Recommend a budget Stainless Steel head & handle ?

[Iridian]

The Executive Shaving Company ‘Outlaw’ Safety Razor v The RazoRock Gamechanger 68
1) Which one would you pick between the two and why ?.
2) Is the head of the Gamechanger 68 more manoeuvrable in terms of access, and does it have a greater efficiency and angle of usage than the Muhle R89/ Edwin Jagger DE89 head ?.

1. The Outlaw is way more aggressive than the Game Changer .68, it rather compares to the Game Changer .84 OC, and is even more aggressive than that one! (There is a "mild" Outlaw head, but I don't own it.)
I think of the Outlaw as some kind of premium version of Razorock, but it might be too aggressive for you. The Game Changer .84 SB is much more tame. I personally would pick the Outlaw with the Viper or Alpha Bravo handle. The Alpha Bravo has the best knurling ever. No exaggeration. Found no better knurling.
2. Erm I can only talk about the. 84... no idea about the .68, but the .84 beats the R89/DE89 in every regard I can think of.

 

[catchacoolbreeze]

You can't beat the RazoRock offerings. I have a GC .68 & also own the .84 & .68 OC head. Also add the RR Lupo to this mix. Having said that even since I traded my RR Aluminum Lupo for a Zamak Merkur 33C my RR GC just gather dust. My Merkur 33C, 34C & newly acquired 30C have become my favorite every day razors.

Also some people on this forum love their Winning Razor.

Hi Bill - I know you like your Merkur straight bar heads - what do you think is the closest stainless steel equivalent to that? How do you think the gamechanger compares?

 

[Bill_G]

Hi Bill - I know you like your Merkur straight bar heads - what do you think is the closest stainless steel equivalent to that? How do you think the gamechanger compares?

Maybe the GC. 68SB. But what I love about the Merkur razors I have yet to find a blade they don't like. They work great with every blade I've tried. But I prefer them with sharper blades like the Nacets.

IMO the problem with the RazoRock offerings if you buy them from Italian Barber & you don't love them you can't return them. Which forces you to sell them or trade them on a forum. Before I bought the 30C I was tempted to buy a Lupo .72 but decided to pass. Since there are times my RR GC disappoints me with either the .68 or .84 plate. But YMMV.

What I really love about the 30C is the black resin handle. I find it extremely grippy & feels like a rubber handle. Can't complain about the shave either. The Merkur 33C, 34C & 30C just work extremely well for my every day shaving needs.

 

[catchacoolbreeze]

Maybe the GC. 68SB. But what I love about the Merkur razors I have yet to find a blade they don't like. They work great with every blade I've tried. But I prefer them with sharper blades like the Nacets.

IMO the problem with the RazoRock offerings if you buy them from Italian Barber & you don't love them you can't return them. Which forces you to sell them or trade them on a forum. Before I bought the 30C I was tempted to buy a Lupo .72 but decided to pass. Since there are times my RR GC disappoints me with either the .68 or .84 plate. But YMMV.

What I really love about the 30C is the black resin handle. I find it extremely grippy & feels like a rubber handle. Can't complain about the shave either. The Merkur 33C, 34C & 30C just work extremely well for my every day shaving needs.

I always though they were similar but I haven't done a side by side. The fact that you have more experience with both makes me now question that assessment. I think maybe the GC .68 was ever so slightly not as efficient as the Merkur but its hard for me to remember.

 

[Bill_G]

I always though they were similar but I haven't done a side by side. The fact that you have more experience with both makes me now question that assessment. I think maybe the GC .68 was ever so slightly not as efficient as the Merkur but its hard for me to remember.

They're very close. I like my GC .68 .84. The .68OC not so much. But I just don't like using them every day.

 

[GlazedBoker]

Dear Fellow Shavers,

I finally want to take the plunge in to real shaving as a newbie with quite sensitive skin. I don’t have a beard, so it’s to remove days of stubble and whiskers.
1) I‘m looking for the stainless steel equivalent of a Muhle R89 head (closed comb), and to combine this with a razorock handle - is this a good combination of balance and longevity ?
2) Or should I just spend the money on a Muhle Rocca Safety Razor ? - does this have the identical head to Edwin Hager / Muhle R89?.
3) As a short term measure - have splashed out on a Gillette Tech Safety Razor ( made in England ), for £14 pounds and some Voskhod razors (using this combo for the first time).
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks guys

Get your hands on one of these, fellow shave Bro-ham. It’s called The Winning Razor by Wet Shaving Club. I purchased one on initial release for under $40. Now, it’s priced at $54.99 and I still think that’s a real good price for this razor. Made of ALL STAINLESS STEEL construction right here in the good old USA. Easy on the skin with little blade feel but, it shaves as good as many of the razors that a few gents have mentioned here, putting some of those higher priced razors to shame as well. Punches well above its price point and will serve you for many, many shave years effectively.

Happy shaves amigo….

 

[Ckmaui]

flash75 some posts back mentioned the rockwell not a bad idea with the plates and a great option also
again why I think something like that rockwell or the RR GC 68 and 84 plate would be good to with the small extension of budget both of these give you more than one shave and can grow with you if you want more or less
GC even has two more combs if you got curious about the combs most likely could trade off and a few bucks for the straight you did not use to trade for a comb here on buy sell ?

if I could go back in time when I got into this DE shaving I would get something with the ability to change plates to learn !

this way when you find your fav plate over the next few months IF you decide to get into shaving more you have a very good base to work from to get that next razor
OR you got to try a various levels of shaving to know what you liked

also many know the GC and the rockwell razors so if you said the GC 84 was to much ! or the rockwell plate 4 was my fav
the small obscure razors many will be met more often with no idea never tried it

 

[lancre]

Get your hands on one of these, fellow shave Bro-ham. It’s called The Winning Razor by Wet Shaving Club. I purchased one on initial release for under $40. Now, it’s priced at $54.99 and I still think that’s a real good price for this razor. Made of ALL STAINLESS STEEL construction right here in the good old USA. Easy on the skin with little blade feel but, it shaves as good as many of the razors that a few gents have mentioned here, putting some of those higher priced razors to shame as well. Punches well above its price point and will serve you for many, many shave years effectively.

Happy shaves amigo….

View attachment 1371299

+1 on the Winning. At around $55-65, idepending on how many blades you get (5-105), it's probably the best value in current production SS razors. Feels mild, but efficient as all get out.

 

[Jasper J.]

WSC triple s razor.
$40.
You may be able to find another 10% discount.
You can't beat its price, although I don't like its design. If you like the gentle characteristics of de89, you should like this razor.
Safety Razors Archives - https://wetshavingclub.com/product-category/safety-razors/

 

[Iridian]

The 'Merica and Winning razor are made by Yates Precision Manufacturing, or is this just a rumor? The head designs look suspiciously similar.

 

[BigJ]

We’ve all said those same words with sincerity and conviction at the start. Wishing you the best with this.

+2! Worthy goal, for sure!

 

[cpcohen1945]

Charles, I don’t own one - but have read that the R89 head is up there in regards to a more forgiving angle of usage and access to tight spots.
I could try in Zamak, but _if_ I’m going to splash the cash only once...

I have a DE89, barley handle, about 12 years old. I've used it a lot. Looks new, shaves gently, fairly compact head.

Based on my experience, I figure that each new razor is an experiment, and not likely to be my last purchase. So I keep to the "moderate" end of the price range -- my most expensive DE is a Merkur Progress.

You may be right in your expectations, and your SS razor might be the last one you buy. But RAD is common on this forum, and you might catch it from us.<g>

.charles

 

[Yuritau]

You may be right in your expectations, and your SS razor might be the last one you buy. But RAD is common on this forum, and you might catch it from us.<g>

.charles

And the best part is, you probably won't know if it's The One for you until after you buy it, and maybe a zamak version to compare it against.. and maybe a Wolfman just to see if stainless is really the way to go.. and maybe you just caught the RAD, lol.

 

[Halfblade]

1) I‘m looking for the stainless steel equivalent of a Muhle R89 head (closed comb), and to combine this with a razorock handle - is this a good combination of balance and longevity ?
2) Or should I just spend the money on a Muhle Rocca Safety Razor ? - does this have the identical head to Edwin Hager / Muhle R89?.
3) As a short term measure - have splashed out on a Gillette Tech Safety Razor ( made in England ), for £14 pounds and some Voskhod razors (using this combo for the first time).
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks guys

If I understand you correctly, your actual intention is to get a razor that will shave well, will last, & not have to be replaced. For that purpose, you have chosen stainless steel as the razor material.

I should point out, though, that you already have what you seek. Vintage Gillette Tech razors were made of brass & then plated. They are as BIFL as you can get. Many vintage Techs have stood the test of time & hundred year old vintage brass razors are not uncommon. The only difference is that they are brass instead of stainless, but brass threads are self lubricating & can often last longer than stainless threads, especially if neither are maintained.

Vintage Tech razors made in England were made better & made to tighter tolerances than their equivalents across the water.

 

[Doc Dan]

Since I've newly returned to shaving with a safety razor after being gone since the late 70's, I wonder about the Feather AS-D2 and how close it would be to the OP's razor? I know someone who, after having several others, now only uses this razor. What about it?

 

[Medivh]

I wonder how does the Winner, Henson and the Yaqi clone of Henson compare to each other. It's an interesting and unique design, but i'm not willing to buy all 3 razors just to find out. I bet some folks around here own at least two of them.

 

[JCarr]

Another vote for a RazoRock Lupo or Game changer razor and handle. Although, this might be above your budget.

 

[lancre]

I wonder how does the Winner, Henson and the Yaqi clone of Henson compare to each other. It's an interesting and unique design, but i'm not willing to buy all 3 razors just to find out. I bet some folks around here own at least two of them.

I have the Winning and the AL-13 Medium, but no experience with the Yaqi. I like both of the ones I have and would prefer to spend my money with the originators of these designs, not the clones.

A while back, I read that the aim for the Henson design team was to create a razor that shaved the same with any blade. They largely succeeded. I gave a week each to Feather, Derby Extra (pre-2016), and Personna Med Preps, in that order. My shaves over that three week sequence were virtually indistinguishable from each other. About 50% were BBS, the rest were DFS in problem areas and BBS elsewhere. It's a very nice razor when you get the angle right, and is harmless If you don't.

I have not yet tried the same sequence with the Winning. The Winning has the same fussiness over angle as the Henson.
On MY face and neck I prefer the Winning for two reasons. First, within limits, I tend to prefer heavier razors, so steel beats aluminum on that score. Second, my handle length preference is 75-90 mm. In tight corners, i find shorter handled razors to be more maneuverable.

Guys who prefer longer handles or lighter razors might go the opposite way.

 

[borwish]

I've got to agree with lancre. I prefer the winning razor over the Henson mild. The wife does love her Henson though.

 

[Halfblade]

Two new options.

Maggard Razors SS70 Safety Razor Head, Polished Stainless Steel, CNC Machined

Maggard Razors SS70 Safety Razor Head CNC Machined Stainless Steel DE Safety Razor Head 0.70mm Blade Gap Laser etched serial number and Maggard Logo Polished stainless steel Width of the head covers the tabs of the blade Weight: Head - 1.1oz/30g. Warranty: Lifetime Warranty Made in China

maggardrazors.com

Along with their $16 stainless steel handles, you have a cheap stainless razor.

Another equally attractive option is/are the stainless/brass/titanium razors from DS cosmetic on AliExpress.

They are designed to emulate the shave of common Razorock razors.

Dscosmetic DS-T.7 CNC 316L razor

Looks like RR mamba:eek2: DS-T7 is available in China There are 2 type of handle $$$:312~350RMB=44.57~50USD

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

GC 68.

It's a very nice razor. Very very smooth. Efficient enough for most people most days. Easy to learn and use. The platform also supports other plates, but none of them in my opinion beat the 68.

I had the Yates made razor called The Winning Razor. Liked it okay but gave it away. Didn't love it at all. Draggy, it is. Not saying it's a bad razor, but get a GC 68.

Of course, there are plenty of options other than these two, but if you're new to this and don't know where to start the 68 is a very good SS option.

Happy shaves,

Jim