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Artist Club SEs - keep them or sell them?

It seems that a lot of people are acquiring Artist Club razors these days. I was one that bought an ATT SE1 and initially I liked it and the Proline blades and the quick shave it gave me. Some months on I see more of the downsides
- not much acoustic feedback compared to my GEMs, which are more fun
- prefer the GEM PTFE blade
- wider blade can be a disadvantage for detail work
- generally feeling a bit meh and using DE open combs more as well

So I'd like to hear not only from you guys that are still big fans, but also those who have sold up and got out of AC razors. Personally I'm 50/50 at this point but since I have nearly 60 blades I'm wondering about a different model than the ATT SE1 before I hit the BST.
 
Do you consider the Feather shavette which use the AC blades a type of Artist club razor? If so, I will add my experience.
 
Yes, by all means. Fire away!
Well and thank you. I have a Feather folding SS type shavette with which I use the Pro Guard blade type. Once I got the angle right, my experience with these blades have been very positive.

With the contour of the Feather SS head that depresses the skin before the blade cuts, I achieve a close, comfortable, and effective use always. As with all shaving, the proper prep and lather making will ensure the result is good.

Like you said, the acoustic feedback is different from the GEM PTFE blade.

For me I the AC width is not a problem with detail work around my nose and lips as I can easily use the tip effectively.

For me this shaving hobby and obsession is about experience. I enjoy having a variety of experiences. I love the GEM razors, old time Schick razors, vintage Gillette, and a Barbasol Floating Heads. Given the low entry fees, why not have a wide birth from which to draw?
 
Hey, Les, I would just say, “sell me the 60 blades cheap,” but I’m on sabbatical this year.

I do support your selling your SE1 and/or other AC types if you much prefer the GEM. Many people do. I sold my other DE and SE razors when I came to the conclusion that the SE1/SE2 combination (with Prolines and Feather Pro Super in the drawer) gave me 4 different shaves, all of which beat or tied anything I’d gotten with other razors or 23 other blade brands. Just depends on if you’re the ‘settling down, minimalist’ type, or the ‘batting around, hobbyist’ type. If you’re going to continue to search, you might want to hang on to the SE1 for a bit and revisit it later.
 
Advice I have none but sympathy plenty. I first bought into AC when the flurry of inexpensive options were released, Hawk, General, and El Jefe. They gave me very close shaves but I didn't much think the wide blade constituted a positive. I ain't in a hurry and it makes the razor less maneuverable. This was especially true shaving my head where I found the AC razors just plain awkward. I sold them.

Fast forward a couple years and a bunch of folks are raving about their SE1/2. I bought the SE2 thinking a more substantial razor might ad something the aluminum AC razors lacked. Well, it added a lot of weight is all, and I'd even less maneuverable and comfortable. It also tugs. I'm offered an SE1 to try. It's better, doesn't tug, but it's obviously just as silly heavy and has trouble getting out of its own way on my head, a problem that I don't have with my injectors or Gem razors.

No question I'll be putting the SE2 on BST. I'm ambivalent about trading for the SE1. I can't knock the results, a marvelously close shave, but dammit I don't enjoy using it and that's why I'm here. I'm gonna keep on for a little while longer before I make my own decision.
 

rockviper

I got moves like Jagger
Put them away for 6-12 months. If you find yourself wanting to go back and use them, then keeping them was the right option. If there was never an urge to revisit, then you look at finding them a new home.
 
Put them away for 6-12 months. If you find yourself wanting to go back and use them, then keeping them was the right option. If there was never an urge to revisit, then you look at finding them a new home.

Well, that's pretty much what I'm doing. I'm having far too much fun with GEMS and open comb DEs. On the other hand, I have at least half a dozen of each which I rotate while I only have the single SE1. So I'm not getting any variety out of AC razors. In any case they're pretty much all the same design with a few exceptions. A Hawk is a Colonial General is a SE1 is a Claymore is a Mongoose is an El Jefe, just slight differences.
 
Well, that's pretty much what I'm doing. I'm having far too much fun with GEMS and open comb DEs. On the other hand, I have at least half a dozen of each which I rotate while I only have the single SE1. So I'm not getting any variety out of AC razors. In any case they're pretty much all the same design with a few exceptions. A Hawk is a Colonial General is a SE1 is a Claymore is a Mongoose is an El Jefe, just slight differences.
Too rich for my blood but I think at least the Vector has gone in the right direction of maximized maneuverability. But honestly I put a Proline in my Mark Cross and I'm perfectly content.
 
I am of the opinion that if its not being used on a daily / every other day basis, it has to go!! I'm also of the opinion that if it doesn't shave as good as "xyz", it has to go!! If its not being used and it don't shave as good as the other then why do I even have them?

I was very satisfied at one point as to how well my SS General shaved and it was a razor I used a couple times a week along with a FatBoy and a Wunderbar. Then I bought a Titanium Timeless and that is when everything changed... That was last February and the first one that was sacrificed was the Wunderbar, but not because it didn't shave well, rather it was just a little too blade forward and found if you didn't pay very close attention it would remind you quickly of why you should!! Kinda like the SE2 is for most that use it!! I held on to the FatBoy and the SS General for several months and then realized I'd only used the FatBoy maybe twice and the SS General 5-6 times in that time frame and thought to myself one day that these are razors that I don't even really care for using anymore and were shipped and gone by years end.

There is no remorse in not having them anymore and in fact the only remorse is why didn't I unload them sooner? They were just taking up space in the cabinet was all...
 
I am of the opinion that if its not being used on a daily / every other day basis, it has to go!! I'm also of the opinion that if it doesn't shave as good as "xyz", it has to go!! I bought a Titanium Timeless and that is when everything changed... the first one that was sacrificed was the Wunderbar, and the General was shipped and gone by years end.

Right now there are two types of razors I'm excited about - GEMS (still need a MMOC) and open comb DE razors. My latest shaves with a Fatip and R41 head have been superb. And when you say "titanium" that's exactly where I'm going. My love affair starts with my new titanium handle, which is by far the best I've used. Shown here with the Fatip head, and I use it on the R41 as well.

Fatip Titanium1a.jpg
 
I use the Paradigm TI AC pretty much everyday. The Wolfman and other razors gather dust in the drawer. The Paradigm AC gives me the closet shave with NO irritation afterwards. Just a very mild super smooth and efficient shave. For the rest of the day I never have that feeling like I have had a shave.
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I use the Paradigm TI AC pretty much everyday. The Wolfman and other razors gather dust in the drawer. The Paradigm AC gives me the closet shave with NO irritation afterwards. Just a very mild super smooth and efficient shave. For the rest of the day I never have that feeling like I have had a shave.
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I hear that but there are a lot of us who get our closest shave and NO irritation from a $15 Micromatic Open Comb. I'd happily try the Paradigm but spending that kind of dough ..I'm skeptical. The rigid AC format blade simply doesn't require mass or fancy materials. Sure is pretty though.

So are my Proline equipped DeHavens.
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Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Haven't read the thread, but sell 'em. I'll give you a nickel for 'em. A dime if you thrown in your blades.

Selling stuff is great. Buying back stuff you sold and want to try again is not so great. That said, I'm thinking about thinking about selling a lot of my stuff.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
I hear that but there are a lot of us who get our closest shave and NO irritation from a $15 Micromatic Open Comb. I'd happily try the Paradigm but spending that kind of dough ..I'm skeptical. The rigid AC format blade simply doesn't require mass or fancy materials. Sure is pretty though.

So are my Proline equipped DeHavens.
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I use the Paradigm TI AC pretty much everyday. The Wolfman and other razors gather dust in the drawer. The Paradigm AC gives me the closet shave with NO irritation afterwards. Just a very mild super smooth and efficient shave. For the rest of the day I never have that feeling like I have had a shave.
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I could not have put it better myself. I too have charcoal goods, Wolfmann etc... but simply don’t reach for anything but the paradigm SE since its arrival. This is it for me chaps- shaving nirvana!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hmmmm.... Every so often a razor comes along that becomes a classic - Gillette Old Type and Tech, Wolfman, Charcoal Goods, MMOC, Fatip, R41... and so forth

Seems like in the AC format the Paradigm's status is rising.
 
Give me a Vector over the Paradigm any day. Who wants to shave with cart-looking object? Lol. :001_rolle (I jest...sort of)

I’ve been delving a bit into the AC SE realm thanks to some good shave brothers. I began by aquiring a v1 Hawk, then an El Jefe. The last couple of weeks and then for the next few I’m trying or have tried the RX, Brass General, Aluminum General, and the Occam v2. All using the Feather Pro.

I love the format! I must admit though I can achieve relatively similar results from all the razors, though they all shave slightly different; each is enjoyable in its own way. Some err on being more manuverable and aggressive (RX) to wonderfully smooth and silent (Brass General). I’m one that does tend to favor the General-type shave at the moment (this one is on loan...unobtainum, go figure...).

Between the different razor formats (AC or otherwise) though, I’m happy to have one or a few of each for when the fancy strikes.
 
Some err on being more manuverable and aggressive (RX) to wonderfully smooth and silent (Brass General). I’m one that does tend to favor the General-type shave at the moment (this one is on loan...unobtainum, go figure...).

A brass General just came up on the BST on another forum but I didn't buy it. Pretty rare, though.

But do you like "silent" razors? The AC models usually look quite well damped. This would be a negative for me. Maybe the Paradigm is a bit louder if it's titanium?
 
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