Slim, one of the best ever IMHO!
Fatip Testina Gentile. It is an efficient, smooth, kind on sensitive skin, stamped brass, good for beginner and experienced wet shavers alike, and will last forever. They hold the blade to maximize rigidity as the base plate is based on the Gillette old type, like all Fatips, only with a solid bar. It is a great alternative for beginners over zamak at a good competitive price point of 32 dollars. I have nothing against zamak. I just get sad hearing from newbies who drop them and the screw breaks thinking they had a well built razor for life (even though may given care).
+2Star DE
Pearl OC
This and then some. The Testina Gentile is coming up on two years old. I rarely see it mentioned. Our friend above summed it up well indeed.
Not on my two but there are some occasions where some models have to have the blade aligned manually. I'm always amazed people complain about having to align a blade in a razor. All men had to do this. It's only these newer stainless models that don't require alignment. That's what blade tabs are for.
I owned a Wolfman SB but passed it on, presently own a Timeless .68, Charcoal Level 2 and other DE's. The Gentile head is so well designed it gives me a shave as close or better and definitely smoother than those expensive models mentioned above. One can be had for $23 delivered from Europe. I just started pairing one of my Gentile's with a Stork handle.
Underrated yet a phenomenal shaver.
Fendrihan mkll. Less money than an 89 and made of stainless. More aggressive than most but a lot less than some. Just a great razor for $40.
Maybe mentioned, but often looked upon like a bike with training wheels. I feel they're under rated due to that people want to run to stainless or what not. The price and availability is great making them as common and cheap as dirt, but due to that; the Flares and Techs are often not referred to new shavers. Many times when somebody is looking for a mild razor people point them to a Feather, Fat Boy, Slim and Aristocrat, but not a Tech or regular Flare. Only my opinion.
In my view the Star DE razor is better engineered, better built, and is a better shaver than the Gillette Tech. Also the handle on the Star DE razor is outstanding, cosmetically and functionally.
Why the Star did not outsell the Tech, and why it did not have as long a production run as the Tech is an eternal mystery to me. But then, life in corporate America is not always fair.
I own a couple of Maggards and although great for the money the smoothness isn't there. I think their handles are very nice but I always found myself using the Muhle 89 before I got the mkll. I actually consider the mkll to be like an aristocrat on steroids.+1
You beat me to it.
It's like the Maggard V3A on steroids. Very efficient in use, but it feels very smooth as well. I've yet to find a blade that doesn't love it.
Star DEInteresting. Never seen a Star and love my Techs - got pics?
Also available with a hex handleInteresting. Never seen a Star and love my Techs - got pics?
Often success in the market has a lot more to do with marketing power and branding than with the actual quality of the product. I think this was likely the case with the Star DE vs. the Tech. Despite the technical superiority of many of their products, American Safety Razor was just no match for Gillette when it came to sales and marketing.Why the Star did not outsell the Tech, and why it did not have as long a production run as the Tech is an eternal mystery to me. But then, life in corporate America is not always fair.