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Rapira Platinum Lux - the Razor not the Blade

Just got this in the mail from Moscow. I'll post some more pics and a review when I crack it open. It will be the first time I have used a DE in some years. I normally use a 5 blade thing-a-ma-bob or a shavette (When I have the time). Haven't been thrilled with 5 blade lately and a shavette or straight just takes to bloody long when I am trying to get out the door for work at 7:00 AM. $12 shipped, I figure at the very least it will make a good travel Razor. It is quite simple, but it appears quite well made (everything is straight and fits together nicely).


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This will also be the first time I have used the Rapira blades, I tend to use Feather's or Astra's in the shavette.

I'll let you know how it goes.
 

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Well, aggressive doesn't quite cut it with this razor. After a week of shaving with this I feel like my face has been sandblasted. It is a little more blade exposure than my no name Chinese shavette, but it is harder to get the right angle with this. I will post some pictures when I get a chance, but all I can say is stay well enough away. I have a Lord with the Merkur style head in the mail, I can imagine that being anything like this.
 
Ouch! Sorry to hear it.
The blades are my favorite, but can't say I've heard anything good about the razor.

Load those blades up in a vintage Gillette for shaving nirvana....
 
I have since loaded in the Platinum Lux blades in Lord and it is the opposite end of the spectrum. Really quite a nice razor but very mild. Still some stubble left after four passes. No irritation though and a nice weight in the hand. I will have to try and find something more middle of the road. The Platinum blades are also treat, I loaded one in shavette on the weekend and I was quite happy with it.
 
Some weeks ago I have bought this razor too. Fortunately I had not read this thread before, because otherwise I probably would have missed this rough gem.

If you like the Muehle R41 but think it still is a bit mild on the mild side and you don't need its open comb, this cheap Rapira razor may be your ticket to some amazing shaves. Blade exposure on my Rapira is impressive but not on both sides the same! Of course individual Rapira's mileages may vary from one to the next razor as production tolerances of cheap items are measured quite generously, if at all.

I like this razor, even with its lightweight nickel plated pot metal / black plastic handle. But I love it in combination with a heavier handle like the Weber, iKon or similar, and it really shines with the Ugly Dog handle I presented here. That is, it not only performs better, but the less than aesthetically pleasing nickel plated head cap and the rough looking "safety" bar make the Ugly Dog handle even uglier! :001_cool:

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The head cap (nickel plated pot metal) fits the base plate (1mm thick sheet metal) pretty well, making it almost difficult but not impossible to misalign the blade. This is an important reason to me that I never would use this razor for travelling as I am normally not in the right shaving mood to pay attention to such details when I'm travelling.

As a side note: through all of the so far 5 shaves with the Rapira razor I have used a Feather blade. I have not yet tried the Rapira blades that came with this razor.
 
Just got some Rapira Platinum Lux blades and in my Fatip Piccolo I don't think I could get a better shave. A truly remarkable blade that feels like no blade at all. Super smooth, very sharp and no nicks, cuts or burn, just an outstanding BSS! I thought the Voshkod blades were good but the RPL is a killer!
 
They look similar to the Gillette Rubie razor which is sold on ebay for less, made in st. Petersburg
 
They look similar to the Gillette Rubie razor which is sold on ebay for less, made in st. Petersburg
I have both, the Gillette Rubie and the Rapira. While the Rubie shaves like most Techs do, the Rapira's behavior resembles much more the one of the Muhle R41. Also, the Rubie is more carefully produced and the blade alignment is good and foolproof, which I can not say of the Rapira. Nonetheless, I like the Rapira much more!
 
After reading reports similar to this I have just acquired two of the Rapira PL razors.
I love the R41, Shavecraft Tech and Devette and picked up a vintage Soviet DE which is in the same class of guaranteed instant irritation-free BBS so perhaps this Rapira is the descendant of that.

Thanks for this excellent thread - I hope the Rapira PL is the star performer!
 
Probably the same company that makes them that makes these sold in S.A. Appropriate name as well, it bites!

I've put one next to a late 60's Tech and the top caps are basically identical, but the different is in the baseplate. With some bending you might be able to make it a bit milder by reducing the blade gap.

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So I shaved with the Rapira PL today.
Wow! Until now my very favourite DE was the Shavecraft Tech which is beautifully made, as well as Spitfire R41 and Devette.

I am SHOCKED to say that the Rapira PL outperforms them all.
It's very very aggressive but also incredibly smooth, and blade alignment is spot on due to the way that the corner tabs in the cap hold the blade, Tech style.
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Of course the Rapira is just made of thin pot metal and feels very cheap, and the plastic handle is hideous.
The geometry, however, is INCREDIBLE and somehow this has all the efficiency of the Shavecraft Tech and Devette combined with a real silky smoothness.
Oh no! It's so cheap yet so PERFECT!!
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The blade is almost flat in the head but very rigidly braced and the guard falls away at exactly the right angle:
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And of course it's much much better when you put a nice chunky handle on it:
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This Rapira PL cost less than £5 and it is unquestionably the best performing DE I've ever used.

What a surprise! If you like aggressive razors this could well be the best of the bunch in terms of efficiency and smoothness.

And it's just amazing that something so cheap and made with such low quality materials can deliver such a superb shave.
 
Shaved with the Rapira PL again this morning to make sure I hadn't been dreaming last time I used it:
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Wow! What a razor! How can something this cheap made of thin pot metal be so so good?

It feels very smooth and not particularly aggressive, like a British NEW maybe.
The result, however, is guaranteed instant irritation free BBS right up there with the R41 and Shavecraft Tech.
After the shave my face is left feeling like smooth rubber. Go figure...

Truly an astonishing razor!
 
An inexpensive shave doesn't necessarily mean a cheap shave. I have a Yingjili razor from China that looks almost identical to this, and it's in my top 3 DE shavers. It only cost $1.80 on eBay, and it out performs "better" more expensive razors. You never know until you try one.
 
MJC - where did you find one, I didn't have any luck searching online... That is an impressive statement knowing your love for aggressive razors!
 
MJC - where did you find one, I didn't have any luck searching online... That is an impressive statement knowing your love for aggressive razors!

David, check the Most Aggressive DE thread I started--there are some links.

I thought I could resist, but for ten bucks I've got to give it a try. Sigh.
 
MJC - where did you find one, I didn't have any luck searching online... That is an impressive statement knowing your love for aggressive razors!

Try Maggard's. Try the razor at your own risk...:laugh: I've heard the Rapira comes from the same Russian factory that still makes the Gillette Sterling, which is a much milder razor with better casting.
 
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