The Feather AS-D2 is a 10 in both smoothness and efficiency.
The Schick Krona, 1950s Gillette Tech and the 1940s Super Speed are close seconds.
The Schick Krona, 1950s Gillette Tech and the 1940s Super Speed are close seconds.
Your Smoothest and Most Efficient Razors
- Thread starter Steve_in_CT
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9 efficiency for the Masamune? I find that surprising. Even leaving aside my own experience with the Masamune, which I blame partly on my poor technique, I don't frequently hear it considered as highly efficient.
Similar comment to mine above about the Masamune: I'm jealous of you all that can make these mild, negative blade exposure razors highly efficient. It almost makes me want to try the Masamune again or give the Feather a shot.
Almost. The Timeless Ti .68 is the smoothest razor I've tried. It's not as efficient as the Tek, 2011 R41 or Lupo .95 but for me it hits the sweet spot.
- Thread starter
- #25
No, but given your vast experience with many high quality razors, I would love to hear what razors you think match the Dart in efficiency while surpassing it in smoothness.So now I have to do a spreadsheet?
It's all about prep and technique. The blade does the cutting, you just need to make sure the edge of the blade touches skin and hair properly when shaving.
These "mild" razors with a fresh Feather blade give me a BBS in a single pass, but usually I do one pass and some touch ups on my resistance areas. But as usual, YMMV
I define efficiency as "how close the shave is after 3 passes without cleanup" not as "how aggressive does it feel". The Masamune is not aggressive at all, but the BBS shaves I get are some of the closest and long-lasting of any razor I own.
I think that apart from prep and technique, the blade is also a big deal. I find that you have to use the sharpest blades possible with the milder razors and then find a blade whose width favors good results in a given razor. In the Masamune for example, I can get an even smoother shave with a Gillette Yellow or Permasharp, but I get a much closer shave with a Nacet (which is slightly wider and therefore increases blade exposure microscopically). I pretty much use a specific blade for every razor. The Wolfman (for example) does best with a narrower blade due to the larger gap. I use a Gillette Yellow in that one. And the Charcoal Goods Everyday seems to work best with a Permasharp.
Interesting discussion!!
I also rate razors based on ‘comfort’ but precisely defining what these terms mean is a challenge.
I also rate razors based on ‘comfort’ but precisely defining what these terms mean is a challenge.
I agree with this observation. In my view, technique is most of the of the shave experience. Blade and razor qualities can contribute or detract from this but on the whole, how you shave is more important than what you shave with.
In what may be construed as a contradiction to my earlier statement, I'll say that I enjoy my shaving with my Merkur Futur and Merkur 39C 'Sledgehammer' the most. Both razors provide me with a smooth and efficient experience.
Wolfman WR2 1.15 has a smoothness of 10, efficiency of 8 on my scale. It is the smoothest ride that maintains high efficiency. As the gaps go up on the WR2, the efficiency goes up by a fraction of a point, but the smoothness goes down by the same factor. I have Wolfman razors up to 1.55 gap.
By comparison, the British Gillette Hybrid Tech has a smoothness of 10, and efficiency of 5 on my scale.
By comparison, the British Gillette Hybrid Tech has a smoothness of 10, and efficiency of 5 on my scale.
CzechCzar
Use the Fat, Luke!
This is so funny. Classic case of YMMV.
I have a pirate beard that grows in all directions. The Feather AS-D2 and Timeless .68 couldn't even get me to DFS, no matter how many passes I did. I have great technique, I have been wetshaving for nearly 15 years. But my hair is too thick.
Lupe .95 with a Feather can get me a quick DFS in 3 passes. If I spent a lot of time on cleanup it might be DFS but IDK.
The only razor that has consistently been able to shave me a clean BBS in 3 passes, without irritation, is the uber expensive Yaqi Top Aggressive Slant. This $10 piece of pot metal shaves better than a $200 competitor. Who would have thought?
I have a pirate beard that grows in all directions. The Feather AS-D2 and Timeless .68 couldn't even get me to DFS, no matter how many passes I did. I have great technique, I have been wetshaving for nearly 15 years. But my hair is too thick.
Lupe .95 with a Feather can get me a quick DFS in 3 passes. If I spent a lot of time on cleanup it might be DFS but IDK.
The only razor that has consistently been able to shave me a clean BBS in 3 passes, without irritation, is the uber expensive Yaqi Top Aggressive Slant. This $10 piece of pot metal shaves better than a $200 competitor. Who would have thought?
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
Just forgot to mention another great razor I used this morning. The Razorock SLOC with a Kai SS(extra wide) blade and wow what a nice smooth(8.5) comfortable BBs shave with great efficentcy(8). Nice combination of razor & blade(8 shaves on blade)!
Have some great shaves!
Have some great shaves!
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Henson AL13 +++ (aggressive). I also have the Henson Titanium +++, but I prefer lighter razors and can get a slightly better result with the aluminum version. My second place "smooth and efficient" razor is the Razorock aluminum Lupo which is quite efficient despite the .68 blade gap. I have the stainless Lupo with the .72 blade gap, but I get slightly better results with the original aluminum version. I own more expensive razors, but for some reason the less expensive razors give me the best results.
Merkur.
Any with a close comb.
And with a super sharp blade.
Or a moderately sharp blade.
Smooth, efficient, close and consistent -- that's Merkur.
If you aren't getting great shaves with a Merkur, start by trying sharper blades.
However, if you don't shave daily, I can see how you might want a more aggressive razor.
And a Merkur 33 or 34 is not a good razor to test blades in because any decent blade seems to shine in one.
Yes, I've got razors that shave closer, and perhaps a tad more efficiently, but the price is usually razor burn. And the oddest part is the shaves don't seem as consistent as with a Merkur. Poor technique? Presumably. But with a Merkur, you would have to have really bad technique to get a bad shave, or a cut. Has anyone ever gotten cut with a Merkur 33/34?
Any with a close comb.
And with a super sharp blade.
Or a moderately sharp blade.
Smooth, efficient, close and consistent -- that's Merkur.
If you aren't getting great shaves with a Merkur, start by trying sharper blades.
However, if you don't shave daily, I can see how you might want a more aggressive razor.
And a Merkur 33 or 34 is not a good razor to test blades in because any decent blade seems to shine in one.
Yes, I've got razors that shave closer, and perhaps a tad more efficiently, but the price is usually razor burn. And the oddest part is the shaves don't seem as consistent as with a Merkur. Poor technique? Presumably. But with a Merkur, you would have to have really bad technique to get a bad shave, or a cut. Has anyone ever gotten cut with a Merkur 33/34?
Over the years, I’ve managed to reduce (streamline?) my razor lineup to “3” razors: the Karve CB, the Fatip Piccolo and the Muhle R41. This is how I’d rank them:
Karve OC F Plate: smoothness 9, efficiency 9
Karve SB G Plate: smoothness 9, efficiency 9
Fatip Piccolo OC: smoothness 8, efficiency 8
Fatip Piccolo SB: smoothness 8, efficiency 7
Muhle R41: smoothness 6, efficiency 8 (or maybe 9)
I only use Kai, Wizamet and Personna Med Prep blades (also Nacets from time to time). I just can’t get along with Feathers…
Karve OC F Plate: smoothness 9, efficiency 9
Karve SB G Plate: smoothness 9, efficiency 9
Fatip Piccolo OC: smoothness 8, efficiency 8
Fatip Piccolo SB: smoothness 8, efficiency 7
Muhle R41: smoothness 6, efficiency 8 (or maybe 9)
I only use Kai, Wizamet and Personna Med Prep blades (also Nacets from time to time). I just can’t get along with Feathers…
My smoothest and most efficient razor is my daily driver - the Schick Krona. Whether several days or only one day of growth, I get a great shave with no irritation. A truly underrated razor.
Gillette Tech
I use it frequently.
I use it frequently.
What an interesting thread! Here’s my ranking of my current line-up:
Rex Ambassador - efficiency 9 smoothness 8-9
Wolfman SS WR2 1.25 SB - efficiency 6-7 smoothness 8-10
Timeless Ti 95 OC - efficiency 7 smoothness 7
Timeless SS Slim OC - efficiency 10 smoothness 4-6
Copper DOC Ascension Twist Adjustable - efficiency 6-7 smoothness 7-8
Gillette Slim - efficiency 5 smoothness 6-7
Gillette Fatboy - efficiency 6 smoothness 5
In all fairness I have to say I have shaved a good deal more with my Rex than any of the other razors. So, part of it’s scores may be reflective of my ability to skillful wield it. Of the razors listed, I have the least experience with the Timeless razors, as they are pretty recent additions. I also have the Timeless Ti Slim SB plate, but haven’t used it enough yet to have an honest opinion. I’d further note that the Rex has the advantage of being adjustable, and I do typically adjust the settings between passes, although it’s very rare for me to go below 4.
I agree that blade choices matter. I love a voskhod in the Rex with it opened up to 6-5-4. I prefer a Perma-sharp in the Wolfman and either a Gillette Silver Blue, an Astra or a Nacet in just about everything else.
Happy Shaves!
Rex Ambassador - efficiency 9 smoothness 8-9
Wolfman SS WR2 1.25 SB - efficiency 6-7 smoothness 8-10
Timeless Ti 95 OC - efficiency 7 smoothness 7
Timeless SS Slim OC - efficiency 10 smoothness 4-6
Copper DOC Ascension Twist Adjustable - efficiency 6-7 smoothness 7-8
Gillette Slim - efficiency 5 smoothness 6-7
Gillette Fatboy - efficiency 6 smoothness 5
In all fairness I have to say I have shaved a good deal more with my Rex than any of the other razors. So, part of it’s scores may be reflective of my ability to skillful wield it. Of the razors listed, I have the least experience with the Timeless razors, as they are pretty recent additions. I also have the Timeless Ti Slim SB plate, but haven’t used it enough yet to have an honest opinion. I’d further note that the Rex has the advantage of being adjustable, and I do typically adjust the settings between passes, although it’s very rare for me to go below 4.
I agree that blade choices matter. I love a voskhod in the Rex with it opened up to 6-5-4. I prefer a Perma-sharp in the Wolfman and either a Gillette Silver Blue, an Astra or a Nacet in just about everything else.
Happy Shaves!
So many great razors both from history and currently being made. It was a brass Karve that first introduced me to the possibility of facial swirls being smoothed without irritation. I now believe that the weight of the razor was at least part of that experience and I still prefer the heft of brass and copper for great shaves from Charcoal Goods lvl2 in copper, Brass'Bird, and ATT copper H plate. But there are so many others that can give amazing shaves.
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