Focus Dynamic SE Razor

[captnronfl]

OK fourth shave and it was better then the last three.
I must be getting better at using it.
I can feel a little stubble but that's my fault.
I missed it when I was shaving.
It was a two pass with some clean up.
I have one nick that is my fault.
I have some burning right now as my technique isn't matching the razors abilities.
I like this razor.
It's not the Gem 1912 ... Wow where have you been all my life shave.
I used a Feather FHS - 10 SS blade with it.
The blade and the razor was the first time I have shaved with anything like it.
The first venture in to this crazy world of SE razors was with a OneBlade Core v1.
I did not like it but I think they have changed it enough that my opinion might change.
Well I'm trying to decide now on the next blade.
Astra, Red Persona or a Feather.
I'm leaning towards the Astra.

I was wondering if anyone has tried the ROCNEL P razor ?

 

[muzichead]

OK fourth shave and it was better then the last three.
I must be getting better at using it.
I can feel a little stubble but that's my fault.
I missed it when I was shaving.
It was a two pass with some clean up.
I have one nick that is my fault.
I have some burning right now as my technique isn't matching the razors abilities.
I like this razor.
It's not the Gem 1912 ... Wow where have you been all my life shave.
I used a Feather FHS - 10 SS blade with it.
The blade and the razor was the first time I have shaved with anything like it.
The first venture in to this crazy world of SE razors was with a OneBlade Core v1.
I did not like it but I think they have changed it enough that my opinion might change.
Well I'm trying to decide now on the next blade.
Astra, Red Persona or a Feather.
I'm leaning towards the Astra.

I was wondering if anyone has tried the ROCNEL P razor ?

How hard was it to load the FHS-10 blade into the R48? I would think since its not like a standard DE blade that it would be a little challenging to get it right.

 

[captnronfl]

How hard was it to load the FHS-10 blade into the R48? I would think since its not like a standard DE blade that it would be a little challenging to get it right.

Are you talking about the Focus?

 

[muzichead]

Are you talking about the Focus?

Yes... Focus R48 Dynamic SE Razor - Made in Italy

 

[Slapo]

Are you talking about the Focus?

I suspect you might have meant you tried the Feather SE blades in the Gem 1912, but it came out as if you were trying them out in the R 48.

 

[shave/brush]

Careful, when you say Feather SE blades that could be the Artist Club style or the FHS-10 SE Gem style blade.
The way he wrote it it did seem like he tried it in the R48 Focus.

 

[Slapo]

I was wondering if anyone has tried the ROCNEL P razor ?

I have both the Rocnel SE-P CC and OC versions. Great shavers. Very comfortable, gentle on the skin but very efficient. Two passes and it's darn to a BBS for me (actually got BBS once or twice with it after just two passed, which doesn't happen that often to me).

 

[captnronfl]

I suspect you might have meant you tried the Feather SE blades in the Gem 1912, but it came out as if you were trying them out in the R 48.

Yes that is what I meant.
I was talking about my beloved 1912.
I even made a wooden handle for it.
I don't think that there is any way to get a blade that is not a DE blade to work with the Focus because of the thickness of the blades.

Feather SE blades

Yep Ron you are right.
Sometimes I say AC blades meaning all the blades in that class including the Kai blades and the Feather group of blades both the injector style and the Gem style as is needed.
I differentiate when necessary between them when I mean a specific blade.
The 1912 uses the Gem style of blades both spine and non spine.
Meaning you can put a regular Gem blade or the AC Feather blades that look like Gem blades without the spine in that style in the razor.
Not all Gem's take the AC blades in the Gem style.
I have not been able to get them in the MM TTO style Gem razors because they have a dimple for the cut out in the middle of the Gem style blades.
I think that the AC Gem style blades will work if the dimple is ground down.
For me there is no reason to as I like to be able to use the Gem style blades.
I have heard a lot of good things about the Gem blades but so far they haven't showed me the love that I was expecting from them.
Now back to the Focus.
I really like this razor and plan on keeping the one I got from you Ron.
I will sell the one that I bought with the stand as I don't need it for traveling.
I bought a kit to make a Gillette style handle for the Gillette Fusion razor and will use it for traveling instead.
I will put the extra Focus and stand on BST later on for.
I will eat the cost of the stand,tax and shipping and sell it for the cost of the razor alone.
I want to thin out the razors that I'm not going to be using.
It looks like I will be doing more shaving then I normally do to get through the back log of razors I have
Today when I shave it will be with the Focus but it will probably be the last... no wait I don't want half of a DE blade lying around so after I have shaved with both sides, I will put the Focus away until I knock down the back log.
I don't even want to bring up all the different blades I haven't tried yet both in DE and SE.
I keep reminding myself the whole reason I got back into using something other then the Gillette Fusion was the cost of the blades and the Focus works just right for that.
I just found out that there are many new style razors coming on the market or already on it that use half a DE blade but they cost way more then the Focus.
That is why I asked about the Rocnel P razor.
I went to their website and it looks like they are not going to make them anymore.
It looks like they want to get into the big bucks game of designer razors for consumer rather then the commercial barber end.
The only fault I could find with the Focus is the long handle and that turns out to be a plus more than a minus.
It helps with the balance and sometimes I find it in my hand all the way to the end ... both ways.
Very versatile that way I think.
I don't think that the Focus is a good razor for someone coming from the Gillette cartridge world even though it pivots like them.
It was design for professional barbers to use after all.
Well time to go shave now.
Ron

 

[shave/brush]

"you can put a regular Gem blade or the AC Feather blades that look like Gem blades" captnronfl
The Feather SE blades that are the FHS-10 that fit into a Gem razor I believe are not called "Artist Club" blades. The Artist Club blades are the long 2 inch blades that fit into the General razor the Mongoose and so forth.
I think what further complicates things is you talk about different razors in the same paragraph.

 

[muzichead]

Confusing it is... Just to clear all this up here are some pics. Now maybe this thread can get back to being on topic about the Focus Dynamic SE...

Feather FHS-10

Feather Artist Club

 

[shave/brush]

"you can put a regular Gem blade or the AC Feather blades that look like Gem blades" captnronfl
The Feather SE blades that are the FHS-10 that fit into a Gem razor I believe are not called "Artist Club" blades. The Artist Club blades are the long 2 inch blades that fit into the General razor the Mongoose and so forth.
I think what further complicates things is you talk about different razors in the same paragraph.

Yes that is what I meant.
I was talking about my beloved 1912.
I even made a wooden handle for it.
I don't think that there is any way to get a blade that is not a DE blade to work with the Focus because of the thickness of the blades.

Yep Ron you are right.
Sometimes I say AC blades meaning all the blades in that class including the Kai blades and the Feather group of blades both the injector style and the Gem style as is needed.
I differentiate when necessary between them when I mean a specific blade.
The 1912 uses the Gem style of blades both spine and non spine.
Meaning you can put a regular Gem blade or the AC Feather blades that look like Gem blades without the spine in that style in the razor.
Not all Gem's take the AC blades in the Gem style.
I have not been able to get them in the MM TTO style Gem razors because they have a dimple for the cut out in the middle of the Gem style blades.
I think that the AC Gem style blades will work if the dimple is ground down.
For me there is no reason to as I like to be able to use the Gem style blades.
I have heard a lot of good things about the Gem blades but so far they haven't showed me the love that I was expecting from them.
Now back to the Focus.
I really like this razor and plan on keeping the one I got from you Ron.
I will sell the one that I bought with the stand as I don't need it for traveling.
I bought a kit to make a Gillette style handle for the Gillette Fusion razor and will use it for traveling instead.
I will put the extra Focus and stand on BST later on for.
I will eat the cost of the stand,tax and shipping and sell it for the cost of the razor alone.
I want to thin out the razors that I'm not going to be using.
It looks like I will be doing more shaving then I normally do to get through the back log of razors I have
Today when I shave it will be with the Focus but it will probably be the last... no wait I don't want half of a DE blade lying around so after I have shaved with both sides, I will put the Focus away until I knock down the back log.
I don't even want to bring up all the different blades I haven't tried yet both in DE and SE.
I keep reminding myself the whole reason I got back into using something other then the Gillette Fusion was the cost of the blades and the Focus works just right for that.
I just found out that there are many new style razors coming on the market or already on it that use half a DE blade but they cost way more then the Focus.
That is why I asked about the Rocnel P razor.
I went to their website and it looks like they are not going to make them anymore.
It looks like they want to get into the big bucks game of designer razors for consumer rather then the commercial barber end.
The only fault I could find with the Focus is the long handle and that turns out to be a plus more than a minus.
It helps with the balance and sometimes I find it in my hand all the way to the end ... both ways.
Very versatile that way I think.
I don't think that the Focus is a good razor for someone coming from the Gillette cartridge world even though it pivots like them.
It was design for professional barbers to use after all.
Well time to go shave now.
Ron

I'm glad you like the razor you got from me. Enjoy it.

 

[mjclark]

So I totally gave in and got the Focus Dynamic just cos I could
I'm a massive fan of the Focus Slim shavette and was pleased to see that the Dynamic has the same snazzy packaging:

This razor is made to very tight tolerances so the head is loose without a blade but solid with one.
As others have already noted, blade loading was definitely a bit fiddly and the blade (which was a snapped NOS British Personna) would only fit in one way up.
I'm sure with experience and confidence blade loading is an easy matter but on the first outing it required both care and force.

And what about the shave?

The obvious comparisons are with the Rocnel P, another half blade SE, and the OneBlade, another SE with a pivoting head.
(And we should mention the Shakesharp, a vintage SE which takes full DE blades - that razor is aggressive and beautiful, quite unlike these mild 21st Century contenders).
I found the Rocnel P to be too mild and also unmanouverable, and blade loading could again be tricky. It is a beautifully made thing though and feels great in the hand.

The OneBlade Core and the Focus Dynamic are a lot more akin with their pivoting heads.
Both actually require pressure (!!) and you don't need to worry about angle at all, which makes for very quick easy shaving.
The design makes it seem impossible that you could cut yourself and I think the absolute brilliance of these razors is their incredibly efficient ATG performance, better than any other razor I know and fantastic for sorting out troublespots.
Coupled with the pivoting head, ATG shaving on the neck and jawline give superb results.

I have a OneBlade Core v2 and I think that the Focus Dynamic is a much better razor in the same category.
The Dynamic is a bit more aggressive and has much much better blade choices as well as being more manouverable and feeling to me a lot better in the hand.

I am an aficionado of aggressive shavers and mostly straights and shavettes, but this next generation of mild pivoting head razors definitely brings something new to the party.

Rather than the long lasting BBS I'm getting from the shavettes, the Focus Dynamic is leaving me with a 21st Century shave which although not as close as the aggressive razors, remains smart and comfortable all day long.

I'm wondering what the best prep for the Dynamic is?
Last night I used it with a Derby stick which is pretty slick.
So now I'm wondering if a cream with a lot more cushion will give better or worse results?

 

[captnronfl]

So I did a couple more shaves with the Focus with a Persona blade in it.
Results was two more wonderful shaves.
It was a two pass with clean up giving me a BBS for at least a day and one of those shaves gave me two days of BBS.
I just got in the mail yesterday a Rocnel P so I will be shaving with it next.
It came with a Falcon handle.
I won't be using the Falcon handle as I'm pretty sure it is the only handle produced by Falcon.
The handle I have decided to use is a custom made handle that is made out of an elk antler.
I have two and I think I'm going to use the second one first along with a Feather blade.
The Rocnel is a chunk of metal for sure along with the chunky Falcon handle.
Happy shaves!
Ron

 

[mjclark]

Second shave with the Focus Dynamic and I changed things up:
Fresh sharp Gillette Platinum blade
Cream with a lot of cushion
Short strokes with a lot of pressure

And I made much better use of the ridge on the head.
This is also a feature of the Slim shavette - similar to the Feather SS there's a ridge which acts as a skin stretcher to smooth the shave but this only comes in to play if you hold the razor head flat to the face and apply pressure.

My first shave with the Focus Dynamic was good and this se old shave with the change in blade, prep and technique is even better!
I am really enjoying this razor now!

 

[captnronfl]

Cool
I think that the Focus is a winner.
Just did a shave with the Rocnel P razor.
Completely different shave even though it uses a half DE blade.
Not sure which one I like the best.
I can get more shaves out of one blade with the Focus.
I don't think I can take the blade out of the Rocnel P, dry it off and put it back in.
Ron
Shave Secret
Sir Hare Shaving Soap
Shavemac Brush 24x50 Badger
Rocnel P w Elk Handle / Feather Blade
My Own Witch Hazel Brew
Nivea Post Shave Balm
Three Pass w Clean Up for a BBS

 

[captnronfl]

I have a OneBlade Core v2 and I think that the Focus Dynamic is a much better razor

I am glad to know that.
I won't have to try it out.
I did not like the OB Core V1at all.
So far I have not found a razor that gives me a shave like the Focus does.
The last shave I got on the second shave of a Persona Red was a two day BBS shave.
I was going to buy the Focus Shevette but Gorrd at Superior Shave talked me out of it.
Ron

 

[mjclark]

I am glad to know that.
I won't have to try it out.

Yes my second shave with the Focus Dynamic absolutely confirms that it is superior in every way to the OneBlade v2.
The Focus Dynamic has much better blade choices, is considerably more efficient and manouverable, and it feels better in the hand too!

 

[captnronfl]

I agree.
With the Rocnel P it feels like you have a chunk of steel in your hand, you are tying to shave with.
Wait.... it is a chunk of steel.
The Rocnel P is like driving a dump truck and the Focus is like a race car.
I think that they are both good razors but so far, I'm giving the Focus the edge.
It took three passes to get what I can get in two passes with the Focus.
Ron

 

[mjclark]

I was going to buy the Focus Shevette but Gorrd at Superior Shave talked me out of it.
Ron

Honestly the Focus Slim is an amazing shavette! The balance and the head geometry with the skin stretching ridge make it absolutely superb.

12 hours on, I've got a much better shave with the fresh Gillette Platinum rather than the NOS Personna so (unlike the shavettes) it seems the Focus Dynamic works better with sharper blades.

And this feels like a true SE shave rather than DE.

It's funny because I was so prejudiced against this razor, especially after reading the very first reviews and also experiencing the mediocre performance of the OneBlade Core, but actually the Focus Dynamic is an excellent SE!
Who knew?

 

[snowman]

I tend to disregard any review...good or bad....that starts with the words "My new razor arrived today...".

On the other hand, I read reviews with great interest that start out "I got the xxx razor three weeks ago and have been using it every day..."