Frankenhenson?

[Greg788]

Has anyone mixed/matched Henson heads and plates, especially the medium (++) and aggressive (+++)? I have a medium and an aggressive aluminum and thinking I need to try this. First up is +++ plate with ++ head, which should give me the aggressive's gap with the medium's blade exposure -- assuming the data Tatara provides for their mixing / matching is consistent, which I suspect it is

I emailed Henson asking for this data and got the expected response, "We don't recommend doing this as our razors are precisely engineered for ..."

 

[ewk]

I asked Henson the same question once upon a time and received the same answer: the topcaps are designed for each baseplate and are not interchangeable. I never tried mixing them myself.

 

[Omega48]

Subscribed

 

[Greg788]

So I just shaved with a +++ plate and ++ cap combo and .... in spite of Henson's dire warning, it WORKED GREAT, as I expected. Smoother than the +++ overall except ATG was probably a wash. WTG and XTG were SUPER smooth, like just as smooth as the ++ if not smoother, oddly. Arguably just as efficient as the +++ for me since I shave daily (probably don't need +++ amount of blade exposure). 3 passes, BBS, definitely more efficient than just a ++ model

Definitely recommended, worth a try

 

[Omega48]

I only have the +++ and the +. I use the +++ WTG and XTG. The + for ATG.
Should I try a +++ with a + cap?

 

[Greg788]

I only have the +++ and the +. I use the +++ WTG and XTG. The + for ATG.
Should I try a +++ with a + cap?

I certainly would if I had a + along with a +++ .... in theory that gives you near neutral blade exposure (0.001") and around 0.99mm blade gap. There are quite a few razors with those specs, like the Tatara Masamune+Nodachi, Le Maurice, Chiseled Face Ti, etc.

 

[Omega48]

I have never spent time to learn what those number practically mean on your skin .
I'll try it tomorrow.

 

[Greg788]

I have never spent time to learn what those number practically mean on your skin .
I'll try it tomorrow.

Let us know how it goes here

 

[buyandhold2018]

I have used the + top cap with the ++ base plate and it works wonderful.

 

[ewk]

So I just shaved with a +++ plate and ++ cap combo and .... in spite of Henson's dire warning, it WORKED GREAT,

You rebel, you. Thank you for taking the risk for the enhancement of our shaving pleasure!

 

[Omega48]

As I mentioned earlier, I use a +++ WTG and XTG, followed by a + for the final ATG plus touch ups. I don't like the blade feel of the aggressive while going ATG.

For the shave today I mounted the base of a AL +++ on the TI +. I am not sure it is a an improvement, I have to try it some more, but I liked it.

I certainly would if I had a + along with a +++ .... in theory that gives you near neutral blade exposure (0.001") and around 0.99mm blade gap. .....

Do you know how do these measures compare to the ones of the mild and of the aggressive?

 

[Greg788]

Trial #2: medium (++) plate & aggressive (+++) cap

In theory this provides 0.84mm blade gap and 0.0045" blade exposure

VERY aggressive and efficient -- I felt it was somehow MORE aggressive than the standard "aggressive" (+++) model! I suspect there needs to be a linear relationship between blade gap and blade exposure to keep things comfortable. And I've never been able to shave with large exposure / low gap like the BB on a daily basis. For example, I've tried the Timeless Aluminum, Bronze and Slim and didn't like any of them, ditto the BB, although it was by far the best of the small gap, greater exposure genre.

Some may really like the ++ plate with +++ cap since I think it creates more efficiency than the standard "aggressive" +++ model, but not for me. BBS, sure, but I have a bit of razor burn here and there now. Maybe with a milder blade than my go-to Nacette ...

Anyway, trials #3 onward will involve the mild (+) plate and cap with the medium and aggressive plates and caps. I just ordered one, should be here Monday or Tuesday ... Hoping that the mild cap with aggressive plate (or at least the medium plate) will be Goldilocks

 

[spacemonkey42]

How are you determining your gap and exposure estimates, @Greg788?

 

[Greg788]

How are you determining your gap and exposure estimates, @Greg788?

I'm *ESTIMATING* it from data from Henson's website ... copy/paste from the Ti model below:

Mild - Extension: 0.0013" - Blade Gap: 0.027"
Medium - Extension: 0.0023" - Blade Gap: 0.033"
Aggressive - Extension: 0.0045" - Blade Gap: 0.039"

 

[Shave Souffle]

I remember doing the +++ cap with ++ baseplate and it worked as well as ++ cap with +++ baseplate. I don't remember which I preferred more but I liked every iteration more than a straight up ++ Henson

 

[Omega48]

As I mentioned earlier, I use a +++ WTG and XTG, followed by a + for the final ATG plus touch ups. I don't like the blade feel of the aggressive while going ATG.

For the shave today I mounted the base of a AL +++ on the TI +. I am not sure it is a an improvement, I have to try it some more, but I liked it.

Second shave today with the +++/+. I have to confirm that for me, it is not an improvement, neither with respect to the +++ nor the +. It's OK, but both the +++ and the + are better, for what they are supposed to do.

 

[BurnFree]

@Greg788, how is your Goldilocks quest going?