Dorco Prime Review: A Great First Safety Razor

by Garrick Dee | Last Updated: June 29th, 2020

In the close-knit wet shaving community, when you mention the brand Dorco, the first thing that comes to their minds is their D.E. blades, namely the ST-300 and 301 blades.

If you’re not familiar with the Dorco brand, this company is based in South Korea.

And they mainly sell double-edged blades and their own line of cartridge razors.

This razor is a starter kit and is an excellent option for men looking to get into wet shaving for the first time without spending too much on a razor.

If you buy this product from Amazon, you will also get 30 stainless steel Dorco Platinum blades.

I must warn you, though, that the safety razor itself looks similar to the Weishi and the Micro One Touch DE razors that I’ve previously featured in this blog.

Now, I don’t have any proof to claim that those 3 products are the same, but the eyeball test says so.

If that’s the case, this could be the best value for money option out of the three because the Weishi only comes with 10 blades, and the One Touch comes with 12 blades.

This comes with 30 blades, and it has the same travel case, so you will get more for your money.

Let’s quickly look at the features of this D.E. razor:

• This product uses a twist to open (T.T.O.) butterfly head similar to the Weishi and One Touch razor.
• Chrome plated (it isn’t stainless as described in Amazon)
• Comes with 30 stainless steel Dorco Platinum blades
• Like the Weishi and One Touch, it also comes with a razor case with a mirror inside.
• Length: 3.5″
• Aggressiveness: 4/10
• Blades included: 30

Pros

• Offers a better value-for-money proposition than the Weishi and One Touch because it comes with 30 stainless steel blades
• A cheap starter D.E. razor for beginners

Cons

• This product looks like the One Touch and Weishi DE razor that is made in China – I don’t have proof, but if you look closely at the design, it looks very similar.
• The blades that come with this isn’t the sharpest (not for men with sensitive skin)
• Some quality issues (e.g., hinges rusting over time)

What to expect from Dorco Prime?

Product description in Amazon says, “Forged with today’s shaving technology and the finest stainless steel.” This can be misleading to consumers who may be buying a safety razor for the first time.

Dorco has a chrome-plated finish that looks like stainless to the untrained eye.

D.E. razors made from stainless is a rare breed. Some of these brands include Feather and Rockwell. And if you look at the prices, all of these cost way more than the Dorco.

The Dorco Platinum blades included with this product isn’t the sharpest blade in the market, but expert wet shavers consider this a mild blade, which would be an excellent option for men looking to wet shave for the first time.

This razor is a twist to open a butterfly razor that is similar to the Weishi and the One Touch brands. I’ll show you side-by-side photos of these three products and see for yourself.

If that’s the case, then Dorco is coming from the same factory in China as the Weishi and One Touch.

If you look closely at what comes with the Weishi razor, it also comes with Dorco blades, coincidence?

Well, maybe but I think that these two products are the same.

Is it easy to load the blade?

Having a twist to open feature makes it easy to open this razor.

You just twist the knob at the bottom, and the two doors open on top, then you load the blade then tighten afterward.

The downside to this is over time, the hinges that lock the door in place can corrode. Make sure to dry this razor well after using it.

Aggressiveness

This razor is considered a mild razor because of the minimal blade exposure and the angle of the blade.

You can combine this with a sharp blade such as a Feather to get a closer shave.

I’d avoid using this with a really mild blade. It could cause irritation because it has more pull.

Grip

The knurling design has deep grooves in it that gives you a pretty good grip even when wet.

At just a little over three inches long and on the narrow side, gentlemen with larger hands may have some trouble holding this, but with the proper technique, you can still use this.

Product specification

Model	Prime
Overall Length	3.5 inches
Handle Length	3-1/8 inches
Handle Diameter	N/A
Weight	N/A
Material	Metal
Finish	Chrome plated
Type	1 piece with a TTO butterfly head
Adjustable
Knurled handle
Blade included	30 Dorco blades
Manufactured in	China

What consumers say

Most of the men who bought this product are first-time wet shavers that are transitioning from cartridge shaving to wet shaving, and they were pretty happy with their purchase.

One, in particular, mentioned that this product is the exact same product as the Micro One Touch razor that has the face of Rick Harrison on the packaging.

Consumers really like how the Dorco isn’t expensive.

At just $20.00 (actually you’ll need to invest in shaving cream and a shaving brush to do a proper wet shave so you will spend at least $60 to $70, replacement blades are cheap though), you will have the primary tool you’ll need for a world-class wet shave.

Of course, you’ll have to learn the proper technique to get a nick-free shave. Using a D.E. razor like this requires a different method compared to a cartridge razor. And you will have to unlearn those bad habits.

Some of the new techniques you need to learn are not putting too much weight on the razor, locking your wrists, and moving the whole arm, not just the wrist.

The biggest issue with this product (as with any China-made product) would be the quality. There are several complaints of rusting hinges and a poor finish.

Other complaints include poor shaving quality, which could be a result of using an improper technique or the wrong tools (i.e., alcohol-based shaving cream that dries up the face).

The blades that come with this also have mixed reviews, some men like, and some don’t, which is pretty much what I’ve expected because men will have different skin types, and since these Dorco blades aren’t the most aggressive in the market.

By the way, here’s a review of the 301 Dorco blades that come with this…

Where can I buy this?

You can buy this razor in Amazon for around $20, and it’ll be eligible for their free 2-day shipping if you join Prime.

Another option would be buying directly from DorcoPrime.com, but it’ll be a little more expensive.

The Verdict

This safety razor is another excellent option for newbie wet shavers because of the low price point. It is actually cheaper than a Gillette cartridge replacement set, and it comes with 30 Dorco blades.

While you can use the Dorco blades that come in the package, getting a sampler pack would be a wise choice to help you select a blade that will fit your needs.

Sampler packs contain D.E. blades from different manufacturers. This is what experts recommend because you get to try out different brands without spending too much.

The Dorco blades while being a pretty good product may or may not suit your needs. That is why I’m suggesting this.

In terms of value for money, it provides a lot of value because of what you’ll get inside in the package – a case and 30 razor blades, which is more than the Weishi and One Touch.