Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
I have decided to put my money where my mouth is. Or isn't. Most of us here are familiar with the Gold Dollar's pros and cons from actually using them. To me, the worst characteristic of the brand is that the bevel angle is too wide. Then ZY430+ came out, with an even fatter bevel angle. Not too many guys who bought them, still have them in their rotation. Why? Steel was okay, maybe better than the GD steel. But it was like shaving with a cold chisel. No matter how much you put into honing, it's still a 20deg or 21deg bevel. May as well shave with your pocketknife. Now we have new kid on the block but actually not so new at all Titan, with bevel angles not quite as obtuse as the ZY but still more obtuse than the GD razors, but made from three different grades of Japanese steel, two being pretty good and one being darn good. I am on record as badmouthing the Titans for their geometry and pocketknife scales. After being disappointed in wasting a few bucks on a pair of ZY430+ razors, I was reluctant to actually throw good money after bad, and spring for a Titan. So I have been assuming I would not like them, based on their known characteristics and not actual hands-on time with them.
Until now.
My contention is it doesn't matter how good the steel is, if the geometry is outside the performance envelope, and heavy, metal lined scales make shaving and maintaining the razor a major PITA. Today, I decided it was time to try to put my prejudices aside and have a good old fashioned razor shootout. I looked on fleabay and the cheapest Titan I saw was in the upper $30's with two month shipping from China. Went to Ali Express, to the Titan store, and prices are much lower and shipping times much more realistic. I pulled the trigger on the following three razors:
US $19.75 21% OFF|Titan wood handle striaght razor blade sharp already free shipping|Razor| - AliExpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32900122962.html ACRM-2 steel, 59-61 hRC $20
US $29.45 28% OFF|free shipping titan brand wood handle straight shaving razor blade shaving ready|razor blade shaving|shave readystraight shaving razor - AliExpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/892056650.html VG-10HZ steel, 59-61 hRC $29.86
US $43.13 28% OFF|Titan free shipping barber shaving wood striaght razor|straight razor|old straight razortitan razor - AliExpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1261419640.html ACRO steel, 61-65 HRC $43.73
I will put them through their paces and directly compare them to a Gold Dollar 208 and a Gold Dollar P-81, and then select one of the Titans, probably either the first or the second, and one of the two GDs, and do a passaround. I will probably repeat it over on "that other" forum, too. This passaround will be open only to experienced straight shavers and honers, because credible opinions are what I am after. I will probably PIF both razors when all is said and done, with the razors going to newbies.
Don't say "I'm IN!" yet cause I haven't even seen the razors yet LOL! Haven't decided what criteria to use, probably minimum one year honing razors, two years shaving, and 30 razors honed, minimum 1000 posts, something like that. The purpose is not to let guys decide if they like them or not, but to let everyone else know if they are any good or not, and if so, how good. So I think the opinions of those whose experience and opinions carry more weight are important to the purpose of the passaround.
Comments welcome!
Until now.
My contention is it doesn't matter how good the steel is, if the geometry is outside the performance envelope, and heavy, metal lined scales make shaving and maintaining the razor a major PITA. Today, I decided it was time to try to put my prejudices aside and have a good old fashioned razor shootout. I looked on fleabay and the cheapest Titan I saw was in the upper $30's with two month shipping from China. Went to Ali Express, to the Titan store, and prices are much lower and shipping times much more realistic. I pulled the trigger on the following three razors:
US $19.75 21% OFF|Titan wood handle striaght razor blade sharp already free shipping|Razor| - AliExpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32900122962.html ACRM-2 steel, 59-61 hRC $20
US $29.45 28% OFF|free shipping titan brand wood handle straight shaving razor blade shaving ready|razor blade shaving|shave readystraight shaving razor - AliExpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/892056650.html VG-10HZ steel, 59-61 hRC $29.86
US $43.13 28% OFF|Titan free shipping barber shaving wood striaght razor|straight razor|old straight razortitan razor - AliExpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1261419640.html ACRO steel, 61-65 HRC $43.73
I will put them through their paces and directly compare them to a Gold Dollar 208 and a Gold Dollar P-81, and then select one of the Titans, probably either the first or the second, and one of the two GDs, and do a passaround. I will probably repeat it over on "that other" forum, too. This passaround will be open only to experienced straight shavers and honers, because credible opinions are what I am after. I will probably PIF both razors when all is said and done, with the razors going to newbies.
Don't say "I'm IN!" yet cause I haven't even seen the razors yet LOL! Haven't decided what criteria to use, probably minimum one year honing razors, two years shaving, and 30 razors honed, minimum 1000 posts, something like that. The purpose is not to let guys decide if they like them or not, but to let everyone else know if they are any good or not, and if so, how good. So I think the opinions of those whose experience and opinions carry more weight are important to the purpose of the passaround.
Comments welcome!