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Masamura vs Ambassador

I've started acquiring various DE razors, finding ones I like. I shave my face and head daily. I'd say my skin would be on the more sensitive side. Of course I have a Leaf and it works pretty well. I also picked up a Pearl Flexi thinking it would be a way for me to determine whether I wanted to get a Rex Amabassador - and I like it, and the shaves are good. So that has me at the cross roads of wanting to invest in a good adjustable. To me the two to consider are the Ambassador and Masamura. Unfortunately I find very few reviews of them together.

So, I'd like to ask the community - if you've used both, how would you characterize them relative to each other? Does the Masamura adjustment mechanism significantly change the shaving experience? Tatara's advertising says that their mechanism adjusts both blade gap and exposure - and I'm wondering how in practice that is different than the more "standard" adjustment that is made in the Ambassador, Flexi, Taiga, Rocnel, etc.

I did some search-fu trying to find comparisons here and elsewhere, and came up relatively dry, so apologies if this is a dead horse.
 
I have the Ambassador but not the Muramasa. I have *heard* that the Tataras are on the mild end throughout the range of adjustment.

The Ambassador definitely is not.😎 1-2.5-ish is mild on the Ambassador, but some users report that even 2 is pretty aggressive. I like mine in the 3.5-4.5 range, and I've run it from 1 through 6. If you like the Flexi, I'd say you'll be comfortable with the Ambassador, but it is more aggressive at the same number setting.

I have not read/heard of anyone calling the Muramasa aggressive, so...

Hopefully, one of those owners will drop by soon.
 
I had the Ambassador, sold recently, and I have the Muramasa.
The Ambassador has aot of blade feel. I think the blade Exposure is much on the positive side.
I now have three shaves with the Muramasa.
On setting 1-2 the blade exposure is negative, 3 neutral and positive on 4-5.
That's what Tatara says on their website.
⚫1 - gap = 0.60mm / exposure = negative 0.17mm

⚪2 - gap = 0.70mm / exposure = negative 0.07mm

⚫3 - gap = 0.75mm / exposure = 0 mm

⚪4 - gap = 0.80mm / exposure = positive 0.07mm

⚫5 - gap = 0.90mm / exposure = positive 0.17mm

I used setting 1-3 what is quite mild. Astonishingly setting 1 is already well usable and more efficient than I expected.
I prefer smaller blade gaps. Larger ones tend to nick me easily.
The Muramasa is balanced extremely well.
There's no dragging (the rex has some dragging)
The handle is not slippery though the knurling on the rex is better.

Hope I could help you.
 
I haven't tried the Muramassa but I have an Ambassador.

From what I've read the Maramusa is very mild, the Ambassador is the opposite.
It's well made, it looks better than the Portugese razor (IMO) but... I think I just read your SOTD Regarding your experience with the GC. 84. If you find the GC. 84 too aggressive I dont think you should buy a Rex Ambassador.

Also, you have a Flexi (which I have also owned). The Pearl Flexi is a bit more gentle than the Ambassador. If you love your Flexi on the higher settings and want a better looking one, the Rex is interesting - it's what I did but I did it purely for esthetical reasons and out of curiousity.

My Rex is currently listed for sale, even though I do like it. I have come to appreciate razors with less blade feel and need to make some room. 😊
 
I haven't tried the Muramassa but I have an Ambassador.

From what I've read the Maramusa is very mild, the Ambassador is the opposite.
It's well made, it looks better than the Portugese razor (IMO) but... I think I just read your SOTD Regarding your experience with the GC. 84. If you find the GC. 84 too aggressive I dont think you should buy a Rex Ambassador.

Also, you have a Flexi (which I have also owned). The Pearl Flexi is a bit more gentle than the Ambassador. If you love your Flexi on the higher settings and want a better looking one, the Rex is interesting - it's what I did but I did it purely for esthetical reasons and out of curiousity.

My Rex is currently listed for sale, even though I do like it. I have come to appreciate razors with less blade feel and need to make some room. 😊
I agree, if you find the gamechanger 84 too aggressive, hands off the Rex Ambassador.
The Muramasa is milder, less blade feel. But in higher settings a larger blade gap and positive blade exposure, so it can be more but not extremely aggressive.
 

lasta

Blade Biter
I haven't tried the Muramassa but I have an Ambassador.

From what I've read the Maramusa is very mild, the Ambassador is the opposite.
It's well made, it looks better than the Portugese razor (IMO) but... I think I just read your SOTD Regarding your experience with the GC. 84. If you find the GC. 84 too aggressive I dont think you should buy a Rex Ambassador.

Also, you have a Flexi (which I have also owned). The Pearl Flexi is a bit more gentle than the Ambassador. If you love your Flexi on the higher settings and want a better looking one, the Rex is interesting - it's what I did but I did it purely for esthetical reasons and out of curiousity.

My Rex is currently listed for sale, even though I do like it. I have come to appreciate razors with less blade feel and need to make some room. 😊
Hmm I remember reading about a special relationship somewhere. Guess things didn't work out!
 
As others have noted, the Ambassador has a blade-forward feel. For me, I always felt a scraping sensation. Shaving the dome on 6 led to many nicks.

Although many categorize the Tatara as mild, I find it to be remarkably efficient with great comfort. Shaving the face on 3 and the dome on 5 gets me nearly BBS in two passes with no bite, scraping, or blade feel. The Ambassador has been sold, the Tatara is the king of my adjustables.
 
I’ve had good luck with my Rex Ambassador using any blade and setting combo. Have fun and enjoy your shaves with whatever fancies you.
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Thanks guys for your feedback. I wonder if any of you have done a comparison of the settings on the Tatara versus the Rockwell 6S and each plate, ie gap and exposure? I’m about to embark on that to see how they compare.
 
I have a Tatara Masamune and a Nodachi head. This is an adjustable razor only without mechanisms and no need to look for a spring on Ali. Has 4 different settings.
 
Thanks guys for your feedback. I wonder if any of you have done a comparison of the settings on the Tatara versus the Rockwell 6S and each plate, ie gap and exposure? I’m about to embark on that to see how they compare.
I can't yet say 100%, but setting 3 seems like, or at least a little bit Plate 4 on the Rockwell scala. But more efficient. Far more...
Even with setting 1 on the Tatara I get shaves at least efficient like Rockwell @3
 
So I wasn't able to find a spec on the Rockwell 6S blade exposure, here are what I found for blade *GAP* of the two razors:

Tatara Muramasa blade specs:
1 - gap = 0.60mm / exposure = negative 0.17mm
2 - gap = 0.70mm / exposure = negative 0.07mm
3 - gap = 0.75mm / exposure = 0 mm
4 - gap = 0.80mm / exposure = positive 0.07mm
5 - gap = 0.90mm / exposure = positive 0.17mm

Rockwell 6S blade specs (gap):
R1: 0.008" (0.20 mm)
R2: 0.014" (0.35 mm)
R3: 0.019" (0.48 mm)
R4: 0.024" (0.61 mm)
R5: 0.027" (0.69 mm)
R6: 0.031" (0.79 mm)
 
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