoy lighter razors as well to those who prefer more heavier razors.
What About The Design
Weishi is a lovely modern replica of the vintage Gillette TTO Super Speeds. It is Twist-To-Open (TTO) type of razor. It means that when you turn the knob at the tip of the handle, the butterfly doors will open revealing the slot where you place the blade. Just drop the blade in and turn the knob in the other direction. Doors should close now after which you are good to go.
Weishi is a closed comb safety razor. While the handle seems to be made out of brass, the head is most likely made out of zamak (pot metal) because of the rusting issues this razor has. The TTO mechanism often works fine but seems to deteriorate rather quickly causing the doors to close incorrectly. Another common problem this razor has is the blade misalignment problem. While closing the butterfly doors, the blade seems to get misaligned. This means that one side has more blade exposure than the other hence one side is more aggressive compared to the other.
But all things considered, it is still good value for money. It is very affordable and the quality issues we mentioned are not that common. Yes, it probably will need replacing at some point, but all razors usually do. By that time you have already saved some money.
Will It Shave?
Weishi butterfly double edge safety razor can be classified as a very mild razor. The general opinion is that even Edwin Jagger DE89 and Merkur 34C are more aggressive than Weishi. While I have nothing against mild razors, the problem with Weishi is that how do you even get that mildness out of the razor.
It comes with 5 default razor blades that I would not recommend using. Some find success with Feather blades some with Astra SP and some with Gilette blades. To complicate matters even more, you have to find the right shaving angle that works for you. Weishi recommends 45° angle which is harder to maintain than the typical 30°.
So after you have found the blade and the right angle that works for you how good the shave is? After multiple passes and even using some pressure, you end up pretty close shave but not baby butt smooth.
Comparison: Weishi Nostalgic vs. Parker 99R / 96R
For this comparison, I have chosen Parker 99R / 96R. Both are mild razors with a TTO mechanism and butterfly doors. They are more similar to Weishi Nostalgic than not but let’s take a closer look.
Where they differ from one another is in size. Weishi is tall and lightweight whereas Parker 99R and 96R are heavy and averaged sized. The razor is 4 oz / 113 g heavy and 3.8″ / 9.6 cm tall. It feels hefty in your hand and may take time till you get used to it. Size wise it feels comfortable no matter your hand size.
Because both razors are considered mild, they are suitable for beginners. Parker 99R / 96R is regarded as a tad more aggressive though. Keeping the right angle when using it requires more work, but the same can be said about the Weishi Nostalgic.
To summarize the key differences:
- Parker 99R / 96R is a TTO safety razor with butterfly doors
- Parker 99R / 96R compared to Weishi Nostalgic is more aggressive, but both are considered mild
- Parker 99R / 96R is heavier by 1.4 oz / 39 g and shorter by .5″ / 1.4 cm
- Parker razors 99R / 96R are on the higher end of the budget
Conclusion
Weishi Nostalgic has a forgiving nature. This makes it suitable for beginners. It is also perfect if you are searching for a razor to shave your legs, armpits or head. But it can also be frustrating. Someone new to wet shaving might expect a more efficient razor, hoping to mow down those whiskers with one pass. So instead of embracing DE safety razors it will have the opposite effect and send users back to cartridge shaving.
So if you are okay with the idea that the razor might not be a family heirloom and it might not get you to the mythical baby-butt-smooth land then go for it. Even if it doesn’t work out for you, you are one experience richer.