Attack of the Bevel Clones

[rusty1]

The design of the Bevel razor has intrigued me. I've never used one and what kept me away from it was the reviews I read that said you could get the same shave from an EJ at a better price. I've noticed that other razor sellers seemed to have cloned this design (At least I think Bevel was the first to make it.) This seems very much like the clones of the EJ/Muhle head that started to appear all over the place.

In any event, I noticed 2 Bevel clones one called "Matador"

And the other from Bombay Shaving Co:

Bombay was initially offering a "regimen," much like Bevel did before offering it's products a la carte (I've never bought into the whole regimen thing, knowing there are better, more affordable alternatives out there.) Just like with Bevel, the Bombay equipment is now available a la carte on Amazon (previously it was only available in India.) Here's the link to the razor:Amazon.com: Precision Safety Razor System: Health & Personal Care

What's different about the Bombay razor is that it now comes with a second, more aggressive base plate in case the original is too mild - kind of like Rockwell.

In any event, we have another razor maker offering 2 base plates to vary aggression - pretty neat I think.

 

[KeenDogg]

I like the look of the matador. It's the first I've heard of it.

 

[gvw755]

I just looked at the amazon listing and saw no mention of the second base plate. Where are you finding that information? I was aware of the Matador because it used the same handle that Maggard is selling, but not the Bombay. In any case, these are still pretty expensive considering they are clones (almost the same price as the originals).

 

[BigJ]

Nice looking!

 

[bkatbamna]

About the Product

• Unique and immersive shaving experience
• Ensures a smooth, one-stroke shave. Comes with an additional lower clamp for aggressive setting
• Includes 10 Feather blades made in Japan, regarded best in the world by shaving purists
• Includes Double Edge Precision Safety Razor, metal crafted for perfect heft and glide
• Razor is built to last, blades can be replenished easily, resulting in greater long term value

From the amazon link

 

[gvw755]

From the amazon link

Ok, missed that part. So they are calling the baseplate a lower clamp. Kind of reminds me of the Oristo razor that called it Anvil and Retainer. Still, this razor is now more expensive than the Bevel, but I guess when you add in the pack of Feather blades and the additional clamp, it comes out about equal.

 

[Hunter1063]

The Bombay shaving company 6 part kit comes at around 40 USD in India while the razor itself is only around 25 USD which I believe is not much considering the prices of merkur and Edwin Jagger!

 

[Bondage007]

All of you are enablers!! Mine will arrive Friday.

Cheers
John

 

[gvw755]

After reading this thread, I got very interested in the Bevel clone by Bombay Shaving Company. For one thing, it came with two base plates (or clamps as they call it), one regular and one aggressive. For another thing, I always liked the looks of the Bevel, but didn't want to get into the subscription thing and when Target started carrying the razor, I thought $40 was a bit too much to pay for a good looking razor. I finally picked it up on amazon when the price dropped to $25. It got delivered today and I immediately opened it up. The razor came nicely packed in a sliding gift box and came with the razor, an "aggressive clamp" and a pack of Feather blades.

First thing I noticed was that the emblem on top of the razor looked like it came from the Romulan Empire Warbird. I was hoping that that was not an indication of how it would shave. The razor itself had good weight to it, coming mostly from the handle as the head and base plate was pretty light. The base plates were heavily chromed and the top cap and handle were more of a matte finish. The two base plates where immediately identified with the original head marked with a "2", and the aggressive head marked with a "5" on one side and an "A" on the other side, kind of like the Rockwell. The handle was a little on the skinny side and did not have a grippy pattern to it. I was hoping that it would not be too slippery when shaving.

I loaded a blade that had a couple of uses on it as I usually do when shaving with a new razor for the first time. I decided to use the regular head for tonight's shave. I went with my TFSBN and whipped the lather a little on the thick side. That turned out to be a mistake. The razor design using the regular base plate did not allow the lather to flow away easily and I was constantly rinsing the head so I could continue shaving. The handle being long and skinny took some getting used to, but the grip was good. The matte finish on the top cap did not allow for a smooth glide across my face. The shave was comfortable, but not very efficient as I did three complete passes - WTG, ATG, XTG and still had to do a touch up. I tried playing around with different angles, but I am believing that the head design really prevented an efficient shave.

Tonight's shave was a definite C- and the Romulan Empire don't have to fear this razor. Tomorrow I will try with the aggressive head. Hopefully things will get better.

 

[gvw755]

Okay, second shave tonight using the aggressive base plate. Wow! What a difference in the shave. The aggressive base plate would definitely make the Romulan Empire proud. Because of the wimpy shave last night, I had a heavier than normal stubble for tonight's shave. Learning the lesson from last night, I decided to use my TOBS cream which whipped up a thick but soft lather but still with good cushioning attributes. When I started my WTG stroke, I immediately felt the difference between the base plates. Last night's base plate with the "2" on it felt milder than a Tech. Tonight's base plate with an "A" and a "5" felt more like a R41 or a PAA Bakelite Slant, and this was a safety bar razor. I still had to rinse the head more than usual because of the soap clogging the razor, but not as much as last night. Maybe it was the gap or maybe it was the softer lather. In any case, I got by with two passes and touch up, which now puts it at the same level as my good razors. The handle felt a little more comfortable this time around, however the head still did not glide as smoothly as I had wanted.

I would rate tonight's shave a solid B and maybe even a B+. It is strange that this Bevel clone does not have a Goldilocks base plate (like maybe something labeled a "3" or "4"). I would recommend getting this razor mostly because of the price and the two base plates.

 

[Pottertons]

] I was intrigued for a while but due to lack of availability to Canada I passed.
Then I randomly found a company over here that had the exact same razor. Even the photo in the ad had the bevel logo on it. Lol

When I inquired they said that there was no affiliation. To which I suggested that they change the photo. Lol
(Image 1: you can see the bottom of the triangle from the bevel logo)

(Image 2: The actual company's logo)

 

[nav]

The Bombay razor with the aggressive plate is actually pretty good.

I don't care for its look but it shaves pretty well... Although somewhat mild even with the A plate.