World’s Mildest (New) Razor?

[Noodles]

Good to know. Thanks.

Yeah, I just “culled” the Timeless Ti, Tatara Masamune, and Karve CB...so unless I hear testimony that the Baili is at least up to their level, I’m probably going to pass. I’m basically a minimalist. There’s only going to be one or two razors that “survive” my competition.

It’s not. Said the fellow who thinks the Masamune is the best razor I’ve used (I also culled a Timeless Ti and a Karve).

 

[Kennyg2019]

.....and will probably prove more expensive

Don’t even say that! I bought tons of equipment...multiple bodies (Leica, Nikons, large format), printers, tripods, lenses over $1K each!

 

[gdawg55]

Don’t even say that! I bought tons of equipment...multiple bodies (Leica, Nikons, large format), printers, tripods, lenses over $1K each!

All I hear you saying from that sentence is razors, soaps, aftershaves, brushes....give it time.

 

[Scaramouche]

Don’t even say that! I bought tons of equipment...multiple bodies (Leica, Nikons, large format), printers, tripods, lenses over $1K each!

As a once-upon-a-time photographer, forget shaving and stick with photography and medium format Hasselblads. You'll save money in the long run...

 

[BubblesUK]

sorry to hear that the Mamba is picky with angles.

I've always found it quite intuitive - you keep it shallow and it's far more efficient than you'd expect for how little blade feel you get... Some people find that picky, but it's how I tend to shave with anything.

If you like basically no blade feel, you'll love it... And the handle you get on the 53 is one of the nicest you'll find on anything.


As far as the Baili 176 goes... Yes, it really is that good, don't let price device you!
I've been using this head for the frugal April challenge (coupled with the good old Derby Extra, I'm still on my first blade at 20 shaves too!) and besides obviously being plated Zamac rather than Stainless it's a superb razor - I'll always have one for travel because it's both mild, well made and cheap... I prefer the heft and feeling of invincibility that stainless steel gives, but otherwise the Baili could easily be my daily

 

[Ckmaui]

Ordered a henson
being 57 and a 80s kid ordered the purple hahahaha I mean a purple razor is kinda fun to me
Kinda like anodized bike parts
if I like it will get a ti and be more normal

also ordered a gamechanger 68
A mamaba 53
and a BBS


the photo thing hahaha full time pro when I lived on Maui when I was on the beach and my 1 series canons with white/cream glass like the 70-200 2.8 would get hit by a wave I would bring them up to the public shower and start rinsing them sometimes photo knowing tourists would see about 8k of gear being put in a shower and have to tell me they were freaking out I would say trust me I do this weekly they can handle it hahahah

I own a rex ambassador but the thing is taking time to learn and rough learning
freaking efficient but not giving up even on 1

so been loving this thread and trying to decide on the timelss models to try maybe ? I do think we have to try each one to know but again fun thread !

 

[Kennyg2019]

Ordered a henson
being 57 and a 80s kid ordered the purple hahahaha I mean a purple razor is kinda fun to me
Kinda like anodized bike parts
if I like it will get a ti and be more normal

the photo thing hahaha full time pro when I lived on Maui when I was on the beach and my 1 series canons with white/cream glass like the 70-200 2.8 would get hit by a wave I would bring them up to the public shower and start rinsing them sometimes photo knowing tourists would see about 8k of gear being put in a shower and have to tell me they were freaking out I would say trust me I do this weekly they can handle it hahahah

I own a rex ambassador but the thing is taking time to learn and rough learning
freaking efficient but not giving up even on 1

so been loving this thread and trying to decide on the timelss or some razorock ? I do think we have to try each one to know but again fun thread !

Same age, but only an amateur photog. I really enjoyed it, however. Wow! That shower scenario would have totally freaked me out, too! If you have sensitive skin, you are going to love the Henson. I'm on their mailing list for the Ti. Next week, I should have three RazorRocks (GC .68, BBS, and Mamba .53) to compare with the Timeless Ti and the Henson. I will let you know what happens.

Like the photography forums and YouTube etc., I think we can learn a lot from each other. Although you're right, we each have to try each one to know, it's good to listen to each other to have some idea of what might be a possible good fit. I disagree with those who seem to believe that this is a totally random, subjective exercise. I know from my own experience in this and other forums that we can learn from each other...and that within a relatively short period of time, I'm able to find a good fit for me. I did this with cameras, running shoes, softball bats and gloves, etc. And now I'm doing it with shaving equipment. Already, within a few weeks, I have been able to narrow my "perfect" razor and blade. Had I just bought stuff randomly, it would have probably taken months if not years! Thank God for forums like this. They help to educate us...and save us a lot of time, money, and energy in our search for what we're looking for!

P.S. I almost bought the blue Henson. Whenever I hear purple, I think of that 80's song by Prince, "Purple something" ☮

 

[Ckmaui]

Yeah was funny to see reactions honestly but was just getting the heavy salt and sand off as fast as I could !

so I guess my face is wimpy hahahahaha

today was the first shave with my Ambassador(owned less than a month) that did not leave me burning the blue silver gillette blades tried about 8 other blades so far and no go ? Even on 1 on the ambassador but the one thing its the shave that I get no feeling of stubble till the eve I mean its SMOOOOTH and stays smooth for me compared to say my 34c that half way through the day I can feel it popping up even if BBS when done and have to say the ambassador has given me the shave that has lasted longer than any shave in my life !!! Over any electric or throw away blade but can only handle 1 on its 1-6 selection hahaha wimpy face



really looking forward to the 4 razors coming in though having a ton of fun trying things ! Figuring out and comparing narrowing down to my precious

I say that as we all know even finding the blade that goes with the razor this will be a long process

also my boy is 12 so reckon even If I keep a few of these around I bought for when he is ready he can try a few to start with

a minimalist mind and will try to keep just 2 maybe 3 razors as my go to in rotation ?
aggressive and mid/mild and super mellow but might be 1 adjustable and 1 daily
same for my soaps narrowing down to 1-2 creams and or 1-2 soaps basically two scents and 2 brushes a natural and synthetic I enjoy
I prefer repeatability and consistency over to many options as that freaks me out kinda


so buying a few to really know what one loves is not a big deal in the long run I reckon and then I have that piece of mind not a nagging what if feeling

 

[Ckmaui]

Question is the henson ti the same angles and feeling ? Just dif metal ? Did not see it on the site ?


Colors on razors ? I like the satin finish over chrome ?
Prefer Ti over anything (bicycle background maybe) and unique

To me the purple makes it unique and fun ? Same as any other color its just fun to see a company do that !
the black could be nice contrast to the satin finish stuff classy looking and easily identifiable so great classic choice

plain aluminum never shows nicks but kinda like all the other silver then OH NO I am freaking out happens

I sat on that order page for like 30 minutes putting colors in and taking out real time waster hahahahahahah and then was like OH NO should I change after pressing button and now OK with it to funny what we go through OR maybe only me ? But funny none the less

by the way stirling ben franklin soap I think stinks really bad ? I like the other stuff I ordered but yikes that one is like dead socks ! But still glad I ordered now I know

 

[Kennyg2019]

Question is the henson ti the same angles and feeling ? Just dif metal ? Did not see it on the site ?


Colors on razors ? I like the satin finish over chrome ?
Prefer Ti over anything (bicycle background maybe) and unique

To me the purple makes it unique and fun ? Same as any other color its just fun to see a company do that !
the black could be nice contrast to the satin finish stuff classy looking and easily identifiable so great classic choice

plain aluminum never shows nicks but kinda like all the other silver then OH NO I am freaking out happens

I sat on that order page for like 30 minutes putting colors in and taking out real time waster hahahahahahah and then was like OH NO should I change after pressing button and now OK with it to funny what we go through OR maybe only me ? But funny none the less

by the way stirling ben franklin soap I think stinks really bad ? I like the other stuff I ordered but yikes that one is like dead socks ! But still glad I ordered now I know

I hear the Henson Ti and AL are identical except for the materials. But, I also hear that the materials make a difference! Believe me, if I don't feel a significant difference during the first shave, the Ti will be en route back to O Canada the next day!

Thanks for the heads-up on Stirling Ben Franklin. I hate stinky soaps. Actually, I don't care how good a soap performs, if it doesn't smell nice, it's gone faster than all the razors I've been going through! BTW, I ordered Stirling Barber Shop and Orange, Cedarwood, and Black Pepper. I heard these (along with Hungarian Lavender and Lime) are some of their best scents.

 

[Ckmaui]

Well that will save me or make me buy one I reckon if you think they are the same or not

to my wife” but love some shaving guy on a shaving forum said .....” hahahahahaha


I might have to do a thread on my soap cream thoughts as a new shaver hahah

 

[Kennyg2019]

The good thing about Henson (and other top razor companies) is that you can try their razors for a while. If you don't like them, you can return them for a full refund (minus shipping). Your wife would probably appreciate that.

Post your thoughts! Now that my razor selection is almost set, I'm becoming less interested in researching them and more interested in soaps!

 

[Ckmaui]

Yeah on the good company returns why I would not be afraid to try the timelss and I do like nice things since I tend to have just a few of a item like a razor can see the timeless ti being nice ! The ambassador I have is really nice and love the finish ! So will hold onto for a while

the italian barber ones at $60 or whatever a piece ? No returns ? But oh well
Not a huge deal think we bought the same 3 ?
But they seem to be hit miss when in stock so reckon can sell for say $40 and get something back and like anything in life spend a bit is OK to find what I like so even if I loose $20 per item worth it to me to know !
Also I think once I use them knowing how they work compared to the timeless or ATT I will know more what I like so those more $$ I will understand more what I am looking for

I do think I might keep the rex ambassador since the blade choice today was nice and I might grow into it and I can wait to get better and have a great adjustable agreessive on hand as I grow in DE use and skill

 

[TonyTheRazorMan]

Yup the Weishi clone, local drugstore "why not try" before I knew anything.

Yes I was just kidding around. I still don't know anything. If I had any sense I wouldn't be on this forum and spending so much $ on razors!

 

[Kennyg2019]

A cheap, perfectly built, veeeery smooth DE razor? Giese & Forsthoff's Timor CC!

I heard about the Timor...although I thought that was the name of the company not just the razor. They say it’s gentler than the Merkur 34C but with the same German build quality...Hmm sehr interessant!

 

[Scaramouche]

Question is the henson ti the same angles and feeling ? Just dif metal ? Did not see it on the site ?


Colors on razors ? I like the satin finish over chrome ?
Prefer Ti over anything (bicycle background maybe) and unique

To me the purple makes it unique and fun ? Same as any other color its just fun to see a company do that !
the black could be nice contrast to the satin finish stuff classy looking and easily identifiable so great classic choice

plain aluminum never shows nicks but kinda like all the other silver then OH NO I am freaking out happens

I sat on that order page for like 30 minutes putting colors in and taking out real time waster hahahahahahah and then was like OH NO should I change after pressing button and now OK with it to funny what we go through OR maybe only me ? But funny none the less

by the way stirling ben franklin soap I think stinks really bad ? I like the other stuff I ordered but yikes that one is like dead socks ! But still glad I ordered now I know

I get mostly root beer from Stirling's BF (with a faint hint of pine tar). When I want to go for used athletic clothing, I usually reach for B&M's Sunny Lane....

 

[tjsgarden]

This is an interesting and fun thread.

I am a 66 year old wet shaving and DE razor noobie. I am having a ball and look forward to shaving for the first time in my life! I have already bought about 10 razors and bunches of everything else. It didn't take long to figure out I like a mild razor and sharp blade combination. My wife has been very patient and gives me that questioning look when she sees multiple packages arriving in the mail every day.
Well anyway, I had been to the Henson website and read the forum reviews. I knew I had to have just one more new razor! To demonstrate how crafty my mind works and being a kind, considerate and thoughtful husband, I figured out Mothers Day is coming up next month and I instantly had a plan. I ordered the Henson AL13 in the rose color. Being so kind and thoughtful, I naturally had to make sure it would work good for her knowing she has never used a DE razor. In my defense, I have other nice gifts for the best person-friend-wife-mother in the world. (I might have a slight bias)

To make a long story short, the Henson with a Feather blade shaved smoother and cleaner than any other razor I have used!!! It was my closest shave yet and I only shave 2X WTG about 90% of the time. On top of that, I had no irritation or sensitivity issues. My Rockwell 6C (with plate 2 or 3), Gillette King and Jagger 89 are in the same ballpark for my needs but the Henson is a keeper for me...or I should say for my wife. . To be helpful for her, naturally I will have to keep testing this razor till Mothers Day and come up with another plan to have a convincing story to get one for myself!
Isn't this shaving stuff fun and besides the blades are a lot cheaper than cartridges!!!

 

[Kennyg2019]

This is an interesting and fun thread.

I am a 66 year old wet shaving and DE razor noobie. I am having a ball and look forward to shaving for the first time in my life! I have already bought about 10 razors and bunches of everything else. It didn't take long to figure out I like a mild razor and sharp blade combination. My wife has been very patient and gives me that questioning look when she sees multiple packages arriving in the mail every day.
Well anyway, I had been to the Henson website and read the forum reviews. I knew I had to have just one more new razor! To demonstrate how crafty my mind works and being a kind, considerate and thoughtful husband, I figured out Mothers Day is coming up next month and I instantly had a plan. I ordered the Henson AL13 in the rose color. Being so kind and thoughtful, I naturally had to make sure it would work good for her knowing she has never used a DE razor. In my defense, I have other nice gifts for the best person-friend-wife-mother in the world. (I might have a slight bias)

To make a long story short, the Henson with a Feather blade shaved smoother and cleaner than any other razor I have used!!! It was my closest shave yet and I only shave 2X WTG about 90% of the time. On top of that, I had no irritation or sensitivity issues. My Rockwell 6C (with plate 2 or 3), Gillette King and Jagger 89 are in the same ballpark for my needs but the Henson is a keeper for me...or I should say for my wife. . To be helpful for her, naturally I will have to keep testing this razor till Mothers Day and come up with another plan to have a convincing story to get one for myself!
Isn't this shaving stuff fun and besides the blades are a lot cheaper than cartridges!!!

Wow...Great story! You are indeed a kind and considerate man! I hope your wife appreciates the sacrifices you make!

 

[Kennyg2019]

On a related note...I just had my 3rd shave with the Henson AL...but this time I used my favorite blade, the Personna Med Prep. And, believe it or not, the blade was tugging just a tiny bit. Well, of course, this was totally unacceptable...so I switched blades mid-shave back to the Astra Superior Platinum (Green) that came with the razor...and ahh...bliss once again. So, I immediately ordered 100 more Astras from Amazon ($13.02 with 1-Day Shipping)! I guess, like everyone was saying, you have to pick the right blade for your razor and your skin. I'm happy because Astra blades are a lot cheaper than Personna Med Prep blades ($37.89)!
Another lesson I learned from this...Always try the blades that come with the razor. The manufacturer has a pretty good idea what works with their razor!

 

[Cafebarian]

Yes I was just kidding around. I still don't know anything. If I had any sense I wouldn't be on this forum and spending so much $ on razors!

2013-14 was some time ago, still have the razor. Not very good quality compared to a Parker TTO.
Used it yesterday and it was an extremely easy shave if not very close, fast three pass neck shave.