Lamda Ares is the only OC that I’ve liked and haven’t gotten rid of….I have the R41 but I’m not sure if it’s officially an OC or not. The Ares will provide a nice close shave that feels almost like a closed comb razor….very comfortable. It’s not quite as efficient as the R41 but it’s not too far behind. Excellent razor….and a beauty.
Looking some recommendations for boutique OC razors
- Thread starter BelfastBlade
- Start date
When you said "boutique" my Yaqi Duomo sprang instantly to mind.
The Duomos are CNCd Stainless Steel and mirror polished. They are actually copies of one of the 1930s/1940s Italian RaDiMis (Razoio Di Milano). Since using mine all my Fatips have been left collecting dust (I do still occasionally use my R41).
I love mine. Here it is in one of my SOTDs:
And, it's currently just under €100 (including VAT and shipping) direct from Yaqi on AliExpress (LINK).
The Duomos are CNCd Stainless Steel and mirror polished. They are actually copies of one of the 1930s/1940s Italian RaDiMis (Razoio Di Milano). Since using mine all my Fatips have been left collecting dust (I do still occasionally use my R41).
I love mine. Here it is in one of my SOTDs:
And, it's currently just under €100 (including VAT and shipping) direct from Yaqi on AliExpress (LINK).
Yaqi OC Romulus/Remus is also worth considering. I found the Excalibur with Kai Titan Milds very nice for cleanup (rather bladey, but the Milds even that out). But alignment is a bit of an issue, so I upgraded to a Romulus. Which is extremely nice, but much milder. So to get the same cleanup effect, I have to use Supers and they are not as pleasant as the Milds. The titanium feels really nice. The OC version might bridge that gap to allow me to continue to use Milds (which I really enjoy). Hell I might just go back to the dangerous Excalibur!
Spendiing $50-$70 to use $8 for 20 blades. What a hobby!
(The SS Mellon might be an option as well).
Spendiing $50-$70 to use $8 for 20 blades. What a hobby!
(The SS Mellon might be an option as well).
I think I’ll skip this thread
What he said - but I would add the Blackbird and the Stando Cat Claw.
I've come to think Stando offers the best bang (ok, shave) for the buck out there. You can get them through the Etsy store or their website standoshop.pl (they are Polish).
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Stando is excellent. Would love to convince him of machined finish with tumbling, otherwise fantastic. My Stando Chors is a superb performer, though it's not an OC, so kinda OT.
I like to think of it as the "Fatip: Jurassic" as it is a bit higher on the efficiency and aggression scale. Despite being a copy of a very old RaDiMi design, but they are close enough. The massive comb must have been a thing back in the days, the Bohin and the Yaqi clone Bohemia are also a bit like that.
What I like about the Duomo: No Fatip quality lottery, no coating issues, no blade alignment shenaningans. And it simply performs a bit better as well.
As the R41 is a hybrid comb in actually I would add the Lambda Athena to the equation. R41 effectiveness with R89 smoothness. Theo does stainless steel Athena’s nowadays as well.
I would also not rule out Mühle’s own Rocca. Splendid razor with R41 effectiveness in my experience without the sometimes scraping feeling.
I read (no personal experience) that Tatara razors (non adjustable) are also considered mild(er) compared to the R41 so that might not be up your alley. Unfortunately as with a lot of these things there is only one way to find out. Well maybe two, but that would require help from a fellow brother nearby.
Cheers,
Guido
I would also not rule out Mühle’s own Rocca. Splendid razor with R41 effectiveness in my experience without the sometimes scraping feeling.
I read (no personal experience) that Tatara razors (non adjustable) are also considered mild(er) compared to the R41 so that might not be up your alley. Unfortunately as with a lot of these things there is only one way to find out. Well maybe two, but that would require help from a fellow brother nearby.
Cheers,
Guido
Are these recommendations specific to the Ti variants? I prefer heavier razors, so I think I'd prefer stainless, but curious if I should consider the Ti versions for any reason.
This is personal, totally subjective, of course. I have all my top razors sitting on a Titanium handle. The only totally Titanium razor I have is the Timeless Ti 0.68OC and truth be told, it feels a bit light to me. I already had the Ti Crown handle for it so the cost was less but I've often wondered if I would have been better served had I bought just a SS 0.68OC razor head with the scalloped top, polish finish.
Both Ti and SS perform the same. It's just a matter of weight preference. I personally like lighter razors and also enjoy how Ti feels against the skin but again its all just a preference and does not affect the performance at all.
You could try a scratch and dent version of the SS .68 OC head and save a little money. Then sell either the Ti or SS, whichever you like less.
Or you could get the non-scratch/dent version and utilize the 30-day return policy if you don't like the SS any better.
Not that I'm trying to encourage you to make a purchase or anything...
LOL @Wgg2017 . I did just that yesterday.. I ordered a scratch and dent SS 0.68OC along with a Ti Crown handle... all polished finish... and I'm putting up a complete matte finish Ti 0.68OC on BST in a couple days.. after I get the order from Timeless. They usually include a few other things so I'll just package the matte Titanium 0.68, scalloped top, Crown handle and stand in the same packaging they send me. I think it comes with a small polishing cloth.. etc.You could try a scratch and dent version of the SS .68 OC head and save a little money. Then sell either the Ti or SS, whichever you like less.
Or you could get the non-scratch/dent version and utilize the 30-day return policy if you don't like the SS any better.
Not that I'm trying to encourage you to make a purchase or anything...
I did hand polish the Timeless Ti 0.68 to a subtle luster as I don't care for the original more gritty finish. I have to say... Someone is going to get a great deal.
I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on the differences between the two. I've never tried any of the SS Timeless heads.
I’ll do a follow up post here after my scheduled Monday shave. It’s supposed to show up here Sunday but that strikes me as odd. It’s one of those UPS, then handed over to the USPS for delivery. I do see USPS trucks out, delivering packages only on Sundays, so we’ll see. It should be here by Monday for sure.
Space_Cadet
I don't have a funny description.
Don't rush. Try Gillette New Short or Long comb or Deluxe first. Great razors.
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