Take the Sentinel 1.5 OC for a ride on it's own Chelko, it is one smooth affair. Oh yeah, I love it when big packages arrive specially with Shaving Gear.
Help me decide which Yaqi DE head to buy.
- Thread starter cjmalagon
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Good Choice mate. The Tile is a nice Razor but as I said I outgrew it in a shave. Its super smooth and the head is intuitive, you feel like there is no blade at all while shaving. The Mellon rocks and so does the Yaqi Green. I picked up samples of the Soap and aftershave. A homage to Lacoste, totally love the quality as its made by Master Soap Creations from South Africa.With a few minutes still on the clock for the Alliexpress anniversary sell, i got the Tile SS, Mellon head (gold plated) a new Yaqi 22mm brush , Yaqi brass handle and a sample/tester of Yaqi The Green. I bough the brass handle a few days ago because i was afraid it sold out before i could put my order, still was able to get the welcome deal + Yaqi lowered the price a bit more, i was able to get the soap and brush under my budget.
I want to thank you all for the suggestions and recommendations, much appreciated. Sadly i'm not in an very good economical situation and recent health problems have diminished a bit my budget but I will have the DS9 and the DS AX-SE on my whishlist for the next time, also they had one made of copper that got my attention.
Now...the painful waiting time
As far as the money spend goes, I think it makes sense to spend wisely whether you have the dosh or not. The Zinc Alloy heads are easy to test the waters and figure out if you really like it enough to get a SS Head. I think its great to work with one or two new Razors and get a feel of it with different blades, days of growth etc. I live in Singapore where folk that shave only know a few names like Rockwell, Henson, Leaf, Gillette, Muhle and Merkur. Even the humble affordable Parkers or the big guns like Blackbird, Yates, Karve , Rex etc etc are a rarity here. SO once you get a Razor head that doesn't display the common popular names here, you're pretty much stuck with it. Folk won't trade and some even refuse to accept it gratis, ha ha ha. I think you've chosen wisely.
I missed out on picking up the Telstar SS head. The offer was really good during the sale but I wouldn't buy it at full price and the Zamak Telstar also delivers a fantastic shave.
Enjoy your shaves when the gear arrives , keep us posted on how you like the new Razor Heads and yeah, Life can only get better. Chin Up Buddy.
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This is my current line up (photo 1) and the Yaqi newcomers (photo 2). I need to do a proper test run of all of this. I'll need to run many comparisons. I got the Tile with a Yaqi Saturn handle, the Ghost 70 with a DSCosmetic KVT Ti handle, the Mellon with a Timeless Ti Spiral handle, the Sentinel 1.5 OC with a Destroyer handle and in the bottom, the Sentinels 1.5 and 1.35 SB. I also got the DSCosmetic Poleaxe in zamac. I have intense work ahead of me! I've only shaved with the Ghost and I really liked it for a mild efficient razor. I tested the Sentinels on my arms just to get a feel for them and I think the OC will be an interesting one to try on my face with 3-day growth. I will test it more extensible and start sharing my experience with all this. I'm excited with all these shiners!
I am interested too in the Yaqi head-to-head comparisons 
@Chelko, buddy looking forward to your review on the DS AX-SE. I didn't care much for the number one plate but two and three have me confused. Plate no. 3 was efficient but almost nicked myself with it. I used Plate no.2 again today and it seemed smoother, more efficient but gentler for some reason. When I set the heads side by side, the 1st and 2nd plate were more alike and the third a lot flatter. I didn't measure the blade gap but I wish I could tell what the actual blade gap for the plate no.2 I have is. I know that halfbeard and Iridian mentioned that there is probably a mistake in the numbering on the plates of the Zamak version and that seems to be the case. Chelko, time for you to play Closeau and unravel this mystery.
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- #28
You would think that here in mexico you would find people using DE razors (no long ago we where still making the Gillette Super Thin Mejorada and if you look the second hand market seems they where very popular at some point) but the reality is that is very very rare to find someone shaving with a DE/SE razor, probably is a bit less rare to find someone shaving with a straight razor, but still rare. The second hand market (vintage) is very niche and you need to really dig to find good ones at a reasonable price, i was very lucky to find my Gillette Aristocrat TTO at eBay price hehe , most of the vintage stuff you find is from people searching in local markets and backyard sells and uploading them to web markets like mercadolibre for very high prices. Thanks to Amazon and a few local web stores you can get a few models of know brands like Rockwell, Gillette, Muhle and Merkur at reasonable prices but it gets a bit pricey when you have to import anything, brands like Yatez, Rex or any high ends razors are almost 3-4 x their prices in USD/EUR so what you could call a well priced razor suddenly is too expensive. Don't ask about brushes, soap or after shaves, unless you find it in amazon (local or import from USA) our options are very limited and priced very very high.
With that in mind and that i don't usually sell my stuff (more like never haha) it gets very hard to like buy, test and sell if i don't like it.
Had to thank you all here in B&B because i was able to find all the information need it to start my journey, also i found here about Connaught Shaving, there i bought my Fatip and few soaps for a good price even with import tax and shipping. Funny that most stores in the USA don't ship to Mexico and the ones that does the shipping is strangely pricey and the import tax is just ridiculous, is cheaper to buy from Europe or Asia
Most likely all the stuff i bought will be here next week, once get my hands on them i will update y'all, also time to revive from the grave my shaving journal post
.Wooow, you have a great collection or razors. The handle from the one in the bottom left is the Yaqi Tsuka ? Gorgeous!! . Count me in, looking forward to your reviews.
The handle is a Blackland Blackbird SS.
I totally get you! I am originally from Argentina but moved to Canada in 2022. Through Mercadolibre, I bought my Rockwell 6c, the only option I had. It was either that or very cheap crappy razors that felt like a garden rake on my face. Now in North America, I have all the options. Importing stuff to Argentina is also prohibitively expensive.
I will get to those soon. So far I've shaved with the Yaqi Sentinels. I am thoroughly impressed. I left a brief review in the Sentinel thread, I can post it here later. My first shave was a side-by-side comparison: 1.5 OC vs 1.35 SB with Nacet blades. Very happy with both. Both are very efficient, with blade feel that gives you feedback and makes you be in control of the shave. Very comfortable shaves in both sides with almost no irritation in the 1.5 side and no irritation at all on the 1.35 side. I always get some irritation in the neck, these two were impressive on that regard, and that's only with my first shave! Both give a nice range of angles to try, although I preferred a neutral-to-shallow angle. I tested the 1.5 SB in my arm when I received it and it was the one of the three that felt a bit different. Way more auditory feedback and I was a bit scared to try it on my face. I was convinced I was going to hate it.
So last night I did my second comparison shave: 1.5 vs 1.35 both SB with Nacets. I can say that I've had the best shaves I've ever had. The 1.5 SB gave me a 1 pass shave that was DFS++. I did a few touch ups subsequently for a BBS, but I could have stopped there. Phenomenal razor for my face and beard.
I now have a big problem. I bought the three thinking of only keeping one but I will probably need to buy more handles, because I want to keep them all! I won't keep the Blackbird and I don't like leaving heads without a handle. I like them showcased and ready to use. I can say I fell in love at first shave!
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- #30
Thanks! now I know what could be my next "expensive" purchase hahaha. Perhaps the most gorgeous handle i ever see, the machining looks impeccable. First i was thinking,"could it be that the design was inspired by the SR-71 Blackbird? for sure looks like it could belong to a plane from NASA or from the army" and then i took a look to their webpage, yep, i was somewhat correct.
With mercadolibre i have a bit more options but 3 x their us/eu prices and the few vintage/old stuff either is "cheap" but in really bad condition or you find a vintage gold plated Aristocrat / Fat boy with case in mint condition priced like a used car haha. amazon.mx has more budget friendly options f but soaps, brushes and after shaves are limited, with prime i can take advantage of the free shipping, if it's less than 50dlls i do not need to pay import taxes. I bought there a Gillette Heritage.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to check my post and share with us a bit of your collection and knowledge.
@Chelko glad that you like them all. I simply keep all my razors, even the few duds. They can still serve as a warning and some get another chance.
I was confused by the Blackbird handle, I also assumed it is the "Tsuka" handle but there is a difference: The Tsuka-copy does not have the "neck" part that goes into the recess of the Blackbird plate, it is flat. This makes it better suited for non-Blackbird baseplates.
If you can get a Timeless Ti Crown handle, it is one of the best out there. Alpha Shaving "Viper" is also one of my favorites.
Yaqi and DSCosmetics ofc also have nice handles, though particularly DSCosmetics has a very smoothened and slippery knurling. That's why I love the Alpha Viper handle, it is smooth but still has good grip.
For grip like a file, and a similar feeling, the original Razorock Superknurl is still the most knurly handle out there.
I was confused by the Blackbird handle, I also assumed it is the "Tsuka" handle but there is a difference: The Tsuka-copy does not have the "neck" part that goes into the recess of the Blackbird plate, it is flat. This makes it better suited for non-Blackbird baseplates.
If you can get a Timeless Ti Crown handle, it is one of the best out there. Alpha Shaving "Viper" is also one of my favorites.
Yaqi and DSCosmetics ofc also have nice handles, though particularly DSCosmetics has a very smoothened and slippery knurling. That's why I love the Alpha Viper handle, it is smooth but still has good grip.
For grip like a file, and a similar feeling, the original Razorock Superknurl is still the most knurly handle out there.
@Iridian, I am only using the Blackbird original handle there because I want to have them all ready to go. I will probably sell the Blackbird at some point and the handle will go as well, so I'll get a new handle. I really liked the two titanium DSCosmetic handles I got. I'll check that Viper handle but I also found a few Windrose titanium handles that caught my eye on Etsy.
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- #33
Chelko this was pretty much my experience, I bought the 1.5 OC Sentinel, the Vostok Duo 1.05 and the DS AX-SE. They are so good that even though I wanted to trade the AX-SE as I will be picking up the SS 1.55, I decided to keep it. The DS AX Zamak version is really cool and the Handle is top notch.
Thanks to Iridian, I picked up a barely used Stando Chors too and what a frikkin' Razor it is. Perfection in a metal tool really.
I was hung up on a Blackbird once but now that Bird has flown for me. I do love the look of some Windrose handles but they are super ex to import to Singapore, at least for me.
Lovely review on the new tools by the way Bruh.
I did not know that about the Blackbird handle, I actually thought it was a Yaqi Tsuka. Thanks for pointing out the difference. You've got me keen on getting the Timeless Ti Crown and the Alpha Viper too. Will just bide my time till I have some spare cash for that.@Chelko glad that you like them all. I simply keep all my razors, even the few duds. They can still serve as a warning and some get another chance.
I was confused by the Blackbird handle, I also assumed it is the "Tsuka" handle but there is a difference: The Tsuka-copy does not have the "neck" part that goes into the recess of the Blackbird plate, it is flat. This makes it better suited for non-Blackbird baseplates.
If you can get a Timeless Ti Crown handle, it is one of the best out there. Alpha Shaving "Viper" is also one of my favorites.
Yaqi and DSCosmetics ofc also have nice handles, though particularly DSCosmetics has a very smoothened and slippery knurling. That's why I love the Alpha Viper handle, it is smooth but still has good grip.
For grip like a file, and a similar feeling, the original Razorock Superknurl is still the most knurly handle out there.
And I totally agree with the RR Superknurl bit. you could have oil on your palms but that handle wouldn't slip through, ha ha ha ha ha.
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- #36
Well i have good news and bad news....
Let me start with the bad news, no Tile SS head, they send a envelope with two popsicle sticks inside !!!!!!!!! , need to say that i bough that head not from the official Yaqi store in Alliexpress but from a store called SUNANTH, already started the refund process.
The good news: The Yaqi brush and the Melon head arrived and those are fine, the brush is suppose to have a cosmetic blemish but it looks perfect to me, very pleased with my third order from the Yaqi official store.
Glad that i order two heads, from now own i be only buying from the official Yaqi store.
Let me start with the bad news, no Tile SS head, they send a envelope with two popsicle sticks inside !!!!!!!!! , need to say that i bough that head not from the official Yaqi store in Alliexpress but from a store called SUNANTH, already started the refund process.
The good news: The Yaqi brush and the Melon head arrived and those are fine, the brush is suppose to have a cosmetic blemish but it looks perfect to me, very pleased with my third order from the Yaqi official store.
Glad that i order two heads, from now own i be only buying from the official Yaqi store.
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A bit late but wanted to let you know that the soap arrived. Very pleased with it, i can confirm that the scent is very reminiscent of Lacoste green cologne. Going to try it tomorrow. For a blind buy and just from the scent and texture of the soap, now i'm very intrigued in their whole line of shave soaps.
Regarding the Mellon head. First of all. Good weight, perfectly finished, with really comfortable knurling. Compared to my closed comb razors, the double open comb looks like it would be super aggressive, however once you put a place into it you see that the blade exposure is actually pretty moderate, way less than other aggressive razors i tried before. I been enjoying a lot my shaves with this razor head.
Not much to say about the handle, i love it.
This is now my favorite mild yet efficient open comb razor head until i get another head he he he
Regarding the Mellon head. First of all. Good weight, perfectly finished, with really comfortable knurling. Compared to my closed comb razors, the double open comb looks like it would be super aggressive, however once you put a place into it you see that the blade exposure is actually pretty moderate, way less than other aggressive razors i tried before. I been enjoying a lot my shaves with this razor head.
Not much to say about the handle, i love it.
This is now my favorite mild yet efficient open comb razor head until i get another head he he he
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I have two Yaqi Mellon heads plus a complete and original Mellon razor with handle.
I also have the Tile 316 cartridge, nice and soft.
I confirm, also my feeling of effective Yaqi Mellon razor not very aggressive however not delicate either, the blade is felt all over.
I am undecided on a Yaqi head that is more gentle.
I have read that the Yaqi Mercury is very gentle and quite favorable opinions.
Is it more delicate than the Tile 316 head?
An equally gentle and alternative Yaqi cartridge? Telstar?
I am a bit late to the party. Voted Telstar since you said you want a steep angle shaver. But the Telstar is more aggressive than all the 3 past razors you mentioned in your first post. It has 1.15mm gap and some serious exposure. The moment you go to neutral or shallow angle you start getting unexpected cuts.
Is this cartridge Yai Halequin much more aggressive even than the Yaqi Telstar?
