ShaveCraft 101

My favorite razor, full stop. Ikon lets you match it with a variety of handles; I like mine slightly long, so have an OSS on it. It has a great weight and balance, and a great grip even when encased in lather.

I've tried DLC coating Ikons and been unimpressed. Not much advance over the old Gillette New, which can be had for a fraction of the price. But the 101, supposedly their bargain line, gets it just right.

The 101 manages a great balance between closeness and safety. It proves that a razor does not have to be rrrRRRRaaar! aggressive to give a great shave. It just feels right, it shaves right. As easy as any other 3 piece to use and clean.

The two different styles side to side are nearly unique. I have a slight preference for the open comb side, but the straight bar shaves fine also, and I'd be happy with either. OTOH they do shave slightly differently, so what the heck, why not. Just be aware that you will develop a favorite side, and so should probably rotate your blade between shaves so it wears evenly.

Novice or expert, this is a great razor. And the price is reasonable -- very reasonable, if you can score one of their "blem" models. I only regret that I shaved for so many years before Ikon invented this one.

This razor gives an amazing shave. I am completely happy with my purchase. In this review I am going to focus on the cons and what I knocked points off for, but the takeaway message to remember is that this is an incredible razor and you should seriously consider buying one.

Quality - 9: This is a very solid and well made razor. The heft of the head is impressive. I would have rated this razor a 10 except for what appear to be some very minor casting seams on the head. One is visible in the photo on either end tooth of the open comb. These do not impact function at all and if they bothered me I would file them off.

Ease of blade replacement - 7: Well not much to say here. The iKon aluminum heads have a pretty widely reviewed characteristic where with some blades there is a bit of play possible in the alignment. You just need to pay attention and it is not an issue if you do. I also tried a shave with it out of alignment a bit, and it did not seem to matter, strangely enough.

Aggressiveness - 5: This is a mild yet efficient razor. '5' is not a negative here in any way, there is nothing to be afraid of.

Adjustability - 5: I have it a rating here because even though it is not adjustable, the blade play mentioned above can be taken advantage of to choose to expose more blade on the open or closed comb side. I think this was unintentional but it is certainly possible to do intentionally if you want to. The blade is seated solidly once screwed down so there's no worries about wriggle; just some play in how you choose to align it.

All in all I love this thing.