Next up in our safety razor reviews is the Wilkinson Sword “Classic” safety razor. I think the name is a little funny because it really doesn’t look like a “Classic” safety razor to me. That’s not to say it isn’t a good safety razor, it just doesn’t look like a classic chrome-plated safety razor with the knurling or barber pole design.
Wilkinson Sword is a British company that is probably best known for their excellent double-edge razor blades. They only make a handful of safety razors but the Classic is easily their most popular.
The Classic is definitely what I consider a “budget safety razor”. It’s cheap, very mild in regards to aggressiveness and you shouldn’t expect it to be the most durable razor. That doesn’t mean it’s not a good safety razor — it is. It just means you need to lower expectations a little and understand that it shouldn’t be compared to more expensive, chrome safety razors.
Pros
- Cheap
- Very mild, comfortable shave for men with sensitive skin
- Great travel razor
Cons
- Too mild for most men
- Plastic razorhead can break
Product Overview & Specs
- 2-piece safety razor
- Straight bar, closed comb
- Weighs 1.5 ounces
- 3.5 inches long
- Made from plastic with metal frame inside the handle
Key Features of the Wilkinson Classic
Very Light & Handle Heavy
The Wilkinson Sword Classic is one of the lightest safety razors on the market. At only 1.5 ounces heavy, it feels more like a cartridge razor than most other safety razors.
If you’ve read any of my other safety razor reviews, you probably know that I personally prefer a heavier safety razor. But my main complaint with the Classic isn’t that it’s too light, my main complaint is that the majority of the weight is inside the handle. The metal inside the plastic handle makes it very handle heavy. Since the razorhead is just plastic and does not have any metal, it’s very, very light. So what’s the big deal about the handle being where most of the weight is?
Well I find handle heavy razors much more difficult to shave with using proper wet shaving form. With a handle heavy razor, your much more likely to apply pressure with the razor instead of letting the razorhead do all the work. And applying pressure will lead to a very poor and uncomfortable shave.
I get that the lack of metal in the razorhead helps keep costs down and makes this such an affordable (cheap) razor. I just wish more of the weight was in the head than the handle.
Very Mild Aggressiveness
The Wilkinson Classic is one of the most mild safety razors on the market. I rate it as probably a 2/10 on the aggressiveness scale.
There’s very minimal blade gap and it is a straight bar, closed comb safety razor. There’s just nothing in its design that would make it aggressive.
Even using a really sharp blade isn’t going to increase the aggressiveness too much. So if you have a thick, coarse beard, this razor isn’t going to cut it for you. Your stubble needs to be pretty light to use this razor effectively.
Easy To Grip & Comfortable To Shave With
Like I said earlier, I really like the handle on the Wilkinson Classic. It’s got a good amount of weight to, feels really durable and, most importantly, has really good grip. The plastic handle has horizontal grooves up and down it that make it really easy and comfortable to hold. I still prefer knurling, but for a budget razor this is really good grip.
The length of the handle is really good too. It’s long enough that you aren’t limited with one way to grip it. But it’s not so long that it’s uncomfortable for men with smaller hands to use. It’s right in the sweet spot in regard to size.
Don’t Expect It To Be As Durable As Other Safety Razors
Hate to break it to you, but this budget safety razor isn’t exactly built to last. It’s a very good, well-made razor, but the plastic razorhead is much more likely to get damaged or fall apart quicker than a brass chrome-plated razor. Razorhead isn’t built to last.
I do like that it is a 2-piece razor though. In my opinion, they are the most durable so the Wilkinson Classic does have that going for it.
And speaking of durability, if you use the Classic as your “travel” safety razor, be careful when storing it in your dopp kit.
Who Do We Recommend The Wilkinson Classic For?
The Wilkinson Sword Classic safety razor is a good option for men with very light, thin facial hair. If you’ve got a decent amount of stubble, this razor isn’t going to work for you. But if you can get away with using a very mild razor, this is a good option.
The Wilkinson Classic is a decent travel razor but I’m not crazy about the plastic razorhead because I think it’s more likely to be damaged in my dopp kit. In my opinion, there are other budget razors that I think are better travel razors.
So if you need a really mild razor and don’t want to spend much money, this is a good option. Otherwise, I’d find something else that will deliver a better shave and last much longer. I do think the Classic is a step up from a cartridge razor in terms of quality of shave. However, I think there are much better options are out there for men with thicker, coarse stubble.
What Are Some Other Safety Razors To Consider?
Feather Popular
The Feather Popular is my favorite “budget” safety razor. It is actually lighter than the Wilkinson Sword Classic but more of the weight is in the razorhead so it’s got a much better balance point.
The main reason I like the Feather Popular is because it is moderately aggressive. Most other “budget safety razors are overly mild, but the Popular is moderately aggressive (which is what most men need). Overall, the Popular delivers a very smooth, close and comfortable shave though.
The Popular is an excellent option for people that want to test drive a safety razor. It’s cheap enough so that it won’t set you back much money, but it delivers a moderately aggressive shave.
The Popular is also a really good travel razor. It’s much more durable than the Classic.
Feather AS-D2
The Feather AS-D2 provides probably the smoothest, closest shave I’ve ever gotten from a safety razor. And it should when you consider the price you pay for it.
Bottom line: the AS-D2 is a premium safety razor in terms of both price and quality. It is easily my favorite safety razor, but there aren’t many men that want to spend this much money on a razor. And I get it. But if budget isn’t a concern, this is probably the best razor you can find.
The AS-D2 feels like a really mild shave while using it, but it still shaves remarkably close. It feels like a 2/10 aggressiveness because it is so smooth, but it actually shaves hair more like an 8/10 aggressiveness.
Edwin Jagger DE89
The Edwin Jagger DE89 is one of the best, and most popular, beginner safety razors on the market. It has an excellent 3-piece design with a premium chrome finish that is very durable.
The DE89 has good weight and an excellent balance point. My one complaint with the DE89 is that the grip on the handle could be better, but it’s not bad.
The DE89 is such a great beginner safety razor because it delivers a very smooth but moderately aggressive shave. This straight bar closed comb is an excellent razor to learn how to wet shave with. And I should know, the Edwin Jagger DE89 was my first safety razor.
Still want to take a look at some other safety razors before buying? Well then go read my comprehensive review guide of safety razors on the market right now. It has all the information you need to get caught up on what's available and find the best safety razor in your budget.
