Goodfella Satin Black Razor

Nice!

The Goodfella differs from other open-comb razors in a subtle but fundamental way: the edge stands less proud of the comb. In addition, the teeth of the comb are close together. This geometry makes the Goodfella less aggressive than other razors. Indeed, I find it to be less aggressive than a Slim Adjustable on 1. It is possible to cut yourself with a Goodfella but you need to work at it.

On the other hand, if you really want to and try, it is possible to shave off a layer your skin. Since the edge does stand proud of the comb a little, the Goodfella is capable of as close a shave as any other razor. Moreover, as with any open-comb razor, long hairs will not clog it even when trimming a full beard.

Because the Goodfella differs from other razors, using it to best advantage requires a different technique. For a close shave I need to hold it so that the blade is almost flat against my skin and slide it over my face at an angle, often an extreme angle. This provides a compound shearing motion that would be too hazardous to try with any other razor. For the first two passes I use the Goodfella normally but for the final passes against the grain I use this Goodfella shear. Also, the Goodfella's blade shaves better between the teeth than against them, so Instead of long passes I take numerous short strokes with a great deal of overlap. I do this without lifting the razor off my skin: my strokes are short enough that reversing the razor's movement will redeposit sufficient soap.

The Goodfella is designed to be held with your thumb and forefinger next to the head. Held that way, deep grooves around the handle make the grip secure and you feel as though you are shaving with your fingertips. The rest of the handle is neither grooved nor knurled but is stainless steel, which is not less slippery than nickel or chrome.

The Goodfella's finish is nicer than most razors' but the fit of its blade is looser. The blade usually ends up looking misaligned. On the other hand, since I do not cut myself with it, this imperfect alignment does not matter.

Over the years I have tried every kind of razor known to man and disliked each of them more than the next. Some I got rid of decades ago but before I got my Goodfella I was still cycling through eight razors, swearing at each in turn. These were an assortment of Gillettes including a Slim Adjustable, and various German models including a Merkur HD and straight and slanted open-combs. From none of them could I get a close shave without drawing blood. After I figured out how to use the Goodfella, for the first time in my life I found myself liking a razor. I bought a second Goodfella for my wife, who had a comparable experience. She was never before able to shave her legs without cutting herself.

The Goodfella costs a little more than other razors but it is worth the difference. The Goodfella is what a razor ought to be.

I recently won this razor from the Carnival of Smiles. I decided to use it exclusively for two weeks before posting a review. THIS IS THE ONLY RAZOR I USED FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS.

My first impression of this razor was its small size. This is easily the smallest razor that I have. The looks are out of this world and the satin black head looks really great on the chrome handle. The shape and lines of this razor remind me of the Merkur FUTUR, just much, much smaller.

After two weeks I have come to the following conclusions:

This is a very good razor. I was intimidated by the open comb because I get terrible razor burn on my neck when going ATG with an open comb. With the Goodfella, I got zero razor burn during the two weeks. This is not an aggressive razor and the learning curve on it was just one shave. I never received cuts, nicks, weepers, or razor burn during the two weeks. I acheived BBS every shave except for one when I was in a hurry and did not do ATG. The combs on this razor are not exposed nearly as much as the combs on my Merkur 11c or my open comb Gillettes. I'm not sure if this is an engineering flaw or intentional but your see A LOT of blade sitting on top of the combs. Its almost as if the head was not made wide enough. It presented absolutely no problem during the shave, though.

Initially I was worried that the handle would be a problem. The smooth handle with three grooves near the head did not pose a grip problem however. I never dropped the razor once. I am a right handed shaver and use the cross-handed technique to shave the left side of my face. I wish the handle was a little longer when doing this, and I had to keep readjusting my grip.

Knowing now how this razor shaves and had I not received one as a contest winning, I would certainly consider buying one. The $70 USD seems a little steep, but for me this is a hassle-free razor. I am glad I won it, and am happy to have it in my rotation.

In conclusion, I am extremely happy with the performance of my Goodfella. It gives a very comfortable shave with both soap and creams. If anyone is considering buying one, I would highly recommend the Goodfella. I think this would be a great razor for someone just starting out in DE shaving. You will not hurt yourself with this razor.

I used this razor for two weeks before writing a review so I could be 100% fair and really think about this razor and judge it without someone elses opinion influencing my review. I have stayed away from other reviews of Goodfellas as well.

Below are some pictures for size comparrison.

Happy shaving, Gents!