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Above the Tie (ATT) H1 vs H2?

Which razor head feels/behaves more aggressive to you?

  • Above the Tie (ATT) H1 (straight bar)

  • Above the Tie (ATT) H2 (open comb)

  • The difference seems less than 5% to me

  • I haven't used both of these

  • I'm not sure


Results are only viewable after voting.
Which razor head feels/behaves more aggressive to you?
- Above the Tie (ATT) H1 (straight bar)
- Above the Tie (ATT) H2 (open comb)
- The difference seems less than 5% to me
- I haven't used both of these
- I'm not sure


This is the 14th, companion public opinion poll towards (hopefully) creating a B&B Modern Razor Aggressiveness Scale. Please see (and also vote at) this page for more information:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/407692-B-amp-B-Modern-Razor-Aggressiveness-Scale

If you haven't already, please vote on all where you have experience:

1. Midpoint Reference Poll
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...iddle-of-the-road-aggressiveness-modern-razor

2. Merkur vs I Kon slants
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...on-Aggressiveness-Poll-Merkur-vs-I-Kon-slants


3. Muhle or Edwin Jagger 89 vs Merkur 34/38C
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...oll-Muhle-or-Edwin-Jagger-89-vs-Merkur-34-38C

4. Above The Tie (ATT) M1 vs Weber Polished Head (PH)
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...Above-The-Tie-(ATT)-M1-vs-Weber-Polished-Head

5. Muhle R41 (2013) vs Above The Tie (ATT) H2
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...ll-Muhle-R41-(2013)-vs-Above-The-Tie-(ATT)-H2

6. Weber Polished Head (PH) vs I Kon OC
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...ess-Poll-Weber-Polished-Head-(PH)-vs-I-Kon-OC

7. Joris vs FaTip
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/408782-Public-Opinion-Aggressiveness-Poll-Joris-vs-FaTip

8. Feather Popular vs Feather AS-D2
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...iveness-Poll-Feather-Popular-vs-Feather-AS-D2

9. The Very Mild Razors
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...c-Opinion-Aggressiveness-Poll-The-Mild-Razors

10. Any of these more aggressive than an EJ89?
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...ll-Any-of-these-more-aggressive-than-the-EJ89

11. The Mildest of the Very Mild?
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/409698-The-mildest-of-the-very-mild

12. ATT M1 vs ATT M2
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/410532-Above-the-Tie-(ATT)-M1-vs-M2

13. ATT R1 vs ATT R2
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/410535-Above-the-Tie-(ATT)-R1-vs-R2

14. ATT H1 vs ATT H2
(this poll)


Thank you!
Shawnsel
 
Thank you so much for talking the time to do this scale. I think at least it gives an idea of what razors might work based on current preferences.
 
Thank you so much for talking the time to do this scale. I think at least it gives an idea of what razors might work based on current preferences.

Thank you, halfturk. This morning I've been a little frustrated with people who are dead set that it can't be done and/or wont' be useful ... so your encouragement comes at a welcome time. :)
 
Half the posts on this forum are "I like _______, what next?" so I am not sure why anyone thinks this is not useful. If you had asked for a best razor/blade/soap poll I could see people having a hard time with it, but not this. Is this perfect, no. It is a good starting place for when RAD kicks in? Yes. It seems like every other thread has strong opinions about X over Y so I don't see why this is any different. So thanks again and I consider useful as I think others do as well.
 
Half the posts on this forum are "I like _______, what next?" so I am not sure why anyone thinks this is not useful. If you had asked for a best razor/blade/soap poll I could see people having a hard time with it, but not this. Is this perfect, no. It is a good starting place for when RAD kicks in? Yes. It seems like every other thread has strong opinions about X over Y so I don't see why this is any different. So thanks again and I consider useful as I think others do as well.

I completely agree, and thanks for your support.

Cheers!
Shawnsel
 
Half the posts on this forum are "I like _______, what next?" so I am not sure why anyone thinks this is not useful. If you had asked for a best razor/blade/soap poll I could see people having a hard time with it, but not this. Is this perfect, no. It is a good starting place for when RAD kicks in? Yes. It seems like every other thread has strong opinions about X over Y so I don't see why this is any different. So thanks again and I consider useful as I think others do as well.

^+10^10... shawnsel - don't give up the faith. Naysayers say nay, nothing more... Hat's off to you for your steadfastness on this project... and thanks!
 
I've not yet tried the 'H' baseplates but really appreciate this idea. Above The Tie is still a fairly young company considering I seem to recall the Titan System came out around 2011? *Titan [now renamed *Kronos] handle and 3 baseplates of M1/R1/H1. Now we have 3 different handles, Atlas/Kronos/Colossus to choose from and 6 baseplates with the open comb M2/R2/H2 offerings added. Charting these variants will certainly take time but will be of great benefit once completed.
Initial thoughts by most were the open combs would be more aggressive, yet actual experience has been showing me the opposite to be the truth. Initial thoughts were a shorter handle would be less aggressive, due to less weight, yet here too it's just the opposite since it places the hand closer to the head/blade it's actually adding weight as compared to holding a longer handle farther back letting the weight of the head rest against the skin. Would have been incredibly helpful to have known this prior to choosing which parts to combine. Thankfully it's not just the precision machining that make the ATT 'shine' it's all the variants that make it a true shaving system.
Thanks for your time, this is definitely going to become useful in time!
 
This is another interesting poll to me, as currently 3 shavers pick the H1 standard bar as being more aggressive, and another 3 shavers pick the H2 open comb as being more aggressive. And one more shaver says they are about equal.

I'm thinking this averages out to the H1 is of equal aggressiveness to the H2 (both 9.0 on our scale) ... but you probably won't think so if you try both :blink:


Such is the way of YMMV....
 
Thanks for your efforts Shawnsel! To me the H1 feels more aggressive because it's so harsh. I gave up on the H1 because of it. I found it harsher than my '11 R41 and '13 R41. It probably has as much to do with the way I shave as anything else. In the threads though it seems more people prefer the H2.
 
I use both the H1 and H2 on a regular basis w/ the Atlas handle. Both are aggressive and both took me a long time to master. They took so long I was going to sell them. However, now that I have mastered them I haven't used another razor in well over six months. In my opinion, I'd have to say that the H1 is more aggressive. The reason is the H2 is a tad smoother and it is more efficient on my problem areas which are the sides of my neck. I have also found that I need to use a steeper angle with the H2 head. The ATT Atlas w/ H2 and H1 head is my desert island razor. However I do lean toward the H2 head.
 
I'm currently reading this data as the H1 is usually thought of as equally aggressive to the H2 head for the average shaver.

(5 votes for H1 straight bar, 5 votes for H2 open comb, and 1 vote thinks they are equal).
 
This poll closes on Wednesday.

As is, if we add the "equal" votes in with the less aggressive razor, we have the H2 as more aggressive than the H1 by 7 votes to 5

Even if you agree though, please cast your vote (as long as you have experience with both razors) so we can increase our confidence in this poll.

Thank you to all who have voted!

Cheers,
Shawn
 
Final results:

H1: 4 votes
Equal: 2 votes
"Equal" + "H1" => 6 votes

H2: 7 votes

note: 1 vote difference out of 13 votes is less than the 10% required to be counted as a significantly different


Conclusion:
H1 and H2 are roughly equal in aggressiveness ... to the average shaver


Thank you to all who voted!


Cheers,
Shawn
 
Time for me to revive this long-cold thread and add my two cents. Purchased the H2 on Scott's (@pbrmhl) recommendation and then purchased the H1 because Stan (@Stan) over at ATT said it's the more aggressive of the two in his experience. Since both were offered at 50% off during that incredible 2018 Black Friday sale, I didn't have to choose.

20181209_115225.jpg


This morning I loaded them both up and went to work. For me, without question the H2 was the more satisfying razor. I love the strong blade feel -- a quality which some in this community call "blade forward." Found it to be almost as aggressive (just a hair shy) of my Ikon Tech (king of my den). Ran best at a neutral angle (whereas the iTech likes to run steep). Both the angle and the pressure were intuitive (as they are with the iTech) as a result of the outstanding feedback that goes with blade feel.

For me, the H1 wasn't as satisfying and didn't produce as good a result. I mean, it was fine. On par with or a notch better than the Karve running an F plate so still an aggressive shaver. Perhaps equal to the Dart. Extremely smooth. For many it would seem perfect. Just not quite right for me. Too smooth. Not enough blade feel. And the shave wasn't as close because the feedback wasn't as strong. With enough effort the H1 could match the H2's performance but it would take a lot of time with that razor to get to the point where it's intuitive. Would have to come through trial and error plus muscle-memorization of what works best.

Each razor took a turn with the Kronos and the Atlas handle. I find the Atlas better looking of the two, but for me the Kronos is the better option. I like long, heavy handles. I run my iTech on an Ikon OSS. These heads would probably (for me; YM will V) run best on that same OSS.

20181209_115229.jpg


Looks like I'll be selling my H1 on the Atlas handle. Absolutely nothing wrong with the H1. Great razor. Just not the ideal fit for a guy who likes harsh over smooth. Might sell the Kronos too. Not because there's anything wrong with it. Nice handle. Just seems silly to a pragmatist like me to pay so much more for a handle that works no better than one that sells for less than half the cost.

As for the H2, without question it will be in my rotation. Perhaps with the Kronos.
 
Last edited:
Time for me to revive this long-cold thread and add my two cents. Purchased the H2 on Scott's (@pbrmhl) recommendation and then purchased the H1 because Stan (@Stan) over at ATT said it's the more aggressive of the two in his experience. Since both were offered at 50% off during that incredible 2018 Black Friday sale, I didn't have to choose.

View attachment 933981

This morning I loaded them both up and went to work. For me, without question the H2 was the more satisfying razor. I love the strong blade feel -- a quality which some in this community call "blade forward." Found it to be almost as aggressive (just a hair shy) of my Ikon Tech (king of my den). Ran best at a neutral angle (whereas the iTech likes to run steep). Both the angle and the pressure were intuitive (as they are with the iTech) as a result of the outstanding feedback that goes with blade feel.

For me, the H1 wasn't as satisfying and didn't produce as good a result. I mean, it was fine. On par with or a notch better than the Karve running an F plate so still an aggressive shaver. Perhaps equal to the Dart. Extremely smooth. For many it would seem perfect. Just not quite right for me. Too smooth. Not enough blade feel. And the shave wasn't as close because the feedback wasn't as strong. With enough effort the H1 could match the H2's performance but it would take a lot of time with that razor to get to the point where it's intuitive. Would have to come through trial and error plus muscle-memorization of what works best.

Each razor took a turn with the Kronos and the Atlas handle. I find the Atlas better looking of the two, but for me the Kronos is the better option. I like long, heavy handles. I run my iTech on an Ikon OSS. These heads would probably (for me; YM will V) run best on that same OSS.

View attachment 933982

Looks like I'll be selling my H1 on the Atlas handle. Absolutely nothing wrong with the H1. Great razor. Just not the ideal fit for a guy who likes harsh over smooth. Might sell the Kronos too. Not because there's anything wrong with it. Nice handle. Just seems silly to a pragmatist like me to pay so much more for a handle that works no better than one that sells for less than half the cost.

As for the H2, without question it will be in my rotation. Perhaps with the Kronos.
Well then, I'll revive this with a question, if you don't mind and manage to see it?

Would you care to characterize the H2 vs the R41, in terms of aggression and smoothness?
 
Well then, I'll revive this with a question, if you don't mind and manage to see it?

Would you care to characterize the H2 vs the R41, in terms of aggression and smoothness?

I’ll let Roy answer for himself, but for me the H2 is just as efficient as the R41, but much smoother. In particular, the R41 tugs when I shave against the grain, especially on my chin. Not a problem with the H2.
 
I’ll let Roy answer for himself, but for me the H2 is just as efficient as the R41, but much smoother. In particular, the R41 tugs when I shave against the grain, especially on my chin. Not a problem with the H2.
Hah! Thanks!

But actually, I posed the same question to you in more detail in the thread I linked below!

Difference in open and closed comb

I'm hoping the H2 is smoother, and perhaps just a tad less aggressive than the R41. If it is, I'm in! I think "smoother" might relieve a bit of the aggression I feel with my R41, as it indeed is the ATG where I have the most problems with it.

BTW, I've come to love open comb razors. I find it hard to shave with safety bars these days, because I just find the open combs much more enjoyable, and they're usually more efficient at comparable aggression and comfort levels. The strongest parameter I look for, is the efficiency-to-aggression ratio. I'll vary the razors I shave with, from mild to aggressive. But the ones that I keep in regular rotation, have the highest efficiency in relation to their aggression. In fact, this is why I'm on the fence with my R41; it's too aggressive for its efficiency. I can get nearly as efficient with my Piccolo, with no R41 drama and the Piccolo way smoother.
 
I'm the wrong guy to ask. Never much liked the R41 (2011 or 2013 version). Don't find either particularly aggressive or smooth, whatever their reputations. Plus, I hate the care that goes into maintaining a Zamak razor. Would rather pay more for something that will stand the test of time. Unless it's a $7 razor from China. Then I'm fine if it lasts three years.

Have been using my H1 and H2 the last couple of weeks. The H2 is great when I'm mowing down multiple days beard growth but with my Ikon Tech around, it's not really needed at this point. Still, I like the build quality so perhaps I'll keep it. The H1 is great for every day shaving. A bit less aggressive than the H2.
 
Dear gents,
have you ever used windsor series H1 or H2?
Windsor series seems to be more smooth due to base plate design,
but would it sacrifice much efficiency?
I am a SE1 coupled with Feather Professional Pro shaver,
but I am searching a DE which is as efficient as the above combo.
When I am focused enough, SE1 (with Feather Professional) is smooth and efficient.
Thank you.
 
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