I don't use any razor every day (although I do shave daily), but the SE2 is one of the few I'd be willing to live with in monogamy (if I had to). I find the long blade works very well on my face, so either the SE2 or Asylum RX would be a great choice for me. For reference, other candidates would include a Schick E2 (a wondrous razor), 1907 Lather Catcher, ATT H2, Ikon Tech, Blackbird, R41 2011, PAA DOC Evolution and Charcoal Goods Level 3 (my overall favorite).
ATT SE2 vs ATT SE1 vs Colonial General SS
- Thread starter Chan Eil Whiskers
- Start date
My GPS brought me here, blame it!
You're reminding me of my Grade 9 math teacher. Pay attention, stay on topic or GET OUT! lol
Thats a significant difference.
Do you buff with an SE like you did a DE or is it unnecessary as a single stroke does the work of say 5 or so buffing strokes with a DE?
- Thread starter
- #23
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I believe you've lost your way!
Seriously funny. I don't say laugh out loud very often, but this is an occasion.
Mike @Esox is planning to try the SE platform after the New Year. Which New Year I don't know.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Damn... Tough crowd you SE guys hahaha.
- Thread starter
- #25
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
- Thread starter
- #26
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Stick around.
I intend too
I lurk the SE forum, reading, learning and filing away info and I have to admit I like the sound of the ATT SE1.
My GPS brought me here, blame it!
You're reminding me of my Grade 9 math teacher. Pay attention, stay on topic or GET OUT! lol
Thats a significant difference.
Do you buff with an SE like you did a DE or is it unnecessary as a single stroke does the work of say 5 or so buffing strokes with a DE?
I shave WTG until I don't get anymore feedback, then I shave ATG until I don't get anymore feedback. Then I shave in every other direction for any remaining stubble. Many strokes! The SE2 takes less strokes than the SE1. The OC allows the skin to get closer to the blade and reduce stubble closer to the root. I have gotten longer lasting results with the SE1, it just depends on how focused I am. I have to be focused with the SE2. I haven't met a razor yet that will BBS my face with one WTG and one ATG stroke.
So the same 12 hour BBS shave you always had with the NEW SC.
BBS with a single stroke is a tall order, but I'm missing something I think...
The GEM I tried had an entirely different feel and needed a different technique in use compared to a DE. If much buffing is still needed with an AC type razor and the BBS lasts the same 12 hours, whats the advantage? Comfort and feel of the shave, enhanced efficiency?
This is the part of understanding SE's in general I've struggled with. If I can have a BBS shave that lasts between 8 and 12 hours with 1 1/2 passes done ATG, will an SE give me an advantage over my Grande and if you think it would, how so?
Guide me Obi Wan. I'm not feeling The Force. lol
Ultimately, it's the way my skin feels after the shave. It usually feels like I haven't shaved at all with the SE1/Proline. DE blades sharp enough to cut my stubble clean cause my alcohol AS to sting pretty good. I get little to no sting from the same AS with a SE. After using SE razors exclusively, I noticed my skin feels smoother.
It's like shaving with a Tech with all its mild benefits and getting SC BBS results, well...better than that!
The Schick Proline was the game changer but the GEM SS PTFE helped also, I like the wider blade better though, both are equally great.
- ATT SE1
- GEM MMOC
- GEM MMCP
- El Jefe
- Mr SE
- Schick Proline
- GEM SS PTFE
Schick injectors are good also, I prefer heavier razors though.
I would probably buy a three piece injector with SE1 specs but the wider blade will probably still prevail.
That makes perfect sense and just what I needed to hear. I have a feeling Jim would agree with your statement too. He seems to have similar results.
My information fix is being fulfilled on this forum today lol.
I'm all for a comfortable shave. I usually get that with my Grande, NEW SC or Regent, but there have been times with all 3, even water stung upon rinsing.
DE's in general have been a giant leap in the comfort department over cartridges. You say the newer SE's are a step above that and thats good enough for me!
The length of the AC type blades is longer than GEM type SE blades. I didnt know that but I wondered from the size of of the heads I see.
The SE1 and other AC razors don't have blade stops, so you get the full blade!
It's a little tricky to wield in the nooks and crannies at first, but once you get the hang of it, you can get jiggy with it...
SE's in general are a step above!
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IMightBeWrong
Loves a smelly brush
Sure have! I have a Piccolo and a Schone. They’re both great.
Ok there has been so much discussion on the Colonial General and the SE1 in this thread so I thought I'd take them both for a spin tonight and do some comparisons of my own. I also threw in another razor just because it was mentioned somewhere in this thread or another I believe but I'l get to that later. I'm going on 2 1/2 days growth.
I loaded both with a once used Proline ( used them with the Occam and SE2 ) so equal blades. I don't have the SS General but I have the Brass which is a razor I really like and I'm very familiar with as opposed to the SE1 which I've shaved with only twice.
ATG and it's easy to recognize how different these two feel against the skin. SE1 is singing louder and there is more blade feel. The General is a lot quieter and there is not as much blade feel but a smoother shaver and has also has better glide. NOT by a whole lot but definitely noticeable for sure. I was surprised after the first pass that the side I gave to the General to shave felt a bit smoother with less stubble but I thought to soon to judge. So I did a XTG pass ear to nose and again more feedback from the SE1 and blade feel. I finished the left side of my face and neck with no issues and felt no irritation. Next up the General and once again it felt smoother and just a touch more efficient and I say that because at the end of the pass I felt less stubble on the Generals side. 3rd pass was also XTG this time nose to ear. Also on this pass I did just a little skin stretching where I have some cowlicks and under my jawline. One thing I noticed that both the General and the SE1 both got under my nose really well no matter which pass I was on. So I'm making this assessment short and to the point. The Brass General shaved me a little bit closer which I was somewhat surprised by based on a lot of the comments and reviews on here but I thought to myself I do have a whole lot more seat time with the General so things may change with time. I'm usually pretty good with accessing a razor quickly but we will see how things go moving forward and all I can report on is how this particular shave went. I will also will try using different blades in both razors to see if anything changes.
I also think I need to send back my Atlas handle and exchange it for a Kronos as the Atlas is a little short for my hand and the half inch should be just right. I'll call Stan tomorrow.
NOW this is where I brought in a 3rd razor. The Sabre L2. NOTE: I had the L1 baseplate in the razor and I tried a very tiny section after I applied a thin coating of lather but it picked up nothing so I switched to the L2 baseplate and did a full WTG pass again to see if I could pick up any stubble on both sides and low and behold I did! I did not go ATG or XTG on this pass just to be clear. So just WTG and I did do a little skin stretching on my trouble spots and I finally got to a entry level BBS shave. I had a gut feeling that the Sabre with the L2 would be just as efficient as the others and maybe even a tab bit more than either but I'd have to do a side by side to be 100% sure. I will say though that of all 3 of the razors the one with the best glide was the General and it was from start to finish. Maybe it's the brass as opposed to the satin SS that which IMO has a little bit of tug on it sort of like the Ikon MR SE does. But it was noticeable for sure.
So that's my review in a nutshell.
I loaded both with a once used Proline ( used them with the Occam and SE2 ) so equal blades. I don't have the SS General but I have the Brass which is a razor I really like and I'm very familiar with as opposed to the SE1 which I've shaved with only twice.
ATG and it's easy to recognize how different these two feel against the skin. SE1 is singing louder and there is more blade feel. The General is a lot quieter and there is not as much blade feel but a smoother shaver and has also has better glide. NOT by a whole lot but definitely noticeable for sure. I was surprised after the first pass that the side I gave to the General to shave felt a bit smoother with less stubble but I thought to soon to judge. So I did a XTG pass ear to nose and again more feedback from the SE1 and blade feel. I finished the left side of my face and neck with no issues and felt no irritation. Next up the General and once again it felt smoother and just a touch more efficient and I say that because at the end of the pass I felt less stubble on the Generals side. 3rd pass was also XTG this time nose to ear. Also on this pass I did just a little skin stretching where I have some cowlicks and under my jawline. One thing I noticed that both the General and the SE1 both got under my nose really well no matter which pass I was on. So I'm making this assessment short and to the point. The Brass General shaved me a little bit closer which I was somewhat surprised by based on a lot of the comments and reviews on here but I thought to myself I do have a whole lot more seat time with the General so things may change with time. I'm usually pretty good with accessing a razor quickly but we will see how things go moving forward and all I can report on is how this particular shave went. I will also will try using different blades in both razors to see if anything changes.
I also think I need to send back my Atlas handle and exchange it for a Kronos as the Atlas is a little short for my hand and the half inch should be just right. I'll call Stan tomorrow.
NOW this is where I brought in a 3rd razor. The Sabre L2. NOTE: I had the L1 baseplate in the razor and I tried a very tiny section after I applied a thin coating of lather but it picked up nothing so I switched to the L2 baseplate and did a full WTG pass again to see if I could pick up any stubble on both sides and low and behold I did! I did not go ATG or XTG on this pass just to be clear. So just WTG and I did do a little skin stretching on my trouble spots and I finally got to a entry level BBS shave. I had a gut feeling that the Sabre with the L2 would be just as efficient as the others and maybe even a tab bit more than either but I'd have to do a side by side to be 100% sure. I will say though that of all 3 of the razors the one with the best glide was the General and it was from start to finish. Maybe it's the brass as opposed to the satin SS that which IMO has a little bit of tug on it sort of like the Ikon MR SE does. But it was noticeable for sure.
So that's my review in a nutshell.
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- Thread starter
- #35
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
It would be interesting to compare the brass and stainless steel versions of the Colonial General. I'd do it, but I have only the SS.
I don't think I've ever used a razor which was brass unless it was plated with chrome or nickel. I have in transit a brass GEM MMOC, but I don't have any other MMOC to compare it to directly. I'm also not planning on shaving with the MMOC anytime soon. It was just a razor I wanted and I came across one which looked pretty good at a decent price.
I'm just guessing here, but my guess is a brass surface might be smoother feeling than SS, chrome, and maybe nickel in the same razor.
I'm not buying any razors right now other than inexpensive vintage razors, and few of them, but I might, down the road a bit, look out for a brass Colonial General.
It just occurred to me that I said something wrong a paragraph or two ago. I have shaved with a NEW SC which may have once had a plated cap, but had a brass cap when I used it.
There continues to be additional, helpful information added to this thread, and I appreciate it very much. This review makes me glad I have the General and will have the SE2.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Hi Jim
Yes different metals and different finishes have different glide. I had a very in depth discussion with Chris@Razorplate about this and he actually took me on a scientific explanation journey on this subject. Example my high polished Timeless SS has much better glide than my Satin finished Razors. Polished brass I would imagine have better glide than a unpolished and so on.
At one point I can either send you my Brass or you can send me your SS and one of us can do a comparison.
Whatever you do DON'T polish the GEM MMOC the thin gold plating or wash will come right off. The MMOC has decent glide but not as smooth as some other SE razors due to the OC and the head design. Hard to get under your nose with. It's an efficient little devil though and I love mine. Especially they can be found for very little money.
I really like the design of the ATT SE 1 and 2 but because of the glide I may send it out to get it high polished. I think you made the right choice with the SE2 instead of the SE1 but you can always get the SE1 baseplate and they have a good price on returned ones that may have been used only once or twice. I got mine for $40.00 instead of $79 and I have to thank @rabidus for informing me of that info.
Enjoy that SE2 and good shaves my friend.
- Thread starter
- #37
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Good idea. I'm going to need my General as an SE2 backup for a while, but let's return to this in a couple of months.
I'm pretty sure the MMOC I purchased never had a finish. Just straight brass from the get go.
Where?
I've read about various guys doing some serious polishing at home or in their shops with wheels or hand polishing tools and pastes.
Thanks so much.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I dont have any pics of my MMOC, odd lol.
I believe mine is Chrome plated, but I could be wrong.
I believe mine is Chrome plated, but I could be wrong.
