What’s the difference between a Butterfly Opening razor and a Three-Piece Razor?

What’s the difference between a Butterfly Opening razor and a Three-Piece Razor?

Butterfly Razors:

Otherwise known as a Twist-To-Open (TTO) or One-Piece Razor, they were first introduced by Gillette in 1934 with the Gillette Aristocrat safety razor.  The razors have a twist mechanism to open the top/ head of the razor for changing the blade. It allows fast and easy blade replacement which is the main selling point of these models.  These razors have a lot of moving parts; therefore, they are more fragile and easily damaged from drops or falls in the bathroom on hard tiles.

They need to be treated like glass!  They may be metal but will break when dropped, similar to anything that is dropped onto a hard surface. But remember, treat them right and they will last you a life time.

Three-Piece Razor:

The main difference between the Butterfly Opening razor and a 3-Piece Razor is the head is removable and it has less moving parts.

To insert/ remove a double edge razor blade you hold the handle in one hand and the side of the head with two fingers. The handle is then unscrewed and removed from the head. The head then has two parts. You remove the bottom of the razor head from the top and the blade can then be replaced or inserted. Its then just a matter of putting the pieces back together. Once the blade is put in place put the bottom piece of the razor head back on and screw the handle back onto the head.

As these razors only have 3 pieces, they have less moving parts and are a sturdier razor but users still need to use caution. All safety razors are precision cutting tools and a drop on hard tiles will cause damage to the razor and its cutting performance.

Our favourite saying is, Treat it right and it will last you a life time.

The verdict, it all comes down to personal preference. If you're someone who travels frequently or likes to spend as little time cleaning as possible, the three piece is ideal. As the head can be removed, the razor can be flattered when traveling. It is also easier to clean as there is less moving parts, however, if the idea of handling the blade scares you a butterfly razor may be more suitable.

Myself, I use a butterfly razor as I find the shaving experience better but do remember any drop from your bathroom sink to a hard surface will damage the moving parts and the overall functionality of the razor.

Happy Shaving!