Im looking forward to your thoughts on this razor.
Henson razor opinions?
- Thread starter Doc Dan
- Start date
I posted my first impressions here.
Henson Razor Club. - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/henson-razor-club.593620/page-46#post-11622542
Had my second shave today with the same blade I used yesterday (Astra). I was able to get a better feel for the desired angle and all was good. BBS after three passes. I did have to tweak my lather a bit to give the head more glide but otherwise, it gave me a shave that is at least as good as the Tech I've been running solely for two years.
I can see this becoming the only razor I use. That's a bold prediction, I know. Time will tell but I'm really liking it so far.
- Thread starter
- #143
Well, here is something else to make you love the Henson. It is easy to care for. There is no need to take it apart and clean it after every shave. Here is what Henson says on their FAQ page:
"Best practice is to thoroughly rinse the razor under water after each shave. No need to fully disassemble after each shave. Be sure to store your Henson in a dry place; we don't suggest storing in the shower.
Replace the blade every 3-5 shaves and when you disassemble to do so we suggest a light cleaning. You can use a soft bristled toothbrush and water, soap or mild cleaning solution if you wish. Dry and place a new blade in."
It doesn't get much easier than that!
Pardon my ignorance, since Henson is my first and so far only safety razor, but does this mean that for most razors it's recommended that you disassemble and clean after each shave?
- Thread starter
- #145
Yes, as far as I can tell. You see that recommendation over and over, again. It makes sense, too, though I confess to not doing it after every shave. But the Hensons are not going to corrode or rust. Ain't tech wonderful?
No. The Henson cleans the same way as every other safety razor. Old marketing trick. Just don't mention that this is the case for every other razor, too.
- Thread starter
- #147
Except the Henson is unlikely to corrode due to the materials the razors are made out of, but I agree. Marketing trick.
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- Thread starter
- #148
Well, I got my Henson Ti22 titanium medium today. What a beautiful razor! It is rather shiny where the lazer cuts are on the handle, and the rest is a nice softly gleaming polish. It is not the dull titanium grey like is often seen on knives. It is a beautiful razor.
Shave: As soon as I got it I disinfected it and washed it. I put a hot steamy towel on my face while I lathered up the bowl and brush. I popped a Feather blade in the razor and then made a pass down my cheek. OMG! Going down my face it was slicker than snot on a door knob! That polished Ti seemed to glide down my face. The whole shave was like that. The weight of the razor really helped. It is twice as heavy as the aluminum version, so I did not use pressure. I just let the weight of the razor do the work. I got a fantastic shave. I am not saying this to be a fan boy. I would be critical if I thought there was merit. But, this razor gave me one of the best shaves I have ever gotten in two passes. The shave was extremely smooth, no dragging, tugging, sticking, or anything. I got no irritations. It is so efficient that I accidentally shaved through part of my thick mustache without realizing it and took it down to the skin in one stroke. Well, it will grow back.
Finish: I have already mentioned how it is nicely finished. The photos don't do it justice. It is a really good looking razor. It is as good as it could be. The lazer cuts really pick up the light and sparkle. The handle is a bit more polished than the head, as can be seen. The head has a nice, semi-gloss, smooth finish that wants to glide across the surface of my face.
The handle looks smooth in the pictures, but in reality, it is not. Those bands are actually raised and those lazer cuts are very sharp. It sticks in my hand as good as any knurling, even with soap.
Fit: The fit, too, is what you'd expect from Henson. It is tight and perfect. I had zero issues with the bronze threads. Unscrewing and screwing in the handle was smooth, like butter. Very nice, indeed.
I am a happy camper. I have no buyers remorse and no regrets. This razor is worth every penny (to me it is).
Shave: As soon as I got it I disinfected it and washed it. I put a hot steamy towel on my face while I lathered up the bowl and brush. I popped a Feather blade in the razor and then made a pass down my cheek. OMG! Going down my face it was slicker than snot on a door knob! That polished Ti seemed to glide down my face. The whole shave was like that. The weight of the razor really helped. It is twice as heavy as the aluminum version, so I did not use pressure. I just let the weight of the razor do the work. I got a fantastic shave. I am not saying this to be a fan boy. I would be critical if I thought there was merit. But, this razor gave me one of the best shaves I have ever gotten in two passes. The shave was extremely smooth, no dragging, tugging, sticking, or anything. I got no irritations. It is so efficient that I accidentally shaved through part of my thick mustache without realizing it and took it down to the skin in one stroke. Well, it will grow back.
Finish: I have already mentioned how it is nicely finished. The photos don't do it justice. It is a really good looking razor. It is as good as it could be. The lazer cuts really pick up the light and sparkle. The handle is a bit more polished than the head, as can be seen. The head has a nice, semi-gloss, smooth finish that wants to glide across the surface of my face.
The handle looks smooth in the pictures, but in reality, it is not. Those bands are actually raised and those lazer cuts are very sharp. It sticks in my hand as good as any knurling, even with soap.
Fit: The fit, too, is what you'd expect from Henson. It is tight and perfect. I had zero issues with the bronze threads. Unscrewing and screwing in the handle was smooth, like butter. Very nice, indeed.
I am a happy camper. I have no buyers remorse and no regrets. This razor is worth every penny (to me it is).
I have the same razor. I've used it since March after trying the AL13 for a year. Really a great razor! No thought shaves and very easy to move from cartridges. Recently I've acquired a Yates 921 and am liking that so much that Henson got cleaned and reboxed until further notice.
Congrats on the Henson, I think you'll really like it!
My long range plan is to get something in titanium. I like my Al-13 and I've come a long way from my early bloody shaves since switching from carts 5 months ago, but I could use a few more months I think, and I'll need to experiment with other razors to decide if I want to spring for the Ti-22 (and if so, what aggression level) or something else. But that's a really nice looking razor, @Doc Dan!
When I got the AL13 I tried both the mild and medium. They are both pretty close in terms of feel and shave but I found with the medium I could get the same results of the mild only quicker and with less passes. Like I said though final result was the same for closeness and comfort. I then purchased the TI22 in medium. The weight and finish of the razor is nicer than the AL but the shave is exactly the same, if that helps you at all.
I'll definitely need to experiment to be pretty sure I know what I want before spending that kind of money. I still get at least a weeper or 2 most of the time even with the mild AL-13, so I worry about upping the aggression level. At the same time, I'm not a fan of the 20-30 minute shave, so if I can get the same result in fewer passes, that'd be a big selling point for me.
- Thread starter
- #153
I am no expert and I can only tell of my own experiences. When I get weepers it is usually technique (but sometimes the razor). It is usually my putting too much pressure instead of letting the razor do the work, or it is because I have the angle wrong. I can't say that either of these is what you are doing because everyone's skin is different. This is just what happens to me. The Henson has made this less likely, though not impossible. The heavier Ti model allows me more confidence to let the weight of the razor do the work. I'll let you know how this continues to work out, but so far, I have shelved all of my other razors.
If you had to compare the Henson (mild or medium?) to Rockwell 6S, which plate comes closest?
G
Guest2023
I'm not sure because I didnt do head to head comparison and it's been way more than a year since I used them the last time. but I guess plate 4 or 5 is the closest.
6-stroke, Atkinson cycle.
Seriously, I got the aggressive titanium Henson ( +++ ) in the mail at the end of December and found the shave to be rather mediocre with too much drag for my liking.
I ended up gently grinding the relatively sharp corners off, and then buffing and polishing all the outside working surfaces of the cap and baseplate assembly. You can see the results in the attached photos. (The original was in the lower right corner in the multi-photo.)
The results were markedly improved. Whereas beforehand I would feel the drag of the bare metal on the skin and the annoyance of the corners, now all I feel is the blade itself contacting the skin. The glide of this razor has improved dramatically; it's positively silky smooth now, and that makes it well worth it for the small amount of time I spent fiddling around with the polishing compound.
I can't quite get a full mirror polish with titanium the same way I would with stainless steel, but it does look and feel 300% better.
I later contacted Henson and referred this information to them. They replied that they passed this along to their team.
I also inquired with Henson if they plan to make a stainless razor, and the response was not in the foreseeable future.
YMMV, and Your Polishing May Vary.
And Your Shave May Vary as well, in case I wasn't quite clear enough.
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- Thread starter
- #157
I like that polishing job. That should make it glide nicely. I have not found any sharp corners on mine and I don't get that feel of the metal you were talking about. To me, the Ti22 is the best razor I have ever used.
I have noticed, however, that the soap that I use makes a big difference in feel. I have some La Toja cream that is pretty slick and the razor simply slides across my face when using it. When I use Edwin Jagger hard soap, though it makes a great lather, I can feel the razor more. It is still slick, but not as slick. I don't know if that makes sense. Soap matters.
I have noticed, however, that the soap that I use makes a big difference in feel. I have some La Toja cream that is pretty slick and the razor simply slides across my face when using it. When I use Edwin Jagger hard soap, though it makes a great lather, I can feel the razor more. It is still slick, but not as slick. I don't know if that makes sense. Soap matters.
Henson has new Stainless Steel DE blades on their site, in addition to Astra Superior Platinum. The new blades have been manufactured to Henson specifications. I have tried these blades, and IMHO they perform better than Astra in the Henson AL13 and TI22 razors (perform better= smoothness + sharpness).
- Thread starter
- #159
Still loving it? I am mine. I have put all of my other razors away.
I'm still in the getting-to-know-you phase but I'm liking it more and more with each use. Right now, I know it works as advertised with the manufacturer's prescribed Astras. It works better with Feathers (for me). Need to see how well it does with the other blades I've hoarded. If it works reasonably well with the blades I have and the decent blades that I can get locally, I can see myself being monogamous with the Henson.
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