Recommendations: First "Premium" DE Razor Purchase

[mousecop]

I'd definitely recommend the Wolfman WR2 if you can get your hands on one. These can be very difficult to attain though, so I'm sure that'll be a consideration. This is the razor that took the top spot away from my Timeless that I'd been using about every day for the past year and a half. I've tried or likely own most of the top named razors from Wolfman, Timeless, Paradigm, Charcoal Goods, etc.

Timeless would be my second choice but I'd recommend the .68 SB with this one as it's the most comfortable razor I've used to date. Very comfortable while still being very efficient. So think three passes and a little touch up on your neck. This is the one I reach for when I'm half asleep as it feels like it's just about impossible to cut yourself with. Very forgiving and just an absolute joy to shave with.

With ATT not my first pick but definitely not a bad choice to add to your shave den, especially if you can pick up a used one on the BST at a discount. I use my ATT Kronos as my travel razor and always have the M and R plates in my dopp bag. I own the M, M2, R, R2, H and H2 plates with a couple caps and a few of their handles. I also own an SE1 razor from ATT.

I used the Timeless with the larger Timeless handles (I liked their Barberpole handle) for the longest time before switching the handle to a UFO Colibri handle. The UFO handle is much smaller and lighter (80mm and 60g) but I must say that it works exceptionally well with this razor. It makes the razor quite a bit more nimble without taking away it's efficiency. I wouldn't think that it would have paired so well but it's an exceptional combination. The .68 is definitely mild enough to shave daily. Surprisingly comfortable for as efficient as it is. The .95 excels in efficiency as well but you do lose some of the comfort that the .68 has if choosing the .95.

A Lvl2 razor from Charcoal Goods would be another exceptional choice as would a Blackland Blackbird razor.

The Raw Shaving razors are getting some praise as well but I can't say that I've tried one of those myself, at least not yet.

The Feather AS-D2 for me wasn't anything special. A bit too mild and I had some difficulty getting a decent shave from it as a result. I wasn't a fan of the finish either and it just didn't stand out to me as a top notch razor at all.

The ATT selections are decent but they wouldn't be my first choice. Very well made and Stan at ATT is outstanding. They were my first choice a few years ago but so many really exceptional razors have been introduced since. Do note that with ATT the M is very mild and comfortable to shave with. The R is much more aggressive and almost as aggressive as the H series. Not in the middle in terms of aggressiveness as you'd think it would be. So on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of aggressiveness, if the M is a 3 the R would be an 8 and the H a 9.

If you're sticking to your original list then I'd definitely say Timeless by a good margin. ATT second and forget about the Feather razor all together.

I'd rather make your list:
Wolfman WR2
Timeless .95
Timeless .68
Charcoal Goods Lvl2
Blackland Blackbird

These are better choices to pick from (in my opinion).

Wow thanks for this. Definitely helps! After reading some more and watching videos, I've pretty much settled on Timeless. I looked into Wolfman but you are right that it is hard to come by and the ones being sold are crazy expensive. Timeless are readily available. But I have decided I will either be buying the Timeless .95 Ti since I heard it is much smoother than the SS version, or The SS with both .95(SB) and .68 (scalloped) for a GREAT price. Did you have the Timeless razors in SS or Titanium?

 

[dmshaver]

Those are the exact handles I was considering. My only fear is that they won't be heavy enough to pair with the Timeless heads and the razor would become top heavy. Weber's heaviest handle is 60 something grams while Timeless' shortest handle is 85 grams.

This from the Weber ebay site:

Wave Handle:
Weight is approximately 2.2 ounces (62 grams)
3 1/8 inches in length and .50 inches in diameter

Bulldog Handle:
Weight is approximately 2.2 ounces (62 grams)
3 1/8 inches in length and .50 inches in diameter

Classic Handle:
Weight is approximately 2.4 ounces (68 grams)
3 7/8 inches in length and .45 inches in diameter

It is lighter than the Timeless, but maybe not as much as you thought. Just FYI.

 

[mousecop]

You're right. It is not as light as I had thought. However, with the discounts I have and plan on using, I can get the full Timeless SS razor with both Baseplates (.65 scalloped and .98 SB) with a timeless barberpole handle for $210. I would basically be getting a timeless handle for $20 or so, $5 more than the weber. At that point, I think it's a no brainer .

 

[dmshaver]

At that point, I think it's a no brainer .

It certainly is!!!!! Let us know what you get.

 

[Monty1]

Hi,

I have the Karve with B, C and D plates and it's a good and smooth razor, no doubt. Its also very well built and finished.

However, I got a Timeless Ti95 SB, and for me it's in a different league to the Karve. It's smoother, softer and cuts much closer and, yet leaves next to no irritation and that's shaving every single day. The Karve doesn't do that for me.

Yes it was a lot of money and more than twice the price of the Karve, but I struggle to imagine a better razor.

Good luck!

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[wimbouman]

All,

I don't know how, but I forgot to include the Christopher Bradley Karve brass razor with a C or B plate! If any of you have opinions on it as well, please let me know!

Ah! Great choice.
I have the E plate and do not think it is aggressive.
That said, I like the R41 so YMMV.

 

[dfoulk]

Wow thanks for this. Definitely helps! After reading some more and watching videos, I've pretty much settled on Timeless. I looked into Wolfman but you are right that it is hard to come by and the ones being sold are crazy expensive. Timeless are readily available. But I have decided I will either be buying the Timeless .95 Ti since I heard it is much smoother than the SS version, or The SS with both .95(SB) and .68 (scalloped) for a GREAT price. Did you have the Timeless razors in SS or Titanium?

While I've wanted to try the Titanium versions of the Timeless razors I haven't had the opportunity to do so. I think with the deal that you described getting it's probably a no brainer to take it. This will allow you to have both. If you prefer the .95 then you'll find the .68 to be an excellent razor to pick up when you want a completely brainless shave or to give yourself a break from the more aggressive .95 head. If you find you heavily prefer one and don't use the other at all then it's not like the extra plate would be difficult to sell.

I'm confident that you'll be really, really impressed with the Timeless razor.

 

[Sweetreason]

Would you say the .95 Titanium is mild enough to be used daily?

Definitely mild enough to use daily. I use it with the sharpest blades, feather, kai, gillette yellow/nacet, and permasharps. Do 1 less pass or put in a duller blade if you do have some irritation.

 

[mousecop]

Definitely mild enough to use daily. I use it with the sharpest blades, feather, kai, gillette yellow/nacet, and permasharps. Do 1 less pass or put in a duller blade if you do have some irritation.

This is what attracts me to the .95 Titanium. I watched a youtube review from Michael Freedberg and he essentially said the same exact thing. However, with the discount I have, I can either get the titanium .95 for $195 or I can get both the .68 and .95 SS plates for about $210. That is my only hesitation, otherwise I'd be going for the Ti without thinking twice!

 

[dfoulk]

Another nice thing about the Timeless razors is that they don't seem to care what blades you use in them. I use primarily Feathers in most of my other razors and use the Timeless to use up every other brand of blades that I bought earlier on. Astra SP blades work exceptionally well in my Timeless.

 

[Badgerstate36]

Id have to say go Timeless. Ive got a Timeless with a .68 plate and its a wonderful shaver, mild but still efficient. Its the best DE razor Ive ever owned.
Ive owned an ATT but found it difficult to align the blade with how short the posts and and Ive also owned an AS-D2 and its a wonderful razor but very mild, almost to the point where some find it unusable.

 

[Sweetreason]

This is what attracts me to the .95 Titanium. I watched a youtube review from Michael Freedberg and he essentially said the same exact thing. However, with the discount I have, I can either get the titanium .95 for $195 or I can get both the .68 and .95 SS plates for about $210. That is my only hesitation, otherwise I'd be going for the Ti without thinking twice!

I've been in your boat numerous times. Only way to beat RAD is to buy and try them all. If it were me, I'd get the SS .68 and .95 for the sweet deal then sell whichever baseplate that I like the least and put that money towards another razor, maybe the Ti .95, if I'm still curious about it. Then again, once I tried the Timeless Ti .95 SB I realized it was the one so I hardly ever shave with a different Timeless razor.

 

[Sharp_Obsession]

I love my Wolfmen and Paradigms. However, they aren't easy to get. The Raw Shaving RS-10 is expensive but possibly my favorite razor. The Karve is a true beauty and love mine. It's nice to be able to choose different base plates to customize your shave based on your feel for the day. I have the Timeless SS in 0.68 SB, 0.95 SB, SCL, and OC. They are nice but not my favorite. I don't have a 0.95 Ti but talking to people I trust it sounds like a real winner and I'd prefer it over the SS versions I have. However, I just can't get over the handle. I am not a fan. I'm sure I could find an aftermarket handle, but it doesn't look like an easy match.

I'd go value with the Karve or full out for the RS-10. If you want Ti, the have an LE of the RS-10 in Ti coming. Best of luck in your decision.

 

[sm29]

I am a daily shaver who prefers a mild razor that can give a bbs shave in three passes. The ATT Atlas M1 and the Timeless Titanium 0.68 SB both do that for me. However, I use the Timeless at least 4 or 5 times more often than the ATT. The titanium has a softer face feel than any of my brass or stainless razors. If you like your blade held rigidly, the Timeless can’t be beat.

At this point if I was forced to use only one razor there is no question it would be the Timeless Titanium 0.68.

 

[mousecop]

Gents, I truly thank all of you for your input. Lots of great opinions as per usual . But I have made a decision. I will be going after the Timeless Ti .95. The youtube video from Michael Freedberg and prior comments on how the Ti feels much smoother than its SS counterpart yet just as efficient got me interested. However, what SOLD me was that I found out the Ti model can be polished! I came across some pictures of a polished Timeless Ti from a different forum and WOW is it stunning...What's more is that RazorEmporium can do the polish so as not to mess with the tolerances of the razor! So I decided on the Ti .95, and if I like it enough (I'm sure I will), I will pay a small bit to have it polished! For those interested in the pics I'm referring to, I attached them! Thanks again everyone, truly helpful

 

[Adam18]

Absolutely beautiful ! Congratulations ! I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

 

[Sweetreason]

Never even thought about polishing my titanium timeless razors. That looks stunning! Do let us know your thoughts on the razor.

 

[mousecop]

Never even thought about polishing my titanium timeless razors. That looks stunning! Do let us know your thoughts on the razor.

Will do for sure. Though it might be a while if I send it out for polishing. Apparently the process to do it by hand is painfully tedious as per the gentleman who polished the one in those pics and can ruin the tolerances if not done properly. So if you ever decide to get it polished, just send it out if you can. But nonetheless when this is all said and done I will reply with pics and thoughts!!

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[Monty1]

Great decision. I'm sure you will love it!

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[J 5]

Do you know of any handles that pair well with the timeless heads?

I like lightweight handles, but I've paired mine with the heaviest Ti handle I have because the head is fairly heavy (for balance). I use a 90 mm Hempel UFO I got in a trade.