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Advice on Buying a Christopher Bradley Razor

Of course I don't need another razor, but I've decided to go ahead and buy one anyway. I prefer efficient, or some would say aggressive, razors. The ones I use most often are my Blackland Dart, Muhle R41 and Muhle Rocca. I was considering a Blackbird, but the brass Christopher Bradley would be something very different, whereas the Blackbird and Dart appear to be more like one another. My initial thought is to go with the G safety bar, but I'm not averse to open comb razors. I have had good luck with both the R41 and my GEM MMOC. Also, any thoughts about the original cap vs. the widebody?
 

garyg

B&B membership has its percs
I don't like the "wide" bodies - I do like my original Karve BD brass & finally settled on an F Open Comb that is efficient and smooth. I would rate it as about as aggressive as my early R-41, moreso than the MMOC. The blade tab coverings strike me as nannyism; after some decades shaving I've never cut my nose or ear off with an exposed tab .. The also add weight & bulk/mass to the head, and the ones I've tried seem less than handy when trying to trim that last bit somewhere - you can't use the very corner of the blade because its covered ..

Just my 2 cents -
 
I have read some people say they would/could shave with a Karve K, they are so smooth. I would guess you would be fine with the G. i have only gone up to E, which is just above Blackbird range. D is my own sweet spot, comparable to 3one6. C is comfortable, but too inefficient for me.
 
I like my brass Karve CB SB in the C and D plates. I think I am pretty middle-of-the-road in my mildness/aggressiveness preferences—I seem to do well with most stuff out there, except the ends of the spectrum. I have the non-widebody, which is good, although I am not a fan of exposed blade tabs.
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
SB-G. Without any hesitation at all.
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I have the Karve OC-F (widebody cap) and SB-G (original cap), both in Alu and with 3 and 3.25 handles (hint: I like small, light, maneuverable razors).

They have quickly become my favorite, go-to razors. They are very, very smooth (they hold the blade very close to it’s edge in an incredibly rigid fashion) and extremely efficient. If I do my part, I can get a BBS- with two passes and some cleanup afterwards, with no nicks, cuts or irritation (verified with some alum or as splash).

I think the original cap looks better, but I prefer the widebody for everyday use, it’s just easier and a tad safer to use, but I have used both with no issues whatsoever, so I’d say go with the one that appeals to you the most.

I normally prefer OC razors, but I got to admit that the SB-G blows me away! I never though I would be able to find such and efficient, and yet smooth razor! That huge gap had me a bit worried at first, but having used it for almost half a year now with most of my favorite blades (Kai, Wizamet, Personna Med Prep, Nacet), I gotta say that my worries were completely unfounded.

I you favor highly efficient razors, I’m very certain that you’ll be very pleased with the OC-F or SB-G. I think they are also very reasonably price for the level or workmanship they display, especially the Alu versions.

Good luck!
 
My brass CB with the 3.5 inch handle arrived yesterday. I gave it a light polishing with Flitz and a microfiber cloth which gave it a low luster and might improve its glide. This morning I gave it its first run, and it certainly lived up to its advanced billing. It's a hefty razor, but it's very well balanced. If I get around to it, I'll weigh it and compare it with the Dart, which is the razor I tend to use most often. (The Dart too is fairly heavy, but very well balanced.) The handle provides good but not exceptional grip, Where the razor truly excels is in its smoothness. Sure, there is blade feel, but it is a more relaxed feeling than the Dart or the R41, my other highly efficient razor. To me it is closer in feel to my Rocca or 3one6, but more efficient than either of those two. In another post someone commented about the smell of brass razors, and it is certainly noticeable. I don't find it in any way offensive, but I can see where it could be off-putting if you found that smell objectionable.

It is too soon to say for sure after only one shave, but my brass CB may push the Dart off the top rung of my smooth but efficient razor list.
 
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My brass CB with the 3.5 inch handle arrived yesterday. I gave it a light polishing with Flitz and a microfiber cloth which gave it a low luster and might improve its glide. This morning I gave it its first run, and it certainly lived up to its advanced billing. It's a hefty razor, but it's very well balanced. If I get around to it, I'll weigh it and compare it with the Dart, which is the razor I tend to use most often. (The Dart too is fairly heavy, but very well balanced.) The handle provides good but not exceptional grip, Where the razor truly excels is in its smoothness. Sure, there is blade feel, but it is a more relaxed feeling than the Dart or the R41, my other highly efficient razor. To me it is closer in feel to my Rocca or 3one6, but more efficient than either of those two. In another post someone commented about the smell of brass razors, and it is certainly noticeable. I don't find it in any way offensive, but I can see where it could be off-putting if you found that smell objectionable.

It is too soon to say for sure after only one shave, but my brass CB may push the Dart off the top rung of my smooth but efficient razor list.

CONGRATULATIONS!! :a29::a29:
 
My brass CB with the 3.5 inch handle arrived yesterday. I gave it a light polishing with Flitz and a microfiber cloth which gave it a low luster and might improve its glide. This morning I gave it its first run, and it certainly lived up to its advanced billing. It's a hefty razor, but it's very well balanced. If I get around to it, I'll weigh it and compare it with the Dart, which is the razor I tend to use most often. (The Dart too is fairly heavy, but very well balanced.) The handle provides good but not exceptional grip, Where the razor truly excels is in its smoothness. Sure, there is blade feel, but it is a more relaxed feeling than the Dart or the R41, my other highly efficient razor. To me it is closer in feel to my Rocca or 3one6, but more efficient than either of those two. In another post someone commented about the smell of brass razors, and it is certainly noticeable. I don't find it in any way offensive, but I can see where it could be off-putting if you found that smell objectionable.

It is too soon to say for sure after only one shave, but my brass CB may push the Dart off the top rung of my smooth but efficient razor list.

I love a story with a happy ending. And I love my brass CB (3", original cap, usually OC-D). Enjoy yours!
 
The Karve is an excellent razor. I love my OC-D and SB-F plates and will likely never sell mine.

The only negative IMO is that it is bulky and can be challenging to get close under the nose. Not as bad as the Rockwell 6S, but it is a big razor.
 
I have a similar preference to the razors you listed (but the Dart is unknown to me). My OC-D plate feels rather similar to the Rocca in terms of blade feel/smoothness and efficiency (maybe even a tad more efficiency than the Rocca), for the most efficient shaves I use SB F and G plus OC F. All three if them are very nice plates, efficient and still smooth. These three are maybe a tad less efficient compared to the R41/Blackland Blackbird OC, but they will easily guide you to BBS land.

As per the cap: if you don't shave your head there is no "technical" advantage to buy the wide body cap imo. It boils down to personal prefrerences, I assume. I like the standard cap better, but this is just me.

EDIT: i just saw you chose the G plate. Good call!
 
The Karve is an excellent razor. I love my OC-D and SB-F plates and will likely never sell mine.

The only negative IMO is that it is bulky and can be challenging to get close under the nose. Not as bad as the Rockwell 6S, but it is a big razor.
I don't find the Karve to be particularly bulky, although I agree that it is a big razor. I sold my Rockwell because I did find it to be too bulky. I think it's because of the large, reversible base plate on the Rockwell.
 
I have a similar preference to the razors you listed (but the Dart is unknown to me). My OC-D plate feels rather similar to the Rocca in terms of blade feel/smoothness and efficiency (maybe even a tad more efficiency than the Rocca), for the most efficient shaves I use SB F and G plus OC F. All three if them are very nice plates, efficient and still smooth. These three are maybe a tad less efficient compared to the R41/Blackland Blackbird OC, but they will easily guide you to BBS land.

As per the cap: if you don't shave your head there is no "technical" advantage to buy the wide body cap imo. It boils down to personal prefrerences, I assume. I like the standard cap better, but this is just me.

EDIT: i just saw you chose the G plate. Good call!
I don't have the Blackbird OC, but I would agree with your assessment of the Karve vs the Rocca. I started a separate thread comparing the Dart to the Karve. I get similar results with both, but the Karve is smoother. That said, there is a certain something, I'm not sure what, that keeps me coming back to the Dart. My other razors, including the Rocca, 3one6 and R41, aren't getting much attention; mostly I'm using either the Dart or the Karve.
 
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