A Timeless Summer - A Comparative Assessment of Timeless Razors

[BigAlVista]

A Timeless Summer

I’ve always loved the transition of Spring into Summer. The sneezing fits and watery eyes are gone, but the flowers are in bloom and I can spend the late afternoon lounging by the pool. It is a time of regeneration – not just for mother nature, but me as well.

These past few weeks, I have been getting to know my Timeless razors and enjoying the sensation of a smooth, low-alum sting face. I started with my TI 95 Scalloped razor and then added in the TI 68 Open Comb. Two weeks later, I am struggling to determine which I prefer. When the sun sets, my face is still smooth enough for an evening dinner with clients, regardless of the razor.

Time for a summer bake-off!

The first round will be between those two Timeless razors. To be fair to both, I will be using three different brands of blades (GSB, Kai and Perma-Sharp) over a course of 6 days each. In order to minimize the impact of externalities, I will be using the same pre-shave (Grooming Dept Pre-shave soap plus Grooming Dept. Shave oil), shave cream (Art of Shaving Bourbon) and brush (Wald A1 Synthetic). In addition:

• Each brand of blade will receive five days of use in each razor.
• The first four days will be done with each razor shaving half of my face. Each day, I will alternate which razor does which side of the face. After each razor has shaved both sides with the same blade, I will switch the blades between the razors.
• Each razor will do an entire shave on days 5 and 6.

As to the evaluation of each shave, I will be capturing the following information:

• The number of passes for the shave
• The time of day
• The amount of time spent to get to 90% stubble free in all directions, by touch
• The level of irritation from the shave (Minimal, Some, Much, Excessive)
• Observations and impressions immediately following the shave
• Observations and impressions late in the evening

I’ll provide additional observations and impressions when each brand of blade is done using the following tracker:

 

[Whiterook]

I have those same heads in stainless steel. They are both great, but I prefer the .95 myself.

 

[dmshaver]

Splendid idea. I will be following your summer bake-off with interest!

 

[BigAlVista]

I have those same heads in stainless steel. They are both great, but I prefer the .95 myself.

It's a tough call. Side by side, the 95 with a GSB is almost indistinguishable from the 68 with a Perma-Sharp. Been going side by side for a while, but not using the same blade, soap etc.

 

[Guido75]

 

[BigAlVista]

OK. First day down. Very close match, but the 68 just eeked out the win for the day. Though I did spend 30 seconds more on the left side of my face, the 68 was smooth enough to allow for that. Overall, the 68 was a bit smoother and gave me just a wee bit closer shave. I could have spent that extra thirty seconds with the 95, but didn't want to as that shave was a bit more aggressive. Maybe tomorrow, I'll spend the same amount of time with both razors to see if I can get better results with the 95, without bringing on any redness:

 

[Island]

I didn't find the scalloped bar that different from their solid bar. With a light touch, I find the .95 dual comb sb/oc closer and about as smooth as the .68 dual comb. The slight increase in aggression is mitigated by less irritation from less buffing with the .95.

 

[Iridian]

Winner: Timeless Slim OC

SCNR! Just my personal preference, I like it even more than the .95 OC.

 

[FarmerTan]

I'll be popping in to see your impressions! Does @BigJ know about this? Sounds like it is right up his alley!

 

[BigAlVista]

Winner: Timeless Slim OC

SCNR! Just my personal preference, I like it even more than the .95 OC.

I'll be comparing the TI slims (OC vs SB) next

 

[Iridian]

I'll be comparing the TI slims (OC vs SB) next

Hmmm! Both are perhaps a bit too similar? It's like that eternal knife collector discussion about smooth and partially serrated blades, some knives like the Gerber Strongarm offer both options and what you prefer in the end is indeed personal preference.

My personal take on Timeless and SB/Scalloped vs OC: I like the .95 OC plate so much more than the .95 SCL, the OC by Timeless is pretty protective and very smooth and safe with its inward bent teeth design. So I was and am regularly stating here that I would always go with OC for Timeless.

But let's see what differences you can find between OC and SB for the Slim. The differences might be rather... saying "slim" would be a bad pun indeed. I assume the OC will be a bit closer while losing little in comfort. But a guy I respect a lot named Errol actually finds the OC to be too much for him, while he loves the Slim SB.

Let's see to what conclusion you will come.

 

[BigAlVista]

I'm curious as well. Jeremiah from Timeless says the slim SB is his favorite plate to shave with, but that the slim OC is more aggressive than he likes.

I'm gonna keep one, return the other.

Note that the Blackbird TI OC is one of my favorites, not that they are similar, but rather that I like OC plates.

Note that I have been using bronze and Stainless caps to bring the balance point up a bit.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I'm curious as well. Jeremiah from Timeless says the slim SB is his favorite plate to shave with, but that the slim OC is more aggressive than he likes.

I'm gonna keep one, return the other.

Note that the Blackbird TI OC is one of my favorites, not that they are similar, but rather that I like OC plates.

Note that I have been using bronze and Stainless caps to bring the balance point up a bit.

I was pleasantly surprised that adding a few grams to a razor head by switching out the titanium cap to stainless steel made. I hadn’t considered trying a Timeless bronze cap, but I do have a bronze 0.38.

Great suggestion, Mark.

 

[BigAlVista]

At the end of day 2, the efficiency of both razors appears identical. During the shave, I spent the same amount of time with each razor and tried to maintain the same level of pressure with both. I was able to get a nearly perfect shave with nearly no discernable stubble from any direction. There was a small price for this - additional feedback from the alum. The score from today would be dead even except for the fact that the 95 was just a bit more aggressive, yielding stronger feedback from the alum and the aftershave splash than from the 68.

Given how close the two razors are, I've decided to modify the testing a bit to add in some significantly sharper blades as well as additional variety. Following the GSBs, I'll be evaluating the two razors with a day 1 Feather and following the Kai testing, I'll do a test with Black Ninjas.

I'll complete the testing with one of my favorite mild blades, the Wizamet.

For tomorrow's testing, I'll limit myself to 1:15 for the first pass, 1:15 for the second pass and 1:00 for buffing - 3:30 total per side. I won't get a perfect shave, but I may see some difference in efficiency emerge:

 

[BigAlVista]

I was pleasantly surprised that adding a few grams to a razor head by switching out the titanium cap to stainless steel made. I hadn’t considered trying a Timeless bronze cap, but I do have a bronze 0.38.

Great suggestion, Mark.

I really like the bronze caps. I actually have two more on order and will probably be using nothing but them. The polished Ti and matte stainless may end up in the spare parts draw or, I may return the matte stainless. The matte stainless is fine and is similar in weight to the bronze, but I like the bronze more. It's prettier.

 

[BigAlVista]

Day three.

Still a close match. Today I wanted to see if there was any additional efficiency in the context of a short one or two-pass shave. If you are in a time crunch, the 95 can give you a slightly more efficient shave. After 1:15 on a single pass shave of each side, the 95 was closer and only a bit more aggressive. That said, by the end of the second pass, both razors provided an almost BBS shave - with just a bit of alum feedback. Short shave win goes to the 95; short two-pass shave goes to the 68. Net-net, I'm calling this a tie. Tomorrow, I'll do just a single 1-minute nose to ear (mostly XTG) pass, plus 30 seconds of touchup:

 

[Phoenixkh]

Mark,

I'm sort of joining your Timeless summer. I just ordered a few things from Timeless. I ordered a couple scalloped bronze caps, a bronze stand to coordinate with the new razor I'm putting together... a bronze cap and a titanium Slim SB base plate.

I would have ordered another Ti Crown handle, but they are out of stock, as you know. I'll pick one up eventually but in the mean time, I might use one of the ones I already have or one of my Wolfman hollow bronze 90mm handles... or their Darwin. I have a few options. <eg>

 

[BigAlVista]

Mark,

I'm sort of joining your Timeless summer. I just ordered a few things from Timeless. I ordered a couple scalloped bronze caps, a bronze stand to coordinate with the new razor I'm putting together... a bronze cap and a titanium Slim SB base plate.

I would have ordered another Ti Crown handle, but they are out of stock, as you know. I'll pick one up eventually but in the mean time, I might use one of the ones I already have or one of my Wolfman hollow bronze 90mm handles... or their Darwin. I have a few options. <eg>

Sounds familiar...I have on order a stainless 68 OC plate, 2 bronze caps, two crown handles (backordered) and 2 TI slim plates (OC and SB - one will go back). When done, I'll have four Timeless razors, three TI plates with Bronze caps (TI 68 OC, Ti 95SC and Ti Slim) on Crown handles and 1 Ti cap over stainless OC68 plate on crown handle (travel razor).

Yep...definitely a Timeless summer.

I'm thinking I have reserved a virtual shopping trip to Greece this fall(?). My Athena is looking for a Ti sister and a bronze brother

BTW, thank you for recommending the Claymore. Over the Timeless crown, it's wonderful.

 

[Iridian]

My Athena is looking for a Ti sister and a bronze brother

For brother, look no further than to the Ares! At least one sibling should be an Ares. There is also the option of switching handles between the two.

 

[BigAlVista]

For brother, look no further than to the Ares! At least one sibling should be an Ares. There is also the option of switching handles between the two.

Agreed. I should have said "Greek sibling". I wonder if they would be willing to sell an Ares with an Athena handle?