Had an intuitive sense that the Floating Head might be the razor that stood toe-to-toe, in my shave universe anyway, with the Ikon Tech (which those who have been reading my posts in other threads know -- perhaps beyond the threshold of annoyance -- has become my grail).
So before I begin beating any (by now in states of advanced decomposition) dead horses, I want first to acknowledge the kindness and generosity of two of our shave-brothers. Scott (who goes by pbrmhl) is the guy who lent me the Tech, the razor that changed my life, and he's followed that up by lending several others. And Twelvefret loaned me the Barbasol in the photos above. Both of these fellows dropped valuable razors in the mail to a guy they had not met, a person who was just words on a screen. I'm both humbled by, and grateful for, their trust. I aspire to such qualities.
Alright, getting back to razors:
Yesterday, I ran these two side by side. The results were fascinating but not in the way I'd expected. I thought they might be twins. They are not. The Tech remains the one that offers by far the most straight-forward feedback. Some might call it harshness. For whatever reason, for me it's not harsh but rather magnificently informative, guiding my angle of attack and lightness of pressure (none to less than none). What's odd, even to me, is that I have run across razors I've found harsh. The El Jefe, for instance. Couldn't get away from that little ***** fast enough. The Tech, by contrast, feels just right.
So when I ran the FH opposite the IST, I was initially disappointed to discover it didn't have anything like that level of feedback. Instead it offered smoothness and easy maneuverability. Now a lot of razors have those qualities. What's unusual is to match the Tech's super efficient result.
In one sense, the Floating Head reminds me of Blackland Dart (also on loan from Scott). That razor (the Dart) was a pleasure in that it was so nicely balanced, smooth and maneuverable, while offering a great shave. But it couldn't quite match the Tech in terms of the shave it produced. It came close -- closer than any other DE razor to date. It stood toe-to-toe with the 2011 R41 (which I've not found to be quite as great as some guys do). But it was definitely a notch down.
What's cool about the Floating Head is that it came within a hair of matching the Dart's ease of use while producing a shave that was on par with that of the Tech. So much so that, a few hours later when my middle-aged brain couldn't recall which side had been the proving ground for each razor, the result gave no clue as both sides were identical. And as I type this now, more than 24 hours later, they remain identical. In other words, the Barbasol is in an elite class.
The Floating Head is the first DE razor I've found that's been able to match the Tech in closeness. Among all razors I've tried so far (which is not a huge pool), the ATT SE2 was the only other that equaled the Tech in closeness, but it has the drawbacks associated with SE razors -- limited choice and expense of blades, lesser maneuverability and ease of use, a required angle of attack that (at least) I find less enjoyable, plus just one edge with which to shave.
Having made the mistake of shaving every day with the same razor (a Futur) year upon year to the point where I no longer even want to look at it, and also to and beyond the point where this hobby had lost its fascination and shaving had become nothing more than a chore, I see the utility of having a rotation. (I won't say "importance" because, as much as we may love shaving, it's a triviality compared with the challenges life presents to so many. At the same time, I think it a mistake to discount that which speaks to the heart. A proper attitude toward such things, best as I can figure, is one of gratitude.)
So today I am grateful. To have found another razor that I'd love to have in my rotation. I'm also grateful for a motivation to duck my head into antique shops, which had become quite the obsession some years back when I first discovered the art and joy of traditional shaving. Back then, I had become fanatical for a time. What's sad to me now is a recognition that I likely rejected Floating Heads that were right there for the picking because I was so focused on Gillettes.
I'll continue to play with this razor for a while. Twelvefret has made clear I'm welcome to do so, which I very much appreciate. I've posted this review in a separate thread in the hope that it might be helpful to those who would like to share impressions, thoughts or questions about this razor. I'll continue to post any new insights I run across as it I continue to put it through its paces before it heads back to its rightful home.
So before I begin beating any (by now in states of advanced decomposition) dead horses, I want first to acknowledge the kindness and generosity of two of our shave-brothers. Scott (who goes by pbrmhl) is the guy who lent me the Tech, the razor that changed my life, and he's followed that up by lending several others. And Twelvefret loaned me the Barbasol in the photos above. Both of these fellows dropped valuable razors in the mail to a guy they had not met, a person who was just words on a screen. I'm both humbled by, and grateful for, their trust. I aspire to such qualities.
Alright, getting back to razors:
Yesterday, I ran these two side by side. The results were fascinating but not in the way I'd expected. I thought they might be twins. They are not. The Tech remains the one that offers by far the most straight-forward feedback. Some might call it harshness. For whatever reason, for me it's not harsh but rather magnificently informative, guiding my angle of attack and lightness of pressure (none to less than none). What's odd, even to me, is that I have run across razors I've found harsh. The El Jefe, for instance. Couldn't get away from that little ***** fast enough. The Tech, by contrast, feels just right.
So when I ran the FH opposite the IST, I was initially disappointed to discover it didn't have anything like that level of feedback. Instead it offered smoothness and easy maneuverability. Now a lot of razors have those qualities. What's unusual is to match the Tech's super efficient result.
In one sense, the Floating Head reminds me of Blackland Dart (also on loan from Scott). That razor (the Dart) was a pleasure in that it was so nicely balanced, smooth and maneuverable, while offering a great shave. But it couldn't quite match the Tech in terms of the shave it produced. It came close -- closer than any other DE razor to date. It stood toe-to-toe with the 2011 R41 (which I've not found to be quite as great as some guys do). But it was definitely a notch down.
What's cool about the Floating Head is that it came within a hair of matching the Dart's ease of use while producing a shave that was on par with that of the Tech. So much so that, a few hours later when my middle-aged brain couldn't recall which side had been the proving ground for each razor, the result gave no clue as both sides were identical. And as I type this now, more than 24 hours later, they remain identical. In other words, the Barbasol is in an elite class.
The Floating Head is the first DE razor I've found that's been able to match the Tech in closeness. Among all razors I've tried so far (which is not a huge pool), the ATT SE2 was the only other that equaled the Tech in closeness, but it has the drawbacks associated with SE razors -- limited choice and expense of blades, lesser maneuverability and ease of use, a required angle of attack that (at least) I find less enjoyable, plus just one edge with which to shave.
Having made the mistake of shaving every day with the same razor (a Futur) year upon year to the point where I no longer even want to look at it, and also to and beyond the point where this hobby had lost its fascination and shaving had become nothing more than a chore, I see the utility of having a rotation. (I won't say "importance" because, as much as we may love shaving, it's a triviality compared with the challenges life presents to so many. At the same time, I think it a mistake to discount that which speaks to the heart. A proper attitude toward such things, best as I can figure, is one of gratitude.)
So today I am grateful. To have found another razor that I'd love to have in my rotation. I'm also grateful for a motivation to duck my head into antique shops, which had become quite the obsession some years back when I first discovered the art and joy of traditional shaving. Back then, I had become fanatical for a time. What's sad to me now is a recognition that I likely rejected Floating Heads that were right there for the picking because I was so focused on Gillettes.
I'll continue to play with this razor for a while. Twelvefret has made clear I'm welcome to do so, which I very much appreciate. I've posted this review in a separate thread in the hope that it might be helpful to those who would like to share impressions, thoughts or questions about this razor. I'll continue to post any new insights I run across as it I continue to put it through its paces before it heads back to its rightful home.