A comparison of RazoRock razor heads: Game Changer .84 SB, OC, BBS A, AS and Wunderbar

[Iridian]

These are fairly mild razor heads, up to medium aggression. The Wunderbar is not aggressive, but special. They are quite samey but different, and as I own the mentioned heads, I would like to compare them so that people can make the right choice for themselves. I never owned a BBS without A or AS plate, so don't wonder that it isn't included.

The RazoRock Game Changer .84P SB/safety bar is quite a step above Rockwell 6S (4-6 plate) and Merkur 34c, to give people a ballpark, in both efficiency and aggression. It's still middle of the road in aggression.

The same .84P with an OC or JAWS open comb has more blade feel, the JAWS also has widely enough space teeth that I can saw off my chin or a pimple if I don't take care or press a little too hard. I saw no real increase in efficiency compared to the OC, so rather do not recommend it. The OC is good if you want a bit more blade and efficiency on your .84P compared to the safety bar.

The BBS A, AS and Wunderbar are quite similar if you are looking at their design. The Wunderbar is a slant, more expensive and quite a different beast, despite looking clearly inspired and similar to them.

The BBS A is a very forgiving and close shaving razor in the mid-range of aggression, very comparable to the GC .84 A with a safety bar. It is using a slightly different angle and requires holding it better than the more forgiving .84 SB to shav well.

The BBS AS is more forgiving angle wise, not too much more efficient, but it is quite more aggressive: Unlike the BBS A and .84 SB and even the .84 OC, this one is more like the JAWS. Meaning it bit me and cut me.

I wanted the BBS AS to get a Wunderbar with perhaps a bit more audible feedback. This didn't work out. It is aggressive without coming close to the efficiency of the Wunderbar. I would rather recommend the A plate or another razor head design.

The Wunderbar requires a light touch and holding the angle, otherwise it doesn't cut. But when it does it is quite guided and automatic. There is little feel or feedback, tacticle or audible, it just cuts away very efficiently and closely. Now the Wunderbar is rated on RazoRock's scale as aggressive… this is perhaps the only razor head where I would disagree with RazoRock on the rating. The "ah" moment to understanding how the Wunderbar work is that it is very rigid and not scraping or chattering over yours skin, it starts cutting right away, but by design is aligned to do so nicely the very moment it contacts your skin.

The Wunderbar lopped off a slice of my chin. I didn't even feel pain. So yes, it is quite dangerous. It is an extremely torsioned and clamped design, with a very stiff blade. But you barely feel it. For worse, as you can cut deep. But you usually won't. Few other razors, among the Blackland Blackbird and the Timeless Slim or the Alpha Shaving Outlaw, can give me equally efficient and close shaves.

Among them, the Wunderbar is the smoothest and most silent razor, very much unlike the Outlaw. I enjoy a bit feedback, that's the only thing the Wunderbar doesn't have. It gives a wonderful, or rather wunderbar in german, shave. With little skill involved. It's automatic. There is some danger, but it is actually a very easy to use and very smooth razor. That's why I hesitate to put it so high on the chart of RazoRock. If people look for a clean and smooth shave that doesn't irritate their skin, it is second to no other razor.

The easier to use razor is the Game Changer. The BBS razors require the shaver to keep a bit more the angle right, the Wunderbar is near automatic and gives great results, but beware to apply pressure, you won't notice anything is wrong till you beheaded yourself. Otherwise, it's a smooth razor. It's not truly aggressive, it just has potential to bite deep. Like a kid friendly Doberman that unexpectedly bites. This might be a correct description. Always use a light touch, and you are golden with the Wunderbar.

I hope this might help you decide on a plate and which design might be better suited to you.

 

[Iridian]

And yeah, I just wondered why I didn't include the Lupo DC as well. That's one quite a bit different to the Game Changer and BBS, but also a very lovely design with its dual comb. But I think I was already juggling enough heads in one posting.

 

[Peterv1]

Excellent comparison got the GC 0.84 and Lupo SS 95 somehow the lupo is the smoother and more efficient shaver for me, just shows blade gap is only a small part of the actual razor feel

 

[Iridian]

just shows blade gap is only a small part of the actual razor feel

Very much seconded. The Lupo works with a different angle and I like its .72 OC side perhaps even more than the .95 SB side. My first impressions of it were flawed due to me having grips with the Barber Pole handle. A very fine handle, but somehow... I didn't find it fitting to the slim Lupo SS/DC head with its wider knob. Also, it was a bit short for my liking. In general I like barber pole spirals, visually my favorite.

Let me show you where I ended up after trying 5-6 handles! Yaqi SS spiral handle, hollow. It goes nicely with their stand, or any other pin razor stand. Ignore the Envoy and its *** size stand, this is simply the best pic I have of my Lupo on this handle:



If I have a hair to kill under my nose, the Lupo is often the tool of choice. Lately my recently acquired Timeless Slim gets a bit more action, but actually just going by design, the Lupo is even better for killing stubble stragglers...

 

[Southsider]

Of the razors you mention, I have the RR Wunderbar, the GC .68 and .84 SB, and the Lupo .72 SB. Far and away, my favorite is the Wunderbar. For some reason, it is not discussed much on shaving forums, a glaring oversight in my opinion. I think your comments regarding this remarkable razor are accurate. Provided you can shave with light pressure and a steady hand, you are golden. It is remarkably efficient, possibly more efficient than any other DE I have. It is a true pleasure to use. One thing worth noting, my blades last longer in this razor than in all my other DEs.

I am currently using my Wunderbar with a Gillette Silver Blue blade and that is turning out to be an excellent combination.

Thank you for the excellent review.

 

[never-stop-learning]

These are fairly mild razor heads, up to medium aggression. The Wunderbar is not aggressive, but special. They are quite samey but different, and as I own the mentioned heads, I would like to compare them so that people can make the right choice for themselves. I never owned a BBS without A or AS plate, so don't wonder that it isn't included.

View attachment 1347127

The RazoRock Game Changer .84P SB/safety bar is quite a step above Rockwell 6S (4-6 plate) and Merkur 34c, to give people a ballpark, in both efficiency and aggression. It's still middle of the road in aggression.

The same .84P with an OC or JAWS open comb has more blade feel, the JAWS also has widely enough space teeth that I can saw off my chin or a pimple if I don't take care or press a little too hard. I saw no real increase in efficiency compared to the OC, so rather do not recommend it. The OC is good if you want a bit more blade and efficiency on your .84P compared to the safety bar.

The BBS A, AS and Wunderbar are quite similar if you are looking at their design. The Wunderbar is a slant, more expensive and quite a different beast, despite looking clearly inspired and similar to them.

The BBS A is a very forgiving and close shaving razor in the mid-range of aggression, very comparable to the GC .84 A with a safety bar. It is using a slightly different angle and requires holding it better than the more forgiving .84 SB to shav well.

The BBS AS is more forgiving angle wise, not too much more efficient, but it is quite more aggressive: Unlike the BBS A and .84 SB and even the .84 OC, this one is more like the JAWS. Meaning it bit me and cut me.

I wanted the BBS AS to get a Wunderbar with perhaps a bit more audible feedback. This didn't work out. It is aggressive without coming close to the efficiency of the Wunderbar. I would rather recommend the A plate or another razor head design.

The Wunderbar requires a light touch and holding the angle, otherwise it doesn't cut. But when it does it is quite guided and automatic. There is little feel or feedback, tacticle or audible, it just cuts away very efficiently and closely. Now the Wunderbar is rated on RazoRock's scale as aggressive… this is perhaps the only razor head where I would disagree with RazoRock on the rating. The "ah" moment to understanding how the Wunderbar work is that it is very rigid and not scraping or chattering over yours skin, it starts cutting right away, but by design is aligned to do so nicely the very moment it contacts your skin.

The Wunderbar lopped off a slice of my chin. I didn't even feel pain. So yes, it is quite dangerous. It is an extremely torsioned and clamped design, with a very stiff blade. But you barely feel it. For worse, as you can cut deep. But you usually won't. Few other razors, among the Blackland Blackbird and the Timeless Slim or the Alpha Shaving Outlaw, can give me equally efficient and close shaves.

Among them, the Wunderbar is the smoothest and most silent razor, very much unlike the Outlaw. I enjoy a bit feedback, that's the only thing the Wunderbar doesn't have. It gives a wonderful, or rather wunderbar in german, shave. With little skill involved. It's automatic. There is some danger, but it is actually a very easy to use and very smooth razor. That's why I hesitate to put it so high on the chart of RazoRock. If people look for a clean and smooth shave that doesn't irritate their skin, it is second to no other razor.

The easier to use razor is the Game Changer. The BBS razors require the shaver to keep a bit more the angle right, the Wunderbar is near automatic and gives great results, but beware to apply pressure, you won't notice anything is wrong till you beheaded yourself. Otherwise, it's a smooth razor. It's not truly aggressive, it just has potential to bite deep. Like a kid friendly Doberman that unexpectedly bites. This might be a correct description. Always use a light touch, and you are golden with the Wunderbar.

I hope this might help you decide on a plate and which design might be better suited to you.

Nicely done, @Iridian

Great comparison!

The Wunderbar is a very efficient razor. You are correct that daydreaming when using the Wunderbar is not recommended.

Of all the razors mentioned, the GC84-P has a special place for me. Not that it's the most efficient (it's not) or the "best" (whatever that is) but it has the "feel" that speaks to me and is a fun razor that can be easily used every day.

 

[Hercule]

Does anybody have any idea as to how RazoRoch arrived at the rankings on their Razor scale?

 

[thombrogan]

@Hercule , this is my best guess:

 

[Hercule]

HA, it does seem that way sometimes doesn't it!

 

[Iridian]

Far and away, my favorite is the Wunderbar. For some reason, it is not discussed much on shaving forums, a glaring oversight in my opinion.

I also think it is not only underrepresented, it also has a wrong and bad image. Partly because its a slant. It's not difficult or aggressive to use. It can bite deep, but when I take the Wunderbar, it's easy and self-aligning. There are lots of razors that require much more conscious effort to shave well.

I can get a perfect result with many razors, but with the Wunderbar it's zero irritation and the head also glides smoothly while shaving. I once sliced off a whole flap of skin on my chin, so yeah, it can bite, but in general it's quite the opposite of aggressive.

For instance, a R41 can give me a super glassy/marble skin, too, but the blade is much more felt and skin irritation is not uncommon.

I am preaching to the choir. Enjoy your Wunderbar! I will shave tonight with mine, I am looking forward to guess which blade I loaded last time after using it. By the time I come around to shave with a razor again I usually have forgotten what I did and why.

 

[Iridian]

Does anybody have any idea as to how RazoRoch arrived at the rankings on their Razor scale?

Yeah. I would rate the Game Changer .84 JAWS way more aggressive than the Lupo .95 SB. The Wunderbar is a special case though. It has huge injury potential, but is actually smoother than most in the higher aggression category.

One could also argue what aggression is: It is usually NOT "blade feel", but a mix of that paired with what I would call "injury potential", and there the Wunderbar, while otherwise smooth, indeed deserves a mention.

 

[Hercule]

Aggression is VERY subjective. I thought I could be very happy with the GC .84P if the blade feel could be eliminated. But that was before I cut myself by just putting the damn thing on my face! I hadn't even initiated a stroke with it. I'll probably go back to it at some point to see if my perceptions have changed. My initial impression was that it was great but too efficient for my preferred shave routine/method. The .68P is a perfect match where that's concerned. I have to work at it but at least it's not all over in a single pass. Where's the pleasure in that? Besides how do you whip up lather for just one pass? If I need something with more aggression to it, I have the .84 plate (which they sent me in error) and a more preferred vintage open comb.

 

[Cafebarian]

The Razorock aggression scale seems bang on to my usage.
Razorock razors that are currently owned:

Mamba 53
Game changer 68p
BBS OC
Game changer 68 Jaws
Game changer 84p
Lupo 72

 

[ivan_101]

I strongly disagree with some parts of that diagram. The GC .84 OC is represented in the medium-agressive part. I wouldn't put it there. It is a pretty mild open comb. Can't even get a BBS with it. In the same medium-aggressive colour is the German Slant 37. which gives me a much closer shave and is actually a bit more aggressive.
That MJ-90 is no longer available. They sell now the razor with only the A plate (MJ-90A). Even the A plate is not aggressive, it is as mild as a DE89, actually the regular MJ-90 plate was so mild they stopped manufacturing it. So that MJ-90 would be even lower than that light blue colour.

 

[scubad]

I had my first shave this morning with the GameChanger 68 SB with a Med Prep blade. It was on 2 days growth using C&F Lime with a new Shavemac D01 3 band brush. Had a great lather with that combo.

My first pass was a pretty good WTG, good blade feel. The second pass did not achieve the desired closeness and had to spend more time on the XTG and ATG passes than usual. My Rockwell 6S on R3 or R4 I enjoy better.

Will try another go the 68, I'm betting it is more of my technique and angle than the razor. Then I'm going up to the 84 and try that head.

Will write up a review and comparison once i get a good sample and experience with the razor.

I'm hoping to get these razor's into my rotation.

Dennis

 

[htownmmm]

I own a few of the heads you described- and 1 you didn't ( Mamba 70).
I gave away the mamba 70 because it just couldn't cut it.
I still have the GC 84 p and 84 JAWS.
I also have the Lupo 95 w/ a Barbaros handle which has become my go to.
Funny thing, the GC and the Lupos are the only modern razors that I can load w/ a Feather blade and get between 20 and 30 shaves; the only other razor in my rotation that Feathers worked in (for me) was a Lady Gillette Light Blue.

marty

 

[Iridian]

I also have the Lupo 95 w/ a Barbaros handle which has become my go to.

I also found somehow that the Lupo head didn't fit the existing/offered RazoRock standard handles. Since then I have mounted it on tons of different handles...

Now a Barbaros handle is a fantastic but not so easy to get option.

I don't get 20-30 shaves out of any blade. I usually forget which blade I loaded in which razor while rotating all the time.

 

[Medivh]

I only have the Lupo DC and the GC .84 sb plate and I wouldn't call them very aggressive at all, especially the GC. I don't know how aggressive and efficient the other razors are, but if the Lupo .95 and DC are on the top, then if I want something super aggresive, I would definitely look somewhere else. And while I find both my Lupo DC and GC to be great, i'm kinda scared to try the razors they have on the chart from the bottom end of medium aggression to mild, because they might be too mild and inefficient for my taste.

 

[Contact_vs_Feedback]

I have/ owned RazoRock :
Game Changer 84 Open Comb, BBS Standard, A, AS plate, Lupo 95 and Wunderbar.

Out of all these Game Changer 84 Open Comb is my favorite razor as it resonates with my 'stype' of shaving.

I can adjust to very mild shaves when used with Voskhod or Gillette 7 O'clock Black blades or go a bit more efficient when used with Gillette Nacet or Feather blades.
I got a really close shave with Feather blade and Game Changer 84 Open Comb, that hasn't yet been trumped yet.

BBS Standard is a very good razor for everyday shave, a short lived BBS shave and absolutely no irritation even when I'm being reckless, that is something to be cherished.

BBS A plate works well with Gillette Nacet blade but doesn't cut at all with the Voskhod blade and I mean it literally.

I fit the BBS A plate with Voskhod and went over the stubble area 3 times and it didn't even bothered the stubble area!

I switched to Wunderbar with the same Voskhod blade and got a smooth shave. It wasn't the closest shave but definitely a very clean, comfortable shave.

BBS AS plate is entirely different story, it is comparable to the Game Changer 84 Close Comb and I can see it being possible.

It loses some of the smoothness of BBS Standard razor in favor of the efficiency and that can be used for our benefit by using a smooth blade like Gillette 7 O'clock Black blades, Gillette Nacet or even Voskhod will work in the AS plate.

Coming to Lupo 95, it was a disappointment of sorts.

I got a chance to use Lupo 95 and initially I was very excited about it but later on I found no variation of closeness with different blades.

It would give a close shave with Nacet but not a closer shave with Feather blade. Gillette 7 O'clock Black blades gave comparative shaves and Voskhod was hopeless.

Shark Super Chrome blade was the best match with Lupo 95 but i couldn't get it at that time, and later on I totally lost the interest.

I sold off the Lupo 95 recently in favor of keeping my Game Changer 84 Open Comb.

Lupo 95 in my experience is too well behaved to provide variable shaves with different blades, at least in my case ie less blade feel to take advantage of the sharpness criteria of the blade after certain level of closeness in shave.

Wunderbar, ah it is a beautiful beast, totally unassuming and yet gives me the best shaves every time.

I find it becomes rough with Feather blade but with rest of the other blades it performs smoothly.

It is a practical, autopilot and no fuss razor and honestly speaking the best well behaved razor in my rotation.

In my experience out of the RazoRock razors that I own the efficiency level would be:

RazoRock BBS Standard plate ~ A plate < BBS AS plate ~ Lupo 95 < Game Changer 84 Open Comb < Wunderbar

I may seem like a drunk because I put the Lupo 95 behind Game Changer 84 Open Comb. That's because I can get better shaves with a Feather blade and GC84 OC.

My entire razor rotation comprises of RazoRock razors and they are excellent vfm products for me.

Agreed @Medivh
Anything less than BBS AS is a recipe for disappointment when you prefer efficiency over safety.

I was disappointed with the Lupo 95 even though this razor has impressed a lot of fellow gentlemen here and elsewhere.

YMMV comes to mind as I trust each of the praise about the razor was honest opinion and the company put it at the top of efficiency chart for some reason.

 

[sakaltras]

Which one of the razorock razors fits best for steel angle shaving? I'm getting the best results when I use a steep angle eg with the Old Type or the Mulcuto slant...